The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

All I want to do is stay melted against Sylvia’s lips. That’s all I need, and need is so important to a woman like me. I don’t know how I’ll be able to adjust to need being so important, but I will. Rust didn’t change me that much. I remember her saying there wasn’t much to change. My current is red. My metal . . . feels gold like it used to be.

Gold, with a red luster.

My hair is red. This color shouldn’t even be possible without a bottle, but it is. It’s mine. I broke the only source of power still capable of changing me and my new ‘sisters’ back. That shouldn’t be soothing, but it is.

For better or worse, I like how this feels.

When I finally draw back from Sylvia it takes me a moment to gain my footing. These heels are pretty damn pointy, after all. Maybe I can see why I used to wear blockier ones, but I can still fly. There’s no reason to pretend I can’t anymore. There’s no reason to do anything like I used to before just because I used to. I’m not that woman anymore, not exactly, and I can never be again. I just have to make the most of it with what I have going for the new me.

“You know, you look better with red eyes than I would have guessed. Now that you know, Lia isn’t using you as a fashion accessory.” Looking up to Sylvia is as delightful as ever. That exposed star of pale flesh makes me want to just start kissing there right now, without a care for anything else in the world. Denying that need just makes it tingle hotter.

I can wait.

“Thanks, sis. They don’t see any differently, believe it or not. And they can still do this.” I flutter my eyes, and grin as they turn to gold, and then back to their new normal red. “I’m sorry she scared you like that. I’m sorry I didn’t stop her sooner. She . . . understood me in a way that no one else ever has and been happy to. She saw that I understood a singular purpose, that I understood the nature of desire even before she made me a Nesatealia . . .

“Briefly, my memories were so . . . twisted. She was as important to me as Luci—” I bite my lip. That isn’t the name mom goes by, but it’s hard. Lia’s words still feel so important, even without constant reassertion. “Sarah. She took Sarah’s place in my head, but not precisely. She didn’t understand the way I looked up to her. The way I admired her. The way I wanted to be her. Can’t blame her. Our mothers are very different.”

Sylvia nods, smiling worriedly as her hand strokes along my cheek. She thinks she understands, but I don’t think she really can understand this. We’ve discussed our experiences with Lys’s project, with Quillspawn, with our less-shared trials, and nothing either of us experienced before was quite like this.

I know that I still have the same thoughts I always did. Buried under a bit of red, I still have all of the same memories. I have the same emotions . . . if some feeling a little bit more intense here or there. I just feel this . . . hunger.

I wrap my arms around Sylvia again, and nuzzle into her star. A few moments ago I would have happily helped Rust make a whole world her helpless plaything. Knowing she had ordered me to bind Sarah helplessly to the floor hadn’t done anything to chill my own desires to fuel her ambitions. Had I even clearly remembered that before she tried to take my Sylvia away? If she hadn’t directly threatened Sylvia, I wouldn’t have stopped her. Nothing else could have pushed me like that.

And it’s all her fault.

When she had me with silver hair, I wouldn’t have stopped her no matter what. Deeply inhaling Sylvia’s scent, I can’t deny it. I was too happy to have someone who wanted me like she wanted me. When she made me into this, she changed what I was willing to do to get what I want. She changed how I valued want.

“Shit! Sarah!” Normally my metal goes away after awhile, but that wasn’t the force I was putting behind it when I trapped her to the floor. Rust taught me so much about magic. “Sorry, sis. I need to help her. Can you take care of them?”

I gesture to Flora and Psiona before breaking into a sprint and then taking to the air to reach Sarah in the chamber where we left her. What will she think of the new me? Will she be horrified by my new red hair? Will she see Aurora underneath it, or just see the same Nesatealia that caused her so much grief and kept her from having two parents when she was growing up? None of that matters. I know I’m still not thinking clearly. Everything feels red and confusing. Sarah can help.

The floor all the way there is practically overflowing with ink. I’ll need to remember to find Yana, too. Wherever she is, she needs our help just as much as Sarah. Maybe we can finally be done with Quillspawn forever.

If she had any power over herself or any distant inklings she would have made herself known.

I land in the doorway, and can’t bring myself to step in right away. There she is, just as I left her. Naked. Held down with metal that I made with half a thought but so much desire to please. My mother. The woman I look up to more than anyone else. The woman I wanted to be. The woman I pleaded with to surrender to her own sister who had kept her bound up for over a year . . .

Not important. None of that matters right now. There will be time to sort all of that out. Later.

Sarah isn’t struggling. She’s just sitting back and trying to stay calm. She’s probably already run out of magic to try. I hold out my hand, and concentrate. The metal holding her down doesn’t feel quite like mine anymore. The magic is still connected to me, but it isn’t the same. It’s . . . so pure. I have to twist my desire through that feeling of innocence to get a tight enough grasp to make the metal turn back into light and then fade into nothing.

It’s more exhausting to do than I thought it would be, sending me tumbling down to my knees past the doorway. My legs sheath in gold at the very last moment, as do my hands. Good. That still works.

“Yes! Finally free!” Sarah leaps up to her feet, looking over to her discarded clothes with a frown before moving to tug them back on. “Now I can go save Aurora and Sylvia from that madwoman . . . Didn’t know ’Rora could do that with her sparks. She gets more impressive every day. Think you’d be pretty proud of your dawn, ’livia. Wish you were here to see the wonderful woman she’s grown into. You’d be just as proud of her as I am.”

I stare in awe as she slides her long slender legs into her boots. Of course she wouldn’t blame me for what I did under Rust’s control, but she’s seen all that I’ve done. She’s seen who I am. I even told her that I’d let Jesse Colloten help me even with the strings she attached. She knows how much I’ve been dusting. Proud?

Doing that with my metal must have taken more out of me than I thought, or my transformation just took a lot out of me. It’s hard to stand. My body doesn’t feel hurt or anything, I just feel tired and weak.

I hiss in a sharp breath when I finally do manage to stand. Sarah turns towards me. Her bright silver eyes shine enough that I actually squint. Been awhile since I did that. I guess the Nesatealia gift doesn’t include staring into the sun without regrets. “Who is that. . . ? You can’t be Lia, there’s no silver in your hair. Unless you decided to get rid of it, but you seemed so proud of it before . . . Was she keeping ano—!”

She doesn’t say another word. Instead she moves faster than I’ve ever seen her move, wrapping her arms so tightly around me. She’s so much taller than me, and that makes it easy to just nuzzle and sink into her. Her scent doesn’t make me feel like Sylvia’s, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that being so close to her doesn’t make the red inside of me pulse and tingle. Need. Such a constant, greedy hunger. If I wasn’t feeling so winded, and I didn’t know what she’d been through, I’d be kissing her lips right now and pinning her down to the floor under me.

Not that I’d hurt her, or keep her here forever or anything. I just want to taste her. I want to feel her. I want to feel our desires burn and sizzle together until neither of us can remember our names. I want to taste her pride, and I want her to taste my love.

“Aurora . . . Lia told me what she was planning, to open a door to Red’s realm, to the place with all of her power, but she didn’t tell me all of why. I just knew that was bad enough. It was so hard to fight her for so long, to deny her, but I did it for you and your sister. I’m so sorry you got caught up in this, too. I never wanted the Nesatealia to be a part of your life.” Her arms hold me so tight. She feels so warm, and her gloved fingers in my hair feel so familiar if still so different. It’s strange, the way this feeling inside of me melts as much for her love as it does for the thought of her body. I’ll need to learn how my libido works all over again.

I bet Sylvia won’t mind helping me particularly much.

“Red hair . . . It’s a little too red to be like your other mother’s, but it makes me think of her. And the eyes . . . I would have thought red eyes would be creepy, but on you they just look soulful. I’m so sorry baby. Here, let me see if you need any of mommy’s special help.” Her silver lips press to my forehead, and the familiar sensation of her sweet silver current makes my knees give out, but I hold myself aloft by willing my current to keep me floating. It feels so much easier than it used to.

Her light never felt like this before. It was always soothing, different than just feeling it inside of Sylvia’s nebula . . . but now it feels so bright. I can feel it making the red inside of me feel so much more vibrant. It makes me smile. I remember the last time I felt this, she pulled me out of a sea of dust. This time, she’s helping me see that red inside of me isn’t something else . . . it’s me.

My eyes flutter shut as I press my lips into the closest exposed bit of silver skin I can find. Her neck, her chest, I’m not sure, I just know it feels soft, silver, and warm. I let my own current flow to my lips, with warm tingling desire. As soon as she quivers, I pull back, landing somewhat more gracefully on my feet.

“Thanks, mom. I needed that. Rust . . . Lia, she . . . She made me into a Nesatealia. Not like her, and she didn’t even try to mess with my gold. She tried to take your place in my mind.” I smile brightly and embrace Sarah again, so much tighter. She looks so confused. “I stopped her, Sarah.”

“B-but your hair, your eyes . . . they’re still red. Your mind feels a lot different, but you aren’t under anyone’s control. Not anymore. There was a bit of red obscuring things, but that should be gone now . . .” I can practically hear the gears in her head turning. “That doesn’t matter, what matters is that you’re safe! I’m so glad you were able to stop her, that we can have this moment together now, finally. You’ve done so well, you were a better Silver Girl than I ever was . . . and I think you have a little bit of that gift that made the Nesatealia hunt me down in the first place.”

Mom’s special light. I remember she told me when she and the Domina’s powers met each other after she’d gained control of that ability the reaction had been powerful. My own didn’t do anything, but I did just need to kiss her. Did she feel that sort of power in my lips? “I don’t know about that. I just know I’m so glad you’re okay, I’m sorry I—”

“No, no no no. None of that.” Sarah lightly baps the tip of my nose, tears forming in her eyes as she starts to sniffle. Either she starts becoming wet and blurry, or her crying reminds me that I haven’t cried yet, too. “It wasn’t your fault. I almost abandoned you because of mental control, and I almost gave you to the Nesatealia another time. I love you. I’ll always love you, Aurora. LaSilvas, or Nesatealia. Super heroine, or waitress, or data entry specialist. You’re still my special little Aurora.”

There are no words I could possibly have. I just squeeze her back, tight, and we cry together.

Sarah is finally going to come home.

It takes awhile to get Flower Chylde and Psiona to keep their hands to themselves. In part, because the first time I tried adding my nebula to the mix they just started kissing me. But now, with Psiona keeping the ink away from us, we’re following the path my sister took.

“She broke that ruby pretty good. There were barely enough bits to piece back together that weren’t just red dust. Do you think there’s any way to turn her back?” Psiona sounds more curious than worried. It’s a fair question.

“Wish I knew. All I was expecting was what I told you. To see a red eyed ’Rora? Last thing I had in mind for this confrontation. But you two did awesome. I’m going to owe you two, Counter, and Hope for a very, very long time.” Leora Is partially responsible for all of this mess so I don’t think I have to owe her anything. Maybe a nice long kiss could make us even. She was helpful, and it isn’t like she intended to drive Lia to become Rust.

Speaking of Rust, I’ve never felt a mind so . . . quiet. All I could taste in her mind when I misted her to see if I should do more to keep her from getting away was Aurora. I didn’t know she had that in her. It’s really nice to feel that important to the one you love.

One of the ones you love, anyway. Nikki is going to be amused that Aurora is a redhead now too if we can’t change her back. That is going to be one really long conversation. Hopefully the band isn’t too upset with me. I did leave a note!

Flora giggles, wrapping her arms around Heather as we walk. “I kinda think it’s a good look for her! It screams ‘rawr’ and she always needed a little . . . something? She always looked kinda sad around the edges? With those red eyes, she just looked kindof . . . ready for anything? It makes me happy to see her like that!” She has a point. I nod and giggle with her.

I can’t wait to be back home. Being back in Midas for the celebration will be nice, but what I’m really looking forward to is when we get back to New York. Maybe I’ll invite Sarah and Valerie to come with me. I can even cover her hotel room. Aurora doesn’t get a choice.

The Wardens are all still standing half in a daze, not looking sure of where they are or what they are. I’d say mom is going to have her work cut out for her helping them, but this seems like a problem for someone else to solve. Helping them become their own women again is more than what mom’s light can do. I think. I guess I never read the manual, but mom never mentioned anything quite so extreme before. Hopefully someone can find some way to help them.

When we finally come to the room where Aurora and Sarah are, my eyes tear up instantly and I can’t make them stop. Mom’s okay, she’s unchained, and two of the women I care about most in the world are sharing a hug. I run as fast as I can and fling forward to wrap my arms around them both.

“Sylvia! You’re okay too!” Sarah’s arm slides around me, squeezing me tighter. I can’t stop shaking. “I’ve wanted to talk to you for so long. We didn’t really part on good terms, and then she dressed you up like Yanuka to taunt—”

It’s been too long for me to be able to restrain myself. Aurora has been keeping her emotions on the surface, constantly thinking about mom and what she’d do when she saw her again. She never stopped for a moment, even when she was happy. I thought about it, and I worked to help her, but it’s different. All I can do is sob “I’m sorry” over and over again as I squeeze as tight to her as I can.

“It’s okay, sweetie . . . you didn’t do anything wrong. You were emotional. I didn’t take losing Jesse Colloten very well, and Nina Corvi had been pretty impor—” Aurora stiffens, and Sarah sighs as sobs wrack Aurora’s body. “Shh, shh you two. It’s okay. Just cry with me . . . we’ll cry for awhile, then we’ll . . . We have to find Lida, and Yana, and get the hell out of here, but first . . . first, you two just cry.”

I oblige, but I don’t think either of us has any choice.

“I saw Yana once or twice, but it was so long ago. My dear sweet sister was always saying that while my light was needed to open the door, it wouldn’t be enough. Something about needing a more Nesatealian touch? She only ever explained things well if it would hurt me to hear, so she took plenty of time to explain what she’d be doing but not why.” Sarah leads the way to Yana’s cell. I’m a little surprized we aren’t heading to save Lida first, but apparently she’s in a much better position than my aunt.

Considering that her ink is still flowing everywhere, that is incredibly easy to believe. Yana. My aunt. An experiment. I hated having to go against her and seeing her again without the absence having been to help her . . .

Aunt Aniela can’t be doing much better. At least there aren’t shadows everywhere. That makes me hopeful.

“Sylvie, you said all of the ink was saying ‘open’, right?” She nods, and I frown towards the closest puddle. “For her thoughts to really be that focused, for that to be the only thing in her ink . . . Spending a year here subjected to the kind of power Rust had . . . I hate to say it, mom, but you’re pretty lucky you have your light.”

Sarah shudders and nods, teeth closing around her lower lip as the lights in her eyes dim. “Very lucky. She did spend some time seeing if she could break it. My light. I tried to use that to trick her, but somehow she knew.”

The idea of someone, anyone, being able to actually fool Rust just sounds impossible even though I know it can’t be. After all, she did fool herself into thinking that making me her daughter would make me helplessly loyal. She would have been so much better off keeping me as Sarah’s daughter. That wouldn’t have included betrayal as such an easily accessible option.

“Sorry, mom. Curiosity feels . . . different now. When I want to know something it . . .” I reach out with my hands in an attempt to gesture and explain, but there’s nothing to grasp at. So instead, I grab Sylvia and pull her in for a hard, long kiss before continuing to walk. “Feels like the need to do that.”

“I-I don’t really mind being used as an example, under most circumstances, but we might not want to do that much before we all have a chance to talk, huh?” Sylvia sways a bit on her feet, and my cheeks burn. Oh. Right.

Being a Nesatealia it feels even harder to be concerned about the nature of our relationship. After all, we are half sisters. We were raised together, but would it be so odd for us to grow up with such twisted desire for each other? Who should have the right to tell us to not to explore each other? The idea sounds so silly. But then the world we come from slams back into my mind full force like it never left.

Right. I’m not a Nesatealia. I’m a LaSilvas. We live in a world where things like that are very much frowned upon. But I won’t let anyone take her away from me.

Sarah laughs nervously. “Right. I forgot we’d need to talk about that. Yes. Can we wait until we’re home? This has all been a bit . . . draining. Obviously. I don’t know if I can handle us talking all of that out. Especially with some company.” Sarah gestures to Flora and Heather. Oh. Right. They are still with us, aren’t they?

At least we took a quick pitstop to trap Rust in some of my own metal bonds. She shouldn’t be coming to on her own for a very long time, but I feel better knowing I’ve left her in the same state she made me leave Sarah.

“Noooot a worry, mom. It just . . . slipped my mind. Things feel quite a bit different now. I’m still adjusting.” It doesn’t help that Rust filled my head with so much that wasn’t just Nesatealian red. I understand Sanctuary so much better now than I did before. What I wouldn’t give to attend a party or two. They may be a bit less exciting now that there’s law and order here, but that doesn’t mean they still aren’t fun parties full of beautiful, exotic, and magical women.

There’s something special about tasting a woman’s magic. I think my red does it so much better than my silver ever did. Feeling Sylvia’s heat during each kiss is so much more intense than it ever was before.

I like intensity.

“That’s . . . that’s okay. This is going to be a big adjustment for everyone. A lot of things are going to be changing. Won’t really have much of a choice.” Sarah smiles the best she can, but it looks pained. I can’t blame her. She lost over a year of her life. It wouldn’t be the first time, but that doesn’t make it any better.

Flora walks a bit quicker to step up beside her. “You’ll make the most of it, I know you will Silver Girl! Aurora was always telling us how amazing you were at bouncing back from the worst things that could happen to anyone!”

“And Hope styled herself off of you. A little. She looked up to you, anyway. I’m sure you can recover from this, Silver Girl. We’ll all be happy to help you any way that we can. Flower Chylde and I were taking a vacation, but if you don’t mind us sticking around Midas once we get you out of here we’d be happy to help you settle back into things!”

I don’t have the heart to tell Heather that Rebeca was styled more off of Jesse Colloten than my mother. No one needs to hear that. Instead I smile because my friends’ words are making my mom stand a little taller.

I guess I did talk about her a lot back when we were a team.

“See, Rora spent all that time down in California building the Silver Girl fanclub. You’ll have plenty of people happy to help.” Sylvia smiles so bright it’s almost blinding. I really will need to get used to no longer having magic light-resistant eyes. On the plus side I don’t seem to have any color vision issues when my eyes are gold now, so that’s nice.

“Oh there’s no reason to be a fan of me. I just get kidnapped and occasionally un-fry a mind or two.” Sarah waves her hand dismissively as we finally reach the door to Yana’s chamber. It’s easy to tell because the wall sconces nearest are flowing even faster. “Now be careful, and if you aren’t a LaSilvas, don’t stare directly into the Silver Girl!”

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen mom really glow. I don’t just mean the year, either. She’ll shine or twinkle now and then, but she saves glowing like a light bulb for when she’s grappling or when it counts otherwise. The sight is really magnificent.

Silver light slowly rises out all over her skin like someone slowly turning up a dimmer switch. Her finer details get harder and harder to see, all of it blurred out by so much bright silver light. She really looks so . . . beautiful.

I really need to learn how to reign this new libido of mine in, because right now the thought of Sylvia and I welcoming Sarah back home is entirely too intriguing.

Valerie would probably want to help, too . . .

Sarah kicks open the door with a swiftly raised boot, and her light loudly crackles and pops at the impact. There’s so much ink everywhere. Past Sarah I can make out the entire floor is lightly covered except for a raised dais where Yana is hanging from chains very similar to Sarah’s. Unlike mom, Yana wasn’t allowed any clothes. Also unlike mom, she doesn’t have a drop of defiance in her.

The word drop might be in poor taste.

Sarah holds her hand out, and a series of sparks fly out from her hands and burst against the ink coating the floor. It pops and sizzles away, giving us room to follow her in. The easier it is to see Yana, the easier it is to be sure that she is naked, and the only thing she’s wearing is ink.

Ink is flowing from her eyes like tears, from her black lips like drool, from her nipples, from between her legs . . . all past a slick, wet mantra of “open” whispered over and over again in the most distant voice I’ve ever heard. It’s like she doesn’t even know what the word means, she just knows that the word is the most important thing in the world and if she chants it long enough everything will be better.

The dais at Yana’s feet dimly glows red as the ink pours over it, and the sconces around the room are glowing that same red. Obviously they’re somehow connected, but I’d need so much more time to figure out how it worked or how to replicate it.

What I don’t need is any time to figure out how to stop it. I kick off of the floor and hover past Sarah, giving her a quick wink as I move in front. “Just a moment, mom. I think I can help get Yana out of this.”

I hold out my hand and fire a concentrated burst of red at the dais. As it impacts, I clench my first, and the light turns into red shimmering gold, digging in to help my magic penetrate Rust’s. I can taste her intent weaved through the floor, and the slow constant siphoning of Yana’s energy. I can taste Yana’s power, too, as Rust’s suckles it away to make this entire structure one big portal.

Yana’s power tastes so . . . exquisite. It’s desire, but it’s so much more. It’s purpose. Where the Red wants, her ink demands. There’s no alternative. It just is. It’s such a simple, perfect twist. It might even be turning me on.

I clench my fist tighter as I softly mutter under my breath, focusing on the twining magics. When I can feel my red penetrating the core of them, I open my hand, and when the metal dissolves into a big burst of light, the dais cracks and splits open down the center quickly pooling with Yana’s ink.

“It was drawing it out of her, the mantra was because of the way Yana works. Her magic is so . . . persuasive. That combined with enough of the right kind of power could probably do anything.” Obviously I already knew how Yana’s magic worked, but tasting it, I understand why it works. I know why Sylvia couldn’t resist it, and why Zandra’s only chance in the end was to be locked away under magics that bound her to her purpose.

But with enough of Rust’s ingenuity, and an endless supply of Yana’s ink, I can see how even that wouldn’t be enough. How could anything? What that ink wants, will happen.

It’s just too bad that Yana couldn’t find a way to put it to better use.

Sarah gives a slow nod before sighing and shaking her head. “Yana . . . I’m so sorry. I thought . . . I was sure I’d fixed everything. I know you can’t hear me now, but we’ll talk about this. We’ll get you help. Real help. I’ll stick with you every step of the way. I promise.” Sarah presses her lips to Yana’s lips, and there’s more of that slick popping sound as her ink sizzles and crackles away, but it’s so much quieter.

Especially as Sarah’s light gets brighter, so bright that even Sylvia turns away. Something white and red behind my eyes pulses in response. Maybe I do have that same light inside of me after all.

When the light dims enough for me to look back over, Sarah is pulling away and Yana looks . . . very different. Her hair is still black, and her eyes still look slick and wet, but she looks alert. She looks like Yana, even if not the way she always looked when I was younger. I always used to think she had the prettiest blonde hair.

Having a little crush on my aunt when she rode around on a motorcycle saving the day really shouldn’t be a surprise.

Knowing now that she was going around indulging that hunger we both share, that crush just feels reignited. If I have Sarah’s light, I can resist her just as well as mom can. And if that’s so, I’m one of the few women who can risk kissing Yana and tasting the depth of that certainty in her ink.

My libido really can calm down any time.

“I . . . Sarah . . .? You . . . Lia told me that she’d broken you, that . . . that she . . . oh if you’re here that means she didn’t get in. Good. Good. You stopped her, I . . .” Yana’s voice sounds so shattered and raspy. It makes sense. So much of her was just drained away. Sarah’s light can help her think again, but it can’t give her back all of that energy. It takes a lot out of you. I’d know. “S-so you know everything now . . .”

“I do. And we’ll talk. And get you some help. " Sarah is such a noble woman. After all she’s done, Sarah still wants to help Yana. “But for now . . . I saw some of what you did. I don’t trust you. Not yet. Can you at least try to behave until I can get you someplace that can help you? I don’t want to spark you senseless, but I will.”

What would I say if I was in that same position? What could I say? The air is unnaturally silent. The ink is no longer flowing, and it’s even starting to sink into the floor and walls. The portal won’t be open for much longer. That’s really for the best.

A part of me feels sad about it. There have to be so many other powerful trinkets like the ruby . . . but I don’t even trust myself with that kind of temptation. Who could?

Yana shakes her head with a very tired smile. “Sarah . . . I can’t beat you. We both know it. Let’s just behave ourselves as best we can for now. You did just piece my mind back together. Lia . . . Lia did a number on me. Tore everything out so many times . . . taught me about our mother’s ambitions for me . . . that I failed to live up to Yanuka’s hopes when she was cast aside . . . I’ve never seen a woman so enraged. So furious. Freeing me from that . . . My torment would not have ended when she succeeded. I’m at your mercy.“

Sarah just nods. “Got it. Sylvia, you feel okay with that? I . . . figure you should get a say.”

That means Sarah really did see a lot of our misadventures. It makes me wonder why she didn’t already know I was working with Jesse. Did Lia not want her to see that? It would be uplifting, to see Dust on her side, and The Lady too. I need to thank them both. The Lady would understand this hunger, and I think Dust just might share a variation.

Sylvia slowly shakes her head. “I don’t really think there’s anything I could say. You brought out a very dark part of me, Yana . . . but even I was hoping they were helping you here in sanctuary. Where’s Aniela?”

“Lia mentioned she was being kept with Susan. Outsiders that had no business being involved, but couldn’t very well be running free. I saw Lida once, too. Don’t know where she was being kept . . .” Yana lets out a long heavy sigh, slowly shaking her head. “Poor dear didn’t deserve being taken with me to this place. No matter what sort of monster I may seem like, I never meant to hurt her. She was always so loyal, so loving . . .”

Sylvia stiffens, and I reach out to curl my fingers between hers. Does she worry how easily that could be her, saying that about me? While my new desires make it feel like that would suck long term, for a week or two, it could be pretty fun. Maybe we can see if it sounds fun to Nikki, too.

So many things to consider.

“I know, Yana. Happy endings. Always happy endings. I haven’t forgotten.” Sarah sighs and slowly shakes her head. “Can anyone break these chains holding her up? I don’t know how to do the finger snappy thing our ‘sister’ did.”

I really hope Lia isn’t going to sour Sarah to Sylvia and I.

Before I can open my mouth, Heather is talking and closing her eyes. “I can cover it, Silver Girl!This place isn’t really designed to counter my abilities at all.” The chains bend and twist before snapping like a bunch of sandwich ties. She has not lost her touch at all. “Nothin’ to it!”

Yana falls into Sarah’s arms, and to say the look shared between them was complicated would be simplifying it way too much. There’s understanding there. Sarah does have all of The Domina’s memories. I wonder if they ever met . . .

Too bad it would always be awkward to ask.

“Thanks. I’ll take care of the issue of my nudity . . .” Yana looks down over herself with a disappointed sigh before slowly shaking her head. Ink drips down along her arms from her fingertips. Instead of soaking her, it all drips away, leaving her in a glittery black dress complete with elbow length gloves and high heels. “Well then . . . let’s find Lida.”

Everyone nods in almost perfect unison. As long as she’s okay, this should turn out all right after all.

Walking with Yana in tow is uncomfortable. She looks ravishing, and every time I meet her eyes I know she can feel me like I feel her. We’re connected. Whatever happened when her ink made me feel just how much a part of my power is thanks to her isn’t turning off. Being this close to her again, even after so long, I can almost feel her inside of me.

She tried to control me, and I tried to suck everything of her out to feed an emptiness I’d been repressing all my life. We’re more than even. Since I orchestrated this rescue effort, she owes me.

More concerning is the way Aurora keeps looking at everyone. I can still feel through my mist that she wants me, that she’s happy to be holding my hand, but I can feel more too. I can feel . . . lust. There’s no other word for it. She’s dripping with it. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t turn me on, but it’s still different. She’s always ready to go, but she’s usually more . . . simmering. This is craving. Considering the difference she’s holding up pretty well.

Still, the look she gives Yana, Flora, Heather . . . even mom. It’s like she could pounce any of them at any moment. She feels so powerful. So alive.

Somehow it’s hard to not feel happy for her having so much drive, but wow is it odd.

Most of the rooms in this place look empty. For a woman who wanted to bring back the Nesatealian way of life I imagined she kept all sorts of slaves. Except for the still dazed Wardens, there’s really no one here that fits the description. I guess she wanted to keep a low profile? Even still that seems unusual. Was she too busy putting all of her plans in order to keep around a pet or two?

Why am I upset that she isn’t keeping slaves? I don’t need proof of her twisted nature. What she did to me and Aurora would be enough. What she did to mom seals it.

Finally we find a room different than the others. When we walk in, it looks like something that should be reserved for either a very young girl, or a fairy tale. Everything is pastels, mostly various shades of pink. The furniture is all sickeningly over the top stylized like a doll house.

Something tells me that this was left over from Yanta’s time here. I can’t see Lia decorating like this, even for a mocking purpose. It’s too . . . nice. Not as in pretty, but nice as in kind.

There’s a large bed in the center of the room, and at first it just looks like there are two very large dolls laid against each other. That’s when I realize that one of them has tattoos peeking out from under her dress, and the other is my grandmother. “Aniela! Susan!”

“Mom!” Sarah dives onto the bed, wrapping her arms around Susan protectively. Lida’s magic has kept Susan looking young, not as young as Sarah, but still pretty young. Now she looks a thousand times younger with the dull, thoughtless expression on her face. “Oh that bitch. She didn’t just do this to spite Lida . . . been awhile since I broke one of these, but I’ve done it before.”

Sarah presses her lips to Susan’s forehead, and a long, slow pulse of light shines where they meet. Not as bright as with Yana, but still pretty damned close. When she pulls back, Susan is slowly blinking open her eyes, looking so painfully confused.

This is going to be one long day of explanations.

“S-sarah? W-where . . . One moment I was with Lida, and we were just relaxing, and then there was a knock on the door . . . Lida told me to run, and then she slumped to the floor, then . . . this woman, who looked so much like you, walked in and . . . am I wearing a frilly doll dress?” It’s impossible not to giggle at how Susan’s voice goes from confused and concerned to a more ordinary horrified at being poorly dressed.

“Sorry, mom. It’s a really, really long story, but you’re gonna be okay. And let me change that dress for you. Then you can get a nice long hug from Nebby and ’Rora while I fix up your playmate here.” Sarah wiggles her fingers over Susan’s dress, and little sparkles fall from her fingertips. Slowly the dress changes into a pair of faded jeans and a loose blouse. “That should be better! Sorry, more explanations in a bit, hopefully Lida will be able to help some, too. Just gotta be the light bearer a liiiittle bit more today first.”

Sarah pulls away to start fixing up Aniela, and on cue Aurora and I rush over to give Susan a big hug, squishing her between us. I don’t need to be misting to feel how relieved Susan is. I don’t need any power at all to feel how nice it is to just be held and comforted by family.

If what she remembers is everything, and after Sarah’s light it’s hard to say it isn’t, she spent over a year dressed as a doll. I don’t even want to know what mom was referring to as seeing in her head.

A loud gasp from Aniela pulls me out of my thoughts. “N-nn! S-sarah . . .? But you dissappeard, and . . . now you’ve found me again.” Her voice sounds so very confused. Given she was probably inked up for my entire life, this isn’t terribly surprising.

“Yeah . . . sorry I let you down. Used a bit more light this time, shined up your shadows and everything. Powers might take some relearning, but there’s no ink left inside of your head this time. I promise.” I’ve never heard mom sound so guilty about anything before. Maybe when she was talking to me after what happened with Aurora before I went to New York? It’s not a voice I like hearing. I give Susan a quick kiss to the cheek before moving to give Sarah a hug.

Not remembering a year is pretty shitty, but remembering years of mistakes is a lot worse. She needs a little comfort, too. I’m definitely not rushing back to New York, as much as that is what I want more than anything else right now.

“It wasn’t your fault, Sarah. You did your best for me, for all of us. I . . . can we get out of here? My head hurts and . . . I have a feeling being here is a very long story.” I’m really glad no one insisting on knowing all of the details. I have a feeling that would make this take a very, very long time to sort out.

Sarah nods, and I pull away from her as she casts a quick bit of magic to replace Aniela’s dress with a pair of black slacks and a black t-shirt. “We just need to find one more person, then we can get going. I have a feeling she’s going to be the worst of us, too.”

Thinking back to how much Lia’s situation, her whole life, was all to blame on Yanuka abandoning her at the LaSilvas temple I’m certain mom is right. We’d all thought Lida went missing because she’d be most adept at finding Sarah. I’m sure that played a role, but Lia would have kidnapped her anyway. If Lida had known about Lia I’m sure she wouldn’t have abandoned her, but that doesn’t really matter now. Not a whole lot matters besides Lia didn’t win. She just got entirely too close.

Aurora gives that same look to Aniela, but not to Susan. I’m not sure I know why Susan gets a pass. We’ll have a lot to talk about once this is over. Mainly, I think Aurora is going to want to work something out the same way I’ve worked out groupies with Nikki.

“Stay close – we don’t know what other kinds of secrets might be hidden here. This place did used to belong to the first Nesatealia I ever met. Lia only made it her own, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a nasty treat here or there waiting for anyone snooping around.” Sarah leads the way out, and we all follow close behind.

Just one more stop.

Aniela looks so dazed. Yana keeps making eyes at her, but then quickly looking away. Whatever their relationship really was under all of Quillspawn’s ink, it was something important to Yana. I want to offer a hand to Aniela, to give her a hug, something, but I’m not sure I trust myself.

Those tattoos all over her body, all I can do is think of them. All I can think is how lovely it would be to tease my red into them and kiss my way down to where they end, and then back up. I can restrain myself for now, but if I gave in a little . . .

We’re walking so close, but she still takes me by surprise when she takes the hand Sylvia isn’t holding. Her grip is tight and firm, and I can feel her shadows flowing inside of her. Whatever worry Sarah had about dislodging them definitely didn’t dispel them. They’re dark and strong as ever. If she’d been sent after me by Yana to do anything more than slow me down and stop Prism from being at my side, I wouldn’t have succeeded at getting to Midas at all.

I squeeze her hand tight, and lean towards her to softly whisper. “It’s gonna be okay. We’re all here for you. I promise. We won’t let anything else like this happen to you again.”

It was so silly of us to just let Zandra take her back to Sanctuary, but without mom around who else did we know that wouldn’t instantly succumb to Quillspawn’s ink? Even Mystic couldn’t make her way through that stuff without being enveloped in it. We were trying to be responsible.

Aniela nods, but I can tell she doesn’t completely believe me. That’s okay. I’m not going to trust someone else to work this all out. I’m not going to abandon Sanctuary to it’s fate, either.

Things are going to have to change to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

This building is way larger than it feels like it should be. There are so many empty rooms full of beds that look so lived in. Did Lia sleep in a different room every night? Did Yanta use some magic to keep everything nice and neat even without any upkeep? I’ll need to find out that spell if she did. I hate dusting. Well, the regular kind of dusting. The other kind . . .

Though the more I think of her, the more I just want to taste how the source would feel again. She’s always gotten the drop on me, but I’ve always wanted her to. What would it taste like, how would it feel, to be the one claiming Dust? I could fill her head with so much red she’d be moaning for a week.

This is going to take so much getting used to. No seeing Mystic for this, either. I’m sure she’d just end up twisted around that red filling me as much as I am. I doubt she’d appreciate it much.

Finally, after going down what must be three flights of stairs, we find a large sealed door. It takes another of Sarah’s sparked up kicks to pry it open, and the large blast of red and silver light when Lia’s magic is dispelled is so intense it almost knocks me on my ass.

I don’t quite know what I was expecting to see. Lia’s magic was potent, and she knew how to use it. I knew she had a Warden rod and had been experimenting with it for a long time, but I didn’t imagine she’d done . . . this.

Lida is hanging from the ceiling, only it takes a long time to realize it’s her. Her black hair is hanging down like Zandra’s braid, only black. Red leather straps are wrapped all around her body, squeezing so tight. Red light pulses from them every few moments, and I don’t need to be closer to feel that it’s the same red as the red in that whip. A bright red ball is trapped in Lida’s mouth, held in place by red leather straps over her cheeks. A matching strap is tightly held over her eyes.

She’s been like this for months. Drool has made a puddle under her on the floor, and there’s another formed under her crotch. I’ve never imagined such unbearable agony. Need doubling with need doubling with need . . .

I can feel something else, too. It feels a lot like what I felt from Susan and Aniela before Sarah set their minds free, but I don’t recognize it. It’s not red, but it’s not the way silver tastes, either. That’s some powerful magic though. Lida hasn’t stood a chance. Her hands are bound up at her back, and her legs so spread apart.

Just a few whips from that same magic and I was rubbing myself raw. Months of that agonizing need. . . .

Sarah holds out her hand and blasts the straps with her magic, and all it does is make Lida scream loudly through the gag in her mouth. “Shit. I can’t dispell it . . . Uhm . . . Sorry, I don’t think we met . . .”

“Psiona. Or Heather, really. I trust all of you. I was one of Aurora’s teammates down in California. And . . .” Heather gestures at Lida and the straps holding her to the ceiling snap all at once before she’s slowly lowered to the floor. There are several more loud snapping sounds of tearing, ripping leather before the straps fall loosely around Lida, revealing her not naked like I would have guessed, but dressed in temple robes.

That would mean she couldn’t even feel the friction of her bare flesh struggling against the leather. Rust was such a monster. I don’t know if there’s any way to help her, but if there is . . . I definitely wont mind if it means I can mingle my red with hers again.

Sarah kneels down, and slowly draws Lida into her lap. I don’t know how Lida is doing anything besides mauling Sarah with her lips or desperately trying to pin her to the floor. That much red, for so long, could it have just burned her out?

I remember Lida saying that The Domina burned herself out with too many sparks, but that was a very different scenario. Icarus powder was involved. Dangerous stuff when you have light powers. The Syndicate used some against me once, and it was not the most pretty thing in the world. It took Tunnel a long time to get me to stop just staring at my own sparks.

Sarah presses her lips to Lida’s forehead, and the light shines brightly as when it was Yana. Maybe even brighter. When it stops, Lida’s scream is so loud I pull Aniela and Sylvia as close to me as I can.

“It’s okay, Lida . . . mom . . . Lia put a—”

“She m-m-made one of my rods . . . shoved it into my head, then had m-me pose s-so i-it would be easier for her to bind me up, hang me from the ceiling . . . to-told me so-so much . . . W-would take me down, j-just to tell me more . . . to string me back up . . .” Susan rushes past me, bending over to squeeze Lida so tight and close. Lida’s voice barely sounds like hers anymore. All of that playful maturity, all of her wisdom, all of her certainty . . . she just sounds frazzled.

More and more an idea is forming in my head of the only way I can respond to all of what’s happened. I don’t know if anyone is going to like it. But we can’t let something like this happen in another twenty years, and I can’t lose Sylvia.

When did life get so complicated?

“It’s okay, Lida. I’m here. We’re all here. I don’t know what happened, but we’ve made it through so much together. We can make it through this, too.” Susan is so supportive. Even without any magic, any power at all, she’s so full of life, so full of desire to help. Maybe I’m gaining an attraction to mothers, too. That could be dangerous.

I give Sylvia another long slow kiss, savoring her heat as I let her savor my red. Even with this new hunger inside of me, there’s one woman that I love most of all. She doesn’t need her heat to feel that, to know that, but I can feel her use it anyway. Now that everyone’s been found, we can finally leave, and that’ll be one step closer to us spending the rest of our lives together.