The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Floating high in the night sky of the city, I felt more relaxed and content than I’d ever felt in my life. This was the way life was supposed to be. I was set to graduate in a few more weeks, and I would officially be an adult, independent woman. For eighteen years, I’d struggled and studied, trying to make the grade, giving it my all, only to fall short of the mark. Jimmy received more than his share of problems and bad luck, but at least he got the brains to make the best of it. Me, I figured out by third grade that college was most definitely NOT in my future—I had been lucky to make it all the way through to the twelfth grade and graduate with a D average. Mom and dad never said anything about it to me, never let on that they were disappointed in any way, always encouraging me to just do my best... but I could tell. All I had to look forward to after graduation was my life as a super heroine, and living off the trust fund my dad had set up for me when I was born.

Now, none of it mattered. I was truly free, in all but the most literal sense of the word. I was a slave, Mistress’ loyal, obedient, and ever loving thrall, but I was also freed from that lackluster future circumstances had prepared for me. I was freed from uncertainty, from not know what I was going to do with the rest of my life. Now... now I knew. Mistress would decide. She would dictate to me exactly what I would do, exactly how best she wished for me to serve Her will. All I had to do was obey, and do exactly what She wished me to.

They say ignorance is bliss, but they’re a little bit off. True bliss is submission, bound in obedience.

Heading deeper into the city, I paused, hovering over a lower class residential section of town. I could just make out what appeared to be a small group of people talking in a back alleyway. I was about to move on when one of the figures, clearly a woman, yelled for help. I down a bit lower, and now I could clearly see the individuals, three men in dark colored warm up suits, and a young woman in blue jeans and a periwinkle blouse. They had her hemmed in, unable to escape, and they were taunting her, a clear warm up to a mugging, or worse, though as yet, she hadn’t been touched.

Again, I paused, hesitating, wondering what I should do. On one hand, I was a heroine, and helping people in trouble was what I did. On the other hand, that was all a part of my old life, the person I used to be before becoming enlightened to Mistress’ wonder. My life revolved around obeying and serving her, now. If Mistress commanded it, I would mug and rape the girl below me in a heartbeat, and smile while doing it. Except... Mistress wasn’t here. And that curious guiding voice in my head that sounded so very much like Mistress’ voice was strangely silent. Did that mean that Mistress didn’t care how I acted in this particular regard? Was I being tested in some way?

The girl screamed again, as her attackers, tired of waiting around, moved in. One of them grabbed her arm, holding her still, while a second one grabbed her purse, ripping it from her grasp. I pondered for a second or two more, and then, without clear instruction on how to respond one way or another, I reacted as I’d been trained to do.

“Hey! Scumbags!” I shouted, hovering a few above them, letting my light glow bright to impress them. “Let the girl go, and no one will get hurt.”

“Ah, shit! Frank, man, it’s one of them damned Supers!” one of the dark clad men called out, pointing up at me.

“Calm down, Sammy,” the tallest one, Frank, answered back. “Look at her. She’s a kid! She can’t be more than thirteen, or fourteen, at the most!”

Fourteen?!? I know I’m a bit short for my age, but fourteen? Come on, now! These guys were seriously trampling over my last frayed nerve! “Okay. Last time I ask nicely. Let the girl go, right now, and we’ll pretend this whole thing never happened. Keep pushing the issue, and you’ll get on my bad side!”

“Enough of this bullshit,” the third on, still holding onto the wild-eyed girl’s arm, growled. He released her arm, then pulled a snub nose revolver from his pocket, pointing it up at me. “You can fly, little girl,” the mugger said, taking aim. “Now let’s see if you are bulletproof.”

He pulled the trigger, firing the gun. Or rather, he attempted to. The pistol, which from my angle appeared to be a pretty new, well kept weapon, jammed, misfiring. The bullet exploded within the cartridge without exiting, which caused the gun itself to explode. The man screamed in pain, clutching his mangled hand, cursing like a sailor on shore leave. I merely floated there, unconcerned, while his two friend glanced back and forth between me, and him, then me again, reevaluating their options.

Statistically, the chances of a gun jamming, or backfiring on you are relatively low, providing you keep the weapon in good shape and only use the type of ammunition it was designed for. Obviously, if you tried to fire a rifle shell from a handgun, you’d have a problem, but if you’re using a standard .45 and it’s loaded with .45 bullets, nine times out of ten, you won’t have a problem.

To date, in my illustrious career as a costumed crime fighter, I have had thirty-seven handguns fired at me. To date, thirty-six of them have backfired, exploded or had some kind of major malfunction that resulted in the serious injury of the shooter. And in the thirty-seventh, turns out the gun wasn’t even loaded.

“Jake! Shit, man, are you alright?” the tall thug, Frank asked, backing slowly away from me, towards the front of the alley. “What the hell did that bitch do to you?”

“The same thing I’m gonna do to rest of you in about five seconds if you don’t get out of here, now!” I called out. “One... two... three...”

That was all it took. The two others ran off, leaving their wounded friend to look after himself. Jake, the last mugger, ran after them, clutching his bleeding appendage lightly with his free hand. He glanced back at me as he ran, and if looks could kill, I would have been a corpse. I debated briefly whether or not I should go after them or not, but only for a second. The girl was safe, that’s all that mattered, and I had someplace I needed to get to.

“Oh, thank you, thank you!” the young woman said to me, tearfully, hugging me tightly. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t shown up.”

“You would have had a really bad night,” I replied, gently disengaging myself from her death grip. Up close, I saw that she was rather pretty, a redhead with bright green eyes and nice curves. Before Mistress, I never really noticed how enticing the female form could be; now I found myself noticing it all too well. “I trust you can get home okay by yourself? I really have some place I need to be, and I’m late enough as it is.”

“Oh! Of course,” she replied. “I live just up the street, not far from here. Oh, and my name’s Diane, by the way. Diane Porter.”

“Okay, Diane. Get home safely,” I called out as I took to the sky once more. I felt a bit better. I’d done my good deed for the day. Now, it was time to continue on.

I’d actually expected to find my Mistress staying in the penthouse suite of one of the fancier hotels, considering that she was a visitor from out of town, only her for the carnival performance. Nevertheless, the directions given to me led me to an old, stately hilltop mansion at the outskirts of town, along one of the development areas that celebrities and models sometimes purchased as a quiet home-away-from-home, far from the glamour and glitz of Hollywood life. Perhaps business as a stage hypnotist paid a lot better than I thought. I landed softly at the main entrance, and, taking a deep breath, I rang the bell.

Moments later, an incredibly attractive Asian woman wearing a French maid’s outfit answered the door. She stood there, staring at me, a soft, glassy far-away look in her eyes, that I was starting to recognize now as that of someone deep within a trance. “Yes? May I help you?”

“Um...” I began, suddenly at a loss for what to say. How does one announce themselves to the object of not only their affection, but to their entire being? What do you say to someone who is about to take you to the very reason you draw breathe, the reason for your entire existence. My mouth continued to open and close, but the words just wouldn’t come. The Asian girl smiled slightly, and opened the door.

“Ah. You must be new. Please come in. The Mistress is expecting you.” I followed behind her, trying and failing not to gawk and stare at all the tastefully decorated art adorning the walls. Don’t get me wrong. My parents have a lot of money, and my dad’s net worth is several billon strong, but while we live comfortably, we don’t live in excess. Maybe it’s a Scottish thing, from dad growing up without much and working so hard to get where he’s at today, but I was a raised to know the value of a hard day’s work, and to appreciate what I had. Not that mom and I didn’t go completely nuts shopping now and again, but I had never been in a place where you could tell instantly within five seconds of entering just how rich the owner was. And judging from the living room, the owner had to be at least as well off as my parents, if not more so.

“You are a super hero, are you not?”

The question brought me back to reality. “I’m sorry. What was that?”

“I asked if you were one of the city’s costumed protectors,” the maid repeated, gesturing to my costume. “Your outfit is quite pretty. Pink and black suits you.” We made our way to the landing of the second floor stairway, and turned to the hallway on the left side.

“Um, thank you,” I said, blushing slightly. No doubt once Mistress claimed me for her own, I’d be given another uniform to wear. Maybe a French maids outfit, like my tour guide? I wondered if I’d look as sexually enticing as her dressed the same way.

“Right through here,” the girl said simply, gesturing down the long hallway. “Mistress is in the Master bedroom, the last door on the right. She is currently... entertaining. Another newcomer arrived shortly before you did, and the Mistress is no doubt putting her through her paces.”

Indeed, as I drew closer to the room, I could hear the sounds of womanly pleasure emanating from the behind the door. I stood there, outside the door, listening, barely resisting the urge to slide my own hand down inside the waist band of my costume, when I heard a familiar voice cry out, “Ohhhhh, ohhh gaaahhddd, oh Mistress!! You tastes... soooo good!” Surprised, I opened the door and stepped inside, where I spotted my Owner, lying back on a King-sized four poster bed, Her red evening dress hiked up around Her waist, head thrown back in rapture, while a young naked dark haired girl lapped eagerly at the treasure between Her thighs. The scene was beautiful, utterly erotic, and completely surreal. But the thing that struck me the most was the fact that the dark haired girl eating out Mistress’ pussy was my best friend Jessica!

“Jess? Wha... what are you... doing here?” I asked, confused, taking a step tow2ards them, then stopped. The amphitheater. The Hypnosis Show. The DVD’s. “Oh. Right.” But how did she get here ahead of me from all the way across town? Did she take a cab or something? Hitchhike?

“Well, well, well, what have we here?” Madame Mysterio said with a knowing grin as she sat up, leaning forward. “I was hoping you would show up tonight. Let me see... what was your name again? Katherine, was it? Or should I just call you, Luminaire?”

I dropped to my knees, feeling suddenly small and weak in front of Her. “Either, Mistress. I will answer to whatever You decide to call me. I am Yours, mind, body and soul!” I swallowed to get past the lump in my throat. “Please! Just... just allow me to show You! Let me serve You!”

She laughed. “Oh, dear, you are just too sweet! Relax, my sweet. I won’t bite your head off. Now... if you wish to serve your Mistress, the first thing you need to do is to present yourself to me, properly, as your sweet little friend has done. Remove your costume, and let me get a good look at you.”

Of course! Strip! Obviously, Mistress wanted to view her property! I felt so stupid for not anticipating that fact, and, blushing nearly scarlet, I quickly kicked off my boots, and unzipped my uniform, wishing not for the first time that one of my powers included augmented strength powerful enough to rip these stupid clothes... off... okay! Finally, I stepped out of my costume, kicking it aside like unwanted garbage, and knelt again, nude before my Mistress.

She whistled appreciatively. “Mmm. Nice. Very nice. You have an exceptional body, my dear Katherine. You’re a cute little thing... you look like a child, and yet you have the endowments of a beautiful young woman just coming into her prime.” She gasped, then groaned softly, eyes fluttering as Jessie, who had continued licking nonstop, finally achieved her goal, making Mistress cum. Panting softly, she pushed the dark-haired slave gently away, getting to her feet. With a gesture of her hand, she brought me back to my feet, and led me to the bed, where I knelt next to Jess. We glanced at each other briefly, sharing a smile, then lowered our eyes again as Mistress sat back down before us. We’d always been closer than sisters, Jess and I, but now we both slave sisters, serving the same Mistress.

And I felt no jealousy whatsoever. Strange. Weren’t you supposed to feel jealousy of sharing your Love with someone else?

“Tell me, Katherine,” Mistress asked quietly, “have you ever made love to another girl before?”

I shook my head. “No, Mistress. I’m... um... I haven’t ever been with anyone... period. Well... unless you count the time Jessie and I practiced kissing back when we were thirteen...”

Mistress laughed again, shaking her head. “Oh, my dear, you are just too precious! I have always wanted to ‘break-in’ a true innocent, a virgin whose mind and heart was truly as pure as snow.” She reached out to caress my cheek, and I sighed, leaning into Her hand, feeling my tummy tickle at Her touch. “There is just something so satisfying about taking someone who is such a blank slate, and making them over into whatever you wish them to be.” She paused, then glanced at Jessie, who said nothing, merely staring down at Mistress’ bare feet. “Katherine, my dear... have you ever had any sexual feelings towards your friend, Jessica?”

“No, Mistress. Until You, I had never felt... that way, about anyone, male or female.” I suppose I had the same teenage crushes most young girls have over celebrities... oohing and awwing over Brad, and Gerard, and Russell, and other hot movie star hunks that appear on screen without shirts, showing those rock hard abs and well defined six-packs. And, if I’m really really honest with myself, I would admit to having a bit of a ‘thing’ for Angelina as well, in a few of those movies where she was exposed, or revealed, though it was more of a ‘wow, she looks hot’ reaction than a ‘wow, I wanna climb between her thighs and never leave’ one.

“Would it surprise you to know that your best friend has been fighting a growing sexual attraction for you, one that she has tried very hard to hide from you for more than five years now?”

Yes. That WOULD surprise me. I glanced over at Jess, but she continued to stare at Mistress’ toes, resolutely refusing to meet my gaze. The telltale blush covering her soft pale flesh, however, informed me of the truth of Mistress’ words. “Jess,” I said softly, reaching out a hand to touch her face. Before Mistress, I wouldn’t have known what to say, or how to feel... but I wasn’t the same straight-laced, innocent girl I was even a day ago. I was ‘bent’, as Mistress had stated on the DVD, and now I looked on Jessica with new eyes, not merely as a best friend, but as a girl, a woman about to blossom. I glanced at Mistress, who nodded, smiling, and I grabbed Jess by the chin, pulling her face to mine. Before she could react, I kissed her, deeply, softly but passionately, and after a moment’s hesitation, she responded fully, melding her body into mine. Our lips parted, and we stared in each other’s eyes, saying so much without speaking a word. She laughed, tears beginning to fall from her eyes, and I did the same, hugging her again, letting my hands explore her soft tender skin in a way that would have seemed strange half a day earlier.

Kissing and touching led to caressing and grouping, and before we knew it, we were entrenched in Mistress’ thick soft carpet, engaged in mutual sexual exploration. Jessie was dynamite; I was the only virgin in the room, she’d lost her virginity a year or two ago to her then-boyfriend John, though things hadn’t worked out between them. At the time I’d figured they just weren’t meant to be, but now I knew the truth... her heart belonged to someone else. I don’t know if she’d had any lesbian encounters before tonight that she’d just never mentioned before, or if she was just a natural, but within a few seconds, she had me squirming and panting like crazy, moaning in pleasure and babbling like an idiot. All the while, Mistress watched us, calmly stroking a finger idly in her sex, shiny with her juices in the lamplight.

“Oh, girls, you are doing so well,” she said, rising again, moving to stand over us. Her hand hovered a few inches away from my face, and as I glanced up, the lamplight caught the sparkle of her ring’s gem, making it gleam. My eyes widened, then glazed over, and I felt myself falling even though I was already lying on the ground. My thoughts slowed to a crawl, and my arousal spiked even higher. Jessie’s fingers and tongue were doing their same wonderful job, but now Mistress had taken control away from me, leashing my mind and my thoughts, and my pleasure seemed to double. Her hand moved out of my view, over towards Jess, who likewise let out a soft moan of submission before returning to her manual manipulations of my sex.

“That’s it, my girls,” Mistress said softly, teasingly, as her hands joined Jessica’s, ratcheting my arousal even higher, somehow knowing exactly where to touch me, knowing exactly where I needed to be touch. Or, maybe it was simply Mistress’ touch, and I needed to be touched EVERYWHERE. All I knew was that I was in heaven, that I never wanted this feeling to ever end. This was the good life!

And then Mistress slid out of her red silk dress and lowered her nectar covered slit to my anxiously waiting mouth, and GOOD became EVEN BETTER.

At the first taste, I swear I was cumming, cumming from my vagina, cumming in my brain, cumming out of my eyes, ears, nose and mouth, all at once. I slipped deeper into my Mistress’ welcoming trance, existing for a time as only a mindless pleasure machine, giving and receiving pleasure, as Mistress spoke softly into my ear, into what remained of my mind, every word binding me tighter and tighter to her will, shaping me, remaking me into her perfect slave.

I was a slut. A wanton, needy, sex-starved slut. Mistress’ slut. Yes. I needed her the way a fish needed water, the way a mammal needed air. She was my air. I needed her, more than anyone ever needed before! I needed Her to cum... needed to taste—

And then, blessedly, She came, bathing me in Her juices, and my brain simply shut down...

I... came around? Yes. ‘Came around’ works... because I wasn’t truly awake, per sae. I came around some time later, lying at the foot of Mistress’ bed, my mouth lightly and gently sucking on Her toes the way a baby would suck a bottle. Jess was at the head of the bed, still unconscious, with Mistress leaning against her like a pillow. She sighed and cooed softly, now and again, her toes wiggling softly in my hot wet mouth, reacting ticklishly to my tongue. She giggled, jerking ever so slightly, but not pulling away, obviously enjoying the sensation. A moment later, the door opened, and the little Japanese maid stepped inside, carrying a small crystal decanter filled with a dark burgundy wine. Wordlessly, she poured Mistress a glass, which she took and sipped from.

“Thank you, Lilica, that will be all for now,” she said with a nod.

“Of course, Mistress. Call upon me if you require anything else.” With a slight bow, she left the room.

“Mmmmm... well, Katherine, I see you’re already awake. You have excellent stamina, my dear,” Mistress said, sliding her other foot down to caress my cheek. I eagerly captured that one as well, and began sucking those toes as well. “Mmmmm... ohhhh, that’s nice.” She sighed. “It’s such a pity that I have to leave today. I wish I’d met you and your lovely friend at the beginning of this tour instead of the end...”

That was enough to break me out of my quiet sleepy trance. “Leaving?” I asked, sitting up. “Y... You’re leaving? But why? Where are You going? And... are You taking us with You?”

“Sadly, no,” she said with obvious regret. “As nice as it would be to travel with such lovely... assets, as you and Jessica, I’m afraid I need to travel light. Besides... I have girls in every city along my route, lovely girls like yourselves that I’ve enslaved over the years, like the owner of this house.”

“What? This isn’t Your house?” I asked, again, surprised.

“No, dear,” she said with a chuckle. “A place like this is nice to visit for a while, but it’s much too flashy for my tastes. The key to my success is to keep a low profile. It lets me go where I will, have my fun, then move on. I keep a few of the lovelier ones, like you and dear Jessica, on ‘retainer’ as I call it, free to live your own lives without remembering your time as my slaves, until the next time I come to visit.” She sighed. “And I certainly can’t risk taking someone as noticeable as you with me, Katherine dear.”

I felt like my heart was going to shatter into a million pieces. “Please, Mistress,” I begged, tears starting to flow. “I... I need You! I need to be with You! I’ll do anything You want! I’ll be anyone You want! I’ll dye my hair, shave my head... anything! Please!” I felt desperation overwhelming me. “Money! My family is rich! I can get You all the money You could possibly need! You wouldn’t have to leave!”

But Mistress merely shook her head. “You don’t seem to understand, dear. I don’t HAVE to leave, I’m choosing to leave. I’m not being run out of town, or chased, this is merely the kind of lifestyle that I choose to live. I come and go as I please, with no attachments to weigh me down.” She looked directly into my eyes, and I had to look away. “I know this may seem harsh, and unfair, Katherine, dear, but for now, it’s simply the way it is. And even if things were different, I simply couldn’t bring you with me. You’re Luminaire, the Light of Justice. It’s not just a title, it’s a strong part of who you are. You couldn’t even make it here to this house without performing a feat of daring go.”

I blinked, remembering the three muggers. “H... how? How did you...”

“You told me, sweetheart. Last night, while you were deep in trance. You told me a lot of things... about your family, your parents.” She sighed. “Which is just another reason why I can’t take you with me. I’m a simple erotic hypnotist, not some super villain—when Omega Girl and Armor Man show up here looking for their little girl, a few soft words and a swinging pocket watch aren’t going to cut it.” She reached out to caress my face. “You know, Katherine you really did save my life the other day, at the jewelry store. You were my knight in shiny pink and black latex.” She smiled. “And while I have no qualms about playing with you for a few hours, or days, or even weeks... I could never rob the world of the wonder and majesty that you are, my sweet Katherine.”

She rose from the bed, placing a soft white terrycloth robe around herself. “In a moment, I’m going to release you and Jessica from my control, and send you both back home. You won’t remember me, or anything about tonight, so don’t even try. I’m a selfish hedonistic bitch,” she said with a cheeky smile, “but I’m not cruel. After making you love and need me so deeply, I’m not about to leave any of my girls to suffer the pain of my loss. I’ve already set things in motion. As soon as I leave this room to go shower, you’ll slip into another trance. You’ll wake Jessica, you’ll both dress, and leave the house. As soon as you leave the yard, you’ll both wake up completely without any memory of the past two days.”

As She turned to walk out the door, I acted on instinct. I lashed out with my power, laying down a paper-thin layer of photonic energy, wrapping it around Her, cocooning my Mistress before She could leave. Eyes wide, She struggled in vain to get free, mumbling belatedly as I wrapped the light cocoon around Her mouth as well. I knew if She had the chance, She would simply speak a word or two, and put me back under again, or.... or simply command me to let Her go. If She so much as spoke the words, I would obey Her. I’d obey Her if She told me to walk naked through fire! Even the concept of holding Her like this, against Her will... was hard. So... very hard. I felt like groveling before Her, begging Her to forgive me for even daring to do something like this... and I intended to once I’d had my say, but for now... I couldn’t just let Her walk out of my life this way without at least pleading one last time.

“Mistress... forgive me for this, but I just had to beg You! Please... please... don’t take tonight from me! I know...” I swallowed, trying to get the words out, “I know... You intend to leave me. I understand... and... and I accept it. I have no choice but to accept that the most important person who has ever entered my life is about to leave it... and nothing I can say or do will change that. I accept it. I hate it... it sucks... but I accept it. Because you are my Mistress,” I said with a soft sigh, as the tears started falling once again. “Your will is all that matters, not mine. And if it is still Your will that I forget all of this... this... most wondrous of nights... then so be it. But please... I beg You! Let me remember! I swear I won’t try and find or follow You! I’ll let You travel on in peace... until You return this way again. And I swear no one else will ever know, not my mother, my father, or my twin brother. Even if You never return to this city, if I n... nev... never see You again... even then, I’ll keep the secret of tonight for the rest of my life! Just... please...” I said, releasing the cocoon of light, sinking down to my knees before her, “please don’t take that away from me...”

I knelt there for several long minutes, crying silently, not even daring to look up. I could see the tips of Mistress’ scarlet painted toes, could feel her presence just above me, but she didn’t say anything, or try to move away. We stayed that way for several minutes, until at last I was all cried out. Then, finally, she placed a hand along the back of my head.

“All right,” she said with a sigh. “You win. I’ll let you keep your memories of tonight.” I looked up, and saw the regret in her eyes, and the sad smile on her face. “You’re putting a heavy burden on yourself, Katherine,” she said softly, caressing me, “one that I hadn’t planned for you to bear. It would be best if you simply forgot until I am back to make you remember... but if you feel this strongly about it, then I’ll relent just this once.” She leaned forward and kissed me deeply. “Now, when you leave the house, both you and Jessica will forget me, but glance back up at the second story bedroom window, and you’ll see me staring down at me. When you see my face... you will remember me again.”

“Thank you Mistress,” I said, utterly grateful. This victory was bittersweet; I was still losing Her, but at least I would be allowed to keep Her memory. I let out a soft sigh of relief, then sighed again, eyes fluttering as Mistress stepped through the bedroom doorway, closing the door behind her.

I felt like a passenger in my own body as I jerked up, rising to my feet once more. I dressed myself in the lounging clothes I’d packed, then gently woke Jessica. She too moved like a zombie as she dressed, then followed me out of the bedroom, and downstairs to the front door. Lilica stood in the foyer, and nodded softly to us both as she opened the door. “I wish you both well,” she said, bowing slightly. “Have a pleasant day.”

As we crossed the threshold, I felt as if a heavy weight was pressing down on my mind, squeezing my brain like a piece of hamburger meat being shaped into a patty. The world seemed to tilt sharply on its axis... and suddenly, I let out a gasping breath, as if I’d just come to the surface after being under the water for three minutes. Where was I? I glanced around, confused, not sure of where I was, or why. Then I noticed Jessica standing beside me, looking just as confused as I felt. We were standing in front of a big house, on the outskirts of town. I turned back to look at the manor house once more, and something inside me told me to glance up at the windows, so I looked up...

“Katie?” Jessica asked, shaking her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. “Where are we? What’s going on?” She turned and glanced up at what I was looking at. “What is it? Did you see something?”

I shook my head. “No. I thought I saw the second story window curtain move... but I guess it was just the wind.” I sighed, shaking my head as well. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“Katie? Are you okay? You’re crying?” I placed a hand along my cheeks, and sure enough, they were wet. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” I said, frowning slightly. “I’m not sure why... but I just have this feeling... like I’ve just lost something really important.” Shaking off my momentary melancholy, I pulled out my cell. “I have no idea where the heck I left my truck, but I’m calling us a taxi...”

Lilica paused at the door to the Master bedroom, frowning as she heard a strange sound. Sticking her head inside, she saw the Mistress of the house, facing away from the window, her face wet with tear streaks. “Mistress? Is something wrong?” she asked with alarm. The Madame shook her head dismissively.

“No. It’s fine. Everything’s fine.” She sighed, wiping her eyes. “I hated lying to her... but it was better this way. And she’ll be better off for it, in the long run.”

Lilica nodded slowly, not understanding. “Very well, ma’am. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Yes, dear. Have my bags brought down to my car. I’ll be leaving soon, and you can go back to being in charge of this house again.”

The Japanese girl blinked. “I... I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean, ma’am. I’m merely your loyal abiding maid,”

“Of course you are, dear,” she replied with a small smile. “At any rate, it’s time for me to go. I’ve already stayed longer than I planned to.” She sighed again. “Damn. I’m getting soft. Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have shed a tear. Now...” She chuckled ruefully. “But she was really sweet. I’m going to have to make a point of visiting River City again, very soon.”