The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Saturday

Emily awoke alone in Miss Scarlett’s bed. According to the clock, it was after eight.

She stretched, and smiled. I’m in Miss Scarlett’s bed, she thought. I can’t believe this happened to me. I met a hypnotist at a stage show, and the next thing I know I’m kissing another woman. And last night...

Memories flooded back. Miss Scarlett had hypnotized her—with the pocket watch—over and over again. Oh my, Emily thought. All those things I thought were my idea were really Miss Scarlett putting ideas in my head. And I enjoyed it so much!

Her life had changed from the normal into the hypnagogic the moment she’d met Miss Scarlett. She’d been instantly infatuated with the Southern belle—something she’d never have thought possible earlier that day. Not only that, but Miss Scarlett had noticed her too.

Emily’s shyness had fallen away. Now that was the hypnosis, Emily thought. She’d quickly fallen under the feline hypnotist’s spell, and she’d found herself doing things that she could never have admitted she wanted an hour earlier.

Being hypnotized was incredibly relaxing—and, with Miss Scarlett, it was astonishingly erotic. Miss Scarlett had gotten inside her head, and Emily was still stunned at how natural and comfortable that felt. Someone I didn’t know earlier that day messed with my mind and made me do things that I would never have considered before meeting her. How much of this has been my choice, and how much has been what Miss Scarlett put in my head when I was asleep?

She remembered Miss Scarlett hypnotizing her last night with the watch—something she was sure she did not realize was happening at the time. She was also sure that whenever Scarlett hypnotized her, the commands she’d given Emily’s subconscious mind had worn off. They’d expired either at the end of the evening or the next morning, just like Scarlett’s command to forget the pocket watch had.

But did Miss Scarlett hypnotize me into believing that?

Emily considered that. Only two things had changed in her life. First, she went on dates with Miss Scarlett whenever the hypnotist was in town. They’d gone out to dinner together on several occasions, and the two spent a lot of time kissing. Okay, yes, dating another woman was not something she normally did, but Miss Scarlett was charming, sexy, and drop dead gorgeous. She had a powerful personality, a confidence that Emily found incredibly attractive.

Secondly, Miss Scarlett hypnotized her almost every time they got together. She had an amazing ability that Emily barely understood. The blonde woman loved being hypnotized and loved attending Scarlett’s stage shows. But did her fascination blind her to the fact that she was letting someone else into her mind? After all, she’d been seeing Scarlett for over two years now and hadn’t known the Southern belle’s real name until yesterday.

Did she need to protect herself? Did she even want to? What could she do?

The somnambulist found a piece of paper and quickly wrote herself a note. “Emily, if you are still in Kentucky on Monday, things are seriously wrong.” She folded the note up and tucked it in the back of her suitcase.

The ironic thing was that Monday was Valentine’s Day. An accident of the calendar meant that her Valentine’s visit didn’t even fall on the holiday.

Well, that didn’t matter. Last night had been the best Valentine’s evening she’d ever had. That counted the times she’d spent the day with a boyfriend.

And there were two more days to go.

Miss Scarlett stood in the kitchen with a pot of hot chocolate on the stove. A plate of waffles sat steaming beside her waffle iron as the Southern belle poured some more batter into it.

Scarlett turned towards Emily, and her face lit up in a smile. “Good morning!”

Emily happily returned the beautiful hypnotist’s kiss.

“Would you like some hot chocolate? The waffles will be ready in a moment.”

“Yes, please.” Scarlett had already set the small kitchen table, and Emily sat down. The Southern belle brought her a warm cup, and the waffles followed a moment later.

Breakfast was delicious. “You made all this? From scratch?”

Miss Scarlett grinned. “My mama didn’t raise a girl who couldn’t cook waffles.”

Emily smiled. “So, Miss Scarlett. About hypnosis.”

“Yes, Emily?”

“I remembered something about last night—you hypnotizing me with a pocket watch that I don’t even remember seeing at the time.”

The raven-haired hypnotist grinned. “I assume you liked it?”

“I did, but... I remember a couple years ago we met for lunch. I just went to the restaurant. I didn’t even remember you’d invited me. You told me I’d remember in the next day or two, but I never did. I’ve been trying to remember the phone call, and it’s like it never happened.”

Scarlett titled her head slightly. “Well, when you were hypnotized I told you that you wouldn’t remember our phone conversation consciously. Usually those suggestions expire in a few days, but if yours never did it means you must have really liked being surprised.”

“I did.”

Miss Scarlett nodded. “That’s part of what makes you so remarkable. You embrace every suggestion I give you. You commit yourself wholly. Since then I’ve been careful to make sure every suggestion I give you expires the next morning.”

Emily nodded slowly. That explained why she’d suddenly remembered being hypnotized last night—hypnotized over and over and over again. It had been so exotic, the way Scarlett had drawn her deeper and deeper under her spell.

“Would you like to remember that phone call?”

Emily thought a moment, then nodded again.

Miss Scarlett grinned. “All right. Lean back, Emily darling—you don’t want to fall into your plate.”

Emily snuggled back into her chair, and the two women locked eyes.

“Sleep in my spell,” Miss Scarlett said. “Very good, feeling so relaxed. Emily, on the count of three, you will wake up, and remember every phone call you’ve ever been commanded to forget. One, memories returning, two, returning to full consciousness, three, wide awake.”

Scarlett snapped her fingers, and Emily opened her eyes. Goodness, being hypnotized was so weird sometimes. The memories hadn’t been there a moment ago, and now they were. Scarlett had called, inviting her to lunch. Emily had been so excited to see the beautiful hypnotist again, and Scarlett had asked if she wanted their date to be a surprise. You can hypnotize me over the phone? Emily had asked. Scarlett had said she could. Emily wasn’t sure she believed that, but had agreed. Scarlett had spoken the phrase, and Emily had immediately fallen under the Southerner’s hypnotic spell.

When she hung up the phone a moment later, she’d immediately forgotten that Scarlett had called. Part of her subconscious must have remembered, though, because she’d worn her hair down that day.

Emily stood up and quickly embraced the Southern belle. “Thank you,” she murmured. “That always makes me feel so relaxed and happy and comfortable.”

“You don’t mind that I can remove and replace your memories just like that?”

“If it were anyone else, I’d probably freak out,” Emily told her. “I trust you.”

After breakfast, Emily freshened up, then returned to the guest room and sorted through the clothes in her suitcase. She chose warm black slacks, a dark blue shirt, and a light blue sweater that brought out the color of her eyes. She brushed her hair, then stood in front of the mirror and slid on her favorite headband.

Wow, this really brings back memories, Emily thought. She’d been afraid wearing her hair this way would make her look like she was still in high school—which was the last time she’d worn it—but her hair had been much shorter then. The headband neatly held her hair out of her face and complimented her adulthood just fine. Besides, Miss Scarlett was always telling her how beautiful her hair was, and she thought the lady hypnotist would like seeing it this way.

She met Miss Scarlett in the hallway. Her host wore a black blouse, a white vest with gleaming red hearts, and a red and black skirt. The Southern belle’s long dark hair was clasped behind her head and flowed elegantly down her back.

“You look lovely,” Emily said.

“You look radiant,” her host replied.

With a grin, Scarlett offered Emily her hand, and the blonde woman took it.

Miss Scarlett took Emily to the Speed Art Museum. Emily soon learned that the establishment had been founded by the Speed family and had nothing to do with Morris Katz. The modern building looked like a box sitting atop another box, but once inside Emily was in heaven.

“Spending one day here is not going to be enough,” she told her host. The museum featured art from the Baroque period all the way up to the present, from Rembrandt and Monet to Rodin and Picasso. The artist’s wide blue eyes beheld Cezanne and Matisse and drank in Sargent and Cassatt.

Emily saw it all while holding hands with the beautiful Miss Scarlett.

The Southern belle cautioned her that they had to be discreet, so they tried to stay casual—and stole kisses when no one else was in the room. Even lunch was fun, for Scarlett had packed a picnic.

At dinnertime, Scarlett drove them to the Ohio river. Emily enjoyed the view of the riverfront and pointed out a steamboat with a paddle wheel. The blonde woman was thrilled when her host parked the car—and, sliding her arm through Emily’s, led her up the gangplank.

“We’re having dinner here? That’s so romantic!” the blonde woman exclaimed.

The host smiled at them as soon as they were on board. “Welcome aboard the Belle of Louisville!”

“Good evening,” Miss Scarlett said. “Mulbray, table for two.”

“Here you are! The buffet choices tonight include flat iron steak and fried chicken. We’ll make sure your voyage tonight is a memorable one. Is this your first time aboard?”

“It’s hers,” Miss Scarlett explained. “It’s been a few years for me.”

He led them inside, took them to their table, and pointed out the buffet and the steamboat’s other features.

“Your server will be here shortly,” he told them. “Enjoy your cruise!”

Scarlett and Emily sat down at their table by the window. “This has been a wonderful Valentine’s weekend,” Emily said.

“I try,” the raven-haired hypnotist grinned.

“Good evening, my name is Lillian, and I’ll be your... Shannon?”

Emily looked up to see a full-figured woman with strawberry-blonde curls smiling at the Southern belle.

“Lillian!” Scarlett stood and briefly embraced the server. “I didn’t know you worked here!”

“Three years,” Lillian replied. She was taller than Emily, with shining hazel eyes. Her drawl was deeper than Scarlett’s.

“Emily, I would like to introduce Lillian,” Miss Scarlett said as the blonde woman rose. “Lillian, this is Emily, my date.”

The server blinked. “Oh! Well, welcome to the Belle of Louisville.” She shook Emily’s hand tentatively. “You are both looking beautiful! What can I get you to drink?”

“Lemonade, please,” Scarlett said.

“Water for me, please,” Emily added.

“I’ll have those both coming right up,” Lillian said. “Have a wonderful evening!”

Emily looked inquiringly at her companion. “Is there anyone in Louisville you don’t know?”

“I know most everyone in Crestwood,” Miss Scarlett explained. “Louisville, not so much. I had no idea Lillian worked here.”

“Is she a friend of yours?”

Miss Scarlett lowered her voice. “She was a patient. She has... er, something I’m not supposed to talk about because of therapist-client privilege.” She sighed. “What can I tell you... well, she has a problem, not her fault at all. She was taking the maximum dosage to cope with it, and the side effects were worse than the disease. She forgot to take her medicine half the time, which didn’t help. She was afraid of what would happen if she didn’t take it, but she felt terrible when she did. She was at the end of her rope when she came to me.

“First I helped her remember to take her meds every day, then I helped her body cope with the symptoms better, then we addressed her fears. Once we broke the vicious circle she started getting better immediately. Last time I spoke with her she was on the minimum dosage and was coping just fine.”

Emily squeezed Miss Scarlett’s hand.

“Hypnosis isn’t only fun and games,” the Southern belle explained. “There are things it can really help with.”

The two women settled in and enjoyed a lovely view of the sun setting over the river.

The cruise got under way. Emily couldn’t believe Miss Scarlett had gone to all this trouble—and expense—just for her. The food was good, the ambiance was fun, and a photographer stopped by to take their picture together. They each bought a copy.

Emily tried to pay her share, but the Southern belle waved that idea away. The blonde woman had found a little extra money in her purse, so she surreptitiously slipped her share into Scarlett’s coat pocket when her date was in the rest room.

Night had fallen by the time they made it home. “Emily, there is one other thing I wanted to do with you tonight,” Miss Scarlett said when the two women were seated on the living room sofa. “I wanted to invite you to a dance, but the place I used to go dancing closed last year.”

“It’s all right.” Emily took Scarlett’s hand.

“So I thought we could have our own,” the hypnotist said with a grin. “Emily, will you go to the Valentine’s Ball with me?”

Emily smiled. “Yes.”

“Look into my eyes.”

Oh, my. Emily gazed into Miss Scarlett’s beautiful dark eyes. She was going to be hypnotized.

“You are looking into my eyes, but your eyelids are getting heavy,” Scarlett whispered. “Your eyes are wide open, but they want to close. You are listening to my voice, listening to every word I say, but you are not paying attention to my words. You love looking into my eyes, but your eyes are starting to close. It’s happening right now, and you can’t help it. You’re in complete control, but you can’t stop your eyelids from getting heavier. You are listening to the sound of my voice, focused on the sound of my voice, but you are not listening to anything else.”

Emily gazed at the Southern belle, trying vainly to follow her line of reasoning. Miss Scarlett leaned closer.

“Your conscious mind is feeling sleepy, but your unconscious mind is wide awake and listening. You are paying close attention, but your mind is drifting. You are thinking about every word I say, but every word makes your mind so relaxed and sleepy. Your conscious mind is falling asleep, but your unconscious mind is wide awake. You are falling asleep, but you are wide awake. Your conscious mind is drifting off to sleep, and your unconscious mind is paying attention to everything I say.”

Emily’s face was going blank. Her eyelids started to droop.

“Your conscious mind doesn’t remember to stay awake, and your unconscious mind remembers everything I say. Your conscious mind forgets to stay awake, and your unconscious mind remembers to listen closely. Your conscious mind sleeps deeper and deeper while your unconscious mind listens to me in rapt attention.”

Emily’s eyes closed.

“Your conscious mind is deep asleep, deep asleep, sleeping deeper and deeper and deeper as I talk to your subconscious mind,” the beautiful hypnotist continued. “Your subconscious mind easily and readily and eagerly listens to everything I say. Your subconscious mind completely agrees with everything I say.”

The blonde woman sank forward into Miss Scarlett’s arms. She’s so good at this, the Southern belle thought. It was captivating watching Emily’s beautiful blue eyes go from transfixed to lost to sleepy to closed.

“Deeper and deeper,” she continued softly. “As you listen to my voice you relax even more deeply, even more deeply than you knew was possible. You are so deeply asleep, focused completely on my voice.”

Scarlett kissed the top of Emily’s head. She’s not only a somnambulist, she thought. She really, really likes this.

“In a moment, I will snap my fingers and you will open your eyes,” the Southern belle purred into Emily’s ear. “When you open your eyes, you will be at the most beautiful, elegant ball you can imagine. When you see me, you will not remember having met me before...”

This is the most beautiful, elegant ball I could have imagined, Emily thought as she entered through double doors. Scores of couples in nineteenth-century dress twirled around the room. Every man was sophisticated and polite. Every woman was elegant and graceful. She felt like she had stepped into a Degas painting.

The ballroom was off-white, and impressionist works graced the walls. Every door and frame was painted gold. A chamber orchestra played a melody from a dais at the far end of the room. Emily was sure she’d heard the music before, but she couldn’t quite place it.

She stepped closer to the dance floor, and suddenly wondered: what if there isn’t anyone I know here? Who will ask me to dance? Well, she could always dance by herself, but the waltz sounded too complicated to manage without a partner.

Then she saw her.

Emily locked eyes with a woman on the other side of the room. She was tall, with hair the color of dark chocolate swishing around her waist. She wore the loveliest ballgown Emily had ever seen. It had big hoopskirts—black with red highlights. She wore a corset—red with black highlights. Underneath was a poet’s blouse, black with red hearts. She wore a red gemstone—a ruby or a garnet—on a silver necklace. Emily had worn her favorite dress—blue with black lace—but suddenly it seemed woefully inadequate.

What am I doing staring at another woman, Emily thought, and quickly averted her gaze. She took a step or two back. Wow, that woman was gorgeous! Pale skin, dark eyes... and she probably thinks I’m a creep. Well, no matter, it’s not as if I need to impress another woman at all.

“May I have this dance?” came a soothing Southern voice.

Emily looked up—to see the woman in red and black smiling at her, her hand outstretched.

Oh, my, Emily thought. Oh, no. Oh, my goodness. What? I cannot possibly dance with another woman! Why would I want to?

But why can’t I? Yes, women usually dance with men, but Emily couldn’t think of any reason why she couldn’t dance with another woman. Besides, she’s glamorous, and I wanted to meet her!

“Yes,” Emily said softly, and took the Southern belle’s hand.

The woman swept her onto the dance floor. Before she knew it, the woman’s hand was on her back and her other hand was holding hers. Oh no, the blonde woman thought. I’m going to step on her feet! She knew some of the steps to this dance, but she didn’t know them all, and she didn’t want to look foolish.

“My name is Scarlett,” the woman said.

“I should have guessed that from your dress,” Emily said. What, why was she talking so boldly already? She should get to know this woman better before blurting stuff out like that. “I’m Emily.” She felt the sudden urge to curtsey—but that was impossible on the dance floor.

Scarlett smiled, brown eyes twinkling. “Thank you for the dance! You’re very good.”

“I—” Emily began. She liked dancing, but she wasn’t an expert. But her fears had been unfounded. She hadn’t stepped on Scarlett’s feet at all. “I think it’s because you’re such a good lead.” The Southern belle was easy to follow.

Scarlett twirled her, and Emily smiled at the other woman. Scarlett was tall—probably eight inches taller than Emily—but the blonde woman’s hand rested easily on her partner’s shoulder, and her other hand fit well in her partner’s. Scarlett’s hand on Emily’s waist guided her gently, showing Emily which direction to go without pushing. Their partnership was instantaneous, like they’d been dancing together for weeks.

“We fit very well together,” Scarlett told her.

“We do,” Emily agreed. What am I doing, she wondered. I’ve only spoken three sentences to her and I’m as comfortable with her as I would be with anyone! “I’m an artist. I was born in Indianapolis, but I live in California now.”

“I’m from right here in Louisville,” Scarlett said, emphasizing her Kentucky drawl. She twirled Emily again. “I’m a hypnotist.”

Emily missed a step, but Scarlett covered for her, and she didn’t stumble at all. She had the rhythm again by the next beat.

“A hypnotist?” Emily asked. “That stuff isn’t fake?”

“What you see on television is mostly fake.” The song ended, and the announcers called the next one. The two women started dancing again, never having disengaged. “But no, hypnosis is very real.”

Emily realized she’d been looking into Scarlett’s lovely brown eyes this whole time. Well, so far so good, she thought. “Does the look-into-my-eyes thing really work?”

“Well, you can do it that way,” Scarlett said with a smile, “but usually the hypnotist guides the subject into trance by asking them to close their eyes, relax, and listen to their voice. ‘Look into my eyes’ may be the best approach for some subjects, but isn’t the best for everyone.”

“I wonder what would work on me,” Emily mused, then realized she’d spoken aloud. “I mean—erm—”

Scarlett grinned and twirled her. “What does it feel like?” Emily asked, trying to steer the conversation away from herself.

“Trance is a state of consciousness, like being awake or asleep,” the Southern belle explained. “You’re completely relaxed, and strongly focused on your guide—or your own words, if you’re doing it that way.”

“How can you be intensely focused on something and completely relaxed at the same time?” Emily asked. “How do you do both?”

“It’s like being engrossed in a book or at a movie theater,” Scarlett explained. “Have you ever been enjoying a book so much that you lost track of time and didn’t notice anything else going on around you?”

Emily nodded.

“It’s exactly like that, only deeper.”

“So if it’s like being lost in a book,” Emily asked, “Why do people in stage shows act that way? People read funny books all the time and they don’t start acting silly.”

Scarlett grinned. “People on stage act silly because they volunteer to be part of a comedy show. They play along because they want to be silly.”

The next dance was one Emily did not know. Scarlett quickly explained the steps. The two practiced for a moment, and then the Southern belle took the blonde woman in her arms again. Emily had to concentrate for a moment, but Scarlett quickly put her at ease.

“You’re so good at this, Scarlett,” Emily commented after a moment. “I can just follow, and I’ve barely missed a step!”

Scarlett twirled her. “We do make a good pair.”

“It’s so strange,” the blonde woman mused. “I’m so comfortable dancing with you, I feel like I’ve known you for years.”

“Me too.” The Southern belle twirled her again.

“So the hypnotist isn’t controlling the volunteers?” Emily asked. “It sure looks like it. They do what the hypnotist says, see what she tells them to see.”

Scarlett smiled. “The subject does not fall under the control of the hypnotist, but if the subject wants it, and the hypnotist agrees, the hypnotist can make the subject feel that way.”

What would that feel like, Emily wondered. Being under Scarlett’s control. Would Scarlett do it? Could she do it to me? Would it feel real if she played along?

“Penny for your thoughts?” Scarlett asked.

“I was just wondering if that would work on me,” Emily confessed. What am I doing, she thought. Telling her that I’m interested in being hypnotized. When we just met! I don’t know anything about hypnosis. But goodness, dancing and talking with Scarlett feels so easy.

“You never know until you try it,” Scarlett said with a smile.

The next dance had a faster tempo. The Southern belle pulled Emily closer with a single quick movement. They danced, not only hand-in-hand, but elbow-to-elbow. The blonde woman had to concentrate on the faster steps at first, but muscle memory soon took over, and she found herself staring up into her partner’s eyes.

“You’re having fun?” Scarlett asked, her eyes never leaving Emily’s.

“Oh yeah,” Emily replied. Wow, that almost sounded like flirting, she thought.

“I will have to take you tango dancing sometime,” said the Southern belle.

“I would like that.” Scarlett was so exciting! If she weren’t a woman, Emily thought, I would think she was into me.

The song drew to an end. “We will now take a ten minute intermission,” the master of ceremonies announced.

The two women disengaged, but instead of moving away they stood there looking at each other. I don’t want to stop talking with her, Emily thought. Quick, say something before this gets awkward.

“Your dress is lovely,” she said. “The dark colors really bring out your eyes.”

What did I just say, Emily thought. What am doing? Any more of that and Scarlett will think I’m trying to flirt with her!

Scarlett’s smile lit up her face. “Thank you!” Her dark eyes shone.

Emily smiled back. Well, she thought, why shouldn’t I flirt with another woman? Scarlett’s clearly flattered. This is new territory for me, but it’s not as if I’m asking her on a date or anything.

“Would you like to hypnotize me?” Emily asked at the same time Scarlett asked “Would you like to be hypnotized?”

Both women laughed. Scarlett took Emily’s arm, and they went to the lounge.

The lounge was a medium-sized room with a black carpet. Half a dozen people sat on the red sofas. Another seven or eight chatted around the bar, sipping champagne. Scarlett and Emily sat down on an empty couch facing each other.

“So you want a demonstration?” the lady hypnotist asked.

Emily nodded. Oh my goodness, she really is going to hypnotize me, the blonde woman thought. Right now. What will it be like? Will she make me bark or cluck? She could picture herself staring off into space... but somehow, she was certain that Scarlett would not play her for a fool. The Southern belle was not like that.

The dark-haired Southerner reached behind her neck, unclasped her necklace, then held it up so the red jewel was about twelve inches from Emily’s face. The gem was huge—about the size of a silver dollar—and the blonde woman could tell it was a garnet. Slowly, Scarlett began to spin it on its chain.

“Look deep into the gemstone, Emily,” she purred.

The blonde woman thought at first that looking at the garnet would be boring, but as she listened to the raven-haired hypnotist’s lulling voice she started to understand how it could be interesting. The room’s soft lights reflected off the gemstone’s surfaces in beautiful, sparkling patterns, like watching a fireplace or a flickering candle.

“Staring so deeply into the gemstone, Emily,” Scarlett was saying. “With every breath you breathe in relaxation. With every breath you let go of worries or cares. Just focus on the gemstone, be aware of the gemstone, only of the gemstone. Listen only to the sound of my voice. Focus on the gemstone, deep in the gemstone, deep in my voice. The more you look into the beautiful gemstone, the more fascinated you become, and the more fascinated you become the more your thoughts fall into the beautiful gemstone. The more you fall into the gemstone the heavier your eyelids become, and the heavier your eyelids become the deeper you fall into the gemstone.”

The talking in the room continued. No one else in the lounge paid any attention as Emily gazed at Scarlett’s necklace and began to blink. “Three, you are falling deeper and deeper.” The blonde woman’s heavy eyelids were drooping. “Two, your eyelids are getting heavier, and heavier. They are so heavy, too heavy to keep open. One, eyes closing. You are asleep, fast asleep, deep asleep.

“You are so deeply relaxed now, Emily, and it’s easy to talk to me when you’re so relaxed. Tell me, what do you want to experience with hypnosis?”

“To be free,” she whispered, eyes shut fast.

“Free to do what?”

Emily did not reply.

“You are completely comfortable telling me anything and everything you want to, Emily darling. What do you want to be free to do right now?”

“Kiss,” the hypnotized girl murmured.

Scarlett whispered a few suggestions in her subject’s ear. “Emily, in a moment you will open your eyes. When you do, you will be completely hypnotized and obey all of my suggestions, but you will forget everything we have discussed since you first looked at my gemstone.” The Southern belle put her necklace on again. “One, two, three. Open your eyes.”

Emily did so. What had happened? She had been looking at Scarlett’s necklace. She had just opened her eyes... but she didn’t remember closing them. Had she fallen asleep?

“How do you feel, Emily?” the beautiful hypnotist asked.

The blonde woman blinked. “I feel... refreshed, though I think I... fell asleep? A moment ago? When looking at your—” Her eyes widened. “It worked? I was hypnotized?”

“What do you think?” Scarlett extended her hand.

Confused, Emily took it. The Southern belle shook her hand gently.

“Well, I... feel... relaxed, I suppose. What was the other thing you said about hypnosis? Focused? I don’t think I feel focused.”

“If you don’t, you don’t. You can let my hand go, Emily.”

Emily hadn’t realized she was still holding it. She tried to move her fingers. What was going on? It was a simple gesture, not like doing acrobatics or anything. Why wouldn’t her hand move?

“May I have my hand back now, Emily?” Scarlett asked with a grin.

“I—I can’t—” Emily said. She glanced around the room nervously, but no one was paying them the slightest attention.

“I don’t understand,” the Southern belle teased. “What’s the problem?”

“I can’t let go of your hand!” Emily said in a loud whisper.

“Why not?” Scarlett asked.

“I—I don’t know—I don’t understand. This has never happened to me before.” She wiggled her other hand. “I can move the rest of my body just fine, but my hand...” She trailed off.

“Are you sure you’re not focused, Emily?” Scarlett asked.

Realization dawned. “I’m hypnotized! I really am hypnotized!” She still couldn’t let go of Scarlett’s hand. “But you said—about silly things—”

“What’s that, Emily darling?”

“People who go up on stage volunteer to do silly things. And I did. But I’m ready to let go now.”

“Are you sure you want to?” Scarlett teased.

“Yes!” Emily tried to pull away, but her fingers wouldn’t budge. She and Scarlett weren’t even holding hands very tightly.

“It looks like some part of you doesn’t,” Scarlett said. “It looks like some part of you is really enjoying being hypnotized.”

Emily gazed at the raven-haired hypnotist. “But I want to let go!”

“Then why aren’t you?”

Emily thought for a moment. “Maybe I don’t want to? No, I’m sure I do. But if part of me doesn’t want to, then—” The blonde woman had an idea, and smiled. “Miss Scarlett,” she said, and dipped into a deep curtsey. “May I have my hand back now, please?”

“Of course!” Scarlett said. She raised her other hand and snapped her fingers.

Emily let go of Scarlett’s hand, laughing. “All right. I am hypnotized.” She wiggled her fingers, which worked just fine now. Something else occurred to her, and she stared at the lady hypnotist, eyes full of concern. “I don’t have to moo or something, do I?”

Scarlett shook her head, her long black hair swishing over her shoulders. “Emily, look at my hand.” She held it up; the Southern belle’s nails were short, but painted red. “Everything my hand does, you will do. Everything my hand feels, you will feel.”

“I don’t understand. Do you need me to get your car keys for... you?” The hypnotized girl’s blue eyes widened as Scarlett began to sway her arm back and forth.

Emily’s body started moving. Miss Scarlett moved her arm back and forth, bending at the knuckles and wrist, like a serpent—and Emily’s body moved with it. Her feet moved, slowly shifting her weight from one to the other. Her shoulders moved up and down, and her hips moved with them. She couldn’t look away from Scarlett’s beautiful hand. It swayed before her, and she swayed with it. Emily danced, swaying back and forth, a completely different dance from the one she’d done in the ballroom. Her arms rose in the air and joined the sensual movement of her body,

She couldn’t believe she was doing this—but she felt sexy and exotic.

Someone stepped over to Scarlett. “What is she doing?” the woman asked.

“She’s hypnotized,” Scarlett replied, swaying her hand ever more sensuously.

“Oh,” the woman said. She watched for a moment, then drifted away.

Scarlett lowered her hand, then raised it again, and Emily’s body dipped and rose with it. She couldn’t believe she was dancing this way—in public!

“You’re enjoying this?” Scarlett said softly.

Emily nodded, her gaze never leaving Scarlett’s writhing hand. She felt like she was a snake charmer, and Scarlett’s hand was a serpent, moving in sync with her. Or, maybe Scarlett was the charmer, and she was the hypnotized cobra. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she said out loud. Her whole body was swaying and dancing in place, her feet, knees, hips, shoulders, and neck.

“Would you like to stop?”

Emily tried. “I can’t stop!” she said in a loud whisper. Her body kept on dancing, moving, swaying, writhing with Scarlett’s hand. She was the charmer and the snake, and so was Scarlett. She suddenly realized her ballgown was completely wrong for this kind of dance. But she felt so beautiful and sensual. “I don’t want to stop,” she whispered again.

The raven-haired hypnotist raised her other hand and beckoned to Emily with one finger. Emily danced a few steps closer, swaying, then at Scarlett’s gesture spun around and grinned.

Scarlett shifted her body so she was sitting in profile, and Emily could see only the edge of her hand. Confused, Emily stepped closer—and Scarlett kissed the tip of her middle finger.

Emily felt a soft kiss on the top of her head. She glanced up in bewilderment—but there was nothing and no one there. She looked at Scarlett again. The lady hypnotist kissed the tip of her index finger, then her ring finger.

It felt like an invisible person kissed one of Emily’s cheeks, then another. The blonde woman got chills down her spine. How was this happening? How was it possible?

Scarlett kissed her fingers again, and Emily’s cheeks felt the kisses. It was such a tender affectionate gesture, but Scarlett hadn’t really touched her at all.

Then Scarlett sucked in the air around her thumb, and Emily felt someone inhaling at her ear. It tickled! She got chills again, and giggled when Scarlett did it to her other ear.

Scarlett kissed the palm of her hand, and Emily felt someone kiss her lips.

Oh, that was weird, and Emily said so out loud.

“Weird... good?” Scarlett asked in her soothing Southern drawl.

Emily’s eyes widened. “I’m—not sure—”

Scarlett kissed her palm, and Emily felt it again. “It is just—off—feeling someone kiss me when there’s no one there,” the hypnotized girl explained.

Scarlett kissed her palm several more times, and Emily—giggling at the strangeness of it all—puckered her lips and pretended she was kissing back.

The beautiful hypnotist rose, facing her. She was only a few inches away. She raised her hand to her lips, in front of Emily’s face, kissing the center again. Emily could not see Scarlett’s lips or palm, as the back of the Southern belle’s hand faced her, only an inch or two from her face. She knew Scarlett was doing the kissing palm trick again from the smooching sounds. Emily kissed the air again, playing along... blowing kisses, blowing kisses... moving closer... and, in a flash, Scarlett’s hand was gone and the two women kissed each other’s lips.

Emily’s eyes widened and she stepped back in shock. She’d just kissed another woman! Or rather, Scarlett had kissed her, but Emily had kissed back. She couldn’t kiss another woman... women didn’t kiss each other... but then, why couldn’t she? The feline hypnotist was gazing at her with open desire in her dark brown eyes. Emily stared back. There was no one else left in the lounge, and the kiss had felt so nice, and did she want it again? She had to know. The blonde woman stepped forward into Scarlett’s embrace, slid her arms around her, and kissed her again.

Smooch, smooch, smooch. Scarlett was kissing back. Yes, I want this, I like it so much, Emily thought. “You tricked me,” she accused between kisses.

“Sorry,” Scarlett said between smooches.

“Thank you,” Emily murmured as she kissed the beautiful hypnotist.

“For what?”

“Tricking me.”

After a moment, Emily stepped back, gazing up into Scarlett’s midnight-brown eyes. “Where did everybody go?”

“They’re dancing.” Scarlett grinned. “May I have this dance?”

“You have to ask?”

Holding hands, the two women returned to the dance floor. They danced hand-in-hand, elbow-to-elbow, with Scarlett’s hand on Emily’s waist guiding the blonde woman exactly where she needed to be. The two women gazed into each other’s eyes, and Emily didn’t have to concentrate on the dance at all.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“Oh,” Emily said. “I was just thinking, I’ve never kissed another woman before.”

“You’re comfortable with this?”

The song came to an end, and the two women kissed again in the moments before the band began the next one.

“Yes,” Emily admitted. “But what really surprises me is that I’ve never kissed on the first date before!”

“Date?” Scarlett asked.

Emily couldn’t believe she was being so bold. “Date. What, have you?”

Scarlett actually blushed. “You have,” Emily said. “Tell me.”

“I was thirteen,” Scarlett said. “I had a crush on a friend of mine and I kinda sorta hypnotized him into kissing me.”

Emily stared up at the Southern belle, trying not to giggle. “What was his name?” she asked.

“Caleb.” Scarlett told her the whole story. “It turned out he had a crush on me too, but was too shy to admit it. We dated until his family moved away.”

“Lucky boy,” Emily murmured.

“Lucky me, to have met you.”

Scarlett and Emily danced every dance. Finally the ball came to an end. Everyone bowed to their partners, then collected their coats.

The two women left together, holding hands. “I don’t want this evening to end,” Emily confessed to her partner. “I’ve had a great time dancing with you, and being hypnotized was fun too. I feel like I’ve known you for years.”

Scarlett stopped on the sidewalk, the moonlight illuminating her face and making her brown eyes seem even darker. Emily turned to her. “What?”

“Would you like some hot chocolate?” Scarlett asked. “My house is just around the corner.”

“Yes.”

The two women walked arm-in-arm to Scarlett’s house, and spent a few minutes chatting on the living room sofa. “I feel like I should be tired,” Emily admitted to her host. “It’s late at night, but I don’t feel sleepy at all.”

“Believe it or not, being hypnotized is twice as restful as normal sleep,” the Southern belle said.

“That’s right, I was hypnotized,” Emily said thoughtfully. “How am I going to tell Anna about this? She’s my best friend. I met a hypnotist at the ball and went home with her. That sounds sinister, actually. Like a horror movie.”

“Or a romance,” Scarlett said with a grin. She put her hands behind her head and unclasped her necklace.

Oh my, oh my, Emily thought. She is going to hypnotize me again. Scarlett held her silver necklace up and started swinging the red gemstone back and forth.

Maybe I shouldn’t let her hypnotize me again, Emily thought, but I like it so much! Her eyes followed the garnet to and fro, back and forth. She could make me dance... or kiss...

“Your eyes follow the gemstone so easily.” Scarlett’s voice was so soothing, so coaxing. “As it moves back and forth it makes your eyes get tired and your eyelids get heavy. Your eyelids are getting heavier, and heavier, and heavier. You are falling under my spell, surrendering, surrendering completely. Your eyelids are too heavy to keep open, Emily. Sleep, darling. Sleep.”

Emily’s eyes closed, and she slumped over onto the sofa. With a grin, Scarlett put the necklace down and took the blonde woman’s hand.

“Emily, what would you like me to do now?” she purred.

“Seduce me,” the hypnotized girl murmured.

“In a moment, you will open your eyes, but remain deeply hypnotized,” Scarlett told her. “You will come upstairs with me, but your conscious mind will remain deep asleep. Open your eyes.”

Emily sat up, but her eyes stared off into space, not focusing on anything. Smiling, Scarlett guided her over to the staircase. “Up the stairs now.” Holding the hypnotized girl’s hand, the Southern belle led her up and into the master bedroom.

Scarlett positioned her in the middle of the room. “When I snap my fingers, you will awaken, and have no memory of anything that happened since you fell asleep.”

Snap.

Emily looked around in confusion. “What? How did I—we get here? This is your bedroom?”

Scarlett nodded.

“It seems familiar, somehow, like I’ve been here before,” Emily said. “How is that possible?”

The Southern belle shrugged. “Will you help me take off my corset?” She turned around and moved her long black hair out of the way.

“Of course.” Emily quickly unlaced it. Scarlett dropped it on a chair, then returned to her guest and put her hands on her shoulders. She stared directly into Emily’s eyes.

Emily swallowed, but gazed back.

“Emily, you are deeply hypnotized.”

The blonde woman felt herself nod. “I am deeply hypnotized,” she echoed. Why had she said that? I really must be deeply hypnotized, she thought.

“For the rest of the evening,” Scarlett purred, “whenever I do something you really like, you will say the words ‘I am under Scarlett’s spell.’ You will say it automatically. You won’t even have to think about it. It will just slip out whenever I do something you really like. So, Emily darling, what will you say when I do something you really like?”

“I am under Scarlett’s spell,” Emily breathed. “Oh my, oh my. I—I—”

“And if I ever say or do anything you don’t like, you will say ‘crimson,’” Scarlett continued. “I will stop immediately, no questions asked, no feelings hurt. Do you understand?”

Emily felt herself nodding again. “Yes, Scarlett.”

“Oh,” the Southern belle whispered, and kissed Emily full on the lips. Emily kissed back, then looked up at her.

“I am under Scarlett’s spell,” the hypnotized girl breathed.

“Now stand still, and raise your hands above your head,” Scarlett said.

Emily did so. “It’s so easy to obey you,” she said.

Scarlett drew Emily’s blue gown over her head and draped it over the chair. “You like being hypnotized?”

“Yes, Scarlett,” Emily admitted as her host stepped out of her skirts.

“Don’t move,” Scarlett said. She turned on the radio—it was the same kind of music they had danced to—then returned.

She unclasped Emily’s bra.

Emily stood before Scarlett, wearing only undergarments and stockings, naked from the waist up. “I am under Scarlett’s spell.” Her eyes widened, as if she was surprised to hear herself say it.

“Take off mine, please,” the Southern belle said, and raised her hands over her head.

“I am under Scarlett’s spell.” Emily lifted Scarlett’s blouse over her head and let it tumble to the floor.

“Do exactly what I do.” Scarlett locked eyes with the hypnotized girl, slid her panties down to her toes, then stepped out of them, leaving them on the floor.

“I am under Scarlett’s spell.” Emily mirrored Scarlett’s movements precisely.

“Very good, now stand still for a moment,” To Emily’s surprise, Scarlett began caressing the blonde woman’s breasts. Her touch was soft at first, then a little heavier.

“I am under Scarlett’s spell.” Emily’s nipples responded to Scarlett’s caresses—and then the beautiful hypnotist’s hand slid between her legs.

“I am under Scarlett’s spell.” Oh, my. “I can’t believe I just met you and I’m so comfortable with you doing that!”

Scarlett’s finger drew circles around her clitoris. “You’re good with this?”

Emily nodded several times. “I am under Scarlett’s spell.” Scarlett caressed her vulva with her hand, the same hand that had controlled her dancing body not too long ago. Emily was getting slippery.

“Come with me.” Scarlett took Emily’s hand and led her to the bed. A gentle push, and Emily sat down. The Southern belle climbed onto the bed. “Come here.”

Emily scooted up and lay down beside her host, then turned to face her. Scarlett caressed her guest’s cheek. “You’re falling deeper and deeper into my spell. You’re a somnambulist and you can’t resist me. Let yourself go and let yourself belong to me.”

“I am under Scarlett’s spell,” Emily said softly. Scarlett rolled the hypnotized girl onto her back, took off her headband, then gathered up her guest’s long blonde hair and moved it out of the way.

“Now, Emily darling,” Scarlett purred, “as I place your left wrist just here, you will find it is stuck to the bed, completely stuck, stuck tight.” The Southern belle slid downwards. “And as I place your left ankle right here, you will find that it, too, is completely stuck to the bed, stuck tight.”

Emily gaped, but didn’t say anything as Scarlett lay down on the other side of the bed.

“And now your left wrist, stuck to the bed, stuck tight, and your left ankle, stuck tight to the bed, completely stuck.”

Emily let her head fall onto the pillows. Should she struggle? What should she do? What should she say? Crimson, or...

“I am under Scarlett’s spell,” she found herself saying.

“You are stuck tight to the bed. The more you struggle the tighter stuck you become. Struggle, Emily. Try to escape.”

“I—I—” Emily wiggled her hands, then her arms, then her hips, then her legs, but her wrists and ankles simply would not move. “I am under Scarlett’s spell,” she said again. “I mean, I guess I—guess I’m okay with this? I mean—I trust you!”

“Now, Emily, if any emergency should arise, you will become completely unstuck, free and able to do the best thing to deal with the emergency,” Scarlett purred in her ear. “If any part of your body becomes uncomfortable, you will immediately move it to a comfortable position, then your wrists and ankles will become stuck again. Otherwise, you will remain completely stuck.”

Scarlett inhaled in Emily’s ear, and the blonde woman’s body reacted, chills running down her arm and leg. “I am under Scarlett’s spell,” she whispered.

“You can’t resist my voice,” Scarlett murmured as she kissed Emily’s cheek, then her shoulder. “You can’t resist my will. The more you question the more you obey.”

Oh, no, Emily thought. If I question... “I am under Scarlett’s spell.”

The Southern belle ran her fingertips all over Emily’s body, from her neck and shoulders and arms, down her torso, over her breasts, between her legs. The intimacy and tenderness filled her with need. “I am under Scarlett’s spell,” she moaned.

Scarlett caressed her legs, her hips, her thighs... and did the same thing, this time with kisses. “I am under Scarlett’s spell,” Emily whispered. Scarlett’s kisses were on her shoulders, her arms, her hands, her breasts... so tender on her breasts. Emily tried to release the energy by wiggling, but she couldn’t do it—she was stuck. Then Scarlett’s kisses were on her vulva... her tongue touching her, teasing her. “I am under Scarlett’s spell!”

“Now Emily, you can feel my power inside you,” Scarlett said as she kissed her way back up to her shoulder. “Feel my fingers, drawing spirals around your place, spirals that tantalize and entice you.”

Emily felt Scarlett’s touch, even though the hypnotist’s fingers were beside her. “I am under Scarlett’s spell,” she breathed.

“Now my power is deep inside you, touching your g-spot, touching you exactly the way you like, the way you always wanted, the way you need,” Scarlett breathed.

“Ohhh! I am under Scarlett’s spell!” Emily exclaimed. She felt Scarlett’s power inside her.

“You are hypnotized and cannot resist, it feels absolutely perfect, the right pressure, nice and slow, just... right.”

“Just—right—I am under Scarlett’s spell—”

Scarlett was on top of her now, lying down, her breasts snuggled up to Emily’s own. “I am under Scarlett’s spell,” the somnambulist whispered.

The Southern belle adjusted a bit, smiled, and kissed Emily deeply and passionately. Emily could no longer speak, because she was kissing Scarlett as her body answered and obeyed. Scarlett’s fingers interlaced with hers. Emily felt her power merging with Scarlett’s power, building and building. The energy took over and she trembled, the energy spreading outwards from her abdomen to her legs and chest. “I am—under Scarlett’s spell,” she managed. Her body shook, climaxed, released, relaxed. She was with Scarlett, and the brunette’s hands were on her cheeks, kissing her. “I am—under—Scarlett’s spell.”

Scarlett murmured something in her ear. Emily didn’t quite hear what it was, but as she slid her arms around Scarlett she suddenly realized that she had just put her arms around Scarlett.

“I can move again,” she said wonderingly. “Wait, I—how did you do that?”

Scarlett answered the question with a question. “Do you like being hypnotized?”

“I,” Emily said decisively, “am under Scarlett’s spell. But did you...?”

Scarlett nodded. “Yes, I—you rubbed me. In the right place.”

Emily kissed her. “Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure, Emily darling.”

“Darling?” the blonde woman said shyly.

“Darling.”

“Hearing you call me that—I know we just met, but it seems so normal.” Emily caressed the lady hypnotist’s cheek. “I feel like I know you, and I’m so connected to you, my body and—and my mind.”

Scarlett grinned. “Close your eyes.”

Emily did.

“On the count of three, Emily, all tonight’s hypnotic suggestions are cancelled. You will wake up as the same person you were this morning, remembering everything. One, remembering our history, two, remembering where you are, three, open your eyes, wide awake.”

Emily did so—and her memories returned. No wonder she had felt such a strong connection to Miss Scarlett—she knew her after all!

Emily kissed Scarlett again. “I—Wow. Wow.”

The Southern belle grinned.

“That was... something,” Emily said. “So the ballroom—and the other dancers?”

“They were imaginary,” Miss Scarlett explained. “Everything else was real. Well, except the dresses.” Emily glanced over at the chair, and saw the same clothes they’d worn at dinner. The Southern belle grinned, eyes twinkling. “Dancing with you is really romantic.”

Emily thought for a moment. “You can hypnotize me in an instant.”

The hypnotist nodded, absently pushing her long black hair out of her face.

“Then why did you use the garnet?”

“You’re very beautiful, Emily,” Scarlett said. “There’s something about you... watching your eyes follow the gemstone, or my watch, and seeing your face get all dreamy. Or when you’re looking into my eyes and I’m hypnotizing you and your eyelids get heavy and you can’t keep them open... you are very, very sexy when you do that. I like to watch.”

“If you say so,” the blonde woman said. “So when you made me... dance... with your hand... that was real?”

Scarlett nodded.

“I felt so connected to you. I still feel connected with you,” Emily said. “That... was incredible. Thank you.” She yawned.

Miss Scarlett yawned too, then smiled. “Heavens, it’s three o’clock in the morning. Come’ere.”

Both women climbed off the bed. Scarlett moved the blankets, and the lovers slid in underneath them.

“I’m tired, but I don’t feel like it’s three A.M,” Emily murmured as she cuddled up with her host. “I thought it was around midnight.”

“Hypnosis will do that to you,” Miss Scarlett murmured.

Emily’s eyes closed. “By the way,” she said sleepily. “What was that music you were playing?”

Scarlett smiled as she closed her own eyes. “Sleeping Beauty. By Tchaikovsky.”

Emily laughed softly. “I am under Scarlett’s spell,” she murmured as she fell asleep.