The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Prudence tip-toed into the bedroom. Articles of clothing were tossed recklessly to one side of the room. There was a dresser over there with the bottom drawer sticking out about two inches or so. Some clothing was on the end of the bed. There was what must be a spare pair of walking shoes and a set of dress shoes near a closet with folding doors, the doors of which were open. So displayed in the closet were some dress shirts, a suit with pants, a shelf with a mess of objects atop it.

Off to the other side was a desk with a computer on it. There was a camera attached to it, but she could see he’d taped cardboard over it, indicating he didn’t trust the camera’s setting. She mused a moment how his security influenced his other actions.

She had noticed he had pieces of plush rugs on the walls in other rooms, she presumed was to cut the sound to a better ambient level. His bedroom though appeared to be painted a grayish color. Until she touched the wall anyway. The walls it seemed were covered with a foam form with little pyramid shapes sticking out. More silencing effort she would bet.

Walking quietly as she could, she approached the bed, queen size perhaps. There was a headboard but no end cap for the bottom and the blankets were in position to cocoon the form in them. Prudence smiled as she looked down on Lexi’s peaceful sleep face.

The sleeping woman’s brownish hair was in disarray about her head on the pillow. Prudence knelt on the floor beside her. Carefully so as not to disturb the sleeper she started to brush the hair back from Lexi’s face, bringing her a better view of the sleeper’s soft lips, thin eyebrows, straight nose, and currently pink cheeks.

She couldn’t resist lightly caressing a cheek with her cupped hand. Lexi’s eyes didn’t open but her lips curled slightly into a smile. Prudence had only intended to wake Lexi but was enthralled by the beauty in her sleep. Lexi’s eyelashes were not teased out with any mascara but still looked vivid and delicate.

Finally, tempted beyond her usual experience, she leaned in and gave the brown haired girl the softest kiss she could manage on the lips. It did not appear to wake the sleeper but Lexi’s lips opened to massage her own in a more intimate way. After a moment, Lexi’s tongue started to explore Prudence’s lips, slipping in to touch Pru’s own tongue.

Lexi’s hand came out from under the blankets though her eyes hadn’t opened. Her arm reached up to Prudence and slipped fingers into the dark blond hair of the other woman. She pulled her down into an even more intense embrace, letting out a moan of pleasure in the kiss. Prudence was enjoyed kissing the little nymph, thinking Lexi awake now for sure she drew the covers down as they necked.

Lexi had on a pair of cotton pajamas, a top and pants section. The top had hiked its way up to the underside of her orbs, exposing a firm torso and small bellybutton. Prudence ran her hand over Lexi’s abdomen, teasing at slipping in under the PJs. Lexi’s eyes still hadn’t opened, they were firmly engaged in an intense embrace of endearment.

She let her hand glide under the tops, cupping Lexi’s right breast, feeling the nipple against her palm. The gentle sounds of pleasure coming from Lexi were quiet but clear in their meaning. Her thumb and forefinger rolled Lexi’s nubbin with a gentle squeeze. Lexi’s hips lurched a bit, arching slowly and down again.

Lexi’s eyes finally opened, smokey at the moment, deep within a lustful response. She became more active kissing Prudence, pushing her tongue in the mouth, pulling her tightly into the contact of their lips. When she drew her hand away from the back of Prudence’s head, it found a way to run over the outside of the blouse Pru had on, caressing the left breast through the material. She could feel her own nipples stiffening up in arousal.

Prudence lifted her head just long enough to pull off her blouse and slip out of her bra. Lexi, clearly fascinated at another woman’s body ran her fingers in little circles around the larger part of Prudence’s areola. Prudence’s breasts were firm, larger than her own by a noticeable difference and the spread of the areola was not like the little one around her own nipple. Lexi leaned over and suckled at the nipple, as if she could draw sustenance from it.

Prudence let out a low moan and then a soft almost predatory growl. She pushed the blankets off Lexi entirely and started to push down the PJs bottom.

“What??” whispered Lexi.

“sssshh,” responded Prudence. She pulled the bottoms all the way off and slipped onto the bed between her thighs. Her tongue caressed Lexi’s inner thigh, and she gave light nips there too.

Lexi’s head pressed back against the pillow, arching her neck out as she did. A guttural growl grew within her and was escaping as Prudence finally started to suck lightly on the labia exposed before her. Lexi’s eyes kept squeezing open and shut as her fists clenched in the pillow to either side of her head. Her hips were trying to buck against the tantalizing touch of Prudence’s tongue and lips.

Prudence lifted Lexi’s hips a bit more. Her right hand ran over the left cheek until it rested in the crack between the cheeks. Prudence pressed her tongue as far as she could into the cleft between Lexi’s legs, drawing it back out so the rough surface of the middle of her tongue ran over the hardening nub there at the top.

Lexi’s shoulders rocked from side to side, her head flailing a bit. Prudence rubbed the ball of her thumb over the little opening in the brown haired woman’s bottom, and sucked the nubbin of her clit in between her lips firmly, rolling it side to side.

This was the point at which Lexi grunted out a release. There was no scream but she writhed like a python, whirling a bit and clenching her thighs down on Prudence’s head, threatening to cut off her ability to breath.

“Oh yes,” came the deeper version of Lexi’s voice, giving a gravelly sound of her pleasure, “oh GOD yes.”

Then she stopped and gently pressed the top of Prudence’s head away from her sex, where the dark blond was still suckling on her juices.

“You’re yummy,” Prudence said to Lexi. Lexi giggled.

That’s when they heard the noise by the door. Edward stood in the door, looking stone faced. Then he turned and disappeared from the door.

“Uh oh,” said Prudence. “I think I, well, we that is, upset him.”

“Why?” said Lexi, “we were...”

“Having sex, yeah, that.”

“Wha?” her eyes popped, “OOOOH! Nooo, he’s mad at me.”

“I’d think so. Lexi, he has a thing for you, or did you miss that?”

“No. But I thought he also has a thing for you, and for Ellie.”

“It might be more for Ellie than me, but yeah, he might be struggling with wanting any one of us. Still, he may be a bit displeased with me having sex with you. Before he had I mean.”

“oh.” whispered Lexi, now worried. She clutched her hands together against herself, eyes wide open in shock.

Elaine was in the kitchen having a cup of coffee when Lexi and Prudence joined her. She looked up from the newspaper Edward had left her with showing the police arrested someone for Dean’s murder.

“Hi there sleepy head,” she said to Lexi.

“Have you seen Edward?” Lexi’s voice expressed her concern.

“He dropped off the paper, then went to find you. Why?”

“He caught Lexi and I? er, in flagrante,” responded Prudence. Lexi seemed twitchy, looking through doors as though he might be in one of the close by rooms.

“Oh,” Elaine looked confused a second. “OH!” She smiled and suppressed, poorly, a chuckle.

Lexi looked at her in horror, “is he mad at me? I don’t want him mad at me. Oh god, don’t let him be mad at me.”

“Prudence, were you a bad girl again, I mean, can’t I leave you alone with another woman at all?”

Prudence looked down in shame. “She is so beautiful. And I like her a great deal. I was only going to give her a kiss, and...”

“Then you just couldn’t stop yourself?” Elaine sighed. “sometimes you are so damn stupid. I adore you but you do stupid really well sometimes.”

“Honestly, I? oh never mind. I may have turned our lives into a disaster if he is angry.”

“I doubt it’s that bad,” she said, “I knew she really appealed to you, but you seriously could have held out for a better time.”

“Hey, I’m right here too,” Lexi interrupted. “I could have chosen to react differently when I knew it was Pru.”

“Oh Lexi,” she gave Lexi a peck on the cheek, “the difference? Pru has experience. She should know how bent people get. Most guys would think it really hot seeing two girls going at it. But our Edward is not one of those most guys.”

“Lexi, don’t blame yourself. This is on me.”

“I better go find him. Honestly, if this is a problem, you guys are to blame, not him so much,” Elaine started towards the door, “In some ways, he’s still such a little boy. He’s our wonderful little boy. I would adore him even without his unique mental skill. But he hasn’t exactly matured into adulthood the way you might be given to think. You stay here, keep your hands to yourselves, and try to have some food Lexi. Maybe make some breakfast for yourself.”

Elaine started into the maze like warren that was Edward’s home. After looking in the most obvious rooms while she was looking, she looked up. The ceiling was a good eighty feet up from where she was. She wondered idly if there was a way up there. She spotted the top of a staircase off to one side.

She tried to make her way through the hall or halls to get to the staircase. She had to open a door in the wall before she got to the side of the loft’s larger space. The staircase wasn’t too bad. Her feet made a soft plush plush sound because she’d put a pair of socks on. She didn’t have anything but the pumps in her bag, and she was glad she wasn’t in them. The staircase was metal mesh to step on and with the gaps in it, a heel would get stuck quickly.

As she approached the top of the stairs there was a gangway hanging down a bit that went out over the rest of the loft’s space. So she walked out on it, looking down to see if she could spot Edward somewhere below.

It was not productive. She was not seeing him anywhere. He had not left by way of the lift, which was outside the kitchen door. She’d have noticed the lift sound, though there was a more formal door to the side in a hall.

She heard a cough and lifted her head to look up where she was. She saw Edward up in a little cage against the side of the loft. She smiled. He hooked a finger to her and pointed to the extra couple steps that led to the cage.

The inside of the cage was designed for just one person. It wasn’t clear what it was for since there was a control panel of some sort but all the controls had been removed.

“There used to be a crane a long time ago, before the first person who used this place as a loft,” explained Edward as she looked at the panel. She pushed her way in and squeezed in beside him on the small metal bench in the space.

“Hello handsome, come here often?” she said. The tones were sultry but the sparkle in her eye said she was being playful. He by comparison seemed to have sulk written all over him.

“Not really. I was wandering around thinking. For some reason this particular spot seemed attractive today.”

“What did they make here when it was a factory?”

“I don’t know,” he looked at her surprise, “seriously, I don’t know. It was empty for decades before the prior owners and the ones before were the folk who turned it into living space.”

“So you decided to mull over what the ceiling looked like while you were hiding out?”

“I’m not hiding out.”

“It seems like hiding out to me,” she said.

“It’s a part of my home. I’m home, so if being home is hiding out, I guess I’m hiding out.”

“Well you’re avoiding company you give every indication you enjoy. A lot.”

“I walked in on Lexi with Prudence,” he replied, “I need to process that since it was completely out of the blue.”

“I gathered as much. Are you okay? You never dated before, you’ve said. Neither of them meant to upset you.”

“I’ll be fine really. If they hook up, I’ll deal. I’ll still do what I can to protect the three of you.”

“Prudence is a bit hot blooded, please find it in your heart to forgive her? She cares about you, you know.”

He smiled at her. “She’s a bit more than hot blooded. This was a funny way to show she likes me.”

“She does. You know she likes men too. Just, women a bit more.”

“Apparently Lexi likes women too.”

“Seems so. Hard to say she likes women any differently than she likes men. I know she likes you.”

“Yeah.” He stared out into the open space. “I know. Not well.”

“Come on. Something less monosyllabic.”

“I,” he squeezed his eyes closed a bit, “need more coffee.”

“You’re being difficult.”

“I just don’t really want to talk about it just now. I have a lot I have to do. Things I’m responsible for. I can’t let myself be distracted.”

“For the record, when you banished the punishment pain keeping me from touching you, I plan to reward you every chance I get. That was one really wonderful orgasm.”

He laughed. She felt better at least getting him to smile.

“You mean the one I didn’t intend to cause. I told you, you don’t owe me anything. Speaking of... You called me sir yesterday. Seriously, what was that about?”

“I’m not entirely sure. There’s only two other people I ever called ‘sir’ and fortunately the bad one is gone for good. My dad was the other one.”

“Oh no, so you think I’m your father now? Does this mean you are into incest?”

She squealed, “NO!” He had to catch her wrist so she wouldn’t hit him. She was being playful but he caught her hands anyway. Then let go.

He just smiled at her.

“I don’t have an answer, honestly,” she said, “For all I know it was a very straightforward Freudian slip. I do think you’ve earned my respect. It can’t be easy to be with the hot looking women downstairs and not using your ability to force them into your bed.”

“My parents would turn in their graves.”

“Maybe. It’s still your restraint.”

“Thanks.”

“What I meant is, I think I called you ‘sir’ because you are ‘sir.’ I may not have realized I was doing it, but still.”

“Now you’re making me worry I’m imprinting on you.”

“What exactly does that mean to you? ‘imprinting’ on me?”

“To me? It means unintentionally changing you by touching your mind so I become more attractive and desirable, trustworthy, you know, warping you to my will.”

“So you think just by touching our minds you will cause us to come under your control.”

“It’s what I fear. Might be an unintended consequence.”

“How would you know if you were? It seems your uncle said you most certainly had not done so with Lexi.”

“That’s just it. I’m mostly sure I haven’t. Yet you call me sir, and are thrilled I caused you to orgasm, Oh and you are very affectionate towards me?” he had a worried look. “Ellie, Lexi’s mind I touched once, fixed her fear problem and haven’t touched her since, yet up to this morning she’d been trying to plaster herself on me. I checked a half dozen times before I left her mind.”

“Oh Edward,” she took his hand in hers, “if you fixed my problem already I’d definitely kiss you right now. You don’t get it. We like who you are.”

“You do, at least. Anyway.”

“Lexi and Pru do as well. As for Pru, she told me if it gave her an orgasm like I had by accident from you, she said she’d volunteer to be ‘imprinted,’ by you. Though she did use the word ‘owned’ while talking to me.”

He looked down. The heights thing did not bother him. “I suppose it’s lunch time.”

She made a scrunch face. “Okay, fine. Change the topic to escape from dealing. Let’s go join the other members of this maze of yours.”

She pretty close to sat on him in the process of getting out of the cage. He did not mean to, but ended up copping a feel of her boobs. She laughed at him when that happened. He smirked at her right back.

“Tight spaces,” he said. “That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.”

“Oh, makes me think of Lexi again!”

“Oh, shut the fuck up.”

Elaine sniggered a bit.

“Hello, where did you go?” asked Prudence when they walked into the kitchen.

“For a walk,” said Edward. Behind his back Elaine made the cutting motion to tell Prudence to let things be. Prudence was not going to let things drop without trying to talk to him. He wasn’t paying close attention though.

“Hi,” said Lexi.

“Hello again,” said Edward, “I hope you slept well.”

“Did you guys just eat or is everyone hungry enough to get lunch,” said Elaine quickly.

“Lunch?” Lexi looked at Elaine, “I just finished breakfast.”

“Ah, okay.” He opened the door to the refrigerator and pulled out a few things. Putting them on the counter next to the stove he paused.

“Edward?”

“What is it Lexi?”

“Are you mad at me?”

“No Lexi, I’m not mad at you.”

He got a frying pan and a spatula down, set them on the stove. He didn’t speak as he moved. The women watched him. He turned to Elaine, “Are you hungry or is it only me? I can make something for you too, if you like.”

“No, I’m good.”

He opened a cabinet and pulled out some hamburger buns. He put two of the pre-made hamburger patties he pulled from the fridge into the frying pan.

“Edward? You seem mad at me.”

“No, I’m just dealing. After I eat, I am going to prowl around inside Ellie’s head again.”

Lexi looked crestfallen at his tone. Prudence narrowed her eyes.

She looked at Elaine and shook her head. She was not going to let this weed patch lie fallow. She gave out a little growl and took Edward’s hand, yanking him towards the door to another room. “You and I are going to sit down and talk. Even if I’m the only one talking.”

“Hey, I was...” She wasn’t having any guff though. Edward went along, reluctantly. Prudence dragged all the way to his bedroom. She pushed him to sit on the edge of the bed. She closed the door then stood in front of her.

“Now. You.” She crossed her arms across her chest and gave him the eye.

“Me what?”

“I know you saw me with Lexi, both of us. So we’re going to talk.”

“There’s nothing to be said. You like her, she likes you. What you do is your business, not mine.”

Prudence did another little growl. “Dammit.” She rubbed her eyes a moment with her fists.

“Look. It’s my fault. Don’t blame Lexi for me pushing myself on her.”

“I’m not blaming anyone, Pru,” he felt awkward at the moment, “I care about both of you. So if you end up together, that’s between you.”

Prudence made her scrunched face look. “Oh you’re really going to pretend you’re the noble thing all out. You can’t play the martyr here. You’re being a jerk. Cut it out.”

“I don’t understand. What did I do?”

She climbed up and straddled his lap, though he tried to pull away. She did not allow him to. She pulled him back towards her. He was unwilling to use his own strength to avoid it.

“Do? It’s what you didn’t do. You’re clearly upset with us for screwing. You can’t pretend otherwise when you ignore her.”

“I didn’t ignore Lexi.”

“You didn’t greet her in your usual warm manner either. Your response to her asking if you were mad was deadpan. A corpse would provide more warmth.”

“Okay, I’m upset. But it’s not my business what you two do.”

“Yes it is. Lexi made it your business by asking if you were mad. She clearly thinks it’s your business. You’re mad but you said no.” She swatted his chest lightly with a clenched fist, “Every woman in your home at the moment is stupidly taken with you and would be glad to go to bed with you. One of them can’t, yet, and one of them is waiting for you and Lexi. Or trying to.”

“Lexi seems interested in you,” he responded with the common form of male petulance.

“I’m also interested in Elaine, but I wouldn’t get in the way of her jumping you. Let’s straighten this out. Yes, I went down on Lexi. That’s on me, my fault. Don’t you go holding it against her.”

“That’s fine. She apparently enjoyed herself.”

“You idiot. Of course she enjoyed it. Don’t be a fool though. Her having gotten off with me does not mean she’s not interested in you.”

“Why didn’t she...”

“Stop me? Because among other things she did not see it as betraying you. You dolt. How could you not notice her on your lap? She’s very sensual despite prior isolation. What she had was a chance to be intimate with another of her close friends. I should have made sure the two of you got it on first before?”

“Okay, then why didn’t you?”

“hmm, I’m an idiot too?” Prudence seemed chagrined.

“Before I say anything about that I want to observe my balls are awfully close to where you can damage them.”

“Okay. First steps then, Mea Culpa. I fucked up. Do you want me to explain how it happened?”

“Not really. I just want to be left in peace. I need to be able to assure myself those people can’t come for you all first.”

She bumped her forehead gently against his and growled again.

“You are a stubborn, fucking, Ox, ain’t’cha?”

“Nope.” There was a little conciliatory smile with the petulance this time.

Prudence gave a gentle sigh then kissed his brow.

“Listen anyway. I came in here to wake Lexi up,” she started.

“And you did.”

“Yes, I did but you’re jumping ahead a bit. This is my fault and I am sorry but you will hear me out. Please stop being mad at Lexi. I think she’s fallen for you hard. If you get mad at her, she’s going to be badly hurt.”

He let out a sigh of reluctant patience. He was sure he wasn’t going anywhere until she felt she’d said her piece.

“As you said on the phone, she was beautiful, totally resplendent on the pillow. I was just going to give her a kiss to wake her up. I swear!,” she held her palm up to reinforce her oath, “it’s all I intended to do. We both enjoyed the kiss. Without thinking, again that’s on me, I started to feel her up and get her aroused. I don’t think she knew it was me at first but once she did she was already warmed up.”

“Warmed up. Yeah.” He smirked at her.

“Oh calm down. She is as inexperienced as you with the emotional content of sex or being with anyone. She doesn’t seem to have the switch on or off magically telling her, this will make the person I am interested in jealous,” Prudence glared at him, “You seem to though. I bet if you can have all three of us, you’ll still be upset at us if we slipped away for some nookie together. It might happen, but you won’t ever get away with it without using that,” she tapped a finger on his temple. “It’s double standard and unacceptable,”

He lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Try to think of it as the girl you have been falling for wants to be both with you and another girl who seems to be falling for you too.”

“What are ? huh?”

“Yes you gorilla. I think I’m falling for you too and you have not been poking around in my head. Stop being a prat. Be careful how you treat Lexi. I like her. I don’t want you mistreating her!”

She settled in place, trying to bore her eyes into his. He had softened.

“Argh. I’m sorry Prudence. Please forgive me.”

“I don’t need an apology, though it’s a sweet gesture. In fact, I apologize for getting between Lexi’s legs before you did. I knew you two were headed there. I forgot myself and didn’t wait to be invited by both of you.”

“Well that makes it sound really awkward.”

“Yes. It is. I am telling you kiddo. You’ll fix your attitude, you’ll make up to Lexi, and it will be good. Got it? Our little proto-family here will work out other things too.”

His eyes had pooled up.

“What’s the tears about?” she asked.

“It hurt she didn’t? wait,” he said, “I understand I’m being a prick but it hurt. I felt omitted? Unwanted? Pushed aside?”

Prudence shook her head at him then smiled. “Silly git. That wasn’t excluding you. It was ‘in addition’ to you.”

“It didn’t feel that way. Seriously. How am I supposed to feel because,” he said, “I don’t know squat about the whole dating, having sex, having the emotional reaction thing.”

“You’re supposed to feel what you feel. Nothing makes your feelings invalid, just because someone else meant it another way. I am asking, begging, pleading if you will? in two days you’ve become our family. You’re the titular head of the family. You just need to mature a bit.”

“Who the hell uses the word ‘titular’ anymore?”

“I do. I enjoyed my classes in literature. You will not be permitted to demean my vocabulary.”

He let out a deep sigh. She tucked her finger under his chin and lifted him up to look at her. With care and tenderness her head tilted ever so slightly and her pretty brown eyes closed. Her lips met his to his mild shock. He kissed her back hesitantly.

“When all this is over, you protecting us I mean,” she whispered gently, “if Lexi leaves you completely, I will stay. Because I intend to anyway. She is not going to leave. You’ll see.”

He smiled at her. “A needless promise since you are likely to talk her into staying.” He looked over at the closed door, “I hope.”

Using her palm she turned his head back so he had to look at her. “Cut it out. No morose behavior for you. You’re going to apologize and she will be perky again. No need to hope for a sure thing. You will apologize to her. Got that? Apologize. I don’t need to spell it for you, right? She does need and deserve it.”

He nodded.

They walked back in the kitchen to see Lexi was cooking his burgers for him. It struck him she was cooking for him because she thought he was mad. He wanted to hang his head in shame. He managed to walk up behind her and wrap his arms around her. She paused and stood still for him.

“I’m sorry Lexi. I was rude. I was upset and it was my own fault. I beg you, please forgive me.”

She didn’t say anything. He couldn’t see her face and he was trying to avoid using his talent to read her reaction.

Elaine and Prudence shared a glance. Lexi clung to his arms.

“Please don’t be upset with me. I just...” her words were halting. She turned in his arms and burrowed in against his chest, arms held close together between them as if to make herself smaller than she already was. She whispered softly, “I didn’t mean to upset you. Ellie explained to me. But I like them too. A lot.”

“Hush,” he looked over her head at Elaine, “Pru explained. It’s my fault. My immature reaction to something between two people who care about each other, and, apparently,” he looked over at Prudence too, “me as well, despite my ? Pru, help me out, why did I react that way, I need to know how to fix me.”

Elaine laughed. “Oh Prudence. You’re stuck for this one.”

“You’re fucking insecure, you thick headed scamp,” Prudence said, “insecurity is common. A normal thing unless you let it run your life. Look what happened to Lexi when she was afraid to leave home.”

“It was fear in her case. She was scared.”

“So are you, just a different way.”

“Just remember,” Elaine said gently, “We have insecurities too even if we can’t do mental mojo shit.”

“Why does that remind me of something about Roman Emperors?” said Edward.

“Too much reading has left you with more trivia than you need,” said Prudence.

“Hey you,” said Lexi.

“Yes?”

“Apology accepted. You are important to me.” He nodded.

She looked up adoringly at his eyes, “If you let go I might be able to prevent your lunch from burning.”

He opened his arms quickly. Elaine and Prudence laughed.

It was raining when his plane touched down. Customs wasn’t a problem, for him anyway. Apparently, the customs people were being a bit more unpleasant than usual to people who were not born here. The next flight seemed almost as dull as the previous one, only people were more relaxed. They weren’t worrying about going through Customs at the next destination.

There was a bored looking man off to one side holding up a sign that read ‘Bart M’ on it. That would be his ride he presumed. He walked up to the gentleman.

“Waiting long?”

The man looked at his watch, “only about fifteen minutes. I expect the baggage claim to be a pain in the rump though.”

“Too bad. Here, you can carry these,” he handed the man his two bags. “You’ve been claimed.”

“Sure. Your chariot awaits.”

The man led him to an area the pickup vehicles waited. The vehicle was a large four door sedan. It was black and the trunk popped as they approached. He didn’t see the driver do it, but the button to open it had to be a remote key of some sort. His baggage was stowed away pretty quickly and the driver opened the back door for him.

“This address,” he handed the driver a small printed sheet. “No rush. I’m happy to spend the money they pay you for this.”

“I’ll be sure to pad it out a little for your amusement if you’d like.”

“Feel free. It’s not my money and they won’t dare question me about it.”

The driver smiled, “I see I’m going to like you.”

“Most people do.” He suppressed the rest of the comment, ‘whether they want to or not.’

Prudence took his recommendation. She called her office and advised them there was a family crisis she had to attend to. There turned out to be no reason she couldn’t take the whole week off. Elaine called in and quit. They owed her a small sum for her last few shifts but she didn’t want to go in for the check. She didn’t feel she needed to deal with them anymore. She could do her resume and wear normal clothing for interviews.

That night, Edward had gone to bed after a couple efforts to decipher more of the knot of controls Elaine needed undone. He wasn’t getting anywhere and realized his focus wasn’t right. He stopped at the time rather than take any chances of letting his emotions affect what he was doing. The consensus was this was a good plan.

He heard the door open. Then it closed again. A warm naked female form joined him in the bed. He smelled the aroma of Lexi’s favored shampoo and felt relieved. Pru was right, she’d come back to him.

“Do you mind?” Her voice sounded timid. It was a little voice more like one might expect of someone with her appearance with the thick rimmed fake glasses and hair bob had used when they first met.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t come back.” He rubbed his face into her hair gently.

“You’re not getting off that easy,” She nuzzled in closer. “I’m bound to you.”

He kissed her, they touched each other a few times. He could feel the softness of her breasts against his own chest. He caressed her soft naked mounds, her bottom, her cheeks. It wasn’t going to happen that night though. He fell asleep with her stroking his hair. She smiled, pleased she helped him to find peace at the end of the day.

Tuesday found the weather rainy outside. The loft space seemed chilly to the women. Edward was used to the chill coming through but turned the hot air blowers on to warm everyone up.

Edward settled in on one of the futons while the women were reading from his supply of fiction, watching a movie, or moving about for other reasons. He watched Elaine quietly for a while. Looking over at Lexi, he found himself wondering how he avoided the mishmash of controls he was encountering in Elaine.

He felt comfortable with the blanket consent Elaine had given him. If he was going to snoop through Pru’s mind, he’d ask for explicit consent again, but he didn’t see a need to. Lexi, he felt uncomfortable asking to slip into her thoughts again.

He spent time, more than he expected, in Elaine’s thoughts. Even her conscious thoughts had to go through filters left behind with the demise of Dean. He felt as though he was trying to squirm himself around in the basement of a commercial building’s with too many ventilation shafts, wiring, water pipes, heating pipes, stored junk? There was something he did not want to tell Elaine. ‘Oh Ellie, your mind is a cluttered mess.’ Right. That would go over so well.

Of the two minds he’d slipped into so far the thoughts were more like fibers, strands, strings, bundles, and knots. Not really like the clutter of a commercial building’s basement. He spent a lot of the morning and early afternoon riding along inside Elaine’s head, briefly encountering memories she wanted buried.

Those could be quite lurid it seemed. Why she looked so pretty despite the acts she was forced to participate in, he couldn’t guess. That she was able to be functional at all was a testimony to her strength of character, her simple will to still be herself. He did find her harboring the obvious notion anyone she was going to connect to ever again would be her choice. If he could not fix her up well, that notion could just as well be dust though.

Prudence slipped out to do some shopping for them. He told her she didn’t have to, that he could arrange delivery. She shook her head.

“I won’t be long. Don’t start the apocalypse without me.” She meant a movie Elaine had picked out about zombies. Elaine grinned.

He did end up having a problem though, scanning Elaine. The lurid memories of hers were particularly raunchy. He’d had to run off to the bathroom a few times. The ones which were strictly sensual were like hitting a land mine. He thought once he had made a mess of his pants.

“What’s going on with you,” Lexi asked after another quick trip to the can.

“The details, hm. Maybe at some point Ellie will let me share some of her memories with you. I’ve been trying to avoid wetting my pants.”

“Wetting your,” Lexi clicked on the brain, “pants. Naughty boy. So she’s being the porn channel for you at the moment? Cool. I’m officially jealous you can see them. I wanna. Elaine?”

But Elaine had fallen out of her chair. She was laughing from the moment she saw Lexi hadn’t figured it out without asking. Elaine was pretty sure he was getting into more than he really bargained for by digging around in her memories.

When she caught her breath, Lexi was grinning at her and Edward was working on being very embarrassed.

“You know. If you take Lexi in the other room, she might be happy to help you out with that when it happens,” Elaine told him.

“Probably. I don’t know asking that of her would be fair to her though.”

“Edward,” said Elaine, “You ought to take advantage of the opportunity. Before we all pile on you at the same time.”

Prudence came back without much of a delay. She had supplies to cook dinner with. Edward ended up scratching his head. They all could have gone shopping if she’d wanted. He didn’t think she was at risk on her own for only a few hours though, and clearly nothing happened other than? buying supplies to make stir fry. A couple different variations of stir fry.

“I only have the one wok though.”

“No worries. I can do one in a large frying pan.”

She settled into the kitchen cooking. He tried to go back to probing Elaine but wouldn’t you know, Lexi and Elaine decided to let Prudence in on him running to and from the can. He rolled his eyes but the laughter from the kitchen was distracting him from poking around more. This was not going well as he had hoped.

Lexi came in to see him just sitting in one of the futons and flopped herself across his lap. “Hi there. You looked like you need a lap ornament.”

“Oh? One to feel the wonderful bumps on?”

She grinned at him, grabbed his right hand and pushed it up under the shirt she’d put on. She wasn’t satisfied with how she was posing him until his hand was cupped over her left breast.

“Soft,” he said. She let off a soft hum of pleasure. Elaine peeked in the room.

“That’s much better,” she said and slipped back into the kitchen, only to pop right out again.

“Don’t you two disappear or anything. We’ll have dinner ready soon and getting your nut off is not an excuse to miss dinner tonight.”

When she vanished again he looked at Lexi luxuriating with his hand kneading her boob. “I thought they wanted us to get properly hooked up together.”

Her eyes opened only slightly. Her face looked soft and pink. She seemed to be mildly flush and her eyes had the lashes drooping just enough to show she didn’t care what else was going on. She was where she wanted to be at the moment.

“You don’t care what they see us do together, do you?” he asked.

“Them? No. Other people, yeah. Pru and Ellie? Nope. They’re part of us.”

He tilted in and kissed her gently. She worked his lips more and her tongue slipped out to pursue his. He quietly drew back so he could look at her visage. Lexi’s eyes were closed, mouth slightly open and her tongue slightly out, seeking his return to the embrace.

“You’re pretty amazing.” He kissed her again, they got a bit lost in necking, he didn’t explore more than her breasts, and nipples, which were stiffening under his touch. She was letting out the most hungry guttural moans from his touch, she pulled herself close as she could. He swore he could feel her heart beat along with his own.

There was loud enough stage cough to get their attention.

“They look pretty happy. You’re right, she’s very sensual.” That statement was not directed at them.

“I know, right?” came Prudence’s voice. “He’s not so bad either, no slacker.”

Edward drew Lexi’s shirt back down when she made no move to cover herself. He let out a nervous little cough himself.

“Hello,” he managed to squeeze out.

“Edward, Lexi, dinner is served. I don’t mean you two are allowed to be dinner though. Food’s up and ready. Get your asses in here.”

Lexi giggled lightly. “You’re embarrassed by making out with me?”

“No. Maybe. I don’t want to hurt others.”

She sat up and held her hands on either side of his face. “You aren’t going to hurt any of us. I know that. Now maybe you will figure it out soon.”

He ran his fingers through her hair.

“Let’s go eat,” he said. She pushed herself against his hand as if she was a cat wanting to be petted.

“Yes sir.” She started to her feet and went to help in the kitchen as he sat there mulling over what she had just said. Elaine was still by the door.

“Don’t read too much into it Edward. The word ‘sir’ is a term of respect, not a sudden indication you’ve ‘imprinted.’ I am pretty sure you have what’s known as an embarrassment of riches at the moment.”

Before he could ask Elaine what she meant, she slipped back through the door herself.

Dinner was quite good. Prudence was a hot property if she wanted to be a chef. Edward thought so anyway. They had one beef dish and one shrimp dish to choose from. The brown sauce on the beef, whatever it was, was outstanding. He was starting to feel stuffed, or at least like he ought to have a food coma.

They heard the flywheel of the elevator start while they were finishing up, talking about things such as hobbies, favorite music, and why he had a copy of Kate & Leopold in his collection of movies.

“Are we expecting someone?” asked Prudence, looking at Edward.

“I didn’t think so. But there’s only two floors in the building that need the lift, and the other one is empty.”

“What should we do?” asked Elaine of him.

“If you don’t mind, you guys can clean up in here. I’ll see who is on the elevator.”

“Are you sure?” asked Lexi, “if you want us with you...”

“I will be fine Lexi.”

He walked out the kitchen door to the greeting chamber beyond the enclosed living space. The lift was actually fairly slow, so he was there well before the moving platform. He could see down into the elevator, a large freight thing meant to be able to haul huge loads from the dock behind the building to the two upper lofts of the building.

There was a man down there, looking up. He was broad shouldered but looked to have salt and pepper hair. All he could tell from his vantage point was the man saw him too. Whoever it was waved to him.

When the platform came to a stop he pulled the top part of the gate open, the bottom half sliding down as he did. The man had on a pair of gray slacks, a button down collar style shirt open at the top few buttons, and no, no tie. He did have on what seemed to be an old well loved sports jacket, some of the seams showing from its lifetime. For a disheveled look, he carried it off well. The man stepped into the entry chamber with him and held out a hand.

“Hi, are you Edward? Edward Gellar?”

“Yes, who are you?”

“My name is Bartholomew but most people call me Bart,” they shook hands. “Samuel sent me to talk to you. You should call him to verify if you want me to wait.”

“Sure, I think I will do so.” Edward pulled out his phone and thumbed through to find his uncle’s number. While he did so, he used the cell to click a picture of the man in front of him. He sent the photo, then dialed the number.

His uncle, no expert with technology, struggled to look at the picture without hanging up. He was amused his uncle had difficulties still. Yet his uncle was able to confirm he had met this man before. He was indeed Bartholomew Masterson present on behalf of the council.

“Okay, thank you,” he said as he rang off the call with his uncle. He wished sometimes his aunt and uncle were a bit more technology oriented.

“Fine. Bart,” he reached an arm towards the door he’d come to the elevator through, “come inside if you will. I prefer to be called Edward by the way.”

“Good enough, Edward. I need to know just what’s going on,” as they walked through to the gathering room where the women were already seated. “I just, Oh, hello.” He smiled at the women folk.

“Bart, this is,” and he indicated them in order, “Lexi, Prudence, and Elaine.”

“Ah, I bet Sam ogled the lot of you. He’s very content with Polly but his eyes are not blind yet.”

Lexi gave a small tittering giggle while Elaine laughed right out. Prudence though watched him suspiciously as she smiled.

Bart turned to look at Edward, he made a little circle spin with his forefinger with an eyebrow lifted as he looked at Edward. “Are they...”

“Are they what? Crazy? No,” replied Edward, not getting the gist of meaning the other man meant to imply.

Bart let out a defeated sigh. His own experience indicated events involving the families had never called on him to deal with situations where the empowered minds mingled as a group with those who weren’t.

“Are they controlled by you?” He said outright, reluctant for the tactlessness of the inquiry.

Elaine let out a laugh. The other two women grinned.

“No, we’re not,” said Prudence. “Edward is a gentleman.”

“Allegedly,” added Edward. Lexi grinned at him and winked.

He still looked to Edward for an answer. “No worries, dear lady. I’m not going to snoop. So you might as well confirm her answer.”

“No, they’re not. My parents would be furious at me entertaining such an idea.”

“Good enough. So you know? I’m not formally part of the families,” said Bart. “So I have to deal with people who live by a lot of different codes. Sometimes there isn’t really an option about leaving the controlled, controlled.”

“I guess. Won’t you have a seat?”

Bart looked at the futons. “I’m guessing you don’t believe in real chairs.”

“Your guess would be wrong. This room is for relaxed socializing and gathering, so there are no arm chairs in here.”

The guest muttered, “oops.”

He took off his jacket. The jacket turned out to not be enhancing the breadth of those shoulders. Even with his appearance of age, he probably could be a linesman for a pro-football team. He picked a futon closer to the others and with care settled in.

“My old bones don’t like things they don’t understand, but I will not turn down a seat.”

“That’s good. I wasn’t about to offer to find another chair at the moment. It’s been a trying day and we just finished dinner.”

“Whatever it was, it smells good.”

“Thank you,” said Prudence.

“So.” The visitor looked at Edward. His face looked a dark brown, either tanned or from his ethnicity, Edward wasn’t sure. Perhaps he was hard weathered in his ruggedness. His forehead seemed a bit oddly shaped from most folk and his ears appeared to stick out of the side of his head a little bit. He really looked as though he belonged in an entirely different era. Almost as if he’d be much more comfortable in a Jules Verne novel. He wasn’t clothed wrong so much as he seemed out of place in the casual clothing he had on.

“So?”

“I understand you encountered some individuals who would put at risk the families and probably any psionic who is peaceful and harmless.”

“Yes. I told my uncle, he said he’d get the council to handle it. Are you the help the council chose? Really?”

“I thought you confirmed with Sam already. I’m very good at my job, Edward. I also will abide your house rules here without hesitation. That appears to mean no use on the non-psis who we have here, for instance.”

“These women are under my personal protection, Mister Masterson. I already quashed an attempt to claim them by someone with no manners, or restraint, or for that matter...”

“Empathy towards others?”

“Yeah. That.”

“I can’t afford to be an ethics martyr, Edward, ladies,” Bart said, “the aspects of mind control I am asked to police, a term that probably describes best what I do, are usually more threatening than enslaving a few individuals. The issues I usually deal with are from someone is trying to become puppet-master to a nation, a city, a dangerous military force? things of that nature. I also have calls to be involved when a threat exists psionic abilities will become public knowledge.”

“I see. You’re here because the people at the Fire Eaters club will cause exposure of other psis.“

“I’d put it a lot stronger than that,” said Bart. “I also root out those who are exuberantly undermining society by enslaving others. On an individual by individual basis, it’s not always cut and dry. You’ll have to get used to the idea I deal in gray areas of right and wrong.”

“How in hell does that help us?” Elaine in particular was starting to look angry. “It sounds to me like you sanction people being turned into sex slaves so long as your ass is safe from public exposure.”

“The word ‘sanction’ you will find has two meanings, either of which apply. Elaine wasn’t it?” She nodded but all three women looked displeased. Edward did not like the connotations either.

“For the moment, Mister Masterson...”

“Please, call me Bart. I’ve never really gotten comfortable with surnames,” waved off their guest.

“For the moment, let’s accept situational ethics are to be applied. A certain, let us say, willingness to bend in the wind.”

“Go on.”

“Anything endangering these women or their free will either without their consent will break all my personal willingness to ‘bend.’ I don’t care how public or damaging it will be if they at risk.”

“Edward. I assure you. I will put all my effort into protecting all of you. I just want first to ensure you understand. There is nothing I can do to guarantee some people won’t still be stuck under someone else’s mental control, or all the villains as you see them will be punished.”

“Why, really?”

“Really? I am willing to try. It’s a limit about being able to make promises I can keep. For instance.”

“For instance?”

“For instance, you’ve promised to protect these women. I bet you told them the truth. That it would be to the best of your ability. Not that you could guarantee it.”

“I get that. Are you saying...”

“I’m saying if things don’t work out perfectly in getting rid of the Fire Eater’s club slugs, don’t let yourself be surprised. Like you. I will do my damnedest. Sometimes one does have to deal in compromises.”

“Okay. I understand. You’ve provided the setting for what your limits are. I get it.”

“Good. Now we’ve talked a bit about our imperfect world, let’s get to some specifics.”