The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Light and Shadows 8: Dark Dungeon’s Depths

by J. Darksong & Baltimore Rogers

Ch. 5) Break Their Hold

What?!?” Serpentina yelled into her phone. “You’re shitting me! How?!? How the fuck did they track us here?” She listened for several long moments, growling in the back of her throat. “Did they get anything? Is the shipment secure? Tell me the shipment is secure!” She listened again for several minutes before slamming an angry fist down hard on her desk. “GODDAMMIT! Who the fuck do these little pissants think they are?“

A fresh shipment of brainwashed and nubile young sex slaves, taken from the streets of Austin, was scheduled to be transported out of the city tonight for the slave auctions next week. A risky move, in and of itself—what with everything else she had in the works currently—but between the cost of eliminating Grimalde and the Syndicate bosses, packing up and moving across the country without leaving a trail, and the work and effort in capturing and retrieving her newest ‘chew toy’ had brought her liquid financial resources dangerously low. She needed this sale to replenish her funds. And now, thanks to an unknown group of costumed do-gooders, her carefully procured slaves had been rescued and freed!

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” she yelled angrily, throwing the phone across the room in mid-conversation. “I won’t stand for this! I won’t! I don’t care who these little costumed clowns are, I’m going to find them and use them to replace my stock!” She turned then to grin at me, savagely. “A little bit of ol’ Nigel’s ‘special blend’ and they’ll all be as obedient and well behaved as you, won’t they, my little boy toy?“

“Of course, Mistress,” I replied easily, smiling, as I walked over to her, coming up behind her to brush lightly against her, caressing her shoulders gently. “There’s no one who can stand against you. And if any would dare, please, let them face me!” I grinned wickedly. “I would crush them for you, my Mistress, and lay their broken bodies at your feet!“

Serpentina chuckled, then sighed, leaning into my touch. “Mmmm... you say the most intriguing things, slave. I was concerned at first that once I’d broken you, the appeal would fade, that you’d become boring and worthless. I must say, I am pleasantly surprised. Embracing your role fully, you’re actually a delight to have around... actually useful, and certainly better conversation than the other worthless peons surrounding me.”

“Ohhh, Mistress!” I gushed, squirming against her, “your kind words do an unworthy slave such honor! Please, Mistress... allow me to serve your pleasure!”

Serpentina chuckled again. “Oh, a clever thing aren’t you? ‘Serve my pleasure’ indeed! You’re no doubt hoping for a chance to fuck me again, that I’ll lose myself in the moment like last time and allow you to cum.” She sighed, pulling out of my grasp. “Not a chance, slave. That was a momentary lapse that will not happen again. Your only will and desire should be to serve me, not your own pleasure.“

“Oh, of course, Mistress,” I replied contritely, hitting my knees, kneeling and kissing her toes lovingly, “Forgive my impertinence, Mistress. But, maybe I can serve your pleasure in some other way? A massage, perhaps?“

Serpentina perked up at the notion.

“You have been under so much stress lately, after all, and your phone call earlier has you very tense. And you already know that I’m a very accomplished masseur.”

She nodded, grinning slightly in anticipation. “Very well. You’ve convinced me,” she said, slipping out of her elegant scarlet dress, letting it pool at her feet, leaving her completely naked. Walking over to the bed, she lay down on her front, with her long slim legs facing me. “You know where the oils are. And make sure the guards outside know that I do not wish to be disturbed. Any other pressing matters can wait until I’m refreshed and relaxed again.”

Exactly the response I was hoping for. “Yes, Mistress,” I replied, bowing slightly at the waist. Walking over to the door, I opened it, getting a glance from the two outside guards. “The Mistress does not wish to be disturbed for any reason,” I stated loudly, clear enough that Mistress could hear me repeating back her instructions. “Any pressing or important matters can simply wait until she is done. Understood?”

“Understood,” both guards replied in unison, before closing the door again.

I sighed softly in relief. It had taken an entire week of subtle pushing and planning to get to this point, but the end result was more than worth it. That hellish session the week before had nearly crushed my spirit, my resolve. Serpentina had me at my breaking point. My mind, my body, my very spirit, had been pushed to its limits. Being bombarded by my worst fears repeatedly, over and over again, nearly drowned, fearful for my very life—it was enough to destroy anyone! The only thing that kept me sane was the thought of Devon, knowing that she was somewhere safe, hoping that when I finally died from this abuse and torture, when I finally succumbed, she, at least, would be unharmed.

And then Serpentina threatened to bring her here, to visit upon her the same hellish torture I had endured. And she wouldn’t just made me watch, helpless to do anything about it. Serpentina threatened to make me do the deed to her myself. To hurt her. To torture her. To k... k...

That was the catalyst. That was my salvation. I was bound, chained in mind and body, unable to free myself for my own accord... but for the woman I loved, for my soul mate, I could do the impossible. I pulled my shattered psyche back together, piece by piece. I ignored the pain wracking my body. I accepted it. Relished it. And with a strength of will and resolve even I didn’t know I possessed, I shattered the mental chains binding me, staring in fascination as the hard metal shackles around my wrists and ankles simply faded from my view.

It shouldn’t have been possible. Nigel Grimalde had used his slave serum to trap half a dozen strong independent women. During my training Uncle Parker had told me all about it. Ad nauseam. As far as I knew, no one has broken free of that slavery since before I was born! But somehow I had done it. I was free!

Well...

I was free... in a manner of speaking. I was myself again, no longer locked behind that ‘pseudo-self’ Serpentina had created when she’d brainwashed me, but most if not all of her commands were still there, locked inside my head. I couldn’t disobey a single order she gave me. I couldn’t hurt her no matter how much I wanted to—and believe me, I wanted to! Even more annoying, my shadow powers were locked away, beyond my conscious control unless she dictated otherwise. Considering all that, and the fact that I was held in some kind of fortress stronghold somewhere, I had no idea where, the chances of me getting out of this situation at all required careful planning and guile.

So, on with the beguiling. Retrieving the massage oil, warming it gently in the warming tray, I hummed a soft tune. The first part of my plan had been difficult to stomach, but all in all, not terribly hard. I merely had to convince Serpentina that she’d succeeded, that she’d fully broken and shattered my resolve. All along I’d been going through the motions, but half-heartedly, fighting and resisting her as best I could. No more. Now, I acted the part, with enthusiasm and passion, pretending that I was playing a role. Given that the sum total of my acting experience was playing the lead role in Macbeth in the 9th grade, I think I did pretty well. I even swallowed my pride and sang for her. Of course, acting again, I did a really bad job of it, messing up the rhythm, singing off key, adding in extra ‘oomph’ by going into a long a cappella scat that only black people can pull off without looking and sounding totally ridiculous. In the end, she smiled and nodded, and commanded me never to sing for her again.

The second part of my plan was a bit trickier. I needed for ‘Mistress’ to relax her control over me, or better yet, to remove it completely. If I was getting out of this alive, I needed to neutralize her mind whammy and gain the upper hand. In essence, I needed to take control of my Mistress. And since I couldn’t make any overt moves against her, everything I did do would have to be subtle.

“How’s it coming, slave?” Her Bitchiness barked, peering over at me, her annoyance at being kept waiting evident.

“Forgive me Mistress!” I said hastily, fearful not of the punishment I would no doubt receive later, but that she might get tired of waiting and suddenly change her mind about the massage! Dipping a finger into the oil, I tested the temperature. “Just a moment, longer.”

I was somewhat anxious about this next part as well. I would have to walk a fine line between subtle seduction and outright hypnotic domination if I was going to pull this off. Hot oil in hand, I moved down to the foot of the bed, starting at her feet. For a woman that spent a majority of her day stomping around in high heels, her pampered peds were in remarkably good shape. A soft sigh escaped her lips as I began a vigorous deep tissue massage, working out any kinks or tweaks, and getting the circulation going. I knew she liked things ‘rough’, so I gave her my all, not holding back. Her sighs turned to deep satisfying moans, and I made mental note of which spots and nerve clusters evoke the biggest reactions.

“Ooohhh, yeeassssss,” she hissed softly in bliss, “That’sssss the ssssspot...”

I chuckled inwardly. It was funny in a way. Whenever she was angry and excited, her hot Latina blood made its presence felt, shattering the calm, cold demeanor she tried so hard to project. But when she was relaxed, or aroused, it was her snake side that surfaced. She hissed her words, her slitted eyes went wide and glassy, and she writhed like a snake to a charmer’s flute.

From her reactions so far, I was clearly on the right track. I worked my way slowly up her body, working her strong powerful legs, squeezing and groping her sweet soft bottom, even taking a moment to properly oil and massage her wide curvy hips before working in depth on her back.

I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty damn good when I devote myself to the task at hand. Adding to my experiences with Megan and a few other young ladies, I had a pretty extensive knowledge of human anatomy from my medical studies. By the time I had reached the small of her back, my ‘Mistress’ was only semi-conscious, and by the time I’d reached her shoulders, she was drifting along in a nice light trance of bliss and contentment. Now it was time for the true ‘dance’ to begin, to worm my carefully worded suggestions into her subconscious without pushing her back into full awareness.

Make no mistake. Whatever else Serpentina was, she was no fool. If she caught the slightest inkling of what I was attempting to do, I was done. I’d be dead before my body hit the ground.

Leaning into her, rubbing my own naked form against her oil drenched one, I sighed softly, breathing gently in her ear. “Does that feel good, Mistress?” She sighed, nodding briefly, muttering something incoherent. “Good. That’s good. That’s what I’m here for, after all... to please my Mistress and make her feel very, very good.” I tried to time my words to my touches, stressing the ‘good’s when working pleasurable spots. It was a long shot, and luck and I had never gotten along, but in this at least, we seemed to be working together.

“MMmmmmnnn... sssooo... ghhoodddd,” she slurred in response, as her muscles went limp, turning to jelly beneath my fingertips. I breathed a small sigh of relief and began in earnest.

“Yes, yes, my Mistress... very good,” I murmured, allowing my hands to dip to the sides, caressing and gently squeezing her heavy ample breasts. She stiffened slightly at the unanticipated touch before going back into that boneless unresisting stance. “Your obedient helpless thrall makes you feel so good, just as he’s supposed to. It’s my job to make you feel good after all... to make Mistress feel good, to arouse her, to please her...“

“Arroussse... pleassssse...” she managed softly, her eyelids fluttered down to mere slits.

“Oh yes. Mistress is so strong, so powerful... no one could ever oppose her...” I continued, one hand stroking down to squeeze and caress her ass once more, then carefully, delving down between her spread legs, teasing the very edges of her pussy, finding the area already wet and slick without the oil. “Mistress, has nothing to fear... from anyone... especially her obedient helpless thrall... that lives only to serve her pleasure...” Her response was an inarticulate moan.

“So... Mistress can feel free to simply... let go... and drift... Mistress can trust her obedient slave... to take care of her...” Teasing and circling and stroking her pussy lips now, her body fighting between the urge to move into my touches and simply relax more, and let me do all the work. “And all Mistress has to do is... give in... and submit... to my touches... to let her harmless, helpless little thrall... guide her into pleasure.” Another deep satisfying moan as I struck a particularly tender spot. “So Mistress... will you do that? Will you let your obedient slave pleasure you?” I asked, a finger rubbing lightly along her slit now, still avoiding her clit. She moaned again, bucking, trying to force the issue, but I moved with her, robbing her of the contact. No cheating in this point. I needed a clear answer here.

“Do you want it, Mistress?” I asked again, teasing, stroking, leaning forward, my tongue teasing her ear, brazen now, throwing caution to the wind. “Do you need your slave boy to make you cum? To make you feel... so... good?” I asked, slipping between her pussy lips briefly, feeling the very essence of her womanhood try to suck me in deeper, to claim my errant finger as its own, only to tremble with regret as I slipped back out once more. “Say it, Mistress... you can do it. Do you want your slave boy to please and pleasure you, and make you feel good?“

“Yeesssssss...” she moaned plaintively, her eyes fluttering, pushed to the edge, now, either to submit or wake back up, either, I couldn’t tell.

“Then submit,” I growled softly, slipping two fingers into her hot steamy depths, using my thumb to glide against her tender love button, again, timing my words with my actions, “and cum!” I finished just as she went off like a rocket. Powerful legs with the strength of an anaconda closed on my hand, forcing my fingers in deeper, to her very, very core, grinding my thumb flat against her clitty, setting of a powerful series of aftershocks within my Mistress. She cried out her pleasure, shuddering violently, forcing me to hold on for dear life to keep from being bucked off. Just as her pleasure started to ebb, I continued my ministrations, pumping slow, deep and hard inside her pussy, while I continued to whisper soft words of submission into her mind.

In the end it was almost frighteningly easy. Maybe it was all my recent experiences, or maybe it was in my genes, my DNA. All I knew was that taking advantage of her current state, and bending Serpentina’s will to my own, felt as natural as breathing. Even though I wanted to pay her back for every humiliation she’d dealt me, I somehow knew instinctively, where to draw the line, which commands she would accept and which she would fight. As it was, riding high on the Orgasm Express, there wasn’t much that she wouldn’t accept, but I still had to keep my head, and follow through with the plan.

And in the end, when I felt she’d reached her limit, I gave her one last command, and slid a third finger inside her tight clenching tunnel, sparking off one last mind-blowing explosion, before she sagged, slipping gently into deeper into mindless bliss...

* * *

Nigel glanced up at a light knock on his door. “Yes? Come in.”

Katie Frasier poked her head inside. “Um, I’m not disturbing you, am I, Mr. Grimalde, Sir?”

He smiled. “Wrong question, Katherine. If I’m breathing, I’m busy. But it can wait; I can spare you some time. Please, come in.” The young blonde entered, hands clasped shyly behind her back, further emphasizing her breasts. “By the way,” he said, placing the folder he’d been holding aside, “I just wanted to thank you again for your help earlier. I shudder to think of what might have happened had you not been here. I owe my life, and the lives of my family, to you.” He smiled gratefully. “If there’s anything I can do for you, you have only to name it.”

“Um, yes, well, I don’t know about all that,” Katie replied, glancing down at her feet. “The man who was taking pot shots at you was here because of me. If I hadn’t been here in the first place—”

“No, my dear, I’m afraid you’re wrong,” Nigel cut in. “I had my suspicions, and had my people check the data on his cell phone. He wasn’t just here looking for you. He was hired specifically to kill me. Him running into you here was just a lucky coincidence.”

Katie groaned inwardly. Everything with her seemed to revolve around luck. Still, it made her feel better that she wasn’t directly responsible for all of their troubles. “Thank you, Sir. That’s good to know, I guess. I trust everyone is doing okay? How’s Darryl? He took a pretty bad hit—”

“Darryl is just fine,” Nigel cut in again. “He is recovering nicely, and, as last I recall, enjoying showing off the scar to his new girlfriend.” He smirked ever so slightly. The girl was stalling. Whatever she wanted to say was evidently important, and he’d come to know her well enough over the past few days to read her pretty well. “I believe you had something you wanted to say to me, Katherine?” he prompted. His guess was correct, as Katie blushed deeply, let out a small sigh, and finally turned to face him.

“Mr. Grimalde... um... Sir,” she began. “About the... arrangement we made a few days ago? I, um... I did what you asked of me. I talked to everyone on your list, the Albinns, Aunt Eva, my mom and dad... even Sioban. And I managed to convince them that this was the right thing to do. Well... most of them.”

“Ah,” Nigel replied, resigned. “And I’m quite sure that Constance would confirm that as well. All right then. A deal’s a deal. If you like, we can begin the procedure tonight—”

“Um, actually,” Katie said, blushing a deeper red, “I, kinda... well.... changed my mind.”

Nigel blinked in surprise. “Changed your mind? Really? After going through all of that hassle?”

“Yes, Sir,” Katie confirmed, nodding. “I’m sorry. It’s just... when I came to you before, I was desperate... in a panic. Since Jessica died, I’ve been feeling... displaced, yanno? Just flowing around aimlessly, like a ship without a sail—”

“Rudder.”

Katie stopped, blinking. “What?”

“You said ‘sail’,” Nigel pointed out. “A ship without a sail doesn’t move at all. A rudder is what gives it direction.”

Katie smirked. “Wow. Just... wow. Uncle Parker said the same thing, almost word for word...”

Nigel’s face scrunch up into a scowl. It was clear that he had no desire to be like Parker Albinn in any way.

Realizing her faux pas, Katie hurried on with the conversation. “Um, anyway, the main thing I felt I was missing in my life was a sense of purpose... a reason to get out of bed every morning. A feeling of belonging. I thought maybe if I joined your harem, I could get the same sense of peace and belonging that Sioban, Tawnya, Patricia, and Angela all have. And I was willing to give up my will, my independence, my very soul, just to get rid of the pain and loss... to be able to move on. But, well... the night that Sureshot attacked again, that all changed.”

She sighed softly, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they flashed dark, for just a moment, with a hint of violet swirling just below the surface. “When he attacked, when he shot Tawnya and Sioban, when he shot and injured Connie and Darryl... I felt so... so weak. So utterly useless. How could I even think of begging to be a part of what you and your girls have if I can’t even be trusted to pull my weight when you need me? And then, when he took aim again, when he was about to shoot you, Sir... I dunno. I suddenly realized that all this time I’d been leaning on everyone else, letting them shoulder the burden, depending on you, on T, on Bon-bon... on everyone but myself. Something inside me just... snapped.“

Nigel nodded, remembering the incident only too well. He wasn’t likely to forget it anytime soon. Not only had she rallied at the end, defending them from Sureshot’s onslaught, she’d given them all a little demonstration of the kind of power she wielded, showing them all, for a moment, exactly what she was capable of. In the end, I shudder to think of what might have happened if Sioban hadn’t managed to talk her down. Not that I would have shed a tear over that assassin if she had incinerated him, but in her state of mind at the time, with all the power she was putting out, it’s a miracle that she didn’t end up destroying the entire city in the process!

“At any rate, Sir,” she continued, “after that, I realized that I needed to stand on my own two feet from now on. I still miss Jess... and I’ll probably miss her every day for the rest of my life. But... I can’t let myself be weak anymore. The best way I can honor Jessica’s memory is by doing everything I can to make this city a safe place to live for everyone... and no offense, Sir, but I can’t devote myself fully to my job as a heroine when my first priority is serving you.”

Nigel nodded, chuckling. “I see. So in other words, I’m out of a prospective slave girl. Very well. I can’t say that I’m not disappointed... but it is your decision to make.”

“Disappointed?” Katie asked with a smirk. “Mr. Grimalde, correct me if I’m wrong, but I had the distinct impression that you didn’t want me as your slave girl from the get-go.“

“Well, ah... I had no real desire to add to my current circle of women,” he said diplomatically. “I was pretty content with what I had. But, somewhat resigned to you being determined to force the issue, I did consider you a definite... asset. You are a lovely girl after all, Katherine. And as you yourself said, and demonstrated, it would be very helpful having someone with your powers and abilities on my side.” He shrugged. “So, yes, a little disappointed... but for what it’s worth, I think you’re making the correct decision.“

Katie smiled, and on impulse, pulled him into a tight and warm embrace. “Thank you, Sir,” she said gently, kissing his cheek. “Thanks for understanding. And, I hope you’ll still let me ‘hang around’ a bit, and spend time with Tawnya and Sioban... and maybe get to know Constance a little better, too?” she said shyly, leaning her head forward to hide a wicked smile. Nigel merely laughed.

“Let you? As if I could keep them all away from you! They all love you, Katherine, dear, and that goes for Angela, Patricia, Delores... Hell, my kids are nuts about you! You don’t need to be a harem sister in order to spend time with us. As I said before, we all owe you big time.”

“Thanks, Mr. Grimalde,” she said, hugging him again, before turning to head back out.

“You can call me Nigel, Katherine,” he said with a grin.

“Okay... Nigel,” she said, with a naughty smirk, just before the door closed, “but only if you call me ‘Katie’.”

Nigel chuckled ruefully, rolling his eyes. “Don’t push your luck, kid.”

* * *

I might have been pushing my luck a bit, but at this point it was really all or nothing. And luck or no luck, I believed in Fate, in Destiny... and mine lay with Devon. I needed to get out of this mess somehow and get back to her... as well as getting back to River City to see how my family was doing. All these thoughts percolated in my mind as I secured the last knot, but I forced them aside as ‘Mistress’ Serpentina began to stir. She groaned softly, legs moving, thighs grinding lightly against each other. It took her a moment to realize her new condition, and suddenly her eyes jerked open, as she struggled in vain to sit up.

“Wh... what the fuck?” she yelled, pulling hard against the reinforced ropes holding her down. I smiled at her struggles. Those ropes were reinforced with tungsten steel mesh woven in between the fibers, and I knew personally how strong they were. She wasn’t getting up any time soon. She struggled fitfully for several more seconds, cursing and yelling a blue streak before I stepped into view. Her eyes widened then narrowed, her sharp mind quickly reading the situation. “You!” she hissed. “You did this, didn’t you! You’d better let me go this instant if you know what’s good for you!“

“Oh, but I am quite aware of what is good for me... Mistress,” I said, stressing the word with derision. “That’s why you’re tied up. The real question here is... do you know what’s good for you?” She blinked, frowning, having no idea what I meant. But that was fine. I was about to teach her. Sitting down on the bed beside her, I ran a hand lightly along her soft tender skin, idly stroking my way aimlessly up and down her body. “You know, Tina—may I call you Tina? After all the weeks we’ve spent together, I feel a certain kinship, a connection, between us, and Mistress Serpentina just sounds so cold and impersonal.“

“Cold and impersonal is how I prefer it!” she snapped, angrily, struggling again, trying to pull away from my touch. “And you will refer to me only as Mistress, slave! Do you understand me?” I grinned inwardly. Exactly the response I’d calculated she’d give.

“Very well then, Mistress Slave,” I replied with glee. “If that’s what you want to be called.”

“THAT’S NOT WHAT I FUCKING MEANT!” she yelled back, furious. She was so pissed, I could swear steam was beginning to issue forth from her ears. Ah, but I wasn’t through teasing her just yet.

“Maybe that wasn’t what you meant, Mistress Slave, but that’s what you said.” I continued my ministrations, but ceased my aimless wandering, beginning to focus specifically on her erogenous zones now. “And in this context, it’s both critical and prophetic. You see, Mistress Slave,” I continued, lightly stroking her pussy now everything time I called her ‘slave’, “as we both know, words have power. You used quite a few words on me when you had ME tied up, bound and chained, and drugged up to the gills. You put a lot of words into my head... very specific words, words that turned me into your obedient little puppet and willing sex slave for more than two months now!” My expression darkened. “And now, my dear Mistress Slave, you’re going to undo all that mental manipulation, and free the mental shackles you imposed upon me!“

She looked at me for a long moment before bursting into laughter. “Me? Free you? HA! HAHAHAHAHAHAAA!! You must be out of your fucking mind! I always thought you were a bit slow.... but I never knew you were stupid!” I let her go on for several minutes before deciding to shut her up but pinching her clit. Hard. She squealed of course, going rigid, eyes rolling back into her head. And giving her a moment or two to recover, I decided to lay it all out for her.

“Okay, now that I have your attention,” I said with an evil grin, “let me explain a few things. First of all, Mistress Slave, you’re not the one in control here right now. I am. And whether you like it or not, you will release your hold over me. You don’t have a choice in the matter. It’s just a question of whether we do this the easy way, or the hard way.“

“Threatening me now?” she said smugly, with a shake of her head. “Not a chance. I’m calling your bluff. You can’t do anything to hurt me. That command is firmly in place, otherwise you would have killed me when you had the chance instead of tying me up and trying to intimidate me.” She scowled slightly. “Though I have to admit, I’m not quite sure how you managed to tie me down like this in the first place. You’re SUPPOSED to be nothing more than an obedient loyal little fuck toy!”

“Yes, well, that’s what I’ve tried very hard over the past week to make you think,” I countered, scowling back at her. “Your commands are still in place, still guiding my actions, forcing me to do this in a roundabout way... and yet, you left me enough slack in the rope that I was able to use it to tie you up. True, I can’t hurt you... not directly,” I said, running a hand lightly along her thigh for a moment, before delivering a sudden sharp slap, causing her to yelp. “But just because I can’t hurt you, doesn’t mean I can’t cause you some pain. Particularly since you yourself opened the door to then when you showed me how much you enjoy rough sex. ‘A little pain to spice up the pleasure’, I believe you said,” I reminded her. “So basically, as long as I don’t do any real physical damage, and as long as I do so in a sexual nature, I could basically whip you bloody raw—as long as I play with your clit while doing it.” Her eyes widened in shock at my words, as I delivered another sharp slap.

“Ahh... but I don’t have the time or the inclination to torture you sexually for as long as it would take to break you.” I paused, considering. “Okay, I don’t have the time to do it that way. What I do have is an ace in the hole,” I replied, standing up from the bed, walking over to her dresser, out of her line of sight. “You see, you made it impossible for me to use my powers on you, to try and drain your will away with my shadows, and turn the tables on you. But, my dear Mistress Slave, there’s more than one way to skin a snake... and more than one way to entrance a person’s mind.“

“That massage!” she growled, struggling anew in her bonds. Her hands clenched tightly, her nails extended into sharp deadly claws. “You fucker! You fucking lulled me into a trance didn’t you? That’s how you managed to tie me up! When I get out of this, I’ll fucking KILL you for this! And not quickly... no, slow and painful! If you think you suffered before, wait ’til you see what I do to you after this—”

“After this?” I retorted with a laugh, cutting off her tirade. “You stupid little bitch. You don’t get it do you? There won’t BE an ‘after this’. You’re done like dinner. I have you right where I want you, and you haven’t even realized it yet!”

“You’re bluffing!” she growled angrily, struggling to turn her head enough to see what I was doing. “You might have put me under with those talented fingers of yours, but whatever kind of trance you put me in wasn’t deep enough to do anything! I’m still fully myself, still aware! You don’t control me, thrall, but I sure as hell control you!”

“If that’s the case, then why haven’t you commanded me to untie you yet?!?” I asked, stepping back into view. She blinked, surprised, as if the thought itself hadn’t even occurred to her. “It’s already been established that I have to obey any command you give me... including the one that makes me refer to you as ‘Mistress Slave’...“

“FUCK! You dirty rotten piece of shit! How dare you disrespect me like this?” she shot back angrily. I merely smiled, again, two steps ahead of her.

“I’m only following ‘orders’ Mistress Slave,” I responded with a sardonic grin. “But as I was saying... you’re not in control here. You’re right... I wasn’t able to take you deep enough in such a short time to turn you completely into my thrall. I was, however, able to implant three very specific, and very powerful suggestions into your subconscious. When you gave in and submitted to me, you allowed me access to the deepest part of your psyche. Just for the moment, of course, and only while you were completely blitzed out from orgasmic bliss, but it was enough. The first suggestion I gave you was that you wouldn’t be able to command me to release you, to untie you, or remove your bindings in any way shape or form. The thought, as soon as it entered your mind, would simply vanish before you have a chance to voice it.”

“Bastard!” Serpentina growled, glaring hotly at me. “Well, now that I know, I can do something about it now.” She grinned at me, smugly, while I sat there, waiting a few seconds, as the smug look faded into confusion, then irritation. “Well?” she asked, glaring at me again.

“Well, what? If you want me to do something, Mistress Slave, you have to ask. I’m not a mind reader you know.” Growling, she opened her mouth again to speak... only to blink in confusion, the train of thought derailed yet again before it could exit the terminal. She opened and closed her mouth several times before giving up, replying instead with a litany of colorful curses that, among other things, brought my parentage into question and speculated upon dubious—if not outright impossible—acts that I performed in my free time. I waited calmly until she ran down, then sat down on the bed next to her again.

“The second suggestion,” I replied, continuing on, unfazed, “was again, quite simple yet devious. Think about it. You know that I did something to you. You know that I’ve been manipulating you, that I am still manipulating you as we speak, and yet it hasn’t occurred to you to tell me to shut up, or not speak, or to just sit down and don’t move?” She blinked again, shaken by the sudden realization of the truth. “Yes, indeed. You’re currently unable to command me to ‘Not’ do something, or to ‘Stop’ doing something, or any combination of words that would result in a negative response. And as much as you’d like me to STOP calling you Mistress Slave, I’m afraid you just can’t vocalize that as a command.“

She growled. “Will you please stop calling me Mistress Slave?” she tried, using the loophole I’d given her. I merely shook my head. Loopholes, after all, are just another term for ‘nooses’, and she’d already slipped her neck through it. I only needed to pull it taunt.

“My, my, my. And here I didn’t think the word please was even in your vocabulary,” I exclaimed in mock surprise. “Alas, as much as I’d like to, the answer is still no. You failed to phrase your request in the form of a command. Still, it’s nice change of pace, hearing you beg me for something for a change.“

“I’m not begging you, goddammit!” she fumed, still shaken by her situation, but too arrogant and indignant to show it. Then, a sudden smile creased her lips, as the solution to her predicament suddenly occurred to her. “You think you’re pretty damn clever, don’t you, boy?” she crowed, smugly. “Well, you forgot one thing. I don’t need to command you to let me go. I don’t need to command you to do anything. In case you forgot, I have two very loyal, very strong, very well trained guards right outside my door! All I have to do is call them in and have them subdue you and untie me!” She grinned as the smile faded my from lips. “Let’s see how clever you feel once I have you tied up again and at my mercy. GUARDS! GUARDS! Come in here, now!“

Silence.

Serpentina blinked, frowning. “Didn’t you hear me?” she yelled louder. “GUARDS! GET IN HERE! RIGHT NOW DAMMIT! ATTEND YOUR MISTRESS!!”

More silence.

“Oh, by the way,” I said offhandedly, “did I forget to mention that I followed your instructions earlier very explicitly? Remember, when you ordered me to make sure the guards knew you were not to be disturbed?” My grin returned, as hers now faded. “About that... I decided to really drive the point home by using my shadow powers on them both, shadow striking them, and implanting a command that they would completely ignore any and all sounds coming from inside this room for the next several hours, until I personally opened the door and spoke to them again.”

She gaped at me, stunned. “B-b-but... that... you can’t... your powers...” she sputtered.

“Which you stated, that I would, quote, ‘not use, or attempt to use, my powers on you.’ You also went on to say that I would only use them ‘at your discretion and at your command’. Well, you commanded me to ‘make sure’ the guards outside did not disturb you while I was entertaining you. And, the only foolproof way to make sure they did not disturb us was to use my powers... by your indirect but correctly interpreted command.“

Serpentina groaned, closing her eyes. Her mind was awhirl. She’d been outsmarted, outmatched, and outfoxed. Somehow, despite everything she’d done to break him, Umbra had managed not only to survive, but to turn the tables on her! It was... impossible! Inconceivable! And yet... it was happening right before her eyes! Under normal conditions, she would have rallied, put her mind to the task of trying to escape, to reestablish control of the situation, to test the strength of Umbra’s implanted ‘suggestions’ and break what had to be weakly implanted commands at best. Under normal circumstances, her resolve and will would have allowed her to focus and defeat his ruse, to simply command her errant thrall to open the door and bring the guards inside so she could command them personally. Unfortunately, she was so off balance, so completely off her game at that she couldn’t think beyond the current situation.

For my part, I was more than satisfied with our little exchange. I hadn’t broken her spirit by any means, but I’d certainly taken the wind out of her sails. I’d needed her feeling really low, and her resistance at the minimum before I went for the coup de grace. And if there was ever a moment to go for the knockout punch, this was it. “If you remember,” I said after a moment, regaining her attention, “I said I’d given you three suggestions. You know about the first two. That just leaves the third.“

She opened her eyes, frowning, only to gasp, eyes going wide in surprise. In my hands I held the object I’d taken from her dresser, a small round hand mirror. She stared at her reflection, fascinated, utterly taken by her appearance, her hair, splayed out wildly, her skin, bronze and dusky, lightly slick with sweat from her earlier struggles, her lips, pursed lightly, slightly open in an ‘oh’ of surprise. But mostly, what captivated her gaze was...

Her eyes.

“Yes, that’s it, Mistress Slave,” I whispered softly, holding the mirror up in front of her face. Stare deep into your eyes... your powerful, hypnotic eyes, so intense, so entrancing... so magnetic. No one can escape your gaze... no one... not even you.” I grinned again. That little suggestion was the keeper, the key to truly subjugating my former Mistress. Holding her on the cusp of orgasmic oblivion, I’d chanted over and over how powerful she was, how strong and hypnotic her gaze was, how no one could resist it without succumbing to its power. Over and over again, feeding her ego, using her own smug feelings of superiority to drag my litany down deep into her subconscious. And while she might have fought against my suggestions about commanding me to release her, or to stop trying to control her, she wouldn’t resist the idea that her hypnotic gaze was supreme, all powerful, and irresistible, even to her. Her own pride and arrogance wouldn’t allow her to break away.

A soft moan escaped her lips, her will draining away, entranced by her own eyes. “That’s right, Mistress Slave... feel your ability to resist fading... fading... draining away to nothing.... feeling your mind opening up like the sweet delicate flower that it is. You cannot resist the sight before you... cannot resist falling into a deep, deep hypnotic trance... cannot resist obediently accepting my every word, my every suggestion as the truth... as commands you must accept and obey.“

“Accept... and obey...” she replied dutifully, her eyes glazing over, even as she stared deeper and deeper into their depths. I smiled softly, nodding.

“Good girl. Very good girl. Now listen carefully. I’m going to give you some instructions and you will obey them to the letter.” She replied her acknowledgement, and I sighed in pleasure and contentment. “Very good. Now... down to the first order of business. Let’s talk about all those nasty little suggestions you placed inside my head...”