The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

The view was beautiful—the City by night. Orange and blue and red, the colors of a metropolis that didn’t sleep but simply changed colors when the sun went to bed.

The balcony was wide, running along the whole length of Seth’s multi-level apartment. Behind me, the party danced on. Green and red and purple lights flashed as dance music reverberated through the sliding glass doors. Seth’s parents owned the building, apparently, which meant that their son got the best view. And no curfew.

It was the night before the twins’ birthday, and I stood on that balcony and wondered how things could have gone so wrong, so quickly.

Maybe it had started in the morning, before anything had even hinted at the events to come…

Victoria took the cup of coffee I offered, a sleepy smile on her lovely face. Her hair was back in a simple ponytail, but several strands had fallen free in the night. They framed her face and her smile, and when she tucked one back behind her ear I swallowed hard. Sometimes, at odd moments, it really hit me how gorgeous these women were that I lived with.

“Morning,” she said, taking a sip. Her sigh of satisfaction and the flutter of her lashes made me think of a very different activity.

I nodded, taking a gulp of my own to distract me. Carmen was in the shower right now, washing off the sweat of our run, Amber hadn’t yet arisen and Daisy had taken her coffee into the living room to scroll through social media before work. It was just me and this beautiful, dark-haired woman in the kitchen. All alone, and both of us aware of the fact.

“You know,” Vi commented, leaning back against the counter and lifting the mug to her lips. “I’m really liking the new ‘early to rise’ Chance. I don’t think I’ll have to make my own coffee ever again.” Her eyes twinkled. “It’s like having a sexy slave boy, taking care of my every need…”

I snorted, then smiled. “Sexy slave boy?” I asked softly, raising my eyebrows. I took a step forward, my hands landing on her hips. They slid up, underneath the hooded sweatshirt she’d thrown on to fight the morning chill.

Victoria sucked in a hiss of air, my fingers cold on her warm, recently-awakened skin. Her eyes were dark and hot, staring into mine. Her tits were large, more than a handful apiece, and I massaged them while my gaze bored into hers and silently overwhelmed her playful resistance.

“Your every need?” I asked, and I ground my hardening cock against her, feeling her circle her hips back in response.

“Oh fuck…” Victoria murmured, and I heard the clink of the mug being placed on the countertop behind her. A second later, her fingertips raked down my back, across my tee shirt and the muscles that were sore from weeks of hard training.

I kissed the woman’s throat, then her jaw and then met her eyes once again. My fingers tightened on her nipples and tugged gently, making her moan. “Do you have any other needs this morning?” I murmured, my voice low and enticing.

“Yesss…” The brunette’s olive skin was flushed, her lips parted in soft, panting breaths. Her gaze drifted down to the bulge in my workout shorts, and I saw her throat move as she swallowed.

I released one of her breasts, let my hand brush down her smooth stomach to wander across the front of her sweatpants. “Anything I can help with?” I pressed gently against the fabric, circling lower to the place where—

“Goddammit Chance I’m so turned on…” Her voice was tight and needy, right in my ear as her legs twitched around my hand. “Please…”

I grinned at the woman, extricating my other hand from her sweatshirt and biting my lip. I rested my palms on her hips once again, neutral territory, and cocked my head. “If only I didn’t have to say no.”

Victoria struggled to control herself, breathing short, fast breaths and staring into my face with wide eyes. “No?” Her tone was disbelieving. “No, you don’t want to fuck the hot, absolutely desperate woman who is begging for you to take her right here, right now?”

I couldn’t believe it either, was amazed that I’d pulled away, that I had the restraint to tease such a stunning babe, to wind her up so tight, and then just casually let go and watch her squirm. I settled back against the kitchen table, a several feet now between us. How things change, I thought.

“If you want this cock,” I told the woman, letting my hands glide up my thighs to frame the tent in my crotch, “Then you’re going to have to earn it.”

My smile was innocent, but Victoria’s legs practically dropped out beneath her as she fell to the floor on her knees. Her eyes were locked on my cock, and by the time she reached my feet and rubbed her hands up my thighs I knew that only the taste of my manhood would satisfy her.

But I wasn’t so easily swayed. “No no no,” I said, holding up a hand as she knelt at my feet. “I need something far more difficult than that from you.” My cock twitched, desperate for the soft, hot sensation of those full lips around my girth. But I held firm.

Victoria’s eyes were wide and confused as she stared up at me, glazed arousal battling with her attempts to understand what strange game I was playing. “What is it?” she asked. Unbidden, her hand brushed up across the bulge, caressing my thick length through the shorts. “What do you need, baby?”

I blew out a breath, slowly, trying to regain control. The idea had only just dropped into my mind, and I needed a second to focus and crystalize it. Despite my apparent self-control, it was hard to focus with an ex-pornstar’s skilled hand slipping under my waistband and stroking my throbbing manhood with obvious, wanton arousal.

“I need you to stand up for yourself in that meeting today.”

The hand stopped moving. “What…?” The brunette’s tone was confused, now. “At work?”

I looked down into her face, trying to look earnest instead of desperately horny. My pulse beat in my temples. “Vi, last week you told me what I needed to hear in order to come back. Even though it was hard. Even though I didn’t really want to hear it. Well… Today, I’m doing the same.” I swallowed, and felt my cock twitch against her palm. “The past few weeks, I’ve heard you mention over and over that you want more of a voice, that you deserve to be heard in meetings but that you’ve practically given up on it. You are a smart, business-oriented executive with good ideas. You need to stop letting the men on the board talk over or bulldoze you, because otherwise you’ll never get out from under their thumbs.”

Victoria narrowed her eyes.

I continued, trying to ignore the worry that I shouldn’t be getting involved in her business life. “I wish I could storm in there and tell them how perfect you are and how they should be following all of your ideas and that you should be running the company. But I can’t do that. You are going to have to be the one to take the first step. So… Will you do that for me? Will you make sure not to give up so easily, today?”

Vi stared up into my face. There was something in her gaze… resistance to the idea, a glimmer of pride, I couldn’t tell. Then, a smile curled across her full lips.

“Fuck it’s so sexy when you tell me what to do.”

My shorts were around my knees and my head fell back as the woman’s lips wrapped around my prick. I groaned, and thought that there was nothing better than helping others to express their best self.

Maybe things started to go south in the afternoon, when I faced my first sign of trouble…

I’d finished up a workout with Terra and returned to my stakeout at the Brighton Barnsworth Academy.

It wasn’t that I had nothing better to do. Sure, there was Seth’s party to prepare for in the evening—and I expected Daisy and Carmen to gather us for a family talk beforehand. I needed a shower, too, and a nap, and a good meal. But no matter how many other concerns fought for my attention, I struggled to resist the magnetic urge to know what Amber was doing.

At this precise moment, all I knew was that her car was still where she’d parked it—just down the street from the crisp, modern building that housed the Academy.

Bzz. Bzz.

Distracted, I clattered my phone from the cupholder. “Mike,” I said, swiping and raising the device to my ear. “I saw that you called earlier. Sorry I missed it. What’s up?”

Mike’s lack of useful information was another reason I needed to figure out what Amber was doing here. Soon. My corporate contact hadn’t been able to find any more leads since he’d gotten me to the school, and so we had barely spoken since the disastrous Thanksgiving fiasco. I had wondered if my fledgling attempts at forming a bond with this man had died before they could do more than half form. When I left Terra’s dojo and saw that I had a ‘Missed Call’ from Mike Lassiter, I had felt a bit of hope that he’d finally be reaching out with something helpful.

When Lassiter responded, his voice was tense. “Sir, there’s something you need to know.”

No preamble, no introduction. His tone sent a cold prickle down my back. “What is it? A new lead on Amber?”

“No…” The man seemed hesitant, all of a sudden. “In fact, not at all. It has to do with Victoria…”

My fingers fumbled as I tried to send the message, my racing mind making me clumsy.

How was the meeting?

Victoria responded almost immediately, and I could practically hear her pleased, upbeat tone. Fantastic, babe! I’m so glad you encouraged me to stand up for myself. The guys were actually supportive today. They must have sensed the confidence you gave me.

My fingers moved without conscious effort. Cool. Just wanted to check in. The screen blurred while my mind twisted with what Lassiter had described, his words echoing through my brain.

“It was during today’s board meeting,” Lassiter had explained. “The one where we start discussing the first quarter of the new year and throwing around ideas and areas for improvement or growth.”

I slumped in my seat, now, wrists resting limply on the wheel. My phone dangled in my fingers.

“When Victoria offered her opinion and it was ignored, as usual, she actually stood up from her chair. She told us exactly why her proposed plan was a good one. She said that we had railroaded and walked all over her for too long. She said that her opinions had merit and they deserved to be heard.”

I had felt a glow of pride for my lover, a glow that had frozen into a clenched icicle of shock at Lassiter’s following words.

“And that was when Landon Shrike used her trigger phrase.”

My only response had been dull, dumb silence. Then, quietly, “Her TRANCE trigger phrase?”

“Yes.”

“The one that turns her into…?”

The other man’s voice had been uncomfortable in the extreme. “The other board members laughed. They watched as Shrike ordered her across the table on her hands and knees. They cheered him on while he had her blow him, and then once she’d swallowed and sat back down they continued as if nothing had happened.”

I’d felt a rage, hopeless and helpless. Futile. “And you did nothing?” I’d demanded, knowing as I did that the man had been in no position to do anything.

“It was all I could do not to obey as well.”

Oh… Right. The dull thud of the fact sinking into my chest. As soon as he said it I realized that, because I’d programmed Lassiter with the same video that was used on TRANCE actresses, he had the same subconscious triggers. Resisting must have taken all the willpower the man possessed. In fact, I hadn’t even known it was possible to resist them.

Another text came through, pulling me from the memory.

I actually have something really exciting to tell you! It could help get to the bottom of the Amber situation…

I frowned at the phone. I could guess what Victoria’s news was.

“After the meeting,” Lassiter had said, “Shrike took Victoria aside. I managed to walk past them on my way out, and I heard him inviting her to a business lunch. To discuss her ideas, he was saying.”

Landon Shrike, the head of Platinum Services, invited me to lunch! So we could talk about the ideas I proposed. The tone of Victoria’s text was as pleased as ever. I figured it would be the perfect chance to get into his head, maybe learn more about what he does in that secret department of his.

My heart sank. She had forgotten to be careful. We had both forgotten. And now Landon Shrike was going to have his way with her. I checked my phone. It was almost two o’clock. When is the lunch? I asked, a knot in my stomach.

Silly, we just got back!

I blew out a breath. “Yeah,” I muttered. “Of course…” My head hung, bumping into the steering wheel, and I stared at the floor between my feet.

How could you be so stupid? I asked myself silently.

I had known that it was possible for these women to be triggered, knew that some of them were filmed for hours a day while entranced. But I hadn’t accounted for it. I hadn’t even guessed that they would be exploited, their minds and wills taken from them as casually as Mike Lassiter had described. And that thoughtlessness on my part had put Victoria in a dangerous situation.

Because Victoria knew about my plans with Lassiter. She knew we were investigating the Platinum Services department. She knew that Landon Shrike was our prime target, and that we were slowly unraveling the mystery of what he wanted with Amber. I had to hope, with a churning pit of guilt in my stomach, that Shrike had only invited Victoria to lunch so he could fuck her again. Because otherwise, if he entranced her and asked a few lucky questions, Landon Shrike might accidentally learn everything that Victoria knew.

Failed again… I thought, and I squeezed the wheel until my knuckles were white. Because that’s what it was. Just another example of how I kept failing to protect my companions, my lovers. You need to focus on what’s important, I ordered. Stop getting distracted, and get yourself and your women away from TRANCE as fast as possible.

Bzz. My phone vibrated in my hands.

Hey… Is everything alright? I could almost picture Victoria’s concerned face, frowning down at the screen of her device.

Everything wasn’t alright. Two of my companions had just made up, but the third was being courted by a sinister executive and the other was lying to me about where she went and what she did on a daily basis. And, at that precise moment, I was staring out the front windshield of my car, watching as a blonde, busty figure hastened down the front steps of the Academy. Purse flung over one shoulder, Amber rushed to her car in her high heels and quickly slid inside. There was a moment of quiet as she stabbed her key into the ignition. Then, her tires squealed as she pulled away from the curb and sped down the street.

I cursed and only just managed to stop myself from revving the engine, wrenching the wheel and chasing her. Be smart, I ordered. You can’t reveal yourself. Not if you want to get to the bottom of this mess.

Instead I counted ten long, slow breaths. Only then did I follow my girlfriend.

She wouldn’t give me the slip. I could already guess where she was going.

Amber’s destination was predictable, and predictably disheartening.

When she pulled into the TRANCE parking structure and headed for her usual space, I drove slowly past and watched her curvy figure bounce toward the big corporate building. My mind raced, wondering what could have changed her usual schedule.

In all the days I’d watched her, Amber had never departed the Academy before I did. Could it be a coincidence? Or, as I feared, had Landon Shrike summoned my girlfriend back to TRANCE in order to question her about anything that Victoria may have revealed over a hypnotized lunch date? In the back of my mind, questions started to twist and come alive. But they were still unformed, and they gave me nothing but a sense of disquiet.

My cell rang as I drove away, startling me and almost making me swerve into another lane. My response was a harried, “Hey! What? What do you need?”

“Are you alright, Chance?” Victoria’s voice was concerned.

“Yeah, totally, sorry.” The words tumbled out of my mouth. “Just driving. Why? What’s wrong?”

“Oh. Nothing…” Now the woman seemed confused. “I just, well, I expected you to be more pleased about my meeting. But when I texted you about it your responses seemed off, and then you read my message and didn’t reply. That’s all…” I could hear the disappointment in her voice, like I’d taken some of the wind out of her sails.

Part of my mind wrestled with the question of whether or not I needed to tell Victoria what Lassiter had told me — that the meeting had been much less successful than she remembered, and that her place in my inner circle had been compromised. But another part of me knew that, until I fixed the situation, I couldn’t tell her anything. Shrike needed to think that there was nothing going on, so that Lassiter and I would be able to dig undisturbed into whatever shady business he was doing.

“No, babe!” I tried to make my voice enthusiastic. “Of course I’m pleased. I knew you would knock it out of the park. You’re so eloquent and persuasive when you believe in yourself. Have I mentioned how sexy it is that my lover is a confident, successful woman of business?”

As I drove home, I led Victoria away from questions of my response and into a teasing back and forth that promised to bear fruit when the woman returned from work later in the evening. At the same time, my brain raced to figure out my next move.

By the time I pulled into the garage under the building, I knew what needed to be done. I needed to prevent my girls from being hypnotically triggered. And I needed to learn how to protect them quickly, before everything came apart in my hands.

Maybe I should have anticipated the way the day would end, given the nature of our plans for the evening…

The issue of Victoria’s lunch with Landon Shrike was, unfortunately, not today’s only item of concern. I remembered that fact as soon as I walked inside and found Carmen and Daisy in the living room, waiting to talk to me. Tonight, the evening before the twins’ birthday, the five of us would be attending a party thrown by Daisy’s ex. Finally, Daisy would be able to stand face to face with the guy and tell him she wanted him out of her life for good.

I glanced from one girl to the other. “What is it?” I asked, still jarred.

The teenagers exchanged a glance, probably recognizing how distracted I was.

Carmen gave her sister a sly grin. “It’s your party, if we’re being honest. He’s your ex. You should explain.”

Daisy pouted, but before I could wonder what Carmen was talking about the girls each took a hand and guided me down onto the couch between them. Then, while Daisy kissed my cheek and stroked my shoulder, her sister slid down to the floor between my feet.

“You’re obviously stressed about something,” Carmen said matter-of-factly, pulling my pants quickly down my legs. Her hand wrapped around my stiffening manhood with practiced ease. “I’ll take your mind off of it, while Day talks to you about Seth’s party. Then, you can get whatever is bothering you off your chest. Deal?”

I gave a low moan in response as, without waiting for answer, Carmen lowered her head and gently kissed the tip of my cock, slipping her red lips over the head. “Fuck…” I groaned. I felt the tension in my shoulders and back slowly begin to ease. I turned to look at Daisy, who was watching her sister blow me with a look of smoldering, half-glazed longing.

I felt a trickle of heat in my core. Had it gotten to the point where just seeing my cock was enough to send these girls into some sort of trance? “Day,” I said, swallowing the arousal down in my throat and tipping back the girl’s chin with my hand. “What did you want to tell me about tonight? What do you need to explain?”

I watched the girl blink smoky arousal from her green eyes, shaking her head slightly. “Right, yes…” She glanced away to gather her thoughts, then nodded to herself. “I know I’ve been pretty closed off about my past with Seth, up until this point. And you’ve been really understanding in not asking too many questions about it. But we’re actually going over to his place tonight, and you’re coming as my date, so you should be prepared for what he might try to do.”

I blinked, furrowing my brow. “What do you mean?” I asked, trying to concentrate on Daisy’s words while Carmen’s hot, wet mouth bobbed up and down on my rigid pole. It felt like the young woman was trying to suck my brain out through my dick. And like she was succeeding.

The girls had been right. This was taking my mind off things.

Daisy bit her lip. “Seth is a big personality. He likes to wow people, likes to get them a little dazzled by his flash and sparkle. If he knows you’re with me, he may try to show off a little bit, intimidate you. He’s into that kind of posturing, alpha male stuff. I just want you to know that I’m going to make sure things are over quickly and painlessly. We’ll be in and out of there as fast as I can manage.”

Carmen’s mouth popped off my pulsing shaft, and she added breathlessly, “But not too fast. We for sure have to exploit the hell out of whatever expensive party stuff he’s going to try and use to impress my sister.”

Daisy pursed her lips while Carmen stroked my slick length for several seconds and then dove back into her task. I grunted and tried to find an appropriate response to the young woman’s warning.

“Why did you break up?” The question slipped out before I could really stop it. “If you don’t… mind,” I added.

“No, no, of course…” Daisy took a deep breath, running her fingers through her hair. “Yeah… I guess if anyone deserves details it’s you.”

I struggled to focus on the girl as her sister’s mouth worshipped my cock, Carmen’s soft moans thrumming up my body and ratcheting up my arousal.

“Some of it was the stuff that I already mentioned… The things that I’ve always wanted to try in bed and never got the opportunity.” Daisy’s voice was slow, like she was thinking through the answer as she gave it. “My interest in BDSM was something that Seth didn’t really get. At least, he reacted poorly the first time I brought it up. He said it was weird, and that I shouldn’t mention it again.” She sniffed, then sighed and continued. “Then though, later, he brought it back up and said we could try some things… We experimented a few times, and it quickly became clear that he enjoyed things I really… didn’t. He liked to say things, things that ended up being more hurtful than the toys we used.”

I frowned. My mind was growing a bit fuzzy as blood rushed south into my throbbing cock, but my primal caveman brain was coming to the fore. And to him, what Daisy was describing sounded like the kind of thing Seth needed to be punished for.

“In the end, though,” Daisy continued, seeming to shake off the dark memory, “I just couldn’t see us working out. This is the modern world. We don’t do arranged marriages anymore. I don’t have to date someone just because my parents like him or because they went to a bunch of effort to introduce us.”

I nodded. “Uh-huh,” I agreed. I struggled to focus. My balls were tight and my throbbing length was engulfed in the hot depths of Carmen’s throat. “But, if you already made the decision, why are we still going over to this jerk’s place for you to talk?”

Daisy glanced away. “Our parents don’t know, yet, that we broke up. Seth and I have barely talked in two months but he’s still been holding that as a threat over my head. That he’ll tell them we split and in such a way that it’ll unleash an avalanche of drama that I don’t want to deal with.”

“Mmhmm…” I could see the bind she was in. Our exes know the worst parts of us, the things that we don’t want in the light. And this guy sounded ruthless. I sighed softly as Carmen’s mouth slid up my length once again and then she parted her lips to speak.

“Seth is fine letting Daisy do her own thing, but he wants to end things for good in person. ‘Like adults.’” Carmen’s mouth was still wrapped around my girth, and I could feel her lips and tongue teasing me with her every word. She used air quotes on this last, and rolled her bright green eyes. The sight of her doing this with my cock halfway in her mouth was such a turn-on. “Really, though,” she continued, “it’s because he’s some kind of big deal on social media, and he needs video proof so that their breakup can be ‘official.’” She shot her sister a look. “Day is too nice to this guy, so she agreed.”

I swallowed, staring at the crimson-haired seductress between my spread knees. Next to me on the couch, Daisy leaned in to kiss my ear, my jaw, my throat, my shoulder. Her fingers pressed and massaged into my neck and upper back, relaxing me even deeper into the sensations.

“Mmm,” Carmen asked teasingly, flicking her tongue across the tip of my length. “Is Daddy all hard and ready to cum?” Her breath was hot on my sensitive skin.

I panted out a “yes” that was also a gasp and the word “fuck”. My body was tingling with pent up tension, and my teenage pornstar had used her expert skills to bring it all to a single, focused point.

“Then why don’t you cum in your baby girl’s desperate, willing mouth?” And with that Carmen’s lips were once again bobbing up and down my manhood, her slender fingers wrapping around those parts of me she couldn’t get with every swift, steady motion.

I’d been giving four gorgeous, supermodel babes a daily fucking for weeks. I had thought my self-control was strong. But in thirty seconds Carmen showed me how wrong I was. My toes curled down into the floor and my head fell back onto the cushions. I jammed my eyes shut and then blew out a long gasp as pleasure jolted through me. For a second, all of my problems were solved and I would never, ever have to deal with them.

Then, I blinked and my gaze refocused on the young woman before me.

She knelt between my knees with a sly smile on her red lips. She winked, then parted her lips to show me the last splashes of my load. Without breaking eye contact, she tipped back her head and swallowed, her lashes fluttering as she moaned softly.

Holy fuck… These girls were hotter than anything I could ever have fantasized. Their presence brushed aside any lingering worries in my mind.

“Don’t worry,” Daisy promised, a whisper in my ear. “Whatever Seth and I may have had, he has never made me feel the way you do.”

In the moment, her words gave me a sense of satisfaction. Later, I would worry that what she’d had with her ex was something I should actually be worried about.

It was 7 or 8 o’clock when Amber and Victoria got back from work and immediately headed into the bedroom to get changed. There wasn’t really enough space in there to handle more than two people dashing around getting dressed, so I was able to avoid one-on-one time with either of the women.

I’d given Victoria a kiss on the cheek when she entered, and the words, “I’m so proud of you for what you did today.” It was a lie, but she was in too much of a flutter to catch me in it. If anything, Victoria was even more unsettled about tonight than I was. Her protective instincts were kicking in, and I think she would have loved to get the chance to settle the Seth situation herself.

For Amber, I reserved a hug and a muttered, “Hey babe…” that sounded lame even to my own ears.

In the past few weeks, the blonde’s usually affectionate greetings had dulled to perfunctory kisses and murmured pleasantries. Today, however, she threw her arms around me, burying her face in my neck and kissing me several times on the face and cheeks and mouth. “Hey, baby,” she said. There was an odd sense of… relief in her voice. Her blue eyes met mine, and it felt like the first time in days that I’d actually looked at her.

“Did something…?” I started to ask, then cut myself off. I couldn’t raise her suspicions. I wouldn’t act like someone who was prying into her life.

Amber nodded, eyes shining, but only said, “We’ll talk later, alright? Right now is for the girls.” Then, the blonde hustled past me to get made up.

I was left with two nervous teenagers and my own imagination, which proceeded to stress me out as well. I glanced around at the twins.

“Pregame?” Carmen suggested.

“Perfect,” I agreed, leading the way into the kitchen and opening up the liquor cabinet. I had some things that I wanted not to think about.

Meeting your girlfriend’s ex is always dangerous.

It’s better when the ex seems to have moved on, because their focus is on someone other than your companion, but it’s dangerous because it can show your partner the fun times they’re missing out on. It’s easier when your girlfriend and their ex ended on bad terms. But not really, because the media has shown us so many times how that kind of negative energy can turn into the best makeup sex of someone’s life. Overall, my limited experience had taught me that dealing with Daisy’s ex-boyfriend would be something I shouldn’t look forward to.

As I raised my plastic shotglass, bumping it against Carmen and Daisy’s, I told myself not to worry. Tonight would be fine, a new beginning for Daisy and a big step for the girl—out of the chains of her past and into a new future with all of us.

Down the hatch, and I poured us all another round.

“Gah…” I spluttered, downing my second shot. The taste and the burn never improved, and trying to keep up with teenagers was already making me feel old. Next to me, Carmen put her glass down and threw me a satisfied grin.

Daisy, though, had been stopped by a hand on her forearm.

Victoria had slipped into the kitchen while we toasted, and her dark eyes were concerned. “You’re going to want to have your wits about you, cutie,” she said, and Daisy bit her lip.

“I… know…” The teen lowered her eyes, and the brunette kissed her on the forehead before brushing past.

Victoria was looking stunning in that purple dress of hers, which clung to her like a second skin and made me wish we weren’t going out for the evening after all. She kissed me quickly, then went to the sink and filled a glass of water. “I’m designating myself the sober driver of the evening,” she said, taking a sip, “so you should feel free to enjoy as much as you can. But…” and the woman held up a finger. “Remember what and who we’re doing this for tonight. Don’t get wrapped up in anything else.”

Carmen and I looked at each other, nodded, and then we all looked at Daisy.

The girl blushed and stuck a hand into the pocket of her hoodie—which she was wearing over her party dress to combat the cool air of evening. She frowned and glanced up in confusion. “Where…?” she started to say, before stopping as Victoria raised her own hand.

The older woman was holding Daisy’s white vape pen between manicured fingers. “Sorry, babe,” she said. “I’m doing this because I care about you. It’s not a good idea to indulge until afterward.”

The 18-year-old looked like she was going to protest. Then, she paused and let out a long sigh. “You’re right, Vi…” she agreed. “Thanks.” She chewed at the inside of her cheek, then said, “You’re right,” again, with a little more conviction.

Carmen, standing beside her, looked pleased.

It was only a couple minutes later that Amber bounced out of the bedroom, wearing a blue minidress that even my fledgling fashion sense could tell was a killer combo with her tan, glowing skin and golden hair.

“You look good,” I said, giving her a smile. It felt nice to give her a genuine compliment, despite everything that was going on between us, and her response was a brilliant grin of her own.

“Thanks, baby!” she said, clicking over to me on her heels and giving me a kiss that made my head swim. Her breasts molded themselves to my chest and her mouth tasted sweet and alluring. When she pulled back, she licked her lips and her eyes twinkled. “So,” she said, “we’ve started drinking already?”

By the time we left for Seth’s party, I was happily buzzed and Carmen and Amber were on the flirty side of tipsy. The two women were cuddling in the backseat of my car — the only one big enough for all five of us — while I sat behind Daisy on the passenger side and tried to think of something reassuring to say. In the front seat, Victoria drove and Daisy nervously alternated between checking her phone and stuffing it deep down at the bottom of her purse.

I tried to sound confident as I reached over the back of Daisy’s seat and gently squeezed her shoulder. “Everything is going to be fine, Day,” I murmured. I brushed the backs of my fingers down her neck, up and down, a soothing rhythm that she’d used more than once to lull me to sleep.

The girl sighed, her shoulders slumping and her head falling back against the headrest. “It’s so hard to let go…” she said.

I rested my forehead on the old, battered chair and kept up the slow rhythm of my fingers. “I know,” I agreed. “It is…” I didn’t really have anything productive to say, so I just stayed quiet and kept my fingers moving, up and down, gently, until the GPS brought us to a stop in front of a high rise building in a now-familiar neighborhood.

The high-rise had a semicircular drive, a brightly-lit lobby and, when we handed off the keys to a valet and trooped inside, the unmistakable scent of wealth. It reminded me of Starside, and was probably only half a dozen blocks away. This place was a home for the upper crust of society, the people whose bank balances looked like lottery numbers. White and black checkerboard tiles clicked under four sets of high heels, and a middle-aged man at the front desk spoke across the lobby to us before looking up from something on his desk.

“Are you here for the— Oh, Miss Evans how good to see you again.” The man’s eyes widened as he took in our group. His gaze roamed from Daisy’s face to Amber’s dress to Victoria’s calm, serious expression and my uncertain one.

“Matthew,” Daisy responded, nodding. She took a step forward, ahead of the rest of us.

“Miss Evans you are most definitely expected and welcome. And congratulations on your birthday.” The man’s eyes flicked back and forth between Daisy and Carmen as he spoke, and I noticed that he had yet to use her first name.

“Thank you.” Daisy sounded almost bored. “Will you call the elevator for us?”

Matthew blinked several times, swallowed, and adjusted his tie. “Yes… ahem, well.” He looked back at the rest of us for the first time, then down at something on his desk. “Of course, I would like to if I could. But you see, Miss Evans, I was only told that you were a party of two. It’s the list, you see…” And now he lifted what he’d been glancing down at. It was a tablet, a neat list of names running down the center of the screen. The man glanced between the device and Daisy’s face and saw the look she was giving him. He smiled, in obvious discomfort, and added, “I’m sure it’s just a simple mistake. I’ll call up, shall I?”

Daisy raised her eyebrows. “Do,” she agreed, and then turned back toward us as the man grabbed up the cordless phone on his desk.

The teenager’s eyes met mine, and I gave her a little smile. I couldn’t lie, there had been something sexy about the way she’d handled this man, the sound of subtle command in her tone and the way she used it so carelessly. I wondered if this was the way she was accustomed to acting, and felt a twinge of heat when I imagined her using that tone on me.

Really? I thought immediately. Is now the time? But I couldn’t deny it. There was something so undeniably hot about the idea of being with such an aloof, powerful woman.

Behind the desk, Matthew had lifted the phone and spoken quickly into it. “I’m sorry to bother you, Mr. Torrance, but you asked to be notified when… Ahem, yes, precisely. But they didn’t arrive alone, sir …” The man blinked nervously several times, cast another roaming glance over our group and then said, “Mr. Torrance, I really couldn’t say… Oh, I understand. A joke, haha… Yes, sir, I’ll send them right up.” He seemed uncomfortable this whole time, like he was aware of how things stood between the two teenagers and didn’t like being in the middle of it.

The man reached over to press something on his desk. There was a sound from the wall, ten feet behind him, and for the first time I noticed the elevator as its doors slid open. It looked like it was designed to blend neatly into the background.

“Please, Miss Evans,” Matthew said. “And party. Mr. Torrance invites all of you to the penthouse.”

I glanced over at Carmen as we entered and the doors closed behind. “Why the weird elevator?”

Daisy was the one who answered, making me look down again. “It’s supposed to improve on the 24/7 security this place promises residents. That’s one of their selling points.”

“Mm,” I said. “And Mr. Nervous downstairs? He’s another layer of security, I guess?”

“Yeah,” Daisy agreed. “I forgot how much I dislike that man.” She rested her forehead on my shoulder and I put my arm around her body. “He always used to check me out when I came here with Seth. Even before I was eighteen.” The girl shuddered.

“Don’t worry, cutie,” I said, glancing around at the others. “We’re here for you.”

There was a brief moment of solidarity and companionship in the elevator. Then, the doors slid open and we stepped out to face the demons of Daisy’s past.

It’s possible that I should have known right away, the moment things started to go sideways…

Seth Torrance walked across the room and people parted for him like a court before their king. It seemed almost an unconscious reaction, like the sparkly teen babes dancing in minidresses and the fraternity-looking bros beside them were kept out of his path by an invisible force. A force of personality, perhaps, or an unspoken air of alpha male command.

He had the kind of mussed-blonde hair, supermodel cheekbones and picture-perfect style that you’re used to seeing in movies or on flashy celebrities. It was hard to pin down the color of his eyes with the flashing party lights all around us, but they were sparkling with mischief and laughter. The thumping music seemed to match his confident stride.

I had to admit, as much as it pained me — Daisy’s ex was way hotter than I was.

The young man stopped in front of us and his gaze took in our group with a confident sweep. He paused for a measured instant, glancing from one twin to the other, and then met Daisy’s eyes. “Hey, Day,” he said in a voice that was somewhere between casually intimate and teasingly playful. “Want to introduce me to your friends?” He didn’t seem to be raising his voice, but we could hear him clearly despite the enthusiastic DJ.

“I’d rather we got this over with,” Daisy answered. Her voice was firm, and she spoke a little louder to make sure she was clearly understood over the music. “We appreciate you throwing us an event, but I think you’ll understand if we want to spend as little of it as possible around you.”

Seth shrugged, grinning at the rest of us like we were all part of an inside joke. “No worries, babe. You want to just get it over with right here then?” He stuck a hand into his pocket and fished out a phone. “If you like we can just do a quick video…”

Daisy interrupted him, stepping closer. “No. We’ll do this privately and we’ll film your video how I want. As we discussed.”

The young man sighed theatrically and allowed the twin to push down his phone, taking advantage of her closeness to reach out and gently run a hand down her arm. “Alright, Day,” he agreed. “Like we discussed.” Then he nodded at us. “Though I hope you aren’t inviting your whole herd.”

My eyes narrowed, but a hand twining into mine stopped me before I could lash out at the irritatingly cheerful Seth. I squeezed, and the hand squeezed back gently.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Daisy was saying, moving free of his hand, and Seth shrugged.

“Alright, no worries. We’ll have some privacy in the back.”

Before her ex could lead her away, Daisy turned away from him and kissed me quickly on the mouth. I had the satisfaction of seeing Seth’s eyes widen in surprise before Daisy stepped back and I looked down into her face. I smiled, knowing Seth was watching and enjoying the fact. “See you in a minute, babe,” I said, knowing Seth was listening and enjoying that too.

“Thanks for being here,” Daisy murmured, and then she was following Seth through the crowd as they made their way toward a staircase at the opposite end of the apartment. Her sparkly minidress was quickly lost in a sea of identical outfits.

Before they disappeared, Seth shot a single look back over his shoulder — straight at me.

Then, they were gone.

The living room space seemed to have been cleared and turned into a dance floor. A bar against the right hand wall had been overhung with bright strands of neon lights and was manned by several bartenders sporting man buns and one whose leather top barely constrained her perky cleavage. The left wall was all huge windowpanes and a door out onto a large balcony.

“Well,” Carmen said, stepping up next to me. She seemed comfortable, almost, like this could have been any normal Thursday night. It made me remember that this lifestyle, which seemed lavish and extraordinary to me, was probably pretty normal for her. “Since we’re here anyway, I say it’s time we get this party started.”

Victoria chimed in. “Shouldn’t we wait for Daisy?”

Carmen shrugged. “My sister can handle herself.” She paused, glancing back at us. There was a little frown on her face. “And I mean that. I’m not being snippy. She’s quite a mature young lady, my sister.” Her frown turned into a smile. “Seth has no idea what’s about to hit him.”

As Carmen headed toward the bar I glanced down, registering that I was still holding hands with whoever had stepped in to support me. I followed manicured nails back up a tan arm to bright blue eyes.

It was Amber.

I looked into the woman’s face, and I must have looked confused because she curled her mouth in a rueful smile.

“Surprised, huh?” she asked. I felt her fingers move and then her hand pulled away from mine. “Yeah… I know, baby. We’ve not been there for each other recently, not like we used to be. But…” She glanced at Victoria, then said, “I was hoping to talk to you. I wanted to say that I understand why we’ve been so out of step.”

Victoria looked our way now, and pursed her lips when she saw that we were talking. She seemed to have been watching the nearest twin, and gave us a quick nod. She stepped closer, leaning in so that we could hear her. “I’ll go keep an eye on Carmen, shall I?” she suggested, before following Carmen through the crowd. From behind, I could count half a dozen male heads turning to watch her sashay past. And, from behind, I could also see why they did.

“Chance…?” Amber tugged gently at my wrist and I nodded, bringing my mind back to the rising unease in my chest. There were a lot of things happening right now, but I had to let go of my worry for Daisy and focus on the much more immediate concern in front of me. Amber was saying that we needed to talk, and that line was never the harbinger of fun conversations.

We were heading around the edge of the party, toward the balcony, and Amber was quiet as we walked quickly around small knots of college-aged partiers. I caught a few more looks as we moved through the crowd.

Do they think we’re old? I wondered. Or is it just Amber’s stunning sex appeal?

Even being this close to the woman was electric. The touch of her hand in mine sent sparks down my arm and into the coiling heat in my core. I’d been spending too much time around the other women, and it had made me forget that my girlfriend radiated sex like a miniature sun. Then, we were out on the balcony in the cool evening air. The door slid shut, cutting us off from the heat and sound of the party. The energetic lighting remained, splashing colors across Amber’s face as she scanned the balcony.

There were several other couples already outside. Two girls were making out on a deck chair. At the far end, a young man had his arms around his date as they admired the view. I followed Amber to a corner of the balcony, waited as she gripped the railing with both hands and looked out over the City. I could tell she was getting up the courage to speak, but I couldn’t think of anything I could say that would make it easier for her. I didn’t even know where this conversation was meant to lead. All I had was a vague sense of dread.

“I was so excited today,” the buxom blonde finally said. She leaned forward onto the railing. Her back arced in a smooth curve, her legs and hips effortlessly alluring. I tried to ignore my instinctive urge to step up behind her, to take her hips in my hands and stroke up her sides. “And now I’m just nervous. We haven’t been clicking the past few weeks, not at all, and I’ve been so self-conscious about it. I didn’t want to bring it up, in case I made it worse, but I could tell that you were pulling away. I thought it was something I did, and then when I finally learned what was bothering you I thought I could just arrive at home and fix it in an instant. But there was this party to think about, and Daisy, and I didn’t want to put my own problems before hers.”

I bit my lip, joining Amber at the edge of the balcony and staring thoughtfully out into space. My mind was racing. I hadn’t even realized that Amber had noticed the distance between us. And what did she mean — When I finally learned what was bothering you? After a moment I asked, “And now?”

Amber glanced over, then shook out her hair and shrugged. “Here we are at the party. Daisy is doing what she needed to do. And when I saw her courage… I knew that I needed to have the guts to talk to you about what was going on. With us.”

I nodded “Alright…”

The beautiful blonde hesitated, then turned to face me full on. The look on her face sent a guilty chill down my back. “I know you’ve been following me,” she said.

Shit…

“My supervisor told me that he kept seeing a car follow me out of the parking lot, and when he described it I knew it had to be yours. He was concerned for me, but I convinced him that I could handle the situation myself when I got home.”

I swallowed, forcing myself not to look away. Shit shit shit. I racked my brain, trying to think of a response. But I had nothing. I didn’t deny it. I was flat footed, and not a great liar, in any event. “Handle it how?” I asked, throat dry.

Amber furrowed her brow, seeming to recognize my discomfort. Her next words, to my surprise, were in a hurried, reassuring tone. “No, baby! Don’t worry. It’s okay. I understand. I just didn’t want Mr. Shrike to get involved because I know he was all concerned and might have done something silly. I understand why you’ve been upset and avoiding me! It’s because you think I’ve been sneaking around behind your back. But I promise, it’s nothing. I haven’t been doing anything bad.”

I blinked, stunned. Her words were coming at me rapid-fire, one after the other, and in the same moment I was trying to understand them and also assess their honesty. This was not at all the direction I’d expected this to go. And what’s that about Shrike?

Amber stepped closer, and her hand rose to cup my cheek. “Since my lying and hiding things is what made the problem in the first place, I know the only thing I can do is come completely clean. I’m taking classes at the Brighton Barnsworth Academy. Like you’ve probably figured out, it’s a private university here in the City. I was able to transfer over most of my credits, and my plan was to finish up my degree and get out of the industry for good. For good!”

My girlfriend’s hand was on my upper arm, squeezing my bicep for emphasis. “Baby, I know I should have told you, but I wanted it to be a surprise. I wanted to move on. Move on, so that I could be your girlfriend and maybe… I don’t know, a successful woman of business. Not just some bimbo who’s not good for anything but sex.” The woman’s hand left my face, her knuckle brushing across one cheek as she sniffed. “At first, I thought it would be a fun surprise. Then, when things started to get worse between us, I thought that my big reveal would be enough to make things right...”

The blonde hung her head. “Now, I just hope that you’ll forgive me for lying and keeping things from you. I want things to go back to the way they were. And,” she glanced up. “I would love to have your support. I’ve been working really hard, attending the Academy every day, and at this rate I’m going to be finished in time for Christmas.” She was looking into my face now, blue eyes searching for understanding, for compassion.

I can’t imagine she saw anything other than shock. My mouth moved, saying the first words that fell from my mind. “Mr. Shrike? Who’s that?”

Amber furrowed her brow in confusion, but answered, “My new supervisor. I’ve been working with him for the past few weeks. He helps actors and actresses transition out of the business. He’s actually the one who introduced me to Principal Clayton and helped me transfer my credits. He’s a great guy, I bet you’d like him.”

Puzzle pieces were finally clicking together in my mind, and I made myself nod agreeably. I didn’t have to fake the uncertainty in my voice. “I’m glad you brought everything out into the open, babe. I’m sorry, too. For doubting you and worrying about what you might be up to.” I reached out and twirled a length of her hair around my fingers, putting on the mask of a smile. “I’m so proud of you for working toward this goal, and I’m so relieved that all this sneaking around and hiding things is behind us.”

Amber’s smile shone. “Really?” She hugged me, her arms wrapping around my chest and her supple body bending and plastering itself to mine. When she pulled back a moment later there was a mischievous smile on her face. “Relieved enough to give me a little reward?”

I cocked my head. “What do you mean, babe?” I was playing for time, my brain trying to process everything she was throwing at me.

The gorgeous pornstar pouted, and the expression sent a zing of arousal right down into my growing erection. “Come on…” she groaned teasingly. “It’s been way too long since you and I fooled around. Just us… Like it used to be.” She leaned forward, biting her lip, and I could see down the valley of her cleavage.

I threw out a flirty smirk on autopilot. “Well, what do you think we should do about it?”

Amber winked slowly, her teeth playing with her soft bottom lip. “I know just the thing,” she giggled. Then, she leaned back and took a slow step away. She cast a hooded glance up and down my body, gave me a smoldering stare. “Wait here,” she murmured. “And check your phone in a couple minutes. I’m going to find the lady’s room. And we’re going to have some party fun.” The woman tossed her long, golden hair over her shoulders as she clicked away. She cast me a single backward glance as she opened the sliding glass door. Then, she was striding into the strobing lights and the dancing shadows.

As soon as she was out of sight, lost in the crowd, I slumped back against the railing. Sadness and worry and regret clenched in my stomach. Over and over in my mind I turned the things that were keeping me from believing Amber’s story. They burned in my brain, keeping me on edge and wondering what other falsehoods remained.

Two facts didn’t fit together. Amber had said that her supervisor saw me tailing her out of the parking lot, and that’s what tipped them off to my noonday stakeouts. But that wasn’t possible. First of all, executive offices didn’t have a view of the road beyond the parking structure. And I had never followed Amber from inside the parking lot or structure itself, always from the road outside.

“Shit…” I muttered. I gripped the cool metal in a tight fist. What that meant to me was that Landon Shrike had learned about my stakeouts from Victoria. He’d learned that I was keeping tabs on one of his girls, and he’d told Amber to be careful of me. And now, it meant that my time to act, the time to get ahead of Shrike and protect the women I cared about… That time was over. Now, I was no longer in the position to protect them.

I would have to save them — from Landon Shrike and from TRANCE, Inc., itself.

And I had no idea how.

Bzz. The text came through at that moment, perfectly timed. Hey player. ;)

It was Amber.

I took a deep breath as I struggled for a response. Suddenly, onto my shoulders poofed the two Chances, Angel and Devil, and both of them were watching me expectantly.

Maybe you don’t need to figure everything out on your own, AC suggested. You’ve been talking so much to the others about family, and maybe that’s what family is. Having other people to share the burden in the bad times, as well as to enjoy the pleasures of the good ones. Do you really love each other? This is the time to show it…

DC scowled. You always have been, and you always will be alone. When it comes down to it, you know it’s the truth. These women aren’t your family. They’re your hypnotized playthings. You’ve taken advantage of them and if they were given the opportunity they wouldn’t hesitate to leave you.

Devil Chance was digging into an old fear, a worry that I had mostly forgotten about, and I hesitated. Who did I trust? Who could I trust? Were my feelings for these women strong enough to make me fight to keep them? It was the longest split second of my life before I made the decision.

My thumbs tapped away at the screen of my phone.

Babe… I started to type. Please come back, I need to tell y—

Bzz. My girlfriend’s next text interrupted, and I swallowed as heat stacked up in my chest. I saw you checking me out earlier. I thought I’d show you what you really want to see.

There was a photo accompanying the text, and my eyes widened.

Amber was in a large, tiled bathroom. She was completely naked. The lights were soft, caressing her curves. She leaned back, body arched, one hand holding her phone to take the photo and the other circling down under her huge, round breasts to squeeze them together. In the mirror, I could see the dark pool of her blue dress around her feet.

Bzz. Another photo. Her skin had a smooth, even tan. Her hips tilted up to meet her free hand, which had slipped down between her legs. One finger had slipped up inside her glistening snatch.

“Fuck…” I groaned. I felt my cock tenting my pants, straining against my zipper. This woman was smoking hot, and she was practically begging me to come fuck her in the bathroom of our lover’s ex-boyfriend. Did I really need to worry about anything else right now?

Bzz. A video arrived, and I clicked the Play icon without thinking, practically entranced.

The camera was turned around now, selfie style, and Amber was staring with dark, lust-filled eyes into the camera as she ran a finger down her deep cleavage. Then, letting out a breathy sigh, she popped her finger between beestung lips and sucked. Her eyes rolled back, and I could hear her moan.

Bzz. I swiped away from the video and checked for Amber’s next message, but there was nothing in our text stream. What? I tapped away, and saw that I’d received a message from an unknown number.

“What the hell…?” I muttered.

Hey player. ;) The message was identical to Amber’s.

I felt the thrill of unease return, the sensation that the world was tipping and the ground was sliding away under my feet.

Bzz. Another message, and the bouncing bubble that told me the other person was writing more.

Amber just told me that you two patched things up. She said I didn’t need to get involved. I beg to differ.

Bzz. My mind turned over, and the answer clicked. I knew who this was.

I bet you think you’re hot stuff. Mister quality control agent banging a pornstar. But don’t you forget…

Bzz. Landon Shrike’s next text was an image and my stomach dropped through the balcony beneath my feet. It was a screenshot of a series of pictures, the same ones that Amber had just sent to me. Only it seemed that I wasn’t the only audience. She was also sending them to TRANCE, Inc.’s Director of Platinum Services.

Bzz. Another image, this one of Victoria. The stunning brunette was in her work clothes, her eyes wide and glazed as she stared up into the camera. She was on her knees, and there was a straining cock sliding between her full lips.

“This isn’t happening…” I murmured.

Bzz. Another text, and all it did was drive home the sense of defeat in my heart.

She belongs to us. Victoria belongs to us. I know everything, and I made sure today that you can never use their triggers again.

Bzz. I didn’t want to read Shrike’s last message, but my eyes dragged across my phone one final time before I tore myself away.

You never truly had them, and you never will.

Somehow, in the end, the first moment it dawned on me that everything had gone to shit was when I looked around and I was all alone.

I looked out over the City, and knew that I was on my own.

Daisy was gone, somewhere upstairs with her hot, wealthy ex-boyfriend. Carmen was being a teenager, with Victoria in her usual role as sexy chaperone. And Amber… Amber was in the bathroom, sending nudes to the man responsible for using two of my lovers as mindless, hypnotized sextoys.

I swayed, gripped at the balcony railing and wondered how things had gone so wrong, so quickly. I didn’t know what to do, was overwhelmed after a day of disasters and the loss of two of my closest companions. Victoria and Amber weren’t mine any longer and, for the first time, I was forced to face the harsh reality of the situation. Daisy and Carmen weren’t mine, either. None of these women had ever really been mine to begin with. So long as they were linked to TRANCE they would be bound to the will of the sinister corporation.

Then, it hit me like a bolt of lightning from the dark sky overhead. Something I should have realized a long time ago, something that had been seeping into my mind all day. If Landon Shrike has been using TRANCE triggers to control Victoria, who was to say he hadn’t been doing the same with Amber all along? I cursed my stupidity, cursed my thoughtlessness and cursed the fact that I had realized too late. The darkness was closing in around me and I needed to escape, needed to go somewhere I could think and plan.

I was back inside, walking through the crowd of dancers with a heavy beat pounding in my temples. It could have been the music. Or, it could have been the blood pumping in my ears as anger surged in my body.

He thinks he can take anything he wants, I thought.

Ding. The elevator opened into the lobby, and I strode past a surprised Matthew and out onto the sidewalk.

He thinks that he has all the power, that no one is going to get in his way.

I realized that Victoria had the keys to my car, and instead of going back upstairs I ran four or five blocks before I slowed and called an Uber. My body was amped up with frustration, with tension, with a sense of anger and futility. Nonetheless, by the time I was inside the darkened interior of the small car I had been hit by a wave of tired hopelessness.

What’s the point? I wondered, and I could hear DC echoing the sentiment. Shrike has all the money, all the power, all the time. He probably used the TRANCE hypnosis technology to make it impossible for me to trigger my girls, and if he gave them commands then I have no way to stop him. What do I have? The “power of love”? Give me a break…

“What seems to be the trouble?”

“Hmm?” I asked, shaking my head and glancing up.

My Uber driver was just a shadow in front of me, hunched over the wheel. “I don’t usually pick up lonely guys off the street halfway into a party night. I just thought there might be something on your mind. Talking to your driver is classic therapy.”

Odd. I thought I recognized the Uber driver’s voice. But I had other things to worry about, so I shook my head, staring out the window at the darkened city streets as they sped by.

My companions couldn’t save themselves. And I couldn’t even trust them enough to bring them in on my plans. But the time to do something about it was now. Because someone was taking my family away from me.

And that… That was unacceptable.