The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Light and Shadows 8: Bright Pain

by J. Darksong & Baltimore Rogers

Ch. 5) Just Fine

Well.

I’d been given a tough assignment. Tough... but not impossible. And, even though I knew it wasn’t going to be fun, I was determined to see it through. After everything else I’d been through in the past few weeks, THIS at least I had some control over. And like any mission Luminaire might undertake, I had a strategy... of sorts.

The first person on the list would be tricky. Uncle Parker HATED Master—heh, well, I guess I should say ‘my soon-to-be Master’ Nigel—with a vengeance. Still, I was hoping that Aunt Veronica’s presence would help temper his reaction somewhat. Ringing the bell, I went over mentally what I was going to say, then took out the flash cards I’d made—yes, after my rather embarrassing debacle with Nigel, I’d taken a moment to write things down this time—and after reviewing my notes, I had just enough time to slide them back into my pocket as the door opened.

“AH! Katie,” Aunt Veronica greeted me warmly, pulling me into a hug. “It’s good to see you, sweetie! You’re looking so much better this evening. What can I do for you?”

“Um, thanks. Listen... I was wondering if I could speak to you and Uncle Parker for a few minutes. It’s kind of important.”

“Yes, yes, of course, dear, come on in.” Veronica said easily, stepping aside to let me in. “Come on back to the kitchen. We were just finishing up dinner... well, Parker and I have already finished eating. Lucy, on the other hand, is procrastinating with the last bit of greens on her plate.”

I grinned slightly at that. I’d never really liked vegetables all that much myself, so my heart went out to the kid. Parker greeted me with a smile as I entered, and I returned it, savoring the sight and cringing a bit inside. He wouldn’t be smiling for much longer. “So, Kitten,” he said with a grin, “what brings you over so late at night? Something wrong?”

“Yes... um, I mean no... I mean...” Dammit, Katie, you practiced this just a few minutes ago! Stop being so nervous and just do it already! “Uncle Parker... I...” I glanced over at Lucy, who was poking idly at her plate with a fork, watching and listening. “UM... maybe Lucy should go to her room while we talk?”

“Lucy has to finish eating her vegetables before she can be excused,” Parker said with a slight smirk, getting a loud groan from his daughter. “Go ahead, sweetie. You know you can talk to us about anything.”

“I want to become Nigel Grimalde’s sex slave.”

Parker and Veronica both blinked in surprise. Lucy, with her usual flair for noticing inappropriate topics, turned to her mom and dad and asked, “What’s a ‘secks slabe’?”

“Roni, take Lucy to her room, please,” Parker said tersely, the smirk still frozen on his face. Lucy, a little surprised at the sudden reprieve, protested as her mother picked her up from her seat.

“But... I want ice cream!” she said as she was carried from the table. “You said I could get ice cream after dinner.” Moving too fast to be seen with the naked eye, Parker stood up, zoomed to the freezer, took out a pint of Neapolitan ice cream, grabbed a spoon, and deposited it his daughter’s arms.

“Here, sweetie, knock yourself out,” he replied dismissively. “Now go to your room and stay there until we come to tuck you in.” At which point I knew this was going to be a bad one. As strict as they were about Lucy’s sugar intake, he’d just given his seven year old daughter an entire pint of ice cream! As the upstairs door closed and Veronica returned, I steeled myself for the blowback. I didn’t have to wait long.

“Katie Ann,” Parker said slowly, getting up to pace idly back and forth, “you’re a good kid. I should know. Your Aunt Roni and I helped in the raising of you. You’re smart, you’re sweet, and as far as I know, not brain damaged or mentally incapacitated in any way.” HEY! I opened my mouth to protest that last part, but he cut me off. “So, why... in God’s green Earth, would you come here tonight—HERE, of all places, and tell us, tell ME, that you want to be Grimalde’s sex slave?!?” He was shouting now, and I winced, drawing back a step or two.

“Uncle Parker, you don’t understand,” I tried, “He—”

“You had to go for the big time, didn’t you?” he continued, railing, pacing incessantly back and forth, his hands clenched into tight fists. “You couldn’t start SMALL, like, say, deciding to become a devil worshiper. You couldn’t have come to me and said, ‘Hey, Uncle Parker, I think Satan’s pretty cool, I want to devote my life to evil and serving him!’”

“Parker, honey, I think you’re getting a little carried away,” Roni said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder, only to be completely ignored as he turned back to glare at me, again.

“Or, if that wasn’t edgy enough, you might have gone with, ‘Hey, Uncle Parker, I think super-villains are the bomb! I think I want to stop being a heroine and become a villain instead! Do you have any tips on how to take over the city?’ I mean, something like that I could deal with!”

“Parker, please!”

“Or, if you REALLY REALLY had to push the envelope, you might have come to me with ‘Hey, Uncle Parker, it turns out that I’m a serial killer. I have this stack of dead bodies in my basement and I need to get rid of them. Oh, and I was thinking of killing you and Aunt Roni and wearing your skins like a bathrobe,’” He said angrily. “I mean, THAT at least is reasonable! They make PILLS for things like that! Really strong anti-psychotics! You’d probably be on them for the rest of your life, but at least you’d be something close to sane! But this?” He was screaming now, his voice carrying a bit more of his sonic power than usual. I was half afraid he would literally blow the roof off the house! “YOU WANT TO BE NIGEL FUCKING GRIMALDE’S SEX SLAVE?!?! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!“

An opening of sorts. I took advantage of the momentary lull, and gave him my argument. “Please Uncle Parker, just hear me out for a second! Please! I know how you feel about the man. I know what he’s done in the past... I remember all the stories you used to tell us growing up. And I know how selfish and unfair it is to come to you with this, all out of the blue.” I swallowed. He was at least holding back for the moment, letting me speak. I pushed on. “You know... how rough it’s been for me these past few weeks after Jessica’s death. I’ve been... drifting aimlessly, like a ship without a sail—”

“Rudder.”

I blinked. “Huh?”

“Like a ship without a rudder,” he commented tersely. “A ship without a sail wouldn’t be moving at all. The rudder is what gives it direction. Katie, love, you CAN’T give yourself to Nigel Grimalde, he’s the freaking DEVIL INCANRATE! The man’s a monster!”

“That’s not true,” I countered. At least this part of the conversation I was ready for. “Look, I know you have personal history with him, but—”

“The man’s a criminal, Katie,” Aunt Roni cut in, giving her view for the first time. “He’s not a very nice man.”

Used to be a criminal,” I amended. “He’s given it up... for his family. Blackfinger still has a reputation, and he still has all his underworld connections, but he hasn’t done any serious criminal activity in months!“

“Turning over a new leaf NOW doesn’t excuse what he’s already done!” Parker retorted angrily. “That man is pure evil, Katie. You can’t seriously think we would go along with this!”

I sighed, deeply. “He’s not EVIL. He’s a bit... gruff. And strict, definitely strict. Hell, he’s like my dad—really intimidating on the outside, but a warm kind human being on the inside, once you get to know him! Please, you have to trust me on this—”

“Warm? Kind?” Parker shot back in disbelief. “Are you freaking KIDDING ME? The man is the greatest threat to humanity there is, now that Duncan Frasier is gone!”

I rolled my eyes at that. “Uncle Parker, if it were up to you, you’d blame every crime and major disaster in history on Mr. Grimalde, from the Helter Skelter murders, to JFK’s assassination! I’d be surprised if you didn’t credit him for stealing the Lindberg baby and killing Abraham Lincoln as well!”

Veronica groaned loudly, shaking her head. “Oh, Katie... why did you have to go there...”

I wasn’t sure exactly what Aunt Roni was complaining about until Uncle Parker stood up and walked out of the kitchen... and returned a moment later with a large thick manilla folder. “Warm and fuzzy, huh?” he grumbled, opening the folder. “Let’s see just how ‘warm and fuzzy’ your new man-crush actually is! I have here a list of all the crimes he’s committed over the past half century, compiled and processed by your dad—everything from drug smuggling to extortion to racketeering, to stock manipulation and jury tampering! But I’ve also done some investigating of my own! You mentioned JFK?” He opened the folder, handing me a stack of papers, a list of items, times, dates and places, each one with the initials ‘NG’ in the corner. “I have strong compelling evidence that Grimalde WAS behind the JFK assassination! Magic bullet my ass... more like pure magic!”

Ah. Now I see why Veronica was so perturbed. I’d forgotten about Uncle Parker’s hobby of investigating unsolved historical crimes, and his crazy theories about Grimalde being the Antichrist. “Uncle Parker,” I said calmly as possible, “he’s not old enough to have been responsible for that murder. He would have been nine or ten years old at the most back then. There’s no way he could have orchestrated that!”

“Oh, he COULD have, all right. The man has always been diabolically clever, even at a young age! And while I don’t have any reliable clues about the Lindberg baby—yet—I’m relatively SURE he was somehow responsible for Lincoln’s death as well as the stock market crash of 1929!” he added smugly. Before I could call him out on that nonsense, however, Aunt Roni intervened.

“Katie, sweetie, while my husband may be going a bit overboard with his whole ‘conspiracy theory’ nonsense,” to which Parker merely harrumphed, “Parker is understandably concerned about your choice,” she said gently, moving between me and her husband. “Katie... you’ve heard the stories growing up, yes... you know why until just recently there was so much bad blood between us. But the edited versions we shared with you kids doesn’t do the truth justice.” She sighed heavily.

“When Nigel took Patty and Angie away and made them his slaves, he took someone very special away from Parker. He and Patty... they were close.” She glanced down, not meeting my or Parker’s gaze. “If things had turned out different, you might have ended up calling her ‘Aunt Patty’.” I blinked in surprise at that. I’d never heard THIS side of things before, and certainly not from Bonnie or T. “At any rate,” she continued after a moment, “we tried to rescue her and Angela. Parker and I, alone, stormed Grimalde Tower, fought our way through his armed highly trained guards, and his cutting edge security systems to get to them.” She sighed again, closing her eyes overcome by the memory, and Parker reached over to squeeze her shoulder gently.

“Suffice it to say, it didn’t end well,” Parker finished, visibly subdued. “Grimalde had twisted everything about the girl I knew... turned her lo... her... feelings toward me to hate.” He swallowed. “Instead of welcoming us as rescuers, she... THEY attacked us. They fought us with everything they had, every bit of strength and speed and cunning and viciousness they possessed, as if I were the enemy instead of HIM!” He took a steadying breath before continuing. “He made someone I cared for deeply hate me... and for that, I can never forgive the man.“

Okay. That kinda took the wind out of my sails a bit. But it didn’t square with what Tawnya had told me from her—what did she call them? Oh yeah—“Tear Memories”. She said that Patty had hated Parker ever since the Aphrodite incident... over a year BEFORE Nigel came on the scene. How could two people see the same events so differently? But now wasn’t the time to argue about that. In his current state he’d think I was ALREADY brainwashed if I started saying that Patty hated him BEFORE Grimalde touched her.

But I had to say something. “Okay. Granted. Nigel was a bad guy back then. We all agree on that. Even he admits it freely. And... yes, he hurt you guys. But he’s not the same man he was back then! C’mon... you two have always told me that people can change... that we arrest the bad guys and lock them up because there’s always a chance for redemption, a chance that they’ll learn their lesson and come away from it changed for the better, right?“

“Okay... yeah, I said that... but in Grimalde’s case... I mean...” Grunting in frustration, he shook his head. “Never mind. We’re getting off track. Katie, you can’t let this man turn you into his slave! Look... whatever he did to put this idea in your head, we can fix it—”

“No, you don’t understand. He didn’t come to me with this—I went to HIM.” That got a shocked gasp from both of them. “And... he refused me. He said the only way he would accept me is if I discussed it with all the important people in my life.” I sighed softly. “He specifically named you, Uncle Parker, and you, Aunt Veronica. He was actually hoping you two would talk me out of it. He’s... not the evil bad guy you think he is! While he was in Midas City, he talked to Silver Girl, and convinced her to remove all the brainwashing he’d implanted in his slave girls years ago, freeing them all. You know how Aunt Sarah’s Light works. And you know what? They chose to stay with him anyway... of their own free will! Doesn’t that tell you something?”

Parker stood speechless for several minutes, considering, before answering. “Well, it tells me that either he’s not as bad as I thought,” he said dryly, “or he’s a lot more clever than I imagined. I wouldn’t be surprised if he somehow manipulated the situation for his own benefit somehow, just to make himself look good. But Katie, love, you can’t honestly WANT this! You’ve NEVER been interested in men before. You can’t tell me that you suddenly, out of the blue, want to become the sex slave of the worst one imaginable!”

“But I do,” I said quietly but firmly. “And he’s NOT! I’m friends with Tawnya and Sioban, and I’ve spoke to Patricia and Angela and Delores a few times as well. Yeah, none of them were given a choice in the beginning. Circumstances beyond their control brought them together. But once they WERE together, Nigel treated them well, with love and kindness and genuine affection. And once freed, looking back on everything, they decided to stay with him. He was their Master... strict but benevolent. He gave them structure, and purpose... two things that I am sorely lacking right now in my life. Nigel Grimalde... is not my first choice,” I admitted, looking not at Parker, but at Veronica, “but sometimes fate has a way of putting you together with the one you’re supposed to be with. If anyone should know how I feel, Aunt Roni, I would think it would be you.”

“What? Me?” she said in surprise. “Why me?”

“Aunt Roni... I know I’m not the most... mature person in the world... but I’m not a stupid kid either!” I glanced at them both now. “You’re Uncle Parker’s slave, as well as his wife.” Both of them blushed, coloring deeply, glancing aside, but neither bothered to deny it. “I know full well the kind of relationships you two, and my parents, have. I admit it... until recently, I didn’t really understand wanting to submit to someone else, of your own accord... to surrender your pride and dignity, your own wants and desires in place of someone else’s. It wasn’t until J-Jess... she and I became a couple,” I said, pushing back the urge to sob at the thought of her, “...making the best out of the things that happened to us in Florida, for it to click. Now, I understand. I’ve lived that kind of lifestyle... and being without Jess only reinforced how empty my life is now.“

I took them both by the hand, willing them to understand. “This isn’t about Nigel Grimalde. It’s about me. My needs. I don’t just want to be Mr. Grimalde’s slave—I NEED to be his slave. I need to be a part of what he and his women... his so-called ‘harem’ have. And... I hope you can understand that.”

* * *

Huh. Well... this is really weird, Ebony Angel thought to herself, around at the empty front room of the First National Savings & Loan. She’d been attracted to the location by the silent alarm being tripped, the signal picked up through her communicator on the emergency band, and had slipped quietly inside through the skylight, expecting to find the place being robbed. Instead, she’d found the bank completely intact. The vault door was closed and locked. All the entrances and exits were secure. Even more perplexing was the complete and total absence of life within the building. Not a creature stirred within. The building was completely deserted.

Well, shit. There’s nobody here! Tawnya thought in exasperation, having checked the entire area. So... what set off the damned silent alarm? Slipping past a pair of large metal cone-shaped trash cans, she examined the alarm panel on the wall. Sighing, she pulled a small thin metal card from her belt and twisted, exposing two long thin metal prongs, sliding them into the port on the alarm panel. Maybe it’s just a simple short in the circuit box? she thought, frowning, glancing around at the empty room as a sudden feeling of dread overtook her.

Maybe. But then again, maybe not. It’s a really weird coincidence that this alarm would go off just as I was passing overhead, just in range to investigate. Plus, this place looks really spiffy, really high end, with all the marble floors and all. A bank like this would totally have a high-end security system.

A slight sound from behind her caused her to turn suddenly, eyes wide, gauntlets outstretched... but the room remained as empty and lifeless as before. Shit, I’m damned jumpy tonight, she chided herself. My first time going solo. I told S’ban I was gonna be fine, that I could do this without her holding my hand... now I’m standing here wishing she WAS holding my hand! She sighed, closing her eyes. C’mon, girl! Get your act together! If you ever want to prove to everyone that you’re really a heroine worthy of being taken seriously, this is where it starts! Katie was doing this shit solo when she was HALF my age.

Katie. She sighed deeply at the thought. The poor girl had seemed well enough when she’d left them earlier, seemingly as cheerful as her usual self, but she could still feel the sadness and pain behind the cheerful mask, practically rolling off her in waves. Poor thing. I hope Bon-bon is finding ways to keep her distracted and happy. Man... I can’t believe she was going to slit her wrists earlier! Then again... after she explained WHY she felt so guilty, the way her own power, reacting to the threat to save her life, had actually killed Jessica... I guess I can kinda see why she would feel that way.

The feeling of dread swept over her again, causing her to start, and Tawnya glanced out around the room once more, trying to convince her rapidly beating heart that there WAS no danger here, that she was anxious for no reason. She sighed softly, turning back to the alarm panel, as the scanner she’d plugged in finished its diagnosis. She stared at the results for a moment, then groaned inwardly.

Ah, hell... the alarm was hacked form the outside. I freakin’ KNEW this was no coincidence! It’s a damned setup! No wonder I’m feeling so freakin’ anxious. I’m standing in the middle of someone’s goddamn booby trap! Pocketing the scanner, she turned, preparing to head back towards the center of the room and the skylight, only to scream in alarm, finding herself standing toe-to-toe with a seven foot tall robot, its single red glowing eye glaring hotly at her.

“AHHH! The Hell?!?” she gasped, jerking several steps back. “W-w-where did you come from? How did you get in here without me noticing?” As the robot extended its arm, the huge claw-like appendages opening, reaching for her, forcing her to retreat, she received her answer. The two metal trashcans she’d passed earlier stood up, sprouting legs, as panels opened and unfolded, literally transforming before her eyes into twin replicas of the robotic menace threatening her now.

Ah, fuck... talk about ‘robots in disguise’, she mused grimly, as she found herself backed into a corner. Her hands clenched into fists, and a savage grin lit her face. Despite the seriousness of the situation, despite being outnumbered, facing foes of unknown powers and abilities, she actually found herself getting excited. Unlike her partner, Ebony Angel very much relished the combat part of their job as heroines. They had powers that made them more than a match for normal humans, and frankly, Tawnya like the idea of testing herself a bit, pushing her limits, to see just what she was capable of when the shit hit the fan.

Activating her gauntlets, assuming an offensive stance she nodded towards the lead robot, waving at him with her hand. “Alright, Tin Man,” she said with a laugh. “Bring it on! Show me what you’ve got... and I’ll show us BOTH what you’re made of—scrap metal!”

* * *

“Hey, you’re back,” Elise Stewart said idly without looking up as the front door opened. “How was your date?”

Karen Summers blushed hotly. “It wasn’t a date,” she groused, tossing her purse and keys aside before dropping down onto the couch. “I just went to return the man’s clothes to him, that’s all.”

“Uh huh,” Elise replied, flipping a page in her magazine, pulled up close to her face to hide her grin. “And that’s why you spent three hours beforehand styling your hair, doing your makeup, and trying on a dozen different outfits before picking the one you’re wearing now?”

“Shut up!” Karen murmured hotly, blushing even more. “I just... yanno... wanted to look nice is all...”

“Oh come off it Karen,” her partner said, tossing aside the magazine. “We both knew you’re smitten. The night we came back from River City you couldn’t stop talking about the guy. ‘Have you ever seen a more handsome guy?’ ‘Oh, I wonder if he works out?’ ‘Do you think he has a girlfriend?’” She chuckled softly. “Honestly, you sounded like a high school girl with a crush.” Leaning forward to peer at her friend, she asked, “So, what happened when you took his clothes back to him?” she asked, grinning way too wide, “Did he invite you in?”

“Yes,” Karen replied, herself grinning like an idiot. “He did! He’s staying in this big house adjacent to the old Prentiss mansion... it’s the guest house, but it’s basically like his own private house since the rest of them stay together in the big mansion.” She sighed softly in remembrance. “He’s got an apartment downtown too, but he stays at the Prentiss estate because he’s, you know...”

“Their driver?” Elise snarked back.

“Oh! But he’s not just some kind of motor-head, or butler, or something. He’s really smart! The chauffeur job is like some kind of internship. He’s actually a part of Grimalde’s PR staff... on the executive track even!” said Karen.

“Is that what HE told you?” Elise said warily. She wondered what kind of line of bull this guy was feeding her friend.

“No! I actually saw it! He invited me to tea—the REAL stuff, not that instant crap we always drink. Next time we go shopping we are definitely picking up a box of that Lord Gray stuff—but anyway, he actually took some calls from staffers wanting approval for their press releases. He didn’t have time to fake that, suspicious girl! And, well... we talked, about his job and mine, about growing up, and relationships—he’s not in one, by the way.” She sighed again, smiling. “It was honestly the best time I’ve had with a guy that I can remember. The man is perfect! Strong, handsome, smart, a REAL gentleman. He cooks, he plays music, he keeps a journal, and even though he lives in a household full of women who could all be freaking models, I think he actually likes me!“

“Hey, what’s not to like?” Elise pointed out. “You’re a great gal. Anyone would be ecstatic to be with you. And best of all, he already knows your secret identity, so there’s no awkwardness about you rushing off now and again to do your Ultra Girl thing. That takes a lot of the pressure off.”

“You can say that again,” Karen nodded in agreement. “Still, I am a bit concerned about the whole age difference. I’m over forty now... he can’t be more than twenty-five tops.” She shook her head. “I can’t help but think that once he’s around me long enough to really get to know me, he’ll just lose interest... that some cute sexy girl his own age will come along and that’ll be that.”

Elise sighed inwardly. She must really have it bad, she thought with sympathy. Normally, she’s the most steady, composed, ‘together’ person I know. She’s faced down super villains, killer robots, evil demigods, even a full blooded demon, and never lost her composure. But the idea of this guy she likes not liking her back has her stomach in knots!

Aloud, she said casually, as if she was just making small talk, “So, it sounds like you two hit it off. Are you going to see him again?”

At that Karen went pale. “Ah, um, yes... I guess... I mean, well... oh, I don’t know,” she said after a moment, dropping her head into her hands. “I mean... I DID ask him out to dinner... but it was a spur of the moment kind of thing! I wasn’t really thinking! And then, with the kiss and all—”

“Wait wait wait! You kissed?” Elise prodded, grinning wickedly, suddenly very interested. “So, did you kiss HIM, or did HE kiss YOU?“

“Wha... what difference does THAT make?” Karen asked, flabbergasted.

“Plenty! If you kissed him, he might think you’re pushy, or aggressive, especially since YOU asked HIM out. Which is okay, I guess, if he likes that kind of woman. But if he kissed you first, then he might think you’re ‘hard to get’, or maybe just PLAYING hard to get, and that totally changes the dynamic. Again, who knows? Maybe he’s into the shy type, or just feels like he needs to take charge...“

Hmmm...I think I’d enjoy having Darryl take charge, Karen thought dreamily, remembering their kiss.

“Um... He kissed me. I thought I was gonna faint, like in some old black-and-white movie. My toes honest-to-god curled in my shoes. I was actually kinda embarrassed. I mean, he’s not a metahuman or anything, and I could really hurt him if I used my powers. But he’s so tall, and strong, and... and... I just felt so... taken!”

“Oooooh, that changes EVERYTHING, girl! You need to pull out all the stops for your next date,” Elise continued. “You’ve obviously got his attention. Now it’s time to seal the deal and show him what a hot piece you really are!”

“Oh my dear Lord, ELISE is giving me dating advice,” Karen muttered softly, shaking her head. “Elise... hon... you DO remember that your last date was two years ago? AND that it ended badly?”

The redhead frowned, crossing her arms. “Hey, that was not my fault. First of all, the guy was a creep and a pervert. And second, how was I supposed to know he was married? He wasn’t wearing a wedding band!”

“I’m just saying, you’re instincts on relationships aren’t exactly the best,” Karen replied with a grin.

“Whatever,” Elise replied flippantly. “It’s different when its someone else’s relationship!” Grabbing her friend by the arm, she pulled her into the bedroom, still gabbing away. “So c’mon and spill! When’s the next date? Do you have a place picked out yet? And, mmmm, tell me more about that kiss! I want details...“

* * *

Leaving the Albinn house a short time later, I was somewhat drained but in good spirits. Aunt Roni, a kindred spirit of submission, wasn’t happy with my choice of Masters, but she said she understood, and gave her approval. Uncle Parker still thought I was completely nuts, but said he trusted my judgment, and that of the choices—belonging to Nigel Grimalde, or committing suicide—he’d rather have me alive and, in his words, ‘rescuable’ than dead and gone. So, despite everything, he’d given his approval, reluctant though it might be.

Well, as my dad always says, ‘A win is a win is a win’, I told myself, taking flight, heading off to my second stop for the night. The hardest one was out of the way. It would be all downhill from here, right? I winced slightly as my cell phone buzzed in my back pocket. I was getting a call. A part of me wanted to answer it, but was afraid that it might be Sioban, having woken up to find me gone, wanting to have words. Instead, I let it go to voice mail. I’d deal with Bon-bon later, once I’d talked with everyone else first. If she read me the riot act over taking off to talk to her Master without telling her, I might not have the courage to follow through with Nigel’s challenge.

I wondered idly if Aunt Eva was expecting me as I touched down outside her house. I hadn’t even known she was back in town until Uncle Parker had mentioned her stopping by to pick up some things from home. Most likely Uncle Parker had called ahead and told her of my ‘mission’, warning her to be on the look-out, and probably to try and convince me not to go through with it... by any means necessary. I was actually more than a little nervous about what she would say or do.

Evangeline Snow had helped raise me, had taught me how to be a good and morally upright woman, and, besides Auntie Sarah, was the woman in my family that I felt the biggest connection to.

Of course, that view had changed somewhat over the past few weeks, with the revelation at the hospital. My ‘snow white’ image of purity and propriety apparently had a darker side, and while I couldn’t conceive of her actually cheating with Dad behind Mom’s back, I sure as hell knew she’d thought about it. So, what will she do if she finds out that I know? I thought to myself, pausing at the front door. Erase the memory? Would she actually do that, go into my mind uninvited, and scramble my memories just to protect her secret? And... how will she react to my news about wanting to give myself to Mr. Grimalde? Would she... would she try and ‘change my mind’ literally, taking the very thought out of my head, making me resist the very notion?

«I would think you know me better than that, Katie,» Aunt Eva’s mental voice startled me, causing me to jump. «I’m a bit... surprised about your finding out about my feelings for your father. I didn’t realize I was leaking psychic emanations that badly back then at the hospital, and if I had, I would have talked to you about it right then and there.» The door opened, and she stepped out onto the front porch with me. I noticed she had a large suitcase in her hand. “Well, since the cat is out of the bag as it were,” she said aloud, a small smile on her face, “we might as well talk now.“

“Uh huh,” I said doubtfully, still wary of what she planned to do. “Talk? What’s there left to talk about, Auntie? You’ve already been inside my head, so you already know everything I came here to say!”

“Not at all, Katie,” she replied with a shake of her head. “I haven’t been inside your head. I am respecting your privacy. The only thing I read were the surface thoughts you had about me ‘storming your mental gates’ and taking over your mind.” She said with a deep scowl. “And I only know THAT much because you were practically shouting those thoughts at the top of your mental voice. Even an untrained psychic with nominal ability would have picked up what you were thinking just then... particularly when their name is mentioned.“

Okay. So, now I was feeling a bit sheepish. I’ll admit it, I was just a tiny bit paranoid, and I was taking it out on Aunt Eva. If I expected her to listen to me and trust MY judgment over my choice to join Mr. Grimalde’s harem, the least I could do was to listen to her and let her explain. “Sorry,” I said contritely. “My bad. You said we should talk, so, um, go ahead. I’ll listen, and then afterwards, I have something to tell you as well... okay?”

“Fair enough,” Eva replied with a soft sigh. “So... well... you remember everything that happened a few weeks ago thanks to that guy Sweet Tooth that you and your friends took down?”

I listened, a bit enraptured, as she told her story, about becoming ‘infected’ and turning into a raging sex-crazed bimbo... about her teaming up with my mom, and even teleporting my dad in from across the country for a night of passion. I have to admit to feeling a little bit uncomfortable with the conversation. A part of me was feeling turned on, and was REALLY missing Sioban and Tawnya at the moment. While another part of me felt just the opposite, the part that acknowledged that I was getting the inside scoop on my PARENTS having SEX! The twin feelings of ‘oooooohh!’ and ‘ewwwww!’ were pretty much neck and neck. But as she continued on, I shifted my focus to the point of the story, about the way that night had affected her, how it forced her to realize and acknowledge something that she’d known inside all along but had never had the courage to face head-on.

“The only other person that knew about this is Angie Prentiss,” she finished softly, staring out into the night. “After slipping into her mind unasked to try and understand why she’d chosen to stay with Nigel all these years after what he did to her, letting her into MY mind was the only way to convince her that I hadn’t tried to usurp her will, or implant anything in her mind. So, well... she knew about my feelings for your father. And she was the one who encouraged me to talk to them about it, to express what I was feeling instead of trying to hide it.”

I sat there quietly for a moment, taking it all in. “But you haven’t even talked to mom or dad about this yet, have you?” She sighed heavily.

“Actually I finally did, just a few hours ago. It... wasn’t easy,” she admitted. “It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. But I did it. I talked to your father first, and together we talked about it to your mom. Full disclosure, sweetie, not holding anything back. And well... we’re not sure yet about how to work this out, especially with your dad still confined to a wheelchair and all, but we’re going to give it a try.” She chuckled softly. “I mean, if Nigel could handle things with six girls of his own, I think your father can handle two.”

“Aw, Aunt Eva,” I murmured softly, pulling her into a hug. “I’m really happy for you. I mean, I’m sorry about you and Melissa splitting—I really liked her—but I’m glad you and, well, mom and dad...” I sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. I can’t say it out loud without it sounding all kinds of weird... but you know what I mean! I’m glad you’re happy.”

Most heroes and heroines tended to live an ‘open’ lifestyle, not exactly sexually promiscuous, but open enough to accept unconventional relationships as they develop. My mom was functionally bi-sexual, as Aunt Eva now was, apparently. And though mom was fervently devoted to my dad, I knew personally of several dalliances between her and Aunt Eva, enjoying sex with one another over the years. In a way, it was almost unfair—mom getting to enjoy the best of both worlds with Dad being only with her. At least this way, they were sharing freely.

Maybe it’s something of a double-standard, but it doesn’t seem NEARLY as awkward a topic when I think about Nikki and Yancy sharing Sylvia, or Patty sharing Nigel with everyone in their group.

And... along those same lines, I still needed to discuss my own prospective entry into polygamy, in joining Master’s harem. “Um, Auntie... what would you say if I said I planned to give myself to Nigel Grimalde and beg to become his sex slave and join his harem?”

Eva blinked, eyes widening. She stared at me for a long moment, then chuckled softly. “You know, a month ago, I would have thought you crazy, or joking. I would have made some snide or flippant comment about willingly submitting yourself to another person, of giving up your free will to serve as someone else’s sexual plaything. And I definitely would have had issues with you choosing Nigel Grimalde of all people. But, well, let’s just say I’ve come to realize that a lot of the beliefs I’ve held onto all these years no longer hold up. Nigel’s not the bastard I thought he was all the years. You could certainly do worse.” She smiled softly.

“And as for submission... well, your dad taught me how enjoyable it can be to simply let go and give yourself over to someone you love and trust. I’ve always been the dominant one in my relationships. Maybe if I’d been more open to compromise, had learned to bend a little, maybe Melissa and I would still be together...”

I still felt a little bad about that. Aunt Eva and her lover Melissa had been a couple since before I was born. I didn’t really think of her as ‘Aunt Melissa’, since she tended to run in different circles than we did, preferring not to be involved with ‘Super’ issues. Still, she was a big part of all of our lives. I’d miss her being around, and I could only imagine how her leaving Aunt Eva must be affecting her—

No. Actually, come to think of it, I knew EXACTLY what it feels like when the person you love is suddenly out of your life.

“It’s okay, Kitten,” she said with a sad smile, correctly guessing my mood as she caressed my cheek softly. “I know. Melissa and I... we’ve been slowly drifting apart for a while now. The incident with the bimbo epidemic just sped up the process. So... yeah, I’m okay. I’ve had time to process and deal with it. You, on the other hand, are still dealing with your grief. Are you absolutely sure this is the best way to do that?”

“Yes, Aunt Eva,” I said with more confidence than I actually felt. “I’m sure.” I can do this. Anything to stay with Tawnya and Sioban for good.

Eva sighed heavily. More than anything, she thought that Katie needed to have counseling, to sit down with a professional to help her deal with her grief and feelings of guilt properly. But it was already evident that she wouldn’t talk to her, not about something that deep and personal. She’d read the REAL reason she wanted to become part of Nigel’s harem from her mind, however, and while the idea was definitely different, and somewhat unconventional, she couldn’t really disapprove.

It helped Angela, after all, turned her from the broken, shattered, nearly mindless creature she was when I treated her into the balanced confident and exceptional woman she is now. Maybe... under Nigel’s influence and her friends’ love, she can finally get past the sorrow, pain and hate threatening to swallow her whole...

“All right,” Eva said with a smile, hugging me warmly. “You convinced me. I give my approval. I just hope you’re prepared for how hard this is going to be.”

“Hard?” I asked, frowning slightly. “I know pretty much from talking to Sioban and Tawnya what’s involved. It’s a little... intense,” I said blushing slightly, “but I wouldn’t call it hard...”

“No, dear,” Aunt Eva replied with a smirk. “I was referring to the rest of your, um, assignment from Nigel. Dealing with my nephew was a walk in the park compared to what you’re about to face. You managed to convince us that your plan—as crazy as it sounds—has merit. Now, you just have to convince... your father.”