The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Part 1: The Big Decision

Kelly Stone was crossing the campus, on her way back to the Tau house. All of a sudden, she was blindsided by Erica and nearly knocked to the ground. Erica appeared more irate than usual, even considering Kelly’s own presence. “What the hell?” she snapped.

Erica answered, annoyed. “If you must know, I was accosted by a visitor from off-campus. The rest is none of your concern.“

Kelly was used to being belittled by Erica, but something just seemed off. “I disagree. Erica, do what Saimin Says.”

Erica stopped in her tracks, head slumping forward. “What Saimin Say, I obey”.

“Erica, tell me what really happened, and don’t spare the details.“

“A modeling scout is on campus today, Kelly-sama. She gave her card to me and at least four other students.“

“Did she appear legitimate?”

“I believe she was, Kelly-sama. A few guys mentioned that they recognized the scout as being a former model herself.“

“Name the other women she was interested in if you can, Erica.” Erica recognized all but one of those that had been singled out, but all of those that she did name were among the thralls, so Kelly guessed the unknown one was as well. “Why did that make you upset? It should have been a compliment.“

“While all Tau Nu Alpha sisters are beautiful, making a living on looks alone is beneath us. It is not something I would ever consider.” Kelly knew Erica well enough to know that this was an honest answer-Erica was well aware of her looks, but regarded them as means to an end, rather than the end itself. It was the kind of feminism that all Taus were taught, going back decades. Kelly and her sisters had learned it from their mother, and presumably Erica had learned it from hers.

“Thank you for that information, Erica. What part of campus did you see her?”

“Near the West Side cafeteria, Kelly-sama.“

“Okay, Madame President. After I snap my fingers, count to five in your head and wake up, not remembering running into me or anything that happened since. Understand?”

“Hai, Kelly-sama” Kelly snapped her fingers, then turned around and headed in the direction Erica had indicated. Kelly had no more desire to be a model than Erica did, but her curiosity had been piqued. As Kelly crossed the campus, she saw one woman after another reading the business cards. All of them were her and David’s thralls, and for good reason. Kelly had her suspicions about what was really going on, and the person she saw speaking with the presumed modeling scout pretty much confirmed them.

It was not hard to imagine that Brooke Reddick had once been an extremely successful model. Even in her late thirties and after two pregnancies, her gorgeous face, curly blonde hair, deep blue eyes, long legs, hourglass figure and D-cup breasts would still put her in competition with women roughly half her age. Now, however, she was recruiting women to do modeling instead of doing it herself, and a woman with her looks was hard to ignore. She stood a few inches taller than Regina Abernathy, though only because Brooke was wearing three-inch heels to Regina’s flats. This was still surprising to Kelly, as the only women on campus taller than Regina were the starters for the basketball team. But it was Regina’s reaction to Brooke’s words (though Kelly could not make them out) that was the most surprising thing of all.

Kelly had almost no interactions with Regina outside of trance or being kicked out of the dorm, but David’s psychoanalysis of his RA had been told to her. Regina prided herself on being recognized for her mind more than for her body, and her incredible figure meant nothing more to her than proof of her own self-discipline. Occasionally it meant the ability to get her way with horny men, but that was about it. Thus, Kelly expected Regina to have a similar reaction to the sexy scout to the one that Erica had. Instead, she was smiling widely and hugging Brooke. Kelly snuck closer to them and looked at the two gorgeous women. Both had a mildly glazed look in their blue eyes. Kelly had seen the look countless times on Regina, but seeing it now could only mean one thing.

Fifteen minutes later, Kelly practically kicked open David’s door. “WE NEED TO TALK!” she shouted.

“Okay, what’s going on?” asked David.

“There’s a modeling scout on campus.”

“Yeah, I know. Former supermodel Brooke Reddick. Four guys in my class this morning got her autograph.”

“She only seems to be looking at our girls.“

“First off, we both know they’re not really ‘our’ girls.” said David. “Also, that set of women is 90 percent of the hottest ones on campus, so it’d be more suspicious if they weren’t scouted. Finally, it’s just an offer. They’re free to take it or leave it, and I’m sure some will leave it.“

“I already know one that will leave it.” said Kelly. “But I also know one that doesn’t have a choice in the matter. Regina.“

“How do you know it isn’t her choice?” said David.

Kelly looked at him like he answered 2+2 wrong. “You’re kidding, right? What is her choice anymore? I saw the look in her eyes, the one she gets when she’s following programming outside of trance. I saw it on the scout as well, I know who she really works for. This whole thing is a ploy to get Regina further into Malcolm’s clutches!“

David sighed. “Fine, you got me. On Sunday, while you were at the sorority meeting, I triggered Regina and asked about her post-graduation plans. She said that she was supposed to be ‘discovered’ by a talent scout in Malcolm’s employ within the week and join his modeling agency after graduation. This is the fulfillment of that programming. My guess is that Brooke was given a list of the thralls we’ve made and faked interest in some of them because it would look suspicious if she only went for one girl on a campus with more than ten thousand of them. I doubt Malcolm cares whether the rest take up the offer because he already has them, and the agency is more about recruiting girls he doesn’t already have.“

Kelly was furious. At Malcolm’s manipulation, and at David’s indifference to it, but most of all... “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?”

David stood up. “Where do I begin? For starters, I know how upset Regina’s degree of enslavement makes you, and you have enough stress right now. In addition, unless you are willing to have us dedicate the rest of our lives to hiding her from Malcolm, THERE’S NOT A DAMN THING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT!“

“Much as I hate to admit it, it’s hard to argue with that one.” sighed Kelly. “What else?”

“Malcolm is never going to liberate Regina, and she’s still addicted to her programming. Since Regina was not going to do graduate school here, and wouldn’t be my RA anymore even if she was, I won’t have enough access to her to maintain her programming and thus her sanity. Regina working for one of Malcolm’s businesses where he can keep an eye on her is the only way to guarantee her functionality.“

Kelly pouted. “I can’t believe you’re advocating that Regina’s further enslavement is a good thing!“

David said. “I don’t think it’s a good thing any more than you do. However, it is the best out of multiple bad options, unless you consider Regina going insane from withdrawal a better outcome...“

“Dammit!” said Kelly, defeated. “He’s got us over a barrel! I really don’t have a choice but to accept this, do I?”

David hugged her, knowing how upset being helpless made her. “No more than Regina does, when you think about it.”

Malcolm looked at the naked, gorgeous Brooke kneeling in front of his desk. Her eyes were completely glazed over, her smile was so wide it almost looked painful, and her beautiful breasts were thrust forward. She’d been programmed to come to him immediately after leaving the campus, and she was triggered as soon as she entered the mansion, then ordered into the position she was in now before she could say a single word. “How did it go?” he asked.

“As you directed, Master.” answered Brooke dreamily. “Regina is excited to become a model in your agency. She will start upon graduation, and intends to take graduate courses online.”

“And the others?”

“I stuck to girls chosen at random from the list you gave me, Master. Of the dozen I talked to, only one or two had genuine interest, most didn’t really care. One acted like I insulted her, though.”

“It’s of little consequence anyway. If they join, they join. Regina was the only one who mattered, your interest in the rest was simply a cover. Play with your breasts, Brooke.”

“Yes Master.” Her hands were already in place.

“How is your husband?”

“Drew is taking the children to Magic Mountain today. He is less recognizable now that he is clean-shaven. As far as he knows, this was just a work function, like all the other times.” (Brooke’s husband, Drew Docker, was a retired pro tennis player)

“And that’s what you know as well, isn’t it Brooke?“

“Yes it is, Master.”

“You may be retired from modeling, but your body is equal to the new talent that is almost young enough to be your daughters.”

“Thank you, Master.” By now her nipples had hardened.

Malcolm stood up from his desk, revealing that he was not wearing anything from the waist down. His cock was also hard. “You are my best talent scout for the modeling agency, Brooke, though this mission was just a formality. You have served well, and you deserve a reward. Suck it, Brooke.”

“Yes, Master.”

Part 2: Planning Ahead

David Wilson and Kelly Stone walked to the Psychology Department building. “Are you sure you want to do this?” asked Kelly.

“Not really, but it’s the only way.” answered David. “Malcolm will only let us retire from his service if we train a replacement primary asset before we graduate in a little over a month.“

“I get that part, but do you actually want to retire? More importantly, this doesn’t seem like a job that can easily be left behind!“

“Nobody keeps a part-time job forever. Unless we plan to spend the rest of our lives at UCLA, we have to give this up! As to your second point, since we have free minds, we actually have the option, unlike the rest of his assets, who can only leave his service if they age out or get compromised.“

“No one would bat an eye if you applied to be a TA, but my only option would be the new Tau Nu Alpha House Mother!“

“Neither of those options pay very well, and only yours includes housing.”

Kelly sighed. “Okay, I guess it’s happening. Who did you have in mind as our replacement?”

“Dr. Jasmine Jung.”

“Your faculty adviser? What happened to ‘No hypnotizing your professors’?”

“Neither of us have her this semester, which is our last, so technically she’s not our professor anymore. She’s attractive enough and has the requisite skills. A psych professor is still the best option with no full-time counselors on staff. Best of all, my source in the department gave me some important news that makes choosing her all the more lucrative.“

“I still can’t believe you enthralled the department secretary. I’m pretty sure she’s too old to screw without risking her life!”

“A secretary is the ideal secondary asset. The one under Paterno moved halfway across the country after his trial, so they were desperate! Malcolm doesn’t screw every asset, why should we? Besides, Agatha is planning on retiring come May so she can spend more time with her grandchildren.“

“Moving on, what did she tell you?”

“After Paterno’s downfall, Dr. Fulton replaced him as department chair and Dr. Jung was hired to teach his classes. Now, while the rest of the psychology professors truly had no idea about what he was doing and considered it reprehensible, they were still a bit stigmatized for letting it happen on their watch. Over the last two years, every member of the department who was under Paterno has retired or quit besides Fulton. The secretary told me that next week, Fulton is going to announce his retirement at the end of the semester. Since Jung has seniority over those that remain, she’s a shoo-in to take his place!” explained David.

“You do see the irony in that, right?”

“We got rid of Paterno, which got Jung hired, because he was doing the exact same thing that we are now forcing Jung to do.“

“Exactly. Are we hypno-crites?”

“I like that word! Maybe a little bit, but we’re much kinder than Paterno, and so is Malcolm. We’ll make sure that Jung applies the same touch we would.”

“I just hope she can handle all that responsibility.”

“If she can’t, Malcolm will make sure she can.” said David. “Speaking of responsibility, you never told me why you didn’t seek the Sorority Presidency.“

Kelly explained. “You just answered your own question. I have more than enough responsibility in our job. Besides, Monique needed the ego boost more than I did. Finally, Erica was right about one thing-I only pledged Tau Nu Alpha because I was a legacy. I saw this as a way to connect with my mother’s memory. If my mom hadn’t been a sister, I wouldn’t have even considered pledging any sorority. I don’t deserve to lead a club that I barely wanted to be a member of.“

David commented. “When you consider that I shut down my tutoring business on Friday for good, unless we go hunting, Dr. Jung is the last person we will give Malcolm.”

“So this professor isn’t assigning our ‘final project,’ she IS our final project.”

“I guess so. Let’s get started.” By now they had reached the building.

The last time Kelly had been in the psychology offices, she was sneaking into the area to acquire evidence against Paterno, nearly three years ago. David, by contrast, was here at least weekly. Aside from the secretary (who David triggered and programmed to ignore everything that was about to happen), Jasmine was the only person present-all of the other professors were teaching or gone for the day. Jasmine was only in her early thirties, having been hired less than two years after earning her doctorate. She was rather short, but still had a very attractive figure and her Asian features made her look exotic. While Dr. Jung knew that David and Kelly were indirectly responsible for her current position, neither had attempted to leverage that fact against her thus far. David had ensured a cordial relationship with his faculty adviser over the last five semesters. Kelly suspected that David had planned on making Dr. Jung into his replacement the moment he decided that he wanted to stop working for Malcolm (which, she speculated, was at least a year ago, and possibly even at the point where they got engaged).

Jasmine looked up and said. “Hello David! Long time no see, Kelly!” with a big smile.

“Hello, Professor.” they responded.

“Kelly, you haven’t taken a class in our department in over a year. Why, the last time I saw you, you weren’t even engaged yet!” said the professor.

“I guess so.” said Kelly.

“I know it’s a little late, with the wedding only a few months away, but congratulations!”

David nodded to Kelly, the signal for her to bring out her engagement ring. “Thanks, Professor. Her ring is a sapphire, not a diamond. Sapphires are her favorite. I know it sounds like a boastful joke, but that really is her middle name!“

“My dad’s parents were really into rocks. My siblings’ middle names are Ruby, Amber and Jasper. I had to get the only one that doesn’t sound normal.” said Kelly. She was moving her hand with the ring back and forth.

“Fascinating.” said Dr. Jung. Her eyes were now fixed to the ring.

“Yes, it is. The ring is so pretty and fascinating to look at, Dr. Jung.” said David. “Look at the way it sparkles as it goes back and forth, back and forth.” David was a bit nervous. In addition to Dr. Jung’s acquisition being so necessary for his and Kelly’s futures, she was a psychology professor, and thus knew at least as much about hypnosis as he did, maybe even more. The idea that the professor was his and Kelly’s “final project” was more appropriate than he had realized earlier. “The ring is a symbol of the love and trust between Kelly and myself. No matter how much we argue back and forth, back and forth, we always trust each other.“

“Always trust.” echoed Kelly.

“Alwayyyyyyyys... trussssssst...” droned the pretty professor. Her expression was looking blanker by the minute.

“Yes, and if you trust someone, you can relax around them. You know that you are safe with them around you, so you can relax.” intoned David.

“You can relaaaaaax.” agreed Kelly.

“I... can... relaaaaaaaaaaaaax...” said Dr. Jung softly.

“You trust me, don’t you Jasmine?” asked David. He had never used her first name directly, and she hadn’t told him he could either. If her responses did not change, that meant she was too far gone to resist the induction.

“Yessssss... David... I... trussssst... you...” David smiled at her confirmation that his suggestions were taking root.

“If you trust me, then you can relax around me, right?”

“Yesssssssss... Relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax...”

“Good, Jasmine. Now just keep right on relaxing. Close your eyes and relax completely when Kelly snaps her fingers.” At those words, Kelly did so, and the powerless professor’s upper body flopped down onto her desk as her eyes slammed shut. David held out his hand for a high five, which Kelly quickly took him up on. “Can you hear me, Jasmine?” he asked.

“Yessssssss...” she breathed.

“Good. Now go deeper into relaxation with every moment that passes until I say otherwise. Do you know that Dr. Fulton is retiring next month?”

“I... was... the... first... he... told...”

“Should have expected that. Have you been offered his position?”

“The... day... after... heeeeee... told... the... Presidennnnnt...”

“You’re going to accept, aren’t you?”

“Already... haaaaaaaaaaave... Annnnnnnouncing... at... retiremennnnnt... dinnnnnner...”

“Very good. Now open your eyes and sit up, but remain deeply relaxed, and go deeper still.”

“Yessssssssss...”

“You know, you wouldn’t be getting that promotion if it wasn’t for Kelly and I exposing Paterno’s...activities, right?” said David.

“Yessssss... You... got... him... cannnnnnnnnnnnnned.”

“In fact, you wouldn’t have even been hired without what we did, would you?“

“Probably... noooooooooooooooooooot...” This was, in fact true, as the school had needed a replacement in such a hurry because of his departure mid-semester.

“Then I guess you should be very grateful to me and Kelly, shouldn’t you, Jasmine?“

“I... ammmmm... graaaaaaaaaaaaaaatefulllllllllllllllllllll... Thannnnnnnnnnnnnnk... youuuuuuuuuuuuuu...”

“Okay, but since we did you a favor, you need to do one for us. You will do it, whatever we say it is, because you are so grateful.“

“I... willlllllllllllllllllll... dooooooooooooooooooooo... it...”

“I am going to introduce you to an important friend of mine. He helped us get Paterno removed, so you owe him too. He will tell you what the favor is going to entail. You are going to trust him as much as you do me, understand?”

“I... undersssssssstannnnnnnd...” Dr. Jung was now about as deep as Kelly had been after she allowed him to hypnotize her. David pulled out his tablet and opened the Zoom meeting he had set up. On the other end of the meeting was Malcolm, whose face now took up the entire screen. Having had a few Zoom meetings with Dr. Jung before, he knew where she kept her headphones, and pulled them out and placed them on her ears. “Hello, boss. David said to the screen. This is Dr. Jasmine Jung. Soon to be the head of the UCLA Psychology Department. Even sooner to be my replacement as your primary asset for the college. I’ll let you two get acquainted.” he said as he plugged in the headphones.

Now that Dr. Jung was unable to perceive them, Kelly asked, “How long will that take?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” answered David. “She’s got to be taken to core depth because he’s changing her fundamental nature, and there’s a lot of programming involved to make someone accept that. Having said that, I didn’t bring my power cord and the Zoom session won’t last longer than an hour.“

“So we’re stuck here for at least an hour guarding her door?” asked Kelly as they left the office and entered the department lobby.

“Yes, but this is probably just priming her to accept whatever he tells her to do and to be without question. You can crack someone in just an hour, but breaking takes much longer. He’ll handle the rest of her training in person over the summer. Anyway, Paterno made sure these couches are stain resistant, wanna do a product test?“

At that moment, Josephine Joanna “Jo-Jo” Jones, a younger Tau sister, entered the room. “I need to speak with Dr. Jung.” she said. Jo-Jo was a psychology major, and also had Dr. Jung as her faculty advisor.

“Sorry, Jo-Jo.” said Kelly. “She’s in a meeting for at least the next hour. She can’t be disturbed.” Kelly’s words were truer than she implied, as the depth of her trance and absorption into Malcolm’s instructions meant that she really couldn’t be affected by anything else at the moment.

“I get David knowing that, but why would you?” demanded Jo-Jo. “And why is Agatha staring into space like she’s been hypno...“

“Make the Jo-Jo Sleep!” said David.

Jo-Jo slumped against the wall. “Up... then... down...” Jo-Jo Jones, like every other sister of Tau Nu Alpha, was extremely attractive. An hourglass figure, a beautiful face, and long brown hair and piercing blue eyes had caused Kelly to designate her as the current “favorite” among the sisters.

“Now what?” asked David.

“You know, this could be an opportunity.” said Kelly. “Jo-Jo is already a psych major and has our new asset for a faculty advisor. She’s naturally bisexual, is very sweet and unassuming, and has done some experimental hunting of her own! You said the department secretary is about to retire, so Jung won’t have any assets to start with. Considering that she’s already our thrall, most of the work is done...“

“I see where this is going.” said David. “You think we should ‘promote’ Jo-Jo to secondary asset.”

“She already told me that she wants to be a psychology professor one day. That likely means that after graduation, she’ll probably end up as Jung’s TA and will stay on campus indefinitely even if we don’t ‘hire’ her.“

“Sold.” said David. “Let’s give her a signing bonus, then outline her new duties.”

“Won’t take too long. I never bring the strap-on to academic buildings.” said Kelly with a big smirk.

“And here I was thinking HR stuff is boring...”

After a three-way and a 2-69 with Jo-Jo on the couch, David programmed Jo-Jo to be subordinate to Dr. Jung while Kelly checked on Jasmine’s own “interview”. It had been forty-five minutes since they had left her alone with Malcolm. The professor was completely naked, masturbating furiously and smiling as wide as anyone ever could. “Master Must be Obeyed! Master Must be Obeyed! Master Must be Obeyed!” She orgasmed with every repetition. The screen was off, so Kelly assumed that Malcolm had given her all the programming he intended to, and this was merely breaking what was left of her resistance.

“I think the Doc’s ‘orientation’ is just about finished, big boy.” she announced.

“This one’s ready too.” said David. He then fished his phone from his discarded pants and called Malcolm. “Boss, we got the new hire a present. One of Kelly’s sorority sisters is going to be her new secondary asset!”

“Amazing.” said Malcolm. “Even on your way out the door, you still found a way to go the extra mile.“

“We didn’t try to do this, she just happened to be here with all the right qualifications and...“

“And I know what happened next because it’s already happened more times than I can remember.“

“Same here.”

“Well, I think my new assets should get to know each other better, don’t you?”

“Absolutely.” David turned to the naked Jo-Jo, who had just finished sucking him off. “Go meet your new Mistress and make sure she knows how eager you are to serve her.” Without a word, Jo-Jo stood up and went into the office and closed the door behind her. Soon, amorous noises were heard from the small room. “That sounds like the start of a beautiful friendship.” said David, paraphrasing the final scene from “Casablanca”.

“And a beautiful working relationship as well. David, I respect your and Kelly’s decision, though I will miss your work. Making you a free asset was the best decision I ever made.”

“That is uncharacteristically sweet of you, sir.”

“No shit, Sherlock. Once you have set yourself up as a therapist, my door will be open if you want to return.”

“I know, boss, I know. We’ll see how we feel in a few years. In the meantime, you still haven’t RSVP’d to the wedding.”

“I’ll tell you now that I wouldn’t miss it. As part of your severance pay, you and Kelly can maintain control of every thrall you have brought in, including Dr. Jung, and will be able to trigger every thrall and loose secondary asset currently in California. Every primary asset will give you two the same deference as if you still were employed by me.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“No, thank you. Just wait until you see your wedding present!” Malcolm then hung up.

David turned to Kelly. “We passed our final assignment with flying colors. He’s even giving us extra credit for Jo-Jo.”

Kelly hugged her fiancée. “Still can’t believe it’s almost over.”

“The job or college?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I think Jo-Jo and Jasmine have finished the ‘welcome interview’. Want to go ‘proofread’ our final project one more time?” said David as he opened the office door.

Kelly smiled mischievously. “As if you even needed to ask.”

Part 3: Cold Feet

Kelly Stone slumped on the bench at the bridal store. Sharing a single order of bridesmaid dresses with Monique had seemed like a better idea when she suggested it a little less than two years ago. Louis had come back from Paris with one of each type of medal, and would be a campus celebrity for the rest of his time at UCLA. But more importantly in Monique’s mind was that he proposed the moment they had been reunited at the airport. She and Kelly had spent the next month gushing over bridal magazines but when the costs and time constraints started adding up in their minds (or Tori’s at least-Kelly’s chosen maid of honor was helping with that), Kelly had suggested sharing the order. Since the two of them were planning weddings only three weeks apart (Kelly’s first), and the bulk of their bridesmaids overlapped (including each other), Monique eagerly agreed. All of the shared prospective bridesmaids liked the idea as well, since most dresses of that nature were only meant to be worn once, and in addition to only having to buy one costly custom dress instead of two, it saved a great deal of hassle to only go to a single fitting. But then, with the wedding(s) less than two months away, the one difficult part of the process that Kelly hadn’t thought of came into play-she and Monique would have to perfectly agree on a dress design, one that went with both of their gowns. It had taken nearly three hours of debate, along with several Zoom calls from their (step in Kelly’s case) mothers and older sisters, and there were multiple occasions when Kelly was tempted to just trigger her friend and make her capitulate (or would have been if they were alone). Finally, a dress design and color scheme that both brides-to-be could live with was agreed upon. Now, here she was, a month and a half later, to help oversee the fittings for their bridesmaids. Kelly and Monique had agreed to supervise one day of the weekend apiece, with half of the eight communal bridesmaids (Eleanor, Caroline, and six other Tau Nu Alpha sisters) along with all of that bride’s unique ones coming in on that day. While Kelly took over the store that Saturday, Monique was elsewhere getting her gown tailored, something Kelly would do the next day while Monique was here.

Kelly got there early to do her own fitting (she would be one of Monique’s bridesmaids and vice versa after all), and her sisters were the first there. The next to arrive was the only bridesmaid that Kelly had not met prior to getting engaged...

David had invited Kelly to the annual barbeque that Tom Spaulding threw on the Fourth of July. While there, he introduced her to an extremely attractive strawberry blonde who looked to be Tori’s age. Kelly couldn’t shake the feeling that she looked familiar despite being sure she’d never seen the beauty before. When David said. “Kelly this is my godsister, Samantha Spaulding.” it had clicked-she was essentially a younger version of Helen Spaulding, who Kelly had met. “Of course, everybody except for government bureaucrats calls her Sammi.“

“Hi.” said Sammi. “David’s told me so much about you.”

“Not too much, I hope.” said Kelly with a wink.

“I hope so too.”

David had to explain. “Since Sammi is the closest thing I have to a sister and that my parents have to a daughter...”

“You mean ‘Had until now’.” said Kelly with implied warning. “On the daughter part anyway, I hope.“

“Yes, until now.” said David. “and ‘no’ to the sister part.” he added quickly. “Anyway, we’ll never hear the end of it from them or the Spauldings if Sammi isn’t one of your bridesmaids.“

“It might be a long time before I am one otherwise.” said Sammi. “None of my friends are even close to that point, neither is Steven, and I don’t want to even bring up Tommy’s love life without him around...“

“The wedding’s not for almost two years. Everyone knows that!” said Kelly.

“Yeah, but you know how I like to plan ahead.” countered David.

“Two questions. First, have either of you ever expressed any romantic feelings towards each other?“

“Did I not just say she’s like my little sister?“

Sammi rolled her eyes. “He’s as much a big brother to me as Tommy. I may have been his prom date, but I was Steven’s too, and I’m no more likely to sleep with them than my gay older brother.“

“Thanks for that image.” said David sarcastically. I’m glad Uncle Tom hasn’t put the burgers out yet or it’d make me nauseous. So Kelly, what’s the other question?“

“What’s her dress size?” asked Kelly. The question was rhetorical, and Sammi’s answer was simply giving Kelly a hug, which David soon joined.

Sammi was pretty much the only bridesmaid, excluding the members of hers and David’s families, that Kelly could not trigger, and she pretty much was part of the latter to hear David tell it. Now came the hard part. Because Kelly was going to spend an entire day surrounded by beautiful women that she could trigger at any time, David had made her promise not to have them service her. For most of the day, that was easy. Kelly had no desire for her sisters, was honor-bound to avoid Sammi, and the first two members of the sorority that arrived were now attached. According to her list, there were two women left. Eleanor was next. After putting on her dress, Kelly judged that Eleanor looked stunning in it, though she considered that a given (for bridesmaid and dress alike!) However, her pretty face looked like it was trying to express joy and dread at the same time.

Rather than wait for her to get whiplash, Kelly asked. “How are you feeling?”

Her answer was the strangest one that question could ever incur, yet right considering how she looked. “I wish I knew.”

“Why?”

“James proposed. In the hotel room at Scott and Caroline’s wedding. We kept it secret the next morning so it wouldn’t distract from them.” Scott and Caroline had tied the knot two weeks earlier. Caroline was in the fitting group for the next day (and unbeknownst to everyone, including Caroline herself, her size would be underestimated for the best reason possible...)

“There seems to be a detail missing from that statement, Eleanor.”

“What detail...Oh! I said yes! Of course I said yes. I would have said yes after he forgave me had he proposed then, but that’s a separate issue.“

Kelly hugged her friend. “Congratulations! I found it strange that you and James were the first of us to start on your relationship path but will be the last to reach the next stage.”

“Well, Caroline and Scott were last to get together but first to reach the altar, and I’m younger than the rest of you. To each their own.“

“Okay, that explains the high, but why did you look upset? Did James’s parents reject you?”

Eleanor rolled her beautiful eyes. “You’re kidding, right? They were asking my availability for an engagement party the minute after we told them! I’m pretty sure they’d gladly pay for the whole thing if asked to, maybe even if we didn’t. It’s my family that’s the issue. They still don’t know James and I were even dating.“

“And when you tell them the ‘good news,’ won’t it be accompanied by the fact that you’ve been constantly lying to them for almost three years and counting? That you’ve had sex out of wedlock so many times you lost count? That you’ve been living in sin for two years and you don’t pay rent?“

“Pretty much, yes. Father will not take those revelations well.” said Eleanor as she sat down on the bench outside the dressing rooms.

Kelly sat down next to her. “That’s putting it mildly.”

“Unbelievably so. I’d consider it a massive show of restraint on his part if, after I tell them the truth, James is still alive by morning!“

“What, no shotgun wedding?”

“That a shotgun will be involved is very likely. A wedding, not so much.“

“What does James say?”

“He wants us to come clean. He feels like he needs Father’s blessing before we can get married. I feel like he has a better chance of being struck by lightning while in a stone basement than getting it! It would probably take a darn miracle!” Eleanor had started to become hysterical.

“This calls for drastic measures.” thought Kelly. “Ellie-Vator, Drop Down.”

“Ground floor, programming and obedience.” said Eleanor softly as her head slumped forward. Kelly didn’t know what to do. She had never programmed anyone without David’s help. Even when capturing girls, she only gave them enough instruction to get them to David so he could finish the job. The last time she and Eleanor had been in this position, Kelly was simply reading off a script David had given her. David was busy supervising the renting of tuxedoes for his groomsmen, and like most grooms, cared little about the dresses they were dealing with besides how to take it off the bride without ruining it.

However, Kelly had already triggered her friend, so there was no longer any way out except through. “Eleanor, open your eyes and see the Ellie-Vator.” she said. Eleanor did so, so Kelly continued. “It now says ‘10’ on the floor display. The Ellie-Vator will go down, and you will count it, when I say the number again. Understand?”

“Yes, Kelly.” said her pretty pal.

“Good. Ten.”

“Nine, Eight, Sseven, Sssssix, Fffffffive, Ffffffffffffourrrrrrr, Thrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Twooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, Onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnne, Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrroooooooooo.” At the end, Eleanor had slumped onto her friend, and had to be told to sit up (as always).

Kelly then asked. “I know you want to marry James, but how much do you want to marry James?“

Eleanor’s mouth curled into a dreamy smile and her face was as red as a cherry. “Morrrrrrrrrrre... thannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn... annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnythinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng...” Kelly didn’t expect any other answer to that question, whether Eleanor was in trance or not.

“If you had to pick between James and your family, who would it be?”

Eleanor was silent for half a minute. Then she said, more clearly than before, “James... He... only... expects... loyalty... and... affection... which... I... give... freely...”

“Which means that James will still love you even if your parents reject him, right?”

“Yes... it... does...”

“Please remind me of that phrase David told you when thinking of your parents’ disapproval before you started dating.”

“There... is... nothing... a... parent... should... want... more... than... their... child... to... be... happy...”

“Good girl. Does being with James make you happy?”

“’Happy’... is... not... a... strong... enough... word...”

“That’s what I thought. I feel the same way about David. It is important that you know that James will be there for you no matter what your parents think of him. If they can’t see him as a son-in-law, that’s their problem, not yours. Repeat that.“

“If... Father... can’t... accept... James... that’s... his... problem... not... ours...“

“It’s important that, if the meeting with your parents does not go well, you convince James of that fact by any means necessary. Okay. It’s time for the Ellie-Vator to rise back up. When I say ‘Zero’ again, you will count back up to ten.” Kelly’s hypnosis-enhanced memory allowed her to recall what David had told her to say and interpret it for this situation. “When you reach the number 10, the doors of the Ellie-Vator will open and you will exit into full alertness. You will leave all memories of the Ellie-Vator within it, but keep all of the important things in the back of your mind. All you will remember is me explaining that whatever you have to endure for James is worth it. Understand?“

“I.,. understand... he’s... worrrrrrrrrrrrrth... it...” said Eleanor. She was still smiling dreamily, but the flush had gone down.

“Great. Zero”

“Onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnne, Twooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, Thrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Ffffffffffffourrrrrrr, Fffffffive, Sssssix, Sseven, Eight, Nine, Ten.” After the last number, Eleanor opened her beautiful blue eyes and blinked a few times. “Why do I always feel so good after we talk?” she asked.

“Because I learned from David.”

Eleanor blushed. “Should have seen that answer coming.”

Kelly said. “Speaking of seeing something coming, the last girl just texted me to say she’s outside. I can stall her, but you need to get dressed and get gone.”

“You’re the bride, you’re the boss!” said Eleanor. She went back into the dressing room while Kelly went outside to see to her last bridesmaid.

Stefania “Steff” Smirinova had been the Tau Nu Alpha President during Kelly and Monique’s junior year. The daughter of Russian immigrants, she had been taught the kind of self-discipline that even Regina might have balked at. Star of the school’s ballet and tennis clubs, the two practices, which she had been doing since she was old enough to walk, had resulted in an incredibly toned figure. Despite her superiority complex, Steff was much friendlier than Erica, not just to the other Taus, but to the campus at large. Kelly considered Steff her closest friend in the sorority, after Monique (and wondered why she was drawn to first-generation Americans). She also considered her the best pussy-licker in the sorority after Erica (though that was not something anyone else knew).

Steff had another nickname among the students of UCLA-the Black Widow. There were many reasons for this nickname-her Russian heritage, seemingly icy demeanor, or the fact that she was a dead ringer for Florence Pugh, who had played the second Black Widow in Marvel media. But the most telling reason of all is that no man ever lasted longer than one date with her, no matter what happened on the date. Kelly had her suspicions as to the cause of the last one, but had kept them to herself all along. Eleanor was on her way out after two minutes of small talk, so Steff went in. After Steff came out of the dressing room, she asked “Kelly, can I bring a date to the wedding? I know it’s short notice, but we only hit it off in the last few weeks.” asked the radiant Russian.

“Of course you can!” said Kelly. “And I’m sure Monique will say the same thing. What’s his name?”

“Georgia.” said Steff.

Kelly’s suspicions were now confirmed. “Did you say ‘George’ and do that thing where your accent makes it sound like there’s another vowel sound at the end of the word? Like how you always called Monique ‘Monica’.”

“Nyet.” said Steff. “I pronounced her name correctly.“

“I see.” Kelly, through hypnotized conversations, already knew the truth about her friend, even if Steff didn’t know it herself back then. Kelly judged that Steff would be (and had been) willing to take a man if there were no other options, making her less bisexual than Kat and Beth but more than Raven or Abigail. She also judged that she was the first person Steff had come out to. “Have you told anyone else?”

“No. Georgia is the first that I am willing to date openly. Raven and Abigail knew about me, because they were in my position. Raven told me how you and David got her to come out to her father, but I am too afraid to do the same.” While Steff’s parents were much more liberated than the current Russian regime (which is why they emigrated shortly after Putin’s accession), they still saw homosexuality as degenerate behavior. Steff, while at college, had seen the tolerance for LGBTQ individuals and it had helped her realize her own preferences. Kelly also guessed that the ‘dreams’ caused by ‘remembering’ all of her tranced encounters with her and the other Taus might have also contributed to this revelation. “How did you and David help Raven be brave enough?” Steff had removed the dress and was clad only in her bra and panties. Steff had few hangups about showing off her sexy body, as it represented all the work and discipline she had invested in it.

Kelly fought the urge to smirk. “Like this. Emergency Steff Meeting.”

“Meeting commences. Will not attending.” said Steff as she slumped to the floor.

“Can you hear me, Steff?” asked Kelly.

“Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...” the reposed Russian responded.

“English, please.”

“Sorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry...”

“How long have you known you were a lesbian?”

“Sometime... in... junior... year...”

“How do you think your parents will react to your coming out?”

“I... am... only... child... they... might... accept... but... unlikely...”

“Steff, David has advice for someone who is afraid of a parental reaction.”

“Please... tell... me...”

“There is nothing a parent should want more than their child to be happy. Now repeat it, and know that it is the absolute truth.“

“There... is... nothing... a... parent... should... want... more... than... their... child... to... be... happy...”

“Again.”

“There... is... nothing... a... parent... should... want... more... than... their... child... to... be... happy...”

“Again.”

“There is nothing a parent should want more than their child to be happy.”

“Well done, Steff. Now, will being able to live as the real you make you happy?“

“I... believe... it... will...”

“Then you should come out to your parents. If they can’t accept you for who you are, that’s their problem, not yours.“

“Spasiba,.. Kelly...” Kelly looked at her beautiful friend. Even after the hypno-pep talk, Steff was still a bit vulnerable. While David had prohibited Kelly from having one of the bridesmaids service her, he never said anything about Kelly doing the servicing.

“Pull down your panties, Steff.” said Kelly, smiling. “Just imagine that Georgia is doing this...”

Part 4: The Last Night

David Wilson was led into the location his little brother had chosen for his bachelor party-the Knocker’s (an off-brand Hooter’s clone) in downtown Los Angeles. While it was an establishment that was built on the demeaning of women, it was nonetheless a better choice than a strip club, which David had explicitly warned Steven to rule out. David knew that if Steven had any sense, he would avoid choosing such a place anyway-not only was their rabidly anti-infidelity father in attendance, but so was David’s future father-in-law. In fact, only three members of their party were single (including Steven himself) and one of those three was gay.

David was glad to see Tommy Spaulding, having not seen him since the engagement party eighteen months ago. Much like Sammi strongly resembled a younger version of their mother, Tommy looked like a younger version of their father (an ironic situation considering he was a “Junior”). John had mentioned that both Thomas Spauldings were on speaking terms again, which David was glad about-the last thing he wanted was them making a scene at the wedding.

“Wilson, party of ten.” said Steven to the hot hostess. David recognized her as Annie, a tutoring client who had graduated.

Annie recognized him as well. “Hi, David. So many guys, what’s the occasion?”

James, who also recognized Annie, answered. “His bachelor party. He’s getting MARRIED in less than a week!”

“I see. Well, congratulations to you and Kelly.”

“What she said. Congratulations.” said one of the waitresses. Like Annie, she was also a tutoring client by the name of Emma. Also like Annie, her monogrammed T-shirt was straining to contain her breasts.

David blushed. “Thank you both.”

Once they were seated, Emma and a second waitress came over to their table. “I’m Dorothy and this is Emma. We’ll be your servers tonight, because the party is so large. Oh and Emma told me. Congratulations to you and Kelly!” Dorothy was a dead ringer for the character from L. Frank Baum’s books, complete with pigtails in her long brown hair.

“Three’s a pattern, son.” said John, with suspicion in his voice.

“I agree.” said Dan. “How do you know all these beautiful women? They’re not Kelly’s friends in the sorority, are they?”

“Non.” said Louis. They may fit the physical requirements, but no Tau would ever take this kind of work.“

“Then how do you know them all?” asked Eric.

“They’re tutoring clients.” explained David. Of course, that was only part of the story. Unbeknownst to everyone at the table, David had slept with all three of them, and not only was Kelly aware, she had joined in! However, David was suspicious of the circumstances himself-none of the three women had been close to each other, all had different majors and, while the place hired hot women (which all of them were), it seemed like too much of a coincidence.

After the party had ordered, David excused himself to use the bathroom. He managed to catch Dorothy just as she was leaving the kitchen after putting their orders in. He whispered her trigger. “Dorothy goes to Oz.”

“Over... the... rainbow... without... a... brain...” said the winsome waitress as she fell back into a trance.

David had Dorothy follow him to the bathroom, which was otherwise empty. He quickly asked her “I thought you were going for your MBA! What changed?”

“Nothing... changed...” she answered. “This... is... how... I... pay... for... it...”

“What about Annie and Emma?”

“Same... idea... like... a... dozen... of... your... former... clients... are... on... staff...”

“Wait, how would you know?”

“Manager... triggered... us... when... hired...”

Suddenly it clicked. Malcolm owned this place! It seemed so obvious in hindsight. Unlike most of his business, where the collection of thralls was incidental to profitability, this one’s profitability was proportional to the number of thralls collected. Every girl hired became one of Malcolm’s thralls. David assumed that hypnotic programming would make a menial employee better at her job, but that was beside the point. He commanded Dorothy “Okay, go into the bathroom, count to three in your head and wake up. You will not remember this conversation, just that you were in the bathroom. Don’t forget to wash your hands!” He left and went back to the table, where Steven was being picked on for his poor judgement.

“Okay, okay, I GET IT!” said Steven. “This was a bad idea. I would have picked the sports bar, but I have no interest in sports!”

David ribbed him. “Not quite. You show plenty of interest in cheerleaders!” Fortunately, Dan didn’t pick up on the subtext.

“I’m definitely ruling out this place for my bachelor party.” said James. His and Eleanor’s engagement had become public knowledge by now. “My fiancée would not approve.“

“Trust me on this one.” said Eric. “A wife wouldn’t feel any different.”

Dan and John said as one. “Agreed.”

“I’ll probably take a page from Scott’s book and get a keg and a karaoke machine. But I’m going to make sure the lyrics on screen can be seen from the road!” boasted James.

“Just hope you live that long!” said Scott. “I know that you still need to get your future father-in-law’s blessing.”

“Well, my bachelor teuf is already set.” said Louis. No place celebrates like New Orleans, and it will be my absolute pleasure to prove it!“

James asked David. ”You managed to get in good with your pending in-laws. Any advice?“

David answered. “You already have the best resource possible-Eleanor! She can tell you how to get on their good sides. A universal rule of thumb-Anyone with young children will think they are absolutely adorable. AGREE WITH THEM!”

“Eleanor mentioned that her older brothers each have a little kid, so that sounds like very relevant advice! Especially since, fingers crossed, I’ll become their uncle one day. Thanks.“

David finished his meal first, and excused himself again. He went up to the hostess, who was alone. “Annie way I want it.”

“That’s... the... way... you’ll... get... it...” she responded with a slumping head.

“Is your general manager in tonight, Annie?” asked David.

“Yes... she... is...” answered the hypnotized hostess.

“Point me towards her office.”

“Next... to... the... kitchen...”

“Thanks. After I snap my fingers, count to three in your head, wake up, and forget this conversation ever took place.” David snapped and went off in the direction Annie advised him.

Roz, the manager, looked to be in her early forties. Coincidentally, so did her bra size. When David barged in she asked. “What wasn’t to your liking tonight?”

“The meal was fine. My issue is what you’ve done to my clients.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m David Wilson. But my coworkers call me The Volunteer.”

Roz’s brown eyes flashed blank for a moment. “Thank you.”

David was confused. “For what?”

“The girls who came to me after coming to you are incredible! They took their programming in half the time of ones who I have to do all the work for. All I had to do was get read in by Master and they’re ready to start the next day!“

“What about the fact that you don’t get credit for capture?”

“This place makes money based on how many pretty girls I have, not how many I get. Master put me in this position because I have an MBA, not just T and A.“

“Are they being exploited?”

“Minimally. They make competitive wages and tips, get to keep their lives outside of work, and I’ll accommodate any class schedule I get in advance. Most of these girls are paying for grad school with their tips. So long as Master does not stop by, they have no required special duties. Not even on the male kitchen staff.“

“What about you?”

“I’m married with three kids. I don’t need stimulation from anyone besides my husband or Master.”

“Okay, thank you for restoring my faith in the humanity of primary assets.”

“You know, since you did me a huge favor, even if it was by accident, I could scratch your back too...”

“Nobody at my table is in the know, so I can’t be seen accepting any of your generosity. Financial or otherwise.“

“Hey, David!” shouted Steven. “We’re talking dessert. Why are you speaking with the manager, we didn’t have any problems?”

David figured that a version of the truth was the best policy. “I was just asking after the girls who recognized me. Didn’t want to bother them on shift.”

“It’s their job to be bothered on shift!“

“And you wonder why everyone thought this place was a bad idea for men in love. No offense.”

“None taken.” said Roz as the brothers left.

As David went back to the table he received a call. It was from Kelly. (What occurs during the call will be covered in the final section)

Part 5: Bridezilla

Kelly Stone was led blindfolded into the location for her bachelorette party by her sisters, one holding each arm. “Surprises aren’t really my thing, people.” she said, mildly annoyed. “And if this is a male strip joint I’m going to need a new maid of honor!”

“Volontaire” said Monique, knowing that, after Kelly’s sisters, she was the top choice.

“No need to post the job opening, sis.” said Tori. “I know that a bunch of naked men aren’t your thing. I also know that wedding planning can make anyone tense.“

“I can vouch for that.” said Rebecca.

“Ditto.” said Caroline.

“Too true.” chimed in Holly.

“J’accord” agreed Monique.

“You can say that again.” added Melissa.

“Even I know that, and I just started the planning!” finished Eleanor.

“So with that in mind, our destination should be quite obvious. Let her see where we are, Rebecca!” commanded Tori. Rebecca removed the blindfold, and Kelly saw the sign for Helping Hands Spa and Massage Parlor.

Kelly hugged both her sisters at once. “Excellent choice. Monique and Eleanor, you should be taking notes!”

“Not until the end, mon ami.” countered Monique. “I’ll have a better idea of what I want then.“

Eleanor agreed. “As our blushing bride might say, ‘Hard to argue with that one.’” This line elicited laughter from every member of the group who knew Kelly well (basically excluding Melissa and Sammi).

The group proceeded to go inside, greeted by a beautiful Asian woman with a big smile. “I’m Kei!” she said. I’ll be taking requests from your party for this evening!”

“Deep tissue massage, please.” said Steff. “I switched hands during tennis today on a dare and my shoulders are so sore!“

“Just point me towards the hot tub and forget I’m there for the next half hour.” said Monique.

“I just want a foot rub.” said Caroline. “I feel like I’m carrying extra weight for some reason, and my legs really hurt.” (Caroline was still unaware of her pregnancy).

Monique chimed in. “You’re not wrong about the extra weight, you were a size too large at the fitting!”

“If you had said that to Kelly, you would have been slapped.” said Caroline with a veiled threat.

“She’s not wrong.” said Kelly. “So, I’m headed for the sauna, who wants to join me?”

Fifteen minutes later, the group had crowded into the locker room. As usual, Kelly was the first one out, clad only in a robe, her cell in the pocket. She saw several employees walking about. Kelly noticed that she hadn’t seen a single staff member who wasn’t a hot woman. Two of said employees were chatting nearby, but they didn’t notice her.

One of the two cracked her knuckles and said. “Fifteen people. I think that’s a record for party size. We’ll be making good money tonight!”

The other said. “I’ve got a new script I’m dying to try out on the one that looks like Florence Pugh! She even requested a heavy massage!“

All of the pieces that had made Kelly cautious suddenly fit together. A staff seemingly consisting solely of beautiful women appearing constantly happy. Massage and other means to relax someone (which she knew the effectiveness of better than most). A blank flash in the eyes of the two she had just seen talking about hypnotizing Steff during her massage! And Juliette, the primary asset she had interviewed two years ago, had mentioned that Malcolm owned a spa. In all likelihood, that was the spa they were at now!

Kelly ran back to the front door. “Where’s your manager?” she asked Kei, resisting the urge to shout.

“Two doors down on the right.” said the radiant receptionist, pointing.

“Arigato.” said Kelly, taking off in the direction indicated. Not bothering to knock, she threw open the office door in rage. “I need a word with you. NOW!“

Tabitha, the manager, looked like she could be Tina Fey’s sister, complete with glasses and a bun in her hair. “What’s the problem?” she said in a very bored tone.

“It’s the secret part of your business.”

“This isn’t that kind of massage parlor. We don’t offer anything that isn’t posted on our website. Whether or not your ending is ‘happy’ is your business alone.“

“That’s not what I meant.” snapped Kelly. “I know about your real side gig. Because I’m about to marry one of your colleagues. You might know him as David Wilson: The Volunteer.“

Tabitha groaned, as her expression briefly blankened. “Clearly there is no point in denying it further. I repeat, what is the problem?”

“I don’t want any of my party enthralled!”

“As a de facto secondary asset you are exempt, but you cannot extend that immunity to the others.“

“Nine of them are already taken. I know about the database because David built it! “I also know you took my girls’ names from their ID’s, run them!” The first part was true-after a number of complaints from primary assets about attempting to enthrall a girl someone else had collected, Malcolm had David compile a database of all the girls that had been processed last year. Malcolm could add to it himself, and any primary asset could access it from a work computer to cross reference a name and see whether or not they had been enthralled.

“If you insist.” said Tabitha. She began to look through the names. “Eleanor Graham. Check. Monique Valjean. Check. Josephine Jones. Check. Stefania Smirinova. Check...” After entering all fourteen names, she said. “You said nine. Only eight match.”

Kelly slapped her forehead. “Caroline Pendergast is a recent bride who changed her name. Try Caroline Zahn.”

Tabitha did. “That one came up, so nine. Yes, there is no point in ensnaring someone who was already caught so they will be left alone. Onto the other five.”

“I know your policies so I know that he sees no use for someone over 40 if they weren’t his already.”

“True, so Melissa Wilson will not be enthralled.”

“There is also a policy to exempt mothers of children less than four years old because they are under too much scrutiny. I know for a fact that Rebecca Smith’s child will not turn four until August!”

“Very well, she will not be touched today. Holly Stone is thirty-nine, married, with a nine year old son. That puts her on the bubble and makes her a judgement call. Out of professional courtesy I will give her the benefit of the doubt and spare her.“

“Thank you.”

“However, I see nothing on file that would cause me to ignore Victoria Stone and Samantha Spaulding. They will be separated from the others and enthralled.”

“Were you a bureaucrat before Malcolm ‘hired’ you?”

“As a matter of fact, I was, until I got fired for an office affair.”

“I’m an asset. David said that assets can opt for family exemptions.”

“Primary assets can do that. Secondary assets, like yourself, do not have that privilege. Neither of them are related to your primary asset.“

Kelly groaned. She had forgotten that secondary assets were assumed to have no conscious idea of that status and thus could not negotiate. Despite David’s many assurances that the two of them were equal partners, Malcolm had always considered her subordinate to him, and that view carried over to everyone in his power. “Can’t you just bend the rules this once? I am getting married, after all.”

“You have already been shown deference by my ignoring Holly Stone. She is a very attractive woman for her age and is otherwise within parameters.“

Kelly knew there was only one way out of this. She hated to put David in this position, but she had no choice. She called her husband. “Hi, honey.” he answered.

“We have a problem. My party’s at a place owned by Malcolm.”

“Really? Mine too. Small world.”

“Your guests are A LOT less likely to be enthralled!”

“What happened?”

“Between your database and my knowledge of the big guy’s preferences, I managed to exempt everyone except Tori and Sammi. Holly was borderline, so the primary asset is counting that as a favor and won’t budge on them. Since I’m considered a secondary asset, she won’t negotiate further. I know that their lives won’t really change, but it’s my sister and for all intents and purposes, yours as well! She isn’t going to listen to me anymore. You’re their only hope!“

“Give her the phone.”

Kelly could only hear Tabitha’s side now. First her eyes glazed over briefly as she heard David and then she said. “Your secondary asset is being troublesome. That’s your preference. There are fifteen people in her party and almost all of them are exempt anyway! She’s not your sister-in-law yet and god-family does not count! Very well. I will make the exception, but I assure you, Master will hear about this first thing in the morning!” She hung up and handed the phone back to Kelly. “I will signal the staff to use non-enthrallment techniques. You can be assured that your party can use our facilities and leave with their minds intact. Any feelings of bliss and relaxation they have afterwards are a direct result of their enjoyment of said facilities.“

Kelly sighed. “Sign me up for an extra rubdown. I was supposed to be relieving stress, but this did the exact opposite!“

“If that will be all, then go rejoin your party.”

Kelly went back to the locker room. By now, all of the girls had undressed and dispersed except for Monique and Tori, waiting for her outside the door. “What were you talking with the manager about?” asked Tori.

“Just making sure we get what we’re paying for, and nothing more.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Monique.

“I was confirming that there will not be any happy endings available.” Both laughed at that statement. “But that’s okay, we’ll end up happy enough. That’s the whole point of this place!“