Storiesonline.net
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                               Child Magus
                            by TechnicDragon

Copyright© 2012 by TechnicDragon


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Description: When the girls start falling ill to the draining effects of his powers, Seth sets out to find more Fonti. However, between attending classes, lacking the understanding of the fundamentals of his own heritage, and stumbling onto issues greater than his immediate problems, can Seth find the strength to cope or will he cut and run?

Codes: MF Mult cons mag bi het fant D/S Mdom span group harem 1st oral anal pett size BBr sch
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Chapter 1



A long line of women spanned before me, fading off into the darkness. I couldn't see any of their faces, like the light was directed at their bodies and left their identities hidden in shadow. Their bodies varied from tall to short, plump to slender, dark to light, and everything in between. No two were the same in appearance, but all of them were laid back in the same position - with their legs pulled up and spread wide, offering themselves to me. I moved down the line, stopping to shove myself into each one for a few strokes before moving on to the next. It felt good, but I didn't know if it was supposed to be a wet dream or a nightmare.

I woke up and it felt like I was still having sex. I was covered by a sheet, but it didn't lay flat on me. Someone was under there, and as the fog of sleep and the images of my dreams subsided, I suspected who was hidden from sight. The sensations were unmistakable, and by lifting the sheet I confirmed that Danielle had her rose colored lips wrapped around me.

She pulled me out of her mouth and smiled. "G'Mornin' sleepy head."

I wasn't sure how to respond, her smile brought one out of me too, but the memory of my dream lingered and I didn't like the implications.

For the last few weeks I had been struggling with the idea that three women, Danielle being one of them, enjoyed not only my company, but my body in their beds. Every night since the end of my Initiation, I was with either Jordan, a vivacious brunette with not only an incredible lust but a body to match, Danielle, the redhead happily slurping on the crown of my penis currently, and Jana, a lesbian who recently discovered how much she enjoyed the company of a male body too. There was a twisted part about the situation too – I didn't actively do anything to either encourage or discourage their actions. I didn't fight them, because their attention was all too welcome, but I also didn't demand anything either pretty much for the same reason. The part that bothered me was that there were three of them, they knew about each other and me, and no one had shown the slightest sign of jealousy. I knew it wasn't normal, but then again, neither was I.

Danielle took me further into her mouth and then made a noisy show of letting me slip out again. I moaned, but then chuckled when she looked at me. She was such a cheery morning person it almost made me sick, but I couldn't grouse about her either. "Are you guys out of coffee again?" I asked.

She shook her head, licked the tip of my penis, and said, "No, I prefer protein to caffeine." Then she slurped me back into her mouth and put more effort into getting me off.

After the end of my Initiation, Danielle moved in with Jordan. The apartment only had one bedroom, but they didn't seem to have any problems sharing. I wasn't privy to whether they slept together in Jordan's queen sized bed, but every chance they got they teased me with hints of that possibility and more. However, on nights I spent with either of them, the other usually went over and stayed at Jana's apartment. I tried to argue that I didn't need to stay the night and thus put someone out of their own bed, but they simply looked at one another, smiled, and shook off my arguments.

I smiled at Danielle and tried to relax. She always got what she wanted from me and any disagreement from me was ignored. I had also learned that Jana was apparently teaching the redhead about her crazy tongue technique, something that would drive me to the very brink or orgasm in seconds. Danielle didn't have the stamina to keep it up for long, but when she used it, like now, I couldn't stop myself from writhing all over the bed.

Determined to not let me wiggle away, Danielle climbed up on me. She kept her lips locked around about the mid-point of the length of my shaft and settled her thighs on either side of my head.

I automatically wrapped my arms around her hips and did my best to give what I got. With three women to learn from and practice on, I had quickly learned what it took to tease, to finish, and to drive them all absolutely nuts. Considering what Danielle was attempting to do to me, I went straight for absolutely nuts.

Having something to concentrate on offered me two advantages. I was less focused on what Danielle did to me, and she lost much of her focus bringing me off. The result? I had to hold her down while she squirmed above me.

Danielle continued nursing on me until she recovered, but after coming down from her orgasm, she redoubled her efforts to get what she wanted from me. I lapped at her leisurely and fought to hold off as long as possible, but she inevitably earned her reward and my struggles shifted to restraining from choking her by shoving myself as deep as possible in her throat.

Even though I had only been awake for a little bit, my body had also been exerted more than expected, and I simply let my arms and legs flop down on the bed. Danielle cleaned me up with her tongue and then spun around to kiss me. It was a ritual I was used to, never shied away from, and didn't see myself changing for anything in the world.

Once I could move, I rolled both of us over toward the bathroom. Her morning ritual notwithstanding, I had to relieve my bladder. When I finished in the bathroom, the redhead slipped in past me to do the same.

I found my pants, put them on, and went to the kitchen. Jordan had recently stocked up on food and I helped myself to some orange juice and toast. She didn't keep a clock in her house, so I found the remote and turned on her television to the morning news to find out the time.

The reporter was talking about another missing woman, the fourteenth in as many weeks. I remembered seeing the report about Francine's disappearance, and though I didn't dwell on it, I still didn't like the fact that I had seen her only the night before she had been reported missing.

Danielle came out wearing my favorite oversized t-shirt of hers, the one with Winnie the Pooh. She kissed me on the cheek and got herself some milk. She sat next to me, took a sip and said, "One of these days, I'm gonna get you to make me a real protein shake."

I almost spewed my OJ across the table. I glanced at the glass of milk she was holding and gave her wide eyes.

She smiled and took another sip.

I shook my head and the reporter on the TV said the time. I only had twenty minutes before my first class. "I've gotta go."

Danielle sat there and watched me jump up, get dressed, and grab my school stuff. Only when I was ready, and she was finished with her milk, did she slip on her shoes, grab the keys to Jordan's car, and lead the way out. It drove me nuts that she didn't get ready to go while I did. She told me before that she liked watching me, even if I was getting dressed or simply cleaning. Part of me had to admit that I liked watching her too.

Danielle had classes to attend too, but they didn't start for another hour. Jordan was at work. Jana had offered both of them jobs, Danielle accepted and worked afternoons and weekends. Jordan, however, found a job in sales somewhere and wouldn't answer my questions about it. If she told Danielle and Jana, which was possible, I didn't know.

I didn't have any real bills to speak of. My dorm was paid through the semester, and I had a food account through the University Center. I didn't have a car, but I hadn't had need for one either. The only places I went were to school, my dorm on campus, and either Jordan's or Jana's apartment, depending on which of the three of them had laid claim to me for the night. Usually it was Jordan or Danielle, because Jana worked longer hours at her restaurant, the Verve.

Danielle stopped at the closest street corner to Woolf Hall. I gave her a quick kiss, though I wanted to make it longer. She pouted when I broke it, mirroring my sentiment, but she let me go. I had to run to get to class on time.

After my Initiation ended, Danielle had warned me that attending random classes before declaring my major would be both a waste of time and money. We talked about it, and agreed that my test scores made me a good candidate for the University's School of Architecture. There were better programs all across the country, but I had been desperate to get away from home and simply took the first school I had received an acceptance letter from. I thought I was lucky that the school offered any kind of degree I might have some success in. Not that I wasn't capable, but up until I had arrived, I hadn't really worried about what my future would hold for me.

The one class I didn't understand was my first one of the day, Political Science. I could memorize and regurgitate the information in the text, but I had never been interested in government or politics. If anything, politics had been one of my biggest problems at home, though not as a class I had taken. Yet, the only reason I could fathom for the class toward my degree in Architecture was understanding city structures and what parts of the government I would have to deal with for purposes of zoning and other such restrictions in the design of the building. However, since the class wasn't focused on any one aspect of government, but the overall interactions and functions, all I could do was attend and do my best.

I sat in the back of the class just as Professor Woods started. I didn't like having to be in the class, but she made it worth it in ways I hadn't expected. Even though there were three women who were more than happy to have sex with me, I found myself scouting out others. I had taken to thinking of it as window shopping. I wasn't going to do anything, just enjoy what was there to see. Professor Woods was easy on the eyes. She was tall, slender, and leggy. She wore glasses and had long wavy blonde hair she kept piled on top of her head when she lectured. Today she was wearing a white blouse and brown suede skirt. As tall as she was, she didn't need heels, but she wore them all the time. Her appearance wasn't the only thing that held my attention though. She put a lot of energy into her lectures, making sure we, her students, paid attention or participated.

A minute after I arrived, someone else came in and sat a couple of seats over from me. The auditorium was far from full, but interrupting Woods's lecture would be rude. Knowing I wasn't alone in that regard, I glanced over at the other late comer.

A very cute brunette was pulling out a notebook, pen, and what looked like a voice recorder. She caught me looking and asked, "Did I miss anything?"

I shook my head, "Just her hopes that our weekend was fun."

Of course, her question and my answer probably caused us to miss some detail that would be important on a test later. I glanced at her recorder, thinking she could share that tidbit if needed. After all, she had been the disturbance. I spent the rest of class wondering what that detail had been. Even with Jordan, Danielle, and Jana vying for my attention each night, I found time to read the text. I was sure I could fill in almost any gap when it came time for a test, but it bugged me that I had missed it.

At the end of class, the girl appeared to be in a hurry to leave, probably so she wouldn't be late for her next class. We danced side to side, trying to get past each other and wound up colliding anyway.

She fell back and landed on her butt. Her shapely legs splayed and her arms caught behind her so she didn't accidentally hit her head on any of the surrounding desks.

The other students filed out around us and I couldn't help but stare at her for a second while she gathered herself.

I held out my hand to her. "Sorry about that."

She looked up at me dubiously, realized how she was sitting in her skirt, and squeaked under her breath while slapping her knees together. She blushed furiously and looked everywhere but at me.

"If you don't get up soon, you'll probably be late for your next class," I said and moved my hand a fraction of an inch closer.

She looked up again and finally took my hand.

I helped her up, not realizing how light she really was, and almost pulled her too hard.

She caught her balance with wide eyes and beet red cheeks. For a second her hand lingered in mine and she seemed very distracted. I didn't know what to do to help calm her down. I said the first thing that sprang to mind. "I'm Seth." Yeah, that was going to help, sure.

She smiled a nervous smile. "Hi," she said quietly.

I waited to find out if she was going to tell me her name and realized she was staring. I offered a small smile. "Well, looks like we'll both be late for our next classes."

That snapped her out of her reverie. She blinked and frowned. Her eyes widened and she said, "Dammit."

Without another word, she sped past me and out the door. Other students were filling in for the next class and she fought her way through them and out of sight.

I shrugged and mumbled, "Nice to meet you too."

My next class wasn't too far away, over in Preston Hall, but it was on the second floor. I finally got through the incoming crowd and knew I had to hurry to be on time.

I got to the building and up the stairs. At the door, I was too fixated on being on time to notice another person reaching for the handle too.

My hand enveloped hers on the door handle and I looked up into the eyes of one of the girls from my English class. Even though we were at college, away from the politics and drama of our respective high schools, she was probably the most popular girl in our class. There were lots of girls, more than a three-to-one ratio in our class, but all of the guys gravitated toward this one. Normally, I sat towards the middle of the class and she sat near the front, but no one could miss the reason for all of the male attention she received.

We both pulled back from the door handle at the same time. I grabbed it again and pulled the door open. Fighting to keep my eyes above her shoulder level, I nodded toward the open doorway. She smiled and tucked a long, straight, dark brown lock behind her ear before walking through. We weren't late, but each of us made it to our normal seats just as Professor Swafford spoke up.

Near the end of class, Swafford asked a question that no one else dared to try to answer. I had already developed a habit of only raising my hand when no one else did so the class could move forward without too much delay. In the last two weeks, this was only the second time I had to do it.

I answered his question and noticed the brunette looking at me. Everyone else around her had their heads turned in my direction too, but they were really stealing glances at her. She smiled again and turned to the front.

After class, she walked right up to me and asked, "How did you know that?"

I looked up from putting my stuff in my backpack. I couldn't help noticing, and for a heartbeat appreciating, her endowments. Short of Jordan, she had the biggest breasts I had ever seen. However, to both answer her question and to show her the respect she deserved, I looked directly in her eyes. "I got it wrong in high school." It was a lie. I had known the answer then too, but in my effort not to stand out anymore than I had to, I missed it on purpose. No one else in that class had gotten it right either. "You learn more from your mistakes than from lucky correct guesses."

She nodded slowly, thinking, and took a breath to say something else, but one of our classmates, Neil, stopped next to her.

He wasn't as tall as me, closer to her height, had dirty blond hair and dressed in a Polo style shirt and denim shorts. I saw a glint in his eyes that bespoke his true intent regardless of what he was about to say. I knew he was one of her bigger fans. "Hey, I'm heading to the UC for lunch. Care to join me?"

He was smooth, I had to give him that, but I was certain he would suggest stopping by his place or going somewhere else en route so they could be alone. I didn't think he meant any harm; he simply wanted to get to know her better, in a physical sense. I couldn't argue with the idea, but I wasn't going to act on it.

The brunette smiled and shook her head. "I've got another class in a few minutes, but thank you." I thought she was really very polite about her decline.

He nodded and looked appropriately disappointed. "Okay, maybe tomorrow." It wasn't a question for her, more like something he was saying to himself. Then he walked away.

I watched him for a second. Sure enough, he leeringly glanced at her back. What I didn't understand was his furious glance at me. I hadn't been the one to send him away. For that matter, I barely knew her or him. Everything I knew, I had observed during class.

The brunette stood there waiting for me. I didn't know why at first, but when I stood up to leave, she asked, "Do you mind if I walk with you?"

I was mildly surprised. "What about your next class?"

She glanced toward the exit. "I don't have another one for an hour. I just didn't want to go to lunch with him. He gives me the creeps."

I nodded. "Sure, no problem." Being around Jordan, Danielle, and Jana had eased a lot of my anxiety around pretty women. If she had asked to walk with me before the semester started, I probably would have burned cherry red in the face and ran. However, this was a simple situation with no expectations and therefore no reason for me to feel anxious. I was simply going to my next class and she happened to be going the same way.

She looked a little nervous, so I held out my hand. "My name's Seth."

She nodded and shifted her bag to her other hand. She shook mine with a double squeeze. "Leanne."

We walked out of the building together in silence. "Where are you heading?" I asked once we were outside.

"My dorm, Brozos House," she said. "You?"

I thumbed back over my shoulder. "Psychology," I said and looked around the plaza. I didn't see Neil anywhere so I stopped. "Coast looks clear, and my class is in the opposite direction of your dorm."

"How do you know that?" she asked.

I tapped my temple with my finger. "Memorized the campus layout."

She smiled and shook her head. "I'll see you Wednesday then?"

I nodded. "Same English time, same English channel."

She grinned. "What?"

I shrugged. "An adaptation from an old TV show my friends told me about." It was Danielle who mentioned it. I would have said girlfriend, but our relationship was more than that, and less. Besides, there was also Jordan and Jana to consider. If I claimed one then I'd have to claim the others. They were all my friends, so that was an easy way to refer to any of them.

"Okay," Leanne said nodding. "See ya then."

I waved and watched her turn and leave. After a few seconds, I turned the other way and headed off to my last class of the day.

For the first time, I was actually late for class. Professor Dumont looked up when I walked in and before I could take a seat at the back, she pointed at me. "I see we have a volunteer."

Great. What was this about?

Everyone turned and looked at me. I had felt slightly nervous in English, when I answered Professor Swafford's question and got looks from the class, but this was very different. I stood there, frozen.

Professor Dumont waved me down. "Come down here Mr. Connors."

I looked around and shifted between feet without moving. From the look on her face, I knew she wasn't going to let me out of this.

She waved me down again. "Come down here, Mr. Connors. I was asking for a volunteer when you walked in."

I made my way down the auditorium to the front of the class. I could feel everyone's eyes on me and didn't like it in the least. The teacher's assistant, Katrina, sat to the side of the stage watching me too. I felt like some kind of test subject about to be condemned to some horrific experiment. Considering the Professor wanted a volunteer, that feeling was probably right.

In an attempt to keep my nervous energy focused on ... well ... anything, I looked the Professor over. She was attractive, and looked younger than Professor Woods. She had curly blonde hair with highlights, penetrating brown eyes, and a square jaw that added to her attractiveness rather than remove from it. She wore a navy blue skirt suit that did more to accentuate her figure than hide it.

Personally, I didn't care how she dressed or dolled up her hair, but I didn't know what to think of her. She was a long list of contradictions. I didn't have time to go over the list though. She had moved on with her lecture while I had been pre-occupied with her appearance.

"As anyone can see, Mr. Connors has chosen to distance himself from as much attention as possible when isolated – a sign of his introverted nature. He'll interact with others when required, but no more than necessary," she said.

I listened intently, especially considering she was using me as a guinea pig rather than letting me sit so I could take notes.

She continued on, talking about the fundamental aspects in every personality. She acknowledged that though we all had those same key structures, our life experiences and knowledge of the world sent even those with identical basics in different directions of life.

I glanced over at Katrina during a lull in the professor's lecture, hoping she might give me the okay to sit, even if in the front row of the class. The brunette was watching me in return and lightly coughed when I looked her way.

Professor Dumont stopped talking instantly, but instead of looking at Katrina to find out what the signal was for, she looked at me. The rest of the class was quiet. They had even stopped writing to watch.

"Is there something you wanted Mr. Connors?" Dumont asked.

I glanced at the rest of the class and then at the Katrina.

Dumont looked around at them too. "They can't speak for you, Mr. Connors. You have to speak for yourself."

I frowned at her and sighed, but before I could draw another breath to speak, Dumont turned to the class. "Confronted, he won't even speak up for himself." Then she returned to her lecture as if nothing had interrupted her in the first place.

Frustrated, I turned toward the rest of the class to have a seat, but before I made two steps, Katrina signaled and Dumont called, "Mr. Connors, where are you going?"

I spun around angry. "To sit down so I can take notes before I miss the entire class."

Dumont's eyebrows rose and she looked at the class. "He speaks!" A titter of laughter ran through the class and I could feel my face burning.

I took a deep breath and let it out to cool down. Regardless of how well I might test in any given subject, I seriously doubted an angry Professor would be forgiving enough to remain objective, especially in a somewhat subjective course like psychology.

Dumont focused on me again. "For today, Mr. Connors, you will remain where you are, and standing. If you want to take notes, you are free to do so. However, if you move again before the end of class, then you might as well take this with you on the way out the door." She held up a yellow slip of paper that was used when a student was dropping a class. It was also used to change to another class too, but I understood her intent. "From now on, I suggest you be on time," she said, dropping the slip on the table and turning back to the class.

Once again, she picked up her lecture where she had left off. I scrambled to pull out my notepad and pen, and left the rest of my stuff on the floor at my feet. I didn't get in all the detailed notes I preferred, but I wasn't going to let her punishment of my tardiness stop me from doing what I was there to do.

When the class ended, I wanted to escape as quickly as possible. However, Dumont was standing over me when I finished putting everything away. I stood up and slipped my backpack over my shoulder. Katrina stood nearby, watching us.

Dumont looked at me. "As I told you at the beginning of the semester, Mr. Connors, punctuality is a must in my class. If you cannot be on time, you might consider changing over to an instructor who has more tolerance for such things."

I stared back into her eyes and said, "I won't be late again."

She arched an eyebrow. "Very well. See that you're not." She turned and looked at her assistant. "Katrina, make a copy of the class notes for Mr. Connors. He missed an important lecture today." Without a backward glance, Dumont stalked off to a side door.

I was confused, and glad she didn't see it. Why would she punish me, make me take shoddy notes and then give me what I needed? I would have thought someone as strict as her would have made me get the notes from another student on my own, to help enforce her lesson. It was another contradiction that made her difficult to read, much less anticipate.

My anger forgotten, I looked at Katrina. She had long chestnut brown hair that flowed down her back almost to her waist. Her green eyes flicked over me with a touch of humor in them. She was about the same height as Dumont, but her outfit wasn't as concealing. She wore a dark gray silk blouse with enough buttons undone to show off the center edge of her white bra. A dark brown sash rode on her hips at the top of her skirt, which was short and offset her pale legs very nicely. There was something about her though, something I couldn't put my finger on.

"Do you have another class coming up?" she asked me with a soft voice. "I wouldn't want you to be late."

I shook my head. "No, this was my last class today."

She nodded and turned, indicating a door at the end of the lecture hall, opposite from where Dumont had gone. I nodded and followed her. Oddly, being around Katrina I couldn't stay angry. Without actually talking, I simply understood that she required a delicate hand, not that I was going to handle her or anything.

The door led to a small office packed with filing cabinets and a copying machine. I was surprised at the lack of a computer and printer and asked about it.

Katrina shrugged. "Professor Dumont prefers paper records to computers."

I stifled my chuckle. "She does know that the rest of the world has adapted, right?" I used a word Dumont enjoyed using in every lecture.

Katrina nodded. "She knows," she said while making copies of a file. "But she's more comfortable with this."

I glanced behind me to make sure the Professor wasn't sneaking up on us. "But if her office is over there and you handle the files in here, wouldn't it be your comfort and skills that decide how the files are stored?"

Katrina shrugged. "Probably, but these are her files, so she decides how they're handled."

I glanced at the filing cabinets with a new idea. "Is there any way you could get me copies of the lecture notes for the rest of the semester so I can skip the classes and go straight for the tests?"

She smiled and put the file back in its place. With that soft voice of hers, she said, "But then I wouldn't get to see you any other time." She handed me the notes, and turned to leave the cramped office space.

Perplexed, I followed her out. "So, along with the rest of the class, you enjoyed watching her bully me, huh?"

Katrina turned around with a look in her brown eyes that I didn't understand. "You were being punished for being late. She didn't bully you."

She left something unsaid. Probably something important, but I couldn't decide if I wanted to know or not.



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Chapter 2



Still a little upset with Professor Dumont and just as confused about Katrina, I walked back to my dorm, Trinity House. I wanted to drop off my books before heading out to get something to eat. The day had been one inane little incident after another and though I knew it had nothing to do with karma, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe the universe didn't want me to remain idle and mediocre anymore. I had done that for four years at home, struggling to stay below the proverbial radar while working and doing what I was supposed to do so I could move to a college far enough away that no one from home could influence my life. Balance was a bitch.

My dorm was closer to my Psych class than the UC, and though I was tempted to go eat first, I decided that I needed to go to my room and sort of check in with my belongings. I had a roommate, Danny Novato. He was cool, but I usually only saw him on Mondays after I was done with classes. We would talk for about twenty minutes, and then he had to leave for some intramural sport I wasn't interested in. He had tried to talk me into it, because of my size, but the rest of his team had filled the spot before he could get me to commit. To be honest, I was relieved. I had enough issues without taking on extracurricular activities.

I crossed West Nedderman and was close enough to the corner to the entrance of Trinity Hall to see the way several guys were stumbling over each other as they left. They were all looking back at someone or something. Curiosity forced my remaining confusion and irritation out of me, and I turned the corner.

Jordan was standing next to the entrance, dressed casually. Of course, for Jordan, dressed casually was no less intense than if she had decided to doll herself up. She was wearing a plain white tank top, jeans, and a pair of red open-toed high heels. Her clothes hugged her curves, showing off everything she had in that sexy, teasing way that got the blood racing and made men, like the ones I had just seen, forget what they were doing in the first place. Her long light brown locks ended in lose curls around her impressive breasts and when she looked my way, I caught the blue in her steel-blue eyes.

She smiled at me and I shook my head at her. She blinked, looked herself over and said, "What?"

I chuckled. "Nothing. I thought you were at work."

Her smile vanished and she stepped close to me. "I came home early. Danielle called from the apartment. She left class early, feeling faint."

Fear shot through me and I frowned. "Faint? You're sure it wasn't just something bad she ate?"

Jordan shook her head, hooked her arm through mine and guided me toward her car in the parking lot. "No, I looked her over when I got home. It's the first sign."

I felt all the air go out of me, like someone had punched me in the gut. "But she looked fine when she dropped me off this morning."

We stopped next to her car and she fished in her pocket for the keys. "I wish I could say for certain that she's just come down with something, but none of us can take the chance." She pulled out her keys and hit the button to release the locks.

We got in, and I tossed my backpack in the back seat. "So, what do I need to do?" I asked. I was certain what the answer was going to be, and just as certain I wouldn't like it. Jordan hadn't let me forget her warning after my Initiation had ended.

She started the car up. "You need more Fonti. There's no getting around it." She looked at me. "If Danielle is feeling like this now, there's no telling how long before Jana or I will be in the same condition."

"But doesn't it affect each of you differently?" I asked, wanting to get as much information as possible before making a decision. "Couldn't she simply be more susceptible or something?"

Jordan shrugged. "I've been told that, but Seth, if Danielle's feeling like this after only a month, what does that say about your powers?" She put the car in gear and pulled out of Trinity Hall's parking lot. "Don't get me wrong. I wish it was something mundane, but we really can't take the chance."

"And abstaining isn't an option?" I asked.

Jordan rolled her eyes toward me. "Do you want to be the one to tell Danielle and Jana they can't have sex with you for a week or more?"

I looked away from her sheepishly. "Actually, being that you're our expert, I thought you might suggest it."

"Oh, no you don't," she said. "You're the magus, you have to take responsibility." We stopped at a light on South Cooper. "Besides, even if we all agreed to your idea, and everyone recovered perfectly, there's no way to know when we'll come down with the symptoms again."

I groaned. It wasn't the lack of sex that bothered me. It was the idea that when the girls came around looking for attention again, and they wouldn't wait very long, that I might hurt them. I hated that part of my heritage, and Jordan was insisting that I add more to our group, put more women in that kind of danger. I tried to explain my concerns to her.

"Lover," she said gently, "if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, forget it. We're not leaving. That leaves you one other option."

I sat back and watched traffic go by. After the light changed, Jordan turned south and drove. I was lost in my thoughts, trying to think of a way to give the girls what they wanted and keep them safe at the same time. If Jordan was giving me the honest opinion of the other two, I didn't see a way around it. I didn't like it, but I didn't have another choice.

Before long we arrived at the Parks at Arlington Mall. To me, malls were fine if you were going clothes shopping or maybe to some of the bigger movie stores, but since I had plenty of clothes and didn't have a TV or DVD player for movies, I couldn't understand why we were there.

Jordan parked but left the engine running. She turned to me. "Okay, we're going to make you a fetish." From my expression alone she knew she would have to explain. "A fetish is a device through which you channel your magical energy. It's designed for a particular purpose or spell, so you don't have to remember the incantation or gestures to make it work."

I nodded. "Okay, sounds easy enough. What do we need?"

"Well, the first question to ask is: what spell or purpose is the fetish for?" I nodded and she continued. "In your case, to gain more Fonti. Now, since you're done with your Initiation, you don't have the supernatural Charm that event granted."

I nodded again and was glad to not be attacked by hordes of horny men and women. However, it was beginning to sound like Jordan was about to suggest something similar.

"The difference between the innate ability and a fetish is that when you take off the fetish, the power stops," she said.

I nodded. "Okay, it has an on-off switch, but when it's on, I'll have to be careful where I go, right?"

She shook her head. "That's the cool part about a fetish. It can be tailor made to work on select groups of people."

I nodded in appreciation of that tidbit. "Then what do I need to make one?"

"Okay, you need a Charm fetish that only attracts women," she said.

"Can we narrow that down a bit more?" I asked. "I don't want to wreck any marriages."

She nodded, "Sure, but we can't be too specific."

"How about avoid anyone in a serious relationship?" I asked.

She shook her head. "The best we can do is avoiding anyone in a relationship. They have to willingly leave the relationship in order for the fetish to work."

I nodded, getting excited at the prospects of building something that millions of people would pay tons to get a hold of. Then I remembered why this was necessary and that exuberance was gone like a candle flame in a strong breeze. "Couldn't we make a fetish to keep you guys safe instead?"

Jordan shook her head slowly. "magi have been trying to do that for a long, long time, but no one's ever figured it out."

I slumped in my seat. "Okay then. What do we need for this?"

"We need an object to represent each component of the spell: two or three items for the kind of people you want to attract, something to represent your magic, and something as an attraction agent."

I blinked, trying to think of things she was suggesting. "Okay, but what kinds of items?"

"Well, the attraction agent is the easiest, so we'll get that last," she said. "The magical agent can be found at another store I know of, and the other items should all be here at the mall."

"But what items?" I was getting frustrated with her elusiveness.

She smiled. "That's up to you. You're the magus."

I rolled my eyes and slumped back in my seat.

"Relax," she said, killing the engine. "I'll help you."

We got out of the car and walked into the mall. Being that it was lunchtime, there were plenty of cars and most of the patrons were on the food court, but the place wasn't very busy otherwise.

"First we need something for you to wear the fetish on," Jordan said. "A simple chain is best."

I nodded and we walked around until I spotted a cart with necklaces and rings. A simple chain was only five dollars, but I only had ten on me. Jordan was flat broke.

"How do you pay for gas to get back and forth to work?" I asked, bewildered.

"Jana loans me and Danielle money," she said waving away my concern. "Besides, this is a good time for you to learn a simple spell too," she said.

The guy working the cart frowned at her. I turned away from him. Jordan took my hand and pulled me from the cart. "C'mon."

She led me into a corner store built into the mall next to the entrance. We waited behind a woman buying scratch-off tickets. After she left, Jordan stepped up to the cashier. "We'll take two five dollar tickets."

My eyes widened. I snatched her elbow and pulled her back. "What are you doing?"

She smiled, gave me a peck on the lips, and said, "Relax, Seth. I've done this lots of times." Then she turned to the cashier again and nodded at him. He looked past her at me and I nodded. I wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of using my only ten for a gamble.

With the tickets in hand, Jordan led me out of the store and to one of the many benches along the main halls of the mall. We sat down and she scooted over and pressed close to me. Her excitement was almost palpable. "Okay, this is really easy. What I used to do was draw a small dollar sign on the back with a pen. When I scratched it off, it would be a winner, usually between twenty and fifty dollars."

"So what's the spell?" I asked.

She shrugged. "That's it. Concentrate on the dollar sign you draw."

I snorted. "No words? No incantations?"

She shook her head. "It's a simple spell. It only lasts a few minutes and only affects the ticket you draw the symbol on."

"So why did you buy two tickets?" I asked.

Her answer was simple. "Practice."

"Okay," I said taking one of the tickets. "Do you have a pen?"

Her eyebrows rose. "Well, your magic is a lot more potent than mine was. I figure if you draw the symbol with your finger, that'll be more than enough."

"You sure?" I asked.

She nodded. "Just concentrate on having a winning ticket while you draw the symbol. That's the magic, your force of will."

I shook my head, thinking we had just wasted my last ten dollars, but I closed my eyes and with my fingertip drew a dollar sign on the back of the ticket. Under my breath, I repeated, "Winning ticket," over and over.

I didn't feel anything happen, so I opened my eyes and looked at Jordan. She handed me a nickel. I took it and played the game on the face.

At first, I wasn't sure I was seeing things right. One of the squares I cleared looked like the grand prize icon on the side, but that couldn't be right. I looked at Jordan and she was staring at the ticket with her mouth wide open.

I looked again, read the instructions on the side, and studied the icons. I had a grand prize ticket worth thirty thousand dollars.

The first words out of Jordan's mouth were, "No way!"

I glanced around to make sure no one else was too close. The halls were mostly empty. The closest people were heading into a clothing store more than twenty yards away and didn't even look our way. I looked at Jordan and said, "I think your simple spell needs some work."

She looked up with a manic grin. Holding up the other ticket, she said, "Not if it happens twice."

I shook my head. "No. I'm not doing it again. This is too much already. We can't even cash this at the store."

She rolled her eyes. "There are a lot of people who would love to be able to do what you just did."

"There are a lot of people who need the money more than I do," I said. Oddly though, I didn't see myself giving the ticket to the first needy person to come along.

"Seth," Jordan said in a softer tone. "You didn't do anything wrong. Nothing anyone could prove anyway."

I frowned at her. "But I know what I did."

Her smile didn't fade in the least. "All you did was ask for a winning ticket. The magic did the rest. I once had a two hundred and fifty dollar ticket."

I sighed. "You said between twenty and fifty."

She shook her head. "I said usually. That ticket helped me out of a jam. It was good to have the money."

"If this was only two hundred and fifty, I wouldn't feel so ... so..." I couldn't find the right word.

"It's called Winner's Guilt," she said. "A lot of people feel it when they win, like they don't deserve it."

I shook my head. "If I didn't feel like a cheater, I would probably be as happy about it as you are. As it is, we don't know whether I was just really lucky or if the magic did the work."

She rolled her eyes. "If you want to find out whether it was already a winning ticket or the random element of magic, play this one." She held out the other ticket.

"Random element?" I asked, ignoring the ticket for the moment.

She nodded. "That's what I call it. You can't control it to the point of absolute precision. Nature isn't like that."

"magic isn't natural," I said.

"Sure it is," she said. "Think about life. We don't know what makes anything live. If we did, we could build people and animals without procreation. It's a form of magic that's accepted by everyone."

I couldn't argue with that logic. "Okay, but I seriously doubt Texas would believe me if I showed up with two grand prize tickets."

She nodded. "True, so adjust the spell. First, don't draw the symbol. Just take the ticket, think, 'Winning Ticket' one time, and hand it right back."

I considered the idea. "So, I'm lowering how much effort I put into the spell."

She nodded. "Exactly."

I stared at the ticket in her hand. "Have you ever had a ticket that didn't win?"

She shrugged. "I had one that gave me back my five dollars. I took it as a sign that I needed the money for something else."

"That happens?" I asked.

"Rarely," she said. "It's like the magic is trying to tell you something you hadn't thought of."

I nodded. "Okay, then let's try this."

She handed me the ticket. I thought, "Winning ticket," and handed it right back.

She played the game and smiled at me. The ticket was for fifty dollars. She bumped me with her shoulder and stood up. "C'mon."

I got up and we went back to the store. The cashier congratulated us on the fifty dollars and paid it out right there. Jordan told me to show him the other ticket. "The store gets a bonus for selling winning tickets. It'll help them out."

I nodded, held it up so he could see, and asked, "Where can I get this cashed?"

Unlike me, he didn't need to check the icon twice. His eyes grew wide and he burst with laughter.

I glanced at Jordan thinking there was a joke I was missing.

The cashier pulled out a Polaroid camera and when I looked at him again, he clicked a picture of me holding up the ticket.

I was a little confused and watched him airing out the developing picture.

He was still laughing when he held up the picture so I could see. I looked like I had seen a ghost. "It's the best picture of a winner I've got," he said. Then he turned to a section of wall with several other pictures. All of the winners looked excited. I stood out due to my expression. He looked at me again and nodded at the ticket in my hand. "Call the number on the back. They'll confirm everything and tell you where you can go to cash it." He held out a business card. "They'll ask what store you bought it at, like your girlfriend said. This is my info."

I nodded, took the card and slipped it and the ticket into my back pocket. As excited as he was about my win, none of his antics assuaged any of my guilt.

Jordan and I left the store with the fifty she got from the second ticket. I decided to hold off on cashing the first ticket until I had a working fetish. If the fetish did what it was supposed to do, then I could more readily accept the grand prize ticket.

We went back to the cart with the silver jewelry and bought me a chain. While we were looking, I pointed out the rings. "Couldn't a woman's ring represent both women and relationships?"

She nodded. "Yes, but you want women not in a relationship."

"Okay, this is confusing." I looked at her. "What did you use as a Charm fetish?"

She looked at me with a pout and blinked her eyes several times. "What? Don't you think I can charm a man into bed?"

I glanced at the guy working the cart and how his eyes darted away from Jordan. "I wouldn't doubt that for a second. What I mean is when you got your two Fonti, what did you use?"

She turned and hooked her arm through mine, leading me a few steps from the vendor. "I only needed magical and personal elements for my fetish."

I frowned. "Are you saying that I don't have what it takes to charm women?"

She stopped and looked up at me. "I'm not saying that Seth, not at all. Danielle, Jana and I are lucky to have you. But you have to acknowledge that you are new to the whole situation. New as a magus, and new at seduction. Some men have the natural skill but most don't. Don't take it wrong, okay?"

I shook my head. "No, but you've got it backwards. I'm the lucky one."

She smiled and kissed me. "C'mon, let's find this stuff so we can get you more lucky women."

We went back to the cart and I picked out two simple, silver rings, one for men and one for women. I wasn't sure how this fetish would work, so having both seemed reasonable. Besides, there was always the possibility I might need one or both in the future.

We walked through the mall and I had to ask the question that had been burning a hole in my head. "How many of these fetishes have you made?"

Jordan glanced at me. "Why?"

I shrugged. "Well, you should have a better understanding of what I need, but you seem to be guessing as much as I am."

"To be honest," she said, "I never had much need for long term fetishes."

I frowned. "But you said they're better than memorizing spells."

She nodded. "Not better, just easier, but think of it like a gun. You fire a gun, you're going to maim or kill something."

I nodded. "Simplistic but okay."

"My point is it has a specific purpose," she said. "However, like with the Luck spell, you can adjust for potency, purpose, whatever when you use a spell."

I sighed. "Ah, okay. I see what you're saying."

She nodded again.

"And that means you've never made a fetish," I added.

She shook her head. "Nope. I know the basics, but I've never had need for them."

"Then we need to talk to someone who knows," I said.

She frowned and nodded. "But we can get the magical and attraction agents first."

I looked around at the stores we passed. "Where do we get them?"

She smiled. "I know where to get the magical agent," she said and then she led me toward the exit.

We left the mall and stopped at a hobby shop. We walked around the store until we found boxes and boxes of different types of stones. She was looking for a particular stone. I looked too, though I wasn't sure what she had in mind. To me they were all just pretty rocks. When she yipped, I turned to find her bouncing toward me. She held up a small amber stone. "Your mark is amber, so we need amber stones."

I nodded. "Okay, how many?"

She held open her other hand, showing me about half a dozen or more. "We only need one per fetish. The others are for any fetishes you might need in the future."

We paid for the stones and she had me hold them. "They have to attune to your magic."

I nodded, not sure what that meant, and pocketed them. "Now what about the other thing?"

She grinned mischievously. "For that, we'll go back to my place."

I knew what that grin meant. "Aren't you worried about getting hurt?"

She sighed. "This is to help you gain more Fonti. If I'm down for a week and it works, that'll reduce the chances of this happening again."

"So, you're taking one for the team, so-to-speak?" I said flatly.

She nodded and grinned. "Go team!"

We got to her place and slipped inside. Danielle was asleep on Jordan's bed. I went in and knelt next to her. She stirred and looked over at me. "Seth," she said sleepily. She reached for me and snagged my hand. "M'sorry, Seth."

I leaned in closer, cradling her head. "You're sorry? What about?"

"I got sick," she said, her voice pitched high.

I pressed my forehead to hers. "No, Red, you don't have anything to be sorry about. This is my fault, and I'm gonna fix it."

She nodded, but was so groggy I doubted she knew what I was talking about.

I kissed her forehead, tucked the comforter in around her, and left her in peace.

Back in the living room Jordan said, "How is she?"

"Sleeping," I said and shook my head. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do for her?"

She shook her head. "It sucks, I know, but that's why we're making this fetish."

"Yeah, just so I can put more women in danger to reduce the chances for all of you," I said with a bad taste in my mouth.

"Hey," she said, tugging on my shirt. "C'mere."

I followed her around the couch and sat where she wanted me.

She knelt between my knees and ran her hands up my thighs. "I wish there was something I could tell you to make this easier. For a long time, I thought magic was something that could fix anything, and then I found out that not only was magic as chaotic as trying to predict how many branches a tree will have, but there were side effects too."

"Side effects?" I asked. "I know what could happen to you, being my Fonti, but what else could happen?"

She shrugged. "If a spells goes wrong, it can be bad."

I thought about it for a second. "That could be true of anything."

She nodded. "Exactly, which makes magic no more special than anything else. If anything, it acts as a shortcut to things you could get by other mundane means." Then she looked at my crotch. "Speaking of getting things..." She rubbed me through my jeans. "We still need that attraction agent."

I shook my head. "Then my attraction agent is what, exactly?"

She looked up. "I know you're not that dense. The most powerful aphrodisiac to a woman is a man's semen." She pulled open my jeans and buried her face in my crotch.

I couldn't help but smile at her exuberance. Yes, I felt bad for Danielle, guilty as hell for that matter, but not having any choice on how to proceed, all I could do was slouch down in my seat and allow Jordan all the room she needed to work.

Jordan sat up straight and wiggled her chest between my legs, pushing my thighs further apart.

"Wouldn't this be easier if I took off my pants first?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes up to look at me while she used both hands to fish me out through the open zipper. "Where's the fun in that?"

I shook my head, not sure what to think. Even after a month, Jordan continued to surprise me when it came to sex. She had her preferences, but we hadn't done anything she was reluctant to try. Then again, I didn't know what I might suggest that would make her turn up her nose.

I felt her fingers grasp me. I was hard and eager for what she wanted, regardless of the method of extraction. Just being able to touch – especially skin-to-skin – was thrilling. The same was true with Danielle and Jana. Jordan said it was an attribute of the bond forged between me and my Fonti. Touch was similar to a drug, but without the drastic mind alteration or the horrible side effects. The only form of withdrawal any of us might feel would be if the bond was broken, no matter how gently. Unlike chemical drugs though, getting over that withdrawal was more like getting over a bad breakup. There was no physical dependency a real drug might form.

Honestly, it sounded less like magic and more like love, and I didn't believe all three of them were really in love with me. Don't get me wrong, I cared for all three of them, I wanted them to be happy, but I wasn't in love. I couldn't have been, not with all three. Regardless, considering how all of them acted around me, it wasn't like I could deny what was happening between us.

Jordan drew me out into the cool apartment air. Her hands felt warm, as did her breath. I shuddered in anticipation and watched Jordan lower her lips toward me. She engulfed the glans and more than half of my length all at once. She kept two fingers wrapped around the base to hold me steady, and sucked greedily.

I couldn't stop the moan that escaped me. It wasn't like I tried though. Unlike when Danielle woke me up earlier, I couldn't just lay back and let Jordan do everything. I wanted to touch her, to feel more of her skin pressed to mine.

With a surge of energy, I pushed her from me and stood up.

"What are you doing, Seth?" she asked, looking slightly stunned.

I shook my head at her question, ignoring it. I worked feverishly to get my pants off and said, "Take off your shirt."

She hesitated for only a fraction of a second. In a quick move, her shirt was gone, thrown back over the coffee table. Her bra flew back too and her breasts, marked by the way her bra had constricted them to her chest, were bare. Her nipples were erect, easily as big as the tips of my pinky finger.

I finally kicked off my shoes and pants and sat down again.

Jordan pressed her full, warm breasts in around my erection and both of us moaned at the contact.

There was nothing else either of us needed to say. Jordan sucked me back into her mouth, slathering me up for what we silently agreed to, and I cupped her breasts, squeezing and massaging her mounds.

The one magical aspect to my bond with Jordan had been inheriting her nipple sensitivity. I didn't recall my nipples ever being sexually sensitive before my Initiation, but ever since the first time we lay together I had been. If the girls so much as brushed against one of my nipples accidentally, I would grow erect in seconds. Jordan told me that if she had a penis, she would be even worse off. Knowing that, I rolled and lightly pinched her nipples.

She whimpered with her lips wrapped around me and then released me. "Now, I can't take any more of that."

I nodded and pressed her breasts around my throbbing shaft. Between the two of us, we moved more than enough. Her skin was so soft and warm, her cleavage felt almost as good as other more intimate areas, but we were both so charged up we didn't have to go that far.

Jordan angled her head down so that when my crown appeared at the top of her cleavage, I slipped between her wet lips.

I felt her tongue rapidly wash across the very tip of me each time. I squeezed her breasts, making sure to add pressure to her sensitive nubs in the process. I wanted her to enjoy this as much as I did, not simply stay disconnected or objective in the effort to get what we needed for my fetish.

It turned into a race to see who would get who off first, a race that we both enjoyed no matter who won.

I felt the first stirrings of my orgasm. I was close, so I re-doubled my efforts by holding her breasts around me with finger clamps on her nipples alone.

Jordan moaned deeply, which vibrated both through her lips and along the crease at the center of her chest, where her breasts met. I was utterly surrounded by the sensation and couldn't hold back any longer.

My initial eruption went straight into her mouth. Jordan pulled her lips from me and coughed.

I was too far gone to think about her actions beyond that. I closed my eyes and grunted as rope after rope of my pearly seed gushed out.

When I relaxed and could see something other than stars, I looked down.

Jordan had her arms wrapped around her breasts, holding them in place with me in the center, barely peeking out of a pool of my semen. There were droplets and strings of the stuff here and there too, all over the tops of her breasts and upper chest. There was even one long string that ran from her chin, down along her neck, and ended in the pool.

Jordan smiled up at me, doing all she could to keep everything in place. "Now for the tricky part," she said. "We need the vial on the coffee table behind me."

For a second, I didn't know what she was talking about, but then I remembered the reason for this in the first place. I looked past her and saw a tiny capped glass bottle. "Should I reach for it?" I asked.

She glanced down at how she had her arms occupied. "You'll have to. If I let go ... God, you came a lot."

I smiled. "I had good reason to," I said and stroked her cheek. She smiled and I thought there was a touch of blush too, but I couldn't be sure. I placed a hand on her shoulder and sat up slowly.

Though she had a tight hold on her breasts, Jordan couldn't stop me from slipping out. I stopped only a couple of inches from the vial. "How big of a mess will this be if I pull out completely?"

She shrugged. "I don't think it'll matter. We've got to get up sooner or later."

I nodded and eased forward again. Jordan moaned and I grabbed the tiny bottle.

Some of my seed had leaked down onto her belly when I pulled out, but she closed the gap as quickly as possible, retaining the pool.

I removed the lid from the vial, scooped up some of the pearly stuff, and recapped it.

Once that was done, Jordan stood up and made her way to the bathroom. I heard her turn on water, probably to wash off. She came back a moment later with a wet washcloth and knelt between my legs again. She smiled up at me while wiping away the semen on me. "You know, I've never seen anyone cum so much in a single orgasm."

Jordan had been with other men before she met me, as a former magus who not only accidentally awakened my powers but ended up giving me everything she had. She had two lovers, referred to as Fonti by magi, who acted as fountains or sources for her power to feed on. She was never very powerful and two Fonti was almost too much for her. However, the bonds she had forged with them disappeared when she became mundane. There had been other men too, mostly because she was following in her mother's footsteps and not taking any Fonti until she found the right men. Her past didn't bother me, in fact I depended on her knowledge as a magus, and there were moments like now when she would say something personable and pique my interest. "What about Sebastian? I seem to recall he had been pretty big."

During the Finale of my Initiation, each of my girls and I had shared memories of each other. I had seen Jordan's Initiation from beginning until end, even her Finale when she swapped bodies with Sebastian for an hour.

Jordan shook her head. "Nope, I didn't let him rest up enough to do this. But then, as big as he was, as was Mark and John, none of them were as prodigious as you."

I didn't know what to think about that. Was it a good thing, or bad? I usually had sex with one of the girls two or three times each night, but between Danielle's alarm clock routine this morning and Jordan's extraction for the attraction agent for my fetish, I was sure I shouldn't have been that productive.

Jordan seemed to sense my thoughts. She smiled wide and said, "Considering what we're making this fetish for, you should probably drink lots of fluids." Then she stood up and walked back to the bathroom, saying, "Get dressed. We'll go to see Raven to find out what else you need for your fetish."



-------

Chapter 3



Raven's house was small – a one bed, one bath that worked perfectly for her single lifestyle. As a magus, she lived alone because a standard relationship with any one person wouldn't work. I understood the dangers of that first hand. Danielle was worn out, like she was suffering from exhaustion, simply because she had been having sex with me – and it wasn't from my prowess in bed. The real kicker was we were only together two to three times a week. Things would have progressed much more quickly if she had been my one and only. I didn't know if Raven was like Jordan's mother, in that she didn't have a Fonti and went looking for someone to feed on when needed, or if she had a little black book filled with the names of the men she was bound to.

Raven met us at the door wearing a towel around her hair and another held around her torso. The last time I had seen her, she was wearing silk pajamas that engulfed her body and left little to show. I had been just starting my Initiation and I don't think she wanted to be any more of a tease than she had to be. Her current appearance caught me off guard however, and it took me a second to clear my throat to speak.

Raven's liquid brown eyes looked me over and her full red lips curled up in a smile. "This is a surprise," she said. "I wondered if I would see you again."

I glanced at Jordan and her mischievous smile. She told me on the way over that I would have to make the request, because I was the magus. I was fine with that, but Raven's roaming eyes hadn't been expected. Jordan might have been used to being looked at like that as a former magus, but it was going to take me a while to make the adjustment. I sighed and nodded at Raven. "Hello Raven," I said. "I was hoping you might be able to help us with something."

Raven looked from me to Jordan and back. "I thought you figured out what to do the last time you were here."

I knew what she was talking about and fought not to burn any brighter than I already was.

She smiled and stepped back. "Come on in. I think we've given my neighbors enough of a peek."

I was tempted to look around, but chose not to. We really weren't there for ulterior motives. Jordan walked in first and I followed. Raven closed the door behind us.

"Help yourselves to something to drink and I'll be right out," Raven said.

I turned to say thank you but my breath caught in my throat. Raven had already dropped the towel she'd been holding around herself. Though Raven's body was smaller, more compact, that didn't remove from her appearance in the least. Her dark tan was even all over and looked smooth and silky. Her breasts looked big on her and her nipples stood at attention, centered on smooth, slightly puffy areolas. A narrow strip of pubic hair adorned her lower body and her legs were as well toned as the rest of her. She was in fantastic shape, absolutely edible, and knew it.

Raven's brazen show made me realize that Jordan was right. I was completely new to the game of seduction.

Raven smiled and stepped away from the front door, closer to me. She looked me over again. "Normally, when I'm home alone, I forgo wearing clothes." She looked up into my eyes. "That wouldn't bother you, would it?"

I swallowed, but didn't say anything.

She smiled, glanced down, and said, "No, no problems here." She lightly grazed the lump in my pants and looked up again. "But I can tell you're nervous." She licked her lips and smiled. "I'll go throw something on." She stepped away from me, her hand lingering on me like she didn't want to let go and disappeared into her bedroom, leaving the door wide open.

Jordan's breath warmed my ear. "If there's anyone who can help you with a Charm fetish, it's Raven."

I looked at her, unable to form words at the moment. I nodded in response to her statement but wondered why Raven would need a Charm fetish. All she'd have to do is use that approach with any warm-blooded straight male and he would be in her bed in a flash.

Jordan laughed and dragged me down the hall to the kitchen. Like Raven had suggested, Jordan pulled out a soda and a bottle of orange juice. She got a glass and poured the orange juice for me before cracking open her soda. She looked meaningfully at the glass in front of me. "Plenty of fluids, not crap."

I nodded, but seriously doubted anything would happen while we were at Raven's. The ultimate plan was to find me more Fonti, and sex was going to be involved, but not here, not now. After downing half the glass, I shook my head. I was shocked at how thirsty I was. I would probably have to look into a small cooler that would fit in my backpack, so I could keep juice with me at all times. At the same time, I continued to strain from seeing Raven. I really and truly understood what I was lacking. I looked at Jordan, mentally shook off the former thoughts, and said, "It's a good thing we're making me that fetish, because I seriously doubt I'll ever be that good."

Jordan smiled. "You have the potential. All you lack is the self confidence."

"I agree," Raven said, walking up behind me.

I was taking another drink and almost spewed it on Jordan. I swallowed instead and went into a coughing fit. Jordan patted my back while I cleared my lungs.

Raven simply stood to the side and watched with an amused look on her face. She was wearing a light blue tank that barely concealed her breasts much less anything else, and a slightly darker pleated skirt. Her feet were bare, but then she was only dressed because of my inability to speak if she hadn't been.

She looked at Jordan. "So, I can see that he has completed his Initiation, and that you are indeed his Fonte."

Jordan rolled her eyes. "Fine, rub it in. You were right."

Raven shook her head. "It's not about me being right, but your acceptance." Then she looked at me. "Speaking of which, have you truly accepted your heritage?"

I glanced at Jordan. I hadn't realized she might have problems adjusting to her new life without magic, much less being my Fonte. She never gave me any indication that she was anything other than happy. I needed to pay more attention to what was going on around me. I decided that was something we could talk about later and answered Raven. "Yeah," I looked at her again. "I've even learned a minor spell, but I need help with a fetish."

She nodded. "So I heard, a Charm fetish. How many Fonti do you have now?"

"Three," I said. "From my Initiation."

Raven's eyes widened and she looked at Jordan. "It took three women to complete his Initiation?"

Jordan nodded. "And he already has a couple of innate abilities."

A couple? I could see the marks of magi and their Fonti, but what was the other one?

"Impressive for a Child magus," Raven said. She looked at me again. "With three Fonti, why are you already trying to make a Charm fetish? You shouldn't need more for at least..." Then she stopped and stared at my chest. "You're going to need a lot more than three Fonti." She looked at Jordan again, all signs of amusement and teasing gone. "Has anyone... ?"

Jordan nodded.

Considering I was the magus and responsible for knowing what was going on with my heritage, they were doing a lot of talking around things. I felt almost as lost as I had when I first met Raven. She helped Jordan tell me about my heritage, but they danced around issues while they talked. I had an idea of what they were talking about now, but I didn't like the half-hints.

Raven looked at me. "You know the seriousness of what's happening, right?"

I nodded hesitantly, thinking she was talking about what had befallen Danielle. "I'd rather not get anyone else involved, if I had a choice."

Raven shook her head. "You don't have a choice. You need more Fonti, and you need them now."

Without another word, she turned and walked toward the front of the house again. Jordan and I followed. For a second, I thought we were leaving, possibly to go somewhere to find the items I needed to finish the fetish, but Raven opened a door opposite from her bedroom and headed up a set of stairs. I hadn't even noticed the door before and could only guess that magic had been used in its concealment.

At the top of the stairs, in a bonus room over Raven's garage, she turned on a light. There was a work table in the center of the room with a stool on wheels next to it. Lining all of the walls were shelves and shelves of jars. They held all sorts of things from spices to small nuts and bolts to bits of things I didn't recognize. It was an eclectic collection of stuff that probably took her years to gather.

Raven walked around the table, looking at the jars. Without even looking at us, she said, "If you brought anything for the fetish, put it on the table."

I pulled out the amber stones and rings. Jordan pulled out the vial with my semen.

Raven glanced at our meager collection. "Stones, good. Vial..." She looked at Jordan. "Semen?" Jordan nodded and Raven approved. Then she looked at the two rings. "Are you two getting married?"

I hesitated, not sure how to answer. Jordan spoke up first. "Seth thought to exclude men and women in relationships."

Raven shook her head. "No, it doesn't work that way." She looked at me. "A fetish is made up of elements to include. If there's something you don't want, simply leave it out. For instance, when I make stew, I don't want celery in it. I add meat, tomato soup, potatoes, onions, and various spices..."

"But you leave out celery," I concluded. "But if I include women in the fetish, how do I include only women who are not in a relationship?"

She waved at the rings. "Well, not with those."

I nodded and pocketed the rings. "Teach me then."

Raven smiled. "A man after my own heart. Rather than being given a fish, you want learn how to fish."

I recognized the biblical reference instantly and nodded. She was right. I didn't like the idea of others doing for me what I could do for myself. Then I realized that I had been expecting that from Jordan and resolved to apologize for that later.

"Okay," Raven said. "First, consider the request: you want women not committed. The opposite would be a committed woman, which that ring you have would represent just fine, but we need something feminine yet the opposite of a ring."

I said the first thing that came to mind. "A line. A ring is a circle, no beginning, no end, but a line has a defining beginning and end."

"Not bad, but not right either," Raven said. "Look at Jordan. Right now, she's in a relationship, but the only indication is your mark, which no one but a trained magus could see. Not only is there the mark, but there is the knowledge in her head that she is attached to you."

"Okay," I said. "But what kind of trinket would represent that?"

Raven looked around at the jars. "Well, the women you're looking for are available, so to speak. Maybe even on the market."

"I'm not trying to buy anyone," I said.

Raven looked at me. "Not with money, but it's almost the same thing. You offer your affection and time, and they return the same. You both get something out of it." Her eyebrows rose and she turned to the shelves again. She pulled down a jar and opened it. "Think of it as an exchange of services, in the most rudimentary form." She reached in and pulled out a small piece of paper.

I frowned at the tag. "How does that represent women not in a relationship?"

She shook her head. "You're still thinking of exclusions. Stop that." She held up the tag. "This represents someone on the market, looking for a relationship. Now it only needs a female element."

I glanced at Jordan, who only smiled at me. Raven was back to looking at her jars.

"Now," she said, "besides the obvious, what trinket would be considered uniquely female?"

"The obvious?" I asked.

Raven turned around with a sly smile. "Yes, the obvious," she said, raising the front of her skirt and showing off that she wasn't wearing panties. Her lips were full and slightly moist. Only when I ripped my eyes away from her did she let her skirt go.

Jordan giggled and I fought down the burning blush in my face.

Raven turned back to her jars. "There is one thing that only women do, and it's not even by choice." She pulled down a jar and opened it. Inside was a tiny baby doll.

I shook my head. "A baby isn't purely female. It could be male itself, or in an incident where the mother dies during child birth, the baby is raised by someone else, possibly even the father."

She nodded and put the jar back. "Any ideas then?"

"There is something purely female, no matter the species," Jordan said.

Raven turned and looked at the younger woman. I looked too, curious what Jordan had thought of.

She smiled and said, "An egg."

"Perfect," Raven said, walking over to another section. She pulled down a jar full of something that clinked against the glass. She opened it and extracted a single, tiny egg. It was about the same size as the stones we were going to use. "They're made of porcelain," Raven said. "The only component that might get damaged is the price tag, if it gets wet."

I nodded. "Now, how do I put them together?"

"Well," Raven said, putting the egg jar back. "We need either thread or wire." She bent over and retrieved a medium sized tackle box. "Thread is fine for some things, and it's cheap, but it's difficult tying stone or this egg with thread or string. So, I would suggest hobby wire."

I nodded and watched her pull out several spools of different colored wires. "Is there any importance associated with the type or color of wire?"

Raven smiled. "Very good. Most magi don't realize that every component of a fetish is important, including the type of material used to hold the whole thing together, not to mention the color." She pulled out a gun-like device with a power cord attached to it. "I've even seen some fetishes put together with hot glue."

Because of her tone, I was confused. "If you don't approve of the use of hot glue in fetishes, why do you have that gun?"

She smiled. "I make more than just fetishes."

"Okay," I said, nodding and feeling suitably dumb. "Then I need to know the significance for the different wires."

Raven nodded in turn. "Most hobby wires are made of copper. The colors are either electroplated or just a thin coating of paint, but you don't want that kind." She held up one spool of wire that looked like actual copper. "This is considered bare because there's not any color. It's good for most fetishes because, like with electricity, it's a good conductor."

"If that's the case," I asked, "why bother with the other colors?"

"Because they could help with the focus of the fetish or the purpose," she said and put down the spool of copper. She picked up a spool of red wire. "For you, I suggest red. Red is a passionate color and will help draw the attention of your targets to you."

I glanced at Jordan. "Yeah, I apparently need all the help I can get."

Jordan grinned and shook her head. We both knew I was talking about my personal lack of confidence.

Raven picked up one of the amber stones we brought. She studied it for a second and then said, "This is good. You've imbued it with your magic nicely."

I frowned. "I only kept them in my pocket since we bought them."

"When did you buy them?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Maybe two hours ago."

She smiled and pulled the stool around to her to sit down. "The potency of your magic is impressive. Be careful when you use this fetish or cast a spell."

I glanced at Jordan. "Yeah, I've already found out about spells."

"What do you mean?" Raven asked.

"Show her," Jordan said at my hesitation.

Raven looked up. "Show me what?"

I rolled my eyes and pulled out the scratch off ticket. I looked at it again, wondering if maybe it had changed to a non-winning ticket since I had first scratched it off, but, no, it still had the grand prize icon. I held it out.

Raven took it and looked at it. She frowned and shook her head. "And this is why we usually stay away from lottery games – they're too easy to win." She handed back the ticket and I threw Jordan another meaningful glance.

Jordan rolled her eyes at my irritation. "Seth, if you were on good terms with your parents, you wouldn't need the extra money. However, you're a college student and don't have a regular job. You need the money."

Raven was twisting the wire around with a pair of small needle nose pliers. "And why aren't you on good terms with your parents?"

Ugh. The last thing I wanted to do was hash over my life story again. "Let's just say that they weren't exactly very parental with me while I was growing up."

Raven looked up. "Did they feed you? Buy your clothes? Did they let you live in their house?"

I was nodding at each question, but she couldn't understand what I went through.

She looked at Jordan. "Other than them not telling you about your heritage, I don't see that they were any different than most parents."

Jordan understood my hesitancy. "Seth, tell her what your parents did when you got in trouble."

I looked at the brunette but didn't say anything one way or other.

"Tell her or I will," she said. Her voice was stern.

I sighed. "When I was a freshman, I got in trouble at school for staring at a girl in my class. The teacher gave me a detention and when I finished serving it that afternoon, my parents told me that I had to go over to the girl's house and apologize to her and her family."

Raven looked up with a frown. "Wait a sec. You got a detention for looking at a girl?"

"I know!" Jordan said.

I didn't smile but frowned harder and continued with my story. "When I got to her house, her dad let me in. After I apologized to Lisa and her mom, her dad decided to take out a punishment he thought more appropriate and lashed me with a tree switch."

"He's even got scars on his back," Jordan said and then looked at me. "Now tell her what your parents did about it."

I stared at Jordan for a moment. "Nothing," I said. "They did nothing because I didn't tell them."

Raven was still frowning. "Why didn't you tell them?"

"Because it wasn't just my parents," I said. "Everyone in that town had it in for me. If my parents tried to report it to the sheriff, he would have just shrugged it off and told them I got what I deserved."

Raven's eyebrows rose. "Are you sure about that?"

I slumped. "By the next day, everyone in town seemed to know what had happened, or the exaggerated version at least. Everyone stared at me, and most of them were perfectly comfortable letting me hear what they thought of me."

Raven continued watching me. I hadn't answered her question and knew it.

"No," I said. "I didn't know the sheriff personally, but with the kind of reactions I was getting, I wasn't going to take the chance."

Raven shook her head and pursed her lips. "You never know what will happen until you try. You might have been right, but then again the sheriff might have pressed formal charges for assault."

I couldn't just stand there fuming. I started pacing the length of the room. I couldn't believe Raven was so calm about it, but then it hadn't happened to her.

"I should also point out that you considered the possibility that your parents would have taken the issue to the Sheriff," Raven said. "That suggests that somewhere deep down, you know they care."

I stopped and barked out a laugh. "They're religious nuts." I looked at Raven. "They would point out any number of sins we're all committing by making that fetish, not to mention my daily fornication with not one but three women, one of which is still married to another man."

Raven sighed and shook her head. "First, I'm not belittling the situation you faced. Not in the least. It's hard to imagine what I would have done in your place. From what I'm seeing you've survived the situation better than most would. As for your parents' religious outlooks, unless they used similar tactics to enforce their beliefs as that girl's father used to punish you, it sounds like they were worried for you and that means they care. It may not seem like it now, but one day you may appreciate it."

I couldn't argue with her logic, though I wanted to.

Raven picked up the stone again, twisted the wire around it, and clipped it off from the spool. She held up the stone by the wire alone, showing her progress.

I leaned forward on the table to get a closer look. The wire was shaped into a spiral on the front of the stone as well as a small loop above and below. "You're good," I said and she smiled. "And the loops are for attaching the vial and egg?"

Raven nodded. "It would be a good idea for you to pick up some items for a basic fetish kit."

I stood up and glanced at Jordan yet again. "Isn't it better to know the spells, so I can make adjustments on the fly?"

Raven looked up. "On the fly? Are you planning on casting spells while being chased around the city?"

I shook my head. "No, but the Luck spell Jordan taught me had to be adjusted." I repeated what Jordan told me earlier. "It just seems like a good idea."

Raven nodded. "For a simple spell like that, absolutely, but there are a number of spells that are far more complex and difficult to remember, hence the need for a fetish, but if the fetish is too potent, you simple apply less will, less power to it. If it doesn't work right, you either rebuild it or scrap it and start over."

I thought about that and nodded. "That makes sense." Then something else dawned on me. "So, what spell are we representing with this fetish?"

"Two actually," Raven said, working with another length of wire. "The first is for attraction. If that was all you needed, then the stone wouldn't be included."

"And the second?" I asked.

"Is the Bonding spell," she said, picking up the tiny egg and pressing the price tag to it before wrapping them both with the wire she had prepared. Once that was done, she picked up the vial. "This will be doing double duty. It helps with the Attraction spell, and gives the Bonding spell a physical aspect." She looked up. "You both draw them in and bind them with your semen."

"What's the Bonding spell like without the fetish?" I asked.

She took a deep breath and looked up from her wire work. "To work the spell, you would have to repeat the phrase, 'My fountain, my source, feed my power, be my might' about a dozen times or more without interruption while having sex with the woman you wish to bind."

"It sounds simple enough," I said and even to me I sounded doubtful.

Raven smiled a wry smile and glanced sideways at Jordan. "Imagine being with someone new for the first time. All that anticipation, the excitement, the physical need to get off as quickly as possible, and then imagine trying to chant that while humping the girl into the mattress."

I blinked and thought about it. I thought about my first time with Jordan. I had been too scared, too anxious to even think very straight much less be able to concentrate on any kind of chant. I thought about Danielle and Jana, and realized with each of them there had been no way I could have pulled it off. I shook my head and thought of a detail I hadn't known was important. "It has to be the first time?"

Raven shook her head. "Oh, no, not necessarily, though it has a better chance of succeeding if it's done the first time." She held up her hand, holding the linked items which represented my Charm fetish. "With this though, the first time, second time, hell, even the fiftieth time is fine."

I studied it and thought it had been too easy to assemble. "That's it? Just put together the right items and then pipe some power through it?"

Raven smiled and shook her head. "Nope. Now you have to infuse it with the spells." She held it out and I took it. "For this, you only need to focus on the chant of each spell. First the Attraction spell."

I nodded. "What's the chant?"

Raven's smile widened. "Actually, that's up to the individual magus."

I looked at her. "There's not a standard chant like with the Bonding spell?"

She shook her head. "All of us attract people to us in different ways. All you have to do is consciously put to words how you attract women."

I looked at Jordan. "Other than during my Initiation, I've never attracted anyone to me."

Raven frowned. "I seriously doubt that."

I looked at her again. "You were here when I told you about what happened to me. Do you think it was only the adults who treated me like that?"

Jordan pulled me around to look at her. "Seth, look at me. Forget home. That was a bad time for you and won't help you now. You need to think about the first day you spent with Danielle, and that night when Jana threw herself at you. Don't worry about what you said or did because you're right, they were drawn to you by the Charm of your Initiation, but they enjoyed themselves immensely. I know. They told me all about it. So, think back to that day, what you did with them, how you made them feel."

I nodded and looked at the fetish. I thought back to my Initiation, all the sex, the women, their reactions, and their intensity. Out loud I said, "I remember giving in to what they wanted and enjoying everything they offered, most especially after I had accepted the different situations."

Jordan's hands gripped my shoulders tightly, pulling me out of my thoughts. "That's enough, I think."

I frowned at her and then over at Raven. Both women were flushed and breathing heavily. "What just happened?"

Raven licked her lips. "Your power is more potent than I thought."

Jordan nodded and gently pulled the fetish out of my hand. "If we weren't already in relationships, I think we would have just thrown you to the floor and had our way with you."

I felt my eyebrows rise. "But I didn't do anything."

Raven pulled at the front of her top, fanning herself. "And when you wear that fetish, you won't have to. All the targeted women will throw themselves at you."

I frowned at her and glanced at Jordan, who was nodding. I shook my head. "No, it can't be that simple. There's got to be more to it."

Raven shook her head and scooped all her fetish kit stuff back into the tackle box. "You have to understand, Seth, most magic is about willpower. You chose who to target with that fetish, you imbued the stone with your magic, even if only by osmosis, and your semen is in that vial. Your intent is built into it, and now it has the power of your will behind it." She looked up at me with an expression I had seen before. "Now get out of here so I can call one of my own Fonti to take care of the fires you've started."



-------

Chapter 4



We left Raven's house, but instead of going back to her place, Jordan drove north. I knew something was up when I saw the towers from Six Flags over Texas, one of Arlington's biggest tourist attractions. I wasn't in the mood for dealing with their rides, especially not the lines. For a wild moment, I thought Jordan was going to take me there to find someone for me to bond with. I waited, holding my breath until we passed it. She maneuvered us through traffic and got on I-30, heading west. I grew confused again. "Um ... where are we going?"

Jordan focused on driving. "To Fort Worth, so you can cash in that ticket."

There were other things that were more important at the moment. "That can wait..." I said.

She shook her head and interrupted me. "The sooner you take care of it, the sooner you'll have the money to get an apartment."

"An apartment?" I asked. "Why do I need an apartment? My dorm room is paid up through the semester."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, saying, "Dorm room," under her breath. "Do you really want to take the women you're going to bond with back to your dorm room where your roommate will likely be?"

I frowned. "Well ... no. I thought I'd go to their place if anything happens."

She snorted. "Oh, something will happen alright, and anyone you meet for the first time may not want you in their place."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, thinking. "Then I guess I'll need money for a hotel room or something."

Jordan glanced at me. "If you had an apartment, you wouldn't have to do that, but for tonight I'm sure that'll be fine."

"Is there anything left of that fifty?" I asked.

She laughed. "Not enough for a motel room."

I sat back, silently irritated about not being able to argue with her logic. She was right. The money from the grand prize ticket would be useful, but it wouldn't last forever. If I got an apartment, I would need money to pay rent, electricity, and any other utilities, like a phone. Crap. The more I thought about it, the more it was going to cost me. I could continue to eat on campus at the UC, but I'd also need money for bus fare to get back and forth between an apartment and school. Of course, there was the possibility that the girls might be there to help with that, but I couldn't depend on them for all of my transportation needs. If I really went along with Jordan's suggestion, then I would have to find a job. I wondered if Jana needed a dishwasher at the Verve.

I also hadn't thought far enough ahead in these plans to find more Fonti to know I might need some place to take women. I had the fetish, and though Jordan and Raven had expressed how potent they thought it was, I was still skeptical. I certainly didn't want to chance a repeat of my Initiation – having lots of people, regardless of their relationship status, age, ethnicity, or my attraction to them, coming after me for sex. I shuddered to think of what might happen if the fetish didn't work the way I wanted it to, but I needed it to work. I didn't have the faintest clue how I would convince a woman to have sex with me otherwise.

"Why so quiet?" Jordan asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing important." Yeah. Sure. Right. Seduction wasn't important. No, not at all. I sighed.

She reached over and put her hand on mine. "I think I know."

I froze under her touch and waited for her to say what I had been thinking.

She glanced at me. "You're worried about Danielle, worried about finding more Fonti, and worried about the problems you might cause later."

I stared straight ahead. She had been close enough with the second worry, but the others were no less true. "Yeah, you could say that."

"It's not all that bad," she said. "At least you know what's happening and how to take care of it."

She was right about knowing what was wrong. I was still unsure about the solution. I couldn't understand why she thought finding more Fonti was the only correct course of action. Then a thought occurred to me. She knew so much about being a magus because she had grown up with her mother, a powerful magus who lived somewhere on the east coast, and had come into her own power and had to deal with many of the same issues. Why hadn't I thought of this before? "Did you go through this? Having to find more Fonti?"

She shook her head. "Even before I bound Mark and John to me, I had plenty of repeat lovers."

I knew she hadn't had a lot of power to begin with. For her, having two Fonti had been almost too much. Not only did she not have to worry about hurting them by draining too much of their life force, but she didn't need either of them close by either. She hadn't told me much about her relationship with them, but what she had told me was enough to understand that I saw her, Danielle, and Jana more than she ever saw her two former Fonti.

I also thought about the additional detail she just shared. "Then why do I need to bind anymore women to me? Why can't I do what you did?"

She looked at me. It was a look that told me I was being silly. "You don't believe you deserve me, Danielle or Jana. You would end up constantly short on sexual energy because of your lack of self-confidence."

I was relieved that she hadn't called me silly, but I frowned nonetheless. "But, that's what the fetish is for, so I don't have to be a ... carnal tiger."

Jordan smiled. Carnal tiger was what she called me whenever I had learned something in bed from Danielle or Jana and shared it with her. "There's a difference between what you know in the bedroom and getting a woman there."

I nodded, having already come to the same conclusion, but the problem was bigger than simply seducing a woman. There was still the issue of what I could be exposing her to, the danger she would be in. To me, it was a very big issue. I simply didn't like the idea of binding any other women to me without informed consent.

"You're also worried about what could happen," Jordan said, as if reading my mind. "I told you already that with more Fonti, the risk lowers."

I nodded. Since she had flat out told me that breaking the existing bonds wasn't an option, I had to swallow my fears and bear forward.

Our conversation ate up most of the time it took to drive to Fort Worth. We found the official Texas Lotto facility easily. It looked like any other office building, except for the big sign on the front. I noticed that no one else was coming or going and wondered briefly how often they received winners, especially with the economy hurting like it was.

Jordan didn't say anything as she followed me. I was pretty sure she was simply trying to contain her excitement regarding my winning ticket, so I let her. The first thing I noticed when we walked inside was a woman sitting behind a large desk. She had shoulder-length, wavy brown hair and wore a dark blue suit jacket over a lacy blouse. She had on a head set and was talking into it. Then she looked up and froze. Even from across the lobby I could see the expression on her face and knew what it meant.

For a second I couldn't understand why she was reacting like that. She wasn't bound to me already. Only Jordan, Danielle and Jana acted like that around me, especially when I hadn't seen one of them in more than a couple of days. Jana was particularly prone to it. Then I remembered that I had my fetish in my pocket. I turned to Jordan, pulled the fetish out and said, "Would you mind holding this for me?"

Jordan looked at me with a small smile. I could see the mirth in her eyes and that smile was the closest she could get to a straight face. She shook her head. "Nope."

I was confused. "Why not?"

"Because you need to get used to the idea that women find you attractive," she said.

"I don't have a problem with that," I said. "I don't want to cause problems because of it." I glanced toward the receptionist. "Like right now. She's still on the phone with someone but ignoring them because of me."

"How do you know she wouldn't react to you like that normally?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Because no one else ever has other than you, Danielle and Jana, and that was only because of my Initiation."

She shook her head again. "You're in denial."

I frowned at her. "What?"

"I've seen how other girls watch you on campus, when I drop you off for classes," she said. "You've never noticed because you don't expect that kind of reaction." She nodded at my hand. "Now you're aware of it because of the fetish, but that's not the reason the receptionist is staring."

I thought about that for a second, thought about the reactions around me when I moved from class to class, or even any interactions during my classes. Nothing sprang to mind.

Jordan must have understood what I was thinking about. "Seth, you're accustomed to the negative attention prior to your Initiation. Now that you're an awakened magus, all the attention you'll get is going to be positive." She closed her hand over mine. "Keep the fetish. You don't have to worry about it unless you put it on."

Her touch was gentle and distracting. The feel of her skin on mine was perfectly welcome and wanted. In fact, I wanted to feel more of her skin on mine. Even though we had enjoyed a little bit of fun earlier, I wanted more. Reluctantly, I pulled my hand out of hers and put the fetish back in my pocket.

Jordan stepped back from me at that point and I was confused. "What... ?" I started to ask but then heard heels on the tiled floor approaching. The receptionist was walking toward us.

Her Jacket was matched by a business skirt and a pair of simple pumps. The outfit helped her professional appearance but didn't hide the way her hips swayed with her every step. I noticed only because her hips were wide, much wider than Jordan's. Her Jacket didn't flap or sway with her walk either. She filled it with both an abundant chest and belly. She was large. Regardless, her expression was confident. She smiled at me when I looked into her eyes and I had to admit, she had a great smile. She stopped in front of me and held out her hand to shake. "Welcome, Mr... ?"

I had to fight the urge to glance at Jordan for guidance. I gently shook her hand and said, "Connors, but please, call me Seth."

"Seth," she said, her smile widening. "I'm Maria. How can I help you today?"

She held onto my hand, so I reached around with the other to my pocket and pulled out the ticket. "I wanted to cash this in."

She let my hand go and looked at the ticket. "I believe we can help you with that," she said, smiling up at me again. "Follow me."

She turned and walked toward a doorway. I finally glanced at Jordan and she pointed at the front doors. "I'll be waiting in the car."

Great. She was going to leave me stranded inside with the receptionist. I understood that I was supposed to find women to bond with, but I didn't want to disrupt someone's work place. I thought I would pick someone at a club or something. I shook my head, not sure what to think and caught up with Maria.

In the next room, there were cubicles and people both talking on phones and working on computers. Maria took me to one of the men, though I noticed there were women closer to the doorway we had passed through. "Mark, this is Seth Connors and he's got a winning scratch off."

I held out the ticket to Mark, who didn't look much older than me. In fact, he had the same general build, hair color, and eye color as me. Did Maria find him attractive? Was it more than simply me being an awakened magus that caught Maria's eye? Who really knew?

Mark nodded. "Congratulations," he said. Then he turned to his computer and pulled up a screen. He confirmed the ticket as authentic and then asked me about a bank account the funds could be forwarded to. I didn't have one, so he said he'd have to cut me a check, which would take a few minutes. He got up and left. Maria, who stood especially close to me, smiled up at me.

I smiled back at her, being polite, and looked around the room. I noticed a few heads pop out of their respective cubicles to see what was going on, and not a single one was male.

"Do you have any plans for your winnings?" Maria asked.

I looked at her and wasn't sure what to say. The truth didn't sound so bad. "I'm a student at UTA and live in the dorm. I was thinking about using it to get an apartment so I'd have more privacy for studying."

Maria's eyes twinkled. "What are you studying?"

"Architecture," I said.

She shook her head. "I've never been good enough with math to do anything like that."

I nodded, not sure what to say. I glanced around again and thought about where we were. "How long have you worked here?"

"Almost two years," she said. "The people here are really nice and it's always great meeting people who win the lotto."

I nodded and spotted Mark walking our way. He smiled and held out the check. "Congratulations again Mr. Connors." In his other hand he held up a camera. "Do you mind? It's for publicity."

I shrugged. "Sure, no problem."

He led me over to a wall that had pictures of previous winners and a large sign over them. Maria followed us and watched. After the picture, Mark shook my hand and I noticed several other people watching us – most of them women.

Maria led me back to the entrance. When we got to the doors, she turned to me and held out her arms for a hug. I didn't see any harm so I hugged her. I was able to reach all the way around her and she was very soft. Surprisingly, she was also very large in the chest area. That aroused me and I grew a little uncomfortable. I didn't want her to think I was some kind of pervert or something. Then I felt her breath on my neck and her belly rubbed against me. She knew, and if I was right, she liked it.

Very gently, I pulled away from her. "Thank you, Maria."

The expression on her face told me she wanted to tell me "you're welcome" in a more physical way. She looked down and pulled the edge of her lacy blouse from her chest. The line of her cleavage had been barely noticeable before, but when she tugged on the material, I saw just how deep it went. She reached in and pulled out a business card. She held it out to me, looking up under long lashes. "If you have any other questions, or simply want to talk, give me a call."

I took the card and looked at it. On the front was the Texas Lotto logo with her name and the number to the front desk. On the back was a hand-written number that I could only assume was her personal cell phone.

I nodded. "Thank you again," I said and left.

Jordan had a grin on her face so big that I could see it even through the tinted windows of her car. When I got in, she asked, "Are you going to call her?"

I squirmed in my seat, fighting different urges. On one hand, I wanted to put the card into my wallet and forget about it. On the other hand, I wanted to hang it out the window and let the wind take it from me. Either way, it would free me from the guilt of having it but not calling. I realized we were still sitting in the parking lot, and Maria was still at the door watching. I pulled my wallet out and made a show of putting the card in it. I continued watching Maria and said to Jordan, "Just drive."

She laughed and pulled out of the parking space.

A few minutes later, we were back on the highway to Arlington. "So," Jordan said, breaking the silence, "why so nervous?"

I was still going over my choice in my head. I hadn't lost the card, but with it hidden in my wallet, I could easily forget about it. Out of sight, out of mind. But that bugged me even more. I finally realized Jordan had asked me a question and looked up. "I don't know. It was like..." I waved my hand toward the window. "You saw her. She was all over me."

Jordan grinned. "Yeah, and I seem to recall Danielle crawling all over you like that too, but you weren't averse to her advances."

"Actually, I was," I said with what dignity I could muster.

Jordan glanced at me. "You were?"

"Don't you remember?" I asked, incredulous. "You were there."

She rolled her eyes. "Seth, it's okay to admit that you were attracted to Danielle but not Maria."

That stopped the retort I had ready, mostly because it came in from left field. I heard myself ask, "It is?" before I could think the question over to ensure I wouldn't sound completely naïve.

Jordan smiled and shook her head. "Jeez, sometimes I forget how new to all of this you really are." I continued staring at her until she got over her small joke. "Imagine what would happen if you accepted her offer. You call her up, she comes over, but you're too uncomfortable to give her what she wants. It's not your fault but she's hurt emotionally simply because she got her hopes up."

"Actually," I said, "I would have had a hand in getting her hopes up by calling her in the first place."

Jordan rolled her eyes. "If that's the case, you got her hopes up by accepting her card."

I sighed and stared out my window.

"However," Jordan added with a thoughtful tone, "There might have been an entirely different reason for her interest in you."

"What's that?" I asked, not even sure I wanted to know.

"The money," she said.

I looked at her. "It wasn't like I had won the weekly jackpot."

She shook her head. "That much money scares some people. The money you won is more common, more down to earth, something most people could relate to."

I thought about that. "She did ask what my plans were for the money."

"What did you tell her?" Jordan asked.

I frowned. "That I'm a student at UTA and wanted to get an apartment."

Jordan grinned. I expected her to say something about my arguments against getting an apartment but she didn't. "See? To her, you weren't really spending it."

I shook my head. "I don't know. You could be right, but unless I got to know her better, there would be no way to know."

"There are ways to find out," she said, "but you're getting off track."

"How's that?" I asked, confused.

"Were you attracted to her?" she asked. "Physically?"

I thought about it for a minute and remembered her hug. I didn't react to her the way I would with my girls. If anything, I had been trying to get away from her. "No, not really."

"Well, that settles that then," Jordan said. "You're allowed to pick and choose your lovers. You don't have to settle for the first woman, or the first ten women who throw themselves at you."

"Unlike my Initiation?" I asked, knowing that I had accepted the first three women who threw themselves at me, Jordan included.

She glanced at me. "There was no way to know you'd bind us to you during your Initiation."

I nodded and thought about her suggestion of picking my own lovers. Jordan had said she had plenty of repeat lovers before she bound her Fonti. I remembered the flash of memories I got from the night my Initiation ended. She liked well-hung men. It was possible both Mark and John met that requirement. Effectively, Jordan had bound two men she was extremely physically attracted to. If that was the case for her, then what should I look for?

There was another issue to worry about as well. Undoubtedly, if I wore my fetish in public, there would be more women than only the ones I wanted. The question was, how would I single out the ones I wanted, or more accurately, how would I disentangle myself from the ones I didn't want? I seriously doubted it would be as simple as with Maria.

"So," Jordan said, breaking the silence. "Did they give you cash or a check?"

I pulled out the check and showed it to her.

"What bank is the check through?" she asked.

I looked. "Chase."

"I don't know of any Chase banks," Jordan said. "But I can take you to my bank. I'm sure you can get an account set up there."

I nodded. "Sounds good."

The drive to Fort Worth and back had taken only a little over an hour. I wondered if it might be too close to the end of standard banking hours to be able to open a new account. I didn't say anything though, mostly because I didn't want Jordan thinking I was a total pessimist. We arrived at her bank, Wells Fargo, about ten minutes before closing.

Before going inside, Jordan pointed at my legs. "Want to give your fetish a test run?"

I thought about it for a moment and realized that if the fetish worked, really worked, then any available women around me might throw themselves at me, which was a far cry from women coming onto me or staring like at the Texas Lotto building. It could lead to more complications than anything, especially at a bank. I tried for some kind of middle ground. "If it's not too busy, I'll try it out."

Jordan smiled and nodded. We got out of her car and walked inside. There were a few cars out in the parking lot, but inside everything was pretty sedate.

I looked around and realized most of the people inside were women. A vague memory of the dream from this morning flashed through my head – women of varying heights, sizes, and ethnicities all lined up before me. I mentally shook off the thought and walked toward the tellers' windows.

"How can I help you?" the woman asked. She was older than either me or Jordan, old enough probably to be our grandmother and not what I would have considered for a new Fonte.

I held up the check and said, "I think I need to open an account to cash this."

She looked at it. "Yes you do." She pointed over toward a short hallway leading to small offices. There was also a collection of chairs and sofas near the offices. "Have a seat over there and one of our managers can help you."

I nodded and we walked over to the seating, but before we reached it another woman came out of one of the offices. She was a few inches taller than Jordan with wavy fiery blonde hair and a friendly smile. She walked right up to me and held out her hand to shake. "Welcome to Wells Fargo, I'm Robyn. I heard you talking to Patty about a new account."

I shook her hand. "Yeah, I just had a windfall." I showed her the check.

She smiled. "Yes you did. Follow me and I'll help you get started."

She turned and walked back to her office. Her skirt suit fit her nicely and though it hung almost to her knees, what I saw of her legs was fantastic. Unlike Maria though, Robyn's figure was closer to that of my girls. She was attractive, but I didn't feel anything. Maybe there was something else I needed. Maybe I simply wasn't in the mood. Maybe I should stop over-thinking the situation, simply get the account, and leave.

Jordan nudged me as we followed Robyn. "She wasn't wearing a ring," she whispered. "You can test the fetish, make sure it works."

I blinked for a second, trying to straighten out my thoughts.

"I saw the way you were looking at her, Seth," she said. "She is hot."

I looked at Jordan then. "I didn't know you liked women."

Jordan smiled. "You never asked."

I stared at her again and decided to put that tidbit away to think about later. At the doorway, I stopped to let Jordan go first. Hidden from view, I pulled out my fetish and slipped the chain over my head. It hung on my chest low enough that I could tuck it under my shirt so no one would see it, which I took advantage of.

Robyn sat behind her desk, pulling up forms on her computer. Jordan and I sat in the two chairs on the other side of the desk. I watched Robyn closely, not entirely sure what to look for specifically, but keeping an eye out for anything that might indicate interest. She looked up and smiled. "Okay, so what kind of account did you have in mind?"

I shrugged and said the first thing that popped into mind, "Just a basic checking account for now."

She nodded and clicked a few things in on her computer. "Okay, I'll need some basic information."

For the next few minutes I answered her questions, during which time I realized that Robyn hadn't so much as noticed Jordan. I didn't see how she could miss the brunette, but then again I was the one opening the account, not her. There was something else I thought was odd. Robyn kept miss-typing bits of information and had to retype several things to make sure it was right. She smiled incessantly and blushed when she looked at me to ask about something she had gotten wrong. All in all, she was very distracted. She also wiggled in her seat, like she couldn't get comfortable and adjusted her jacket a lot too.

After she had my information entered, Robyn smiled at me and said, "I'll be right back. My printer's down so I have to send this to another one." She stood up, adjusted her skirt, which had ridden up her legs, and walked out of the mini-office.

Jordan leaned in toward me and whispered, "Damn, she's got it bad."

I frowned at her. "What?"

Jordan's eyes widened. "You didn't notice?"

I shrugged. "She seemed nervous, but..."

"Think about how you would act if you suddenly had the hots for someone sitting across the desk from you," she said.

I tried to, but the only reaction I could come up with wasn't nerves. "I'd be terrified."

"Terrified?" Jordan asked, and then she remembered how I grew up. "Okay, then take it from me, a woman doesn't squirm around like that without good reason."

I nodded, but didn't fully understand.

Jordan smiled at me, probably seeing a confused expression on my face. "Watch when she comes back. That jacket of hers is hiding her most prominent points of interest."

I looked toward the doorway and Robyn stopped in the frame. She looked out toward the main lobby and her jacket fluttered open. Her blouse was white and hugged her torso, showing off every curve, including her nipples. They stood prominently, both through her blouse and bra. Robyn turned toward us and smiled. "Looks like we're the only ones left," she said as she sat down.

Something bugged me. If Robyn was turned on, why was she continuing to work on the paperwork to open my account? The way Jordan and Raven had talked about my fetish, she should have been ripping off her clothes and knocking me to the ground to get some. If anything, Maria had put more moves on me and I wasn't wearing my fetish at the time.

I glanced at Jordan, wishing I could ask her about the differences, but I didn't think Robyn would appreciate us talking about her, and her lack of reactions, as if she wasn't in the room.

Robyn set some of the printed papers on her desk in front of me and held out a pen for me to take. "I need you to sign these."

I reached up to take the pen and our fingers brushed against one another. I heard a small crack and felt the jolt, but the spark wasn't what made me jump.

First, there was lust. Heavy lust. The kind of lust that made me hard in an instant and willing to strip down in the worst possible scenario for anyone who would have me. I was aware of where I was, and especially of the two women in the room. I hadn't noticed before – maybe because I didn't want to or because I had simply ignored it – but Robyn's arousal was evident in the small office. If she had been wearing a pants suit rather than the skirt, her scent might have been masked better, but it didn't matter. I could smell her. The only thing that kept me from climbing over her desk and taking her was the fact that the shock of lust that filled me left just as quickly.

Second, there was confusion. I didn't understand why I was confused. I understood what I felt, but not why. The confusion wasn't as strong as the lust either, not even close. So it didn't overpower me. Again, just as quickly, the confusion was gone.

Finally, there was anger. A heat just as pulse-pounding as the lust but contained, controlled, yielding to some restraint I didn't understand. Before I could begin to think about it, the anger was gone too.

All of those passed though me in the same instance as the spark. I sat there for a second, holding the pen Robyn handed me and reeling from the very strong, very fast changes in emotion. I wanted to know what had happened, if Robyn had felt it too, and what Jordan thought about it. However, there in the bank, sitting in front of Robyn wasn't the place. I signed the papers, as well as the back of my check, and handed everything back to Robyn.

She smiled and stood up, as if nothing bizarre or crazy had happened, which answered my second question. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

I watched her leave and was going to wait a minute before saying anything, but Jordan pulled me around to look at her and asked, "Are you okay?"

I nodded because I felt okay at the moment, simply winded from the storm that had passed through me. After a couple of deep, calming breaths, I described what happened.

She studied me for a second. "Do you think you felt her emotions?"

I looked at her in amazement. "You're asking me?"

"Well," she said, shrugging, "nothing like that ever happened to me."

I thought about it. If I felt Robyn's emotions, then the fetish wasn't as potent as I thought. "If she's upset because of the lust my fetish is causing, then I seriously doubt anything is going to happen."

"How do you know she's upset because of the lust?" Jordan asked in a strong whisper.

I frowned. "What else would she be mad about?"

Jordan rolled her eyes and blew a strand of hair from her face. "Let's see ... What about the fact that she's not alone with you, or maybe she doesn't want to do anything here at work. Maybe she hasn't gotten any in a while and is frustrated that this snuck up on her. Take your pick."

"So, you think she probably accepted that she's in the mood, but something about the situation is what's upsetting her?" I asked. Yes, sometimes I can be slow.

"Think about it, Seth," she said. "She has no reason to believe that any outside influence is causing her arousal. Therefore, something set her off and for whatever other reason, she's frustrated."

If Robyn's anger was situational, then continuing to make her suffer wasn't worth the effort. I took off my fetish and put it back in my pocket.

Jordan looked like she was about to ask why but Robyn walked back in. She looked tense but didn't fidget at all while she told me about the different benefits of my account. "Here's your debit card," she said, and I was careful to take it without touching her again. "Would you like a book of checks too?"

I glanced at the card. "No, I think I'll be fine with this."

She nodded. "Well, if there's nothing else..." she stood up and held out her hand toward the doorway.

Jordan and I led the way to the main entrance. The door was already locked. Robyn reached past us to unlock it and her hand brushed my arm. Again, there was a spark which made her jump, but through which I felt her emotions. She felt relieved and calm, her anger was gone as was her lust, though she was still confused. I didn't believe she understood what had caused her to become so aroused, or why it had suddenly stopped, but I also knew there was nothing I could do or say that could properly explain it to her.

With the passing of the additional emotions, I had questions of my own. Was this right, forcing women to feel lust? I had heard the saying, "You can't rape the willing," but there was still a line that was being crossed in forcing the emotion on Robyn. Would it be any different if I were at some venue where sex was pretty much expected or hoped for? Would I feel any better about the change in location, or the difference in a woman's expectations? I honestly didn't know.



-------

Chapter 5



For a while, Jordan drove and the two of us were silent. I was lost in thought over the moral issues of using my fetish. It wasn't the same as my Initiation. This was something I could control. Would I want someone to use a fetish on me, to make me feel aroused or anything else for that matter? Then I glanced at Jordan. For a second, I studied her profile while she drove. She hadn't been happy with the situation when she awoke my powers, but it wasn't the emotions she felt that upset her, it was the loss of her power. She hadn't talked about it since then. Instead, she focused on all the mundane needs non-magi had to worry about.

I thought about Danielle and Jana too. Neither one complained about how they came to be with me. In fact, the more I thought about that, the more I worried that something else had happened to make them compliant. It was one thing for the bond to increase feelings of love and attraction, but if their free will was being compromised by these bonds, then I really needed to release them.

I looked up when Jordan stopped at a light in a section of town I didn't recognize. "Where are we?" I asked.

Jordan glanced at me. "Don't know about you, but I'm getting' hungry."

At the mention of food, my stomach grumbled. "Apparently, I am too," I said, frowning.

She smiled. "What'cha hungry for?"

I shrugged. I was never very picky when it came to food, so long as it wasn't the same thing too often. "How about something new?"

"Like what?" she asked in return. "Have you ever had Chinese?"

I had what my mother had passed off as Chinese food, but I had never been to anything considered authentic. I shook my head, no. She nodded and found a Chinese Buffet. We went inside because it was more like a regular restaurant without a drive through. I thought the setup was odd, but then, I had never been to a buffet before either. We both grabbed plates and I loaded up with a little of this and that. The only thing that looked remotely familiar was the eggrolls, which I mistook for small burritos.

The food was good, and I sat there for a while watching Jordan clear her plate before I noticed other patrons going back for seconds. "Do they charge by the plate?" I asked.

Jordan shook her head and said, "By head." She smiled and added, "If you're still hungry go get another plate. I like the food, but feel like I haven't eaten after about two hours."

I nodded but waited until she got up to get more too.

Before we got back to our table, Jordan asked one of the guys behind the counter for an order of Sweet and Sour Pork to go. Either she was taking more for later, or more likely she was getting something for Danielle.

When we left, Jordan continued on in an unknown direction. "Where to now?" I asked.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You still need to look for more Fonti."

I opened my mouth to offer up the fresh objections I had thought of since leaving the bank, but Jordan seemed to know what I was thinking, because she interrupted me. "And don't give me any crap about danger or making someone feel something you shouldn't because you seem to have forgotten what I told you when all of this started."

I closed my mouth and blinked at her in stunned silence. First, her words were very heated, and second, she was right. I couldn't remember what she had told me that would be pertinent. So much had happened since my Initiation that I didn't remember any warnings.

After a minute of silence, Jordan said, "Think about the alternative, Seth. If you don't get enough Fonti, or worse, go against what we want and release the three of us to run away, you could be putting a lot more people in danger than you think."

There were several points I frowned at. The idea of running away was not even close to what I was trying to do, or argue for. To me, releasing the girls and avoiding people in general would be the best solution. No one would get hurt and all I would have to do is take care of myself, something I was accustomed to.

What bothered me more was the idea that I would be putting more people in danger should I go through with the 'running away' scenario. However, before I could form an argument to the contrary, Jordan continued. "I know someone who tried running away, but you can't run from your power. It's a part of you, like your emotions, like your guilt."

"That doesn't mean I shouldn't maintain some level of control," I said in the time it took her to breathe.

She shook her head. "There's a difference between avoidance and control. You can't avoid the issue. For that matter, the form of control you're talking about isn't possible. You need to have sex with people to feed your power, even if you're not using it. You cannot simply turn that off, it doesn't work that way."

I frowned at that. I didn't think I was being that transparent, but then Jordan had years of experience dealing with this.

"What you control is who you have sex with," she said. "That's the only level of control you're allowed."

"Like the difference between choosing someone I'm attracted to and someone I'm not?" I asked, and even to me, I sounded sullen.

She shook her head. "If you refuse to feed your power, that won't even matter. Hell, age won't matter, at least to a degree."

I wanted to ask what she meant but asked something different. "What happened to your friend?"

She was quiet for a moment. The hum of the car was the only noise. Not even the heavier traffic outside made any impact on the silence between us. "She tried moving away, out to the country, far from any town or city. For a while it worked. She lived alone, grew her own food, maintained her clothes, and the shed she built to sleep in. Then one day, she woke up in a stranger's house. She was naked, as were all the people sleeping around her. She panicked at first, because there were men, and women and even young teens. She couldn't wake any of them up and knew that her power had forced her to seek out sustenance. She called 911 and left. Later, she found out that most of the people were only in deep sleep, like they had been drugged, but a few were in comas that lasted different amounts of time."

Jordan glanced at me and a tear ran down her cheek. "She knew she couldn't ignore her power. She didn't have to use it, but she couldn't refuse to feed it. It would take control and force her to do that again and again if she tried. She told me the best way to maintain control was to control who you fed on, and to make sure you got enough."

I knew she was trying to scare me, but the story alone, even with the moral, wasn't enough. What scared me was her reaction. Why would Jordan be so sad, and scared, telling me about someone who had gone through that? It sounded like something every magi should hear, but I didn't think she had told anyone else. There was only one reason I could think of for her emotional attachment, but I wanted to be sure. "Who did that happen to?"

Jordan blinked and focused on driving for a minute. I thought I might have to repeat my question when she said, "My mother," very softly. "That was the day I was conceived. That's why I don't know who my father is."

I stared at her, letting my shock show. It wasn't new that Jordan didn't know her father, but I had always thought it was because her mom had simply lost track among her various lovers. Shaking off my reaction, I leaned over as far as my seat belt would allow, and stroked her cheek where her tears trailed.

She reached up and took my hand. "Do you understand now? You can't simply run away. You have to find more Fonti because that's the only way, the only sane way to resolve the problem."

I nodded. Jordan's pain was too fresh to allow me to bitch and whine about problems I didn't have any control over. I still didn't want to hurt anyone and quietly, I said as much.

She sighed. "That's a different kind of problem. It'll continue to exist too, but as long as you maintain balance between the women you're with, then none of us will be in danger."

I still didn't like the idea of putting anyone in danger, much less the people I cared for, but with the possibility of that alternative, I didn't know what else to do but to follow Jordan's advice. "What about what you're mom does? Moving from one place to another and having lots of repeat lovers?"

Jordan scrunched up her face thinking. "There was always something ... not right about that." She glanced at me and squeezed my hand. I squeezed back and she calmed down, like I had administered a drug that swept through her system. "Besides, there's one big difference between you and my mother."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, my lack of seductive talent."

"No, Seth," Jordan said, squeezing my hand. "You're attracted to women. Men are easy to seduce. They don't have to worry about rape or pregnancy."

I nodded and remembered that seduction was the point of the fetish. For a few minutes we rode in silence again. I was happy to hold Jordan's hand. She reminded me that I wasn't completely undesirable.

My biggest problem wasn't the fetish, or my power and its requirements. No, my biggest problem was my self-image. I didn't see myself as desirable. I didn't believe that anyone could honestly look at me and see someone they would want to be friends with, much less have a closer, more intimate relationship with. And they certainly wouldn't be willing to put themselves in potential danger for me.

In the other corner, the counter-problem was my power's hunger. I had to feed it and that required sex. In a circular set of problems, I couldn't be with only the three women already bound to me. I would kill them if I didn't find more Fonti, and due to my self-image problem, I didn't believe I could do that. All-in-all, to me, there was no solution.

Jordan drove, and I sat there slipping further into depression over my dilemma. I looked around at the traffic passing by and the city beyond. I still didn't know where we were, but I was too far gone to worry about it.

Jordan glanced at me. "Hey," she said, squeezing my hand again. "I know things are rough, but we'll get through them."

I wanted to believe her. I needed to believe her. But I couldn't. I didn't see a plausible solution, not one following the path Jordan had put me on nor one that ran in line with my desire to hurt no one.

When I didn't say anything, Jordan pulled into the parking lot of a strip mall. Most of the stores were dark and empty. At the far end was a 7-11 with several cars parked in front and at the gas pumps. The only other store evident was the one we parked in front of. There were several cars parked nearby, and just as Jordan killed the engine, two women came out of the store carrying large specialty bags with the logo of the store on the side.

For a moment, Jordan sat there looking up at the store. I didn't say anything because I didn't know why we were there. Then she looked at me and said, "Put on your fetish."

I looked at her. "You want me to find Fonti here?"

She shrugged. "You might get lucky. Most of the women who shop here are either married or in a serious relationship and your fetish won't affect them."

I shook my head, confused. "Then why bother?"

"Because," she said, popping her door's latch to get out, "I know at least three girls who work here who are looking."

She slipped out of the car and I sat there watching her, incredulous with her audacity. She expected me to walk in the store and seduce the employees?

She stopped and looked back. I was still sitting in the car. She waved at me to follow her and I was reminded of when she had taken me and Danielle to a motel during my Initiation.

I got out of the car and followed her. I had my fetish in my hand in my pocket, struggling with the decision to put it on or not. By way of distraction, I studied the front of the store. Other than the name, Silk and Lace, I didn't see any signs or depictions of what was sold inside. For that matter, all the windows were covered from the inside by layers of drapes. Even the main doors, which were glass in metal frames, were covered. I thought it was odd and didn't understand why the contents of the store were hidden from public view.

Jordan stood next to the door, watching me approach. When I reached her, she said, "By the way, this is where I work."

I knew she worked in sales somewhere, but she didn't talk about work, at least not with me. There had been a few times I found her talking to Danielle or Jana about something in low whispers, but when I asked what the topic was, all Jordan would say was, "Work." It looked like I was about to find out what "work" meant all along. And from the tone in her voice, this little tidbit of news was meant to help me relax. I could only wish that was the case.

She looked down at my hand in my pocket. "You know, the world won't end if you wear your fetish."

Anger flared through me, but I kept it in check and it died just as quickly. I don't know why I was angry. It could have been with her and her persistence regarding my situation, but I knew that wasn't the case. I was angry with myself. I was angry because I couldn't think of a better solution.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then I pulled the fetish out and slipped it on before I changed my mind. Of course, I could always take it off if I got really uncomfortable, and there was a certain level of reassurance with that thought.

Jordan smiled as I tucked the trinkets under my shirt. I took another deep breath and let it out while I opened the door. Jordan went in first and I followed. She stopped and stepped aside so I could see past her. I could feel her eyes on me while I looked around, as if she was watching to make sure I wouldn't change my mind too soon. I did my best to ignore that sensation.

Silk and Lace was a lingerie store, with several racks of various intimate wear as well as undergarments of all sorts and colors. Posters depicted models in various outfits, but nothing too revealing. To me it was small, quiet, and very tasteful. It didn't require the drapes. However, I wasn't there to try anything on. The women who shopped there probably felt more comfortable with the additional privacy.

Speaking of the women who shopped there, there were at least a dozen milling about, looking through the racks. Some of them looked our way and I avoided eye contact. The air in the store had been soft, relaxed, and comfortable. Within seconds, I felt it change. Tension filled the air, but not the kind that people felt when in trouble or angry. It felt like I did when one of my girls dragged me off to the bedroom and I knew what was coming.

I stared at the floor, avoiding looking at anyone else, including Jordan. I knew something would happen, but not so quickly or palpable.

Someone walked up to us. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

I looked up to see if she was talking to me or to Jordan. She was looking at me. She had wavy, pale blonde hair that brushed her shoulders and deep blue eyes I could have lost myself in. Unable to stop myself, I looked her over. She was short and petite. She wore a pink top with a wide, frilly neck line and short sleeves. It hugged her chest, which looked huge on her small frame, and before my eyes her nipples hardened under the material. Her skirt was denim and floated about her thighs with the slightest move. She smiled at me when I met her eyes again and I wondered if she was one of the girls Jordan had mentioned.

Remembering the emotions I felt from Robyn, I was tempted right then and there to take off my fetish and leave. This girl couldn't have been any older than me. She didn't need to be tied to someone at such a young age, especially a sex magus.

Before I did anything though, Jordan said, "Daisy, this is Seth. Seth, Daisy."

Daisy never even glanced at Jordan. She held her hand out to me, but not in a purely vertical, all-business hand shake. It was bent at the wrist like she wanted me to take her hand, maybe kiss it, maybe lead her somewhere quiet.

I shook her hand in a quick motion with the intent of letting her go immediately, but the soft texture of her hand caught my attention. It felt good to hold her hand, really good.

"Welcome to Silk and Lace, Mr... ?" another feminine voice asked.

I withdrew my hand from Daisy's in practiced fear and turned to face the newcomer's wrath. That wasn't the expression on her face though. She was smiling too, but not in the same way as Daisy. She had golden-blonde hair, dark blue eyes, and a ruby smile. She wore a skirt suit that only marginally concealed her figure. I could tell that though she was small in stature, she had curves. Her jacket was dark grey, pin-striped, and closed with only the button just below her breasts. Her blouse was white with the collar lying along the lapels of the coat, and unbuttoned down to the same point. Both framed her cleavage and both hugged her breasts, putting them on display. Her skirt was light gray, form-fitting, and stopped less than half-way down her thighs. Stockings brought out the shape of her legs and black pumps finished her ensemble.

"We don't get many men in here, as you can imagine, so this is a treat," she said.

"Seth," Jordan said behind me, "this is Sammi, the store owner. Sammi, this is Seth."

Sammi's eyes lit up. She looked at Jordan and asked, "Seth?" with a lilt in her voice that made it sound more like, "THE Seth?"

I caught Jordan's nod at the edge of my vision. "Yup," she said with a smile. There was an implication in the air. Jordan had told Sammi about me. But what and why?

Daisy didn't leave. She stood off the side with her arms behind her back, slowly twisting back and forth. Her skirt swirled lightly about her thighs and her posture made her chest all that much more noticeable. Yeah, I noticed, and I couldn't help my reaction to her.

Sammi noticed too. "I'll handle this Daisy. They're here for business."

Daisy glanced at Sammi and nodded. She smiled at me again and then slowly backed away.

Jordan had a polite smile on her face, but Sammi giggled. I looked at the store owner. "Every time a man comes in, she drops everything to be there if he needs anything." She shook her head and looked up at me.

I put together two and two and finally came to a question that needed an answer. "What's going on?"

Sammi looked at Jordan and said, "You didn't ask him?"

I looked at Jordan too. "Ask me what?" I wasn't mad, but my curiosity had replaced my anxiety, at least momentarily. I thought she wanted me to find another Fonte, but it seemed she had an ulterior motive.

Jordan squared her shoulders, facing me. She looked a little nervous but determined. "Seth, I honestly didn't know how to ask you this, but Silk and Lace is ready to launch a new line. Sammi already has a couple of manufacturers lined up to produce about twenty different styles in various colors, but she needs help with the catalog."

I frowned and looked at Sammi. "Wouldn't you need someone with computer experience to do that?"

She smiled sweetly. "Let Jordan finish. She hasn't asked the question yet."

I looked at Jordan with an arched eyebrow. It was obvious I was being offered a job, which I needed, but what?

Jordan glanced at Sammi, who only watched her in return, and then continued. "She already has people to put the catalog together too, as well as printing, packaging, and website ads." She hesitated and then rushed through the next part. "What she needs are pictures of the products."

I frowned again. I could probably take the pictures. Digital cameras made that fairly simple for most people. However, Sammi added another detail. "I'm also the photographer for the store." She turned and waved at the posters around the store. "All of these are samples of my work."

I looked at the posters again. They were good. Not only were the particular products captured but the women wearing them looked very sexy too.

Confused, I turned to face the two women. Jordan caught my expression and bit her lip. If Sammi didn't need a photographer, and everything else was covered for the line, then there was only one other thing she might need to help with the photos. Sammi wasn't going to ask the question, so I waited patiently for Jordan to, both because it was polite and because I didn't want to look like an ass by assuming the wrong thing again.

Jordan took a deep breath and let it out. "What Sammi needs is a male model. You've been talking about finding a job, and I thought this would kill two birds with one stone."

For a moment, I stood there staring at Jordan. I had been talking about getting a job so I could get a car. It would also supplement my winnings to pay for an apartment that I hadn't fully decided to get. Getting a job in retail, sales, or other category regarding the ads Sammi needed was fine, but what made Jordan think that I would be willing to be a male model? We both knew I had self-image problems. Posing for pictures that needed to look good so someone could sell something was going to take a lot more in the looks department than I could offer. At least, that's how I felt.

Besides, there was one detail Jordan must have forgotten. "What about the scars on my back?" I asked. "Wouldn't that be a problem?" I wasn't hysterical. If anything, I sounded fairly reasonable. Point for me.

Jordan blinked at me, but it was Sammi who answered, "Actually, I only need pictures of the back of a few pairs, and even then, I would be focused on ... well, on your butt." She looked down, like she was trying to imagine what my butt looked like. There was no shame in her answer, nor did it seem to bother her to be looking at my butt. No, she wasn't ashamed about it. Her expression was more than analytical though.

I nodded slowly, desperately fighting the urge to laugh or run or do anything else to escape the surreal nature of this conversation.

Before I could consciously follow through with any of the options my brain presented, Sammi looked up again and said, "Tell you what ... Why don't we go in the back and try a few test shots? If you don't like the process or how the pictures turn out, I'll find someone else to model."

Maintaining what self-control I had, and reflecting on the reason she was asking me to do this, I asked a question that had crossed my mind but hadn't been met by a reasonable answer. "Why not call an agency or even self-employed male models? I'm sure there are plenty to do this."

Sammi nodded. "Agencies charge a lot more than individual models, and the few male models I've talked to are busy until the end of the year. I need to get this started before December, for the Christmas rush."

The money I understood. Everything was tight. I also understood the rush. If she couldn't get the catalog finished before her deadline, the whole plan might fall through.

I looked around at the posters again. To be fair, all of them were tasteful, and the women looked relaxed and smiled naturally. I also realized that there were only four different women making up all of those posters. There were a lot of different products in the store, which meant the catalog had a lot more pictures than only the few in the store. The natural conclusion was that Sammi liked to work with only a few models and used the same ones again and again for consistency. Both were positive aspects for finding a job.

I didn't know if I could actually be a model though. Posing to have my picture taken wasn't something I was accustomed to. My family didn't have any family portraits taken, especially after my oldest sister left for college, and in high school the student photographers who took pictures for the year book were adept at capturing the coolest shots while making sure I wasn't in them. Every year, the only picture anyone could find of me was the standard school packaged picture.

On top of all my personal reasons for turning Sammi down, there was always the possibility that she would find a problem with the test shots and couldn't use me.

I think Jordan was surprised when I said, "Okay, let's do the test shots. If we're both comfortable with the process and satisfied with the results, we'll go from there."

Sammi smiled and nodded, and Jordan looked pleasantly surprised. Sammi turned, saying, "C'mon, I'll show you around and let you pick something to wear." She walked toward the back of the store, but I held Jordan back a few steps before following.

"How long have you been planning this?" I quietly asked the brunette.

She hesitated for only a heartbeat. "What do you mean?"

If she had asked that with a straight face, I wouldn't have thought anymore about it, but she grinned at me and had a familiar twinkle in her eyes. It was the very same twinkle she had every time she left me alone with Danielle or Jana. I knew I was supposed to find another Fonte, but apparently Jordan didn't bring me here to seduce just anyone I happened to meet. I was supposed to seduce Sammi.

Without another word, Jordan followed Sammi. For a second, I considered leaving, but sighed and followed them instead. Sammi hadn't reacted to my fetish, which meant she was in a relationship already. If she was in a relationship, did Jordan really expect me to break it up so she would be with me? Could I do that?

Remembering the relationship Danielle had with her husband, I realized that if Sammi was suffering the same thing then I would.

We passed through a short hall. There were dressing rooms on one side and two doors on the other. The doors were marked "Tailor" and "Specialty." Tailor I understood, but not Specialty. Whatever it was for, I wasn't there to purchase it, so the meaning really didn't matter.

At the end of the hall, Sammi turned left and we followed her into a long room with row after row of hanging garments. Near the door were two tables. One was piled high with material or possibly unfinished garments. A few sketches and different drawing implements were on the other.

Sammi walked past the two tables and down to the last row of hanging garments. She stopped halfway down the row and pulled out a pair of boxers. She held them up and said, "This is one of the basic designs. Something I'm sure you're familiar with."

I nodded and felt the material. It was silk. "I've never worn silk before."

"And he usually wears boxer-briefs," Jordan said.

I didn't know how much Jordan told Sammie about me, but I thought that was a little personal. Sammi didn't even bat an eye. She simply put the boxers back and pulled out a pair of red boxer-briefs.

I only knew about cotton, but this looked suspiciously like something else. I felt the material. It wasn't silk, but it was just as soft. "What is it?" I asked.

Sammi smiled. "Cashmere."

Cashmere underwear? Who would wear them? I had heard of the material, and how expensive it was. I tried to imagine wearing them. My first thought was "weird," but that quickly gave way to curiosity. If I had to wear something for a test shoot, it might as well be something I was curious about.

Sammi held them out for me to take. My finger brushed lightly over hers, and a spark jumped between us.

Like in the bank, the spark didn't make me jump. Instead, I was flooded with several emotions. Lust dominated my mind. I wanted sex, and I wanted it soon. My body responded to the need and my pants grew uncomfortable. Other emotions were also present: loneliness, hope, and determination. I didn't understand them because they were out of context. I understood that I was feeling Sammi's emotions, but I didn't understand the thought processes behind them.

Just like at the bank, the emotions lasted only as long as the spark. Sammi jumped and giggled. I smiled back at her, taking the boxer-briefs.

Doing my best to not reveal anything odd going on, I ran the material over my hands, and let my curiosity about what it would feel like to wear them grow.

Sammi reached for another pair and said, "Now, some of these designs are less than functional. They're meant to entice."

I frowned at that. "Why would anyone buy anything like that?"

"Well," Sammi said, "You saw the posters out in the store. Those garments might cover everything, but they're rarely worn under any clothing. Some women sleep in them, and some wear them only to entice. So, it seems fair to me that men should offer women the same thing occasionally." Sammi pulled out another pair of men's underwear, and I wondered why she was only holding a hanger with a bow on it.

I stared at that bow and tried to figure out how anyone was supposed to wear it. I didn't see an elastic strap to go around my waist, or enough material to cover anything. If the strap was only as wide as the bow, which it looked like, then the only way to put it on was to wrap it around my ... equipment.

Sammi brushed her fingers across the bow, and I had a sudden image of me wearing it while she stroked both the bow and what it was strapped to. She looked up at me with a familiar smile. I hadn't done anything to deserve that smile, but I was wearing my fetish. I knew she was affected by it, but she had more self control than I could imagine.

Logically, I knew that at some point, if I became the model for this line of hers, I would have to wear that bow sooner or later. I had already imagined wearing it, but not for a photo shoot. I seriously doubted she needed me erect for the pictures. I had to stay calm, to ask proper questions, and find a really good reason to turn her down.

I remembered the posters in the store. "There aren't any posters of anything like you suggest in the store," I said. My voice was even, and reasonable. Another point for me.

She shook her head. "No, but we have pictures of every design in the catalog and online."

I nodded once with wide eyes. "Gotcha." I looked at the bow again not sure if I could wear it while being photographed.

Sammi must have understood my apprehension. "If it'll make you feel any better, I don't need to include your face in the photos. We are trying to sell these, not you. You're merely demonstrating how it's worn."

Again, I gave her a wide-eyed single nod.

Jordan leaned in against my back. Her breasts were very noticeable, as were her nipples through all the cloth separating us. Very softly she said, "I would love to see you in that."

The smile she gave me was familiar too. I saw it whenever she saw my response to how she looked in something sexy. I would have very happily worn it for Jordan. Then I realized that was probably why she hadn't left me alone with Sammi to talk about the job opportunity. She wanted me to at least try, and she knew I would need encouragement.

Well, I was encouraged.

I held up the cashmere briefs and looked at Sammi. "We'll start with these and see how everything goes."

With a smile, she nodded, put the bow back on the rack, and led the way out.

Instead of going down the hall to the dressing rooms, Sammi went straight. It was a studio, with mock bedrooms setup in three corners, and abstract wall screens in between. Near the door was a desk with a computer and several cameras.

Sammi picked up one of the cameras and looked it over. Jordan went over to the closer set of screens and pulled at them until it was a simple white background. I stood there watching them and wondered if there was anything I could do to help.

Sammi noticed I was idle. "You need to change."

I nodded and looked around the room again. Everything was open. Nothing in there offered any privacy for changing clothes. I thought about Sammi's previous models and realized since it was all women, they probably didn't feel as uncomfortable changing while Sammi watched. Of course, they were models, modeling underwear and other garments not normally seen in public, so changing clothes probably didn't bother them anymore than what they wore during the shoots.

My problems were piling up.

Jordan noticed and walked over to me. "What's wrong?"

I must have had that wide-eyed look again because she smiled and patted my cheek lightly. "You can go use the dressing rooms."

I nodded, turned to leave, and remembered all the women out in the store, especially Daisy. My pause made Jordan ask, even quieter, "I wouldn't worry about the other women. Your fetish isn't that potent."

"What about Daisy?" I said.

Jordan grinned and pressed her breasts into me. "Do you think you can handle Daisy and Sammi at the same time?"

I glanced past Jordan at Sammi. Her focus was on the equipment in front of her, but while I watched she slipped out of her jacket. Her blouse was sheer and I could see her skin through it as well as the pink of her nipples. She wasn't wearing a bra!

Jordan's breath on my ear caught my attention. "She is so excited. She's wanted to start this line for months, but only recently decided to go through with it."

I blinked and looked at Jordan. "What's stopped her before now?"

Jordan shrugged but continued watching Sammi. "Dunno," she said.

I looked at Sammi again. She picked up another camera and noticed us watching her. She smiled and aimed the camera our way. "Smile!" she said and snapped a photo.

The flash blinded me enough to turn away. I thumbed over my shoulder toward the door and left to go change.



-------

Chapter 6



The store was quiet. I only heard soft music playing and the occasional shift of hangers on racks. One of the shoppers had her back to me at the end of the hall. Daisy was nowhere to be seen.

I tried the handle for the first dressing room I got to. It was locked. "Sorry, occupied," came a female voice. I nodded without saying anything and tried the next door. That room was occupied too. Thankfully, the third room, the one closest to the main part of the store, wasn't.

I stepped into the dressing room and tried to relax. Nothing had happened. I hadn't even put on the boxer-briefs yet. But I was as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. And the parallel of that image wasn't lost on me. I was about to put on a pair of sexy underwear while the store was filled with nothing but women. I tried to reason with myself by thinking it could be worse. I could be in a store, about to do the same thing, and nothing but men waited outside to see me.

That idea didn't help any, so I decided to focus on what I was doing and where I was.

The dressing room wasn't small exactly. It was certainly bigger than a closet, but smaller than anything I knew. Even the half-baths in my dorm suit were bigger. The floor was carpeted and a small bench was built into the wall. The mirrors unnerved me though. The only part of the inside of the dressing room not covered by a mirror was the back of the door. It had three hooks and the door knob, but that was it.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I got undressed and suddenly longed for the warmth of my clothes. The lighting in the dressing room was warm, but the air was cooler than expected. With one last deep breath – because I felt like I was about to do something very stupid – I slipped off my boxer-briefs. I couldn't help but see myself in the mirrors. Usually, I avoided looking at myself other than when checking my teeth or shaving. I simply never felt any need to look. Now, I didn't have a choice.

I didn't see any redeeming qualities. I was in good shape, but that was from physical labor, walking everywhere I had to, and swimming in my off time. More recently, I had been driven from place to place by the girls, but I had to walk to my classes and my dorm during the morning hours of the week. I wasn't getting as much exercise as I used to, unless you counted sex with the girls. My stomach was flat and my legs and arms toned, but nothing overly muscular.

I noticed that with mirrors in front and behind me I could see the edges along my back and shoulders. I tried twisting and turning to get a better view of my back, to see how bad my scars looked, but it was no use. The mirrors were lined up too perfectly.

I took the cashmere boxer-briefs off their hanger and felt the material again. It was very soft and just as light as my cotton briefs. I slipped them on and smiled at the feel of the material against me. More than that though was the way the design hugged me, like a feathery-soft hand cupped my sack. I studied myself in the mirror. Unlike my briefs, these were apparently designed to offer support and enhance a man's genitals. My package looked a lot bigger than when wearing my regular underwear. I had been looking for a way to talk to Jordan about sex without being explicit, and she offered that as a suggestion when talking about my groin area, though she preferred more graphic descriptions. The thing was, hearing her talk about me in detail like that always got a rise out of me, and now, thinking about those times, I filled out the cashmere briefs more.

I seriously doubted Sammi wanted me filling out her underwear like that, so I sat on the bench and tried to think about anything to help me relax. I knew one thing that would do the trick. I shook my head, irritated with the very idea I even had to think about it. I forced myself to remember going to Lisa Hartwell's house to apologize to her family. I remembered talking briefly to Lisa and her mother. And then I remembered what her father did to me.

Voices startled me from my memories. I was breathing heavily and the fear of those memories faded quickly. I was happy to be in a store's dressing room only wearing a pair of cashmere underwear, rather than facing Mr. Hartwell's wrath again. Unfortunately, panic replaced fear because it sounded like those voices were coming to the dressing room I was in.

It was bad enough that I had to slip out and back to the room where Sammi wanted to take the test shots, but I didn't need chattering women following me in the process. It wasn't a couple of chattering women though.

"What are you doing here?" Sammi asked.

"I came by to talk to you," said a male voice. "I know I haven't been around but that doesn't mean you have to go off the deep end and start this men's line."

Understanding flooded me. Sammi wasn't sure she was in a relationship anymore. That was why she was only partially affected by my fetish. She had noticed me, was attracted to me, but she retained enough control to keep from reacting too strongly.

"You know I wanted to start this line before you disappeared," she said.

"I didn't disappear," he said, "I've been busy."

"Whatever," she said. "The point is, the store is mine now, which means you have no say in what I do or don't do with it."

"Just because I sold you my half doesn't mean you should do something like that," he said.

"Why Stan?" she asked. "Huh? Why can't I have this line? Can you give me one solid statistic that says a men's line of exotic underwear would hurt this store?"

"Statistics aren't everything, Sammi," he said.

"Maybe not," she said, sounding purely stubborn, "but I'm going to start this line."

"Sammi, wait," he said. "You don't need the line. You're doing fantastic without it."

"How do you know?" she asked, sounding suspicious. "I haven't heard from or seen you in six months."

"It doesn't matter how..." He started.

"Yes, Stan. It does."

"Look, Sammi," he said smoothly, "the important part is I'm back. You don't need the men's line because I've got something else that'll keep the ladies coming back for more."

"Really?" she asked. "What?"

"A friend of mine has a new line of products," he said. "He's offered me exclusive sales."

"This isn't your store, Stan," she said.

"If you let me buy back my half," he said, "I'll be able to sell here too."

"You have other stores," she said and I knew a good question was coming. "Why do you need my place?"

"Like I said, the line is very exclusive, and it's hot. It'll sell like no one's business and we will simply rake in the money." He sounded like he might have an orgasm just talking about it.

"What kind of line is it?" she asked.

"I'll have to show you," he said. "Words wouldn't do it justice."

"I can't," she said. "Not tonight."

"Why not?" he asked. "You've got the other girls here to cover for you. You only need to send your assistant home."

"She's not my assistant," Sammi said. "She's a new sales girl and she's pulled in more clientele than you can imagine." They must have been talking about Jordan.

"Really?" he said. "Maybe I should get to know her." I didn't like the tone in his voice. Some instinct in me said to beat his ass now and worry about the consequences later.

Sammi didn't seem worried though. "She brought a friend. We're about to start shooting." I frowned. I thought it was only a test shoot. Well, yeah, and she didn't have to tell him that.

"A friend?" Stan asked. "Shooting what?"

For a second everything was quiet. Then there was a soft knock on the dressing door. "Seth, are you ready?"

I swallowed down the mix of emotions roiling through me and opened the door a crack. Sammi was standing close to the door, blocking my view of the store, as well as Stan's possible view of me. Softly I asked, "Are you sure you want him seeing me dressed like this?"

Sammi's eyes roamed over me through the opening. "It'll be fine Seth. C'mon out."

I nodded and stepped out. It turned out Sammi and Stan had drawn a small crowd of spectators. The problem was I was now a part of the show – and in only the red cashmere boxer-briefs. Jordan said that when I blushed, my whole body flushed with it. I wondered if I was as red as the underwear.

Stan stood there staring at me. He had a light sprinkle of gray in his dark hair. His suit looked expensive and he was heavier than I thought, more round. Unlike the women at the end of the hall, who all either smiled or showed some appreciation for my attire, Stan's expression was just the opposite, disgusted.

"What's wrong Stan?" Sammi asked. She stood next to me and watched Stan intently.

Stan blustered for a few seconds and then said, "I thought we agreed you didn't need the men's line."

I frowned at that. Sammi never said anything like that.

"No," Sammi said. "You said I didn't need it, but I never agreed."

"Then you're shooting him ... like that?" Stan asked.

She looked me over, right there in front of Stan. "Well, yes Stan. That is how it works." She looked at him again. "Or don't you remember? You were the store photographer before you left. And though Seth isn't a professional model, I believe his natural presence will make a big impact in the pictures."

Stan looked at my face for all of a second, and then he looked down at the underwear again. I knew what he was looking at, and I was happy that I had calmed my earlier thoughts enough to no longer be filling out the cashmere boxer-briefs like I had been.

"You can't be serious," Stan said. "What've you got in there, kid, your socks?"

I frowned, looked down at myself, didn't see anything wrong, and looked at Sammi for confirmation.

Sammi smiled at me, and it was friendly and comforting. She reassured me with that simple gesture in all the ways I needed at the moment. Unfortunately, her words made my eyes widen. "We can find out if you want."

Stan blushed just as strongly as I did, which I thought was odd, and then he said, "No one's that ... that ... big."

Sammi looked down at me. "I don't know Stan. He looks like he would make me a happy woman."

There had been several times when my girls had told me how good I felt when we made love. I found their comments extremely erotic, and Sammi's comments had the same effect.

Stan looked me over again and I didn't care for his expression. "What the hell are you doing?"

I didn't know if he was talking to me or Sammi. Personally, I didn't want to answer the question, especially with the audience nearby. Thankfully, Sammi mostly blocked their view of me.

"It would appear, Stan, that Seth likes my appreciation of him," Sammi said. Her voice had a soft tone to it. It was another sign that she was affected by my fetish. It had to be because I didn't see any reason for a woman, any rational, clear-thinking woman to act like she was.

"Dammit, that's disgusting," he said, seemingly unable to tear his eyes away from my groin. "Go put on some clothes."

I heard a few of the women at the end of the hall pout at that comment. Sammi didn't seem affected though. "He can't do that yet, Stan. We have a photo shoot to do."

His head snapped up. "You can't."

I frowned. Sammi asked, "Why not?"

He shook his head. "That would be..."

"What Stan?" she asked. It seemed Sammi already knew the answer, and she wanted him to say it.

He shook his head again. "You just can't."

"I can't what?" she asked, pressing her point. "See him in some of the more exotic pieces?" She stepped around me, which cleared the point of view of our audience. "But I want to Stan. I need to."

I looked at Sammi, sure my fetish was taking hold, but the expression on her face wasn't lust. For the most part, she looked calm, but I could just make out an underlying layer of anger. She stepped closer to Stan, lowering her voice. "He's going to wear them all for me, Stan, and some of those pieces don't cover very much at all. In fact, I'm looking forward to seeing him wear the bow."

Stan shivered. It wasn't a simple shake of the head or shoulders, but his whole body. You know the kind. When you hear or see something that thoroughly disturbs you – like accidentally seeing your grandmother in the shower.

Stan Focused on Sammi. "You can't do that."

She nodded. "I'm going to Stan, and I think he's going to enjoy it as much as I am."

Stan looked at me again, but not at my package. He looked at my face. "What kind of pervert are you?"

"Excuse me?" I barked. My rage burned through me as explosive as my words, which surprised me and my surprise kept me from doing anything at the moment.

"You heard me," Stan said.

I glanced at Sammi. She was focused on Stan, and I finally understood. Understanding led to rational thought, and rational thought led to total calmness. My anger was still there, burning just below the surface, but I kept my face in check. This wasn't about me, even though Stan was trying to make it about me.

"I know what you did Stan," Sammi said in a low, dangerous tone. My anger recognized hers. "I found out not long after you left."

Stan looked at her. "Found out what? I didn't do anything." Defensive much?

"The girls told me Stan," she said. "I was tempted to send them to the police, but I know how you think. There wouldn't be any witnesses, just your word against theirs."

He narrowed his eyes and stood a little straighter. "Go to the police about what?"

Sammi shook her head. "I can't believe I never figured it out. We couldn't keep any of the models after you shot them. Well, except for Tammy."

"Tammy enjoyed modeling for me," he said.

She shook her head again. "Tammy enjoyed you." She walked over and stood next to me again. "I told you how uncomfortable it made me, making love to you in your bedroom with the curtains wide open. You should have paid attention."

His brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"I have pictures of you and Tammy, together, in your bed, naked, and fucking like God-damned rabbits!" Her voice rose with each new detail. "What I don't get ... what just totally confounds me is why? Huh? Was it because I wouldn't let you fuck my ass? Well, Tammy sure let you!"

She stalked back and forth across the short hall, the energy of her anger needing more of an outlet than just yelling. "And her breasts! Fuck, What's she got in em, rocks? All that bouncing around she did on your little prick and they never moved."

Sammi cupped her own breasts, lifted them and let go. I only had partial view because of the angle and her blouse, but I could tell she bounced very nicely.

Stan watched her too and then looked at me. "Keep your eyes in your head, boy."

Sammi got up in his face, which was impressive seeing as how he was at least a foot taller than her. "He's allowed to look! You're the one who can't keep his dick in his pants!"

And to think, I accused Jordan of trying to set me up to seduce Sammi. To me, the last thing Sammie wanted was sex. I needed to take off my fetish at the first chance.

Stan stood there aloof, as if Sammi's accusations and proof held no merit. In a calm, reasonable voice, Stan said, "And you can't tell me that you aren't tempted to do the same thing."

Sammi's hair flew as she whipped her head around. Her blue eyes roved over me. There was nothing suggestive or hidden about what she was doing. This wasn't a look of evaluation. She wasn't being analytical of how the underwear looked on me. She was looking at me, and I got the distinct impression that she was more than tempted.

She looked at Stan again. "You know the difference between us Stan? I wouldn't have even considered it while we were together." She didn't yell, and she didn't have to. The store was absolutely quiet. Even the soft music was gone.

Stan frowned at her and opened his mouth to answer, but Sammi cut him off. "Stuff it Stan. You left the store. You left me. Now you come crawling back and try to charm your way back in because my store is doing better than any of yours. And on top of that, you try to wiggle your way back into my life. I don't thinks so. Get out!"

"What?" he asked, almost as loudly.

"I said get out, Stan. Now!" She was on her toes, putting her face in his.

He reached for her and before I knew what I was doing, I caught his wrist, twisted his arm behind his back, and frog-marched him toward the entrance.

Daisy reached the doors first and held them open for me. There weren't any steps outside, so I gave him a healthy shove in the back. Before he could so much as look back, Daisy closed and locked the doors.

I turned around to head back to the hall, and Sammi, and found all of the women in the store staring at me openly. I reached for the fetish at my neck, intent on taking it off, but then I saw Sammi. She was flushed and breathing heavily. Her eyes roamed over me and something told me that now would be a good time to take her somewhere quiet and alone.

No one said a word as I passed them. No one tried to touch me or redirect my attention. I took Sammi's hand and lead her back toward the studio. She never took her eyes off me and though she accepted my lead, she wasn't content with simply holding my hand. She leaned against me, pressing her breast into my side. Her hand slipped out of mine, moved behind me and cupped one of my cheeks, and the other hand cupped my package.

In the studio, Jordan was standing next to the door. She saw the way Sammi was plastered to my side and didn't say anything. She knew. She slipped out behind us, closed the door, and left us to what was going to happen.

Of all the furniture available to make our fornication more comfortable, Sammi directed me to the desk with all the electronic equipment on it. For a second, I feared she would shove everything aside to make room, but she apparently had more presence of mind that I thought. Instead, she pulled out the office chair, spun around, and sat on it.

Her face was suddenly level with my crotch, and the realization of what we were about to do hit me. I had a lot of good reasons to walk away, not the least of which was the fact that she just busted Stan's chops for sleeping with the store's female models. Of course, I was in conflict with myself over that point. Sammi admitted that she might consider going through with such a situation if she wasn't with Stan. Now, she wasn't.

Sammi drew me out of my internal conflict as she pulled down the underwear she wanted me to model. Regardless of my doubts, my body was perfectly ready and willing to give in to her.

Sammi's eyes grew wide for a second, and then her hands drifted up like they were floating on water and touched me. At her touch, I jumped just a little. Her hands were cool to the touch. She held me up and looked me over like she had never seen anything like it before. I really didn't know what the wonder was all about, but I didn't say anything.

She leaned forward and rubbed her cheek along my shaft. She held me close to her like I was something cuddly, but her demeanor shifted and she rolled her eyes up to mine. She didn't smile. She wasn't trying to be cute. Her need for sex overrode whatever awe had claimed her and she took a deep breath. Her eyes fluttered closed and she turned her head to kiss the side of me. She reminded me of my first time with Danielle and how her lust drove her.

Sammi sat back, letting me slide along her skin. Her lips brushed over my crown and I stifled a small moan. She kissed me again, using more of her lips. Then she kissed me again, her tongue lightly flicking across the tip. Another kiss was more open, and then she stopped with the kissing to simply suck my crown into her mouth completely. I felt her tongue wash over me, above and below, and I couldn't stop the next moan.

Her eyes rolled up to look at me again, and her lips slid a little further along my length. She used one hand to lightly stroke my sac while she unbuttoned her blouse with the other. I slipped further into her mouth at her insistence and fought to maintain some level of control over my reactions. My girls told me how much they liked my moans and involuntary hip thrusts, but I wasn't sure how Sammi would react if I did that.

Sammi got her blouse open and shrugged it off. I had noticed earlier that she wasn't wearing a bra, but seeing her full breasts swaying in front of me confirmed it. I wanted to reach down and tease her nipples, but I would have to bend over and that would make me retract from her mouth. Sammi seemed really happy to be sucking on me and I didn't want to deprive her of that joy.

She pressed her lips further along my length, taking just over half of me into her oral embrace. I could feel how her tongue writhed under me and fought to stifle more moans.

All at once, Sammi grabbed both of my cheeks and pulled me forward, shoving me deeper into her mouth.

I felt the tightness of her throat and heard her gag. The last thing I wanted was for her to throw up, so I tried to pull back from her.

She held onto me and leaned forward with my movement. She wasn't going to let me get away that easily.

I knew I could pry her off of me, but she backed off just as suddenly as she pulled me in. She stroked me, smearing her saliva along my length and licking her lips. Then she lunged forward again, taking me in as deeply as she could, forcing me into her throat and gagging again.

The only thing I could really do was stand there and let her. If she wanted to do this, then I wasn't going to stop her, not that she was going to let me stop her.

Again and again, she took me into her throat, never taking me in completely. Every time, she gagged, backed off and smeared her dribble all over me. Finally, she looked up at me. "You taste good."

What could I say to that? "Thank you."

She let me go and stood up. I wasn't sure what to expect from her next, so I stood there. She unzipped her skirt, let it drop to the floor and kicked off her shoes. She was several inches shorter than Jordan, but that didn't detract from her attractiveness in any way. If anything, I appreciated her stature all the more. Not that I liked short women in particular, but for her, if she had been taller, I think I would have worried. I was already impressed with her aggressiveness.

When Sammi turned to me again, I realized that the stockings I thought she was wearing were really pantyhose. She was completely covered from the waist down by nylon. If we weren't careful, they'd get ripped up really quick.

Either Sammi wasn't worried about them or was too distracted looking at me to care. She took my hand and led me over to the closest bed. Once there, she sat on the edge of it and pulled me into her mouth again. She didn't attempt to swallow me whole again, instead just drawing me into her mouth and letting me slip back out.

With a grip on me, she scooted back onto the bed. I had to follow her quickly because she wasn't letting go. She shifted around and got up on her knees. It took me a second to understand that she wanted me to lie down. When I did, she straddled my thighs. For a moment, she sat there playing with me. I stroked her thighs but without more effort, I couldn't reach more of her. Then she squeezed me, walked forward on her knees, and hiked up one sculpted thigh. She let me go, used a fingernail to pierce her pantyhose at the crotch, and pulled them open further. I laid there watching, not sure if I should say anything. Without any concern about what she did, she maneuvered up and placed my crown just inside her heated entrance. She was very wet, and sank down on me completely. I was thankful for her lubrication because she was also very tight.

Jordan told me about the pelvic floor muscles. A guy named Kegel came up with an excercise for them that even men could use to treat incontinence. In a woman's case, it helps her to squeeze a man when he's in her. If a woman worked those muscles when not having sex, they would both tighten her canal and increas her stamina for gripping during sex. She also told me that if she tried to tighten herself when we weren't having sex, she'd be pissed at herself for making it more difficult when we finally did have sex again. Learning about a woman's body was something she thought I should know, since I was a sex magus and I wasn't remotely interested in men.

Sammi sat on me for a moment, stock still. Her whole body was tight, like a small electrical current kept her muscles locked up or something. Then she relaxed, looked down at me, and smiled. I smiled in return, not knowing at the time that she had just had her first orgasm in months – and that was just from impaling herself on me.

She leaned over, her full breasts pressing into my chest, and kissed me. At first it was like when she kissed my penis, just pressing her lips to mine, but with each additional kiss, she opened up more, added her tongue, and invited mine into her mouth too. Her hips rose and fell as hesitantly as her kissing, but as she grew more direct with my lips and tongue, her hips moved with similar candor.

I ran my hands over her back and cheeks. Her skin was very soft and the feel of her body against mine made me forget all of my arguments about finding more Fonti. At that moment, it was difficult to believe I had been so belligerent. I enjoyed sex with my girls, and Jordan was encouraging me to go out and find more women to have sex with. What was so wrong about that?

Wanting to do more than simply lie there while she humped us both to orgasm, I lifted my knees and planted my feet on the bed. Matching her rhythm only took a couple of tries. I thrust up at her when she drove herself down on me. Our bodies slapped together at our point of connection and the tempo could have been used for something beautiful, soulful, and serene. To add to it, Sammi sang her pleasure into my mouth, squealing and moaning in a pitch that I liked very much.

She broke our kissing and sat up. Her breathing was heavy and her hot, hard nipples slid up and down my chest with our mutual humping. Sammi continued to moan and squeal but at a volume I didn't think the rest of the store would appreciate, regardless of the fact that she was the owner. As much as I enjoyed hearing her, and the feel of her breasts swaying along my chest, I pulled her down again and locked my lips to hers.

With that one concern handled for the moment, I found I was just as desperate for an orgasm as Sammi. It felt good to hold her. It felt good to be with her. It all simply felt good. I wondered briefly if I was being affected by my fetish or the hot blonde riding me. It wasn't an important enough idea to hold onto at the moment, so it was lost as I continued to drive myself up into Sammi with wild abandon, and enjoyed how she returned the sentiment.

My growing need made me roll us over. Sammi never complained and once I had my knees positioned, I made our previous slapping sounds seem quiet.

Sammi raised her legs up along my sides, and I could tell that I was plunging even deeper into her. I felt myself bump into something inside, and couldn't figure out what it was.

I sat up to ask Sammi, but she grabbed my head with both hands and growled at me, "Don't you dare stop."

Nope. I didn't stop. Whatever I was doing was working for her, so I did everything I could to keep the rhythm steady, the depth consistent, and the duration as long as possible.

Unfortunately, being a sex magus didn't have any bearing on my stamina. I was only marginally greater than a human, and only in that I could use magic. My ability to hold off orgasm wasn't infinite.

When I felt the tell-tale sign that I couldn't hold out any longer, I asked, "In or out?"

Sammi's response was physical. She hooked her feet together behind my back and squeezed my waist with her thighs.

That was all the answer I needed, as well as the limit of my strength. With a deep grunt, I pressed myself as deep into her as I could, felt the back wall I kept bumping into, and filled her belly with heavenly fire.

Sammi continued to thrust her hips up at me all through my orgasm. She whimpered, moaned, and pulled at me to get me going again.

I couldn't think. It was like my brain had drained out of me along with my sperm. It never dawned on me that I might have just made her pregnant. It never occurred that she could even have an STD and passed it to me. The situation, the moment, the very instant, demanded that I have sex with her, and by her own response anything other than squirting deep inside her was unacceptable.

That same deep-seated instinct understood what Sammi needed, and even though I normally would have needed a moment or two to recover enough to continue, I thrust into her again anyway. And again. And again. My rhythm matched hers and like a machine, my body simply responded to her continuing drive. I didn't know she already had one orgasm, so I could only surmise that she was still trying to reach it. I was a little surprised that I could continue so quickly. Usually I was too sensitive, but something allowed me to go on, and I didn't waste the opportunity.

Sammi crushed me to her, holding on like she would drown if she let go. She must have been close already because all at once, she had another full-body lock up, like when she first took me into her. This time though, she even stopped breathing.

I rested on my elbows to allow her room to breathe. I waited, listened, and felt her where she held onto me. Finally, she let out her breath and relaxed. Her grip on me fluttered and relaxed, and as I moved to look at her, she sucked in a breath and gripped my shoulders. She was too sensitive.

I couldn't see her eyes, but when she spoke, I heard fuzziness in her voice. "That was good." Her voice was soft, if a little hoarse. "God, that was so very good." She hugged me and kissed my neck.

Her body relaxed under mine, though she continued to hold me in place with her arms and legs. I had to make minor adjustments for comfort, but that was all the motion she allowed.

It felt good to lay there with her, holding her while she held me. It reassured me that I had done the right thing, or, at least, chosen the right woman to bond with. Then a new question hit me. Was she bound to me? I didn't feel any different. She wasn't acting funny or anything. How was I supposed to know it worked? I never did ask Jordan or Raven that question.

More questions flew through my mind right behind those. What would happen with Sammi now? Would she end up getting sick since Danielle was and Jordan and Jana could at any time? Should I tell her about our new relationship? What would she say or do if I didn't tell her and she found out somehow?

My worries were brought to a halt when I heard the studio door open and close again. I held my breath, listening intently, and it seemed as though Sammi was too.

I sat up enough to see Sammi's eyes. They were wide with panic. To be honest, she looked a little silly, and apparently, I looked the same to her because we both broke out laughing.

Though it felt good to laugh, there could be a problem, and I couldn't lie there and not check. I looked behind me at the door. To my surprise, Jordan was standing there, frozen, and with a faraway look in her eyes. Of all the flashbacks I'd had today of my Initiation, that was one I could certainly do without. It appeared though, that I was going to relive one of the weirdest moments of my life.



-------

Chapter 7



"What is it?" Sammi asked, twisting around to see past me. "Is someone there?"

I looked at Sammi. "Um ... It's Jordan."

Sammi frowned at me. "She isn't mad, is she?" She untangled herself from me and looked.

I looked too. Jordan stood there like she was a statue. I really didn't like what I was seeing.

Sammi pushed at my chest. "Get up. We'll have to clean up sooner or later anyway."

I nodded, eased out of her, and crawled off of the bed.

Sammi raised her legs and peeled her pantyhose off. With the same lack of concern for the garment, she balled them up and pressed them to her crotch. She was soaked and a lot of the fluids we both produced tried to rush out of her.

Jordan walked around the bed and stood next to me, opposite from Sammi.

I stepped out from between them. It was weird enough that I had to bind women to me for sex, but to have them do the whole merry-go-round from Hell thing again was too much. I remembered how the girls scared me the night my Initiation ended. Floating up off the floor, spinning around me, and the amber marks. Jordan's glowed on her chest, a strip of amber light as if reality had been torn open to reveal another behind it. She didn't move to follow me when I moved though. I was okay with that, until I looked at Sammi.

Sammi was on her knees on the bed, moving to the edge. She had discarded the pantyhose and our mixed fluids leaked down her thighs. That wasn't what bothered me though. Her eyes were as vacant as Jordan's. She climbed off the bed and stood next to it, facing Jordan.

I remembered trying to snap Jordan out of this spell a few weeks ago. I wasn't sure what it would take, but I wasn't willing to do anything more than give her a push so she'd fall on the bed, which I tried. All she did was stand up again.

I shook my head and looked at Sammi. Apparently the question about whether or not she was bound to me was answered.

For a wild moment, I considered getting dressed and leaving. I wondered what would happen if I did. Would they follow me? Would they stay here and wait? Why did I have to be a magus? Why couldn't I just be like any other college student with all the same worries and wants?

Then I remembered how Jordan had found me, Danielle, and Jana at the hotel previously and I wondered if Danielle and Jana were on their way. The three of them had formed a triangle of sorts around me. Maybe nothing would happen if I stepped between Jordan and Sammi.

I moved between them.

Apparently Danielle and Jana weren't needed, because Jordan and Sammi floated up, and though the bed should have presented an obstacle, they floated over it as they rotated around me in that same freaky merry-go-round fashion.

I stayed where I was because I knew what was coming next. The girls and I had discussed our memory exchanges on several occasions after that night, but we never did figure out why those particular memories were shared. I realized my concerns about telling Sammi the truth were about to be either complicated or remedied when she stopped in front of me, her full breasts at eye level, and the same amber streak appeared along her torso.

-------

Sammi was worried. She sat in her dorm room in Southern Methodist University in Dallas and stared at her phone. Andy hadn't called her at all during the break between semesters. Sammi had gone home to see her parents, and had a great Christmas, but it would have been better if Andy had called.

The phone rang. Sammi snatched it up before the one ring finished. "Andy?"

"Uh, no," said another male voice. "This is George. Is Tanya there?"

"Oh, no George. She's supposed to get back tonight."

"Oh, okay. Cool. Let her know I called, 'kay?"

"Sure," Sammi said and hung up. "Where are you Andy?" she asked the phone.

For another hour, she waited. She got up and paced the length of the room. It wouldn't do any good to go over to his dorm. She'd have to call up to his room so he could escort her in, but that required him to be there and the last four times she called, only his roommate had answered. Todd hadn't heard from Andy either but he was sure he'd be in before long. That reassurance had been two hours ago.

Unable to contain her worry, Sammi grabbed her keys and left. She walked over to the park where she and Andy usually went to study or hang out. She walked around to all of the places they usually sat, but no one was there. Too many students were still just getting back for the new semester.

She then walked over to the University Center. She wandered the halls for about an hour, hoping she might see more of his friends. She found Calvin, but he hadn't seen Andy yet either. And there was John, and like the others, he hadn't heard from Andy.

That worried Sammi. Andy talked to those two more than her. If they hadn't heard from him, something may have happened. She ran back to her dorm room.

Tanya was in the room, hanging up her clothes. "Oh, there you are," she said with a smile. "You got a call."

Sammi's spirit's rose. "Really? Who?"

Tanya shook her head. "Dunno, but I wrote down his number. It's on your notepad."

Sammi grabbed the phone and sat at the desk. She found the number and dialed it. A man answered, "Hello?"

"This is Sammi Ashburn, I received a call from this number."

"Ah, yes, Sammi," the man's voice softened. He sighed over the phone and then said, "I wish I were calling for a different reason."

"Who are you?" she interrupted.

"Oh, yes, sorry. I'm Arnold Winslow, Andy's father."

Sammi felt ambivalent. She had wanted to meet Andy's family, but she didn't understand why he was calling.

Again, Arnold sighed. "Sammi, I'm calling about Andy. I'm afraid... " He sniffed. "Andy passed away the day after Christmas."

Sammi's stomach sank.

"I'm not sure if he told you that he was epileptic. He had a grand maul seizure and choked on his own tongue. He hadn't had any problems in years and we all went out to do some shopping while he stayed here to clean up a little. When we got home ... we found him on the kitchen floor. There was nothing anyone ... could do."

It was obvious to Sammi that Mr. Winslow was still broken up about what had happened, but Sammi had questions. Why hadn't Andy ever told her about his condition? Why didn't he call her on or before Christmas, to at least say hi? Did he really feel he had to hide that from her? Did he think she would think less of him? Was he ashamed?

So many questions flooded her mind. She didn't know what to ask first, or if Mr. Winslow could answer any of them.

"I would have called you sooner," Mr. Winslow was saying. "But I didn't have your home number and I knew you probably wouldn't be back at the school before today." He paused and said, "We've already held services for him. He's at the Cemetery in North Carrolton, if you want to see him."

Confusion flooded Sammi. She asked, "North Carrolton? I thought you lived in Arkansas."

"We used to. We moved to Texas over the summer. Didn't he tell you?"

"No," she said softly. "There was a lot he didn't tell me. He never mentioned his condition."

"Well, he didn't like to talk about that even with us. A lot of the family and friends who attended his funeral didn't even know. He wanted to simply ignore it, and I guess, in a way, he was able to for a while."

"He didn't have to," Sammi said. "He could have told me. I wouldn't have felt any different about him if he had."

"I know what you mean," Mr. Winslow said. "I know your classes start on Monday. If you'd like, I can give you directions so you can visit over the weekend. Maybe say good-bye."

Sammi nodded and then said, "Yes, please."

-------

I opened my eyes, back in the Studio at Silk and Lace. Sammi was in my arms, sobbing. Jordan had her hand on my back, sitting on the bed. I felt a little ill from the memories and emotions that had flooded me, so I sat down too. Sammi sat beside me, holding on for all she was worth.

I didn't understand why I saw one of the worst days of Sammi's life. With Jordan and Danielle, it had been something happy, even highly anticipated. Jana's memories had been from the day I met her, but from her point of view. It wasn't bad, not like this.

Of course, I didn't know what Sammi had seen of me. From the way she was crying, like with the others, I could guess. "Are you okay?" I asked her.

She looked up. Her face was wet with tears. "What ... how... ?"

I shook my head. "I don't know if I can explain it properly. What I do know is that whatever you saw, whatever you felt, really happened."

Her brow furrowed. "He did that to you? For just looking at his daughter?"

Ah, yes, that memory. I shook my head. "I can't explain that anymore than I can the sharing of our memories."

Sammi looked past me to Jordan. "Do you know what's going on?"

Jordan looked at me. "Seth is a sex magus. He has bound you to him to feed his power. As a result of that bond, you've exchanged some memories."

Sammi stared at her. I did too for that matter. Jordan said that I didn't have to tell any of my Fonti what I was or the nature of our relationship, though I worried I needed to, so they would understand what they were getting involved with, but for her to go and blurt it out like that ... It was asking a lot of anyone. I should know.

Sammi looked from Jordan to me and back. "You're bound to him too, aren't you?"

Jordan nodded. "As are two other women."

Sammi looked up at me. I could see some of the same questions in her now that I had felt in her from the memories.

"If I told you the truth, before we had sex, would you have believed me?" I asked simply.

She blinked and thought. "No, I guess I wouldn't have."

"Sammi, I honestly wasn't planning on telling you," I said. "I didn't know how you'd take it but ... I need more Fonti."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

I sighed. Jordan had broken the dam. Now I had to clean up by explaining all of the details. "Fonti is an Italian term that means fountain. In this case, it's the term used to describe a person I go to for sex. I need sex to feed my powers."

"So, I'm food?" she asked.

"No," I said instinctively and fervently. "You're more than that to me." I thought about that and realized it was true. Regardless of how quickly we had met and consummated, I had already come to think of Sammi as one of my girls, and not simply a Fonte.

She sat back a little, putting a touch of distance between us. "Seth, don't get me wrong, the sex was fantastic, but I don't need a new relationship right now. Besides, how much do you really know about me?"

I shrugged. "I know you've been lonely. You needed more than just sex. You needed to know that you're attractive, desirable."

She stared at me. "We just met tonight. How could you possibly know that?"

"Well, forget all the details I picked up when you were yelling at Stan," I said, glancing at the door. "There's also the spark we shared when you were showing me the new line you want me to model."

"Spark?"

I nodded. "To you, there was only the spark. For me though, I felt the emotions you were feeling at the time."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, God. You must think I'm some kind of slut."

I shook my head. "No, you don't understand. I can't hear your thoughts. But for the instant of that spark, I felt your emotions. Trust me; it can be confusing without the thoughts. But when you argued with Stan, I understood where you were coming from. I knew what you felt, because I felt it from you."

"You can't love your steak and eat it too," she said.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was not going to go over well. "No, but you can care for your cattle and still milk them."

She frowned at that.

"Okay, bad metaphor," I said, thinking furiously of some better way to explain.

"I guess I understand what you mean," she said. "So this won't ... hurt me?"

I shook my head. "Not in the least."

Jordan must have been staring at me again because Sammi glanced at her and then said, "You're not telling me something."

I threw Jordan a dirty look.

"Don't look at me like that," she said. "You wanted her to understand the risk, so make her understand."

I sighed again and turned to face Sammi. She watched me with calm detachment. "If I were to have sex too much with anyone one person, it could put them into a coma or even kill them."

"What?" she asked, with a low dangerous tone.

"That's why I need more Fonti," I said. "So I don't put any one person in danger. By ... oh, I can't believe I'm about to say this ... by having more partners, it lowers the risk to them all."

Sammi studied me and asked, "Why not avoid having sex at all?"

Again, I threw Jordan a glance. "Because, if I go too long without feeding my power, then it could ... force me to seek out sustenance, and I wouldn't have any say in the matter. I wouldn't attack anyone, per se. It wouldn't be rape because my power would seduce them into willingness. However, anyone could be susceptible."

Her eyebrows rose. "Anyone?"

I nodded. "Men, women, maybe even children."

Jordan finally came to my rescue. "I doubt children, but certainly teens."

Sammi and I looked at her. "You sure?" I asked. "How do you know?" Sammi asked.

Jordan looked at me. "I've never heard of anyone seducing children, and..." she looked at Sammi "I used to be a magus. I accidentally awoke his power and because I wasn't strong enough, I ended up giving him all of mine."

I felt a little relieved that I would at least be saved the condemnation of sex with children. Sex with teens was a different issue to me, since I technically was a teen.

Sammi sat back, staring at Jordan and said, "Huh. So, now you're what, normal?"

Jordan shrugged. "I can't use magic, but I know a lot about it, so I help out where I can."

Sammi looked at me again. "So, what kind of magic can you do?"

I shrugged. "Dunno. I've only been learning about all of this over the last few weeks."

Someone knocked at the studio door. Sammi and I automatically looked for something to cover ourselves with, and Jordan ran to the door, presumably to keep it closed.

Sammi grabbed the blanket from the bed and tugged it around her. I wasn't so lucky. All I could find was a pillow.

Jordan opened the door and asked, "What? We're working."

It was Daisy. She looked past Jordan at me and I turned away. "Mrs. Kershner is asking for the specialty item she ordered last week and I can't find it. I came to ask Sammi about it."

Jordan shooed Daisy back and stepped out with her saying, "I'll help you look."

Sammi and I both sighed relief. "We better get dressed," she said, getting up from the bed and gathering her clothes up.

All I had with me when I came in was the red boxer-briefs. I found them but hesitated before putting them on. I was a mess.

Sammi noticed my reluctance and smiled. "For someone who's supposed to be a sex magus, you sure are shy."

I sighed. "After I was beaten," I waved at her. "What you saw when we shared memories?" She nodded. "I did everything I could to avoid being noticed. I wore baggy clothes, I toned down the colors, and I avoided situations where I might be alone with anyone, whether I was attracted to them or not."

She shook her head. "You were fourteen when that happened?"

I nodded. "Just started my freshmen year in high school."

"So, you never dated? Never talked to girls?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Girls wouldn't have anything to do with me before that incident, and even less after."

"I'm so sorry Seth," she said. "So, how did you and Jordan end up together?"

"Actually, she thought I was already awakened, because apparently that normally happens before you leave home, and she wanted me to share some of my power with her. So, she seduced me."

Sammi cocked her head to the side and looked me over. "I can see why she chose you."

The temperature in the room suddenly grew cooler and I clasped my hands together, with the briefs hanging from them, in front of me.

Sammi smiled and stepped closer. "We don't have a sink back here, but if you'd like, I can clean you up."

I had an idea of what she meant and looked at her. "I don't want you to do anything you wouldn't want to."

She smiled, lowered to her knees, and pushed my hands out of the way. After looking me over again from so close, she said, "If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have offered." Her eyes left mine only long enough to see what she was doing, but otherwise she stared up at me while she licked me up one side and down the other.

I grew hard again. I couldn't help it. She felt good and the way she looked in my eyes while she did it aroused me too.

Sammi smiled and continued licking. She never used her hands, determined to clean me with only her tongue and lips.

What I didn't expect was to close in on another orgasm so quickly.

Sammi apparently realized what was happening and wrapped her lips around my crown. She was just in time too. I grunted and fought not to shove myself into her mouth as I released.

Sammi accepted me, and didn't let go until I was finished. Then she sat back and stood up, wiping away a drop that had escaped her. With an audible swallow, she said, "I said you taste good."

I pulled her to me and kissed her. Usually my girls kissed me after something like that, but I had grown fond of it and wanted Sammi to understand that I had no issues with the idea. She giggled softly but acquiesced.

When we broke our kiss, she ran her hand over my bare cheek. "I think you can put the briefs back on now without too much to worry about. Besides, I can have them cleaned."

I nodded and slipped them on. "They are very comfortable," I said.

She smiled. "You might not say the same thing about some of the others. Like the bow. It's starched to hold its shape."

"Um ... ow," I said and then grinned.

She smiled and picked up her skirt again. I reached for her hand and turned her to look at me. "Would you like me to clean you too?"

She smiled and hooked an arm behind my neck. "If I did that, we'd probably end up getting messy all over again."

"Well," I said, "I wouldn't want you to ruin your suit."

She gave me a peck on the lips. "Don't worry. I can have it cleaned too." Then she stepped back and got dressed.

Jordan came back a minute later with my clothes. "I found the specialty item for Mrs. Kershner." She laid my clothes on the bed. "I think Daisy just wanted to see what was going on in here."

Sammi rolled her eyes. "As if she doesn't have enough to do."

For a few minutes I watched the two of them talk about the store. Sammi was so calm about what had happened. Having sex was something she had agreed to from the beginning, but the bond and sharing memories with me wasn't. Yet, she wasn't going nuts, or scolding me like she did Stan. My earlier concern about the bond affecting the girls' freedom of thought returned. Was it all Sammi? Or did my magic make some kind of change that allowed her to go on with life without losing her mind? Granted, it was nice not having to worry about her sanity, or the others' either for that matter, but which was the better option? Allow them their freedom and risk insanity, or keep that aspect suppressed so they can lead normal lives?

Sammi shocked me out of my thoughts by asking, "So, now that I've seen the entire package, can we shoot some pictures of you in my underwear?"

I arched an eyebrow. Jordan giggled.

Sammi looked at us, expectant.

I nodded. "Yes, let's shoot some pictures." I walked over to the screen I had seen Jordan getting ready before Sammie's argument with Stan. "I'd hate to disappoint Stan. After all, he couldn't seem to take his eyes off me."

Jordan looked at Sammi. Sammi smiled and nodded. "That was odd, wasn't it? He fucks around with other models behind my back, doesn't want me fucking the one male model I manage to hire, but he couldn't take his off of Seth. Makes me wonder if he wanted to fuck you too."

I had to pace around a little bit, shaking off that thought.

Sammi laughed. "I guess you wouldn't go for that."

I shook my head.

Jordan said, "I don't know if he told you, but Seth was raised Southern Baptist. They don't believe in gays or lesbians."

Sammi looked at me.

I shrugged. "I don't think that has anything to do with it. I just like women."

Sammi setup a tri-pod a few feet away from me. The camera mounted on it was set low and I had to remind myself that the idea was to sell the underwear, not me. God, if only I could get the idea of people staring at pictures of me in the store's underwear out of my head!

Sammi focused on me through the view finder. "Stand still Seth, I'm trying to get a reading."

I stood still, with my arms akimbo and my feet apart.

"Perfect," she said and then the flash blinded me.

"I thought you wanted a reading," I said, blinking.

She stood up straight. "If I told you I was about to shoot, you would have fidgeted."

I frowned. "Something like you'll snap on three, and really do it on one?"

She grinned and nodded. "I have to do things like that with the female models too. You'd be surprised how skittish they are."

I thought about the posters out front. "But they looked so comfortable."

Sammi nodded. "They didn't know I was about to shoot. So, they were relaxed and smiled naturally. Those posters turned out fantastic."

I took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay then, let's get on with it before I do something really silly, like race out to Jordan's car to escape."

Jordan held up her keys. "Car's locked. Sorry."

I frowned at her and Sammi clicked off another picture. "I wasn't ready," I whined.

"I don't need you to smile for this," she said. "But the pose was great."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help laughing at the absurdity of it all. "Okay, let's do this then. I've got homework I need to finish tonight."

Sammi stood up straight. "Well, I've got what I need for that pair." She turned to Jordan. "Go get a few of the others for me, will you?" Jordan turned and left.

"That's it?" I asked. "I thought you'd need more."

She shook her head. "Not really. One or two really good shots of a single pair from the front are usually all I need. Some of them have pictures, words, or special cut-outs in the back, so I'll need shots of that too. But otherwise, it really shouldn't take too long."

I shook my head and sat down on the bed we had mussed. Jordan returned with several pairs and handed me one. It was the silk boxers. I stood up and noticed Sammi watching me. I smiled and fought my nerves as I slipped off the red cashmere boxer-briefs and put on the silk boxers. When I met her eyes again, Sammi was breathing a little heavier. I walked over to her and said quietly, "Maybe in a little while I can clean you up anyway?"

She looked up at me and said, "After we get done for tonight, I'm going to need more than one cleaning."

I smiled and returned to my spot in front of the camera. For the next couple of hours, we took pictures of me in the different pairs of underwear. Sammi was the one who called it quits for the night. "I need to close the store and you said you have homework you need to finish."

I nodded and changed. Jordan and Sammi looked at the pictures via the computer. I thought they were talking about the pictures until Jordan walked over to me and said, "I'm heading back to the apartment. I'll see you tomorrow."

I watched her leave and found Sammi looking at me. I knew what was going on, but I felt I should have had some say in it. Not that I would disagree with the current plan, but I somehow doubted I'd find time to finish my homework.

Sammi watched me over her shoulder as I approached her. I looked at the screen. It was filled with thumbnails of the different pairs of underwear. It was hard to believe that I was the one in all those pictures. It looked like someone else filling them out. "I take it the pictures are good?"

Sammi nodded and said, "Mm-hmmm."

"Then I'm guessing that I've been hired as your male model?" I said, just as quietly.

She repeated her response.

I looked at her. "Then are you going to go through with what Stan accused you of?"

She repeated her response again.

I smiled and leaned down for a kiss. She met me and wrapped her arms around my head in the process. For a long minute, we kissed, and I could tell that what she got earlier was only the tip of the iceberg. She needed a lot more, and I wasn't one to leave my girls wanting.

Of course, there was still the question of when I'd finish my homework.



-------

Chapter 8



I finished my homework while Sammi closed up the store and ran the numbers for the day. The drive to her house was uneventful, even though neither of us could keep our hands to ourselves. Once there, she offered me a drink, but I wanted to keep my fluids up, as Jordan had suggested earlier, and had some Gatorade instead. Sammi downed a tumbler of Vodka and tonic. We retired to her bed where I found out just how much she liked to suck on me and to have me lick her. After three more orgasms on my part and somewhere over ten from her, we passed out with me still buried in her. Through the rest of the night, one of us would roll over to get comfortable, brush up against the other, and we'd give the bed another workout. I don't know why I felt so rested come morning, but like Danielle always seemed to, I felt chipper and ready to face the day. Sammi growled at me playfully and took a shower with me. We also scrubbed a couple of the walls with our backs in the process. Finally, it was time for me to get to school.

My classes passed by without any problems. Maybe it was because I liked the subjects better, or there weren't as many girls to distract me. It could have been my start to the day, even though that was hours before I had arrived on campus. I really didn't know. What I did know was I was worn out, but in a good mood. Heading back to my dorm to drop off my books, I found myself looking around at the other students. Most of them were bent over with heavy packs and looked as worn as I felt, or they might have had more studies ahead of them they weren't looking forward to. I didn't have anything else to work on tonight, so I felt at least a little unburdened.

I turned the corner to the entrance of my dorm and Jordan was waiting for me again. She was leaning against the pillar of the covered patio across from the main entrance and looking the other way from me. I smiled. My first impression was hot chick cowgirl. She was wearing a cowboy hat, which I didn't know she owned, and had her long hair in two braids on each side of her head. Large hoop earrings glinted off the sunlight and then there was her top. She had on a green checked shirt, but it was cut short and tied together under her breasts. It was too tight to cover her proper, which was why I knew she was wearing a bra. It was there were everyone could see. Jordan's big full breasts were on display but covered. They bulged out, showing off her cleavage and I had to admit that I would have enjoyed nothing more than to see her pop out unexpectedly. She wore jeans and I noticed that the waist band with the belt loops had been cut away. It looked like it was done quickly and recently. There was no fraying which would have occurred if she had cut them and washed them some time ago. The effect was to make them ride even lower on her hips than they were originally designed to, which also showed off more of her midriff. Her lean, slim waist and the tops of her hips were also on display. She wanted to be noticed. The only detail of her clothes that didn't conform to that of a cowgirl was her shoes. She had on a pair of black stilettos.

Jordan looked my way and the smile that appeared was pure joy. She pushed away from the pillar and almost tackled me with a hug and kiss. She hooked a leg around my waist and ground herself against me. I dropped my bag to catch her because we would have fallen otherwise.

She broke our kiss and pressed her forehead to mine. "I've missed you."

I smiled. "I noticed."

She stepped away, caught my hand and tugged at me. "C'mon."

I had to hold back long enough to grab my bag and then let her have her way. We got to her car and once inside, she was all but climbing over the console to kiss me again.

Jordan had always been a sexual creature, but she had never attacked me like this before, except during my Initiation. I wasn't wearing my fetish, so I didn't know what was going on. Why was she doing this?

I broke our kiss, not only to ask, but to breathe too. "What's gotten into you?"

She grinned. "I'm hoping you will."

"Not that I'm unwilling," I said, making adjustments for comfort, "but with Danielle getting sick yesterday..."

"Danielle's better," Jordan interrupted. "She got up and went to classes today."

"Oh, really?" That was good news. I still had to find more Fonti because adding only one to the mix wouldn't be enough, but knowing that Danielle hadn't been as bad off as I thought was good.

Jordan tugged at me again. "Last night was supposed to be my night. I'm willing to sleep for a day if it means having you."

I was still reluctant. Jordan was my source of all things magical. If something came up and she was too tired to help, or even answer questions, then I'd be in trouble.

Jordan rubbed her cheek against mine. I could feel her heated breath on my ear. "Is your roommate home?"

I shrugged, automatically answering. "He could be, why?"

The feral expression she gave me was all the answer I needed.

"It's better if we don't chance it," I said.

"Dammit Seth," she said through clenched teeth.

I grabbed her arm. "Hey, I'm not going to leave you high and dry, okay?"

"I don't have to worry about the dry part," she said with a low moan. "I'm so ready for you."

I shook my head, not to deny her, but because I didn't understand why she was so needy. Had the bond formed some kind of expectation with her? Was there now a timing that had to be adjusted? From what Jordan had told me about her relationship with her Fonti, any time she showed up, they would drop everything for her, but they never sought her out. Was this a sign of my more potent power? Was I going to have to constantly offer some kind of satisfaction to all my girls on a more regular basis than I thought? Or was this just Jordan? It also dawned on me that she was a sexual creature with magic, now she didn't have the magic to seduce with and had to rely on her female charms – As if that was any less effective.

The problem was I wanted her too, but I didn't want to hurt her. I couldn't take the chance that she didn't have some form of resistance to the side effects of our consummation, but I couldn't leave her in that state either.

I pulled at her arm, "C'mere."

She scrambled over the console and sat side-saddle in my lap. Her breasts, displayed magnificently, were square in my face. I reached up, untied the shirt and found that the bra unclasped in front. She ran her fingers through my hair in anticipation of what I was going to do, and in only three seconds, her breasts were unfettered and a nipple disappeared between my lips.

Jordan wasn't as verbal as Sammi. Besides, we were in her car and it had a good sound proofing system built into it, so I wasn't worried about the volume of her moans and encouraging words.

I found out during my Initiation that Jordan's breasts are extremely sensitive. I also learned that I had inherited that trait from her. Now, anytime someone touched my nipples, I was up and ready just that fast. My girls loved the feature and Jordan had tried on several occasions to make me orgasm by simply playing with my nipples. So far, she hadn't succeeded.

However, I had driven her mad by playing with her nipples, and she could get off by that alone. I was counting on that now. So, I focused completely on her breasts, fondling, sucking, licking and even a little biting. Jordan squirmed in my lap, grinding one cheek or the other against my erection. Honestly, it was more painful that helpful, but this was about getting her off, not me.

During my time with Jordan, I had learned the signs of her impending explosions, and I had also learned how to maneuver myself so when she detonated, I wouldn't suffocate from her hugs. Her breathing quickened and her body rolled faster. She was close. I pulled her large breasts together, pressed the nipples in so they touched, and I ran my tongue back and forth over both of them before sucking them into my mouth. That finished her off.

As expected, Jordan hugged me to her chest, crushing my lips to her nipples. Thankfully, all I had to do was let go of her breasts and a small crack would open between them, allowing me to breath. I reached around her, holding her to me too, and continued to lick and breathe over her nipples while she sang and hummed her joy.

When she relaxed, I pulled back enough to look up into her face. She leaned down and kissed me. "I can't believe how much I needed that." She wiggled her hips on me again and said, "I'll give you some relief too."

Actually, I felt a little relief already. I hadn't actually gone off like she did, but I didn't feel the need as strongly as I had when she crawled into my lap. I tried to explain it to Jordan.

She thought about it and said, "Most guys need to actually shoot off to feel finished. I know I could go for more, but I'm not as needy now."

I nodded. "That's how I feel."

She leaned down and cuddled with me. With light kisses on my neck, she said, "You know if you had an apartment, I'd be happy to take you there, and then we could both feel more relieved."

I wanted to avoid the potential for danger to Jordan, so I said, "Again with the apartment idea?"

She shrugged against me. "You still need more Fonti, and if you end up with some of the college girls I've seen passing by the dorm, they'll end up invading your room here, whether your roommate is in or not."

"I don't spend that much time here," I said. "Besides, I hadn't thought about binding any of the students." Which was a lie. Why would I have been 'window shopping' if the idea hadn't occurred to me?

Jordan sat up and looked me in the eyes. "Some of those girls are closer to your age."

I smiled at her. "Are you telling me that you're too old for me?"

"Old?" she asked indignantly and got up. "You think I'm old?" she asked as she climbed over the console to the driver's seat. She sat down and looked at me. I was smiling at her fondly. "You just said that to get me to move."

I shrugged, not meaning yes or no.

She grabbed the key and turned the engine over. "I was only suggesting that you could talk to a few of them, not that anything was wrong with ... with..."

I reached over and stroked her cheek. She closed her eyes and then leaned into my touch. "I didn't mean any offense. I just thought the reasoning of age was a little silly."

She pouted. "I couldn't think of a better reason for you to look here for a Fonte or two. Besides, college is supposed to be when you're getting out and learning what life is supposed to be about. It's when you're supposed to be figuring out what you really want for yourself, in a relationship. You should be experimenting."

I smiled. "How do you know what college is supposed to be about?"

She looked at me. "Why do you think I chose to live next to one?"

I looked past her at the guys passing by. "All the fresh, young male meat?"

She turned and looked too. She shrugged a small, sort-of shrug.

I leaned over and kissed her cheek.

She turned to look at me. "What was that for?"

"Just for being you," I said.

She gave me a coy look. "If it wasn't for me, you'd be going to classes that you probably didn't need, be bored out of your mind, and still hadn't gotten laid."

I thought about it. She was probably right. However... "If it wasn't for you, Danielle would still be in an abusive marriage, Jana would still be a man-hating lesbian, and Sammi would still be lonely."

"That's not the point..." she started.

I pressed my finger to her lips. "It is to me. I would be bored, and probably unhappy if you hadn't tried to get some power from me. But it happened, and looked at what's led to. Have you known Danielle to be happier?" she shook her head. "What about Jana?" She shrugged. "And did you know Sammi was having problems with Stan?"

She pushed my finger away gently. "I went to model for Sammi once. Stan came on to me. I didn't know they had a relationship outside the store, so I had sex with him. I never told Sammi, though now I probably should."

I nodded. "She handled the news of my heritage pretty well. I'd say she'd handle yours just as well."

She nodded and looked around. Two girls were standing next to the entrance of the dorm. "You sure you don't wanna go talk to them?"

I watched another guy leave the dorm and the girls slip in. I realized that Jordan was probably right. If I did end up binding any of the girls from the school and they found out I lived in the dorm, they'd slip in to find me like those two had. Besides, I didn't spend all that much time at the dorm anyway. An apartment would give me more peace and quiet than the dorm, and a central location for all the women bound to me to find me.

Jordan turned and saw me staring. "If you're not going to go talk to them, then I need to go."

I looked at her. "What's up?"

"Danielle and I talked this morning before she left for class. I suggested that we talk to the office about getting a two bedroom apartment." The look in Jordan's eyes told me more than just that. She hated sleeping on her couch, but she was too polite to complain about it. Her suggestion was a win-win for both of them.

And it could be for me too. "I could go with you and talk to them about me moving into your apartment. I'd be close to you and Danielle and Jana would know where to find me too."

Jordan thought about it and then smiled. "I could talk to Milena about that. She would be happy to fill it up." With that, we pulled out of the parking lot.

Within a few minutes, we pulled into the parking lot at her complex. She stopped in front of her apartment and honked. A minute later, Danielle came out. Something was off. Her hair didn't look as full as it usually did, and her clothes were toned down in color and style. As she got closer, I could see her face more clearly. She wasn't fully recovered yet.

She smiled weakly at me and climbed in the back seat. I turned around to look at her. "Hey, Red," I said softly.

"Hey Baby," she said with a smile.

"You're still tired," I said softly.

She shook her head. "I slept too much yesterday. I'm fine."

I studied her and knew that wasn't true. I gave Jordan a glance and she was watching me. Ah. Danielle was determined to make it seem as if she wasn't as tired as she really was, and not for her benefit.

I held my hand out to the redhead. She took it and gave me a squeeze. "I'm done arguing about needing more Fonti," I said. "In fact, I'm going with you two to see if I can get her apartment when you get the two-bedroom."

Danielle frowned. "How are you going to pay for it? You haven't found a job, have you?"

"Uh, yeah ... sort of." I glanced at Jordan. "At Silk and Lace."

Danielle's eyes widened. She looked at Jordan who nodded with a smile of her own. Danielle looked at me. "I didn't think you'd do it. You're always so ... modest."

I arched an eyebrow. "No, I was a 'fraidy-cat, but between Jordan and Sammi, I decided to give it a try."

Jordan rolled her eyes. Danielle caught the gesture and looked at me with a smile. "Sammi's one of us now, isn't she." It wasn't a question.

I couldn't look either of them in the eyes. Jordan saved me by saying, "I'll tell you about it later. Right now we need go see about the apartments."

She drove us around to the main office and parked in front of the building. Before any of us got out, Jordan turned toward me with a wry smile and said, "When you meet Milena, try not to stare too much."

I glanced at Danielle but she shrugged.

There were two other cars parked next to Jordan's but we didn't find anyone else inside. The three of us sat on the couch in the waiting area. Danielle distracted my worries about getting an apartment by taking my hand and holding it in both of hers in her lap. She leaned against me and rested her head on my shoulder.

I kissed her forehead and squeezed her hands. "After we get done here, we'll get something to eat, and then you can go back to bed."

She looked up at me with a small smile, but didn't argue.

A few minutes later, a woman came in followed by a couple. Jordan hopped up and Danielle joined her. I remained seated because of my growing apprehension. I couldn't see any of them very clearly with the bright sky turning them into silhouettes.

The couple shook hands with Milena and left. Jordan introduced Danielle to the manager and then waved me over. She had a big smile that I didn't fully trust.

I got up and joined the girls. Milena wore a gray suit jacket and a dark green, knee length skirt. Her hair was dark brown and fell in beautiful waves on her shoulders. She had an attractive face and looked in good shape. I thought I would have to look for whatever it was Jordan had warned me not to stare at, but it was far too obvious for me to miss. Milena wasn't just large busted, she was immensely buxom.

I thought Jordan had large breasts, and by comparison to most of the girls I saw on campus, she did, but Melina made her look almost normal. Milena's breasts jiggled with her every move, as if she wasn't wearing a bra at all, but I could clearly see where her bra cut across the vast expanse of her flesh. All the bra did was restrict how much she jiggled, because there was simply too much to hold completely still.

I had a sudden memory from gym class in high school. We were running laps around the basketball court during P.E. and I was focused on putting one foot in front of the other with my eyes trained on the ground. The other students, per usual, ignored me at all costs, unless the coach wasn't watching, and then I had to worry about someone trying to trip me or some other prank.

Unfortunately for me, Lisa Hartwell, the girl who had caused me so much grief earlier that year, was in that class too. She ran about a dozen paces ahead of me, her blonde pony tail bouncing and her toned legs moving. More so than everyone else, I avoided eye contact or looking at her for too long. After what her father did, I was too scared to even breathe if she was too close.

All at once, and for no apparent reason, Lisa turned around and ran backwards for a few paces. I decided that was a good time to stop and catch my breath. I wasn't tired, but I didn't want her or anyone else to make my life worse with further unfounded accusations. However, in that instant of perfect memory, I saw how much she bounced while she ran, even under her t-shirt.

Milena reminded me of Lisa in that respect, but thankfully the pain of my memories of Lisa didn't transfer to Milena. It was one thing to be attracted to her, but I didn't need the fear, especially with her as my potential landlady.

Milena smiled politely at me and shook my hand. My pants grew uncomfortable and I fought down the burning sensation in my face. I couldn't believe just touching her would turn me on like that. I was still staring at Milena's breasts only because I couldn't seem to tear my eyes from her. I looked up into her light brown eyes and noticed the arch of her eyebrows. Her lips were curled up at the edges in a very subtle smile. Finally I pulled my hand from hers and looked away, only to find Jordan and Danielle watching me with mischievous smiles. Jordan knew what would happen, and apparently Danielle had seen how Milena affected me as well.

Milena turned to Jordan and smiled, but her smile, her expression, even her body's posture, were all different than with the couple, or Danielle, or me. I dismissed it as familiarity. After all, Jordan had lived here for a few years and Milena didn't know the rest of us. "How can I help you?" the buxom manager asked.

"I need to move into a two-bedroom apartment," Jordan said, "and Danielle is going to be my roommate."

"Oh?" Milena said. "When do you need to make the move?"

"As soon as possible," Jordan said.

Milena smiled warmly and said, "Okay, come with me."

We followed her to a very spacious office. Milena sat behind her desk, and the girls sat in the two chairs in front of it. I stood in the doorway to listen and watch. Milena looked up and saw me. "I'll be with you in a moment."

I nodded and stepped back to wait my turn.

Jordan said, "Actually, he's another friend. He wanted to talk to you about moving into the apartment I'm in now."

"Oh," Milena said. She smiled at me again and waved me in. I thought there was something odd going on, but didn't know what. Milena handed me an application and pen. "Fill this out for me while I take care of the girls, okay?"

I nodded and she turned to her computer. I glanced at Jordan and Danielle. I didn't think Danielle understood what was happening, but Jordan glanced at me and fought to hold off a smile.

Something was undeniably going on, and it was more than the girls' snickers about my attraction to Milena. So, I paid close attention to their conversation while filling out my application. For the most part, Milena asked Danielle for her personal information, but when it came to Danielle's job and how long she had been working there, Milena started to shake her head, as if that wasn't going to be good enough. Jordan simply said, "It's okay Milena."

Milena nodded and continued asking questions. There weren't any other issues to worry about with Danielle, but when Milena was updating Jordan's information and got to the part about her job, Jordan said, "It's okay Milena. I make plenty of money."

Danielle and I shared a look, which Milena didn't notice and Jordan ignored. This was going a little too easy. I knew Jordan didn't have magic anymore so I wasn't sure what the source of her influence was.

I finished with my application, making sure to mark the boxes regarding school and work. I was a little apprehensive about the job, but at least I had something to put there. In the section about rental history, I was even more worried. Other than the dorm, I didn't know what else to put. I had only been there about a month and a half and the form needed three years worth of history.

Milena finished filling out forms on the computer for the girls and sent them to the printer. She looked at me. "All done?"

I nodded and handed her the application. She looked it over. There was a quick glance my way, and she asked, "You're a model?"

I glanced at Jordan and Danielle who were both smiling politely. I nodded but didn't say anything.

"Do you mind if I ask what you model?" she said with a little tremor in her voice.

I fought not to look away. "Um ... Men's underwear."

"Silk and Lace is starting a men's line," Jordan said, as helpful as a ground hog on a golf course.

Milena smiled warmly at Jordan. "It's too bad I don't have a man to order some for," she said and glanced sideways at me. "Sammi has been so helpful. I've never found anything that fit right and was so comfortable." She leaned forward and her inference was made with large, pliable illustrations.

I looked at Jordan, who maintained her idea of an innocent smile. After knowing her for the last few weeks, you'd think I would know Jordan better. All the subtle hints and glances made me suspicious that she'd like to see me bond Milena. The only thing that Jordan hadn't done was tell me to put on my fetish, so I wasn't entirely sure of her intentions.

Milena went back to reading my application again, but it was flat on her desktop. She had been holding it up, which blocked my view of her. Now, the swell of Milena's bust was in clear view. Once again my jeans became uncomfortably tight, and I forced myself to look away so my face would stop burning.

"Seth," Milena said, looking up at me, "Before you moved into the dorms, you lived with your parents, correct?"

My discomfort suddenly vanished with a flash of fear. I focused sharply on Milena's face. "You don't need to call them, do you?"

She shrugged, which did wonderful things to her breasts. "Only if they made you pay rent," she said with a smile. I think she meant it as a joke.

I sighed with relief. "No, nothing like that."

Milena nodded, looking a little perplexed. "Okay, good." She glanced at my application again. "Since you're a full time student at UTA, I'll contact their housing department. If they approve, I'll probably be able to reduce your rent while you attend."

"You can?" Danielle asked. "I'm also a student."

Milena nodded with a smile. "For Seth, it'll make a big difference because he'll be on his own in a one-bedroom." She smiled with a glance at me. I wasn't sure why, but I fought not to think about it. "For you two, it won't be as much, but I know it'll help. Every little bit does nowadays."

Danielle beamed, which made me think she wasn't quite as sick as I had previously thought.

I was pleasantly surprised by the news too. I didn't know the complex offered anything like that. Of course, there could be one complication. "My dorm on campus is paid up through the semester. That won't be a problem, will it?"

Milena looked at me with an arched eyebrow. "Then why move to an apartment?" There was a suggestive tone to her question that matched her last smile.

I took a deep breath, both to calm myself and to answer. "For some peace and quiet. My suitemates like their music loud. And with everyone's comings and goings, it's disruptive. I grew up in a small town and I'm still trying to adjust to life in the city. I'd rather not complicate my school work with so many distractions."

She nodded with that smile again. "Most students would just say they wanted more ... privacy. I like your answer better." She sat back, which made her breasts wiggle delightfully. "I have a friend in the housing department. I don't see any problems with anything we've discussed."

I smiled politely in return. "Thank you."

"Give me some time to make the calls and get the rental agreements ready," she said with a wave. "If I have any other questions, I'll call Jordan."

Danielle and I stepped toward the door to leave. Jordan stood there and said, "I'll be out in a sec. I need to ask her one more thing."

Red and I shared a look and left. Neither one of us knew what Jordan was up to, but it could have been a private matter concerning the apartment she was moving out of. However, knowing Jordan, there was the chance something else was going on. What that was exactly, I couldn't imagine and I didn't hear anything as I closed the door to speculate on. I'd have to wait and ask her.



-------

Chapter 9



Out in the waiting area, Danielle turned to me. "So, what do you think of Milena?"

I didn't look at the redhead. Just thinking of Milena was making me sweat. "She's very nice."

"Uh-huh," Danielle said. "And the fact that she has breasts big enough to engulf your head doesn't make any difference?"

I looked at her then. "Have I ever given you the impression that you weren't big enough?"

She looked down at herself. The blouse she wore hid her shape, but I knew what she looked like. She looked up and caught me watching her. "No, you haven't," she said with a smile and pressed herself into me. "And I appreciate that."

"Then why are you so interested in what I think of Milena?" I asked.

"Jordan and I talked about our situation this morning before I left for classes," she said. "She told me how much you argued about finding new Fonti, and wanted my help scouting for you."

"Scouting for me?" I asked. "It really doesn't bother you that I have to have sex with more women?"

She thought about it for a second and then shook her head. "It would bother me more if you didn't get what you needed. Jordan also told me what happened to her mother. I'd hate for something like that to happen to you."

I shook my head and sighed. "Well, like I said, I'm not arguing about finding more Fonti." I glanced at the office door. "But I'd rather not bind anyone who I have to work with on a professional level."

Danielle rolled her eyes and shook her head with a snort. "Then what do you call your working relationship with Sammi?"

"Jordan had me put on my fetish before we went in the store. She never told me about the modeling gig until we went inside and I met Sammi."

Danielle shrugged. "So, you could have taken off the fetish. It sounds to me like you were as interested in her as Jordan hoped."

I shook my head. I didn't have anything I could say about that situation, it was already over with. "I'd rather not repeat that."

Danielle shook her head in turn. "It sounds to me like you're still not sure about the Fonti situation. It shouldn't matter whether you have a professional relationship with the woman you're attracted to or not. If she turns you on, I say bind her."

"It isn't that simple," I said.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because that could influence the woman to give me favors she wouldn't otherwise," I said.

"No it doesn't," Danielle said. "Just because you and Milena have the hots for each other doesn't mean she's going to give you any special benefits." Then she grinned. "Unless you count hot, sweaty sex."

Jordan came out of the office then. She had a smile on her face that forced me to ask, "What?"

She shook her head in mock innocence. "I just had to make some arrangements. Milena doesn't think there'll be any problems with you moving into my old apartment."

I studied Jordan closely. "Uh-huh, and... ?"

She looked back at me. "And nothing."

"You couldn't ask that while we were there?" Danielle asked. She didn't sound suspicious, but I thought it was a good question.

Jordan shrugged. "I just thought of it as we were leaving."

I nodded again but let it go. If she wanted to tell us, she would. I wasn't going to push.

Jordan nodded at the entrance. "Let's head back to my old place. We can start packing while she gets everything ready."

We piled into Jordan's car and drove around the complex to her apartment. Once inside, Danielle got this grin on her face and nudged me. "So tell me about your new job."

I shrugged. "It's actually kinda boring. I spent more time changing underwear than actually modeling."

"You didn't look bored to me," Jordan said with a grin.

I looked at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She shrugged. "You were fairly energetic. Of course, that could have been from the pounding you gave Sammi. I could hear it out in the hall."

I fought not to blush.

Danielle giggled and sighed. "I can't wait to see the site," she said with a dreamy look. Her expression made me reevaluate her condition. She might look like death warmed over, but she acted like she was better. I was sure another good night's sleep would do the trick.

"Well, we're not done yet," I said. "Sammi wants pictures of everything." Danielle grinned and I realized how I sounded. "You know what I mean. She has a lot of products in that line."

Danielle smiled and said, "Well, that modeling gig isn't going to last very long. Once you've finished with that line, Sammi won't need you to model again until she comes up with something new."

I nodded. "Yeah, I thought of that too. I'll have to find something else soon."

"Then how are you going to pay rent?" she asked. "Even if you find a job today, it could be three or four weeks before you get your first paycheck."

Jordan said, "He had a windfall yesterday."

Danielle frowned. "What windfall? Did some distant relative die?"

I shook my head. "Hardly. No, I um ... Jordan showed me a little spell for luck. We used it on a scratch off ticket. I won."

Danielle glanced at Jordan. "How much?"

I shrugged and said, "Thirty."

She grimaced. "Thirty dollars isn't a windfall."

I looked at her. Jordan grinned wide. "Not thirty dollars," she said. "Thirty Thousand dollars."

Danielle's eyes grew wide. I could see the redhead's wheels turning while focused on Jordan. "That's why you never had a job, isn't it. You used magic to win the lotto."

Jordan shrugged. "I never came close to what Seth won."

Danielle shook her head. "Do all magi do that?"

Jordan shook her head. "Only the few unlucky enough to not have loads of old family money."

"Or have families that wouldn't share?" I said, not looking at either of them.

"You don't know that Seth," Jordan said. "We don't know why your family acts the way they do. Besides, not all magi have loads of money."

"Other than you and me, how many do you know personally?" I asked.

She shook her head. "That's not the point. As long as you stay under the radar, you don't have anything to worry about."

I thought I understood Jordan's warning, but it seemed there was something more to it. I certainly didn't need the State questioning my sheer luck in winning the lotto too often. Granted, Jordan used that system, but the State didn't record who won the smaller amounts that she did. If I continued to win the scratch-off grand prizes, they would take a closer look at me. However, Jordan's tone suggested something other than just the mundane problems of the State scrutinizing me.

What I needed was a steady flow of money, which a job would provide. Unfortunately, between school and the attention all my girls required, I didn't have much time to work. The money I had could work for me if I invested it right, but I already had bills that needed attention. I couldn't invest too much of that money, especially if the return wasn't very quick. I had considered the idea of trying to find work with a local architecture company, but the best I could hope for was to work in the mail room. After I finished my second year of college, I'd have enough credits and class experience to apply for assistant to an architect. The only problem with that was that there were a lot of students in the school of architecture. The numbers, and the economy, made it a fight to find work.

"Any idea how much Sammi's going to pay you?" Danielle asked.

I shrugged. "We never talked about money. Most of the time, she spent trying to get me to turn just right so the lights would catch like every little contour or something."

Jordan grinned. "You know, after you finish with the line, I wouldn't be surprised to find pictures of you wearing that bow elsewhere on the net."

I looked sharply at her. "You wouldn't dare."

She grinned. "I wouldn't have to. I'm certain someone else might."

I shook my head. Danielle said, "If you keep teasing him, he may not finish the line."

Jordan shook her head. "Sammi will convince him. She did yesterday."

"But there's a big difference between posing in underwear for her catalog and finding those same pictures on some porn site," I said.

Jordan waved me off. "Please, that's nothing nowadays. A single picture of your cock with a bow on it? Someone would use it as a link or avatar on a forum. It would draw attention, but by its self, it would only lead to sites of guys with really big dicks fucking girls or something."

I stared at Jordan, not sure how seriously to take her. Danielle was really quiet. She had started to defend me, but now nothing. I looked at her. She had this faraway look on her face. "Danielle?" I said.

She blinked and looked at me. "Hmm?"

I shook my head and Jordan giggled. "Maybe it would get some attention."

"Actually, Jordan gave me an idea," Danielle said, with a little blush in her cheeks. "Something more active than just a picture."

Jordan and I stared at her for a second. Jordan said, "Oh, that is a good idea."

I looked from one girl to the other and back again. "What's a good idea?"

Both of them looked at me with devilish smiles. Jordan said, "We could make some videos of you."

I looked from one to the other. I felt like a small prey animal with two predators closing in. "What are you two thinking?"

"Yeah, but most porn is focused on the girl," Danielle said.

Jordan nodded, her smile not fading in the least. "All we need is his cock."

Danielle considered for a second and then smiled. "We could make POV movies."

They both looked at me expectantly.

I shook my head, holding up my hands to keep them back. "Aren't you two forgetting one very important thing?"

Jordan rolled her eyes. Danielle smiled at me sweetly. "But baby, we can't do it without you." She moved closer, pressing her chest to my hand and spoke with the same kind of passion Jordan exhibited earlier at the dorm. "We need your big, thick cock."

Jordan leaned into my other hand. "We want to record ourselves sucking it."

"And playing with it."

"Of you fucking our tits."

"And our pussies."

"And cumming all over us."

Both of them were pressed into me until they were both against me on either side. Thinking about the things they wanted to do sounded like fun, but I was still scared of other people seeing those videos. Of course, that was the idea. What I didn't understand was why they would want to do it in the first place. I was getting paid for the modeling work. No one would pay us for the videos. "Wait a sec, ladies. Let's forget for the moment that I'm very dubious about making videos like that, and the fact that we don't even have the equipment. The idea of me modeling was to make some money. None of us would make any off those videos."

Jordan smiled and held my hand between her breasts. "Actually, I can think of a lot of sites that would. As for your fear of being on camera, your pretty face doesn't have to be included. A POV video would be from your point of view."

"My point of view?" I asked.

Danielle nodded. I expected Jordan to know about this, but Danielle was a surprise. "The camera is positioned so that the viewer sees everything from your point of view."

I frowned. At first I didn't see why anyone would want a video like that, but then I remembered the day before at the dorm. Several guys were stumbling over each other while looking back at someone, and when I turned the corner, I discovered it was Jordan. There had been many other times I was out with one of my girls, and I was always aware of the male attention they drew.

I stared at my girls, the expressions on their faces, and realized that it wasn't me that would sell the videos, it would be them. Rationally, I understood their reasoning for how the videos would sell and why. I even understood their willingness to make the videos. It gave them opportunities to have sex with me, which Jordan had expressed her need for earlier. Finally, I said, "There's only one problem. We don't have the proper equipment."

They both pushed past my feeble defense and hugged me. Something told me that there was something they hadn't told me yet. "Actually," Danielle said, "All we need is a couple of digital video cameras and a video editing suite."

I looked at her. "You make it sound like we could go out and buy that just anywhere."

"We couldn't," Jordan said. "But you could."

I closed my eyes and groaned. "What?"

She nodded. "Think of it as putting the money you won to work for you. You buy the equipment and software. We make a few videos, send samples to a bunch of sites, and sell the full versions to the ones that can move them."

"It's sort of like selling a book to a publisher," Danielle said. "You get paid for the book, and with a contract for more, get stipends from the sales by the publisher. With a long term contract, they'll want more books from you to sell. Porn is always evolving, and they're always looking for new faces."

I looked from one to the other, thinking fast, trying to come up with anything that might either dissuade them of this idea or at least give me time to come up with a good reason against it. "How about we get back to work packing while I think it over?"

They shared a look and slipped out of my arms. We did as I suggestion, going back to work.

I sat on the couch with newspaper, boxes, and breakables to wrap. I thought about the idea they had come up with. I knew exactly what Danielle meant about new faces. The question was could I go through with it knowing all the guys watching the videos would be fantasizing about my girls? I thought about the day before, and the guys stumbling over each other while staring at Jordan. It didn't bother me then, nor did it now. Of all the times I had been out with the girls, and I was aware of the attention they drew, I never felt bothered by it. The videos would be even less intrusive than those times, less personal, because the girls wouldn't be there with the guys. If I could get past the hang up of making the video, I would probably be okay.

Jordan nudged me with her hip. "You could use the video idea too."

I looked up. "How do you mean?"

"We get the equipment and you find a couple of college girls who agree to make a video with you. We all make some money and you have a new Fonte or two."

I shook my head. "What's the point? I have my fetish for seduction. I don't need a ruse like that."

She shrugged. "It's just an idea."

"Well, other than you two," I said, "I might not find anyone else who'd want to be in a video like that."

"I don't know," Jordan said. "I told you, college is a time to experiment. Some girls might want to try it just to see what it's like."

"And don't underestimate a woman when she's in the mood" Danielle added. "You'd be surprised what she'll agree to."

I didn't think that would be the case, but said, "Okay, Jana is supposed to pick me up tonight. I'll see how she feels about it."

They shared another smile and something told me they already knew the answer.

There was a knock at the door. Jordan answered it and stepped outside. Danielle and I shared a look, but neither of us knew what was going on. Jordan returned a minute later.

"Who was that?" Danielle asked.

"Milena," Jordan said. "She had a couple of questions about the apartment."

We nodded and went back to work, but I remembered how Milena had given in to Jordan regarding the issues with their jobs. I got up and walked over to her. "Jordan, I know you can't use magic anymore, so I'm wondering why all you had to tell Milena that everything was okay when she asked about your jobs."

Danielle stopped what she was doing and joined us. "Yeah, I was wondering about that too."

Jordan's eyes widened for a second and she shook her head. "I don't know what you mean."

"Jordan," I said and sounded like my own father when he said my name with the same tone. I regretted the tone immediately.

"It was a mistake," the brunette said with a sigh. "I came up with a spell to help me land the apartment when I moved here."

I thought about my application and the problems I foresaw getting an apartment. "You wanted her to agree to let you move in even if there were problems with your application?"

Jordan nodded. "I didn't have a job or rental history. She would have asked all kinds of questions, none of which I could give adequate answers."

"So, why is she still so agreeable?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Because I misspoke the words. I made the duration for as long as I lived in the apartment."

"So, when you move to the other apartment, the spell should end, right?" I asked.

She shrugged. "It should. It might continue to work because I'll still be living in the same complex."

I sighed. "Just how agreeable is she?"

She glanced at me out the corner of her eyes. "If I needed the apartment to be rent free, she'd agree."

"She'd get fired," Danielle said.

Jordan nodded. "I've been very careful to avoid her unless there was a problem management had to know about. Which only happened once, and that was a plumbing problem. She called the plumber right away and made sure he got here immediately."

I shook my head. That wasn't so bad. "You have to tell me about things like that," I said, surprised at how upset I was.

Jordan blinked and frowned. "I've never used that kind of spell since then. I've always been scared of what could happen."

"Well," I said, calming myself down, "You've been responsible and haven't abused it."

"Why did you say you needed to know about things like that?" Danielle asked me.

"She's my magic teacher," I said, looking into Jordan's eyes. "I need to know what you can teach me and what you can't. What's more, if there are any other mistakes you haven't been able to correct, I need to find a way to correct it for you." I turned to face the redhead. "Red, I'm not just responsible for what I do, but with you bound to me, I'm responsible for you too. I have to keep you safe and help with any problems that arise.

"But, we can take care of our own problems," she said.

I nodded. "Yes, but that doesn't change how I feel."

"We're not children," she said indignantly.

I shook my head. "No, I think of you as my partners. We help each other."

Her anger faded. "Oh. Yeah. Okay."

I looked at Jordan. "We need to figure out how to correct this."

"Well, it could be as simple as making the move," she said. "If the spell continues, then we'll worry about it."

"If the spell doesn't lift, do you remember the wording?" I asked.

She thought about it. "I used to write down any new spells I learned. I know I made notes on this one because of the complexity."

"Complexity?" Danielle asked. "It sounds pretty straight forward to me."

Jordan shrugged. "Asking for a little luck on a game that is based on luck is simple. Getting someone to agree with you when you don't know whether or not they will is trickier."

"You used to draw a dollar sign on the scratch offs to help focus that spell," I said. "Did you do anything like that for this one?"

She nodded. "I gave her a small mix of herbs in her tea when she wasn't looking."

"Do you remember what herbs?" Danielle asked.

"I wrote that down too," she said. "I just need to find the notes."

"Okay," I said, returning the couch to wrap some more of her stuff. "Hopefully, you'll find them while moving, just in case."

Part of me hoped to God that the spell would break when Jordan moved, but another part thought it would be an interesting way to learn more about magic if I had to work out a reversal. No, that wasn't right. I didn't want to reverse the spell, because that might lead to us of all getting kicked out. I needed to release Milena from the spell. I could only hope that Jordan found the notes and, if needed, she could help me find a way to break the spell.

I heard the girls talking, but they kept their voices low. I didn't know what the discussion was, but giggling was also involved. I shook it off. There was no telling what they were talking about without getting involved and after talking about making porn videos and spells that influenced Milena, I wasn't really sure I wanted to know.

Danielle brought over some plates for me to wrap and set them on the floor. She sat on the couch next to me and said, "I wonder if Milena would lower your rent some more if you put on your fetish for her?"

I looked at the redhead. "This again?"

She shrugged. "You need Fonti and Milena didn't seem exactly put off by you."

Jordan had an arm load of glasses and sat on my other side. "We were just talking about that."

I looked at her. "You two decided to team up on me about this?"

She smiled. "I'm beginning to think you like to argue for argument's sake. You have to take a practical look at what's going on. You need more Fonti. The women you choose should be women you're attracted to, and if possible, women who are already attracted to you too, even without the fetish."

I sighed. "The whole idea of the fetish was to help me find more Fonti. Now you're telling me I shouldn't use it?"

She shook her head. "No, you still need it to forge the bond, but if a woman is interested and you're interested in her too, then why not choose her?"

"Milena?" I asked as a point of reference. Jordan nodded. "You told me not to stare too much when I met her. Wouldn't she find that offensive since it's obvious I have problems NOT staring at her?"

Jordan rolled her eyes. "I was teasing you. What I didn't expect was that she would take an interest in you too."

I frowned. "How do you know she's attracted to me?"

Jordan and Danielle looked at one another. "He's got a blind spot," Danielle said. Jordan nodded. They looked at me. "We'll help you when we can," Jordan said. "Obviously, you're going to have to learn this sooner or later though."

I shook my head. "Wouldn't that require me to have a better sense of self-image?"

Danielle nodded. Jordan said, "And finding out women are attracted to you, women you don't know," she emphasized, "can only help you with that."

Danielle nodded again. "She's right. Nothing feels better than knowing someone likes you. Having friends, and girlfriends, is a normal part of life. You've been deprived of that. Hopefully with what's happening, and with our help, you'll be able to turn around and feel better about yourself."

Great. Just great. I had a psychology major and a sex expert both telling me the same thing. What was worse was, I couldn't argue with them about it. I didn't know what a normal life was supposed to be like, how a healthy self-image was supposed to help me. On top of that, if they were right – and that was a big IF in my opinion – then Milena already found me attractive and would make a good Fonte for me.

I sighed at that thought, and not in a troubled way.



-------

Chapter 10



The three of us returned to the office when we finished packing up most of the breakables. Milena was sitting at her desk, but she was wearing a different outfit. It was a red dress that hugged her every curve and dipped down in front, showing off generous amounts of cleavage. She looked up with a smile. It looked like she had also put on some makeup and done something different with her hair, making it fuller. "Good timing," she said. "All your papers just finished printing out. Have a seat and you can sign them."

I glanced at Jordan and Danielle. Danielle gave me a 'go for it' look, and Jordan had a knowing look in her eyes. I quickly came to the conclusion that she had abused her power over Milena during their private conversations.

Danielle sat down and asked, "What happened to your suit?"

Milena fidgeted with her dress, pulling the front down a little more in the process. "I'm a klutz at times. I spilled tea all over myself, so I went to my apartment and changed." She surreptitiously glanced my way. I didn't suspect her of adding makeup anymore, I knew it.

"You must live very close by," Jordan said with a tone of already knowing the truth.

"I have my own apartment here in the complex," Milena said. "It's in the same building as the one you're moving out of." She looked up at me. "Speaking of which, I don't think there'll be any problems with you moving into that unit, Seth."

I nodded. "Well, if I find anything wrong, I'll let you know."

She smiled just as warmly as she did for Jordan earlier. She grabbed stacks of printed papers from the printer and arranged them on the desk. Once finished, she slid one stack of papers across the desk. "Girls first," she said and pointed out where she needed them to sign and initial.

Once that was finished, she waved me over behind her desk to stand next to her so I could sign my papers. Standing over her, I had a clear line of sight down her dress. Her bust was so deep that I thought I would fall in. I had to fight to keep my eyes in my head and my hand steady as I signed the agreement. When I was finished, I quickly moved out from behind her desk.

Milena followed me and reached for a lock box on the wall. She pulled out several keys and then led us out of the office. I held the front door open for everyone and got grins from both Jordan and Danielle. They weren't thank you grins but those knowing smiles they wore whenever Jana was coming to get me. More than that, the two of them walked on either side of me behind Milena. They were going out of their way to give me an unobstructed view of the landlady at all times.

Milena's dress was backless and there was no sign of a bra strap. That thought alone made walking uncomfortable. Milena's hips swayed with her walk. I didn't think she was doing it on purpose, but I really didn't know that for sure either. The dress hugged her bottom very nicely and clung to her thighs. It was a very nice dress on a very curvy woman.

Milena looked back over her shoulder at us when she reached the stairs for the building. She went up and Jordan and Danielle stepped back to let me go first. I shook my head and watched where I was stepping rather than the buxom woman leading the way.

Milena waited for us on the second floor with a smile. I looked back at Jordan and Danielle who were also smiling. Everyone was happy. Why wasn't I?

When Jordan caught up she asked, "Isn't there any available on the ground floor?"

Milena shook her head. "Sorry. Those always go first." Then she turned and went to the closest apartment door. She unlocked it and went in. I stood my ground, determined to go last.

Jordan nodded at Danielle to go on and stayed with me. The brunette had a big smile on her face. "I think it worked."

"What worked?" I asked. I was still suspicious of Jordan influencing the way Milena was acting.

"Well," my brunette said, as Milena took Danielle through a tour of the apartment, "right after I moved in, I asked about a few things the complex didn't offer. Milena went out of her way to get it for me anyway."

"I thought you said you avoided her?" I asked quietly.

Jordan nodded. "I did, once I realized what was happening."

I sighed. "Well, it's not like she would force someone else to take a second floor apartment when they're already in a ground floor unit."

"No," Jordan said. "But if someone was far enough behind on their rent, she might evict them."

I nodded understanding. "Then it's a good thing the spell is lifted."

Jordan smiled and nodded.

Milena and Danielle returned from one of the bedrooms and the landlady handed a key to each of them. "The last tenants made extras and turned them all in when they moved out, but please, try not to lose them." Then she looked pointedly at Jordan. "Do you have the key for the other apartment?"

Jordan fished it out, removed it from her key ring, and handed it over.

Milena turned to me with the same warm smile she had given Jordan earlier. "Follow me, Seth, and I'll take you to your apartment." She walked out the door and I shot Jordan a look.

Jordan had a wicked grin. "Don't forget your fetish."

"What did you do?" I asked under my breath.

She shrugged. "I thought if the spell didn't break when I moved, then maybe the bond would do the trick."

I growled under my breath and followed Milena. If the enchantment had transferred from Jordan to me with the turnover in occupancy, then it stood to reason that I could easily talk Milena out of whatever Jordan had planned.

I caught up with her. "Milena."

"Yes?" she asked with that same warm smile.

"When we left earlier and Jordan stayed to ask a question, what did she say?" I asked.

Milena smiled in thought. "She was such a wonderful tenant."

I nodded. "But did she suggest something when Danielle and I left your office?"

She smiled and nodded but didn't say anything.

"What did she suggest?" I asked.

Milena's expression was blazing hot when she looked at me. "I can't tell you. It would ruin the surprise."

I was getting frustrated and we were only twenty feet from the door of my new apartment. "What surprise?"

Milena thought and said, "She suggested a house warming gift."

I frowned at that. Why would Jordan tell Milena to give me a house warming gift? Or was that how she told Milena to interpret what she would do? I wanted to rant at Jordan for creating the problem and then compounding it by using it this way. I didn't have time to worry about it anymore. I had to act. "Milena, whatever Jordan suggested, you don't have to do it."

She smiled at me and unlocked the door. "She said you would say that, but she assured me you would enjoy this." Then she walked in.

I followed her, not entirely sure what to expect or that Jordan would be wrong. Whatever happened, I wouldn't hold it against Milena. She had no control over this decision.

Like she had done with Danielle at the other apartment, Milena pointed out the different rooms. I already knew the layout, so I followed along quietly. We reached the bedroom last. She walked over and ran her fingers along the wall adjacent to the window. "I have a mirrored layout on the other side of this wall."

She kicked off her shoes and I realized she had even removed the stockings she'd been wearing earlier. I wondered if she had anything on under her dress.

She turned to face me and ran her hands over her breasts. "I noticed you staring earlier."

I opened my mouth to apologize but my breath caught when she tugged the top of her dress down, exposing her hard, pink nipples to me.

"I'm usually very self-conscious," she said, pulling the material down and tucking it under her very heavy, very large orbs. "But when you look at me, I feel like a young mare again."

My pants were once again uncomfortable, and there was nowhere for me to hide. The next thing I knew, Milena was leading me to the bed. Without a word of explanation, she pushed me onto my back and worked to open my pants.

I didn't try to stop her. First, I would be more comfortable without my pants restraining me, and second, this was obviously my house warming gift.

Milena got my pants open but rather than go straight for the goods, she stepped back, grabbed the ends of my leg openings and pulled. I lifted my hips and she tugged off my pants. She smiled at me, felt the pockets of my pants, and pulled out my fetish. "What's this?" she asked.

I didn't know how to answer or whether this was part of Jordan's plan.

Milena dropped my pants, walked closer, pressed her thighs between mine, and held my fetish out to me. "Put it on. I want to see what it looks like on you."

I took the fetish and looked into her dark, eager eyes. I pulled it over my head, saying under my breath, "In for a penny, in for a pound."

I expected Milena to jump me then and there, something crazy. All she did immediately was coo. Her body's response, however, was very clear. I watched as her nipples, already hard bumps on the tips of her breasts, grow. The pink areolas contracted with that growth and Milena lowered her breasts to brush them over my erection.

The warmth of her body felt good. Really good. I moaned deeply and raised my hips to press myself into her soft flesh. Milena took advantage of my action and pulled at my underwear, trying to get them off me. I helped her, having to bring my legs together so she could pull them off completely. Then I returned to the same position she had us in.

She smiled and smothered my crotch with her massive, pliable breasts. She looked up into my eyes and said, "Now, I understand why Sammi wanted you to model for her."

I didn't bother trying to correct her misconception. I merely reached out and pulled at her arms to get her to climb up on me. She smiled and hiked up the skirt of her dress around her waist, showing me that there wasn't anything under it. I wasn't entirely surprised by that, but I was surprised to find that she was shaved down to a narrow strip. She climbed up on the bed and straddled my waist. She leaned over, allowing her heavy breasts to hang over my face for a second before covering me with them.

I held her to me, trying to kiss and lick as much as I could reach. With her leaning so low, I couldn't really maneuver her around so I could reach her nipples, but I found them with my fingers and gave both a slight twist and pinch. She moaned above me and rose up enough to aim a nipple at my mouth. I opened wide and accepted her. Once my lips were pressed to her warm flesh, I sucked on her deeply, pulling in as much as I could. She pressed herself into me, making the vast flesh of her bosom cover the rest of my face. She could have smothered me like that, but I had practiced enough with Jordan to know what to do. I placed my hand on the side of her breast and forced my thumb between her and me, opening up a small gap that I could breathe through. Beyond that, I made no move to escape and enjoyed sucking on her almost as much as it sounded like she enjoyed having me do it.

After a minute or so, she switched breasts, and I switched hands. With my free hand, I touched her thigh, and reached for her cheek. She wiggled her hips and pressed her pelvis down on me. I moaned into her breast and she sat up. Her nipples were both wet and distended a lot more than any other woman's I had seen. It was an amazing and erotic sight. I held her hips down and ground myself between her legs.

She pulled at my shirt and I knew she wanted me as bare as her. Granted, she was still wearing her dress, but it wasn't doing much to cover her. I pulled her back down, so that her breasts flattened out against my chest, and rolled us over. She laughed at the sudden movement and hung on with hands and thighs. I sat up and removed my shirt.

Her hands went to my shaft, which was lying on her belly. We were pressed together such that my sac was against her hot, moist lips. I watched her run her hands over me, pressing me into her. I could just make out the shallow indent that indicated her navel. My length surpassed it by about three inches.

She stroked me and rubbed her thumbs over my crown. "So big, so thick," she mumbled and then pushed at my belly with one hand. I understood and moved back. She held onto me and rubbed me against her lips. I watched as she got me wet and then set me at her entrance. I eased forward, watching how she spread wide to accommodate me. The visual wasn't my only treat. Milena moaned and grabbed at my hips.

I moved slowly, pressing into her fully, and ground my pubic bone against her.

She licked her lips, shook her shoulders to settle her breasts between her arms, and pulled me down on top of her. "Now ... make me buck!"

Her talk about horses notwithstanding, I understood what she wanted. I wanted it too. I moved my hips, thrusting into her with a need that I hadn't realized I had until then.

Milena held me to her so that my bare chest crushed into her huge, soft breasts. Her nipples tried to drill holes in me, but I liked it. She pressed her lips to mine in our first kiss. She was as warm and hungry as I felt.

Within a minute, Milena started thrashing below me. She broke our kisses and pulled me down. Her inner muscles were almost as strong as her arms. They squeezed me and pulled at me like they were trying to draw me in further. All I could move were my hips, which I pumped rhythmically, driving through the strength of her grip all through her orgasm.

Milena caught her breath and pushed me up to look into my eyes. "Oh, Darling. What a stud. I haven't felt like this in years."

Years? She sounded like she was older than she looked. I could tell she was older than any of my girls, but she couldn't have been that much older. I also couldn't understand why she would have been alone for so long. Even without her incredible endowments, she was extremely attractive. If anything, to me, her large breasts were like the cherries on an ice cream sundae. Two huge cherries granted, but only a part of the whole.

Seemingly on automatic, I continued to pump into her, growing more desperate for my orgasm.

Milena smiled through a series of grunts and moans. "Whoa boy, settle down and let me have a turn at the reins."

I nodded and sat up. Milena's breasts were tinted pink where my chest had pressed into them, and there was a lot of pink.

She shook her shoulders again, making her breasts roll back and forth. "I take it they're not too much?" she asked.

I shook my head and gently caressed her shifting mounds. "They're beautiful."

She took my hands and pressed them deep into her flesh. "You'll turn a girl's head with talk like that."

I smiled. "How about I turn something else?" And I lifted one of her thighs, laid myself perpendicular to her and began thrusting again.

Milena's eyes widened and she grabbed at my leg, which I had gently laid on her belly. Her hips thrust back at me and she couldn't pull at me enough. I must have hit a good spot because she started wailing a song of appreciation.

The angle turned out to be good for me too. Something about the way she pulled at me and the hold of her inner walls felt fantastic. Pretty soon, I was driving into her and trying to hold her in place at the same time because with each thrust, she slid across the bed a little.

Milena's legs locked up around me, and her fingers dug into my thigh. She sang out again and moaned her release. The grip of her inner walls did some fantastic things to me and I ground myself into her while I spilled my orgasm into her.

For a few minutes, we both lay there panting. I had no cares in the world. Milena, however, was already thinking ahead. With a big smile on her face, she looked at me and said, "When you've finished moving in, why not come over for a night cap?"

I smiled and said, "I'll have to take a rain check. My friends and I had plans for tonight."

"Oh," she said, sounding a little disappointed.

I couldn't have that. I scooted around and pulled her to me, still buried deeply in her and feeling every little move. She gasped and pulled at me too. Once we were settled again, I said, "I don't have any plans for tomorrow night. Would that be okay?"

She looked at me, licked her lips, and smiled with that same warm smile she used earlier. "I don't know if I can wait that long."

I smiled and kissed her. "Well, you know where I live now, and you have a key."

Her smile brightened. "Yes, I do."

The bedroom door opened. Jordan walked in, followed by Danielle. Jordan had the same faraway look on her face as the night before. Red looked at Milena and me and said, "I don't know what's wrong. She just walked over here and wouldn't say anything." She didn't bat an eye at the position she found us in, but then, she knew what was going on before she arrived.

I sat up to respond to Danielle, but Milena went still and looked at her. Her expression had changed too. "You've got to be kidding me," I mumbled.

"Seth, what's going on?" Danielle asked.

"You should probably leave," I said. "magic's involved."

She blinked at me but didn't move. I got up off the bed, slipping out of Milena, and took Danielle out into the living room. "The same thing happened last night at Silk and Lace. Sammi and I shared memories right after our bond formed."

Danielle frowned. "But I thought that was only a signal of the end of your Initiation."

"Apparently not," I said.

Movement caught my eye. Jordan and Milena came out of the bedroom.

I moved over to an open area of the living room. Danielle went into the kitchen. She was out of the way but could see what was happening.

Milena stood in front of me and Jordan stood behind. Obviously, if I tried to delay what was happening, the magic would force them to seek me out to go through with this ... ritual.

Both women rose up and began spinning around me. I heard Danielle gasp and then Milena stopped in front of me. Her magnificent breasts were level with my face and wiggled for a second. The Amber streak appeared between her mounds. It grew and consumed my field of vision.

-------

What went wrong? For three years, Milena and Cliff had been married and she was as happy as could be, but one night, Cliff took her to a local waffle house to talk. He only ordered coffee, but she didn't order anything. He told her he was leaving. Milena sat in the booth, confused, and too stunned to be upset. Cliff gave her some kind of vague explanation about things that felt wrong to him, things that weren't right. Then they went home. She felt like an automaton, changing and climbing into bed. Cliff slept on the couch. Nothing more was said about it. To Milena, it felt like a dream, something that couldn't have really happened, a conversation based on her worst fears. Time passed. They talked and joked like nothing was wrong. After only a month, he packed his stuff and moved out. He left while she was at work. When she got home, he was simply gone with all of his personal belongings. She cried for three straight days, knowing that she should have said something, should have done something to change his mind. Once she settled down enough, she couldn't find him. His cell service had been cancelled, and the company he worked for said he had resigned two weeks prior.

Distraught, and not sure what else to do, Milena moved in with her mother and let the bank have the house they had been paying on. The only other thing that they shared of any real value was the older model car they got after a car accident they had been in. Cliff had been hurt in the accident, but Milena hadn't suffered anything worse than shell shock. Her mother tried to tell her to get rid of the car, to get something more fuel efficient and that wouldn't remind her of Cliff, but Milena kept the car because it was paid for and worked just fine. The next few months were spent one day at a time, struggling to move forward though the confusion, self-loathing, self-pity and loneliness.

Milena found work at the apartment complex. Soon after, she moved in to one of the one-bedroom units. The days continued to pass by, one at a time. Milena's emotions became a blanket that she kept wrapped around her, something she didn't think about but simply accepted as her new role in life. Several men asked her out, and she went on those dates, but she never felt anything for them. None of those prospects for happiness could take root. Nothing seemed to penetrate the cloud of depression she hid under. The only real highlights in the last few years had been the births of her Niece and Nephew. Janine, her closest sister, lived in Fort Worth and they stayed in touch, but beyond that, Milena worked, ate, and slept. She simply existed, nothing more.

-------

I was back in the apartment, kneeling on the floor and holding Milena. Tears flowed down my cheeks from the loneliness of Milena's life, and I worried briefly what she saw of me.

She looked up into my eyes and smiled. It was her warm smile, the same one that told me the enchantment was still in effect. Had nothing changed? Maybe she had been spared. "Are you okay?" she asked me softly.

I nodded and looked around. Jordan and Danielle were sitting together on the couch, watching us. I looked at Milena again. "I'm sorry you got involved. I didn't want this for you."

"Shh," she said and lightly kissed my lips. "I don't know why I saw what I saw, but Jordan and Danielle have been answering my questions."

I looked to them again. "What did you tell her?"

Jordan rolled her eyes. "That you both got a hold of some really strong marijuana and ended up hallucinating." She waited for Danielle's laughter to subside. "What do you think? You want your Fonti to know the truth, so I told her the truth."

I looked at Milena. Her warm smile met me and she nodded. "She told me about being your... Fonte." She glanced at Jordan. "And she told me that you feel exceptionally attracted to me."

I glanced at Jordan too, but smiled. "Yeah, you could say that." Then I turned Milena around to face me. "I know what you've been going through, and I'm sorry that your husband never offered any closure when he left, but you're not alone anymore." She blinked at me, apparently stunned. I continued. "You have no reason to feel like that anymore. It's been long enough. Now it's time to live again."

She gave me that same warm smile she had before we bound. The spell Jordan had cast was still in effect. "If you say so," she said, and the warm smile somehow became brighter, reminding me of how she felt while she was with Cliff. I didn't know what to think. She was under magical influence, more so than any of my other Fonti, and that could only lead to more problems, right?

Milena giggled and hugged me. It felt good to have her so close, and I knew that was from the bond. It overrode my worries about the spell Jordan had cast. Besides, until I figured out how to release her from that spell, there wasn't any need to be upset. Besides, I was burning with curiosity over what memory she had seen. Finally, I asked her.

She shook her hair out of her face and thought for a moment. "All I saw were fragments. There was a blonde girl named Lisa. You never talked to each other, but I got the impression that she was very ... important to you in some way."

That didn't make any sense. "You didn't feel anything with those memories?" I asked.

She took a deep breath and let it out, then she shook her head. "Not really, why?"

I shook my head slowly, trying to understand what happened. I had felt Milena's loneliness. It was still with me, in a distant way that allowed me to know it wasn't my emotions, but something I understood. However, why didn't Milena feel my begrudged loathing of the girl who had gotten me into so much trouble in high school? What bothered me just as much was the fact that she didn't see what the others had seen. She didn't know what Lisa's father did to me. I let it go though. It wasn't going to help to dwell on a problem that I didn't believe was really a problem.

Something else bothered me though, and I felt I had plenty of reason to believe it was a problem. Milena didn't seem troubled by the sharing of our memories or the explanation of what I was or her role. I had argued with Jordan over the very idea that I was a magus during my Initiation. It took a sample of power to prove it to me, and that had settled it. But why weren't Sammi and Milena arguing with me about it? Did the bond suppress that response in them? Or was there something else at work? What was going on?



-------

Chapter 11



Milena had to go back to the office to finish filing our paperwork. Once she was gone, I got dressed and brought up my concerns with Jordan. I didn't want to scare Danielle, so I waited until she left with her clothes to take over to their new apartment.

"Jordan, I have to ask you something," I said.

She looked up and smiled. "Are you trying to get out of work to go help Milena with the filing?"

I shook my head. "No, but what I need to know involves her, as well as the rest of you."

Her smile faded. "What's that?" she asked.

I took a deep breath, trying to think of the best way to ask. "So far, I've bound two more Fonti. And with both of them, the same spinning and memory sharing ritual has occurred. First, is that normal?"

Jordan shrugged. "I don't think it's normal or average, but it doesn't mean other magi don't go through some kind of magical ritual when they forge new bonds."

"Then you don't know for sure?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No."

"Do you think Raven might know?" I asked.

"It's possible," she said with a shrug, "but we've never talked a lot about this stuff. Most of our conversations have been about the cute guys we've been with."

I nodded and asked, "So, what about this perfect acceptance Sammi and Milena have? Is that normal?"

She thought about that. "Since I've never talked to other magi about their Fonti, I can't say for sure. You know I didn't tell my Fonti what was going on, and My mom didn't have any, so I don't know who we could ask."

"Then you do suggest asking someone?" I said.

"You have questions, legitimate ones," she said. "I just don't know where to direct them."

I sighed and nodded. "Okay, thank you." I gave her a kiss and Danielle came back in. She rubbed up against me and I kissed her too. It felt good to touch and kiss them, and I knew it felt good to be with Sammi and Milena. I knew the sexual aspects of our relationships wouldn't be a problem, but I was worried about this easy acceptance they had. I would have to talk to Raven again, both to see if she could answer my questions or point out another magus who might be able to.

The three of us spent the next hour moving clothes and boxes of personal items. The apartment felt empty when we stopped. Only the big furniture was left and we would need a truck to move it. I had the strength, but the girls didn't. Jordan offered to take me to my dorm to get my stuff and turn in my keys. Danielle decided she wanted to stay and put stuff up.

My roommate, Danny, was in our dorm room, sitting at his desk and working on something with books, papers, a ruler, and a calculator scattered all over. He was built a little thick but not overly muscular. He had short dirty blonde hair and an easy smile. He looked up when we walked in. "Hey," he said. "I never thought I'd see you during the week."

I nodded. "I know. I'm not here much. Sorry about that."

He shrugged and spotted Jordan. "Uh ... Hi."

She waved and I made introductions. Jordan was all smiles, but Danny was suddenly very quiet. The few times we spoke, he was a chatterbox.

I pointed at the built-in armoire, and said, "I've got boxes in there." Jordan turned to look at me with a big grin. She had her back turned to Danny and by her expression I knew she was going to do something. I gave her a stern look and a quick shake of my head. "Don't," I muttered.

She pouted and went to the armoire.

"So ... um ... What's going on?" Danny asked with a nervous lilt in his voice. He watched Jordan bend over to retrieve the folded boxes in the back of the armoire. He realized I was watching him, glanced apologetically at me, and tried to look anywhere else.

"Well," I said, "I don't spend that much time here, so I'm moving out."

Danny glanced at Jordan, who was bent over in her painted-on jeans, and said, "Too bad."

Part of me wanted to shake my head, but another part realized that Danny was a guy, just like any other, and the sight of a beautiful woman was going to be distracting. I smiled in spite of myself. I understood how Danny felt. I liked watching Jordan too and now was no different.

She straightened up, realized we were watching and smiled before continuing to load the box.

I cleared my throat and moved to help her. Someone knocked. Knowing the door was locked, I turned and answered it instead. Two guys were standing out in the hall. I recognized them from around the dorm, though I didn't know their names. One was really tall, like six-eight or something, and thin. He wore a Dallas Mavericks jersey and shorts. The other guy was closer to my height and more heavily built. He wore a Hard Rock Café t-shirt and jeans. The Mavericks fan said, "Hey Danny..." but realized I wasn't him and stopped. He glanced past me to Danny and then frowned at me. "You must be the roommate." He held out his hand to shake. "I'm Barrett." I shook his hand and he nodded at the guy behind him. "This is Gregg." I shook Gregg's hand too.

"I'm Seth," I said and stepped back. "I believe you were here to talk to Danny?"

He smiled and stepped past me. "Thanks."

In two strides, Barrett made it to Danny's side. "Dude! There's this crazy hot brunette in the dorm. I saw her coming up the stairs in this green checked shirt with these huge knockers!"

I arched an eyebrow, but otherwise didn't know what to think. He stopped talking when he realized Danny wasn't paying any attention. For that matter, Gregg never made it past the room's threshold. Barrett turned to look at what Danny was looking at and his eyes almost popped out of his head.

Jordan stood next to my bed with her feet apart and her arms akimbo. She was looking at Barrett and I couldn't tell if she was flattered or furious.

Internally, I braced myself. I didn't believe Jordan would let his comments go, but I didn't know for certain how she would respond.

She looked from Barrett, to Danny, to me. Then, in a surprisingly calm voice, she asked, "Do you agree with him?"

I glanced at Barrett, who looked appropriately sheepish, and said, "I don't know. Crazy hot?" I shrugged. "Able to melt steel with a cool glance, but otherwise..." I nodded, "spot on."

She smiled and nodded to him. "Thank you." Then she turned and went back to work.

I swear Barrett melted down onto the floor in a puddle of drool and relief for not being berated. The only reason I wasn't mad was because Jordan wasn't.

So, we had an audience while we packed my stuff. Danny, Barrett, and Gregg were happy to help carry boxes when Jordan asked for volunteers. We got everything down in one run.

Jordan's car was full and she enjoyed all of the attention. Personally, I thought she went a little far when she gave Barrett a kiss on the cheek, but nothing else happened and we left.

Jordan and I took the boxes in and piled them in my closet. She hung up some of my clothes and I suggested leaving the rest until we got the furniture moved.

"Well, between the three of us, there's only one bed and a couch," she said.

I glanced toward the main door. "Danielle needs another good night's sleep before she's fully recovered. I don't think your couch would be adequate."

"Well, we could go out and buy her and you new beds," Jordan said. "We might even be able to get the delivery guys to move my bed, since it's in the way of where yours would go and they'd be delivering one to our apartment anyway."

Thinking of the trail of drooling students Jordan had convinced to help carry my stuff to her car, I had no doubt of that. "Then let's go get Danielle and go shopping."

Jordan called Danielle and while we were waiting for her, Jana called. Jordan talked to her for a minute and then held the phone out to me. I took it with a questioning look. Jordan just shrugged. "Hey," I said.

"Seth," Jana said, sounding tired. "I have to work late. The city is holding a committee dinner here tonight and I don't know how long it'll last."

"Are you going to be late, or... ?" I asked, leaving it hanging without actually suggesting the idea of cancelling.

"I don't know yet," she said, "More than likely, by the time I get done here all I'll do is fall asleep even if you're with me."

I nodded. "I'm willing to just be there if that's what you need."

"I don't know what I'll do at this point," she said.

"Whatever you decide," I said, "I'm okay with."

"Thank you," she said. "Can I talk to Jordan?"

"Sure," I said and took the phone to her.

Danielle had arrived and asked, "What's up?"

"Jana has to work late," I said. "I may not see her tonight." And I realized that I would miss her.

"Ouch," Danielle said. "Well, she's the manager. I'm sure she'll take some time off tomorrow. You'll see her then."

I shrugged. "Maybe this is a good thing," I said. "Maybe the additional time spent apart will help keep her safe for a little longer."

Danielle reached up and hugged me. I didn't understand what it was for but I hugged her back.

"I think I understand what you were talking about earlier," she said, pulling back. "About taking care of us."

The soft, sympathetic tone from her made me smile. "It's a full-time job, taking care of you three. Too bad I don't get paid for it."

She smiled too.

Jordan came out of the bedroom. "Jana told me what's going on and I told her about the apartment changes. She'll be by with a house warming present tomorrow."

I shook my head. "She doesn't need an excuse to come over. None of you do."

Jordan jingled her keys. "We should take the opportunity to go bed shopping so they'll have time to deliver the beds tonight."

I agreed but Danielle said, "I won't have the money for a bed for a couple of weeks. I'll be fine on the couch."

I shook my head and said, "No, you need a bed. I'll get you one and you can pay me back if you feel so inclined."

"Seth, no," she said.

I held up my hands. "No arguments. I want to do this and you need the rest."

She frowned until I hugged her.

It only took us a few minutes to get ready, lock up, and head out. Danielle pointed out a Mattress Giant and said, "We could see how much those mismatched sets cost."

I agreed and Jordan pulled into the parking lot. There were two other stores attached the bed store, a pawn shop, and an electronics store called Mass Electronics. All of us piled out of the car and went in, though I saw Jordan eyeing the electronics store.

Mattress Giant had lots of beds set up on display, but there was almost no one else there. We walked around for a few minutes before one of the sales guys, an older man in a tie and slacks, approached us. "How can I help you?"

I turned to talk to him, but all of his attention was focused on Danielle. Even as worn looking as she was, she was still gorgeous. She smiled and quickly got a tour of the different mattresses in the store. I hung back a little. Jordan had proven earlier that a girl's influence over a man was powerful, even without magic. Jordan walked with me, watching Danielle twist the sales guy around her finger.

I shook my head. "Was I that malleable when you met me?"

"Actually it took a lot to seduce you," she said. "Any other guy would have been all over me when I asked for help with my bikini."

I felt a touch of pride that I had been able to resist her better than most, but I also worried that something was wrong with me.

Jordan saw me frown. "There's nothing wrong with you, Seth. You'd been abused when it came to sex and was appropriately wary in the situation. Honestly, you were a perfect gentleman. There's nothing wrong respecting a woman and not acting like a letch."

"Like the guys at the dorm?" I said.

She smiled. "There's nothing wrong with being appreciated either."

I looked at her. "And you wonder why I find women so confusing."

Danielle came back with the salesman. "Seth, this is Boyd. He says he can get us the best deals on queen sized beds."

Boyd's smile faded a little until he heard her use of the plural form of bed. Hope rekindled in his eyes.

I looked at Jordan and then Danielle. "Should I get a queen?"

Jordan shook her head. "Either that or a king."

Danielle smiled. "I've never slept in a king size before."

Boyd glanced at her and frowned.

"Besides," Jordan said, noticing Boyd's reactions. "There may come a time when you'll need the extra space."

Danielle arched an eyebrow but smiled at Jordan.

Boyd looked confused.

I was a little confused too. "Why would I need extra space?"

Boyd nodded ever so slightly.

Jordan's expression was very matter-of-fact. "Well, taking turns might not work out. We might show up in groups."

I remembered the night my initiation ended. After sharing memories and a short discussion, Jordan and Jana joined me and Danielle in the hotel room for the rest of the weekend. We hadn't done anything like that since, but if I collected as many Fonti as Jordan suggested, I could end up in similar situations again.

"I think you're right," I said to Jordan and turned to Boyd. "I'd like the same brand and mismatch deal as Danielle, except make it a king sized set." I felt like I was ordering food somewhere and didn't know if they worked that way.

Boyd looked at Danielle and she nodded with an affectionate squeeze of the elbow. He was putty in her hands. "I'll be right back," he said and hurried off.

Danielle and Jordan giggled once he was out of earshot. I frowned at them. "Now that's mean."

"What?" Jordan whined.

I shook my head. "It's one thing to be nice, even affectionate, but laughing when he's gone?"

Danielle nodded. "You're right Seth. We're sorry."

Jordan didn't say anything else about it. "Give Danielle your bank card. She can ask if they can deliver the mattresses tonight."

I knew Danielle would have better luck with Boyd, or any of the other male employees she might have to talk to, than I would, so I handed over the card and told her my pin number. "And if it costs extra to have the beds delivered tonight, pay it. You need your bed and I have a sneaky suspicion that Jordan is up to something else. I may need mine too."

Jordan simply smiled.

Danielle noticed her expression and asked, "Where will you two be?"

Jordan nodded toward the exit. "Next door, at the electronics store. I thought we might find out how much digital video cameras and software would cost."

Danielle grinned at me, read my face correctly and moved closer to me. "Don't worry Seth. We won't do anything tonight." She gave me a hug, which I returned. In my ear, she whispered, "But tomorrow, Jana is going to come over and she hasn't made any such promises."

She let me go, turned with a smile, and bounced off toward the office where Boyd had gone.

Jordan hooked her arm through mine and pulled me out of the store. Once we were outside, she said, "It's really not all that bad, you know?"

"What isn't?" I asked, fearing her answer.

"Making those videos to make some extra money," she said. "For that matter, as a sex magus, I'm surprised you're not doing more to learn about your heritage, asking more questions about magic, and working harder at finding more Fonti."

I nodded. "I knew that would come up again."

"Well?" she said.

I reached in my pocket and pulled out my fetish.

"You actually brought it," Jordan said with mock surprise. "I thought I'd have to remind you."

I shook my head and put the fetish away. "No, I understand the need. I just want to be careful where I use it."

Jordan nodded. "True. It might not seem like it, but I'd rather you be careful of who you bind."

I looked at her. "Really?"

She nodded. "I'm not about to let you cut your bond to me without a fight, so I'd rather you bound other women we get along with."

"So, you figure if I choose from your circle of friends," I said, "there'd be a good chance everyone would get along?"

She nodded. "Something like that."

I nodded and hugged her with one arm. "Then all that talk about me and college students my own age?"

She shrugged. "It's more important that you get the Fonti. I just don't want there to be any complications."

I shook my head. "If you haven't noticed, there already are complications."

"I'm talking about personality conflicts," she said.

I nodded. "I think we already have that problem."

She looked at me. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're used to going out and putting yourself into situations where you'll get noticed," I said, "and I'm just the opposite. I want as little attention as possible."

"But you..." she started.

I squeezed her again and stopped in front of the electronics store door. "I know I have to do this. There isn't another option, but you also know that I don't like it. You see, even with opposing personalities we get along. That's my point."

She smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way because I think we have a new opportunity for you."

I frowned and looked behind me. Inside the store, there was only a spattering of people. All of them were men. I was confused about Jordan's meaning until a brunette came out from the back. She looked familiar, but I couldn't place her.

Jordan nudged me in the back. "Don't forget your fetish."

"Jordan," I said, watching the brunette work "This isn't like Silk and Lace. I don't think she's the owner."

"That's what your apartment is for silly," Jordan said softly in my ear.

"Oh, and she won't mind carpet burns since I don't have a bed?" I asked.

"That's why Danielle is trying to get the beds delivered," she said.

"And if they're not there when I get there?" I asked.

"Seth," Jordan said with a serious tone. It was one of the few times she used it. "Once she's hit with your fetish, I doubt she'll care."

"What if the fetish doesn't work on her?" I asked.

Jordan leaned in against my back. "If it doesn't, no harm, no foul. We buy the stuff we're looking for and head home. Now put it on and get in there."

I felt like a little league baseball player being sent out to bat only to be humiliated in front of everyone – not that I ever played little league baseball.

I put on the fetish and walked in, never taking my eyes off the brunette. I still couldn't place her and that bugged me. On the other hand, she was very attractive. Her long hair was pulled back in a pony tail and she wasn't wearing any makeup. In her raw form, she could have been anyone's sister, the proverbial girl-next-door. She was a little shorter than Jordan without her heels and filled in the store shirt very nicely.

All of the guys were at the counter, holding items to purchase, and every one of them watched her every move. There were two other guys behind the counter too, and they perked up any time she was near or looked in their direction. The store had obviously hired her for the simple appeal of having an attractive girl draw in more customers. There wasn't a single female customer in the place, other than Jordan.

When the sales girl finished helping a customer, she looked up and around. She didn't know what she was looking for and no one else had noticed whatever she had. She saw me, blinked, and then frowned. It wasn't the response I had hoped for.

She moved over to help another customer and I stood back, watching. It crossed my mind that I might look creepy, standing there watching her but not interested in any of the store's products. So, I set out to go look at something else. I found Jordan looking at their selection of video cameras, so I went over to the software. I didn't think it would look good if the sales girl – and I still couldn't think of where I had seen her before – saw me with another woman. Thoughts of personality conflicts and cat fights crossed my mind.

For a few minutes, I studied the different video editing suites they had. None of them were cheap. If the software and cameras were going to be an investment, I'd need to know how much each video would earn, and then I could project how many videos it would take before that investment was paid off.

"Can I help you with anything?"

I looked up at the sound of her voice. The sales girl studied me with a certain level of wariness in her posture. Did she not trust me, or herself?

I waved at the programs. "Some friends and I thought we'd shoot some movies. I was looking at the editing suites to see what would be the most cost efficient." Yeah, I used big words, but I had no real idea what I was looking for.

She stared at me for a moment and then looked at the box I was holding. I thought she was going to do her job while fighting the effects of my fetish like Robyn had done the day before. Instead, she said, "You don't remember me, do you?" Her tone suggested she hoped I would.

I studied her face again. "I know you from somewhere..."

She looked up and the expression in her eyes hit me.

"You're in my Political Science class," I said. I set the box on the shelf and focused all of my attention on her. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to knock you down."

I looked for a name tag, but apparently the store didn't employ them. I held out my hand. "I never got your name."

She looked at my hand but didn't take it. "Erica."

I withdrew it. "Erica, I'm Seth."

She nodded and then looked at the box I had just put on the shelf. "Would you like to see how it works?"

I glanced at the box. "Sure."

She took a step back and when I moved to follow, she turned and led me to the back of the store. She went through a door marked "employees only" and I followed. Down a short hall, she went through an office door, which she held open for me. Once I was inside, she closed the door and locked it with a solid click.

I turned and saw the feral look in her eyes. It looked like the demonstration was going to be put on hold for a while.



-------

Chapter 12



In the dim light of the office, Erica's expression was a little scary. I didn't know her at all so I wasn't sure what to expect.

She went over to a table that held dozens of different electronic gadgets, picked up a video camera, turned it on, placed it on the corner of the desk, and pointed it at me.

Okay, maybe she was going to give me that demonstration. Only, I wasn't in the right location to see the computer monitor.

I stood there, patiently waiting for her to say something, but she didn't. She grabbed the office chair and maneuvered it in front of me. She sat in it, very close to me, with her face level to my crotch.

I glanced at the camera. The little red LED that indicated it was recording shined like a beacon. I also realized the camera wasn't angled up to catch my face, but down where it would record whatever Erica did.

Erica continued to maintain her silence. She simply reached up and unbuttoned my pants.

The coincidence of the situation finally hit me. The girls wanted to make videos of us having sex. Jordan had even suggested I find some college girls to do it with. It appeared that I was about to have a test run on that idea. Oddly, I wasn't nervous. It could have been because I didn't think Erica was going to sell the video, especially since it involved her having sex in an office of the store she worked at, so that made this safe. But then again, I didn't know her. She might have liked doing that sort of thing.

Erica got my pants open and pulled them and my briefs down. I was only partially erect, and she sat there staring at me with parted lips and widened eyes. For a second, I thought something was wrong, until she gently ran her hand over me and looked up with an excited smile. She petted and stroked me until I was pointing out straight as a flagpole. She couldn't wrap her hand all the way around me, but then I hadn't met a woman yet who could.

The brunette leaned in and ran the flat of her tongue along the underside of my crown. I moaned and thrust at her involuntarily. She smiled at my reaction and did it again, except when I thrust, she didn't pull back. I slid into her mouth. Not far, but enough to enjoy the feel of her wet, warm embrace.

She stroked with a double-fisted hold while sucking on my crown. It felt good but I knew it wouldn't be enough to finish me off. Not so quickly. Or maybe that wasn't what she was trying to do, because she pulled away and smeared her saliva over as much of me as she could.

She stood up, pushing the chair back, and worked to get her own pants open. Her shirt was a t-shirt with the company logo emblazoned across her breasts. My instincts told me not to, but I reached out and cupped her through the shirt. To my relief, she smiled and pressed herself into my hands. Once she had her pants open, she raised her arms up. I took the cue, pulled her shirt out of her pants and up until it came off. She twisted her arms behind herself and her plain white bra came lose. With a flick of her shoulders, it landed on the floor where I had discarded her shirt.

Again, my instincts told me this was wrong, she wouldn't agree, but I touched her breasts only to earn a soft smile from her.

I didn't understand why I was having so much fear regarding Erica. With Sammi and Milena, nothing I did was met with thoughts of stopping. Well, not once I got past my own conscious barriers and gave in to what had to happen. Maybe that was the reason. Maybe because I wasn't consciously attempting to change what was happening, my sub-conscious was trying to make up for it. Maybe. Or maybe I wanted someone to stop me. I obviously still had problems coping with my situation and the solution I had chosen. Of course, my sub-conscious wasn't anymore help in offering an alternative solution than anyone else.

Erica pulled from me long enough to turn around and slip her pants off. She arched her back, and wiggled her hips at me. She had a fantastic figure with very round cheeks and subtle dimples just above each one.

While she removed her pants, I kicked off my shoes and slipped out of mine too. Hopefully, the lock of the door would keep anyone else out for a while. I stepped closer to Erica, who watched me over her shoulder.

She leaned on the chair, putting one knee in the seat and bracing her other shapely leg on the floor. When I was close enough, she reached back and gripped me. I ran my hands over her hips, flanks, and cheeks. I was almost as turned on by the way she presented me her butt as I had been with Milena's sheer size of breast.

Erica stroked me roughly and then rubbed me over her cheeks. I noticed she closed her eyes with the contact, so I focused on stroking and kneading her there too. Her hips rocked and gyrated, but her hand had stopped moving me around. I moved my hips, sliding through her hand slowly. She caught on and moved to push me down between her legs.

I wasn't sure if she only wanted me under her or to try to enter her until she gave me a light push. I stepped back enough to only graze her with my crown. She thrust her hips up until I was rubbing against her lips. She was hot and wet, her lips full and slippery. I spread her juices over myself and then found her opening. It didn't take much pressure to slip in. She moaned softly and thrust back onto me.

I held onto her hips and slid further in. Erica gripped me with strong vaginal muscles and never let up her effort to have all of me.

My hips met her cheeks and she pressed back against me with a shudder. However, holding still was not her intent. She pulled away and rocked back, forming a rhythm I couldn't disagree with. I got a grip on her hips and added my own counter thrusts, slamming fully into her and causing shallow ripples in her cheeks. She braced her hands on the back of the chair and pushed herself onto me, making slapping sounds. From her expression and effort, I thought she was getting as much pleasure from the sound as the feel.

With my focus on giving Erica what she wanted, that little voice inside my head had grown quiet. I had no misgivings about what we were doing, there were no doubts. I needed more Fonti, and Erica would double that number tonight. I could only hope it was enough.

The noise we were making was unmistakable. Anyone who walked by the office would hear it and know what was going on. Unlike Sammi, in her own store, Erica could get in trouble. Regardless of that possibility, neither of us slowed down any, or made any adjustments to keep from being heard.

I got closer and closer to orgasm. My rhythm fell apart and Erica looked back at me. She smiled and slowed to a stop. Then she pulled off me, turned around and slurped me back into her mouth. The interruption and difference in touch helped cool me down. She caressed me, my stomach, and my cheeks while she kissed and licked my length.

My sensitivity subsided and my desire to thrust returned.

She rolled back and stood up. At her direction, I sat on the chair but slouched down so that I almost hung off of it. She turned around and held me between her cheeks, using her supple glutes to stroke me a few times. Then she did something none of my other women had ever tried. She stood over me, slightly bent at the waist. She held me with one hand and pulled one of her luscious cheeks away from the other. The tiny pucker of her anus was as pink as her nipples and she rubbed my crown against it. I really couldn't believe that she would try to take me in her anus. Her vagina was tight enough. I didn't believe she would be able to accept me back there.

Erica seemed to disagree. She rubbed me against her vagina, getting me wet, and then against her anus, smearing her own fluids over her rosebud opening. After a few more swipes, she firmly held me against her anus and pressed herself down on me.

I sat there, watching in amazement as my crown popped into her. Erica continued to allow her weight to force her down and I slid deeper and deeper into her rectum. She was tight, but not so much that she wasn't going to get what she wanted. I felt her muscles grip me, but she only did that as I passed each ring.

Erica settled her soft, warm cheeks onto my lap with me buried completely in her ass. She was just as hot and tight as with her vagina, but for a moment, she didn't move.

Patiently, I waited for her to decide what to do. I wanted her to enjoy herself, so if she really wanted this, all I could do was agree and make her as comfortable as possible. I rubbed her cheeks and hips, then ran my hands up her sides and pulled her back so I could reach her breasts.

She leaned back into me, craned her neck to the side and covered my hands on her breasts.

She filled my hands pleasantly and moaned softly in my ear. "I have never had anything as big as you in my ass before. You're so deep. It feels so good.

I smiled and kissed her neck. "I'm willing to give you what you need."

She smiled and squeezed me with her rectal muscles. "I want you to cum in my ass. I need to feel that, tiger. Fuck my ass, please."

I kissed her neck again, grabbed her behind the knees, and stood up with her.

Erica reached around and held on to the back of my neck. I moved us over to the desk with the video camera. As I lowered her feet to the floor in front of the desk, she grabbed the camera and turned it to face us.

She stood in front of the desk, up on her toes to try to match my height, but I had to bend my knees so we wouldn't lose our connection. She bent over the desk and arched her hips up like before. I was able to stand almost completely straight. I spread my feet, leaned over her a little and experimentally pulled back a little and pushed into her.

With one hand, she reached back and pulled at my arm, driving herself onto me. "Harder. You won't hurt me."

I nodded and made a longer, stronger stroke. She continued to hold onto me for leverage and very quickly, the slapping between us returned.

I couldn't believe the difference in how she gripped me, or get over the sight of my thick shaft sliding in and out of what was a very tiny, puckered hole of hers.

I recalled Sammi telling Stan how she didn't care for anal. Obviously he enjoyed it and part of me understood why. My earlier race toward orgasm caught up to me again. I pounded Erica's ass, and by the way she kept tugging at me, she was enjoying it immensely. She told me to go off in her, so there was no need to hold back to ask. Without that restriction I quickly went over the edge. I drove myself deep into her rectum and unleashed a flood of sperm. There was a different kind of pleasure with that orgasm that I hadn't felt before. It had the freedom like when I released into one of my girls' mouths or on their breasts, only better, and there was no apprehension to it like when I went off in their vaginas, especially since I couldn't get Erica pregnant this way.

Erica pulled at my arm with all her strength. I could feel her clamping down on me rhythmically and I felt wetness cover my sac, which had to be pressed up against her lips. She shuddered and moaned, clenched and unclenched her anus, and then all but collapsed on the desk.

My knees were weak and I had to sit down. I barely managed to reach the chair and pulled it behind me. Then I gathered Erica up from the desk, held her to me and sat back.

Languidly, she recovered in my lap and said, "That was unbelievable. I am absolutely full." She turned her head and pulled me around for a kiss. I couldn't help but squirm under her and she giggled. "The fun part about anal is I don't have to worry about oversensitivity."

I nodded understanding and hugged her.

She reached out and grabbed the camera. Without leaving my lap, she stopped the recording and hooked it up to the computer. "I promised to show you that video editing suite."

I didn't think we'd have time before Jordan showed up and the memory sharing ritual began, but I didn't say anything. Regardless of my expectations, Erica talked me through many of the features before deciding that we should get dressed.

I was surprised my magic hadn't done something about the bond yet, so I agreed.

She eased up off of me. I was still fully distended but not as hard. I was also only covered with the slime of my sperm. Erica apparently kept herself very clean. I doubted it was for my benefit specifically, but for the fact that she liked anal sex.

She picked up her bra and put it on first. I pulled on my underwear. We both got those garments on when someone tried to open the door. It was still locked. I grabbed my pants and had them half on when Erica, still only in her bra, walked over and unlocked the door.

Jordan walked in, followed by Danielle. Erica turned to face me and the two brunettes had the same expressions, as if they were seeing something miles away.

I pulled my pants on quickly and grabbed my shirt. To Danielle, I said, "Lock the door. We don't know what Erica will see or how she'll react."

The redhead nodded and did as instructed. Erica walked over and stood in front of me. Jordan moved the chair and stood behind me. Danielle stayed by the door, out of the way. A minute later, my vision was consumed by an amber streak centered between Erica's breasts.

-------

Erica felt good. Larry was touching her in all the right places. His kisses were sweet and hungry. Erica knew what he wanted, because she wanted it too, but it was the wrong time of month for her. She knew she could get pregnant if she let him in her, but she felt the way he exploded in her before and she really, really liked it. For a few minutes, she let him touch her everywhere while she tried to decide what to do.

Larry moaned into her mouth and broke the kiss. "I want you so badly."

She smiled and stroked his face. "I don't know. It's the wrong time of the month."

He kissed her again, which she accepted. "You're driving me crazy, you know?"

She nodded. She had been touching him too. His dick was hot and hard. She liked the way he felt, so firm, so ready. "I want you too," which she tried to prove by stroking him more. "But do you want to chance getting me pregnant?"

He growled but didn't answer. She knew he had a full ride scholarship at UCLA. The entire deal had been made at the end of their football season, and he would be leaving for California at the end of the coming summer. She wouldn't be able to join him for another year since she was only a junior, but at least they could be together during the holidays.

In contrast though, both of their parents knew they were having sex and both had warned them of the difficulties of trying to go to school, especially college while raising a baby. More specifically, Larry's parents told him that he would have to accept a school closer to home to help take care of Erica and the baby if he got her pregnant. She didn't want him to lose out on the opportunity, so she carefully tracked her period every month, and they made sure to always have condoms.

Tonight though, Erica thought she might succumb to her urges. Even with condoms there was still a chance she'd get pregnant. Only abstinence would be certain.

Larry had given her a couple of good orgasms with his fingers, which slipped out of her and grazed her anus. He had never touched her there before, and she had never asked him to, but pleasure shot through her. That accidental brush felt good. Really good. It felt as good as when he touched her pussy, and her mind, seeking an answer to their conundrum, locked onto the idea. What would it feel like to have Larry in her ass? Would he? Could she even take him that way? They had the condoms. They could try it. And she wanted him in her, even if in her ass.

"Where are the condoms?" she asked. Larry smiled and pulled one out of the center console. She took it, ripped it open and with shaking hands, rolled it over him. She couldn't believe how excited she was. She rolled her hips up, held him in place and he thrust fully into her in one swift motion. For a minute, she let him have his way, but then she put her hand on his chest and pushed him back.

"What's the matter babe?" he asked, sitting up.

She shook her head, and continued to push to get him to withdraw. She held him in her hand and once he was out, she pushed him down the inch or so necessary to touch her anus. She shuddered at the contact, and she knew deep down in her belly that she wanted this. She wanted it as much as she wanted him.

"What are you doing?" Larry asked watching the way she positioned him.

"Just go slow at first," she said softly. "Once you're in me, like the first time we did it, just hold still and I'll let you know when I'm ready."

Larry frowned but didn't argue.

Erica pulled at him and he applied pressure. Some instinct told Erica how to relax and the head of his dick popped into her. He felt huge, and he felt good. She pulled at him, urging him to keep going. He drilled further, filling her in a way that was familiar but not. It felt so different, yet so very good, and before Larry was as deep as she hoped for, his hips pressed against her cheeks.

That was okay. The sheer newness of it had her so close to orgasm, all she could do was give the signal for him to start.

The fact that he didn't touch her as deeply as she hoped for quickly fell to the back of her mind and her first anal orgasm washed over her. That one was quickly followed by another, and another. It was like her desperate need for Larry was being met with this alternative method of connection.

Then she felt Larry's rhythm change. It was the first sign that he was close. She grabbed at him, whispered her encouragements, and kissed him deeper than ever before.

She felt him swell in her and press down with all of his weight. He reached a little further into her and another small orgasm shot through her at the mere thought of having him cum in her ass. He swelled more, moaned his love in her ear, and emptied himself into her.

Erica moaned loudly and wrapped herself around him as the biggest orgasm she'd ever had washed over her.

-------

I opened my eyes and couldn't see much in the gloomy light of the single monitor. Then I remembered where I was. Erica looked up at me. We were holding one another while sitting on the floor.

"What I saw, did that really happen?" she asked.

I nodded. "You saw some of my memories, and I saw some of yours."

"What did you see?" she asked.

"The first time you tried anal," I said softly. Danielle and Jordan, standing together by the office door, shared a look.

Erica didn't respond to that, but she had other questions. "Why does it feel like it was me it happened to?"

"You saw it from my point of view, with my emotions, and my sensations," I said. "That's not the same as me telling you about it."

She nodded. "That makes sense."

"What did you see?" I asked.

She reached up for her face, thinking. "You were talking to other women, telling them how much you cared about them, and ... and I felt it."

I was a little confused and more than a little terrified. All three women newly bound to me had simply accepted the idea that they had shared memories with me, that I had magic, and that they weren't the only women in my life. Earlier, I was worried that this bond was making them compliant, allowing them to accept the truth and go on with their lives, but now I knew it was happening. There was no chance that I had coincidentally picked three women who were so open-minded that I didn't have to worry about how they accepted the truth.

I sat there, scared that I was manipulating my girls on levels even they weren't aware of. Oh, they weren't mindless drones, but this was still too much.

I glanced at the door and nudged Erica. "We should finish getting dressed. That way if someone comes looking for you..."

She nodded and got up. I sat there and put on my shirt. Erica turned while she pulled up her panties. I looked up just as she pulled them up over her bottom. I looked up further and found her smiling at me. I smiled back and lightly stroked one of her soft, squeezable cheeks.

She moaned lightly. "Keep that up and it won't matter if anyone comes looking."

I pulled my hand away and looked at Jordan and Danielle. I frowned because they looked as pleased as punch. "Doesn't this bother either of you?" I asked.

They looked at one another, shrugged, and then shook their heads at me.

"Does what bother them?" Erica asked.

I looked at hr. "None of you are bothered by the fact that you're bound to me magically, or that you share me with each other."

Erica glanced at the other two and frowned. "I hadn't thought about it."

"You don't expect today to be the only time we're together, do you?" I asked.

Her eyes widened. "It better not be."

I nodded at the others. "You know I've had sex with them too, right?"

Erica blinked and glared at me. "Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"

I shook my head. "No, not a fight. What I'm trying to find out is ... do you feel used or manipulated?"

She blinked and thought about it. "No," she said with a frown. "Should I?"

I stared at her, incredulous.

Erica pulled on her pants and shirt. She sat next to me on the floor while she tied her shoes. "I broke up with Larry because I found out he was cheating on me. After he left for college, he met someone else. He lost interest in me because of the distance. He didn't tell me until that Christmas." She was calm while she spoke and finished tying her shoes. Then she looked me in the eyes. "I saw your memories. I felt what you felt. I know you care about the women you're with. You're also here. You're not leaving."

"And because of that," I said, somewhat bewildered, "you're willing to accept all of this?"

She leaned over, held my face tenderly in her hands and kissed me with as much emotion as I felt from any of my girls. "Yes, I am."



-------

Chapter 13



Erica and I finished getting dressed. I felt a little better about her mindset regarding the craziness of the situation, but I was still worried about what the future held for all of us. I knew the bond heightened our emotional and physical attraction to each other, but I hadn't considered how strong that bond was or how deep the emotions really ran. Nothing was going to be the same for me, ever, and the sooner I came to grips with that, the better I would be able to handle the bizarre new life confronting me.

Jordan and Danielle didn't say anything as we all trooped out of the office. Erica walked next to me, bumping me with her shoulder. I hugged her one armed and slipped my hand into the back pocket of her pants. She moaned softly and squeezed my butt in return.

The store wasn't as busy as before, but customers were milling about. I also noticed the looks we got from her fellow employees. One of the guys looked a little upset, either because Erica had been gone for so long or because of the kiss she gave me.

Jordan and Danielle returned to the video cameras. Erica followed them and answered their questions. I went back to the software section and found the same video editing suite Erica had shown me in the office. I knew that I wouldn't be able to use it without remembering her idea of a demonstration video. With the box in hand, I found the girls and asked Erica, "Hey, that video on the camera of us. Is it still on the computer in the office?"

She shook her head and fished a memory card out of her pocket with a smile. "I was going to take it home to put it on my computer."

I nodded and glanced at the other two. "Do you think I can get a copy?"

She smiled. "I think that can be arranged." She looked at the box of one of the cameras Jordan was holding and then pulled two memory cards off a wall display and handed them to her. Jordan smiled and glanced my way. Danielle fought to not grin so much.

I shook my head. "You two were already willing to do things in front of the camera. Don't snicker so much."

Erica ignored my comment. "What kind of computer do you have?"

I frowned and glanced at the other two. They shook their heads. "We don't."

"Oh," Erica said, "Well then, let me show you our selection of desktops and laptops."

We spent another half hour talking about specs and the best possible options. Finally it came down to either a laptop or a desktop, both of which would be good for video editing. Both had their perks and shortcomings. Danielle was all for the laptop because of its portability, but Jordan favored the desktop because we could get a larger monitor. I decided. "I'll take one of each." I glanced at the other two, and they grinned at me. Erica smiled too. When we were done ringing everything up, she told me what her commission was.

Outside, once we got everything loaded into the trunk of Jordan's car, Jordan and Danielle climbed inside to give me and Erica a moment alone. Erica plastered herself to me, rubbing as much of me with as much of her as she could while kissing me more deeply than I remembered her kissing Larry. I wrapped her up and held her tight. It felt good to kiss and hold her. Good in a way I not only couldn't argue with but had absolutely no desire to. Part of me still worried about how the bond affected my women, but another part, a growing part, was glad she was mine.

Erica pulled from me with a big smile, her fingers lingered on my chest until she couldn't reach me anymore as she stepped back. "I'll see you in class tomorrow." I nodded and she went back inside with a skip in her step.

I got in the car and both of the girls were silently grinning. I took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay, yes, I had fun and I've got another Fonte."

Danielle leaned forward in the backseat and put her face between us over the console. "Did you suggest anal or did she?"

I felt my face grow hot. "I've told you, if you want to know something personal like that, then ask her."

Jordan grinned. "Oh, we will. We just wanted to know this one bit from you."

I looked at them. "I didn't suggest it."

Danielle nodded and sat back. Jordan looked me over and then glanced at the store. "I didn't think someone so small could take you completely in her ass."

I looked out at the store too. "To tell the truth, I thought I was going to hurt her."

"And her memory?" Jordan asked.

I shook my head. "You haven't asked about the other memories I've gotten. Why her?"

"We're curious," Danielle said. "I've never considered trying anal."

I looked at Jordan. She smiled. "I've tried it. It was okay."

I looked at the store again. "Well, for her it's ... I'd say it's better than normal sex."

Both of the girls were quiet. I didn't know if they wanted to know anything else, or if what I had already told them was more information than Erica would want them to know. Jordan started the car and asked, "So, what's the status of the bed deliveries?"

"Oh, they'll deliver tonight," Danielle said. I could hear her smile in her voice. "The delivery guys were really sweet, and they've been slow, so it isn't a problem. I told them to wait a couple of hours though. Since none of us have had dinner yet, we should go eat and then head to the apartments to meet them."

The sun wasn't down yet. Even though it was the middle of September, full dark didn't hit until almost eight o'clock. The sky was getting dark, and traffic was heavy. Before we pulled out of the parking lot, we talked about what to eat. None of us could agree. I wanted pizza, Jordan a burger, and Danielle a taco salad. Jordan suggested the Mall's food court, so we could each have what we wanted. We all agreed on that.

The mall was much busier than the day before. Of course, it had been earlier in the day with kids in school and most of the patrons at work. At the food court, we split up to find a free table. The plan was whoever found one first would wave to the others and hold the table. When one of the others got back with food, the finder could go get theirs. I was the lucky finder. I sat there waiting and dreaded the idea of turning away other groups so we could use the table.

While I waited, I noticed a lot of people looking at me. I dismissed it. They probably thought I was being rude because I kept the table to myself. However, I noticed that the looks weren't glares. There were looks that I thought were familiar, but being on faces I didn't know, I couldn't make the connections.

A young woman bumped my table with her hip. She wore a short denim skirt that was frayed along the bottom edge. She had cut it to make it shorter, and that showed off more of her legs. She also wore a very tight top that hugged her breasts very nicely and left her midriff bare. Her abs were very tight, almost cut, and her waist was so small I could have probably wrapped my hands around her.

I looked up and met her smile. The expression on her face fed me no doubts about what was on her mind.

She bent over at the waist, keeping her legs straight, her butt in the air, and leaned on her elbows on the table. "Hey you big panda, are you eating all alone?" She licked her lips suggestively and I remembered that I was still wearing my fetish. Crap.

Getting involved with someone there in the mall would probably be the worst mistake I could make. I had to send her away without making a scene and came up with an easy answer. "I'm waiting for my girlfriend," I said while easing back in my seat and showing her no sign of interest.

She pouted, which made her look younger than before. Of course, I might have been mistaken. She was oriental and I had trouble guessing her age. She wiggled her hips, which I couldn't help but notice, and said, "She's not here now. I'd be happy to join you."

I nodded. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm holding the table while she gets our food."

The girl frowned and stood up. "You really don't know what you're missing."

I smiled politely. "You may be right, but I don't need her taking my head off either. She can be very jealous."

The girl rolled her eyes, turned and left.

I quickly pulled off my fetish and shoved it in my pants pocket.

"I would keep that handy if I were you."

I looked up. A woman was sitting at my table. She had pale blonde hair that barely reached her neck in short, soft waves. Her eyes were piercing blue, and her lips were soft pink. She wore a white blouse that hugged her ample breasts and though it was cut low in front, the top two buttons were undone, showing off just how much cleavage she had. Her skin was pale and made her appear delicate.

I glanced around. No one else was looking our way. "I'm sorry," I said to her, "I'm saving the table for my friends."

She shook her head with a smile. "I won't be here long."

I blinked at her, confused. I thought she might just be sitting while waiting for someone else, but she studied me in return. "Who are you?" I asked.

She smiled a knowing smile. "You don't need to know me to understand my advice." Her expression seemed honest, but I had been deceived by similar expressions before. I remembered another blonde in high school who had looked at me with the same honest eyes, but Lisa never did anything to stave off her father's wrath or to defend me in class from Ms. Langston.

"What do you know about it?" I asked. There was always the possibility that this was another magus. I didn't know how to tell though. Jordan and I had never talked about my innate ability to see the mark of another magus, so I didn't know how to use it.

She shrugged and looked around. "More than you do." She looked at me. "I've never seen an amber mark before. What House are you from?"

I frowned. "House? What are you talking about?"

She tilted her head to the side. "You really don't know, do you?" She leaned forward. "Six will not be enough. Your power is too potent. I'd aim for ten, just to be safe."

I sat back. She couldn't be talking about my Fonti, could she? I looked her over again, trying to make myself see her mark, but I didn't see anything different. I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She sat back and smiled. "I know, I know. We're not supposed to discuss things like that in public, but I didn't think you would have wanted me showing up at your apartment unannounced."

I frowned harder. She couldn't know where I lived. It had to be an educated guess. "Who are you?" I asked again.

She leaned forward again, framing her breasts with her arms. "That's not important. What is important is that you find enough Fonti, and quickly. Then you have to figure out where all of those missing women went."

Okay, that came out of left field. "What missing women? The ones on the news?"

She nodded vigorously. "You have to find them. You're the only one free to look."

I stared at her. "The police are already..."

She shook her head. "The police are lost. It's not a mundane issue. You have to find them. Only one of us can do it and you're the only one free."

I was confused, to say the least. "Free from what?"

She shook her head again. "Can't discuss it. Find more Fonti. Then find the missing women."

A tray landed on the table, making me jump. Danielle sat down next to me saying, "Male chauvinists..."

I looked at her for a second and then back to the blonde.

She wasn't there.

I stood up and looked around. I didn't think I would have trouble spotting her even among the crowds, but I couldn't. She was gone.

Danielle opened the salad she got and stabbed it viciously with her plastic fork. I only saw her that mad when she talked to Roger, or her divorce lawyer called with more bad news. She wasn't contesting anything Roger wanted. He had taken the house, all of the cars, even the stocks that were in her name. She just wanted the whole thing over with, but Roger was dragging it all out. However, I seriously doubted Roger had anything to do with her current mood.

I looked around the food court again for the blonde woman I had been talking to. I didn't see her anywhere, so I sat down and asked, "What happened?"

She looked at me, opened her mouth with her teeth showing, and then seemed to snap out of her mood. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Seth. Some asshole wouldn't leave me alone."

I looked around again. "Who?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I took care of it."

Jordan walked up with her food and sat down. She looked like she could eat hot nails. She turned that ferocious gaze on me and said, "If you ever ask for something and I say no, I mean no."

I frowned and nodded but didn't say anything.

She pointed at me with a tense finger. "Don't patronize me."

I glanced at Danielle, who was lost in her own thoughts, and said, "I'm not patronizing you, Jordan. I'm agreeing with you."

Jordan nodded and then looked at the table in front of me. "Aren't you going to eat?"

There was still a little anger in her voice. I thought I should go get my food and let her calm down. I left and found a booth that sold slices of pizza. While I made my selections and paid for it, I tried to think of a time when either of the girls had a run in with guys who were a little too aggressive. I couldn't. Every time I had seen either of them deal with guys who had been a little too forward, they both maintained their calm and put the guys in their places – usually pointing at me as the significant other they weren't going to leave. Of course, there was the possibility that they'd had problems with guys when I wasn't around. If that was the case, they never mentioned it. So, if this wasn't the way they usually reacted to unwanted attention, what was causing it?

I returned to the table and both of them were already finished eating. Jordan immediately said, "I'm sorry Seth. I didn't mean to bite your head off. I was just so ... angry."

I nodded. "Apology accepted. Do you know what happened?" She nodded and I interrupted. "Not what the guys said or did, but why you got so angry?"

They both sipped their drinks while thinking. I ate some of my pizza. Danielle said, "I don't know why I got so upset. This guy offered to help me with my tray, and I knew he wanted more than that. Like Jordan said, I just got so angry, I couldn't see straight."

Jordan nodded. "Yeah, me too. It was like my anger boiled over and I couldn't think rationally."

I remembered how the blonde who had visited me appeared and disappeared so quickly. I also wondered if she had a hand in the way the girls had acted. "Could magic do that?" I asked.

Jordan looked up and nodded. "Yeah, it's one of the basic principles behind the spell I used on Milena, to cause a particular emotion to flare up."

"So, any magus could make it happen?" I asked.

She nodded. "Why, what happened to you?"

I shook my head. "I didn't get angry, but I had a visitor."

The girls shared a look and I told them what happened. Neither of them interrupted me, but when I finished they both had questions. "What did she mean, six wasn't enough?" Danielle asked. "She said you were the only one free?" Jordan asked.

Jordan waved a hand at Danielle, indicating I should answer her first. "She said I should aim for ten Fonti rather than only six."

"But how did she know how many Fonti you have?" she asked and looked at Jordan. "Is there a spell for that?"

Jordan nodded. "Yeah, but not one I could ever master."

Danielle blinked and frowned. I think she, like me, thought six would be enough. Maybe even seven, but no more because I didn't think she wanted to wait more than a week at a time to be able to be with me. I enjoyed being with her too, but with six women to take care of, I would be occupied when we weren't together. It simply wasn't fair to her. She looked up and noticed me watching her. "If you need more Fonti, I can't be upset about that."

I reached up and stroked her cheek. "It's not fair to you, or any of you," I said to Jordan. "You shouldn't suffer because of what I have to do.

Jordan's face softened. "That was why I suggested you get the king sized bed."

I smiled, unable to resist her good mood. Danielle took my hand and squeezed it. She looked at Jordan and said, "What did you ask Seth?"

"I asked what she said about you being the only one free," she said, looking at me. "I hope she's not talking about what I think she's talking about."

I shrugged. "If you have any ideas, that's more than I know."

Jordan shook her head and mumbled, "You can't be the only one."

Danielle and I shared a look and I asked, "The only what?"

She looked up, taking a deep breath. Then she looked around at all of the people we were surrounded by. "Not here. It's too public."

I nodded. We got up and the girls disposed of their trays. I wrapped up my remaining pizza in napkins and we left with our drinks. We drove back to my apartment in silence. I sat in the back seat with Danielle, who held me like she would drown if she let go. Once there, we all grabbed the new equipment from Mass Electronics and went inside.

Before I could say anything about what had happened or what we talked about at the mall, Jordan looked at Danielle and said, "Can you wait here for the delivery guys? Seth and I need to talk shop."

Danielle nodded and looked a little sad. I pulled her to me, kissed her and hugged her tight. She blinked a little when I let go and smiled. "Thanks. I needed that."

I nodded. "We'll catch you up once I've learned whatever it is Jordan needs to teach me."

I pulled out my key to leave with her, but Jordan shook her head. "There's a spare key under the rock by the door."

Danielle nodded and Jordan and I left.

I didn't know where Jordan was planning on going. It was possible she just wanted to drive while we talked. Right after leaving the complex, Jordan said, "We have to find you more Fonti, just like she suggested."

I frowned. "First, we don't know who she was..."

She shook her head. "From your description, I think it was a local magus called Augur. Most of her talents, from what I've heard, are akin to prophecy."

I blinked in confusion. "As in telling the future?" I asked.

Jordan nodded. "But I've also heard she's a little off her rocker." There were a few comments I could have said, but I held my tongue. "Some of the things she told you sound like something I already knew about. There's some kind of lockdown in force. It prevents magi from using anything more than rudimentary magic."

"Like the Luck spell?" I asked.

"Right," she said. "Anything more complex just fizzles out. I've even heard that some fetishes and trinkets are affected too."

"Wait, you're telling me that magic in this area is being suppressed?" I asked.

She shrugged. "It started at the same time as the abductions Augur mentioned."

"So why did she tell me I'm the only one free?" I asked.

Jordan shrugged. "If I'm right, you haven't been affected by the lockdown. It could be because your power was awakened after you were already in the area. The lockdown had been in effect for about a month and a half prior to that."

I tried to reason things out loud, "So, between what Augur told me and what you're saying, the kidnappings are somehow tied to this magical lockdown. The police can't figure out what's going on because it's an issue of magic. And since I'm the only one in the area not affected by the lockdown, I have to figure it out?"

Jordan nodded. "Yeah, that sounds right."

I shook my head. "I barely understand magic, and I have no experience as an investigator. I'm not ready for this."

She looked at me. "You have to find more Fonti first. The more you use magic, the more you'll need to feed."

"Wait, what?" I so didn't need to hear that right now. "Danielle fell sick yesterday, before I even tried any spells. Are you telling me that Augur was right, that doubling the number isn't enough? I have to more than triple it?"

"The best way to learn about magic is to use it," Jordan said. "All you've done so far is maintained the base need for your power. When you use it, you'll have to feed it more. It's sort of like the more you exercise and burn calories, the more food you need."

"But in this case, you mean more sex?" I wanted to be clear about this.

She shook her head. "Not more sex, necessarily, but it will be more intense. You'll draw more from each of us when we feed you."

"Oh, come on," I said. "In six weeks, Danielle has already shown the first sign. You or Jana could get sick any time. If sex with you gets more intense, then..."

"Then six women won't be enough," she finished. "Face it Seth, you don't have a choice in the matter."

I shook my head. "Wrong. I don't have to use magic. I'm fine with learning the theory but practical application will have to be avoided. Besides, I don't have to be the one to look for those missing women. That's not my responsibility."

She nodded. "You're right. It's not your responsibility. But other magi in the area will notice that you're not affected by the lockdown and try to make you do something to end it."

I didn't like the sound of that. "Augur didn't try to make me do anything. She simply told me that I had to because I was free to."

Jordan shook her head. "Augur was being very polite. There are other magi who will force you to do it."

"If they don't have magic, at least not access to the kind necessary to make me do anything, then they can't force me," I said.

She glanced at me. "You don't need magic to pressure someone into something. What if one of them simply kidnapped one of us to force your hand?"

I stared at her. "Why would anyone go that far?"

"Like any mundane person, magi can be quite irrational" Jordan said. "If they want their magic back bad enough and believe you've got the power to make it happen, then they might resort to tactics like that."

I thought about it and tried to argue with what she was saying. If magi kidnapped my girls to force me to break this lockdown, there would be no reason for them to let their victims go after I was done. Something worse could happen. And if magi were already capable of that, I couldn't imagine what they would do if they had access to magic. "Don't magi have police? Someone to ensure they don't do things like that?"

"There are laws regarding the use of magic," Jordan said, "But even the Regional Sheriff magus is affected by the lockdown when she's in the area. Besides, kidnapping is considered a mundane issue. Something the Sheriff leaves to local law enforcement to take care of."

"So, they're ignoring the kidnappings because they're mundane," I said, "but they can't investigate the lockdown because they can't use any more magic than anyone else."

"There is another problem," she said. "If the Sheriff finds out you're not affected by the lockdown, she could suspect that you have something to do with it."

"But a Sheriff isn't going to resort to the kinds of tactics to make me lift the lockdown," I said.

Jordan pulled into a parking lot for a grocery store and parked at the back of the lot where no other cars were. She put her car into park and turned in her seat to face me. "Seth, there's only one punishment for breaking the laws of magic, and that's death."

I was silent for a second. "Are you telling me the Sheriff would kill me to make this thing stop?"

Jordan nodded. "If she believes you're the cause and your death will have the desired results, yes."

"Without any proof?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Without magic to gain that proof, she would have to use her best judgment."

"No trial? No jury? Just show up on my doorstep and what? Shoot me in the face?" I was getting scared and a little angry.

"Maybe," she said. "Or she might use a rifle at range. You'd never see it coming and thus never be able to form any kind of protection."

I shook my head."Okay, finding out that I was a magus and had to feed via sex was one thing, but what you're telling me now is totally outside of sane. You can't convince me that the Sheriff would shoot me over a belief."

Jordan shook her head. "If only you had been taught by your parents," she said under her breath."This would be so much easier."

"Well, this is what you're stuck with," I said. "Unless you'd rather I cut our bond so you can leave?"

"No!" she said. "That's not what I want. I just want you to understand what some of the possibilities are. I've met the Sheriff. She's a good, level-headed woman. If she learns that you're new to the area, she'll realize you're not guilty. However, she'll try to convince you to look into the matter and do something about it."

I shook my head. "There's gotta be someone else."

"Dammit Seth," Jordan said. "I can't believe you wouldn't even try."

I turned to face her. "If it's a choice between keeping you and the others safe, rather than risk your health while looking into something I can't possibly resolve, then no, I would not.

"You told me about the night you arrived on campus," she said softly. "You told me how you accidentally went to Brazos house instead of Trinity. You told me what happened when you ran into Francine James. You also told me she went missing the next night. I didn't realize it then because I didn't know you that well, but when we ran into her at the orientation, you were very attracted to her." She paused because I looked away, fighting the flush I always got when the girls accused me of being attracted to another woman. When I could face her again, she continued. "I seriously doubt you've forgotten her, and if I were her, I don't think I'd ever forget the night I made a young man cum in his pants."

I wanted to retort with a barb about how Jordan only thought about sex, but I held it back because it wasn't true. I did scowl, however. "That doesn't make me responsible for her."

"No," she said, "but you're a caring person. I wouldn't be surprised if you think about that night sometimes."

I didn't say anything about that. I couldn't. She was right. "What am I supposed to do, put all of you at risk for someone I barely know?"

Jordan relaxed. "It's not just one person, but she is among them."

I frowned but didn't say anything.

"You remember what I told you when I explained your Initiation. I was trying to borrow power from you to keep my Fonti safe." I nodded. I remembered. "It was more than that. I was also affected by the lockdown. I hoped I could break its hold on my use of magic by borrowing a little from someone new to the area. I really didn't know you hadn't awakened yet."

I nodded. I had long ago forgiven that mistake. "But if magi new to the area aren't affected, why not ask one of them to look into it, especially someone with more experience?"

She shook her head. "After only a few days, the lockdown affects them too."

"So, then why would anyone think that I'm not affected?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I suppose that's possible, but I don't think Augur would have said what she did without reason."

"There's got to be a way to find out," I said.

"You could perform a larger, more complex spell," Jordan said. "If it works, it would confirm what Augur said."

I frowned. "And that would cause me to draw more from you and the others when we have sex."

She nodded.

I turned straight in my seat and laid my head back against the headrest. "Why does this have to be so complicated?"

"You're making it complicated," she said with a small chuckle.

"No I'm not," I said, stubborn to the end.

"Yes, you are," she said softly, "but I understand why."

"Then explain it to me," I said.

She reached over and stroked my cheek. "It's very simple. You care a great deal about us."

I looked at her. "Caring about someone isn't complicated."

She shrugged. "We all see it differently. At home, you didn't think anyone cared about you. In turn, you focused solely on what you needed. It was a very simple way of leading your life. When you care about someone else, you want to do things that'll make them happy, and that complicates the idea of a simple life very quickly."

"Then why do you say this power-sustenance thing isn't complicated?" I asked.

She shrugged. "It's not really any different than eating when you're hungry, or drinking when you're thirsty. You just haven't been doing it as long."

I nodded. "Okay, I can deal with that." I held her hand and kissed her fingers. "So, any idea what could be causing the lockdown?"

She snorted softly. "No one I've talked to knows, but with the laws restricting where and when we can openly talk about magic, it's not exactly an easy topic to touch on."

"Okay," I said, sitting up straight. "I think it's time for you to tell me about these laws of magic and the restrictions."

She turned straight in her seat, put the car in gear, and backed out of the parking spot. "Before you worry about trying to puzzle out the lockdown and kidnappings, you need to learn more about magic, and before you can do that..."

"I need more Fonti," I finished, nodding.

She nodded too and we left the parking lot.

"If we're looking for another Fonte tonight, where are we going?" I asked.

"Actually," she said, "you've already acquired two new Fonti today. I was going somewhere to get us more things for our apartments."

I smiled and nodded. "Okay, some mundane shopping does sound good."

"You're going to need furniture," she said, "But the biggest thing we can carry in my car is an end table. We might pick up a desk to assemble though. Something for your new computer."

I nodded. Something like that would take my mind off all of this magic business for tonight at least. Tomorrow I'd worry about more Fonti, learning about magic, and trying to solve the puzzle of the lockdown and kidnappings. One thing bugged me about all of it though. If I had been affected by the lockdown, would I need more Fonti to feed my powers? Would I care for them as much as I did? Would I argue as much about what I had to do regarding magic? I had too many questions and not enough answers. Not enough at all.



-------

Chapter 14



Jordan and I stopped at another strip mall. It seemed odd there were so many, but I was still getting used to being in such a large city. "The Container Store should help you with designing a desk," she said as we got out. "I'll be over at Nicks N Picks, looking around. If you finish, look for me there. Otherwise, I'll come looking for you."

I nodded and we went to our respective stores. It didn't take me long to find the design-it-yourself desk section. A sales associate, Andrea, helped me get started with the design process. For a little while, I lost myself in all of the different possibilities. After looking at some of the standard designs, I found one I liked, but I wanted to make some changes. Once the changes were made, Andrea helped me gather the needed components on a heavy duty cart. The desk was going to be heavy. Good thing my apartment was on the ground floor.

After I paid for my new desk and an office chair to go with it, Andrea and I took it out to Jordan's car and loaded it in the trunk. The chair had to go in the back seat and I realized there wasn't much room left. I could only hope Jordan didn't go overboard in the other store.

I found my brunette near the back of Nicks N Picks. She had a cart full of different things that were both useful and decorative but I didn't think there would be any problems getting it all piled into her car. I also noticed the sales girl Jordan was talking to. I had talked to her the day before in English. It was Leanne.

I approached behind Jordan. Leanne spotted me, smiled wide, and waved. Jordan turned to see and gave me a smile that I knew all too well. What were they talking about? Did I want to know? Would it lead to something between me and Leanne?

Leanne was close to Jordan's height, though I knew my brunette was wearing three inch heels. Leanne's hair was darker, flowed straight, and hung off her bulging breasts. She was wearing an apron over the store shirt, something all of the employees wore, but it couldn't conceal her size. She also wore a skirt that flowed around her knees, and very comfortable looking shoes.

I stopped next to them and Leanne said, "Funny meeting you here."

I smiled but didn't know what to say. Jordan saved me again. "You two know each other?"

We looked at her. "We're in English together," Leanne said and then realized something. "You two know each other too?"

Before either of us could answer, a male voice called, "Leanne!"

We turned, though Leanne rolled her eyes beforehand. A short man with glasses and a tie rather than an apron strode our way. He stopped and smiled at me and Jordan, though I thought it was forced. "Would you excuse us? I need to speak with her for a minute."

I could tell by Leanne's expression that this wasn't a conversation she was looking forward to. According to the man's name tag, he was Daren Finnegan, Manager. He took Leanne by the elbow and led her only a few feet away. Daren wasn't merely short; his head barely cleared the top of Leanne's breasts. He spoke in a whisper, but Jordan and I could hear him clearly. "I have told you to let the more experienced employees help customers on the floor. You should return to the registers."

I glanced at Jordan and she grimaced. I didn't think it was as simple as Leanne helping a customer when she wasn't supposed to, but we both kept our mouths shut about it.

"I was returning from my break when she asked for help getting one of the pots from the top shelf," Leanne said.

I glanced at Jordan again. She was looking up at the pots Leanne was talking about, but something told me she decided to play along rather than add to the problem. I leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You two weren't talking about pots, were you?"

She shook her head, continuing to look up. She leaned into me and whispered just as softly, "Nope. I commented on her apron and we ended up talking about the problems our breasts cause." I caught her small smile and knew she was telling the truth.

Mr. Finnegan spoke again. "Then you should have gone and gotten someone from stocking to help her."

Leanne crossed her arms over her belly. It had the marvelous effect of making her breasts stand out even more. "I never had the chance. She no more than told me what she needed and you came around the corner."

He frowned up at her and then looked at us. Jordan and I were both looking at the items she had in the cart. "Fine," he said. "I'll get someone to help them. You get back to the registers."

Surprisingly, Leanne shook her head. "Ever since I started working here, you've done nothing but harass me about what I should and should not do. If a customer asks me for help in passing, I'm going to help them." He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off. "I've talked to the other ladies at the registers and they've told me about the turnover rate here. I didn't want to believe them, because of the economy and crap, but now I don't have a choice. I've seen how you talk to everyone around here. You don't respect anyone. You accuse your own employees of wrongdoing without any proof, and I, like the others, will not put up with that." She pulled off the apron and shoved it at him. "I quit."

She walked over to us and said, "Give me a minute to go change and I'll join you." Jordan and I nodded.

Daren watched our short exchange and walked toward us with a frown. "You didn't ask for a pot, did you?"

Jordan arched an eyebrow. "Are you now accusing customers of deception?"

He scowled and walked off.

"What an idiot," Jordan said before he turned the corner. He stopped but then continued wherever he was going.

Jordan looked at me and a smile curled her lips. Just like that, the heat of Daren's accusation slid off her back and she was focused on a subject she was more interested in. "I saw the way Leanne looked at you. And the way you looked at her too. She would make a good Fonte."

I shook my head and told her how we met.

Jordan's smile never faded. In fact, it was joined by that familiar glint in her eyes. "A woman appreciates being noticed, but she can also tell when a man only has one thing in mind. She trusts you because you treat her with respect. She likes that."

"And I don't want to ruin that by taking advantage," I said.

Jordan shook her head. "I think she has more than just trust for you."

I shook my head in return. "I'm not wearing my fetish."

She rolled her eyes. "Weren't you listening earlier? You don't need your fetish for a woman to be attracted to you."

"Didn't you also say something about me having a blind spot?" I asked.

She nodded. "And I told you that the only reason you need the fetish for seduction is because of your lack of self-confidence. With Leanne, like Milena, the interest is already there. More than Milena though, you've already talked to each other, you have something in common that isn't on a professional level. All you have to do is keep doing what you did before and the flames will get fanned in the process."

"Has it not crossed your mind that she might think you and I are together, thus I'm unavailable?" I asked. "Short of the effects of the bond, I seriously doubt she'd approve of my advances with that in mind."

Jordan sighed. "Don't you think she should decide that?"

I frowned. "I'm not going to lie to her."

"You don't have to lie," Jordan said. "We're not in that kind of relationship anyway."

"We are and we aren't," I said in turn. "To me it's more than boyfriend-girlfriend."

"I know. It's more than that to me too," she said and studied my face. "But you're scared that if you do come onto her, she'll turn you down."

I rolled my eyes. "That has nothing to do with it."

Her eyes narrowed. "Yes, it does. You really don't believe she would accept you."

I had a lot of things I could say about that, but I held my tongue. Jordan never understood my self-image problems, even though she knew I had them. For that matter, I didn't understand them.

Jordan's face softened. "She'll be back any minute now. Can I make a suggestion?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

"First, be yourself. Don't try anything you wouldn't normally do," she said in the most reasonable tone.

"You do realize that includes hanging out with her, right?" I asked.

"You've already talked to her," she said, exasperated. "Does she treat you like those kids in your home town?"

I shook my head. "That's only because she doesn't know me."

"No, that's because she doesn't have those rumors filling her head with nonsense," Jordan said. "They didn't try to get to know you. She apparently wants to."

Part of me wanted to believe her, but the other part, that old self-loathing side that constantly reminded me that I was going to mess everything up was certain Leanne would only see the freak everyone at home saw.

Leanne came around the corner then. She still wore the skirt and shoes, but she had changed out of the store shirt and into a dark blue blouse that looked about three sizes too big for her. It concealed her shape up top, and a very small, quiet part of me was disappointed.

She smiled and said, "If you two have any other shopping to do..."

Jordan caught up quick. "Oh, this is mostly for me. Seth came along to get a desk for his place."

Leanne looked at me and said, "Oh, so you two..."

I glanced at Jordan who was smiling. She said, "We're not."

Personally, I would have needed a more defining confirmation. I looked at Leanne and noticed how she tugged at the hem of her blouse, pulling it tight against her breasts.

Danielle and Jordan had told me how much everyone liked being noticed. I didn't fully understand the need, but I realized that whenever they commented on something I wore or did, I felt good. More recently, I commented when they put on something nice. For that matter, I even commented when I caught a certain expression or just the way the light caught their eyes. I liked the way they smiled. I thought to comment on Leanne's blouse, but held it back because I wasn't sure just how she'd react.

Jordan had found pretty much everything she wanted by the time I arrived, so the three of us went to check out. Leanne talked to the lady at the register, an older woman named Denise. The topic was Daren and his attitude. It seemed he was stressed due to the constant turnover. Rumor was, if he lost many more employees, he could face being transferred to another store with a demotion or lose his job all together. I thought the latter was a little harsh, but it wasn't my decision.

Out in the parking lot, Leanne followed us to Jordan's car. Jordan gave me a look when she spotted the chair in the back seat. She popped the trunk, found it full, and turned to face me with the same look. I was in trouble, but nothing that would earn me any real punishment. She made me load her purchases since I had left her so little room. The two of them talked about how guys could be so inconsiderate at times. Coming from Jordan, I thought it was just to make her point, but something in Leanne's tone told me there was more to it for her. Whenever I glanced their way, I noticed Leanne fidgeting and shooting furtive glances my way. I simply grinned and shook my head.

When I was finished, I took the basket to one of the retrieval stands. On the way back, I noticed both of them watching me and talking sideways to each other. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew Jordan might try convincing Leanne that I was available and interested. But what would she actually tell her? That made me more nervous than anything else.

When I returned, I asked Leanne, "Where are you parked?"

She pointed out at a desolate area where only a few cars were.

The back seat of Jordan's car was full, and unless Leanne was comfortable sitting in my lap, giving her a quick lift to her car was out of the question. I glanced at Jordan who nodded back. "I'll walk you," I said. "You shouldn't go alone as late as it is."

Leanne smiled. "Thank you."

Jordan said, "I'll wait here."

Leanne looked from her to me but said nothing. I looked at Jordan and Leanne, not sure what to say.

Jordan rolled her eyes. "Seth, if you want to go with her, I can manage."

Leanne looked at me. I glanced at her with a smile but asked Jordan, "You sure? I wouldn't want to leave you to carry all my stuff in."

She shook her head and poked at my shoulder. "The only thing of yours I'll take in is the chair. The other stuff can stay in the trunk until you can get it."

I nodded but smiled at her smirk. She was playing things up for Leanne's benefit. I didn't know if was working but my classmate was smiling. Maybe it was.

Jordan rolled her eyes and turned to get in her car. "Get her home safe, Seth. Otherwise, I'll be the one you'll have to answer to." Her tone was as playful and dangerous as when she found her car loaded with my purchases. I didn't think she was being any more threatening, but it was always a good idea to be safe.

I turned to Leanne. She was watching with a slightly amused expression. "Let's go before she decides I might not be an appropriate escort."

Leanne smiled and we left for her car. Behind us, Jordan pulled out of her parking spot and drove away slowly.

"So, how long have you two known each other?" Leanne asked.

I tried for honesty. "I met her at a school orientation, before classes started."

"Oh, she's a student too?" she asked.

I shook my head. "She was there for something else."

"Oh," Leanne said thoughtfully. "She said you were getting a desk for your place. You don't live in the dorms?"

Not anymore, but I just shook my head. "I have an apartment about a mile from campus."

"But you don't have a car." she said.

"Nope," I said, shaking my head.

Leanne continued to tug at her blouse, like it was a nervous gesture. I understood having nerves. I felt the same way. I had to find something to talk about that didn't involve Jordan though. School was our only common ground. "So, have you had any problems with the assignment Professor Swafford gave us?"

She rolled her eyes. "Not really. Most of the problems I've run into I've been able to work out, but that class is nothing compared to my business management courses." She glanced at me. "I want to be a clothes designer, but my parents couldn't afford to send me to any schools worth mentioning. So, I thought I would get a general business management degree, work for a clothing store somewhere, and pay for my own schooling."

"That's impressive," I said. "Most people wouldn't look at the problem and see a solution. They'd only settle for something else."

She smiled. "That's what I was talking to Jordan about, my ideas for a clothing line for women."

There was a subtle implication in her statement. Jordan told me what they were talking about when I showed up in the store. It was likely she had left out a pertinent detail, like how their clothes fit them. So, add the topic Jordan told me about to Leanne's plans and I quickly had an idea of what Leanne wanted to design. If she was as serious enough to make her plans succeed, then she already had sketches of her ideas, as well as a few articles she had made on her own. "Have you made anything?" I asked.

She smiled, nodded, and plucked at the blouse she wore. "I made this." She stopped and turned so I could see her front and back.

With only the security lights to see by and the dark color of the material, I didn't think it fit her very well, but I couldn't be sure.

"What do you think?" she asked hesitantly.

"It's very flattering," I said, and even to me I didn't sound convincing.

"I still have a lot to learn," she said and we continued to her car. "But I'm tired of going to department stores and everything is either way too big or too tight across my chest."

I nodded, but didn't say anything. I never had problems finding clothes that fit. I honestly couldn't imagine what that was like, but Jordan probably did. Come to think of it, Milena probably did too.

"Sometimes, I think about having surgery," Leanne said out of the blue.

At first, I wasn't' sure what she meant, but after everything else we had touched on, I quickly surmised her topic. "Why do you think about that?" I asked with what I hoped was a neutral tone.

She rolled her eyes. "If I could get anyone to talk to me rather than my breasts, I wouldn't even consider it."

I looked her square in the eyes. "If I've ever spoken to your breasts rather than you, I apologize."

She looked away. "You haven't." Her tone was certain. She had kept track. Well, it wasn't that hard. We hadn't talked that much.

"Do you really believe surgery is the answer?" I asked.

She took a deep breath and let it out. "No, but only because the idea of having myself cut open scares me."

I was glad it was dark. That deep breath of hers caught my attention, and I had to make sure to keep my eyes on something other than her chest. "Have you ever talked to a doctor about it?" I asked, hoping I wasn't taking this conversation in the wrong direction.

She shook her head. "I've been too chicken."

I glanced at her. "Maybe that's not what you really want then."

After a few seconds of hesitation, she shook her head. "No, but why can't people see past my breasts?"

I shrugged. "People can be really stupid sometimes. They see only what they want and no one can do anything about it. You should be who you are, and if someone only sees your breasts, then don't give in to their hypocrisy."

Her eyebrows rose. "Hypocrisy?"

I nodded. "If you focused on one particular detail about anyone, they'd feel the same way you do. For instance, Neil, from class, isn't very tall. If all I did was look down at him whenever I talked to him, he'd hate it."

She looked up at me, making her point about our height difference. "But that's a little different. You're taller than most of the people in our class."

"We're talking about Neil though," I said. "It doesn't matter that I'm taller. It would be about how he reacted."

She thought about it. "I suppose, but it's not just guys. I get looks from girls too."

"Such as?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Most of them are disgusted with me, like I went out and had a boob job or something."

I shook my head. "Well, in English, I have noticed most of the male attention is on you."

She looked at me. "I know. I can almost feel everyone's eyes on me."

"Were you treated the same way at home?" I asked.

She half shrugged. "Yes and no. I grew up out in west Texas. My home town was barely five hundred people. I actually went to school in the next town over. I had lots of friends and none of them treated me like that so I wasn't expecting it here. The guys aren't any different though." She looked up again. "Except you."

I shook my head. "Don't get me wrong. I was treated very differently at home too."

"So, you've had trouble making friends too?" she asked.

"In a manner of speaking," I said softly. "But certainly not for the same reasons."

She grinned and bumped me with her shoulder. She plucked at her blouse some more. I decided on a little more honesty. "You didn't design your blouse to fit correctly, did you?"

She shook her head. "I wanted to hide them."

"You could do that with oversized clothes," I said. "I suspect you made this to help you appear more ... even but it turned out wrong."

She looked at me with a frown. "How do you know?"

I waved back toward where Jordan had been parked. "You saw Jordan and how she's dressed."

Leanne blushed. "God, I couldn't imagine walking out in public like that."

"Did it look like it bothered her?" I asked.

Leanne shook her head. "We ended up talking about that very thing. She said that she dressed like that because she could and if anyone couldn't talk to her rather than her breasts..." She stopped and looked at me. A funny look came over her face. "Wait, you're not gay are you?"

I stopped and looked at her, blinking in confusion. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, she was like ... hot! And you and I are talking about my breasts but you're not acting like most guys do. And you said you were having problems making friends ... so..."

I shook my head and smiled. "The next time you talk to Jordan ask her how I act around girls."

She frowned. "But why aren't you ... You're not interested in me, are you?"

I stepped closer to her. "You've got me wrong, Leanne. I learned a very hard lesson in self control, but there are moments when I let my guard down and turn into a fumbling, tongue-tied wreck like anyone else. I simply don't want to ... creep you out."

She smiled. "No, you don't creep me out, but you don't act like the other guys in class either."

"I hope not," I said. "I wouldn't want to be that obvious or crude."

She lit up the parking lot with a hundred megawatt smile. "But if you're not obvious enough, a girl might think you're not interested."

"And that allows me more opportunities to improve my approach," I said.

She nodded. "So, where are we going?" Her car was only a few yards away.

"Well," I said, "I have a desk to assemble, but I've already finished my homework."

"Good," she said, "Maybe you could look over my paper and tell me what you think."

I nodded and opened the driver side door for her. "I can do that."

She smiled and climbed in. I walked around and slipped in the passenger side.

"My place or yours?" she asked.

"I thought you lived in a dorm," I said.

She nodded. "I do."

"Would they really let me go up to your room?" I asked.

She thought for a second. "Probably not."

"Okay then," I said. "We'll stop by your place so you can pick up your work and then go over to mine."

She hit me with another megawatt smile. "Okay."



-------

Chapter 15



We arrived at Brazos House and Leanne ran inside. I sat in her car, worried about the state of my apartment. Jordan and Danielle could still be there, waiting for the beds to be delivered, or they could be packing up more stuff to take over to their place. Barring those issues, there was the fact that the place would probably be a mess. There was even the possibility that they had convinced the delivery men to move not only Jordan's bed, but the furniture in the living room too, which would leave Leanne and me nothing to sit on except the floor. Maybe going to my place wasn't such a good idea.

Then I saw Leanne returning from the dorm. She had changed her clothes and carried two bags rather than one. Her top was made of the same material but rather than conceal her shape with billowing volume, it flowed with her curves, making her look even more buxom. In place of the loose skirt, she put on a pair of shorts that were just as form-fitting as her new top. There was also a difference in her stride. She was nervous but excited, anticipatory. She opened the back door on her side, and dumped the bags on the back seat. Then she got in and started up the car, throwing me another hundred megawatt smile.

All thoughts of my apartment's condition were gone.

We made it to my place without much fuss. I spotted Jordan's car parked in front of her building, so they had apparently allowed me further privacy. After we parked, Leanne retrieved her bags while I unlocked the door and reached inside to turn on the lights. Leanne smiled and walked in past me. I followed her, not sure what to expect.

The components for my new desk were stacked neatly by the wall next to the main door. On top were my purchases from Mass Electronics. The rest of the living room was empty, except for my new desk chair.

Leanne looked at the stack of components for my desk. "Looks like Jordan let you off the hook about getting your desk."

I nodded. "Yeah, that was nice of her."

Leanne looked around. "It's kind of empty."

I shrugged. "I don't own anything, and as busy as I've been with school, I haven't had time to do much shopping." I went over to the kitchen and looked in the fridge. There was a gallon bottle of orange juice and a six pack of watermelon wine coolers. The rest of the fridge was empty. "Would you like something to drink?" I asked, looking up for Leanne. She was gone.

She poked her head out of the bedroom. "Sure, whatcha got?"

I glanced at the fridge again. "Orange juice and wine coolers."

"Oh, what flavor?" she asked.

I pulled one out. "Watermelon."

She nodded and pointed at the bathroom door. "Can I use the restroom?"

I nodded. "Help yourself."

She vanished inside. I set the wine cooler on the counter and looked through the cabinets for glasses. Everything was empty. I sighed and considered running over to Jordan's to borrow a couple and maybe even use her phone to call for a pizza or two, but shook it off as a bad idea.

Through the bathroom door, Leanne said, "It sure is quiet here compared to the dorm."

I nodded and said, "Yup," loud enough for her to hear me.

I walked into the bedroom to see what Jordan and Danielle had done in there. The bed wasn't just set up, which I had expected, but it was made with dark red sheets, a matching comforter, and three pillows. I didn't remember buying a set of sheets for the bed or any pillows. So where did that all come from? It also took up more space than Jordan's bed had. There was only just enough room to walk around it. It looked like Jordan had left me one of her night stands too, complete with a lamp and several candles. There was even one of those fireplace lighters in the drawer.

In the closet, all of my clothes were hung up except for my socks and underwear, which were left in one of the boxes on the floor. All of the other boxes were flattened against the back wall, like I had done at the dorm. My radio and all of my posters were rolled up on the shelf above my clothes. I pulled out the radio, took it over by the nightstand and plugged it in where the lamp was plugged in. If we wanted music, now we had it. Most of the rest of my stuff consisted of things I needed for the bathroom. Since the girls had put everything else away for me, they had probably also put my showering stuff in the bathroom. I would have to wait for Leanne to come out to find out.

"If you want," Leanne called from inside the bathroom, "you can get my papers and look them over."

I picked up her backpack, which she had left just inside the bedroom by the door. The only place for both of us to sit was on the bed, so I sat on the corner of it. I didn't want her to think I was hinting at anything. Inside her backpack, all I found were a spiral notebook and a folder marked "English." In the folder was a printout of her paper for our English assignment. I had always been a fast reader and was almost finished when the door between the bathroom and bedroom opened and Leanne came out.

At first glance, I didn't notice anything different, but as she walked in and sat next to me, subtle differences became clear. She had put on makeup and brushed out her hair. I also noticed a whiff of perfume and realized that her blouse wasn't buttoned all the way up. Tanned cleavage peaked out at me and I fought not to stare.

I found an easy excuse to look away and held up her paper. "Almost finished."

She smiled and I finished reading. "This is really good," I said.

"But?" she asked.

"But, there are a couple of misused words and some sentences that could be made a little clearer."

She nodded and took the paper to look it over. The way she held it, I had an unobstructed view of her cleavage. Unless I looked away from her completely, I couldn't help but see it. I remembered how Jordan had gone out of her way to get me to notice her on several other occasions, the latest of which was earlier today, and now I wondered if Leanne had something similar in mind. She had changed clothes, putting on an outfit that had the exact opposite intent of what she had worn to work, putting her figure out there for me to see. Not to mention the addition of her makeup and perfume.

There was the possibility that she was simply being herself. This may have been how she was used to dressing back home, and since I hadn't reacted like she expected, she didn't think anything would happen if she dressed this way while alone with me.

Of course, there was also the possibility that she was testing me. By dressing the way she was, she could have been trying to find out whether or not I was as lowly and crude as the guys in class, or even if I would respond at all, thus disproving my denial of being gay. I simply didn't know what she was thinking, and I wasn't going to blurt out a question that would embarrass us both.

I had to stop over-thinking the situation. If she wanted something to happen, she would have to make the first move. It was that simple. I was too set in my certainty that if I tried anything, she would get upset. Besides, I didn't invite her over to seduce her. If that had been the intent, I would be wearing my fetish.

Leanne looked up. "Where's my drink?"

I blinked and then slapped my own forehead. "I'll be right back."

She smiled and nodded.

When I returned, she had scooted up to sit at the head of the bed with her back to the headboard and her legs stretched out in front of her. I handed her drink to her and contemplated where to sit without making myself look like a letch crawling up to do something she might find unwelcome.

Leanne looked up. "I think I see what you were talking about."

She had been looking at her paper, so I thought she was talking about that. "Did you find the words?"

She shook her head and set the paper aside. "No, I mean what you said back at the store about how you act around girls sometimes."

I closed my eyes and shook my head, fighting the urge to run off and find someplace to hide. "Great, you must think I'm creepy."

She laughed and sat up, pulling her legs into Indian style. "No, you're not creepy." She patted the bed next to her. "Sit down. It's your bed."

"Yeah, a bed," I said, feeling dejected. "Not exactly the best place to sit to get school work done."

"That's why you bought the desk and chair, isn't it?" she asked.

I nodded. "But then I invited you over and I don't have any place for you to sit."

"I'm fine right here," she said. "Besides, I already finished those things you found wrong."

I looked past her at the papers on the bed. "When?"

She leaned toward me. "Yesterday. I just haven't printed them out yet."

I sighed and shook my head. "Then why did you want me to look at it."

She shrugged. "It was just an excuse."

"For what?" I asked softly.

"To talk to you some more," she said, leaning back on her arms.

I couldn't stop my eyes from dropping to look at her cleavage.

Immediately, I closed my eyes and turned away. "Dammit, I'm sorry."

Leanne grabbed one of my belt loops and pulled at me hard enough to make me plop down on the bed. I caught myself and looked at her with surprise. She leaned forward quickly, caught my face with her hands and said, "You don't have anything to be sorry for. You treat me like a person, not a walking pair of tits." Then she leaned closer and I knew what she was going to do.

The feel of her lips on mine sent sparks through my brain. All of the feelings of self-loathing melted away and I didn't feel as squeamish anymore. I kissed her back, softly, almost chaste. Then we kissed again, adding just a little more pressure. Another kiss, and she was pulling me to her. Another kiss and she sucked on my bottom lip. With the next one, her tongue met mine. And when we met for the next one, I wrapped her up and guided her down onto my bed.

My self-loathing side screamed at me that this was wrong, but it sounded like it was yelling from the other end of a football field. I could hear it, even understand it. If I was really Leanne's friend, if I really respected her, I should get up from the bed and put some distance between us, allow her the chance to change her mind so I didn't mess up her life.

I did respect her. I didn't know her that well, but the more we talked, the more I would get to know her. She was smart, driven, and knew what she wanted to do. Based on that, I knew that if she didn't want to be lying here with me now, she wouldn't be. So, I ignored my self-loathing. I hadn't heard any good advice from it since I met Jordan and I was beginning to believe I never would.

I don't know how long we were there, lying together and kissing, but it was really nice, very peaceful. It felt good to be accepted, even desired, and without the fetish no less. I could hear Jordan's sing-song voice, "I told you so!" and fought not to laugh out loud lest Leanne ask questions about my sanity.

Leanne gave me a small push and we rolled over. She broke our kiss and sat up enough to look into my eyes. She smiled softly and said, "I'm not the only one happy to be here."

I knew what she was talking about, but I hadn't planned on doing anything about it.

Leanne shifted around on top of me, apparently feeling me with her belly. She kept her hands on my shoulders. "Mmm, I never thought I'd like the feel of..." she focused on me. "I'm sorry..." she pushed herself up to get off me.

I snagged her arms and pulled her back down. She looked at me and said, "What?"

I kept my eyes on hers. "Do you like how it feels?"

She swallowed and nodded.

"There's nothing wrong with that," I said. "I'm forced to admit that I like the way you feel on me."

She shook her head. "I don't know if I'm ready for this."

I shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with that either."

She stared at me. "You're not going to try to talk me into it?"

"I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do," I said. Then I rolled us over and kissed her again real quick. "Not unless you want me to talk you into it."

"I might," she said softly. "But you've got to promise to stop if I say stop."

I nodded. "You have my word. If I try anything you're not comfortable with, all you have to do is say stop, and it ends."

She nodded, but was still wary. I couldn't believe she dressed like she did to come over and now wanted to take things slow. It wasn't what I had learned from my girls. However, I didn't say anything. This wasn't about me finding another Fonte. It was about two people experimenting with one another. I studied her eyes and thought I understood what she wanted to avoid though. "There are a lot of things we can do without going all the way."

"Like what?" she asked.

"That depends on you, but we'll start out slow. We could just ... touch and kiss. Nothing, or everything."

She moaned lightly. "You make it sound so easy. Just do it and everything will be okay."

"Everything will be okay," I said, "but it won't be the same."

She narrowed her eyes. "And how many women have you been with?"

I shook my head. "I'm not going to talk about that. If you're looking for an excuse to say stop now, then say it. You don't need an excuse."

She gave me a little push and I sat up. She rolled away from me and sat up too. Her posture suggested she was wary but the look in her eyes bespoke desire. "What if I just want to see you? Not touch you or you touch me?"

I did my best to sit and look relaxed. "Well, I'd want to see you too, even if I don't get to touch."

She smiled a little smile and reached up for her blouse. She unbuttoned one button after another, slowly, steady, until the blouse was open.

I held her eyes with mine. I knew she was sensitive about her breasts and the fact that she had chosen to show me that first hadn't failed to register.

She slipped off her blouse and flicked her eyes to my chest.

I sat up and took off my shirt. She smiled, reached behind her back and unsnapped her bra. It came loose and she slid her arms out of the shoulder straps, yet the cups held onto her breasts almost as if glued there. Then she peeled the cups away slowly.

It took a lot of restraint to not look, to not watch her unveiling, but I held my groan and waited until she set her bra aside.

She was easily as big as Jordan, maybe bigger, though her shape and nipples were different. What surprised me was that she was evenly tanned. Her skin looked soft, even in the harsh light of my room.

I glanced up at the overhead. Since Leanne was sitting at the head of the bed and I was on the foot, it made it easier for me to get up and swap out our lighting. It turned out there wasn't a bulb in the lamp, so I lit the candles and killed the overhead.

Leanne watched my every move. Her hands moved up and stroked her breasts almost as if she didn't realize what she was doing.

I really wanted to touch her, to make her more comfortable with the idea of being with me, even if that was all we did. Granted, she would probably get a kick out of my reactions if she touched my nipples, but that wasn't going to happen very soon. The real problem was, I was enjoying the sight of her, even though she was only topless. She could see male pecs at any pool. Instead of sitting down when I was finished with the lighting, I stood at the foot of the bed, determined to let her see something she wouldn't see at a pool and popped the button on my jeans.

Unlike my determination to keep my eyes on hers while she revealed herself, Leanne had no restraint and watched my hands as I slowly unzipped my pants. Her fingers tugged at her nipples and she squeezed the meat of her breasts while she watched.

I gripped my pants and pushed them down, bending over and catching her eyes with mine. Hers were a little wide with excitement and her breathing was a little faster too. Her hands focused on her nipples until I looked, then she rubbed at her skin and squeezed herself.

I looked down pointedly at her shorts. They were small, only bigger than a pair of panties, but she was now wearing more than me. Then I looked up again and stood up straight.

Her eyes dropped and widened a little. "Oh, my..." she said under her breath. She reached down and pushed her shorts off. She didn't even have to unbutton them. They just slid down her hips and off her legs with little fanfare. Her previous teasing was gone. Her focus was completely on the bulge in my underwear.

I reached up and folded down the elastic band of my boxer-briefs once, twice, three times. I stopped when I reached the top of my package.

Leanne didn't reach for her panties. She reached into them and touched herself.

I smiled and mirrored her.

She looked up into my face. She was lost to lust but had enough restraint not to do anything more than she was.

"Would you like to see?" I asked.

She nodded slowly and looked down.

I smiled at the irony but withdrew my hand and lowered my briefs so she could see me unimpeded.

Her mouth formed an O and she took a shuddering breath.

I held myself, stroking slowly. "Show me, Leanne. Let me see all of you too."

She nodded and quickly discarded her panties. She sat back against the headboard and spread her knees. She ran her fingers over herself in circles.

I wasn't really getting anything out of touching myself, but I knew I would enjoy her touch. "May I move closer?"

She nodded and I crawled up onto the bed. She didn't try to flee but she stopped her hand and watched me warily.

I crawled up next to her and stood on my knees. Her eyes were glued to my erection. "Touch me Leanne. I want you to touch me."

She reached out with her free hand and ran her fingertips over my shaft. For the next few minutes, she touched me everywhere and I even held myself up so she could see and feel my sac.

She looked up with a smile as I took her hand and wrapped it around me. She stroked me and it felt better than I could ever do for myself.

Without thinking, I reached for her breast. She didn't stop me but her hand tightened its grip and the speed of her strokes picked up.

I cupped her, and rubbed her nipples. She moaned and shifted her shoulders to press herself into my touch.

Her hand between her legs moved just as fast as her hand on me. Her breathing became heavier and her movements made it obvious that she was close. I wanted to help her along, to send her over the edge, so I leaned down, lifted her breast, and sucked on her nipple.

Her grip on me became painful. She cried out and clenched her legs together around her own hand. The orgasm was short-lived but I knew it wouldn't be her last of the night.

I let her nipple slip from my lips and I kissed her. For someone so skittish, she knew how to kiss. She sucked on my tongue and moaned into my mouth.

"That felt good," she said and then looked past my eyes to where she held me. "Can I ... Can I suck you?"

"Only if you want to," I said.

She nodded and smiled. "I wanna try."

I nodded and we shifted around so I was on my back and she was on her belly perpendicular to me. The king sized bed gave us plenty of room to stretch out.

At first, she looked me over, touching me with both hands. Then she kissed me with lips only. Finally, she ran her tongue along my skin and moaned contentedly.

The feel of her kisses, licks, and hot breath made me shiver with anticipation. Then she took me in her mouth and the first thing I felt were her teeth.

"Whoa, careful there," I said. "I don't think you'd want me to use my teeth on you."

She pulled me out of her mouth and said, "You would kiss me? Down between my legs?"

I nodded. "And I would enjoy it."

She smiled and shifted her hips on the bed. She moved a little closer but that was all.

I nodded to her hands. "Handle that like you would a frozen popsicle."

She nodded and tried again. Very quickly, she found a method that I agreed to completely. It took a lot of effort to keep my hips on the bed. What I needed was a distraction of sorts.

"Leanne, I'd like to return the favor, if you're willing."

She started to roll over, but I stopped her.

"Swing your hips over here," I said, "and ... well ... sit on my face."

She smiled at me and did what I said. At first she stayed upright. I reached up and cradled her cheeks in my hands, then ran my tongue over her vulva. Her hips jerked forward at the contact. I licked her again and she whimpered and thrust. Then I pulled away and said, "Now, if you go back to what you were doing, I'll match you lick for lick."

She giggled and lay over me. Her breasts crushed into my belly. It felt good having her lie on top of me like that. She took me into her mouth and I pulled her hips down so I could penetrate her in similar fashion with my tongue.

With my mind focused on pleasing her, I wasn't as eager to thrust. Leanne on the other hand seemed to handle the multi-tasking better. She sucked on me with natural instinct and rolled her hips around to direct my oral attentions.

I could feel my orgasm building, but she didn't have the skill to send me over the edge.

Leanne, however, was on a virtual hair-trigger. Twice, she pulled me out of her mouth and clamped her thighs around my head in orgasm. After the second time, she rolled off me and lay flat on the bed, breathing heavily.

I sat up and ran my hand over her while she cooled down.

"I want to watch you cum," she said.

"What do you propose?" I asked.

She blinked at me. "I ... I don't know."

I reached up and caressed her breasts. "You want to watch. How about I give you a close view?"

"You mean do my tits?"

I nodded and leaned in close. "Leanne, you are a beautiful woman. I know other people have treated you badly because they don't have any manners, but your breasts are beautiful. Sexy. Let me show you."

She nodded and I kissed her.

I sat up and straddled her belly. I lay between her breasts and she was big enough that when I held her around me, only my crown could be seen. I pulled back until it disappeared and thrust forward. Her skin was so supple and soft that it felt fantastic.

Leanne grabbed at my thighs, pulling at me with as much excitement as I felt. Her eyes grew wide and I continued to plow the valley she had been graced with.

It wasn't just the feel of her soft breasts wrapped around me either. The feel of her torso expanding and contracting with her breathing between my legs added to the sensation, as well as the way her warm skin slid along my sac with my movements.

All at once my memory of Raven's house returned, as clear as a bell. I asked what the spell for binding was, and Raven told me, "You have to repeat the phrase, 'My fountain, my source, feed my power, be my might, ' about a dozen times or more without interruption while having sex with the woman you wish to bind."

My fetish was in my pants pocket on the floor out of reach. I hadn't considered binding Leanne because I really didn't think this far ahead. So, why had I recalled the words? Was my power trying to tell me something? I didn't think that was possible because Jordan said magic was a tool, and tools couldn't talk.

Another memory filled my head. Jordan and I were at the mall talking about the scratch off tickets. "Have you ever had a ticket that didn't win?" I asked and she shrugged. "It's like the magic is trying to tell you something you hadn't thought of."

Was my magic trying to tell me something? Did I really want to bind Leanne? She trusted me. We wouldn't be here tonight, doing the things we were doing if she didn't.

Then Leanne said, "Cum on me, Seth. I want you to cum on me."

I looked down at her and she met my eyes. She was young and vulnerable, but she was eager and wanted to learn. I could redeem myself with her. I didn't have to bind her but I had to ask first. This wasn't about just me tonight. This was about us. She had a stake in what could happen. She had a say in it.

"Leanne, I want to offer you something," I said, holding her around me, enjoying the feel of her body between my thighs and the desire I not only felt in my grasping hands but saw in her dark eyes. Confusion flickered through her expression, but it was gone as fast as it appeared. "I want to do this with you again, and more," I said, getting closer, feeling the familiar shiver though my body that told me I was about to go. It was getting harder to concentrate. "All you have to do is say the word and I'll make it happen."

She pulled at my thighs, urging me on. Her eyes flicked up from her chest to my eyes, and she said, "Yes."

I knew there was nothing to stop me but me, and I didn't want to stop. "My fountain ... my source ... feed my power ... be my might!"

I pressed myself up through her cleavage and my first shot landed on her forehead. The next one hit her chin, and the rest pooled at the base of her neck.

Leanne reached up and touched where I had splattered on her. She smiled up at me and said, "That was incredible!"

I reached up and rubbed at the large splotch on her forehead.

She grabbed my wrist, moved up to my hand, and pushed my fingers around through my sperm. She pulled my hand down, smelled the residue, and then licked it. She sucked my fingers into her mouth for a minute and then released them. "That tastes good."

I smiled as she scooped up more to suck from her own fingers, but inside I wondered if I did the right thing, trying to forge a bond with her without my fetish. On one hand, it might not have worked. Raven said the incantation had to be repeated about a dozen times or more, which probably meant Leanne would be free of the influence of the bond, and I would only have to worry about how she was going to respond when she inevitably found out that I was sleeping with several other women. On the other hand, I was hopeful that the spell did work. I had to admit that I really wanted to form a bond with her. It wasn't a selfish thing, as I saw it. I didn't like how she was treated in class by the other students and I wanted her to know that I would always be there for her. Unfortunately, I also knew that I rarely got what I wanted.



-------

Chapter 16



I went to the bathroom to clean up a little and fetch a warm washcloth to wash Leanne with. The apartment was very quiet and I heard the front door open. There wasn't a knock, and no one called out. It was likely to be Danielle or Jordan, but I didn't believe either of them would have just walked in. Unless...

I went back out to the bedroom. Jordan was standing in the doorway leading to the living room wearing a silk robe and nothing under it but the same bra she'd been wearing all day and a matching pair of panties. Her eyes were focused on something far away. Behind her, Danielle looked into the room at me. She shrugged but didn't say anything. I looked over at Leanne. She got up off the bed with the same expression as Jordan's and walked toward me. I turned and ducked back into the bathroom. It had doors leading to both the bedroom and living room and I took the second door, hoping to put a little distance between us so I could talk to Danielle before the ritual started.

I moved to the middle of the living room, gave Danielle an apologetic look, and waited for the ritual to begin. She simply stood in the kitchen and watched patiently. Jordan and Leanne, standing behind and in front of me respectively, floated up and began spinning around me. Leanne stopped in front of me, her large bust at face level, and the amber streak appeared.

-------

Leanne was a virgin. Even with her incredible bust, she hadn't ever had sex. She did away with her maidenhead after her period started, but no boy had ever even gotten to second base with her. Several claimed to have, lying to their friends, but when word of those lies reached Leanne, she would verbally tear those boys down in front of everyone.

There was one boy though, Jack Mayfield. They dated for a time and she felt different about him. She couldn't explain it to herself, but he made her feel all tingly inside in ways the other boys made her feel indignant. She liked kissing him and even let him feel her breasts one time. However, before she could gather up the courage to go further, he moved away.

The trouble was she wanted to have sex. She wanted to know what it was like, but not in the back seat of some boy's car. That wasn't romantic. She ended up finishing high school with her virginity intact. Not a difficult feat but not necessarily a goal she wanted either.

College was worse. The girls in the dorms stared at her with something akin to resentment, and everywhere else guys fell all over themselves. The attention at home hadn't been that bad, because in the small town school, most of the kids had known her for a few years at least. Making friends was not going to be easy.

Worse still, she hadn't been able to get into the school she wanted. Her parents made enough money to pay for college, but they couldn't afford the more prestigious institutes she had her heart set on. They talked about it and Leanne came up with her own plan of getting what she wanted. She'd get a Business Management degree and work to pay for her own schooling as a clothing designer. She might even find a company willing to help pay for school. Her parents agreed that it was a good plan, if ambitious since she was going to be getting two degrees.

Classes were tough, especially with all of the other students' staring. Leanne was sure some of the Professors weren't entirely professional either. Three weeks after classes started, she was running a little behind in getting to English and she was almost bowled over by one of the guys from the class. She had a sharp retort ready for his inevitable further transgression, but he did something she never expected. He looked up in her eyes without stopping to look her over first. He apologized, catching her off guard, opened the door and waved her through.

"Be still my beating heart."

Leanne couldn't get the look in his eyes out of her head. Class was almost a fog and when Professor Swafford asked the only question she didn't know, it was the same guy, the one with the compassionate eyes, who answered. Like the rest of the class, she looked back at him, and something deep inside told her that he was different. "God, I hope he's not gay," she thought. She turned her attention, what she could of it, back to the Professor.

When class was over, she decided to find out whether her encounter with him had been a fluke or if he was the real deal. She walked up to him while he was still bent over putting his things in his backpack. He looked up and met her eyes again and she felt like she could do back flips. She asked him about the question he had answered and was pretty sure he lied about getting it wrong in high school which she didn't understand at all. She didn't get the chance to point it out because the creep, Neil, asked her to lunch.

She looked at Neil and saw his eyes linger on her chest too long. She knew he wouldn't settle for lunch at the UC. She turned him down politely and he left without any trouble.

She confided in Seth, "I don't actually have a class for another hour. I just didn't want to go with him. He gives me the creeps." Then she asked to walk with Seth. He had another class but agreed to walk her out.

Seth continued to give her eyes his full attention. She couldn't believe what was happening. She had found a real gentleman. She considered walking with him to his next class, but decided she should probably head to her dorm instead. She didn't want to chance running into Neil again.

Other than her lingering thoughts of Seth, the next day was rather normal. Classes passed by and then she had to work. Mr. Finnegan was in a worse mood than ever and barked at everyone, whether there was anything wrong or not. She was determined not to let him get to her today. After her break, she was on her way back to the registers, and one of the customers, a woman who looked like she had a bust as big as her own and didn't have any qualms about showing it off, commented on her apron. Her name was Jordan, and they quickly got into a discussion of the problems of finding correctly fitting shirts and blouses.

To Leanne's surprise, she saw Seth walking toward them. Leanne couldn't believe her luck, both good and bad. He was just as respectful, just as kind, but Leanne was standing next to someone who didn't mind flaunting. There was no way Seth would want to be with her when the other woman was obviously more comfortable with her own body and extremely gorgeous on top of that.

Seth was as cool as before. He smiled and talked like he wasn't standing next to two of the bustiest girls in town. The only reason those sorts of thoughts crossed her mind was because of the open frankness Jordan had spoken about their respective breasts.

Leanne realized Seth and Jordan knew one another, but Mr. Finnegan showed up and pulled her away. Unlike his previous grousing when nothing was wrong, he had honestly caught her doing something she shouldn't. She was busted. What upset her most though was the fact that he was so short it was like he had the perfect excuse to stare at her breasts. She couldn't accuse him of that but she could hit him in another sore spot. She quit, and made sure he understood why.

She left to change, and suddenly wished that she hadn't worn the loose blouse. She wanted to look as sexy as Jordan for Seth. She wanted him to notice her, to see that she wasn't a frump. She wanted to show him just what she could offer.

Talking to Seth and Jordan, she knew there was something between them, even though Jordan said there wasn't. She could see how comfortable they were with each other. She had seen that same comfort between some of the long term couples in her high school. More than that, Jordan seemed to know Leanne liked Seth. While they watched him return the cart, Jordan told her how much Seth liked her too though he might not act like it. He was a very private person. Jordan didn't get to say more though and Leanne wanted to ask questions.

Leanne enjoyed talking to Seth. He made her feel so comfortable and when she accused him of being gay, he didn't throw a fit or get angry. He simply challenged her reasoning. And when he got closer to her, she tingled in places boys had never made her tingle in before.

When she went up to her room, she stripped down to her bra and panties in front of her roommate, Erica, which she had never done before. She found her tightest shorts and the blouse she had made that was really too small. Those were more in tune with her need for Seth to notice her and she didn't care what anyone said or did in the interim.

Erica never said a word, but she was smiling and humming while working on her school work. Leanne thought her silence was odd. She usually asked about Leanne's day and tried to talk about hers, but all she did was smile and say, "Hi." Obviously something good had happened to her too. Leanne was tempted to ask, but decided not to since Seth was waiting for her.

Leanne threw some extra clothes and makeup in a bag, grabbed her backpack and left, determined to make this a night to remember.

-------

I woke up lying on the living room floor. No one else was around but I heard voices coming from my bedroom. I got up and tried the door. It was locked. I tried the bathroom door. It was open, but the door leading to the bedroom was also locked. I heard someone say, "Seth must be awake."

I listened but didn't hear anything else. The door opened and Danielle came out, closing the door behind her. The bathroom wasn't the right place for talking so we went out to the living room. I turned to face the redhead. She was in a pair of lacy shorts and a matching lose-fit top. None of it was see through, but it looked really nice on her. I had to refrain from commenting though because there was a bigger issue to discuss. "What's going on?"

Danielle shook her head. "It's Leanne. She's ... upset."

"Upset about what?" I asked. "Was it the memories?"

Danielle snorted. "No. She's confused and doesn't believe she really saw your memories."

"What do you mean? What does she think happened?" I asked.

"She thinks you drugged her," Danielle said.

I blinked at the redhead. "Drugged her? With what?"

She shrugged. "A hallucinogen of some kind. She said it must have been in the wine cooler."

I sighed. "That's crazy."

"I know," Danielle said matter-of-factly. "Jordan and I finished it off to prove that there was nothing wrong with it."

I glanced at the door.

Danielle touched my chest. "Seth, where's you fetish?"

I nodded at the bedroom. "In there, in my pants pocket."

"So, you didn't use it to bind her?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No, I ... I had this sudden clear recalling of how to bind without the fetish. I wasn't planning on binding her, but after I recalled what Raven told me about the spell, I wondered if the magic was trying to tell me something."

"magic is a tool, isn't it? It can't talk," she said.

I nodded. "I thought the same thing, and I still believe for the most part that it's true, but yesterday Jordan told me something while she was teaching me the Luck spell. She told me sometimes when she did that with the scratch offs, she'd get the same amount of money back. She said she'd take that as a sign that she needed the money for something else, that it was a sign from her magic."

Danielle frowned. "That doesn't make sense."

"Well, just like my recollection of the Binding spell, I remembered that discussion with Jordan too. I really think something was trying to tell me I was supposed to bond with Leanne."

Danielle stared at me. "So, you bound her without the fetish?"

I shrugged. "We shared memories just like I did with all of you. I'd say I did."

The bedroom door opened. Jordan waved us in. I was still nude, but all three of them were dressed to one degree or other. I went straight to my discarded pants and slipped them on. The girls had put out the candles and turned on the overhead light again. I could see everything in the stark light.

Leanne was dressed and curled up at the head of my bed from where she watched me. Her eyes were red and fresh tears had streaked her face with wet lines. Jordan sat on the bed between us but off to the side closest to the door to the living room. Danielle moved past me and sat on the other side of the bed in the same way.

Rather than move closer to Leanne so I could sit on the bed too, I sat on the floor with my back against the wall. We could all see each other.

"Seth, this is your bed," Danielle said. "You're allowed to sit on it too."

I shook my head and looked at Leanne. "I don't want to spook you anymore than you already are."

Jordan shook her head but Danielle nodded. Jordan said, "Seth, you're going to have to prove to her that you are a magus."

I looked at her for a moment, wanting to ask how. Without casting a spell and possibly spooking Leanne more, maybe even reinforcing her idea that she had been hallucinating, there wasn't much I could do. I decided instead to focus on the details of Leanne's misconception. I looked at the scared young woman. "Leanne, what did you see?"

"Seth..." Jordan said and I held up my hand.

Leanne looked from me to Jordan and back. "What do you mean?"

"You woke up in the living room, but remember being in here last. You don't know how you moved from one room to the other, right?" I asked and she nodded. "During that blank time in your memory, you got up and followed me out to the living room. You also had a dream of sorts. Tell me about that, about the dream."

She frowned and looked at each of us. Then she said, "It was weird and ... and ... disgusting."

"But what did you see?" I asked softly.

She blinked and touch of color filled her face. She nodded at Jordan and said, "Her at a pool party." She nodded at Danielle and said "And her in a car." Then she shook her head, saying, "And like a dozen other women." She looked at me with a glare. "I was having sex with them. I even saw my roommate, Erica. We were in the store she works at. And it was like I had a ... a..."

I nodded. "Like you had a penis."

She nodded and hugged herself. "I don't know what you gave me..."

"Leanne," I said, maintaining a reasonable tone. "What you saw and felt seemed real, didn't it?"

"But it didn't happen," she said, shaking her head. "It couldn't have. I don't have a ... a ... penis." She was almost in tears again.

"On the latter, I agree with you one hundred percent," I said.

She stared at me and knew what I meant. She blushed. "But it had to be a hallucination."

I shook my head I wasn't going to convince her from her point of view. Her explanation was more plausible than the truth. "What would you say if I saw a bunch of your memories?"

She glanced at Jordan and Danielle. "That's not possible."

"Just answer the question," I said with a shrug. "What would you think of me seeing some of your memories?"

"Well," she said, looking petulant. "You'd know I've never had sex with anyone."

I nodded. "You're right. I do know that. I also know that three boys from your school all claimed that they had sex with you, Tommy Simpson, Billy McMillen, and Steve Adams."

She stared at me. "How do you know that?"

"I also know that only one boy ever got to touch your breasts before me, Jack Mayfield," I said. "You really liked him, but he moved away."

She sat up straight with wide eyes. "How do you know that?"

I got up on my knees at the foot of the bed. "Because, Leanne, I saw your memories. I felt them as if it all happened to me."

Her breathing got heavier. "Oh my God ... Oh my God, you've been with all those women?"

"I told you," I said, shaking my head. "I don't talk about that."

"You just seemed way too comfortable, way too good ... so very good," she said, not really focusing on our conversation anymore.

I climbed up on the edge of the bed. "Leanne, we shared memories. Do you believe me?" She was still mumbling. I crawled closer. "Leanne, did you hear me?" She looked up at me. I held out my hand and she stared at it. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'll take you home if you want me to."

"No," Jordan said. "You can't take her home. Not yet."

I looked at her. "Why not?" I asked with a reasonable tone.

She shook her head. "Let me talk to Raven. She might know why Leanne is acting this way."

I nodded. "Okay, but hurry."

She nodded and left the room.

Leanne reached out and touched my face. I turned to look at her. She didn't look scared anymore. "You feel good," she said softly.

I didn't understand her shifting emotions. I had never seen any of my girls act this way. I crawled up and sat next to her. She ran her hand over my bare chest. "Wow, you feel really good," she said.

Danielle and I shared a curious look.

Leanne leaned away from me and pulled her top off. She hadn't put her bra back on. She was instantly topless, which she apparently wanted, and crushed her huge breasts into my side. "Oh, yes. You feel very good."

I had to admit, it felt good touching her too, but all I did was cuddle with her.

Leanne looked up. "I'm thirsty."

I glanced at Danielle and said, "I don't have any glasses."

Danielle scooted off the bed. "Be right back."

I nodded. Leanne leaned in and kissed my neck.

Jordan came back in, holding out her phone to me. "Raven needs to talk to you."

I took the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello Seth. Jordan tells me something is wrong with one of your Fonti?" Raven said with an impish tone.

I glanced at Jordan. "I bound Leanne without the fetish."

"Really?" Raven asked with lots of interest. "How many times did you get through the phrase?"

"Once," I said, "barely."

"One full time?" she asked, as if it was important.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay, did you have intercourse?" she asked.

I was confused but said, "Uh ... no."

"No?" she asked.

I decided to clarify. "If you mean whether my penis entered her vagina, no. Why does it matter?"

"Without the fetish as a focal point, the spell may not take hold properly," she said.

The bond hadn't taken hold properly? It sounded like it was supposed to do something more than allow us to be closer, just like I had suspected over the last two days. I realized this was the best time to ask what I had wanted to know about the bond. "So, the bond doesn't just heighten how much we're physically and emotionally attracted to each other, does it?"

"What are you talking about?" Raven asked.

"Well," I said, feeling a little upset, "there's the fact that every time I've bound a new Fonte, I've experienced a post-binding ritual with that new Fonte and we share memories."

"Really?" she asked as if it was news to her.

"Yes, really," I said, growing less patient with this call. "And as a result, I've had to explain what's going on with each one. Now, they all know what I am and that they're my mystical food."

"Oh, damn," Raven said.

"Yeah, you can say that again," I said. "On top of it all, they know about each other, and so far none of them have shown the slightest sign of jealousy. I theorize this bond is manipulating them. That it's adjusting their way of thinking in these matters."

She sighed. "Seth, I can't disprove what you're saying. Most magi keep their Fonti in the dark regarding what they know, so I don't know what to tell you."

"I wouldn't be telling them anything either, if it weren't for the merry-go-round from hell and the memory sharing," I said.

"Now what are you talking about?" she asked, sounding defensive.

I glanced at Jordan. "I'm surprised Jordan hasn't told you anything about the Finale of my Initiation. She talks to Danielle and Jana about a lot of things."

"Seth, look. I don't know everything that's happened. Jordan and I do talk but not as often as you think, and she hasn't told me anything about you that you don't already know about. Now, would you like a suggestion to solve your current problem?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Put on your fetish and fuck her properly," she said and hung up.

I gave Jordan back her phone. "I think I pissed her off."

Jordan took the phone with a snatch. "What do you expect? You all but attacked her over the phone."

Danielle came in with two glasses of orange juice. She handed one to me and one to Leanne.

I nodded thanks to her and drained mine. I didn't realize how thirsty I was.

Leanne finished hers too and handed it back. "Thanks."

I looked at Leanne. "How do you feel?"

She hugged me tight. "A little cold."

"What did Raven say?" Danielle asked. Everyone looked at her.

I shook my head. "I think for Leanne's sake, I should break the bond."

Jordan and Danielle frowned. Leanne looked confused. "That's not what I heard her say."

We all looked at her.

She looked up at me. "She said: Put on your fetish and fuck her properly."

Jordan and Danielle looked at me. Whatever they were about to say would brook no arguing. Jordan stood up. "C'mon Danielle, we're leaving." She was angry. I could hear it in her voice.

Danielle looked up at Jordan and then at me.

I looked at Jordan. "Don't go far. You may end up coming right back."

Danielle looked at Jordan pleadingly.

Jordan shook her head. "I'll be in the living room, playing with the video cameras." She nodded to me. "You stay here and fix this."

I stared at her. "Yes, mother."

Jordan turned to face me with her hands on her hips. "If you weren't acting like a child, I wouldn't have to treat you like this."

I looked away and thought about how I sounded and was acting ... again. "You're right."

She frowned and glanced at Danielle. "What, no arguing?"

I shrugged. "No, no arguing. I've been belligerent. You've been nothing but patient and I treat you like this. Anyone else would have left by now."

Jordan sighed and knelt next to the bed. "Seth, I don't blame you for trying to find alternative solutions. I wish I could offer you one." She glanced at Leanne. "You could be right. It might be better to break the bond, but I think Raven would have suggested that too if she thought it was best."

Leanne looked up at me. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "You don't love me?"

Jordan and Danielle shared a glance. "We'll be right outside," Danielle said and they left.

I sat up and turned to focus on Leanne. She was crying freely now. I held her head to my chest, rocking her and stroking her hair. She outright cried for a few minutes and then dried up.

Her hand came around and rubbed my nipple.

I closed my eyes and pressed her hand to my chest to still her movements. She looked up. I met her eyes. Her expression was lost.

I was lost too. I really didn't know what to do about Leanne. I couldn't simply take her. She didn't want it before so she probably wouldn't want it now. I also seriously doubted my fetish would have any effect on her sexual desire. However, I needed it. I had to correct the bond. I fished in my pocket and pulled it out.

Leanne smiled at it and watched me put it on. Just as expected, she didn't respond. Somehow, I had to get her in the mood, and convince her to let me take her fully. With Jordan, Danielle, and Jana, I never had to get them in the mood, and with my new girls, my fetish made that leap for me. Leanne however had been my first who wanted to get intimate without the fetish. If only I hadn't tried to forge the bond without it.

I smiled at her and she smiled too. I lifted her chin and kissed her softly. She kissed me in return but that was all.

I ran my hands over her legs and took a chance by touching her breasts, but she remained content just holding me all the while.

Maybe if I took my pants off again? With one hand I popped the button and unzipped them. Leanne watched me open my pants but made no move to do anything. I took her hand and put it on me. She gripped me and I grew in her grip.

She looked up. "Can I... ?"

I nodded and she lowered her head to my lap. I laid back and swelled further in her mouth. She wiggled around and I helped to pull off her shorts. She hadn't put on her panties either. Then she shifted her hips around, straddled my head, and lowered her soft pink lips to my face. She was repeating everything from earlier tonight.

I held nothing back. Using the techniques I had learned from my girls, I drove her to one orgasm very quickly and had to do that and more, including using my fingers in her, to send her over the edge a second time.

She rolled off of me, her chest heaving as she caught her breath.

I rolled up onto my knees, but I didn't straddle her chest. "Leanne."

She looked into my eyes and I slid my hand down over her belly and between her legs. "I want to make you feel really good."

She squeezed her tanned thighs together around my hand.

"I won't hurt you, I swear," I said. "You've seen what I've done with others. You felt what I felt. Did I hurt any of those women?"

She shook her head and relaxed her thighs.

I kissed her again and put her hand on me. She rubbed me and smiled. I knew she had masturbated but had never used a dildo before. Other than a tampon and my fingers a minute ago, she had never had anything inside her.

She spread her legs wider and tugged on me. I moved over, getting between her thighs. She stroked me with both hands, and I fought with myself over what I had to do.

I pulled back until she could barely hold me. I continued to stroke her belly, hips and thighs, enjoying the feel of her silky skin, and hoping that she really wanted what was going to happen. I pulled out of her hand and aimed myself down to her full pink lips. She was very wet and I smeared her fluid all over my crown. I looked up to find her watching me and pulling at both of her nipples. Her mouth was open, like she couldn't get enough air.

Her hips thrust up at me. I didn't slide in because I didn't think it was all her. Her body asked for it instinctively, but I didn't believe she was conscious enough to know what was happening. I felt guilty as hell for what I was doing. To me, this was tantamount to rape.

Her hips thrust up at me again and she softly said, "Please."

I looked up.

"Please, Seth," she said. "I want to feel you inside me. Please." With her please, I remembered how much she wanted to know what sex was like before we met. There had been Jack Mayfield. She had been ready to give him her virginity, but she missed her chance. Was she really too out of it to understand what was happening? Was it really only up to me to do the right thing? Was it wrong to do this?

I shook off those questions. I couldn't think about this too much or I would chicken out. I leaned forward and eased into her hot, wet, tight canal.

She flattened her hands on the bed and bowed her back.

I pressed further in, a little at a time, and she grabbed at my shoulders. I let her pull me down on her and slid deeper still. She whimpered and crushed my chest against her big, soft tits. Her hands moved down and gripped my cheeks. She pulled. Hard. My pelvic bone crushed into hers. Her eyes and mouth opened wide and those little sounds she made when she climaxed escaped her.

I moved my hips, driving through her grip, prolonging her pleasure as much as I could. I don't know how long she lasted, but it took a while. Then she relaxed here and there, her body turned languid like she didn't have any strength left. The only things she could move, or she cared to, were her hands. They slid up and down my back.

I watched her eyes, hoping to find some semblance of the young woman who had started this with me earlier. Her dark eyes focused on me. "Seth ... Oh my ... Seth. You're inside me. It feels so good."

I moved some more, but didn't say anything.

She raised her legs and pressed her hips up against me in tandem to my movements. "Oh my God! That's so good. I'm so full. So very good."

We continued moving and she continued chattering. Then she looked into my eyes. "Up. I need you up."

I nodded and eased up but not out.

"I need to move," she said.

I leaned in close again, grabbed her shoulder, and rolled us over. She shifted her legs up so she was on her knees and sat up. Her hips rolled in circles as she tested different motions. Her tight grip made it difficult for me to feel any differences, but apparently she felt them just fine.

She raised her knees and I helped her maintain her balance. Once she was on her feet, she rose and fell on me a few times before turning sideways. Again, she rose and fell a few times before turning to face the other way completely. Then she settled back down on her knees, leaned forward and – from my point of view – bounced only her hips on me.

I rubbed her cheeks and what I could reach of her back. She bounced on me that way with a driving rhythm, taking me toward the edge of bliss right along with her. Then she pressed down on me hard, and ground around. I heard the same small noises from her, but I was too close to slow down now.

While she was still shaking, I pulled her back until she was laying on me, then I rolled us over on our sides. I lifted her leg and began thrusting into her again.

She half twisted, hooked her arm behind my head and kissed me. I groped her breasts and slapped my hips to her cheeks in sporadic thrusts.

In one final act of mental clarity, I broke our kiss and asked, "Do you want me to ... release in you?"

She shook her head. "On my tits. I want to watch you cum again." She let me go and slipped away from me. I got up on my knees and she rolled closer, putting her breasts under me. She gripped me and stroked me with an eager energy that quickly brought me off.

Just like Leanne requested, I shot all over her breasts. White pearly cream stood out starkly against her tanned skin. She smeared what her hands had caught all over me and then she rubbed what had landed on her into her breasts, especially her nipples.

I lay down next to her and watched how much she enjoyed the results.

She looked at me. "You took my virginity."

I wasn't sure what to say. Her expression and tone of voice didn't help me. "How do you feel?" I asked.

She looked down at her breasts again and back up with a small smile. "Like I've been fucked properly."

I smiled too and pulled her to me. For a few minutes the two of us lay on my bed, cuddling and sharing soft kisses. Jordan never came in to start the ritual, and when I thought Leanne wasn't going to freak out again, I got up to go talk to Jordan and Danielle. I needed to apologize to Jordan. She didn't deserve my earlier accusations. She had been patient with me, more patient than I deserved.

The two of them were sitting on the floor next to the components for my desk. They looked up when I came out. "How is she?" Danielle asked.

"In the bathroom cleaning up," I said. I walked over and sat in front of them. With them, I was oddly comfortable sitting around in the nude, even when they were dressed. I hadn't realized it until now. "I owe you an apology, Jordan. I was acting like an ass earlier and you didn't deserve that."

She stared at me. "You also owe Raven an apology too."

I nodded. "Give her a call, and I'll talk to her. The last thing I need is the only two magi willing to talk to me about all this mad at me for being an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," Jordan said, "Though you sometimes act like one." She reached out and stroked my cheek.

I took her hand and kissed it. Then I pulled her to me and kissed her. Danielle was smiling when we broke apart. I looked at her. "What are you smiling about?" I lurched at her and she squealed while trying to get away. I caught her, pinned her, and kissed her all over. She giggled all the while.

I helped her up and gave her a tender kiss too. I felt better now that we had talked, rationally. I glanced over my shoulder at the bedroom door. "Is it wrong to want to redeem myself?" I looked at the two of them. "I feel like I need to make up for some injustice. Like all the women I've bound to me deserve something better than anything I can offer."

Jordan and Danielle glanced at one another. "Personally, I'm fine with our arrangement," Jordan said. "But I've been in your shoes. I never worried about how my Fonti might react to the truth, or about having to share me, but then they never really knew what was going on in that regard either."

I nodded and looked at Danielle.

She licked her lips and studied me. "While I was with Roger, I didn't know if it was possible to have a normal relationship. Now, I'm with you. As far as I'm concerned, as long as we take care of each other, in all the ways that count, nothing could ever be better."

I sighed. "You both know what worries me. First, I'm constantly worried about doing something wrong. I don't even know what a normal relationship is, much less how to make it work right. Second, there's the issue of how the bond is affecting each of you and me. I really don't think it's just heightening our attraction and affection. I cannot believe that seven women all so readily accept that I'm a magus and that they are basically food. It's too much of a stretch."

Jordan started to say something but I held up my hand.

I nodded. "I know, you've been in my shoes, but now you can lead a normal life. You could get married, have kids." I shrugged. "Be like anyone else."

She reached out and took my hand. "Seth, it's not that simple. I like what we have. I doubt I could ever be happy in a normal relationship, and as for having kids ... Well. We'll discuss that when you've had more time to adjust to what's happening."

Danielle took my other hand. "I was supposed to be in a normal relationship with Roger. I'd rather have to share you with twenty other women than chance ending up in another loveless marriage. And as for the bond, if it is affecting us more than it's supposed to, I say we stick together and figure out what's going on, together."

I smiled and squeezed both of their hands. "I'm going to have to talk to everyone else about this too. They all know I'm not with them exclusively, but I don't think any of them really realize what the scope of this is. I'm going to need your help."

They both nodded and looked up. I felt hands on my shoulders and looked up. Leanne sat on the floor behind me, pressing herself into me. She was still nude too. For a second I was scared of how she would see the way Jordan and Danielle were holding my hands, but she leaned over and kissed my cheek. "I've already seen you with everyone else. At first it scared me, not because of how ... odd it was, but because you knew what you were doing and I was giving in to you." She leaned her chin on my shoulder. "Now, I'm glad you know what you're doing. I seriously doubt even Jack could have made me feel so good."

I pulled from Jordan and Danielle to hug and kiss Leanne. "You do know there's more to this than just sex, right?"

She nodded. "I heard what you were talking about. I remember everything that happened though I couldn't tell you why I was feeling like I was." She shook her head. "I don't know what a normal relationship is supposed to be like either. Jack and I only dated a few times, and before that I only dated the other boys once each. I haven't been on a date since Jack moved away."

I glanced at the others. "We'll have to correct that," I said, realizing I hadn't actually taken any of my first three girls on a real date-date either. Well, except when Danielle took me to eat at The Vivre.

Jordan and Danielle got up. I stood up too and helped Leanne up.

"I think dating will have to be on a case-by-case basis with each of us," Jordan said. "Besides, you can barely afford to take care of yourself, much less wine and dine all of us." She smiled. "Talk to everyone. If they want to go out when they're with you, go out. If they just want to stay in, then stay in. I don't think it has to be any more complicated than that." Danielle and Leanne nodded.

I sighed. "Yeah, you're probably right." I looked from one to the other. "For tonight though, I think I need some sleep."

Danielle and Jordan gave me hugs and left. Leanne said goodnight to them too and followed me to my bedroom. "Do you mind if I stay the night?"

I pulled her to me, gave her a quick kiss and said, "I don't think I would sleep very well if you didn't."

She wrapped her arms around me and said, "What makes you think you're going to get any sleep?"



-------

Chapter 17



Leanne wasn't completely true to her threat. Like the night before with Sammi, every time one of us rolled over and grazed up against the other, we didn't go back to sleep until we both reached another orgasm. When the sun rose, we both groused about too much light, but we also knew we'd have to get up soon.

We finally crawled out of bed after another session of bouncing around. Leanne was difficult to gauge. She tried one position after another, and when she found the angle or amount of pressure she liked, she kept us there until she finally exploded. I was never far behind her. Unlike the evening before though, instead of having me go on her chest, she kept me inside her. She said she was on the pill and I trusted that, but I thought I should pick up a box of condoms just to be on the safe side. Maybe a case would be better.

When we got dressed, she pulled clothes out of the duffle bag she brought. She pulled on this white tube top with several large hand-painted flowers on it. It stretched over her and she pulled it down to the top of her pink panties. When she caught me watching, she smiled. "I'm probably going to regret wearing this today."

I knew what she was talking about. "Just remember what I said, be yourself and if no one else can talk to you rather than your breasts, don't give them the satisfaction of acknowledging them."

She walked over to me with a smile, pressed herself against me, and said, "The girls don't mind if you talk to them. They like it when you show them how happy you are to see them."

I smiled. "The girls?"

She rubbed her breasts against me. "Mm-hmm."

I nodded and kissed her. "Then let the girls know that I enjoy their company too. As well as yours."

She grinned widely. "I will." Then she slipped out of my embrace and pulled out a pink skirt to go with her top. The skirt was short, only making it partway down her tanned thighs. After slipping on her shoes again, she was ready to go.

I got dressed while she did, so there was nothing else to delay us and we left the bedroom. I didn't have any food in the apartment other than the rest of the wine coolers and the orange juice. Both of us guzzled a glass of juice each and then left early. Leanne wanted something to eat before she started classes and my belly rumbled in agreement. We went to the UC and ate. There were a lot of looks in Leanne's direction. She held up well by holding onto my hand. Finally, we had to part, for only an hour, for our first classes.

I was a little unsure what to think when I got to Political Science. Class wasn't supposed to start for a few minutes and I was in my usual seat. However, unlike before, I didn't simply look over my notes from the previous lecture. Instead, I looked around, wondering where Erica was. She slid a hand across my cheek and made me jump. She giggled and took the seat next to me. "Hey, Tiger." She gave me a quick peck on the lips and pulled out her notebook and voice recorder. "How did the video come out?" she asked.

I shrugged. "I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. I went and bought a new desk and it's turning out to be more complicated to put together than I thought. Hopefully, I'll have a chance to look at it today."

She smiled. "I watched it like six times," she said. "My roommate even came in while I was watching but she was in a hurry and left without noticing what I was watching."

I knew who her roommate was, but decided not to let on. Leanne knew about me and Erica too, but there was an unspoken agreement to leave it alone for the time being. "You're not showing it to all your friends, are you?" I asked.

Her eyes widened. "No, I didn't think you'd want all them chasing you down for some action."

Her wording was a little odd. "You're worried about what I think, not how you'd feel if it happened?"

She shrugged. "I know you're with other women too. As long as I get to play, I don't mind."

I shook my head, unable to really comprehend how she could think that way. I didn't get to ask her more though because Professor Belton started class.

Halfway through the hour, Erica slid one of her feet up along my leg. I thought it was a pretty nifty trick considering the desks were all bolted to the floor. I reached down and pulled her foot out from under my pants. She pouted but I got her to turn in her seat and pulled both of her feet up into my lap. Then I pulled off her shoes and rubbed her feet while we took notes for the rest of class.

We left together, but her next class was on the second floor of Woolf Hall while I had to go to Preston Hall for English. She gave me a quick kiss before heading off.

When I got to Preston Hall, Leanne was waiting outside the classroom for me. "Did you see Erica?" she asked. I nodded. "Did she say anything about me being gone all night?" I shook my head. "Did you say anything to her?"

I shook my head and opened the door. "I told you, I don't discuss any of you with the others. At least nothing personal, like who spends the night with me."

She smiled and went first. I followed her, but instead of taking my usual seat in the middle, I sat next to her at the front. The other students filled in the seats around us and class progressed normally. When it was over, Neil approached Leanne again. "Hey, Leanne, do you have class today or can I tempt you with lunch?"

I stood up and slung my bag over my shoulder. Neil shot me a snide look. "Neil," I said, "she doesn't have class for another hour, but she doesn't want to eat with you. I'm sorry if that's not the answer you were hoping for." I took Leanne's hand and moved to leave.

Neil jumped in our way. "Wait a fucking second," he said. "You say she doesn't want to eat with me, but I'm not hearing that from her."

I looked at Leanne. She was glaring at Neil. She let my hand go and pointed at him. "If you think for one second I would even consider going to lunch with you, think again. I've put up with your crap but I'm not going to anymore. Now get out of the way."

He held up his chin in defiance. "It's a free country. I can stand where I want to."

Leanne and I moved to go around. Neil blocked our path again.

"Is there a problem here?" Professor Swafford called.

All of us looked his way. "No sir, Professor," I said. "Leanne and I were just leaving."

He nodded. "You should hurry. You'll be late for your next class."

I turned and looked at Neil again. He glared at me. Leanne and I moved around him and left. Once we were outside, I held on to Leanne's hands. "Walk with me. I don't want to chance what Neil might try next."

"Damn jerk!" Leanne said, and we walked to University Hall.

Just outside the main doors, Leanne pulled me to a stop. "I'm pretty sure the coast is clear. I'm gonna head over to Brazos." I nodded and gave her a kiss. She beamed and left. I ran up the stairs, hoping I wasn't going to be late again.

At the door to my Psychology class, I could hear Professor Dumont already lecturing. I rolled my eyes, took a deep breath and walked in. She stopped talking immediately and stared up at me. "Mr. Connors ... you're late. Again."

Everyone in the room was staring at me. I moved to take a seat at the back of the room.

Dumont shook her head. "No sir. Down here." She waved me toward her.

I picked up my bag again and stomped down the stairs.

As I got closer to her, I took notice of Dumont's appearance. Her hair was platinum blonde today, and pulled back in a sleek ponytail, leaving her face open. She was also wearing a pair of small silver hoop earrings and a lavender scarf that was folded tight, making it look like a choker. Rather than her usual skirt suits, she was wearing a black blouse that, as I got closer, looked almost see-through, and a silk lavender skirt. A pair of lavender high heels completed the look. I couldn't understand the drastic change in outfit, but I suspected that she probably dressed that way as a part of today's lecture. I didn't know what meaning it would hold, but I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing I had been distracted by it.

I glanced off to the side of the lecture stage where Katrina sat. She was watching me in turn. Today she was wearing a white blouse which flowed with her curves like it had been designed specifically for her, a pair of brown pinstripe slacks and high heels. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled back in a pony tail too, but the heavy waves of her hair made it more lively than Dumont's.

I stopped where Dumont had me stand the previous Monday, pulled out my clipboard, notepad and pen, and then dropped my pack at my feet. I was ready for this. I wasn't going to be left to worry about Dumont giving me my notes again.

Dumont quietly watched me and waited a few seconds after I was ready to say, "It seems our introvert has already adapted to his situation." She had a smirk on her face and looked up at the class. No one laughed though she seemed to think she had made a joke. "Today, Mr. Connors is going to help us understand the aspects of adulthood as it pertains to attraction and sexuality."

That seemed to catch a lot of attention. I heard, not as much as saw, everyone's attention focus to sharp precision on the stage. I rolled my eyes and began writing while Dumont lectured. I shifted back and forth on my feet like I was slow dancing, but otherwise, I made no move to draw attention to myself.

At one point, Katrina flicked her hair over her shoulder. I glanced her way, but that seemed to be the intent. She cleared her throat, using the same signal she had on Monday.

Dumont looked my way instantly. "Is there something wrong Mr. Connors?" She made a show of looking herself over, like she might have gotten something on her clothes, but there wasn't anything out of place. I had a closer view of her clothes than the rest of the class though, so I knew, as did she, that I was seeing more than anyone else. When she looked up though, I was looking in her eyes, waiting patiently for her to continue with her lecture rather than try to embarrass me.

She smirked again and her nod was almost imperceptive. I had offered her a challenge and she accepted.

Dumont picked up her lecture again. Katrina looked like she was fidgeting in her seat. I understood the ruse and refused to play. Apparently they had worked out a new system because for no reason that I could see, Katrina cleared her throat again and Dumont turned to look at me. I was still writing, so I didn't see her initial expression. When I looked up, she was watching me with raised eyebrows. "I apologize class. It appears I picked the wrong person for today's experiment." She looked up at the class and said, "I thought Mr. Connors was straight. I guess even I can be wrong."

I sighed and glanced at the class too. None of the guys were looking but several girls were, and their expressions were similar to Leanne's the night before, when she accused me of being gay. I shook my head and looked over at Katrina. She was watching me intently. I rolled my eyes and went back to taking notes.

Katrina cleared her throat again. Dumont glanced at her and then looked at me. "Do you have something say Mr. Connors?"

I looked up and studied Dumont for a moment. "You believe you've chosen the wrong student for your experiment, but have you taken into consideration the entire situation?"

She cocked her head to the side and smiled. "Oh, please, Mr. Connors. Educate us."

I sighed again. I wanted to attack her, but I didn't understand her well enough to be very successful, so I opted for the obvious form of defense. "You put an introvert in the spotlight and expect him to react like anyone else. His first reaction is to find a place to hide. If he cannot hide physically, then he will likely hide emotionally. Thus, any outside stimulus would fail to produce the desired results and the wrong theoretical explanation could be proposed."

"So, you're saying you're not gay?" she asked.

"If you need to hear it directly from me, then I am not gay," I said, emphasizing the last four words.

She looked me over slowly. I didn't move. She was trying to get a reaction out of me but I wasn't going to give in. "Would you be willing to answer a question honestly, for all of us?"

I glanced at the class again, but nodded.

"How many times, in the last week, have you had sex with a woman?" she asked.

I thought about it for a second. "That would depend on which woman you ask about specifically."

Her eyebrows shot up and she laughed. "Are you suggesting that you've had sex with more than one woman in the last week?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm telling you I have."

She looked me over again. "Okay, I'll play. How many women?"

"Seven," I said.

"You seem quite certain about that answer, Mr. Connors," she said. "Do you care to share with us the secret of your success, being a self-confirmed introvert?"

I shook my head. "That would require giving up details about the women I've been with, and I've promised both myself and each of them that I wouldn't do that."

She looked at the class. "Then how are we supposed to believe that you have actually had sex with seven different women."

"I don't need you to believe me to understand that it is a fact," I said.

"So, no kiss and tell?" She asked, faking a pout.

I shook my head. "You asked about numbers. That doesn't give up any personal information."

She smiled. "Fine, we'll number your women, one through seven. Can you tell us how many times you've had sex with woman number one?"

"I guess that would depend on what you consider sex," I said.

She blinked at me with a small smile. "Don't you know what sex involves?"

I nodded. "Probably better than most, but does sex involve only intercourse, or does it matter how I or my partner reaches climax?"

She paced back and forth with a smile. "Fine, by situation and orgasm. How many times have you been with woman number one?"

"On three occasions, she had a total of nine orgasms," I said, thinking of Jordan.

Dumont smirked. "Do you keep all of this written down in a little book Mr. Connors?"

I shook my head. "I have a good memory."

"Then how many times have you been with woman number two?"

"On three occasions, totaling eight orgasms." Danielle.

"Number three?"

"Twice for six orgasms," I said. Jana.

"Number four?"

"The other night for six orgasms."

She guffawed. "All in one night? You either have a very big ego or you're packing some hefty firepower."

I shook my head. "You asked for numbers, not methods."

She nodded. "And the last three women? In the last week?"

"All of them yesterday, three, two, and seven orgasms respectively."

She looked at the class. "That is amazing, Mr. Connors," she said, pacing again. "And you say you're an introvert? It sounds more like someone desperately trying to appear like they're doing better than they really are."

I shrugged. "You expect me to respond to you," I said and waved at her outfit. "Maybe because you decided to add some color to your clothing today, or simply due to the way you've dressed. You want attention, which you already have. You are the Professor here. But, since I don't react the way you want me to, you mark me as gay. Has it never occurred to you that I may already be getting plenty of what you believe you're inspiring?"

She frowned at that. "You and I will discuss your attitude after class, Mr. Connors."

I sighed and glanced at Katrina. Her eyebrows were floating high on her brow. I shook my head and continued taking notes.

Surprisingly, the bell rang sooner than I thought it should have, but my interactive discussion with the Professor had obviously passed more time than even she anticipated.

I put my things back in my pack and stood there while the rest of the class exited. Dumont went over to her office door, turned to me and said, "Mr. Connors. I will talk to you now."

I walked into her office, a spacious room with two desks, several filing cabinets, and two walls worth of shelves full of books. A single window allowed the sun to fill the room with warm light.

I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from Dumont. She would undoubtedly yell and threaten me, so I stood in front of her desk, set my bag on the floor at my feet and waited for her to get it over with.

Katrina followed me in and closed the door. She sat at the second desk as quiet as a mouse. I didn't bother even glancing at her. The show for the class was over with.

For a moment, Dumont ignored me. She looked through the contents of one of the drawers of a filing cabinet and then pulled out a folder. She sat down with the folder but didn't open it. She looked up with her fingers interlaced on the desk. Her top was so tight her breasts bulged out over her arms.

I maintained eye contact with her, having lots of practice at it over the last couple of days.

"Mr. Connors, I want to know what you thought to accomplish today?"

I shrugged. "I simply pointed out that I was not gay, and offered proof to the fact."

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about your comments on my person."

"If you're talking about the difference between what you usually wear and what you're wearing now, then I can only apologize if I was mistaken."

"If you were mistaken?"

I nodded.

"You are mistaken Mr. Connors."

"Then you have my apologies."

She stood up. "That's not good enough Mr. Connors."

I frowned.

"You are going to spend the rest of the quarter down on the lecture stage with me, Mr. Connors. Think of it as being in time out. And being late again is also unacceptable. This is going in your permanent record. Keep in mind that if you get too many such marks, the school will be forced to take action."

I didn't say anything. She was simply using her power to punish me since she couldn't get to me out in front of the class. To be honest, there was really nothing I could do about it, so I would suck it up, move forward and do my best not to cross her again.

She walked around her desk and moved very close to me. I stood still, not facing her. My way of defying the authority she held over me. "And if you ever make disparaging remarks about me in front of the class again, I will see to it that the Dean has you thrown out."

"May I speak?" I asked.

She stared at me for a second. "What?"

I looked at her. "You've earned a level of respect by becoming a college professor, but if you want personal respect, you have to be willing to give it too. Therefore, if you don't want me verbally abusing your person in front of the class, please refrain from doing the same to me."

We stared at each other, though I thought she was glaring at me. "Fine," she said. "You may go."

I picked up my bag and reached for the door.

"Katrina, see that he gets today's notes, please."

I frowned but stepped out without saying anything. Katrina followed me out. She closed the door behind us and smiled at me. "I've never seen anyone get away with that in her class before." She walked toward the room on the other side of the lecture stage.

I followed her. "I didn't exactly get away with anything."

She shook her head and glanced at me. "No, you were fine right up until you commented on her appearance."

I glanced back at the office door, making sure it was closed. "Yeah, but I wasn't wrong."

Katrina opened the storage room door. "If you weren't in class when you said it, you might have gotten a different response."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

She opened a filing cabinet and pulled out a folder. "She only acts like this while working. When she's not on campus, she's ... well, like a whole other person."

I shook my head. "Why are you telling me this?"

She shrugged. "I thought if you two would stop fighting enough to talk rationally, you might get along better."

I sighed. "At this rate, I doubt we'll ever have a friendly conversation."

She smiled and set the papers to copy. "Were you serious?"

"About what?"

"About how many women you've had sex with."

I nodded. "Yes."

She stared at me and shook her head. "I don't get you. You say you've been with seven different women in the last week, but you're just standing there talking to me. You're not trying to come onto me or leering or anything else that most college guys do around me. Why is that?"

I felt like I was having a similar conversation as the one last night with Leanne. "I learned a hard lesson in self control. I may not appear to find you, or even professor Dumont, attractive, but that's not true."

Katrina turned to face me fully. "So, if I asked you to have sex with me, would you?"

I thought about that, entertaining the idea of having sex with Katrina and realizing that I wasn't averse to it in the least. In fact my jeans became uncomfortable. However, I had a full plate and though I needed more Fonti, I didn't believe binding Dumont's assistant would be a good idea. Of course, I didn't know if I could have sex without binding the woman I was with. "Are you asking me to have sex with you?"

She looked me over and shook her head. The copier finished its job and Katrina handed me the papers. As I put the papers in my pack, Katrina brushed against my arm. A spark jumped between us.

Time slowed down.

Katrina jumped. I watched how her breasts rose and fell in super slow motion. At the same time though, during that short jolt, I felt several emotions that weren't mine. Lust filled me. It coursed throughout my body, touching all of my erogenous zones, making me as hard as I had ever been, and even caused my testicles to ache. Unlike the lust I had felt from Robyn or Sammi, this was somehow different. It felt natural, like I was used to it being there all the time, always ready, forever unsatisfied. I felt curiosity but it was quickly diminishing. The last thing I felt was very strong self-restraint.

The spark ended and Katrina laughed. "It's been a while since I've been shocked."

I smiled and nodded but didn't say anything. She put the file back and we left the storage room.

"I'll see you again on Friday," she said, turning and letting her eyes give me a quick once-over. I was throbbing and she noticed. Her smile grew and she met my eyes with a sparkle I knew all too well, but rather than tease me, she turned and walked to the office.

I left the classroom and realized that if she had noticed my condition and asked me to have sex with her, I wouldn't have been able to say no.



-------

Chapter 18



I hadn't discussed getting back to my apartment with anyone, so I planned on walking. At the corner of South Nedderman and Cooper, I was waiting for the crosswalk light when I heard someone honk and call my name. I looked and found Jordan waving at me from the parking lot just south of Davis Hall. She was in a body hugging pale yellow dress that dipped low enough in front to show her blue and white bra. The hem of the skirt stopped halfway down her thighs and she wore knee-high leather boots. Her hair cascaded in loose curls over her breasts and even from where I first spotted her, I could see her nipples standing at attention.

I walked over to her. "I didn't expect anyone to pick me up."

She cocked her head to the side. "Have you ever had to walk to my apartment at all since classes started?"

I shook my head. "No, but I shouldn't have to depend on you or anyone else for transportation."

She smiled and pulled me to her for a kiss. I couldn't believe how good it felt to kiss her and I indulged myself just a little. When I broke for air, she licked her lips and looked my face over. "If I didn't know better, I'd say someone got your engines running."

I shook my head. "Nope, just really happy to see you."

She rubbed her belly against me. "It feels like it. I'd take you to your apartment and take advantage but we can't."

Holding her, I was very tempted to ask why not, but I restrained myself. It was a first that I might be the aggressor between the two of us and I didn't doubt that she would be perfectly willing to entertain my desires. However, with the threat of what my power might do to her, I stepped back so temptation wouldn't win. I also realized that she said we couldn't not because she didn't want to but because something else was up. "What's going on?"

She ran her fingers over my chest, but skipped my nipples. "Just get in."

I ran to the other side and climbed into her car. Jordan was smiling at my eagerness, but she didn't make a move to either encourage or discourage me. We left the parking lot and passed the apartment complex.

"Where are we going?" I asked. Part of me thought she might just take me to her place and have her way with me there. I wouldn't have argued with her about it.

"Something's come up with Sammi," she said. "She called and needs you at the store."

"Is everything alright?" I asked, scared she might have already been affected by my power.

Jordan smiled. "She's fine. I think it has something to do with the line."

I nodded, relieved.

Jordan studied me as she drove. "So, how were your classes today?"

"Productive," I said.

"Really?" she asked, showing more interest than she ever had in my classes. "What did you ... produce?"

I shook my head. "Nothing like that happened. Erica was content with me rubbing her feet during Political Science and Leanne and I stayed focused in English because she likes to sit in the front row."

Jordan nodded. "I know you have three classes. What about the last one?"

I sat back, grinding my teeth. "I was late to my last class because one of the guys from English wouldn't let me and Leanne leave." I looked at Jordan. "He didn't believe that Leanne didn't want to go to lunch with him."

"He just wanted to eat lunch?" Jordan asked.

I shook my head. "I convinced Leanne to be herself and dress the way she wanted to. She did and I think Neil thought she was dressed like that for him or something."

"Are you saying that he didn't want to eat lunch?" she asked, her tone thick with innuendo.

I nodded. "Yes, that's what I'm saying."

She rolled her eyes. "Then just say Neil wants to get in her panties, or something similar. You don't have to beat around the bush with me."

"I know, I'm just ... frustrated," I said.

Jordan sighed. "And you reverted to your old self, wanting to hide and avoid confrontation."

I shook my head. "No, I confronted Neil. I stood up to him. I couldn't let Leanne deal with him on her own when I was standing right there."

"Very gallant of you," Jordan said. "But sometimes you just have to let a girl handle her own problems."

"He was challenging me, not her," I said. "She even confirmed what I said, but he was just being stubborn about it. Sometimes I worry that someone like him won't understand when one of you say no and do something I might feel the need to kill them over."

Jordan smiled. "I know you care Seth, but I doubt any of us will ever need that level of protection." We sat there for a moment and she asked, "Okay, he made you late to your last class. What happened there?"

"Professor Dumont might know a lot about psychology but she doesn't seem to connect with people very well," I said.

"What do you mean?" Jordan asked.

I told her what happened.

"And now she's going to keep you on a short leash in her class," Jordan summed up.

I nodded. "Looks that way."

She reached over and patted my thigh. "So, why the amorous greeting?"

I looked at her. "What, I'm not allowed to hug and kiss you like that?"

She pouted. "I wish you would hug and kiss me like that more often, but I know you well enough to know something had to have happened. Who was she?"

I shook my head but said, "Katrina, Dumont's T.A."

Jordan smiled. "Tell me about her."

"There's not much to tell," I said. "Until Monday, we never even spoke to each other. Now I've talked to her twice."

"You don't remember what about?" Jordan asked.

"Monday was about nothing really, just me commenting on her working with Dumont," I said. "But today ... Today she was different somehow." I looked at Jordan. "Do you remember the spark between me and Robyn at the bank on Monday?"

Jordan nodded. "You said you felt her emotions."

I nodded. "It happened again with Katrina."

"What did you feel?" Jordan asked.

"Just to be clear, I wasn't wearing my Fetish," I said, "but she was saturated in lust. It wasn't the same as Robyn. It was like Katrina was used to it, like she was that way all the time."

"What else did you feel from her?" Jordan asked.

"Curiosity," I said, "which was fading, and very strong self-restraint."

Jordan looked at me. "Are you sure you weren't wearing your Fetish?"

I pulled it out of my pants pocket. "I've had it in my pocket all morning."

"Well," Jordan said, "after your proclamations of your studliness, she was probably curious what you had going for you that made you so popular with the ladies."

"I only said that to prove I wasn't gay," I said.

"You didn't prove anything," Jordan said.

"I wasn't going to give them names and details," I said.

"And all of your Fonti appreciate that," she said. "But rattling off numbers doesn't prove anything."

"If I didn't prove anything," I said, "then why would Katrina be interested in me?"

Jordan shook her head. "Although you didn't actually prove anything, you showed something a lot of other guys would have had problems with under the same circumstances."

I frowned. "And what was that?"

"Confidence and certainty," she said. "You weren't exactly being modest but you weren't smug about it either. That's something that will gain you more admirers than anything else."

"And you think that's why she was curious?" I asked.

She studied me again. "What did she say to you?"

I looked away. I wasn't sure I could repeat the question.

Jordan studied me for a second. "Did she come onto you?"

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Not exactly. Her exact words were, 'if I asked you to have sex with me would you?'"

"And what did you say?" Jordan asked in a tone that said she already knew.

"I asked her: 'Are you asking me to have sex with you?' but she shook her head," I said.

Jordan's eyebrows rose. She watched where she was driving silently for a minute. "I would have expected you to say no outright."

I shook my head. "Jordan, she's gorgeous..."

She chuckled. "But?"

"I thought binding Dumont's assistant to me would be a bad idea," I said. "What with how well Dumont and I get along already."

"Chicken," Jordan said. "That's a lousy excuse."

"You really believe I should jump every girl that shows even the slightest interest in me?" I asked. I was pretty sure what her answer would be.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, especially if you're attracted to her too." She shook her head. "I can't repeat myself enough about this. You're allowed to choose who you bind, which means you should pick women who you're attracted to. It's a massive bonus if she's attracted to you too."

I frowned. "Are you telling me that some magi will bind someone they're attracted to even if the feeling isn't mutual? How do they deal with the backlash?"

She shrugged. "I've never met anyone who did that. If any magus pays close enough attention, they'll find someone out there who shares their attraction." She looked at me with a grin. "Why, are you planning on binding your professor?"

I frowned and shook my head. "No way."

Jordan laughed. "Well, I doubt the Professor cares who her assistant dates, just so long as she can do her job."

I didn't argue that point. Besides, I wasn't entirely certain Katrina really was interested in me. She might have been worked up over the topic or any number of the other guys in the class too. Most of my attention had been on Dumont, so any number of things may have sparked her interest. In the end, I was sure Katrina had been just teasing me. Jordan was right. I hadn't proved that I wasn't gay.

We arrived at Silk and Lace. It wasn't as busy as it had been on Monday. Daisy bounced our way when we walked in. "Can I help you with anything today?" she asked.

Jordan smiled politely at me. I simply shook my head. "Sammi needs to talk to me," I said and we walked through the store to the studio. I wasn't wearing my Fetish, so I still wasn't certain about Daisy while in the store. If she was so attentive outside the store, then I might agree there was some interest, but until then, she was an unknown to me.

Sammi was sitting at the desk in front of the computer. She wore a dark blue dress that I thought was made of felt. The skirt fell only halfway down her magnificent thighs and a pair of gold high heels set off the natural tan of her skin as well as the gold in her hair. She looked up when we walked in and smiled. "Hey Seth. I need you."

Jordan grinned wide but Sammi and I ignored her. Sammi waved me to her and pointed at the computer screen. "I've been looking at the photos we took on Monday. I put them together with the rest of the site to make sure everything looked good but I realized there was a problem." She looked up at me. "You're a touch pale in the pictures."

I stood up straight and said, "Oh. So, what are you suggesting?" I thought I had just lost my job.

She reached over next to the computer tower and pulled out what looked like a can of spray paint. She held it up for me to see. "Liquid Tan," she said. "We spray you with this and make you look like you worship the sun as much as Jordan."

I glanced at the brunette. "I thought you went to a tanning booth?"

She nodded and we looked at Sammi.

The store owner rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. You'll look like you've been tanning too."

I nodded. "Okay, but doesn't that mean we have to re-shoot everything we've already finished?"

She sighed. "That depends on how the new pictures turn out."

"So, you might need me to actually go to a tanning booth anyway," I said.

She shrugged. "We won't know until we try." She stood up. "Do you want to try the test shots in your underwear?"

I frowned at the can. I didn't like the idea of being covered in instant spray-on tan. For that matter, she didn't need me fully covered. Only my belly and thighs were in any of the pictures. "How easily does that wash off?" I asked.

She cringed. "It's designed to be waterproof. It's supposed to be an alternative to tanning."

I held out my hand for the can. She handed it to me. I read the directions and noticed the warnings. It could cause rashes or other medical problems. Great, and I was supposed to see Jana today and spend the night with Milena. I needed to test this stuff out first. I sprayed it on the inside of my left wrist and waited. It didn't itch or burn, but it looked funny. I turned my arm this way and that, trying to see it in better light. "Am I supposed to turn orange?"

Sammi sighed. "I was afraid of that."

Jordan bumped me with her shoulder. "You might have another solution, Seth."

I looked at her and understood what she was suggesting immediately. "You mean a spell to make me look tanned?"

She nodded. "Actually, you really would be tanned."

I shook my head. "I don't know about that. The last spell you taught me went a lot further than you expected. I'd hate to turn into a crispy critter."

She shook her head. "We know how potent your magic is. We just have to tone down your effort to make it work right."

"Can we test it somehow first?" I asked.

"The only way to test it is to try it on someone else," she said.

I looked from her to Sammi and back. "Okay, it's all or nothing."

Jordan rolled her eyes. Sammi looked at her. "What do you mean by that Seth?"

"He's very protective," Jordan said. "He doesn't want to do anything that might hurt us."

Sammi nodded. "So, what's involved in this spell?"

Jordan looked at me. "It's a little more complex than the luck spell, but only because it involves modifying his skin."

I looked at Jordan too. "How much more complex?"

She shrugged. "Not much. I used to use it."

I looked from her to Sammi and back again. "Okay, tell me what to do."

"This is going to sound silly, but you go outside and wash yourself with sunlight," she said.

I stared at her. "Wash myself with sunlight?"

She nodded. "You have to stay focused on your goal, like with the luck spell. And while standing in the sunlight, you rub your body, like you're taking a shower. It won't take much for you because of the potency of your power. A few seconds should do the trick."

I nodded. "Okay," I said. "Is there anything I shouldn't do?"

"Don't take a Hollywood shower," she said.

I frowned at her. A Hollywood shower was spending a lot more time in the shower than was absolutely necessary to get yourself clean. I certainly didn't want to spend too much time doing this. "How much time did you spend doing this in a single application?" I asked.

She shrugged. "About ten minutes, like a normal shower."

"So, a few seconds should be enough for me, right?" I asked.

She nodded.

I sighed. "I cannot believe I'm about to do this," I said under my breath, handed the can back to Sammi, and left the studio. I walked through the store with Daisy watching me the whole way. Outside, I went over to Jordan's car and stood there like I was thinking about getting in it. I glanced at the store. I couldn't tell if anyone was watching me. I shook my head and cleared my thoughts.

Jordan said to focus on my goal. I needed a tan, something that would look good in the pictures. With that in mind, I pretended as if I was in a shower and rinsing off. I rubbed my face, my chest, my arms, my belly, back, butt, and legs. Determined not to burn myself accidentally, I only took a few seconds. If it only made a marginal change, I could try it again. I thought it would be better to move slowly than to take off running with a spell like that.

I opened my eyes and looked at my hands. I thought I looked darker, but I wasn't sure. I walked back inside.

Daisy watched me walk through the store again, but didn't say anything or act any differently. Back in the studio Jordan and Sammi were waiting. I walked in and said, "I don't know if this worked."

Both of them stared at me for a few seconds. I got worried and left to find a mirror. I knew where there were a bunch of mirrors. I opened one of the dressing rooms and walked in. I was definitely tanned, but to me I didn't look that much different. I went back to the studio. Sammi and Jordan didn't so much jump me as make sure I didn't run off again. They pulled me over to the closest bed and stripped me down to my briefs. They ran their hands over me, examining every inch, short of what was still covered.

"Someone say something please," I said, a little turned on and a little scared.

Jordan said, "You're going to save us a lot of money on tanning booths."

I frowned and looked myself over again. "I don't look that different."

Sammi pulled me from the bed and put me in front of the camera she had set up again. I posed like she had me previously, and she snapped off a few pictures. Then she took out the memory card and dragged me over to the computer. It only took her a few seconds to pull up the pictures and give me a side-by-side comparison of the before and after affects of my spell. In the previous picture I was pale, just like she described. In the new picture, my skin wasn't just tanned; it was like I had a very slight sheen, like I had a soft metal worked into my skin. I pointed at the camera. "You did something to the lighting on that thing."

She shook her head and said, "No, it's the same setup as Monday." She was still looking at the pictures on the screen. After a few seconds, she sat back, looked at my crotch, and then at the screen again. Then she looked up at me more slowly. "We can't take anymore pictures until you ... relax."

I frowned. I didn't feel tense. Nervous maybe, but fairly relaxed. "I'm fine," I said.

She stood up and glanced at Jordan. Jordan smiled and said, "He was rather passionate when he greeted me after his last class. Something he normally refrains from."

They both looked at me. Jordan said, "A side of him I would like to see more of, to be honest."

I looked from one smiling woman to the other. "Maybe we should get some shooting done, just in case this doesn't last?"

They shared another look. I didn't know what the exchange was about, but they didn't tell me. I thumbed over my shoulder toward the door. "Should I go get something to put on?"

They both reached for me at the same time. "No," Jordan said. "Stay," Sammi said. Each of them grabbed an arm. The touch of their skin on mine felt good and I stifled a small moan.

"There's no use working on the shoot with you in this condition," Jordan said reasonably.

"Then I should get dressed," I said, almost scared of the urges I fought not to give in to.

They led me over to the same bed Sammi and I had shared on Monday. It was clean and made up. They turned me and made me sit. I had grown tense. I wasn't absolutely certain what they had in mind, but I knew what I was ready for.

Jordan walked over to the door. I didn't know where she was going, but a touch of relief swept through my mind. She was my biggest instigator. If she wasn't going to be involved in helping me to relax, then maybe it would be okay. That relief was short lived though as she stopped and locked the door.

Sammi ran her hands over my chest. She rubbed both of my nipples and I moaned strongly. Jordan returned with a smile I recognized. I knew I didn't have a choice in what was coming.

Sammi smiled up at me. She pulled at my nipples and all of my earlier frustrations came back. She and Jordan looked at one another and smiled. I moaned again while Sammi continued playing with my nipples.

None of my worries crossed my mind. I was too far gone at the moment to care about anything except the sensations coursing through me. I ran a hand up along Sammi's arm and pulled her to me for a kiss.

She smiled and leaned into me. Her tongue met mine before our lips touched. Without any effort on my part, her dress slipped from her shoulder. I noticed the difference and marveled at her warm, silky skin. I wanted to feel more of it. I wanted it on my skin. I needed her pressed against me.

We broke our kiss and I helped her out of her dress. It was unzipped in the back and once off her arms, slid down her body to pool on the floor. Under it, she wore a lace bra and pair of panties in the same color. Jordan stood behind her and the bra came loose. Sammi flicked her shoulders and it slid off her arms. Jordan ducked down and pulled the blonde's panties down. Sammi tugged at my underwear and I understood what she wanted. Rather than try to stand up to get them off, I lay back on the bed and raised my hips. She pulled them off and tossed them aside.

I wanted to sit up and pull Sammi up to lay on me so I could get more skin contact, but she pushed me back down and ran her hands over my erection. I touched what I could reach of her.

Jordan stood off to the side watching. She noticed me looking at her and smiled. I looked her over and she raised her eyebrows. I held out a hand to her and she took it. I tugged at her, wanting her closer but she pulled back. I frowned because I really wanted her with me too. With a smile, she grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it up and off like a t-shirt. I smiled at her as she released her bra. A few seconds later, she was nude too and crawled up onto the bed.

Sammi lowered her mouth over me, sucking on my crown and washing me with her tongue. I moaned and thrust my hips up at her. She moved so I wouldn't choke her and continued sucking and stroking.

Jordan moved up next to me and kissed me just as deeply as Sammi had. I ran my hand up her arm, over her shoulder, down her side, and up to her breasts. I craved more contact and pulled her to me. She didn't argue or complain. She moved up and pressed her breasts against my face.

With my other hand, I pulled at Sammi. She moaned around me and moved closer, pressing her breasts between my thighs. I squeezed her lightly and was able to touch and stroke more of her in return. My craving for their skin quieted a little, but I needed more.

I don't know if Jordan understood what I wanted, but she turned and settled down next to me, rubbing my chest and pulling my head into her breasts. She rubbed her sculpted thigh against my leg and I pulled her tight to my side. She lowered her lips to my ear and said, "I need you Lover. We haven't made love since Friday and I'm going crazy."

I wasn't the only one to hear her. Sammi pulled me from her wet lips and said, "You haven't fucked her since Friday?"

With Jordan smothering me with her breasts, I couldn't look in Sammi's direction or explain, but I wasn't really trying either.

I don't know what signals the women shared, but Sammi moved back and Jordan threw her leg over me. The brunette slid down my body until I could feel the heat between her legs pressed against my erection. Jordan rolled her hips, rubbing me lightly with her own body. Sammi helped us by pressing me to Jordan. With familiar ease, I slid into Jordan and both of us moaned out loud.

Sammi stayed where she was, rubbing me and Jordan. I could feel her hands sliding over both of us, smearing Jordan's fluids over us and generally adding to the warmth of our contact. Then I felt Sammi lick my sack and suck one of my balls into her mouth. I held still, but Jordan was too keyed up to be rational or gentle. She rocked on me, rubbing her breasts into my chest and sliding along my length.

Sammi released that testicle only to suck the other into her mouth. She rubbed at my thighs and moaned deeply. Jordan continued rocking along, following the rhythm to a song only she could hear. And by the tempo she was keeping, the song wasn't slow and soulful, but driving and heavy on bass.

Sammi let me go, licked up along my length and it was Jordan who slowed to a stop while receiving the blonde's additional attention. I thrust up into Jordan, trying to match the music she had been following but my movements were muted. I couldn't get enough leverage with my butt on the edge of the bed.

Jordan sat up and looked back at Sammi. Then she crawled off me. Sammi patted my thighs. "Move back."

I sat up and moved further back onto the bed. The girls pushed me back to lie down again. Jordan straddled my hips, taking me back into her, but she didn't lay down. I reached for her, but Sammi moved up next to my head and straddled my face. I understood. Sammi felt a little left out.

With the bed solidly under my feet, I was able to give Jordan the action she needed. With my arms wrapped around Sammi's thighs, I licked and nibbled on her too.

Jordan's moans could get throaty and a little loud, but Sammi was the queen of volume. I was getting the skin contact I needed so I wasn't so far gone to not notice. However, the girls shifted and Sammi's songs became muted. I couldn't see what was going on, but as long as no one came knocking on the door to find out if we were okay, I didn't think there was any reason to hold back on what I was doing.

Jordan rolled and thrust her hips with me buried completely in her. She squeezed me with her inner muscles and I felt the initial stirrings of my orgasm building. In turn, I lapped at Sammi's juices, drove my tongue as far into her as I could and rubbed her clit with my thumb. I wasn't sure where the girls' hands were but they weren't on me.

Sammi ground herself into my face, and I had to hold onto her to keep from being smothered. Otherwise, I didn't stop what I was doing, keeping the stimulus going all through her orgasm and fighting to drink down the additional juices she produced.

Jordan's grip on me tightened and she shifted her hips so her pelvic bone ground against mine. I felt her juices flow over me, and I pressed myself up into her.

I wasn't quite there yet, but then the girls weren't done yet either. Both of them crawled off me and then switched places before I could sit up. Sammi's grip on me was different than Jordan's and Jordan tasted different than Sammi. Sammi didn't simply roll her hips, but bounced on me, and Jordan was more active in directing where she wanted my attention. I couldn't explain why the differences turned me on like they did, but soon I was tensed up, trying to hold off the orgasm that had been building.

Jordan knew me pretty well and said, "He's almost there." Both of them crawled off and I was up on my knees like I had a loaded spring in my back. They both flipped over, lying down and pulled my throbbing erection to their mouths. I thrust between Jordan's lips and then Sammi's. I groped at their breasts and ran my hands over their skin. It was all I could do to hold off as long as possible.

I don't know what triggered me specifically, but I was in Jordan's mouth when it hit. She choked slightly and let me go. Sammi wasn't quite quick enough to catch the next spurt but she covered me and sucked while I finished.

I fell back on the bed, slipping away from them. They turned to each other, kissing and swapping the remnants of what they caught. I watched them for a few minutes while catching my breath. I felt a lot better and judging from the way they were acting, I was pretty sure they were too.

I worried about Jordan though. I had spent as much time with her as with Danielle. If she didn't have some kind of resistance to the energy-draining effects of my power, then she would soon fall ill. I didn't say anything though. Jordan knew what could happen and preaching about it would only sour her mood. For the time being, I let the topic sit quietly in the back of my mind so she could enjoy the post-coital serenity with Sammi.



-------

Chapter 19



When the girls were finished sharing my spending, they crawled over and lay down on either side of me. It felt good to hold both of them. If felt good enough that I could have gone another round if they wanted. I took a breath to say as much when someone knocked at the door.

All of us held our collective breaths. Through the door, Daisy said, "Beatrice Stratford is here from the factory. She wants to see what you have for the new line."

Sammi sat bolt upright. Her eyes were wide and she said, "We'll be out in a minute." Then she crawled off the bed and looked back at us. "Don't just lay there. Get dressed."

Jordan and I shared a smile and moved to comply. Sammi was almost frantic. She pulled on her panties and then her dress. I picked up her bra and asked, "What about this?" She snatched it and stuffed it under a pillow. Her unfettered breasts bounced in her dress and her nipples were apparent to me, but she was more than adequately covered.

Jordan didn't bother with any underwear at all. She pulled her dress back on and tugged it in place where needed. The front had a plunging neckline and though she was covered, it was apparent that she wasn't wearing a bra. Her nipples stood out further than Sammi's and were more prominent with the lighter color of the dress. Other than that, no one but us would know she wasn't wearing panties.

I knew I was supposed to work with Sammi to shoot more of the line, but since none of us had gone to get anything for me to wear yet, I decided to get dressed too.

Sammi went to the computer and did something I couldn't see. Jordan went over to check the lighting and camera. I stood next to the bed, worried that the smell of sex was probably strong enough to be noticed and what Ms. Stratford might think of it.

Once Sammi was satisfied with the computer, she got up and unlocked the door. I didn't know what to do with myself, so I went over and looked at the screen. She had a webpage up of the men's line. The ads all described the different styles and included pictures of the different colors. We had only gotten through about ten of the ads on Monday, and each one included about eight different colors. Of course, those were also some of the more basic designs without any of the special wording or pictures some pairs had.

Sammi came back with Ms. Stratford. Ms. Stratford was a gorgeous woman with long chocolate brown hair, a stunning face, and slim figure. She wore a lavender blouse and black skirt that hugged her to her knees. They talked until Ms. Stratford saw me. She didn't stop talking so much as slow down. Sammi noticed her reaction and held out her arm to me. "Beatrice this is our model, Seth Connors."

I walked over to them and held out my hand to shake. "Nice to meet you Ms. Stratford."

She shook my hand lightly, as if on automatic pilot. "Yes, nice to meet you."

I glanced at Sammi. She shot me a small smile. She looked at Ms. Stratford. "I have the sample ads setup on the computer for you to see."

Beatrice looked at her and then remembered what was going on. "Oh, I'm not worried about the ads. I wanted to see the actual garments."

"Oh," Sammi said. "Well, this way." And she led her guest to the other room with all the racks. Jordan and I stayed where we were. Once they were gone, Jordan and I put the bed back in order. There was the distinct odor of sex, but it wasn't as strong as I thought.

Jordan smiled at me. "For a moment there, I thought she was going to faint."

I shook my head. "I'm not wearing my fetish. What was with her?"

Jordan shook her head and changed the subject. "What did you focus on when you started the spell?"

"Like you suggested, that I was taking a shower," I said. "There was also the thought that I wanted to look good for the pictures."

Jordan sighed. "Then the spell won't be permanent. It'll only last as long as you've got to model for Sammi's line."

"I don't see that as a bad thing," I said.

She shook her head. "No, not bad, but you'll have to perform it again if she needs you for something else."

Sammi and Ms. Stratford returned, talking softly and giggling. They reminded me of my girls when they were talking about something they didn't think I would find funny. There was no reason to believe that they were talking about me specifically, so I tried not to think about it too much. Unfortunately for me, they glanced at me a couple of times. Yeah, they were talking about me, and I didn't know Sammi well enough to know what she was saying.

They went over to the computer and Sammi told Ms. Stratford about the ads while showing her what she already had put together. Ms. Stratford cooed and nodded at the screen.

Then Sammi turned in her chair and said, "Seth, Beatrice has an offer you might find interesting."

I glanced at Jordan and stepped closer. "Yes, Ms. Stratford?"

She looked up at me too. "Please, call me Beatrice. My mother-in-law is Ms. Stratford."

I nodded, "Call me Seth."

She smiled. "Seth, Sammi tells me this is your first time modeling." I nodded. "Have you considered making a career of it?"

I blinked for a few seconds, not sure what to think of the idea. "No, I haven't. I was just looking for a job while I go to school."

Beatrice nodded. "Well, most models that do this kind of work only do it part time anyway. However, I would like to point out that some of the models who make it into lingerie catalogs end up doing professional level work too. If one of the high end companies sees you on Sammi's site, they may contact her to talk to you about doing work for them."

I glanced at Sammi. She smiled at me but I couldn't read her expression otherwise. I didn't know what to say about the possibility of a larger company wanting me to model for them, though it was only a possibility, and one I didn't see any real chance of happening. Even if it occurred, I didn't want to leave Sammi. "If something like that were to happen, and if it didn't require me to leave Sammi as her model, then I would consider it."

Beatrice glanced at Sammi. "What do you think?"

"I think he should go for it," she said and then looked at me. "I don't know when I may need you for additions to the men's line, Seth. If you can land regular work doing this while you're in school, I don't see any reason you shouldn't."

I nodded at Sammi. "But the likelihood that any of those companies would see me on you site is slim, right?"

Beatrice looked at me again. "If you're willing, Sammi could help you build a portfolio. Then I could send that out to the other companies I make clothes for. You may end up with additional work sooner than you think."

I couldn't imagine any reason not to agree, except maybe my fear of being turned down. I glanced at Jordan who gave me eyes that usually meant, do it. I turned to Beatrice again. "Okay, but I'm not making any promises about which companies I'll work for." I glanced at Sammi. "What about Stan's stores?"

Sammi shook her head. "He doesn't carry a men's line."

I nodded and said, "If he decides to start one, I'll refuse to work for him."

Beatrice glanced questioningly at Sammi. Sammi said, "Seth caught an argument between me and Stan on Monday."

Beatrice nodded and looked at me. "The sooner you get the portfolio together, the sooner I can put out word. Male models are always in short supply, so you should expect calls as early as Tuesday."

I nodded in return. "We'll start putting it together once we're done with today's work."

Sammi nodded too. She and Beatrice got up and left the studio. Jordan all but squealed and hugged me. "I can't believe this. You're gonna be a model."

I held her too but didn't share her enthusiasm. "Are you sure about this? It's not like I couldn't find something else."

She rolled her eyes. "Seth, there's nothing wrong with making some money by using what you've got. You'll have to make the tan permanent though. If the other companies see a picture of you nice and tanned, but you show up pale, they'll think you touched up the pictures."

Her comment triggered another thought on my part. "And I won't know what they'll want me to model." I pulled from her embrace. "What if they want me in their underwear too?"

"Seth, I doubt anyone else is going to ask you to model anything like Sammi's Bow," Jordan said.

I shook my head, suddenly scared of the possibilities. "I don't know. Maybe I should tell Beatrice I've changed my mind."

Jordan stepped between me and the door. "Don't you dare! You've been looking for a job and found one. You knew it wouldn't last forever and now an opportunity has been thrown to you and you want to ignore it? I don't think so."

I stared at her and sighed. "You really think other companies will call?"

She stepped closer. "I think they'll be fighting over you."

My brain was working overtime. "I don't want Sammi to think I'm abandoning her."

"Well, you'll have to work that out with her," Jordan said. "But I think she understands the difference between work and personal time."

I glanced at the bed. "We're supposed to be working today, but the three of us ended up..." I looked at Jordan, studied her face and stance. "How do you feel?"

She patted my cheek. "I'm fine. If I get tired, I'll let you know. If I have to put in some extra hours of sleep, you know what you need to do. I can't act as your training wheels forever."

"You're not my training wheels," I said.

She shrugged. "Regardless, you're going to have to do things for yourself too. I love that you're so worried about what could happen to me, and the others, but I also want you to be able to make decisions like this one on your own."

I thought about making my own decisions before I met Jordan. I took the only work available to me, as a mechanic, and chose how much to stand out in town and school. The job market was making it difficult to find work but I was suddenly being offered an opportunity I instinctively would have avoided and never even thought would have been offered to me. Modeling was the exact opposite of what I had taught myself to do over the last four years, but it was work. If the people I worked for thought I was good enough to do what they needed, then I wouldn't argue. Much.

Sammi came back with a huge smile. "Beatrice is certain about five different companies will want you to work for them once they see your portfolio."

I glanced at Jordan but said to Sammi, "You're okay with this? Me modeling for other companies? Some of them could be direct competitors."

Sammi looked at Jordan. "Is he always like this?"

Jordan nodded. "You saw what happened to him when he was a freshman in high school. Imagine what you would do to survive not only that but the entire town looking at you like you're a pervert." She looked at me. "It's taught him to be very cautious."

Sammi nodded and stepped closer to me. "Seth, if this bothered me at all I wouldn't have said what I did to Beatrice. Modeling may even help you to open up and learn to trust people again."

I nodded. "Okay, then we should get to work. If we're going to replace all those pale shots, we've got some catching up to do."

She nodded and went to check the camera. Jordan left to get some of the articles we shot on Monday, and I got undressed. After learning the routine, replacing the shoot from Monday didn't take as long as the first time through it. After four hours, not only had we reshot all of those pairs, but we finished off the rest of the normal stuff too.

Sammi decided to call it quits for the day. "We can finish the more exotic pairs on either Saturday or Sunday."

I nodded and got dressed while she and Jordan looked over the pictures. Once I was dressed, I went over and looked too. Once they were satisfied everything was good, Jordan looked up and said, "You ready to go?" I nodded and she checked the clock. "Everything should be ready now."

I frowned. "What?"

She smiled and shook her head. "You'll see."

I glanced at Sammi but she shrugged. Jordan left for the car. I gave Sammi a quick kiss on the cheek and followed the brunette.

I should have known that asking Jordan about something she didn't want to tell me was useless, but I tried anyway. The only answer I got was her smile. I think she enjoyed keeping me dangling, like a string a cat wants to bat at. I finally gave up when we left the parking lot.

I sat turned in my seat, watching Jordan. Other than my curiosity, I felt at peace. Which, in and of itself, was odd. I was usually worried about one thing or other, especially since I was looking for more Fonti. Yet the more I thought about the last couple of days, the more I realized I enjoyed discovering what Jordan, Danielle, and Jana enjoyed when we spent time together. Now I had four more women to learn how to please, to talk to, and to get to know. Regardless of the danger I represented to all of them, I couldn't imagine what I would be doing if I didn't know them. I didn't want to go back to the solitary existence forced on me at home, and I didn't know if I could settle for a more mundane lifestyle after living like I had for the last few weeks.

Of course, my old self-loathing side was ever-present. I could hear it swearing up and down that nothing was as it seemed. Something was wrong with the entire arrangement and unless I figured out what that was and fixed it, there would be massive problems down the road.

For as long as I had listened to and accepted such thoughts, I had never run into any problems. Now though, it sounded paranoid. Sure there would be problems, no one led a perfect life, but while I sat there, watching Jordan drive, I felt that I could overcome anything that arose. And it felt good to believe it.

Jordan glanced at me. "You look happy. What are you thinking about?"

I wasn't sure I could explain it. Granted she knew a lot about my life and had an idea of what it was like for me, but I didn't think such abstract explanations could really convey the level or depth of emotional upheaval I had felt or the sheer sense of harmony I was encompassed with while sitting there. I shook my head. "I don't think I can explain it properly."

She smiled slightly. "Does it have anything to do with Silk and Lace?"

I shrugged. "That's part of it, but only a small part."

"Then how big is this ... sensation?" she asked, laying the insinuation on thick.

I smiled and shook my head at her. "That's part of it, but again, only a small part."

She arched an eyebrow. "You're going to have to explain this to me."

I shrugged again. "All the time I spend worrying about stuff. I'm not worried about anything right now. It's nice."

Both of her eyebrows rose. "You're smiling because you're not worried about anything?" she asked and I nodded. "So, if you find me sick tomorrow, you're not going to freak out or anything?"

I thought about it. "I'll be worried about you, but I know you'll recover. Danielle did."

"And you'll go out to find more Fonti," she asked, "even without me to make sure it happens?"

I shook my head. "My only problem will be knowing where to look."

She nodded and studied me. "I can tell you a few places I went when I found my Fonti."

I chuckled. "You do remember that I'm looking for women, right?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "There's a strip of night clubs east of campus. I know the owner at one." She looked at me. "Lady Bridhid is a magus and owns House Lacertae. I'm sure she'd allow you to seek out more Fonti there if you talk to her first."

"Would I be telling her what happened to you?" I asked.

"That's up to you," she said. "I don't mind if she asks."

"Would she bring up the lockdown or that I seem to be free of it, like Augur did?" I asked.

"I don't know," Jordan said. "I haven't talked to her since it started."

"Wouldn't it be a good idea for me to know more about the basics of magic before I talk to her or any other magi?" I asked.

She smiled at me. "There you are Seth. There was some guy sitting here claiming to be you. I knew he was lying 'cuz he wasn't worried about anything."

I smiled. "Alright, I know I'm a pain most of the time. You should have just let it alone while it lasted."

"What?" she asked with mock outrage. "Are you threatening me with concerns about every little thing and arguments about why you shouldn't do something?"

I fought back my chuckle. "Be careful, I just might."

She shook her head at me. "I wouldn't worry too much right now. First, I'm not exactly bed-ridden yet, and second, you can already see another magi's mark."

"I don't know how," I said. "I haven't seen your mark since the night of my Finale. The only other time I see them is when I've bound a new Fonte."

"I told you, magic is about will. With your innate abilities, all you have to do is want it and it'll happen. It's only with outer, more complex spells that you need a focus, gesture, words, or anything else to help you make it work."

I looked at her chest. The amber streak wasn't there. I thought about it, focused on it like I did the tanning spell. The mark appeared as if someone had uncovered it. "I see it," I said and even to me I sounded surprised.

Jordan nodded. "With a little practice, you won't have to try so hard. After a while, it'll be second nature, like walking. But you also have to realize that not everyone's mark is on their chest."

"Really?" I asked.

She nodded. "Lady Bridhid's mark is on her lower back. My mother's mark is on her left shoulder. Mine used to be on the inside of my right thigh."

"In that ticklish spot?" I asked.

She nodded. "I don't know if all magi are sensitive in their mark's location, but that could explain how you gained my nipple sensitivity."

"But my mark doesn't touch either of my nipples," I said.

Jordan shrugged. "Like I said, I don't know."

We rode for another minute and Jordan said, "Oh, one other thing. If you do go to see Lady Bridhid, she follows an old magus custom of showing off her mark and she expects the same from other magi who venture into her club."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You'll have to wear a shirt that allows you to bare your chest. Most of my tops would conceal your mark on me. " We were at a red light so Jordan turned her chest my way. "But this dress would be acceptable because it's tight and low cut." She turned forward when the light turned green.

"What about before," I asked, "when you still had your mark?"

She smiled. "I would wear something really short."

I blinked at her. "I couldn't imagine what I'd wear if I had a mark there."

Jordan grinned. "I can think of a few things."

I nodded in the certainty she would.

We pulled into the apartment parking lot. Jana's car was parked in front of my apartment but she wasn't in it. "Did you tell Jana where the spare key is?"

"She knew where it was when I lived there," Jordan said, parking in front of her own building.

I nodded. "So, what does she have planned? You said she should have had enough time by now."

Jordan grinned. "You're like a dog with a bone. Just go over there and find out."

I sighed heavily. "You're enjoying keeping me dangling, aren't you."

She leaned toward me. "One enjoys what one can."

I leaned toward her. "Is that a hint that Silk and Lace wasn't enough?"

Her nose grazed mine. "You know it wasn't."

"Then you should do something about it..." I kissed her softly. "Next time..." I kissed her again. "You have me where you want me."

She growled and pulled my face to hers. I grinned while she kissed me and probably went too far when I reached over and pinched her nipples through her dress. She pushed me back. "If you keep that up, you won't get out of this car and Jana has been here at least a couple of hours."

"So, she is up to something," I said.

Jordan rolled her eyes. "Kiss me again, but if you touch my breasts, I won't be responsible for what happens."

I leaned forward. "But I enjoy touching your breasts."

She growled at me again. "I'm serious Seth. I don't like the idea of getting sick anymore than you do, but I won't care if you keep it up."

I kissed her again. "Okay, I'll behave." I kissed her. "Until it's your turn again."

She grunted. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I smiled. "I'm going to tease you, taunt you, and generally annoy you to the point that you lose control. Then we'll find out who's responsible for what when you're thinking straight again."

Her growl this time was lower and accompanied with a smile. "I can't wait." She grabbed me by my ears and held me in place while she kissed me, sucking on my tongue and lower lip, and generally making a mess of my face. Did I ever mention that she can be a very sloppy kisser?

Ten minutes later, I escaped her car. I didn't touch her again, but she was getting herself heated up. Truth be told, I was pretty heated up again too and if she had tried to jump me, I doubt I would have fought her.

I walked over to my building and turned to find Jordan watching me from the rail in front of her door. She smiled and waved before going inside.

I went to my door, curious about what Jana needed time alone to do and a little anxious about what she thought of me acquiring more women. My old self-loathing side laughed out at me. That was the dilemma I hadn't thought of. Danielle knew about what was going on, and Jordan was instrumental in what happened over the last two days, but Jana might not know anything yet. I knew Jordan might have told her something, but until I faced Jana directly, I wouldn't know.

I sighed with the loss of that peaceful feeling. I didn't know if I would ever feel that way again. I had really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about it now. So, I braced myself and went inside.



-------

Chapter 20



The living room was dark. In fact, it was darker than usual. I found the light switch on the wall and flipped it on. My once mostly empty living room had a couch, loveseat, armchair, and coffee table arranged around an empty entertainment center. The room was so dark because deep red drapes covered all of the windows. I thought I was in the wrong apartment, so I turned to leave.

"What do you think?" asked a female voice.

I turned and found Jana coming out of the bedroom. I was at a loss of what to say, both for the living room suite and what she was wearing.

She was barefoot, which she preferred when at home. Her toes peeked out from under the skirt she wore. The skirt was white, translucent, and split up the side to her hip. By the overhead light in the living room alone, the narrow strip of her pubis could be seen through the sheer skirt. She also wore a black leather corset with heavy white thread worked into shape-enhancing lines along the leather. The lower edge of the corset came to a point right above her crotch and the top edge, rather than covering and supporting her breasts, was tucked under them. Between the flare of the skirt and the tight, narrow appearance of the corset, Jana looked like she had wider hips than she really did. The corset also contrasted with her skin, making her bare, considerable breasts look bigger too.

I finally looked up high enough to see her face. Her hair was in disarray, as if she had just woken up and not bothered to brush it out, but that added to her heated expression. She watched my reaction with longing and something else. There was tension in her body that could have meant one of two things with Jana.

I realized that I probably looked like a fish out of water. My mouth was opening and closing but nothing else escaped me. It wasn't difficult for my girls to make me speechless, at least not to me, but Jana's tension grew.

She took a step closer. "I missed you last night." Her hips rolled and I realized just how thin and gauzy her skirt was. It flowed with her movement rather than cling or flap. Her ample breasts swayed and bounced with each step. She was a feast of sensual motion.

My mouth had been working and my vocal chords finally decided to cooperate. "It appears you intend to make up for it."

She didn't stop when she reached me. She wrapped her arms around my head and pressed her soft lips to mine, but she pushed me back too, wedging me against the door. When she had me pinned, she leaned back enough to talk. "I don't think you'll mind, but I brought a friend."

Her voice was low and husky. Unfortunately, I was a little confused. I knew Jana's preferences and that she was seeing someone else when we weren't together. She didn't talk about it but little clues around her apartment made it clear. I didn't bring it up because it was her life. I thought she didn't talk about it because whoever else she saw might not approve of me - something like when she first met me and tried to get me to leave Danielle alone. Since we had never talked about her love life, I could only make my own conclusions and they conflicted with the combination of obvious intent and additional company.

Of course, I could have been wrong about several possibilities. The friend she brought might like both men and women, or the friend might be Danielle. Doubting the latter, because Danielle knew how much she scared me by getting sick, I asked about the former. "Who?"

Jana studied my eyes and licked her lips. "My girlfriend, Vanessa." I arched an eyebrow and a thousand different questions ran through my mind. Jana could tell what I was thinking. "She's curious about you. She wants to know who could tame the man-hating bitch she's been seeing for the last two years."

That really got my attention. "I would never claim to have tamed you. If anything, there are times when I'm still scared. An expression crosses your face and I worry about my safety."

I was joking, a little. "What expression?" she asked.

I shook my head. "You just look very angry and glance at me with an intensity that almost burns." I gave her a squeeze around the waist. There wasn't much give under her corset. "It never lasts for more than an instant, but it's also a sign of how ... vigorous you're going to be."

"Vigorous?" she asked and I nodded. "You're not just being polite, are you?"

I licked my lips, trying to think quickly. It wasn't quick enough.

She ground her belly against me. I was hard from the sight and feel of her but her movement was another warning. "Tell me the truth Seth. What do you think of those nights when I get that dangerous look?"

"Honestly?" I asked and she nodded. Only once. "You're rough. You ... demand what you want and any argument only makes you worse."

She studied my eyes.

I wanted to say something else, anything to take the sting out of the very idea, but she hadn't offered any form of regret. No, I was pretty sure she thought I was complaining. "There's nothing wrong with liking things rough. I at least get some warning on those occasions," I added.

"Well, then I'm going to offer you another warning," she said. "I am angry that any man has been in my bed, but that doesn't mean I'm kicking you out."

I nodded. At least we were talking about it. Granted, in a few minutes, I was probably going to face more of her anger. I had wished on several occasions that she would tell me what happened. What caused her anger? What would it take to help her move past it? I had considered suggesting she talk to a therapist, but until she at least conceded to the idea that she needed help, it wouldn't do any good. I decided to change the subject. "Tell me about your girlfriend."

She ground her pelvic bone into me. I could feel the tip of her corset trapped between us. "Why so curious?"

"Well," I said, continuing with the honesty rule since she insisted on it. "I seriously doubt you brought her here to lock her in the bedroom while we have sex on this couch ... which wasn't here when I left this morning."

She looked over at the couch. "Don't you like it? Jordan told me your apartment was barren. I thought I would help you out a little."

For Jana, this was beyond generous. "Thank you," I said. "I'm not sure when I'll be able to pay you back though."

She frowned. "You don't pay back gifts Seth."

Her words were clipped. Tension rolled through her shoulders and I moved my hands up to rub them. Gentle wasn't going to be enough. "Thank you," I said softer and pulled her to me, with some force, for a kiss.

Jana consented with as much vigor as I expected on those days she was especially angry, thrusting her tongue into my mouth and pulling at my bottom lip with her teeth. She let it go and said, "I don't know why, but it makes me hot when you let me bite you."

I took a deep breath. "As long as you don't use your teeth everywhere, I'm okay with it."

She smiled for the first time since she walked in. "A little graze would do you wonders."

"You just want to see how high you can make me jump," I countered.

"From flat on your back," she said with an almost evil grin, "that would be interesting."

I shuddered. "Only if I can return the favor," I said, hoping to discourage her.

She pressed into me harder. Her voice came out breathy, "I want you to."

I had always been very careful what I did with my teeth with all of the girls. This was the first time any of them had mentioned something more painful than having their nipples pinched. My self-loathing side offered the suggestion that Jana was looking for a reason to kick me out of her bed, and if I did something that really hurt, she just might. I also thought she might kick me out if I didn't give her what she wanted. The war between wanting to keep Jana and letting her go because of her anger was vicious, but I also knew people hated more fiercely when their love was intense. Whether Jana loved me was anyone's guess. I didn't think that was the case though. She liked what we did together and guessing from the look of the furniture she bought me, she liked me too. At least on some level.

I dropped my hands to her waist, and picked her up enough to kiss her.

She grunted into my mouth, hooked a thigh on my hip and clung tightly to me. I wasn't giving in to what she wanted, not yet, but I wasn't going to turn her away either. If this war I was having with myself over her turned really ugly, then I might have to let her go, but a part of me, the part that fought to keep her, hoped that I could help her overcome her anger. Only time would know.

I pushed off the door and Jana wrapped both of her long legs around me. I supported her via her cheeks through the gauzy material of her skirt and held her just as tightly to me. I walked us over to the bedroom door and pressed her back against it with a small thud. She grunted into my mouth and I think her lips curled up into a short-lived smile.

Jana pushed on my shoulders and I broke our kiss. "Before we do anything, where's your fetish?"

I frowned. Jordan must have told her what I had been doing. "Why?"

"Because I want you to bind Vanessa too," she said. "Jordan has been telling me about the kind of women you've been fucking. I thought Vanessa would make an excellent addition."

I studied her neutral expression. She was hiding something. "More likely, you want someone bound to me who enjoys sex with women too, so you won't feel so isolated."

She narrowed her eyes. "What makes you think that?"

I held her gaze and said the one name that always got a rise out of her, "Danielle."

She closed her eyes, squeezed me with her long legs, and shuddered.

I leaned into her and pressed my lips to her ear. "Tell me that I'm wrong. Tell me you don't lust after Red. Tell me you never fantasize about having her wet thighs wrapped around your head."

She turned her head and caught my ear with her teeth. I stopped talking instantly. She let me go slowly and said, "You're right, I do, but Vanessa doesn't know. She won't know."

I leaned back and looked into her dark eyes. "Unless you tell her."

For the first time since I met her, Jana looked worried. "I don't know how she would take it."

"Have you ever asked her about finding another woman for the two of you to share?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes up to look at me. "No."

"Has she ever hinted at it?" I asked.

Jana shook her head. "That's not important right now."

I nodded, agreeing to let it drop, for now, and asked about what was important now. "Do you think Vanessa would agree to being bound?"

Jana's breathing deepened and she pressed herself into me. "Jordan told me you haven't asked any of the women you've seduced," Jana said. "You simply fuck them silly and it's done."

That was technically true, but there was something else going on here that Jana wasn't talking about. It was possible that the bond forced her to continue to enjoy sex with me, but I thought there was a certain aspect to it that hit at least some of her buttons. "This isn't just about me bonding Vanessa, is it? You want me to take her, to make her mine."

The fire in Jana's eyes held a combination of lust and anger. "She will still be mine, not yours."

"But you'll be free to have us together whenever I'm with you," I said. "You want both of us together."

Her mouth worked open and closed, like mine had when I saw her. It was another first that I knew of. The only other worry was how Vanessa would respond to my advances. If she considered herself in a relationship with Jana, and that was highly likely, then it wouldn't work on her, not like all the other women I had bound. This was going to take more effort than even with Leanne, who had been interested in men. I didn't know Vanessa at all.

Jana ran her fingers through my hair, pulling me out of my thoughts. "What's the matter Seth? The idea of taming another man-hating lesbian too much for you?"

Truth be told, she was right. Jana was more than a handful herself. If Vanessa was of the same mind set, then there wasn't going to be much I could do to bind Vanessa, short of forcing her, and I wasn't into that at all. "Did Jordan tell you how my fetish works?"

"Does that matter?" Jana asked.

"In this case, it might," I said. "If Vanessa hates men as much as you do, then there's no way she'll let me ... do that, and it's required. She might have sex with you while I am, but that won't be enough."

"So you need to fuck her to bind her," Jana said. "After she sees you fuck me, I might be able to convince her." Jana gripped my hair and pulled. "But you will not cum in her. Do you understand?"

I stared into her eyes and pulled against her grip. "Yeah, I do."

"Good," she said, rubbing her lips against mine. "When it's the three of us together, you cum on us, not in us."

I frowned. When Jana and I were together, she always had me go off in her. I nodded though, reasoning that she didn't want Vanessa to know that. I wondered if she kept many more secrets away from her girlfriend, but didn't ask. Instead, I kissed her again and caught her lip with my teeth. She moaned low until I let it go.

"Where's your fetish?" she asked again. "I want you wearing it before we go in."

I gave Jana a slight toss and shifted to catch her with one arm. She went a little higher than I expected but didn't hit the ceiling. With my free hand, I pulled the magical construct out of my pocket.

I found Jana staring at me when I looked up again. She looked puzzled and maybe a little scared. Then she shook her head and reached for my fetish. She looked it over and asked, "What's in the vial?"

"I was told it's the one thing women find more sexually appealing than anything else," I said.

Jana scoffed. "Only a man would think that."

I arched an eyebrow. "Then why was it a woman who told me?"

She frowned. "Jordan."

I shook my head. "Raven."

Her brow furrowed. "Who's Raven?"

"Another Sex magus," I said.

Jana leaned down a little. "Did she fuck you to get this?"

I shook my head again. "No, Jordan did. I haven't had sex with Raven."

"I'm surprised," Jana said.

"What?" I asked. "You think all I do is run around seducing women all day?"

"To hear Jordan tell it ... yes," she said.

"You know Jordan is a former magus," I said. "She knows a lot about sex. It's been the center of her world for years. I don't think she's going to let that change any time soon."

"Is that why she turned down my offer to work in a Lingerie store?" Jana asked.

I nodded. "Most likely."

"Why didn't she find a job in a men's store?" she asked. "She would find more men to fuck."

I frowned. Now she was just being vindictive. "Have you asked her?"

Jana frowned in return. "No."

"If you have a problem with her career choices, talk to her about it," I said and lowered her so her face was closer to mine. "However, if you have a problem with her having sex with men, then why are you still with me? Why have you not kicked me out of your bed since that first night?"

Jana's fire flared through her eyes. "Put me down."

For a second, I considered holding her there until she answered me, but it dawned on me that her sexual issues weren't with me, not personally. I didn't know what they were exactly, but she wasn't ready to talk. So I lowered her to stand and stepped back.

Jana's breasts rose and fell with her breathing. Her nipples stood rigid, thick and long. Her areolas were puffed up too. She was really turned on. I had only seen that when she came looking for me during my Initiation. There was any number of reasons she was like that, even a few that I wasn't sure I was ready for.

She reached up and pulled the silver chain of my fetish over my head. She stared at it laying on my shirt and some of the tension in her melted away.

I knew the fetish wouldn't work on her, so I wasn't sure what she was thinking, or feeling.

Without another word, she opened the door and led the way into my bedroom. A blonde sat on the corner of my bed closest to the door. Her outfit was comprised of supple leather. Thigh high boots with stiletto heels, leather panties that barely covered her, a leather bustier that looked like it was designed specifically to showcase her overflowing bust, leather arm bands, and a heavy leather collar.

Vanessa looked up at Jana and then her dark green eyes moved over in my direction, but I wasn't focused on her body, no part of it.

She held some kind of short leather whip in her hands. It was about two and a half feet long with a small bit of leather hanging loosely at the end. As soon as I recognized the crop, I stopped in my tracks.

Vanessa turned her head my way, studying closely. "Jana told me you like to play."

I let the anger that flashed through me burn in my eyes when I met hers. "If your idea of playing is using that crop on me, then you're welcome to leave. Now." I had never growled before. It almost scared me as much as the crop.

She sat up straight and looked at Jana. "What's going on Jana?"

The brunette looked at me. "I don't know. He's never complained about anything I've ever done before."

I looked from one to the other. I wasn't going to budge. Not on this. I looked at Jana to answer her ignorance. "You never tried to whip me before either. It was always nails, teeth, and open palm slaps." I looked at the crop. "But I have a limit, and the crop is crossing the line."

Vanessa nodded and set the crop on the bed.

Jana frowned and picked it up. She stared at me while she slapped it along her own leg a couple of times. "This doesn't hurt any worse than anything I've ever done to you before."

I stepped back and opened the bedroom door. "Either the crop goes, or you both do."

Jana frowned harder. "Why Seth? What the hell is the difference between this and what we normally do?"

Vanessa sat still, keeping her thoughts to herself. She probably knew how angry Jana could get. I had a good idea too. It looked like both of us were about to find out just how deep Jana's anger ran.

I stared at Jana. Though she had been rough at times, I knew she wouldn't go too far. She wasn't a true sadist. She had asked a legitimate question so I decided to answer. "You don't need that to hurt me. I would never use it on you."

She took a step closer, narrowing her eyes. "What if I wanted you to?"

I blinked at her, frowning harder. "Why would you want that?"

"For the same reason I want you to use your teeth on me," she said, getting closer. "I like pain. I've always liked it for as long as I can remember."

I thought about that, speculating about the guy she first encountered, the one Danielle mentioned at the Vivre when I first met Jana. He must have hurt Jana, not only emotionally but physically too. That encounter must have skewed her pleasure/pain perceptions. "It's because of what's-his-name ... Matthew."

Her eyes burned with anger. "I never told you any of that."

I nodded. "But I'm starting to understand."

She pointed the crop at me. "Drop it Seth, or I swear I will use this."

That was it, the fuel to her fire. I snatched her hand, the one holding the crop, and pulled her to me. I pulled her head to me and kissed her relentlessly. She pushed against me but her struggles were nothing to my strength. I let her hand go and wrapped her up. I forced my tongue into her mouth, chancing that she might bite it off, and I ground my crotch against her belly. I wasn't hard, but the feel of her body against mine would change that quickly.

She struggled against me and even tried to hit me with the crop, but I was too close for it to have any effect. A few seconds later, she stopped pushing. And after another minute, she pulled me tight against her and drove her tongue into my mouth too.

I broke our kiss and gently took the crop from her hand. "You don't need this to enjoy yourself."

Her breathing was heavy. "I want you naked. Now."

I pulled back enough to pull my shirt off. Jana raked her nails over my chest and down my abs. Though she was rough, there was a level of pleasure to it too. I think it was simply the fact that she was so turned on by me that turned me on, but there was the possibility that I had gained her enjoyment of pain too, like I had gained Jordan's nipple sensitivity.

I unbuttoned and unzipped my pants. Jana knelt in front of me, watching my every move. She didn't smile. She didn't try to entice me with gentle words or any kind of encouragement. She simply watched and let her hunger show.

Vanessa sat on my bed, staring at Jana like she didn't know who the woman was. She looked up at me and nodded, almost imperceptibly. I didn't know Vanessa well enough to know what it was supposed to mean, but I took it as a good thing.

I looked down at Jana. "Before I show our guest everything, don't you think you should introduce us?" I kept my voice low and level, with a hint of danger and the possibility of my own anger showing again.

Jana looked over her shoulder at Vanessa and held her hand out to her. Vanessa accepted and slipped off the bed to kneel next to Jana. The expression on Jana's face was softer, though no less intense. "You asked to meet Seth." She looked up at me. "And wanted to know how he ... tamed me."

Vanessa shook her head. "I don't think he tamed you." She looked up too. "Now I understand that you're both angry and somehow you've both found ways to express that anger through sex."

I looked at Vanessa and understood how she came to her conclusion. Was she wrong? I didn't think so. Was I also ignoring my anger? Possibly. "Do you think I'm exacerbating her problem by giving her what she asks for?"

Vanessa looked at Jana, who looked at her in turn.

"Be honest," I said, looking at Jana. "She wouldn't let me lie when I told her she was rough."

Jana looked up at me again. A hint of her anger was back.

"If pain is the only way she understands intimacy," Vanessa said, "then no. If you take that away, you'd take away everything for her. That would cause more problems."

"But isn't it a part of what makes her angry?" I asked, watching Jana.

"Yes, but not as much as the original issue," Vanessa said. "Not as much as the memory of what Matthew did to her."

I glanced at Vanessa. "She told you what happened?"

Vanessa shook her head. "Today's the first time I've heard his name."

I shook my head and looked at Jana again. With one hand I held my pants together and with the other I reached for Jana. I helped her to her feet and led her to the bed. More of her anger was back. She hadn't planned on us talking to her about her issues. She came here expecting sex. "We're going to make up for last night, and then some," I said, glancing at Vanessa. "But afterward, you're going to tell us what happened." Jana frowned at me and I finished. "All of it."

The tension returned to her shoulders. Yes, this was going to be rough, but if she finally told us what happened to her, then it would be worth it. There was only one other thing to worry about. I looked at Vanessa. "If you have any problems about me having sex with Jana, voice them now."

She looked at me and shook her head. "I'm actually eager to see you two together." The expression on her face shifted as she looked back at Jana. It was softer, concerned, caring. "She needs to face her problems and only a man can help her do that."

I nodded and decided to tell her what Jana might not have about this scenario. "Jana also told me she wanted me to have sex with you."

Vanessa looked up and let her eyes drift over me. "It's been a long time since I've had sex with a man, and that had been very disappointing."

"What about it was disappointing?" I looked at the blonde after she hesitated. "Be honest."

"I didn't get anything out of it," she said. "He came but I never did."

Jana glanced at me and then reached for her. She leaned down and kissed Vanessa. It was all tongues and working jaws. Neither of them held back or hesitated. Jana broke the kiss and said, "If Seth doesn't get you off, then we'll punish him." Both of them looked at me. There was a difference in Jana's tone that told me it wasn't a real threat, not like her anger could be. No, this was a challenge.

I didn't like the idea of being punished for something I might not be able to deliver on. After all, if Vanessa wasn't turned on by men, she might not be able to orgasm while having sex with me. Jordan may know a lot about sex, but I had learned from Jana that sex wasn't only about intercourse. If I couldn't get Vanessa off using the techniques Jana had taught me to use on her, then there wouldn't be anything I could do for the blonde.



-------

Chapter 21



I reached for Jana and pulled her to the middle of the bed. She lay diagonally and looked up at me with a mix of curiosity and desire. That look was one I rarely got. Usually, she knew exactly what was going to happen. It was possible she was curious about how I was going to respond to having Vanessa watching us, but I wasn't worried about her watching us. Quite the opposite, I hoped she would. Vanessa was beautiful and had a figure that more than fed my flames. If anything, I was worried about showing more attention to one of them over the other.

Jana had said after I had sex with her, she could probably convince Vanessa of it. And Vanessa wanted to see what we were like together. I suppose without the discussions about pain and what we were both avoiding talking about, the sex was good. We rarely talked whenever I stayed the night with her, other than to convey some idea at the moment. I always enjoyed myself and Jana hadn't complained. With Jordan or Danielle, I might have considered they were being polite and not pointing out any issues. With Jana though, I was certain she would have said or done something to remedy any problems.

I leaned down over Jana and kissed her, pressing my lips hard enough against hers to almost bruise, and driving my tongue as far into her throat as I could reach. She moaned into my mouth and held my head by a fistful of hair.

I leaned on one elbow, and with my other hand, I reached down to tease some of her erogenous zones, but her corset prevented me from doing anything more than scraping my nails over it.

She must have felt what I was doing, because Jana grabbed my hand and pulled it up to one of her soft, full breasts.

I didn't intend to simply grope her, but that seemed to be exactly what she wanted by pressing my palm into her.

I broke our kiss and she directed my head down to her other breast via the fistful of hair she had. Again, I wanted to tease her, to build the excitement as Jordan had taught me, but Jana pressed her thick nipple into my mouth and pulled my head down into the soft pliancy of her breast.

I opened my mouth just enough to suck on her nipple, but she yanked my head up and away long enough to meet my questioning expression with her own demanding one. Just before she pulled my head down again, she gritted her teeth. I understood.

I opened up wide and bared my teeth. I sucked her nipple and as much surrounding flesh into my mouth as I could and then bit down. Jana's moans were music to my ears. Then she bucked her hips and I realized that I wasn't the only one pleasing her.

Unable to raise my head to look, I could only imagine what Vanessa was doing. She wasn't level with me along Jana's body, so she must have been working on the brunette's most sensitive area.

Jana let go of me and I sat up to examine her breast. She had a good impression of my teeth around her areola. It was off-center but distinct. I leaned down again and ran the flat of my tongue over her nipple and then leaned over her to do the same to the other.

Jana grabbed my hair again. "No, I want Vanessa on that one."

I blinked at her and felt Vanessa moving up and around to mirror me on Jana's other side. The blonde kissed her lover and then trailed the tip of her tongue along Jana's jaw, neck, over her chest and to the breast I hadn't marked. Vanessa had a long, thick tongue, which she virtually wrapped around Jana's nipple before sucking on that bud.

I watched as Vanessa pulled back enough to get a good, deep breath, open her mouth wide and squeeze Jana's breast so that more of it would fit into her mouth.

Just before going down, Vanessa shot me a glance. She knew how to do this and was going to show me what I had done wrong. At least, that's how I read her expression.

I glanced up at Jana. Her eyes were closed. She was enjoying the way Vanessa manipulated and orally abused her breasts. Maybe bonding with Vanessa would earn me the chance to learn how to earn that expression from Jana.

In the mean time, I turned to Jana's legs. Long, slim, and shapely, she had plenty of skin that I could tease and stimulate. I moved down and used my nails the way I had intended to do her belly. My nails aren't long. I've always kept them trimmed short, almost to the point of obsession, but that didn't stop me from doing what I intended. Instead of using a feather light touch of my fingertips to arouse her, like I would use with any of the other women bound to me, I used my fingernails edge-wise. It only took a little pressure to make the feel of my nails override my fingertips, but I didn't fail to get the response I wanted.

Jana kicked her legs. I grabbed one ankle and held it down with my weight. Then I ran my nails over her shin, down to her foot. Then I ran my nails up the sole of her foot, from heel to toes. She wiggled her foot, so I grabbed that, moved around to kneel just off the bed, and then I bit her big toe.

Jana went still and I looked up to see her expression. She blinked and looked at me. Vanessa looked up too. I had never considered the possibility that Jana's toes might be erogenous to her, but I wasn't going to waste the opportunity. I nipped the rest of her toes too, but she didn't react the same way. So, I turned her foot and bit the inside ball, right behind her big toe. Again, Jana stiffened. I bit the heel, then her Achilles tendon. I moved up her leg, biting her every few inches. The meat of her calf was best because I could get more of it in my mouth, making my mark bigger.

When I reached her knee, I switched legs. Starting at her big toe, I repeated the process. It really didn't do anything for me to bite her, but from the way Jana stiffened with every bite, I knew she was getting a lot out of it, and that meant more to me than the act. On top of that, Jana pulled at Vanessa, wanting to kiss her. Jana never kissed me like that until she was close to orgasm. Of course, she might kiss Vanessa like that for other reasons, but judging what I knew about Jana's physical reactions, I didn't think I was wrong about this instance.

I continued to nibble and mark Jana even after reaching her other knee. I knew her thighs would be more sensitive, but I didn't think she wanted me to let up any. The only change I made was to alternate from one thigh to the other as I moved closer to her most intimate zone.

The only reason I stopped before getting to her core was because of the gauzy skirt. I had been pushing it up her legs as I moved, but finally got tired of dealing with it. I sat up and pulled at it. I didn't want to tear it trying to get it off of Jana, so I worked it down her hips and from under her cheeks. Once that was done, I slipped it off her legs and dropped it on the floor.

When I looked up at Jana, she was watching me. Vanessa was curled up next to her watching me too. Jana pointed at me. "Take them off." She was pointing low, so I knew what she meant.

I stood next to the bed between Jana's feet and gripped the waistband of my pants. Both of them were watching and their expressions were familiar, though I had never seen Jana like that before. Seeing her anticipation was new to me. It had to be because of Vanessa's presence. The blonde did wonders to make Jana act more like any other woman than I think the brunette realized.

I didn't smile or do anything else to express my momentary feeling of smugness, but I did tease them. I bent forward as I pulled off my pants and underwear, and then I slipped onto the bed, flat on my belly between Jana's legs.

Jana placed a foot on my shoulder. "What are you doing?" she asked. Vanessa frowned in disappointment but Jana gave me a look that said I was being rude.

I pulled her foot from my shoulder with a smile and moved further up the bed. I pushed Jana's thighs up and apart with my shoulders. I slid up against her until my crotch met hers. I was hard and ready, and Jana's eyes flashed at the feel of me. I held myself there for a moment. It felt good to touch her so directly, so intimately, and I could tell by her expression how much she enjoyed it too. Jana's hips shifted up and down. It wasn't much, but I noticed it, and Vanessa apparently did too.

Vanessa looked into Jana's eyes, noted her expression and then looked at where we were pressed together again. She got up on her hands and knees and moved down Jana's body like a cat closing in on its prey.

Before she got too close, I raised myself up enough to spring out from between Jana's thighs.

Vanessa stopped moving. Her eyes were wide and her tongue flicked out to moisten her lips. Jana whimpered behind the blonde and thrust her hips up at me.

I was fully distended and laid on Jana's corset. The leather felt cool compared to Jana's humid lips. I pulled Jana's thighs around me, enjoying the feel of her skin against mine. For a moment, I didn't want to move. However, neither woman was willing to stop now.

Two hands reached out for me. Each of them touched me, rubbing my shaft and grazing the head. Then Vanessa glanced back at Jana. She didn't say anything, but she gripped me and rubbed me over Jana's corset.

Jana smiled at the blonde and then shifted her hips up. I knew what that meant and pulled back to give the brunette what she wanted.

Vanessa paid perfect attention. She leaned over her lover to help. Instead of simply placing me at Jana's entrance however, she rubbed me along Jana's opening, smearing her juices over my crown. Then she leaned down, extended her tongue, and languidly ran the length of it up along my slit. She smiled up at my reaction and then held me down so I could push my way into Jana.

Jana's legs spread out wide and Vanessa watched as I sank deep into the brunette's silky warmth. The blonde shook her head and sat up as I pressed my pubic bone to Jana's. She looked back at Jana, who looked drunk.

Jana wasn't intoxicated, but any need for more pain had apparently been washed from her mind. She pulled Vanessa to her for another kiss. The brunette's hips rocked up and down and I moved in tandem. Otherwise, Jana paid me no attention.

Vanessa either forgot I was present or simply didn't care as she threw a leg over Jana and pressed as much of herself as she could to her lover. Neither lost their lip lock in the process, though I had to dodge Vanessa's heel as she got into position.

As the women got comfortable, I realized that I wouldn't be able to avoid contact with Vanessa. Of course, she had already made contact with me, so maybe this was her way of inviting me to do the same. I finally threw caution to the wind and gripped her hips as I bounced off both of them.

They broke their kiss and looked back at me. Jana said something to Vanessa that I couldn't hear and Vanessa nodded. Jana reached past her girlfriend to push at me, a signal for me to stop and withdraw.

I complied but before I could ask what she wanted, Vanessa pulled the crotch of her own panties to the side and rolled her hips up at me. I understood. Moving a little higher, I placed myself against the blonde. Her skin was hot and she was leaking more fluids than Jana. I added pressure and my crown slipped in. Vanessa threw back her head and opened her mouth with a long, low growl.

Past Vanessa, I saw how Jana watched the blonde. I wasn't entirely sure what her expression meant. She looked happy, very turned on, and maybe even a little sad. Vanessa didn't see her though and when she opened her eyes to look at Jana, the expression on Jana's face had changed.

I eased further into Vanessa and she rocked back onto me. The blonde's eyes were locked onto Jana's and she said, "Oh my God. He's hitting places I've never been touched."

Jana smiled and kissed her. Soon I was rolling my hips again, smacking into Vanessa's backside rhythmically while the women made out.

After a couple of minutes, just to keep things interesting, I quickly pulled out of Vanessa and plunged into Jana. The women whimpered for different reasons, but neither complained. Every couple of minutes, or when I felt I was getting too close to finish, I switched. Both of them writhed against each other in what I was sure was several orgasms, but mine finally came along and I remembered Jana's demand, "When it's the three of us together, you cum on us, not in us."

I groaned my warning but neither of them acknowledged what I said or gave any hint that they understood. I was in Vanessa and gripped her cheeks extra hard. She simply moaned into Jana's mouth.

I closed my eyes, almost dreading what I was about to do, withdrew from the blonde's slick depths, and rubbed my length along the crack of her bottom.

My first spurt splattered on Vanessa's shoulder. The subsequent spurts landed on her back, coating her leather bodice with pearly heat.

They finally realized what was happing, and looked back. Vanessa smiled at me, and Jana stared as if she had forgotten I was there.

I was still on my knees, though I was leaning heavily on the blonde's cheeks. "Give me a sec and I'll get something to clean this up with."

Jana noticed the glob on Vanessa's shoulder. She scooped it up and stared at it. I remembered how she didn't hesitate to suck her fingers clean when we had sex the first time, but she hadn't done that since that night and I wondered what was going through her mind today.

Vanessa gently held Jana's wrist and sucked it from her fingers. Jana smiled, scooped up more and fed it to her.

I shook my head and scooted to the edge of the bed. I looked back to find both of them licking more from Jana's fingers. Maybe the brunette had been hesitant because she didn't know how Vanessa would react. Maybe she was still trying to resolve her own conflict over having sex with a man. Maybe I should get that something to clean up the mess with.

I got up. My legs were weak but held. I stumbled into the bathroom, cleaned myself off and returned to the bedroom with a damp washcloth.

Jana and Vanessa were sitting up on the bed. Jana said, "Vanessa? What's wrong?"

Vanessa was staring far away.

"Crap," I said under my breath. I turned to open the bedroom door, but it opened before I got to it. Jordan stood there with the same expression as Vanessa's.

I backed away, and then turned to go through the bathroom. There was more room in the living room for this, even with the new furniture Jana bought.

As expected, Jordan and Vanessa followed me. Danielle stood next to the front door, with her arms crossed in patient acceptance of what was happening. Jana came out of the bedroom too. "What is going on?" she asked. Then she spotted Danielle. I saw Danielle wave Jana over into the kitchen before Jordan and Vanessa began spinning around me.

-------

Vanessa was upset. It wasn't simply anger or sadness or loss, but all of them. Kraig Winston, her boyfriend for the last two years was gone. Not dead, but not in her life anymore. What made it worse, to Vanessa, was that she kicked him to the curb. She had gone by his place earlier to talk about dinner plans rather than calling. She wanted to see him. She saw him alright. He was in bed with another woman. Vanessa didn't know the woman, and she didn't have to. Kraig caught up with Vanessa not long after that. He tried to explain that he was going to tell her, but Vanessa wasn't going to listen. She was tired of being disappointed by the men she dated. On top of breaking up with him, she dropped a tidbit of knowledge that made Kraig regret his loss: if he had talked to her about it first, she would have agreed to having another woman in their relationship.

Sitting in the Vivre, sipping wine and waiting for her food to arrive, Vanessa spotted Jana Perreira, the restaurant's manager, heading her way. Tall, leggy, and with impressive curves, Vanessa had always secretly admired the restaurant's Manager. They talked briefly, and when Vanessa's food arrived, Jana excused herself to check on other things.

It was the following weekend when Vanessa ran into Jana at a grocery store. They talked and Jana invited Vanessa over to try a new recipe Jana got from her head chef. Vanessa accepted, knowing a night with another woman would probably do her a lot of good. She wasn't going to lay all her problems on Jana, but just enjoy herself.

The meal was fantastic. Vanessa couldn't understand why Jana chose to be a manager rather than a chef, and they talked about their career choices. As their conversations continued, they turned to issues that led to Vanessa recounting her break-up with Kraig. Jana was perfectly sympathetic to the blonde's emotions. Vanessa recognized that and before she knew what she was doing, she kissed Jana. Flustered and believing she had crossed a line, Vanessa left.

For the remainder of the week, Vanessa thought about that night more than her fight with Kraig. She knew it would take time for her to get over him, that she shouldn't jump into something she wasn't even sure of but she couldn't help how she felt.

That weekend, Vanessa found herself at the Vivre again. She hadn't set out to go there. She simply wanted to go out to eat and seemed to end up there as if on automatic pilot.

Jana didn't seem taken aback by her presence. If anything, Jana seemed as nervous as Vanessa felt.

Vanessa ate and enjoyed talking to Jana. When she was ready to leave, Jana slipped her a note: "If that night has lingered in your mind as it has mine, call me."

Vanessa had only ever dated men. She had experimented with women in college and always felt a certain attraction to some women, but she never pursued a full relationship with those lovers. The men however, always turned out to be disappointing in one way or another. Even as a psychologist who worked with couples, she had problems understanding why she couldn't make her own relationships work.

Vanessa didn't call Jana. She really wasn't sure what to think of that night, other than the wine loosening her up too much. She found Jana attractive but she wasn't a man. Another week went by and she ended up going to the Vivre again.

Jana was as gracious as ever. She didn't let on that anything was wrong, one way or another. Vanessa, however, was a wreck. She felt bad for not at least acknowledging Jana's note, but she also couldn't deny that she was more than a little curious.

She ate mechanically, not even realizing that her food was gone until she tried to take a bite of her empty fork. Jana appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, to check on Vanessa's meal, but Vanessa couldn't stand it anymore. She stood up, took Jana's hand, and led her to the ladies' room.

Vanessa apologized for not calling, and for not coming by the restaurant as often as she normally did. She explained quite efficiently how all the men in her life had been one disappointment after another and that the night at Jana's had more than lingered in her mind.

Jana, with seemingly infinite patience, waited for Vanessa to rattle to a stop. Without a word, the brunette pulled the blonde close, and kissed her tenderly.

Vanessa was surprised at first, but then relaxed and ended up melting into the other woman's arms. It was only the beginning of their relationship, and Vanessa realized that though she had only recently ended one, with the right person, the new relationship would not be doomed to fail.

Besides, she hadn't thought of Kraig since that first night with Jana.

-------

I woke up lying on the floor again. I sat up and found Vanessa sitting with Jana on the couch. Jordan and Danielle were nowhere to be seen. Jana and Vanessa had their backs to me. "Did Jordan and Danielle leave?"

Both of the women turned to look at me. Jana got up and came around the couch. "We all talked to Vanessa and they left. They were worried about you though. They said this is the longest you've been out."

"And how long have I been out?" I asked.

Jana studied me for a moment. "Why didn't you tell me what was going to happen?"

I studied her for a second. "I take it you weren't worried at all." I got to my feet.

Jana crossed her arms under her breasts. It was distracting, but not enough. "Jordan had to explain what has been going on when you bind women to you. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I made the mistake of making an assumption," I said. "And you know what it means to assume."

Jana glared at me.

I looked at Vanessa, who was still sitting on the couch. She looked shook up. I could imagine what memories she saw. I walked around and sat next to her, but kept enough distance to not invade her personal space. She, however, chose to invade mine by hugging me. "Are you okay?"

I hugged her back. "Yes, I am. How about you?"

She pulled back and glanced at Jana. "I'm okay."

Jana continued to stand where she was and glared at me. "Are you going to answer me or not?"

I looked up at her. "Sure. I'll answer you when you answer me." I looked at Vanessa. "Did they tell you about me? About what happened?"

Vanessa nodded. "Yes, they did, but there are a few things I still don't understand."

I frowned. Jordan was pretty good at answering these questions. I couldn't imagine what she had left out. "What's that?"

Vanessa's eyes darted toward Jana. "I feel different ... toward you."

I held up my hand. I had an idea of where she was going. I looked up at Jana. "Would you please sit down and talk to us instead of glaring at me?"

Jana frowned harder but finally came around the couch and sat on the other side of Vanessa. She still looked stubborn but she was at least trying. I decided to answer her question first. "Jana, to be honest, I didn't tell you what would happen when I bound Vanessa because I thought Jordan told you. There's also the fact that I wasn't sure my Fetish would work on Vanessa because you two are in a relationship already."

Both of them looked at me, but their expressions were different. Jana looked angrier than ever and Vanessa looked a touch confused.

I looked from one to the other. "Okay, someone say something. I'm tired of assuming. What's going on?"

Jana looked like she'd rather join a monastery than answer my question and Vanessa was looking from me to Jana and back like we were having a tennis match. Vanessa rolled her eyes and looked at me. "A few weeks ago, it became obvious to me that Jana was seeing someone, but she wouldn't admit to it. Monday she called me and finally admitted to it, but she said it wasn't what I thought it was, and that she wanted me to meet you."

I sighed. "You thought she was cheating on you, like Kraig had been."

Vanessa blinked at me. "How... ?"

"That's part of the memories of yours that I saw," I said. "You saw some of my memories and I saw how you and Jana became a couple."

"So ... how much... ?" Vanessa asked hesitantly.

I took her hand and held it gently. "Enough to know that this was just a misunderstanding." I told her how Jana had gotten caught up in my Initiation and that Jana was as drawn to me as she felt. "It's magic, Vanessa. I can't explain it beyond that."

"So, you've been the guy she's been seeing?" Vanessa asked.

I nodded. "And I thought you were her girlfriend."

Vanessa blinked like she was holding back tears. She turned to look at Jana. Jana had been staring at me again, angry that I had to explain it so bluntly, but with Vanessa's eyes on her, Jana's iron countenance melted and she pulled the blonde to her.

I was still a little confused, but let it go. Obviously, Vanessa didn't think of herself in a relationship with Jana when my Fetish kicked in and bound her to me. There was also Jana's ulterior motive for me binding Vanessa: so they could be together and with me without wrecking their relationship. How did Jana talk Vanessa into coming in the first place? For that matter, did she talk her into the sex too or was that something Vanessa thought up on her own? One thing was for certain, I didn't think any of us knew the whole story, and I doubted I would ever find out.

They spent a few minutes talking quietly to one another. I excused myself to the bathroom to clean up a little more and then went to my bedroom to get dressed. I had promised Milena that I would spend the night with her and I wasn't going to break it. Jana came in and watched me pull on my pants. I could hear Vanessa in the bathroom. "I'm still a little angry at you," the brunette said.

I looked at her, confused at how she could be angry with me and yet stand there in nothing but her corset, which only covered her midriff. She wasn't attempting to hide anything from me. "I've already explained why I didn't tell you..."

She shook her head. "Not about that."

I studied her face, trying to guess what was wrong. "Then about what?"

She stalked closer. I wasn't scared of her anger anymore, but of the way she approached me. I didn't need her to tell me why she was angry, I understood. "I thought we were going to more than make up for yesterday, but I still feel itchy in places only you can scratch." She stopped a hair's breadth away from me. Her nipples were thick and hard. Her eyes were focused on mine, and her breathing was heavy again.

I focused very intently on her eyes. "You asked me to bind Vanessa today. Are you regretting that?"

She blinked at me. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I mentally sighed. "You could have asked me to let you go, but you chose to further tie yourself to me. Today, I'm not the one you should be angry with."

She gritted her teeth. "I..." She closed her eyes and swallowed. "I can't stop thinking about you," she said quietly. From the expression on her face and the tension in her body, it took a lot of effort for her to admit that.

I wanted to touch her, not only because it would feel good, but because I thought she needed it. It was possible she wanted the same thing for the same reasons, but her anger was making her difficult to read. Finally, I threw caution to the wind and pulled her to me. I hugged her tightly, the rush of feeling her bare breasts against my bare chest almost intoxicating. She hugged me too, holding on just as tight. I couldn't think of anything to say, however, she did. "Will it always be like this?"

I knew the answer and I was sure she wouldn't like it. "Yes."

She gripped me tighter and pressed her corset covered belly into my hardness. Then she pulled away completely and stepped back a couple of paces.

Vanessa came out of the bathroom, looking fresh and clean in a blue button up shirt and denim cutoffs. She also wore glasses, which changed her appearance more than the clothes. She noticed the quiet distance between us but didn't say anything.

Jana turned and hugged her.

Vanessa blinked at me over the brunette's shoulder in confusion. I watched, unclear as to what to say, or if I should even speak.

Jana pulled from Vanessa and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Vanessa pointed over her shoulder at the bathroom door. "What was that about?"

I shook my head. "She'll tell you when she's ready."

Vanessa glanced at the bathroom door and then watched me put on a shirt. Though she was dressed and ready to leave, I could tell something was wrong with her too. She hemmed and hawed for a second and then said, "Would it be okay if I came over to talk to you some time?"

I blinked, not at her but her choice of words. "I don't mind, and you don't need a reason to come over." Then I remembered who I was talking to and the situation that arose because of me. "Unless you feel you need a reason, Vanessa. Jana asked me to bind you when she should have asked you."

She shook her head. "I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about her. She still has a lot of anger and I want to talk to you about options we could use to help her."

"Oh," I said, genuinely surprised. "In that case, come by any time. In fact, there are things I'd like to discuss with you too, as a therapist."

She cocked her head to the side in curiosity. "Well, I primarily work with couples."

I sat on my bed to put on my shoes and socks. "Well, it has to do with relationships, but with my situation, having a session with everyone present might be a problem. Not the least of which would be finding a time everyone would be available, or finding someplace big enough." The more I thought about my situation, the more scared I became.

Vanessa frowned. "What situation?"

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. "Several gorgeous, sexy women, all in the same room with me at the same time, all of them attracted to me and me to them, all of them know about each other and this magic situation, and none of them are afraid of taking what they want."

Vanessa smiled. "You're scared they'll gang up on you."

I paid close attention to the knot I was tying my shoe in, unable to meet her eyes. "Yeah, you could sum it up like that."

She stepped closer and sat next to me on the bed. "Don't worry Seth. Your secret is safe with me. But what's the issue you really want to talk about?"

I finished tying my other shoe and looked up. "I'm worried about how this is affecting everyone individually. This isn't exactly a standard relationship we have." I took Vanessa's hand in mine and noticed how she sucked in a breath at my touch. It felt good to me too. I tried to continue despite the distraction. "I'm concerned about how to ... I don't know ... how to keep them happy?" Yes, I made it a question. I wasn't entirely sure what I was trying to say.

"Well," she said, rubbing her other hand over mine, "if you were only dating one, what would you normally do?"

I shrugged. It was my first reaction because I really didn't know. "I have no idea. I've never dated anyone before."

She looked up from our hands. "I find that hard to believe."

I realized that Vanessa hadn't seen the same memories most of my girls had and looked up. "What did you see? When we shared memories, what did you see?"

She shook her head in confusion. I knew I had changed gears without warning, but she answered nonetheless. "I ... I saw you and Jana. It was the day you met her. I know you didn't seduce her on purpose."

I nodded. "Okay, you didn't see what most of the others have..."

Just then, Jana came out of the bathroom with her bag in hand. She wore a hot pink tank top and faded jeans. Her hair was combed out and all of the vulnerability she had expressed before going in was gone. "Okay, I'm ready."

Vanessa and I glanced at her. Vanessa smiled at me. "Tell you what; I'll arrange some time for you at my office. We can talk then, okay?"

I nodded. Milena was probably wondering when I was going to arrive anyway.

Jana asked, "What were you two talking about?"

I looked at her, not sure how to answer, but Vanessa took care of that. She went to the brunette, gave her a tender kiss, and said, "He's worried about us, and the other women connected to him." Both of them looked at me. Vanessa smiled, friendly, helpful. Jana blinked as if trying to wrap her head around the concept.

Jana shook off her confusion, took Vanessa's hand, and then looked at me again. "I'm not sure when we'll be able to come by again."

I stood up and nodded. Our normal routine was already messed up due to my need for more Fonti. I wasn't even sure when I'd have the chance to see them again. "Give me a call. We'll work something out."

Jana nodded, Vanessa waved, and I walked them to the front door. I watched them get in Jana's car, and then they were gone.

So, Vanessa was a psychologist, and she was going to set up a time for me to go talk to her. I hoped she didn't charge too much. I was already worried about making rent. I didn't need a hefty therapy bill to go with it.

With that thought, I grabbed my wallet and key for the apartment. I made sure all of my lights were off and the door was locked and then walked around to Milena's apartment. The sun had already gone down behind the distant tree line and I hadn't eaten anything since lunch. I thought I'd take Milena out to dinner so we could talk rationally, if that was possible and knocked on her door.

Milena answered wearing a very pretty black dress with tiny pink and red flowers all over. She had her wavy hair pulled back, showing off her earrings and matching silver pendant. She smiled up at me, her whole face lighting up as if she hadn't really expected me to show up. I could smell food coming from her apartment and she led me straight to her dining table. The smile on her face never faltered while I finished my plate. I felt better and decided to talk about our situation before we did anything else, but she didn't seem to have a problem at all with me being her tenant and her lover. By way of settling the discussion, she served me a second helping. The food was good and I was still a little hungry, so I ate. Each time I tried to broach the subject again, she simply pointed at my plate of food, indicating I should eat. After the second helping, I pushed the plate away and decided to let the subject rest for tonight.

Milena cleared the table. She even pushed me back into my seat when I got up to help, so I sat there and watched her. Every time she looked my way, she had that same warm, sun-shiny smile. When she finished, she pulled me from my chair and led me to her bedroom. She undressed me and I returned the favor. By that point, all concerns about our relationship outside the bedroom were lost. I was surprised that I was so physically eager to feel her body pressed to mine, much less have anything to give her, but I had it, and Milena was more than happy to accept it all.



-------

Chapter 22



Milena woke me up for school with breakfast in bed. I almost knocked the tray out of her hands when I reached for her in the morning light. Breakfast was like dinner, lots of food and very good. She ate bits off my plate and brought me seconds. After the plate was cleared the second time, I had to stop her from running off to get thirds. I didn't know how much she had cooked but I was very full anyway. I thanked her profusely with tender kisses but noticed the time and had to hurry to get ready for class.

Milena drove me. She didn't have to open the office until ten o'clock, so she wasn't in a rush. However, something bothered me while we drove to campus. It wasn't until she dropped me off at the Maverick Activities Center for my first class that I finally realized what was bothering me. Another car slowly drove by in the parking lot with a camera sticking out of the back window and pointed my direction. As I watched, the car sped up and left the parking lot. I didn't know who the car belonged to, but I'd recognize it if I saw it again. It was the same as Jordan's car, but silver. I still didn't know the make and model, but I would find out later this afternoon.

It didn't take much to put the car out of my mind, but the reason for the drive-by photos bugged me. I reasoned that they might have been taking photos of the school, but I didn't really believe that. I didn't like the idea that someone was watching me. After all, I had enough on my plate already with school, finding more Fonti, and well ... this Lockdown thing.

Was there really a Lockdown of magic in the area? If so, why wasn't I affected by it? For that matter, how did I know that I wasn't? The most complex spell I knew was for tanning. It wasn't like I would try to stop time, or throw a fireball down the street. If anything, it seemed like magic was simply a means to get things anyone could get though slower, more mundane methods. If you spend enough quality time in a tanning booth or lay out on a beach, you could get a nice tan. And if someone bought enough lottery tickets, they'd eventually land the grand prize. All I had done was bypass the mundane methods. That wasn't really magic.

Well, mundane was going to be my middle name today. First up was my Architecture Design Communications course. For almost three hours, I worked on a drawing of a building only I could envision. I really didn't put a lot of thought into it, according to Professor Nielson, and I was given a lowly B+ for my effort.

Next, I walked over to the School of Architecture building for Introduction to Architecture and the Design Professions. Yes, it's as boring as the name. Like Political Science, I didn't fully understand what the class really added to the overall Architecture degree, so I paid attention, memorized the content and would regurgitate it all when I took the tests. At least it only lasted an hour and a half.

My last class for Tuesdays and Thursdays didn't start for another half an hour. However, I would spend ten minutes of that walking to Pickard Hall. I stopped by the University Center on my way and grabbed a Quarter Pounder from McDonalds to eat on the way. I wasn't very hungry, really. Milena's breakfast had been big. I wasn't sure if quantity was intended as a part of the "most important meal of the day," but it sure cut down on how much I spent for lunch.

I made it to Pickard Hall and in my seat for my Analytical Geometry class just as Professor Milhouse started taking roll. He didn't exactly hold to the bell because he only used an hour of the allotted hour and a half to instruct. If students had questions, they could talk to him or his T.A. at another time. So far, this was the only class I had that made sense for my Architecture degree. We worked on math, applying the principles we learned to everyday issues. I knew there were a lot more variables to worry about in the real world when it came to building something, but this certainly applied. Don't get me wrong. I was sure my other classes had their parts to play too. I just didn't see it yet. I was sure at some point down the road, it would all click and I would be glad I had taken the courses. I just wasn't there yet.

Twenty minutes after Professor Milhouse finished his lecture, I was finished with my homework. I packed up and made my way to the intersection of South Cooper and South Nedderman. I spotted Milena in the parking lot where Jordan met me the day before. I walked over, curious why she was there. She smiled and met me with a big hug and kiss. "Get in," she said, opening the car door. "I can't leave the office for too long."

Something in her tone caught my attention. I climbed in the car and asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's Jordan," she said, pulling out of the parking lot. "She asked me to pick you up. She said she's sick."

My stomach fell out from under me. "No," I said under my breath and turned to sit straight in my seat. It was probably a good thing that Milena was driving rather than me. I was sure I would have been pulled over in my panicked state.

We got to the complex and Milena stopped in front of my apartment. I had to force myself from jumping out of her car the instant it was stopped. I knew what was wrong with Jordan and that she would be okay. What I didn't need was for Milena to think wrong of me. I took a deep, calming breath, and looked at her. She leaned across the console and kissed me. I returned the gesture, putting more into it than I really felt at the moment. She pulled back and waved me out. "I have work to do. You should go see Jordan."

I nodded and climbed out. She pulled away and I turned to my apartment. I could have dropped off my bag, but chose to go see Jordan first. I noticed that Jordan's car was gone. Danielle probably had it. She didn't have classes as late as me on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so she was probably at work. I ran up stairs and knocked on the door. It took several tries before I finally heard anything from inside. I tried the handle. It was unlocked.

The lights were all out, but I could see well enough. I didn't know which bedroom Jordan had taken but there were only two. My first guess was right. Danielle wasn't as much of an exhibitionist as Jordan and must have taken the back bedroom, the one furthest from the front door. Jordan was lying in her bed, wrapped up to her chin in her blankets, and watching me with droopy eyes.

I moved close and sat on the floor next to her bed, so she could see me without having to move.

She smiled and I was glad to see that at least. "Apparently being a former magus does not offer me any kind of resistance to your power," she said softly.

I shook my head and rubbed her cheek. "I didn't want this..."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine Seth. I'll get some sleep and tomorrow I'll be begging you for more."

I frowned at her.

"Just because I beg for it doesn't mean you have to give it to me," she said.

I sighed. If she could joke, then she really was going to be okay. "What am I going to do with you?"

She moved her shoulder slightly in a shrug. "What can you do?"

A few things crossed my mind, but Jordan would probably enjoy them all. I sat there staring at her. There wasn't anything I could do, and I said as much.

Jordan's hand shot out from under her blankets and caught the collar of my shirt. "You have to find more Fonti. It's too important to wait on."

I covered her hand with mine. "You want me to go out and find more women while thinking of you lying here like this?"

She shook her head. "Not just me," she said and swallowed. "Got a call from Vanessa. Jana's sick too."

I shook my head. "I didn't see her as much as you or Danielle. She shouldn't be sick too."

Jordan yanked my collar with surprising strength for someone who was supposed to be too tired to get up. "Seth! You have to do this. You've been using your power. Making the fetish, the Luck and Tanning spells. You're taking more from us than before. You need more Fonti."

I gently pried her hand from my shirt and held it. No, there wasn't anything I could do to help Jordan or Jana. They needed time to rest. But I could help the others by finding more Fonti. There was only one question. "Where?"

Jordan relaxed and squeezed my hand. "There's a whole street of night clubs east of the campus. One in particular was my favorite, though I haven't been there in a while."

"What's the name?" I asked.

She blinked a slow blink and swallowed again. "House Lacertae. You can't miss it. Bright blue letters."

I nodded and tucked Jordan's blankets in around her again. "I'll look for it," I said. "You get some rest."

"Seth," she said. "Look for Lady Brighid. She runs the club. She can help you."

I frowned. "Why not Raven? Couldn't she help?"

Jordan smiled. "Maybe, but she looks for men to seduce. She goes to places with more men. You need a club with more women in it."

I arched an eyebrow. "You said you used to go there all the time. Were you looking for women?"

Jordan's smile grew a little. "Talk to Lady Brighid. She'll know what you need."

I frowned at that. "How? I don't know her. How will she know what I need?"

Jordan reached out from under her blankets again to touch my shirt. "Wear something to show your mark. It's a sign to other magi that you're seeking Fonti."

I raised both of my eyebrows. "How many magi will be at this club?"

Jordan closed her eyes for a moment and then looked at me again. "Why are you still here?"

I frowned, but kissed her and tucked her back in. Before leaving, I got her a glass of water and left it on her night stand. I didn't like the idea of leaving her alone. Maybe Milena would look in on her after the office closed. Danielle would be home later. She'd look in on her too. I left Danielle a note though, telling her where I was going. It wasn't much, but it was all I could do. Finally, I left.

I walked over to the complex office and asked Milena to look in on Jordan later. She agreed and I left her to work. Back in my apartment, I felt so helpless. If anyone else had been sick, I would have sought out Jordan to talk to, but since it was her, I felt like I had been cut loose, set adrift at sea. I felt aimless and even a little worthless. How could I let that happen to her? Why did I have to give in to my urges? Jordan knew she could get hurt when I pulled her to me yesterday, why didn't she remind me of the danger?

I ran through the list of women I had bound, Jordan, Danielle, Jana, Sammi, Milena, Erica, Leanne, and Vanessa. None of them could do anything to help. Well, Milena was going to look in on Jordan. Danielle would be there for her later. Vanessa was likely taking care of Jana. Sammi, Erica, and Leanne probably didn't know what was going on or the danger they faced if they remained with me. More and more, the idea of cutting them all free and running away sounded like a good idea. More and more, I wanted to simply find a big rock to crawl under and hide.

I sat down on the couch Jana bought me. "You don't pay back gifts, Seth," I muttered under my breath, recalling what Jana said about the couch. It was a gift, something she wanted me to have. What did I want her to have? What could I possibly offer her? A normal relationship was out. I couldn't be with just one girl. I'd kill her. I couldn't be with only three girls. My first three were all either sick or recovering, and it was because they were with me in the first place. Could I really go out to find someone else to put in the same situation? Was that really my only option?

I thought back over the last couple of days. Jordan had told me what would happen if I cut and run. The evidence of what could happen if I didn't have enough Fonti was obvious too. I was caught in the middle, between a rock and another rock. I thought about contacting Raven, to ask her advice, but really, she would probably agree with Jordan: Running wouldn't solve anything except not putting those particular women in danger, and not having enough Fonti would only slow the process by which they would die.

Crap!

I sat up. I couldn't let that happen. I really didn't want to leave any of them, to let them go. If I was honest with myself, I wanted them all in my life, but I didn't know if that was all me or some part of the magical bonds I had forged. I wanted to protect them, even from me, but that meant leaving them and the more I thought about that, the more I realized that I couldn't.

I stood up and paced the living room. Sitting here wouldn't solve anything. The girls needed me to do what I had to do, and no amount of feeling sorry for myself would change that. This required action. I had racked my brain for the last few days, looking for an alternate solution. Jordan didn't know of any. Raven seemed perfectly happy with her lot in life, so she wouldn't have any suggestions. And remembering Jordan's story about her mother, I knew what would happen if I tried to cut and run. There was only one option.

I went to my bedroom and looked through my clothes. Jordan said I needed to wear something that would show off my mark. Considering my mark was in the center of my chest, the answer was easy. I pulled out one of my button up shirts and looked it over. It was nice but muted in color. Maybe that would be good. I didn't want to stand out too much.

It was already five thirty, so I pulled out everything I needed to dress up for tonight, and hopped in the shower. With Milena and then Danielle looking in on Jordan, neither of them could drive me around. Vanessa would be with Jana. Erica and Sammi were both working. Leanne was probably studying.

I smacked myself. I had promised myself not to depend on my girls for transportation when I got my apartment. I would have to get a car. Maybe after Jordan recovered, she could take me somewhere to get one. Maybe she could tell me where she got hers.

In the mean time, I needed a way to get around. The idea of riding a bus all over town while trying to find a new Fonti didn't seem right. For tonight, I could take a taxi. Tomorrow too if needed. I could afford that much. I only had one hurdle to overcome. How to call for the cab?

I climbed out of the shower, shaved, brushed my teeth and hair, and then got dressed. I was trying to decide whether to ask Milena or Jordan to use their phone when there was a knock at my door. I answered it.

Danielle stood there wearing her server outfit, a white button up blouse and a black skirt, and holding out a cell phone. I blinked at her. "I thought you were at work."

"I'm on my lunch break," she said. "Take this, you'll need it."

I took the cell phone. "But what about you?"

"That's Jordan's," she said. "Milena's over there now, keeping an eye on her. If anything comes up, she'll call me."

"If anything comes up, she should take Jordan to the hospital," I countered.

"Actually, that's the plan," she said. "But I doubt it'll be necessary."

"This time," I added. "There's no telling how bad it'll be if this happens again."

Danielle stepped closer. "It won't happen again," she said. "That's why you're going out to find more Fonti." She looked me over and smiled. "You look good. I doubt you'll have any problems."

I arched an eyebrow. "No, not until I open my mouth."

She rolled her eyes. "Just be yourself. With your fetish, none of the women will be able to resist you." Then she threw her arms around me and kissed me. "Just remember, if you come home empty handed, someone will be happy to come by and warm up your bed."

She was trying to cheer me up, and I knew it. I smiled. She smiled in return and pulled me to her for another deeper kiss. I kissed her back, wrapping her up in my arms. Had it really been Monday morning the last time we were together? Compared to the last few weeks, it felt like it had been longer. A lot longer.

I broke our kiss and pulled away from her. "I'm supposed to go find more Fonti. If we keep this up, we may find out what worse for you is."

She swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, I agree." She didn't move to leave.

I held up the cell phone. "I'll call a cab. You should get back to work."

She nodded and stepped back. "When can I be with you again?"

"Soon," I said. She nodded and turned to leave. I closed the door and leaned against it. It wouldn't be soon enough.

Shaking thoughts of Danielle out of my head, I called a cab. While waiting, I grabbed my key, wallet, and fetish. I held it up, looking at it, trying to decide whether to put it on immediately or not. I remembered what I was told, it's like a flip switch for the Charm I had during my Initiation. I didn't need another cab driver looking longingly at me, so I pocketed the fetish as well as the cell phone and sat to wait.

The cab arrived and I recognized the driver. He was the same overweight, sweaty, thief that dropped me off north of campus the night I arrived in Texas. I was loath to get in and have a repeat of that night. He hadn't stolen a lot of money but I didn't trust that he wouldn't pull something similar and I had a lot more to lose this time.

I didn't need the additional problem, but it would look stupid to send him away only to call for a different cab. I could do that, but I needed to get tonight started.

The cabbie looked through the window at me and said, "You called for a cab?" in his gravelly voice.

I couldn't let indecision keep me from doing what I had to. I got in.

"Where to?" he asked.

"House Lacertae, the club," I said.

He nodded, hit a button on the meter, and we left.

As paranoid as I was in his cab, I watched where we went closely. I had a license but didn't drive. However, I knew the streets around the campus pretty well and as far as I could tell, he took the most direct route. Jordan had referred to it as Club Row, but it turned out to be a string of clubs along East Abrams. She said it was only a few miles east of campus, but we passed highway 360 before the cab pulled into a parking lot. I would certainly need a cab to get home if I struck out.

The driver turned and said, "That'll be twelve fifty."

I glanced past him at the meter. He hadn't lied. I pulled out my bank card and held it up.

He glanced at it and grunted. He pulled open the small window in the Plexiglas separating us and I handed my card through it. He swiped it, punched a couple of buttons, tore off the paper it printed out, and handed my card and the paper back through the window. The paper was a receipt for the fare and nothing more. Obviously the card reader was only designed to take what the meter displayed.

I climbed out of the cab, feeling a little better, but when I looked up, the sign for the club was in red, not blue. It said, "Club Lacertae," so I could only guess that the owner decided to change it.

Someone else climbed into the cab from the other side. I heard a familiar female voice say, "UTA, and step on it."

I tried to look but the driver took 'step on it' to heart. He was out of the parking lot and heading toward the school like nothing in the world was more important.

I shook my head and put it out of my mind. I had my own problems to worry about and looked up at the building. It was two stories tall, with lots of glass and a very modern design. I headed for the line at the front door.

As I got closer to the line, I realized that I wasn't properly dressed for this venue. I wondered briefly if more than the club's sign had changed or if Jordan thought this would be amusing. The dozen or so patrons lined up next to the entrance weren't dressed like me. Far from it. Leather and latex were the primary materials in their outfits, though a few opted for something softer but no less enticing. The few men I saw were primarily in leather and wore various types of masks or hoods. The women were colorful and squeaked as they moved.

And I thought I was pushing my wardrobe by leaving my shirt half open.

I could feel all of them watching me as I approached. Thoughts of calling for a cab to leave or walking down to the next club crossed my mind until the security guard reached for me. He was only a little smaller than a mountain and was dressed normally in a black t-shirt that said, "Security" as well as jeans and boots.

I glanced at the waiting line and then stepped closer to him. I opened my mouth to ask if there was a payphone I could use, but something about the way he looked at my chest made me hold my words.

"If you're looking for some real fun," said a woman at the front of the line wearing a black cat suit with a purple corset and elevated stilettos, "we could all go back to my place." She licked her very red lips and winked at me when I met her eyes.

Another woman, presumably her friend, was dressed in a pink cat suit, complete with hood. There were holes for her eyes, nose, and mouth. She looked me over and added, "I have a wonderful set of cuffs that would fit you perfectly."

I looked at the security guard, ready to ask my question, but he thumbed back over his shoulder toward the door and said, "Go on in."

I looked at the latex clad women, and they moved to go in, but the guard put out his hand to stop them. "Not you two," he said and looked at me. "Him."

The women, along with a few others behind them, all complained. "He's not even dressed properly." "We've been waiting forever." "What makes him so special?"

I couldn't argue with any of their comments or questions. The guard said, "I said he can go in. If you don't like it, you can go back to the end of the line or be escorted off the property." Then he looked at me. "Are you going in?"

I nodded and went through the doors.

What did Jordan get me into? Why didn't I turn around and leave? Was this really the best place to go to find my new Fonti? I didn't know any of the answers, but I was in and I wasn't going to leave until I at least talked to Lady Brighid. If she was still here.



-------

Chapter 23



The music in the club pounded at me like a physical force. Sweat was prominent among the smells. Lights were everywhere but none of them really lit up the room. Most were indirect or lit up surfaces. The street lights outside provided more illumination.

Two more security guards stopped me just inside. Both were tall, muscular men and dressed like the one outside. They didn't smile or give me any condescending looks. They simply waved a metal detecting wand over me. It went off at my pockets. I pulled out my cell phone, fetish, and key. They nodded and let me pass. Looking out at the multitudes of moving bodies and the outfits most of them wore, I wondered how many had to be checked for hidden weapons. Then I remembered the girls at the front of the line outside. I was probably the only one.

A woman at a podium stopped me. Her blonde hair was in two long, thick braids and she wore a flesh-toned cat suit with black lines that emphasized her nipples and vagina. "Ten dollars for the cover charge and your ID," she said, having to yell to be heard.

I paid her and pulled out my driver's license. She swiped my bank card and handed it back, then looked at my ID. She held it out to me and when I took it, she grabbed my wrist, and gave me a stamp on the back of my hand. It was a circle-slash, probably to tell the bartender not to serve me alcohol. I remembered the girls outside were wearing latex gloves. I wondered what she would use to denote under aged patrons with them. It wasn't my problem. No, my problem was before me.

I stared at the crowds. The club had a growing line of people outside waiting to get in and from the looks of it on the inside I understood why. If they let everyone in as they came, it would violate occupancy limits. The number of people didn't bother me though. It was their outfits. I felt like an outsider, a true reject, among throngs of people dressed in outfits and materials I had never actually seen on a person. Realistically, I knew things like this existed, even clubs that catered to this fetish, but nothing could have prepared me for it. That was probably why Jordan hadn't told me. She knew I'd go anywhere else to avoid this place.

I shook off my apprehension. I was here to talk to Lady Brighid. I didn't necessarily have to do anything else, but I would talk to her. In fact, I would probably talk to her and then leave, if I couldn't adjust to the climate.

I made my way to the bar. The crowd waiting for drinks was three deep and no one was shy about bumping into anyone else. The leather outfits were smooth and ranged from supple to rigid. The latex though, almost always had a near-sticky texture that refused to let my skin or clothes slide past it. I had to fight to keep from getting dragged off by one outfit after another. Everyone else seemed to either get off on the way the material gripped or simply enjoyed making my night more difficult.

No one struck me as bashful. The men wore either vests or simple straps, leaving their chests on display regardless of their build. Most wore pants of one type or another but some wore shorts. I even noticed one guy in a leather skirt. I might have referred to it as a kilt, but the guy wore a mask so I wasn't sure of his nationality. The women were just as brazen. Those not wearing full cat suits displayed enough skin to make things more than interesting. Many wore corsets that covered and supported their breasts along with something to cover what the corsets didn't. Others wore latex. Knowing the latex wouldn't let go easily, I was surprised to see one woman wearing a bright red latex dress. It was a mix of elegant and sassy, until she turned around. The back was a series of straps. She didn't wear anything under it.

After seeing the dress, I did my best to keep my eyes in my head. I got closer to the bar. It was long and curved along the wall behind it. The front was lit up with various signs depicting some of the more popular drinks available. All of them were alcoholic. I wasn't interested in getting drunk, so it wasn't a big deal. There was also a line of barstools along it. All of them were occupied and the crowds around those on the barstool simply found openings to order and retrieve drinks.

The outfits around me continued to distract me from what I was doing. Water splashed my face and I realized the bartender was looking at me. "What can I get you?" he asked.

I looked around and said, "Just a coke, and I'm looking for Lady Brighid."

He pulled out a glass, set it on the bar, filled it with soda from a retractable hose, and then pushed it to me on a napkin. "That's seven dollars."

I gave him my card. He swiped it and handed it back. I took it and the drink, but the bartender moved on to the next person. I tried to get his attention again but the rest of the club-goers effectively moved me from the bar by pushing their way in front of me.

I made my way to some tables near the dance floor, but didn't see any free seats. The music thrummed in the air at tempos that I wasn't sure anyone could actually dance to, but the dance floor was full. In fact, latex and leather clad patrons danced everywhere they had room to move. In most cases, it looked like they were simply bouncing, and I realized that was the best they could do.

And to think, it was only a Thursday night.

I looked around the club again, kicking myself for not getting a description of Lady Brighid from Jordan before I left. However, between the low lighting, the outfits, and sheer number of people, it would be impossible to find her even if I knew what she looked like. I had to ask around, but I didn't know who knew her and who didn't. The bartender was my best chance. I turned that way again, determined to get an answer from him.

I had quickly grown used to the cramped conditions and how the latex pulled at me. Everyone bumped into everyone else on one level or another, but when someone grabbed my behind, I couldn't let that go.

I spun around and found a young woman in what looked like a normal blouse and shirt. She smiled up at me and though she was already close, she pressed her body to mine. Her clothes were latex.

"Is this your first time here?" she asked, shouting to be heard. I nodded my head. "I thought so. You stand out. What's your name?"

"Seth," I said. "What's yours?"

She smiled. "Tiana."

The music didn't simply change from one song to the next like on the radio, but sort of continued constantly. I could see the DJ's booth where a guy wearing a heavy set of headphones adjusted controls and bobbed his head with the driving beat. Tiana wasn't shy about grinding her body against mine and I liked the way she moved and smiled at me, but I had to find Lady Brighid before I got caught up in what was going on or donned my fetish.

There wasn't a lull in the music, so I finally just said, "I'm looking for someone."

Tiana smiled and ran her hands over my backside again. "I'm someone." She moved to a slower oscillation of the music's tempo, keeping beat but making her hips sway more suggestively.

I smiled while she danced. Unfortunately, I didn't think she was the woman I sought. I decided to ask. "Are you Lady Brighid?"

The blonde's smile vanished and she pulled from me like she would get burned. She shook her head and disappeared into the crowd.

Fantastic. Not only did I scare off probably the only woman that found me attractive without the fetish, but from her reaction, Lady Brighid wasn't someone to mess with.

Someone else pulled on my shoulder, forcing me to turn. "You don't look that scary," said another woman in a leather corset, thigh high boots, and panties. She grabbed my chin. "You look like you need a lesson in proper attire."

I pulled my chin from her grip. "Excuse me?"

She looked me over with a quick sweep of her eyes. "I can teach you. All you have to do is submit." I don't know where she had it, but she pulled out a heavy collar with a D ring.

I shook my head. "No thank you."

She smiled. "When you change your mind, I'll be waiting." Then she slipped into the crowds and vanished.

I looked around the crowd, keeping an eye out for anyone else who might get too close. It was difficult though. Too many people were around and no one tried to hide their confusion, disgust, or amusement at my clothes. I finished my drink and went back to the bar. The bartender had as much energy as the crowd. He moved in his own dance from one patron to the next, pouring drinks and handling money in between. He got to me and said, "Another soda?"

I nodded and said, "Where's Lady Brighid?"

Again, he ignored my question, but was just as efficient at getting my drink and taking my money.

A barstool next to me became available and before I thought about it, I took it. The crowd was putting me off and I seriously considered leaving. I didn't need to go through all of this just to find a new Fonte. Talking to Lady Brighid was becoming less and less important, unless someone pointed her out to me.

"You look a little out of place," said a woman sitting next to me.

I groaned under my breath, getting tired of that opening line already, and then I looked at her. Her dark red hair was pulled back tight and pinned into a bun on the back of her head. Her dark brown eyes looked me over like every other set had since I arrived and her outfit was more leather than latex. She wore a corset that covered her breasts, but only as much as the law required. Unlike all of the other corsets I had seen, which had covered stitches, her corset was held together by rivets and thick string.

She turned to face me and crossed her fishnet covered legs. She had a fantastic figure and moved like she knew it.

With her focus fully on me, I felt a little sheepish for looking her over without answering. "A friend said I should come here, but she didn't tell me everything about the dress code."

The redhead looked me over again. "Leather and latex night. It's not required attire, but as you can see, it is popular."

I nodded but didn't say anything.

She studied me with an arched eyebrow. "So, does your friend have a name?"

"Jordan," I said, but didn't want to give away more information.

"And when did Jordan last visit?" she asked.

I studied the redhead. "Why so curious about my friend?"

She shrugged, which could have meant a lot or nothing at all. "I only ask because you don't appear to be enjoying yourself. It makes me wonder what kind of friend you have. If she knew what to expect and didn't tell you..."

"There could be any number of reasons she didn't tell me," I said, interrupting. "Since she isn't here though, we can't ask her."

She studied me. "You're protective of your friends, an admirable trait, but I'm curious why she sent you hear so uninformed."

I looked around at the crowd. "I'm not here for the dress code. I came to talk to Lady Brighid."

"About what?" she asked.

"That's between me and her," I said.

She nodded. "Fair enough." She turned to the bartender. "Brandon, could I have a screwdriver, please?"

The bartender, Brandon, nodded, poured the drink for the redhead, and handed it over without missing a beat among the other patrons. However, he didn't ask for payment.

I frowned and watched the redhead take a sip. It was possible she had a regular tab with the club that he automatically added the charge to, so I didn't say anything.

She held up her drink. "To a good evening."

I held up my drink too and shared in the toast. I needed a good evening. So far, nothing implied it would happen.

The redhead watched me the whole time. Even with so many people pressed in around us, her eyes never wavered. I grew nervous and again considered the importance of talking to Lady Brighid. Was it really worth all this?

It wasn't that she was staring that bothered me. My girls did that sometimes, especially my redhead, Danielle. But this redhead unnerved me. Granted, among all of the leather and latex, that wasn't too difficult but it was different with her somehow.

Both of us sat there quietly sipping our drinks while the music bombarded us, people bumped into us, and the heat of so many bodies in an enclosed space made us sweat. Well, that last could have been my nerves. The redhead looked perfectly comfortable. Not a bead of sweat marred her skin.

I felt the weight of her gaze shift away from me. I looked up to see what had changed.

A blonde wearing a bubblegum pink party dress with a black corset and stockings appeared out of the crowd. Her outfit was all latex, like so many others, except for the choker she wore. It was made of metal and had a small tag hanging from it. I couldn't make out what was imprinted on the tag, but it was of little consequence. She leaned in and said something in the redhead's ear.

The redhead smiled and nodded. Both of them looked at me. "This is my pet, Rebecca," said the redhead. She lightly ran the back of her finger along Rebecca's jaw. It was an affectionate gesture.

Rebecca stretched her neck, rubbing back against the redhead's finger. She smiled until the redhead pulled away, and then she focused on me. "What's your name?"

I turned to face them fully and held out my hand to shake. "Seth."

Neither one paid any attention to my hand. Both stared at my chest.

I felt suddenly vulnerable and grabbed my shirt to pull it closed. I remembered why I was wearing my shirt open and dropped my hand, forcing myself to calm down.

The redhead looked up first. "Now, I believe I understand."

I frowned. Rebecca looked at the redhead.

"I am Lady Brighid," she said. "We need to go somewhere else to talk."

I nodded and pushed my glass across the bar for the bartender to take. There wasn't much room between us, so when we stood up at the same time, we bumped into each other lightly. At the same time, a spark jumped between us.

The first thing I felt was cool detachment. It was quickly followed by curiosity and then lust. The emotions left me and I felt like I had been standing there with her for several minutes.

Lady Brighid smiled. "Follow me," she said and turned to move through the crowds. Rebecca followed her first and I followed her.

I expected to get separated and to have to find them again, but the path was clear. To me it looked like everyone knew where Lady Brighid was going and moved out of the way. I wasn't sure whether to be impressed or disturbed. And then I looked down.

Lady Brighid's corset wasn't closed in the back. Tucked under the corset was a latex skirt, or more accurately, two latex sheets. They had to be attached to the inside of the corset because their separation matched the corset. I could see her spine clearly, including the cleavage of her cheeks. I couldn't tell if she was wearing panties, but at the moment that wasn't important.

There was another detail I saw, even in the dim light of the club. A dark red flower floated just over her skin on her lower back. Like my mark, it glowed but didn't produce light or shadows. Jordan said showing my mark would let other magi know that I was seeking more Fonti. I wondered if Lady Brighid was too. I glanced at Rebecca, looking for her Fonte version of the same mark, but I didn't see it. I thought it was possible that if she had one, it was covered by her outfit, but I didn't know for certain.

We walked toward the DJ's booth and around the corner. We passed an area roped off and marked for V.I.P.s. I thought we might go there but Lady Brighid went past it toward the emergency exit.

"I thought we were going somewhere to talk, not to the exit," I said.

Both of them looked at me. I met Lady Brighid's gaze. She didn't say anything. She simply turned and continued on. Rebecca and I followed her to the emergency exit. Lady Brighid looked to the right and so did I. There was a wall hiding a stairway leading up. I hadn't seen it, and from anywhere but at the emergency door, no one else would either.

I didn't apologize for my assumption. There was no way I could have known about the hidden stairs.

At the top of the stairs was a long, curved, dimly lit hallway. The music from the main floor could be heard clearly but the thumping of the bass was felt through the floor rather than along the skin. There was only one door on the left and several on the right. I couldn't see the end of the hall from the top of the stairs. I wondered what the intention of that was.

Lady Brighid took the first door on the right. I followed her in. The room was a mix of bedroom and dungeon. The floor was linoleum and had a drain hole in the middle. Various implements lined the walls, including chains, cuffs, straps, and whips. A four-poster queen sized bed dominated one side of the room. The mattress was encased in a rubber or latex sleeve, there were no pillows or blankets, and each of the posts had several rings built into them. On the other side of the room were a couple of chairs and a small couch. All of them were covered with leather and had rings built into each armrest. None of them were bolted to the floor, but that was little consolation. Most of the ceiling was covered by a large mirror, making the room feel much bigger than it really was. I couldn't understand why anyone would want that, but it wasn't my club.

My insides squirmed and I had to fight off the instinct to run. I didn't say anything while I studied everything, but it was difficult.

Lady Brighid walked right in and sat on the far end of the couch as if we were in a comfortable lounge. Rebecca smiled at me and walked off down the hall. I didn't think she would be included in our discussion, but some part of me was actually glad she left. She didn't bother me downstairs. Neither did Lady Brighid for that matter, but the two of them together with me alone in that room would have given me too much reason to run rather than stay.

"Come in and close the door, Seth," Lady Brighid said. "We have much to discuss and don't need anyone else hearing."

I couldn't get over her calm disposition. What had Jordan gotten me into? For that matter, why hadn't I left when I first thought about it? I swallowed to wet my throat and stepped closer to the couch. I could smell the leather of the furniture. It wasn't new, but it certainly was well taken care of. I sat on the opposite end of the couch, doing my best to relax.

Lady Brighid watched me closely. We both knew that I was nervous, but she didn't say anything about it and I was thankful. "Why did Jordan send you to my club?"

I weighed how much truth to tell her. I didn't have to tell everything, just enough for her to understand my situation. "She's sick. It's the first symptom." I was sure Lady Brighid was smart enough to know what I was talking about.

Lady Brighid took another sip and looked me over. Her eyes lingered on my chest. "Only a magus would know to look for Lady Brighid here. Everyone else knows me as Bianca. Jordan is a magus. How is it she's suffering from the first symptom?"

I sighed. This was going to be more complicated than I thought. "She awoke my powers a few weeks ago," I said. "She didn't have the power to resist my Initiation. Now she's bound to me."

Lady Brighid frowned. "She awoke your power? Why weren't you awakened when you were younger?"

I shrugged. "You'd have to ask my parents about that. Right now though, Jordan told me you could help. I need to find one or two more Fonti."

Lady Brighid glanced at my chest again. "You don't know how many you need?"

I licked my lips. "I was told ten, but I don't know that for certain."

She drained her drink and set it on the floor at the foot of the couch. "Who told you ten? If Jordan is one of your Fonti now, she couldn't have."

"Another magus," I said.

"Who?"

"Does it matter?" I asked. "Another magus told me ten, and I have no reason to doubt her."

"I only ask because very few magi in the area could have been able to figure it out. Since you mentioned her I can guess you're referring to Augur." I frowned and she smiled. "I thought so, but what makes me even more curious is why she would share that information with you at all. She doesn't talk to many people. In fact, I haven't heard anything about her in almost a year." She shifted closer along the couch. "What else did she tell you?"

"That's between me and her," I said. "If she wanted you to know, she would tell you."

Lady Brighid glanced at my chest again. "Amber. It's not a major House color."

"Yours is dark red," I countered. "I doubt it makes a huge difference."

She smiled. "You really don't know."

She was right. I didn't know, but then I had no clue what she was talking about either. "Look, I came here because Jordan said you could help. If you're not going to help, then I'll leave." I got up and walked to the door.

"Wait," she said, standing up. I stopped with my hand on the doorknob. "I can help," she said.

I turned around and looked at her.

"I can help," she said walking toward me. "But you're going to owe me."

I frowned but turned from the door. "What do you want?" I was pretty certain she wasn't talking about money. That would be too easy.

"I want to know why you're not affected by the Lockdown," she said, "and what I have to do to accomplish the same."

I took a deep breath and let it out. "I don't know, and neither does Jordan."

"Jordan is young," she said. "She didn't have enough experience or power to really worry about it. However, Augur has the experience and the power." She moved closer. "Did she tell you?"

I frowned at her. "If I knew why I'm not affected, I would tell you, but I can't tell you want I do not know."

Lady Brighid stared into my eyes for a few seconds and then walked away. "Then you will owe me a favor if I help you."

"What favor?" I asked.

She turned and looked at me again. "I don't know yet. I don't need anything right now, except to get out from under the Lockdown."

"Why not move?" I asked. "I understand a number of other magi have already moved out of the area."

She sat on the couch again. "This is my home. House Lacertae isn't just a club. You don't know about the Houses and I'll leave that for Jordan to explain, but suffice it to say I can't just leave."

I nodded, conceding to that. "Then help me find two more Fonti. I'll owe you a favor in return."

She studied me. "Fine. There's only one rule in my House. You must have permission."

I frowned. "Permission? From you?"

She smiled but shook her head. "You must have permission, whether from the person you intend to make a Fonte, or the person they turn to when they wish to play. You must have permission."

I sighed. "I'm not out to wreck any relationships." I pulled out my fetish. "This is designed to only affect women who are available."

She stood and moved closer. She studied my fetish and then looked at me. "You should be careful with that. Many of my patrons would eat you alive if they felt the desire, and that would bring out their desire."

Crap. I hadn't thought about the number of people in the club who might be susceptible to my fetish. I put it back in my pocket. "Do you have any suggestions?"

Her smile displayed genuine humor. "Are you serious? You can't pick up a woman for a simple one night stand without your fetish?"

I felt heat flush my face and fought it down. "Why would I have the fetish if I could?"

She studied my face. "Now I know why Jordan sent you to ask for my help."

I studied her face. She was serious. "Why?" I asked.

She smiled again, but it was pleasant rather than condescending. "Come with me. There's someone you need to meet."



-------

Chapter 24



It was odd that we'd have such a short conversation alone only to go back downstairs to talk to someone else. I thought Lady Brighid was going to teach me some kind of spell to do what needed doing, but apparently not. I followed her out of the bedroom-slash-dungeon and downstairs.

The VIP section was about twice the size of the room we left upstairs. One long curved bench followed the circular walls from one side of the entrance all the way around to the other. Seven small tables were spaced along the bench and chairs liked those tables. The music didn't hit as hard in there either, and like on the main floor, I felt out of place among all of the leather and latex.

Lady Brighid didn't go far. She turned to the first table on our left. A couple sitting on the bench looked up and smiled at her. The man wore a leather vest, a heavy collar with a leash attached to the D ring, and a full hood. The hood had openings for his eyes and mouth, but zippers were built into them. His nose was completely covered but with a tilt of his head, I saw small holes for his nostrils, making breathing easier when everything else was closed up. The woman was stunning. Her hair flowed in luxurious locks about her shoulders, framing her face. Her eyes sparkled in the low light, and her smile made me feel at home in the thumping music, leather and latex clad patrons, and sheer number of strangers. Her body was compact, small even. She wore a latex dress with stripes of two tones of purple that ran its length.

Lady Brighid greeted them and they called her Bianca. I suspected that all the magi I had met so far, except for Jordan, had adopted nicknames to help hide their identities, and for the redhead I accompanied this seemed to confirm it. She turned to me. "Seth, this is Jaime and Tony. Jaime, Tony, this is Seth."

I shook hands with Jaime, but Tony was hesitant to shake with me. Lady Brighid hadn't touched him, so I wasn't sure what else to do.

The leash at his collar jerked. "Shake his hand," Jaime said with a touch of annoyance.

He reached out and shook my hand, letting go quickly as if he didn't want to touch me any more than absolutely necessary.

Everyone else nearby watched us with interest until Lady Brighid and I sat down. I felt a little better until she said, "Seth is in need of your special consultation."

I frowned and looked at her. "What does this have to do with my problem?"

Jaime looked at me. "Four more questions and you'll know."

I was thankful she hadn't commented on my attire, but this made less sense. "What questions?"

Jaime studied me for a moment. "Which do you prefer: giving up control, maintaining control of what goes on in your life, the world is equal, or you'll only do what others want if it suits you?"

I shook my head in confusion. "What does this have to do ... OW!" Someone kicked me under the table. From the angle, it had to be Lady Brighid.

"Answer the question, Seth," she said. "She's trying to help."

I shot her a quick glare and then turned to Jaime. "I need to maintain control of what goes on in my life."

She nodded. "If your girlfriend tells you to go get her a drink, how do you respond?"

I shrugged. "Okay, but she gets the next thing needed."

Jaime smiled. Tony looked like he was frowning behind his mask. "Does your heart beat harder just bringing a sandwich to your girlfriend?" Jaime asked. Tony smiled and leaned toward Jaime a little, but not enough to press against her.

"I suppose," I said. "It would depend on my mood."

Jaime nodded again. "Last question: when you go out to eat, do you hope your girlfriend will order for you?" Tony smiled and gave a small nod.

I chuckled, stopped when Lady Brighid frowned at me, and said, "If she gets to order for me, do I get to order for her?"

Jaime smiled. Tony looked lost. "You're an interesting person, Seth," Jaime said. "I'd say you're neutral. You don't tend to sit on one side or the other. You also may switch back and forth depending on your moods, how you feel, so on and so forth. You question things and don't choose to randomly obey when told to do things."

I held up my hand and Jaime stopped talking. "Switch back and forth between what?"

Everyone around me swapped glances. Lady Brighid said, "Seth, do you really not know what we're talking about?"

I looked around at everyone. Jordan hadn't offered a clue, but there were clues all throughout the club. The bedroom-slash-dungeon upstairs, the offers of "playing" that I didn't think had anything to do with childhood toys, the way Jaime tugged at Tony's leash and commanded him to shake my hand, and the fact that most of the patrons sitting in the VIP area wore collars not as some kind of fashion accessory but as a symbol to the people they were with. I looked at Lady Brighid again and asked, "BDSM?"

"Yes and no," Jaime said. "Dominance and submission, but it can lead to BDSM. What I was trying to determine was whether you are Dominant or submissive."

"But you said I was neutral," I said. "I could switch between the two."

She nodded. "Occasionally, someone falls into that category. You are a little more unique because your choice to switch is guided by your moods and emotions rather than your consciousness."

"So, I have no control over that?" I asked.

"Well, if you control your emotions, then yes," she said. "But if someone or something changes how you feel, you may switch without thinking about it."

"Couldn't that be dangerous?" I asked.

Jaime's eyebrows rose. "Only if you and your girlfriend are doing something dangerous already, otherwise it would only be confusing to her. However, you're protective of your friends, so you may find the strength of will to maintain your position."

I shook my head. "Position?"

"It's a general term. Dominants are referred to as Tops and subs are Bottoms. Position is in reference to those aspects."

I nodded and looked at Lady Brighid. She had introduced me to Jaime to find out whether I was a Dom or sub. Unfortunately, I didn't know what it all meant. I shook my head. "I don't understand. What does this have to do with my problem?"

"You came to learn," she said. "We'll teach."

"The first thing you have to do, Seth, is to open your mind," Jaime said.

"Should I be taking notes?" I asked them.

Lady Brighid shook her head. "On the most basic level, it's like the one rule of my club: you have to have permission."

I shook my head again. "You're being too vague."

"As a Dom, I command my subs," Jaime said. "They do my bidding. At the same time, I'm responsible for them. I have to take care of them."

It sounded like what any relationship should be, except for the titles and one commanding the other.

"As my sub, he does what I tell him to. He usually feels thrilled, but occasionally I have to bring him back into line with our agreement."

"Agreement?" I asked. "Like a contract?"

Jaime nodded. "Yes. Some actually write up formal contracts and sign them, but I've never felt the need to. I like to keep our arrangement fluid, that way if something happens that one of us doesn't like, we can discuss it and fine-tune our relationship."

"Not everyone agrees with her philosophy though," Lady Brighid said. "They may prefer the rigidity of a written contract. That way neither the Dom nor the sub can change the rules they've agreed to."

"Can't that lead to problems?" I asked.

"Actually, both can," Jaime said. "However, if the Dom and sub are honest with themselves and each other, both options can make for a lasting and enjoyable relationship."

I looked at Tony. "Then you enjoy what you have with Jaime?"

He glanced at Jaime but didn't say anything. Like when I offered to shake hands with him, he was hesitant to respond. Jaime smiled at him and then looked at me. "I speak for Tony," she said. "He's not allowed to do anything without my permission, like shaking your hand."

I frowned. "You can't be there for him all the time."

She shook her head. "I should have been more specific. When we're together, I command him. He has his own job and his own apartment. He lives his life like anyone else, except when we're together."

I nodded. "Like tonight."

She nodded.

I studied his eyes for a moment. Even with the mask, I could tell that he wasn't upset. Quite the opposite in fact. He seemed pleased she had answered for him. It was a level of control I couldn't imagine giving up, and I said, "You say I'm neutral, that I could be one or the other." Jaime nodded and I continued, "I don't know that I could give up so much to someone else."

She smiled. "With the right person, I know you can. You do tend toward Dominance, which is why you feel that way, but don't let the newness of this scare you. Remember, it may be new to you, but this kind of arrangement has been around for a long, long time. In fact, many socially acceptable lifestyles follow similar arrangements. Take the Military. As a grunt, you're a sub. What you want doesn't matter. You serve those of higher rank and authority. You follow orders without question and work hard day and night to please them. Gradually, you rise in rank and eventually, if you stick with it, you find yourself in the Dominant position, commanding other grunts and fielding responsibility for them."

I suddenly realized that Jaime was right, though she probably didn't suspect in what way. I felt responsible for my girls. I protected them, looked out for their well-being and happiness. I didn't exactly command them though. With some of them, that wouldn't work at all. Yet, on the flip side, I gave in to them too. I let them control what happened when it came to sex and matters of emotional nature. It was a balance I had known about and followed instinctively, but now I had a better understanding of what was happening. In some ways, I was Dominant. I had magic and drank of them so my powers wouldn't force me to do what I didn't want to. In other ways, I was submissive. I wanted the girls to be happy and let them have their way because it was the most direct way to achieve that. And in other things, we were all equal. We all had hopes, dreams, and emotions. We all had fears and problems to face and overcome. I could only hope that by defining those various roles, I didn't screw it all up.

I looked up to find everyone at our table watching me.

"I think he understands," Jaime said.

Lady Brighid nodded. "Yes, I believe so too."

"Now, for the real test," Jaime said. "Can you take it further?"

I frowned. "Further?"

She nodded. "If given a sub, can you Dominate? If given to a Dom, can you serve?"

I took a deep breath and blew it out. I started to shake my head, no, but I stopped. Hadn't my understanding of what it meant included that? No, it hadn't. I looked at Jaime. "I don't know."

I looked from her to Lady Brighid and back. "You're not serious about a test are you?"

Jaime's smile shifted. "A Dom should never fear acquiring a new sub. In fact, most Doms I know enjoy breaking in a new sub." She noticed my cringe and said, "It's only a term meaning to get to know the sub." Then she shrugged. "Unless you're into that sort of play." I shook my head and she continued. "Just remember that most of our terms don't necessarily mean what they sound like. What may also surprise you is a sub's willingness to become a good Dom's sub. The challenge is finding you the right sub."

I frowned and looked down the line of tables. If the subs all wore collars, then most of the women in the VIP area were Dominant. I only spotted one woman wearing a collar. Even with her back turned to me, I could see her collar because her hair was made up in a complex braid, which she hung over her shoulder. The man she sat across from wore a leather jacket but nothing under it. He had a rough, almost cruel expression though his face was sculpted and probably considered handsome. He met my eyes and frowned.

I frowned in return and turned back to my table.

"Subs only have a few basic rules," Lady Brighid said. "The most important rules regard whether or not they belong to someone."

"How do you know the difference?" I asked.

Jaime reached up and stroked Tony's collar. "By their collar. If a sub belongs to someone, their collar will be locked, and usually something will be attached to the ring to denote who their Dom is."

"So, the subs that don't belong to someone will be missing this?" I asked.

"And the collar will be unlocked," Lady Brighid said. "Sometimes a sub will show up wearing an open collar, but will cover it to mean they're not looking for a Dom."

"Why not simply take the collar off?" I asked.

She smiled. "You never know when you might meet a Dom you want to submit to."

I nodded. It was sort of like me carrying my fetish in my pocket. "So, you're suggesting that I find a sub?" Both women smiled and nodded. "Tonight?" I asked and they nodded again. "Now?" I asked with growing apprehension as they continued to nod.

I slumped back in my chair. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"Relax, Seth," Jaime said. "It's not like we're telling you to sign a contract with anyone. Simply find someone you're attracted to and who is a sub. If she belongs to a Dom, ask permission to borrow her for a couple of hours."

I didn't like the sound of that, but I wasn't entirely sure what I was supposed to do otherwise. "And then what?"

Lady Brighid gave me a coy look. "We have rooms upstairs for different activities."

I remembered the bedroom-slash-dungeon, and a small shiver ran up my spine.

Jaime must have noticed. "Remember the agreements we talked about. You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"You just have to have permission," Lady Brighid added and Jaime nodded.

I heard a smack and a woman squealed in pain. Lady Brighid, Jaime, and Tony all looked past me toward the commotion. I turned in my seat to see too. Like a train wreck, I was morbidly curious.

The female sub I had seen earlier was turned sideways in her chair and covering her face. The man sitting on the bench across from her looked angry. However, when he realized that everyone was watching them, his face smoothed over into a smile. "Everything's alright," he said. "It's all under control now." His eyes returned to his sub and though he continued to smile, I could see his anger burning in his eyes. He wasn't finished yet.

I turned back to my table. "Who is that?" I asked.

Lady Brighid looked angry too. "Dom Heisler," she said as if his name left something bitter on her tongue.

"He's a regular," Jaime added. "And he regularly shows off the more vulgar aspects of a Dom."

I shook my head. "Can't anyone do anything?"

"Nothing he would allow," Lady Brighid said and then looked at me, her expression thoughtful.

Jaime said, "As long as his sub agrees to this, he's allowed to do it."

I frowned and looked back at Heisler and the sub again. The sub was wiping her eyes. There was something familiar about her but before I could figure out what, she turned in her seat to face Heisler.

I shook my head. "I find it hard to believe anyone would want to be treated that way."

"Actually," Jaime said, "You'd be surprised what some subs would allow a Dom to do. A slap isn't all that bad really."

I stared at her. "Compared to what?"

She looked at me but didn't say anything.

Lady Brighid leaned toward me. "You saw what lined the walls in room one upstairs. All of that equipment is fully functional and there are some Doms who have their own play rooms with even more dangerous equipment."

I turned to stare but stopped myself. I remembered being whipped four years ago. My back was bloody and my shirt falling off. And that had been with a switch, a slim, flexible tree limb. The whips I saw upstairs would do far more damage, and yet others had things even more dangerous? Did I really want to get into this?

I remembered how Milena would do what I told her. I dredged up Jana's need for pain as intimacy. And I recalled the animalistic hunger Sammi had our first time. Slaps were merely teases to them, something to add spice to the mood.

My mind then turned to my reaction at seeing Vanessa's crop. Sure Jana was willing to let me use it on her, but I didn't want anything to do with it. How could I use something like that on her when I would never let her use it on me?

I looked up and found Jaime watching me. "You're thinking very hard about something. What is it?" she asked.

I wasn't sure what to say but I decided to go with partial truth. "Recently, someone wanted me to use a crop on her. I couldn't do it. I didn't want anything to do with the crop, though I was willing to do almost anything else she wanted."

Jaime nodded. "Why do you hate the crop?"

I shook my head. "It's a long story. Suffice it to say, I was beaten with something similar and it scares me."

"You have to remember, Seth, any relationship, whether long term or only a couple of hours, requires both parties' cooperation. What if you wanted her to go down on you but she refused?"

I shook my head and shrugged. "It wouldn't be the end of the world."

"But you'd be disappointed," she said. "Sometimes, as a Dom, you have to put your fears aside to give the sub what she needs."

Jana needed to feel pain to feel intimate. I was scared of the crop but not of giving Jana what she needed. "I was wrong, not using the crop," I said in conclusion.

Jaime nodded. "Being a Dom is as much about control of yourself as it is control of your sub."

"It sounds like the sub has all the fun," I said, but then remembered the sub sitting with Heisler. "Or maybe not."

Lady Brighid looked their way. I turned to look too.

The sub had moved to sit next to Heisler. I could see her outfit clearly, though she seemed to wear less than everyone else in the club. Her black leather corset had laces at the hips and between her breasts, showing off more skin than I think it was designed to. It was difficult to miss the bulge of her breasts. The corset might have been designed to create cleavage but she didn't need the help. She also wore a four panel skirt with laces holding one panel centered in front to the two on her hips. It didn't attach to the corset though the lace openings were lined up.

Regardless of her outfit, the sub looked uncomfortable. Heisler made me think of an octopus, the way his arms moved around her. He grabbed one of her considerable breasts and squeezed it hard. Then he reached down and pressed his hand between her thighs, pushing her skirt up.

The sub looked up and I met her eyes. All at once, I knew who I was looking at: Katrina, the teacher's aide in my psychology class. What was she doing here? Why was she with Heisler? It simply didn't make any sense to me.

Before I realized what I had done, I was on my feet. Someone grabbed my elbow. I turned to tell them to let go and found Lady Brighid staring up at me. For an instant, there was perfect understanding between us.

"If you're serious about learning to become a Dom, you need the right sub," she said. "And you have to have permission."

I nodded. I understood. I had to ask for time with Katrina. I had to get permission from Heisler.

Lady Brighid walked past me toward them. I followed her. It wasn't really more than a dozen paces, but it felt further. What's more, when we were close, a man with blond hair moved to block our path. He was easily as tall as the guard outside the entrance, but where the guard was simply large this man's muscle was lean and corded. He wore a set of leather straps that crossed his chest and upper arms. He was one of the few men who looked impressive in so little.

Lady Brighid looked up at him. I had to as well. "I need to talk to Heisler," she said. "He's breaking the rule."

The blond man smiled. "He doesn't need permission to touch his sub."

Lady Brighid moved up close to him. "But he does need permission to undress her in the VIP lounge."

He rolled his eyes and pivoted on one foot to allow access.

Lady Brighid moved past him and I followed. She got by but he planted a large hand in the center of my chest, stopping me. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked, looking me over like I was a disgusting rat that should be disposed of quickly.

I could smell the aftershave or cologne or whatever-it-was he wore and wrinkled my nose. "When I leave, it'll be to get a hose to wash you off of me."

He growled and grabbed two fistfuls of my shirt. "A smartass, huh? I know just what to do with you." And he pushed.

Fortunately, no one else was behind me, so it was just me that slammed into the floor. I stood up again, determined not to let this stinking ogre of a man get the better of me. Sure he was strong, definitely stronger than me, but it was the principle of the whole thing.

He took two long steps to close the distance.

I was as ready as I could be, not really knowing how to fight, or sure it was even a good idea.

"Yeager!" someone yelled and the blond man stopped.

Yeager turned and looked behind him at Heisler, who was staring back at him.

"What's going on?" Heisler asked.

Yeager thumbed at me. "He's a punk. I was just showing him the exit."

"Actually," Lady Brighid said, "Seth is my guest."

The two men looked from her to each other again. Heisler shook his head and Yeager turned to me and blew air in my face.

Lady Brighid looked at Heisler. "Seth has a request for you, Heisler."

Heisler frowned at her and looked at me. After a moment of looking me over, he waved at Yeager.

Yeager grimaced but moved out of my way.

I straightened my shirt and stepped past Yeager. Standing in front of the table, I glanced at Katrina. She watched everything going on with a mixture of fear and curiosity. I gave Heisler my full attention. "I want your permission to spend a couple of hours alone with Katrina."

He frowned. "Who?"

By his expression, we both knew who I was talking about. However, this was a part of his game and I had to play. "Your sub," I said, nodding toward Katrina.

"Oh," he said, slapping her thigh, "You mean my slave."

I wrinkled my nose at that. Instead of agreeing to his claim of her title, I nodded toward her again. "Her."

Heisler looked at Katrina, who quickly looked down at the table. He smiled, having caught her. "I keep trying to milk you," he said and squeezed her breast again. "But I haven't had any luck. Maybe this kid can get you flowing?" He looked up at me and let his eyes travel over my attire. His smile became greasier by the second. "What makes you think you're dominant enough to deserve any time with my cow-slave?"

I didn't know how to answer, so I didn't.

"Speak, boy!" Heisler yelled.

An idea sparked. "She's the TA in one of my classes. I can't do anything about the professor, but I can take out a little payback on her."

Heisler grinned. "Payback? For what?"

"I've been late a couple of times," I said. "But instead of a simple reprimand, the professor makes me stand in front of the class during the lecture, taking shoddy notes."

Heisler threw back his head and laughed. "Okay kid. I'll make you a deal. If you can beat Yeager at arm wrestling, I'll let you have two hours with her."

Yeager moved up to stand next to me. He had a grin as big and slimy as Heisler's. Heisler watched me carefully, perfectly happy no matter what I said. Lady Brighid looked from me to Heisler, to Yeager, and back. She had a cool look of indifference. Since we weren't breaking her one rule, she didn't care what we did. Katrina chanced a glance up at me but didn't look thrilled with any of her prospects.

I couldn't leave her with Heisler. If I bound her to me, I could convince her to leave Heisler, regardless of their arrangements. I held her eyes with mine and said, "Agreed."

Heisler clapped and hopped up, pulling Katrina with him. Yeager slid into the bench behind the table. I sat in the chair Katrina was sitting in earlier, across from Yeager. The blond man put his elbow on the table with his hand up and waited with confidence.

I looked up at Lady Brighid. She met my gaze and nodded. I nodded in return and faced Yeager. I didn't know if I could beat him. He had at least fifty pounds of pure muscle on me. The only thing I could do was cheat, and there was only one way I could do that without raising Heisler's suspicions. I didn't think he was a magus, nor Yeager, but I wasn't about to do something really obvious like kicking Yeager's leg in the middle of the match either.

An ironic idea occurred to me. I bowed my head in mock prayer. I heard Yeager chuckle and Heisler's maniacal laughter. They thought I was praying for help from God. No, I wasn't asking Him for help. Instead, I followed the same basic idea of the Tanning spell Jordan taught me the day before, but with a different vision in my head and a different set of motions. I rubbed my bicep and forearm, involving the muscles I would use most, and I thought about heavy, unrelenting gears built into those muscles. With that mindset, I opened my eyes and clasped hands with Yeager.

Lady Brighid placed her hand on top of ours and counted off the start.

I didn't hear anyone else in the room. The music thumped through my body. A bead of sweat rolled down Yeager's brow. The press of his hand against mine grew warm.

Lady Brighid pulled her hand away.

Yeager shifted his weight, leaning in the direction he wanted our hands to move. Almost instantly, he pulled my arm back to within a few inches of the table. I caught up and stopped him, but I only stopped him.

I fought to hold that position, to keep him from pushing me further. I had lost my focus because of his explosive motion, but I kept him from earning an instant win.

My muscles strained to hold him. Had I not given myself enough strength with the spell? Did I do something wrong? Was there anything else I could do?

I closed my eyes and remembered my mindset for the spell: heavy, unrelenting gears, but they hadn't been moving. It was time to put them to work. I imagined them engaging. They turned, applying inexorable, mechanical force that nothing could stop.

I opened my eyes and watched my hand rise. Yeager continued to put everything he had into forcing my arm back down, but nothing changed. My hand rose slowly to the apex, and then forced his arm back. I stayed focused on the image of those gears applying mechanical force. My grip didn't shake, my arm didn't quiver. I could have worked out for years and not gotten close to winning this match, but with just a touch of magic, I not only recovered from such a quick and near loss, but held Yeager's arm to the table so Lady Brighid to call the winner.

"Seth wins," she said and patted my shoulder.

I released Yeager's hand and sat there watching while he rubbed his arm. I held out my hand to shake. "Good match."

He frowned and got up without shaking. I shrugged and stood up too.

Heisler looked mad enough to eat hot nails. His face was red and a vein pulsed on his forehead.

I walked up to him. "We had an agreement."

He looked at me and for a moment I thought he was going to break his word. He glanced at Katrina and then let her go. She moved over to stand next to me.

I looked over at Lady Brighid. "Are there any rooms available?"

She glanced sideways at Heisler. "You can use room three."

Heisler shot her a glare but didn't say anything. I wondered what that meant, but didn't ask. I took Katrina's hand and said, "Come with me."



-------

Chapter 25



Room three wasn't much different from room one, the room Lady Brighid and I talked in earlier. While the two rooms had the same furniture with the additional implements, it lacked the equipment on the walls. Instead, a fully stocked bar with mini fridge stood along the same wall as the door. On the opposite wall were two armoires. They didn't have doors, so their contents were there to see the instant I walked into the room. One held leather garments and objects that I had no clue how to use. The other held softer items, like silk scarves, nightgowns, and even underwear for men. On the floor of that armoire were folded blankets and pillows. Maybe not everyone liked the leather covers.

After looking around the room, I turned back to the door. I didn't want Heisler or Yeager walking in before our two hours were up, so I locked the door. Lady Brighid must have had clients in the past that didn't think a standard deadbolt or chain lock was enough security because the lock was in the middle of the door and moved four bars into the frame around it. The frame was metal too, which not only ensured the door was secure but, with the lock engaged, virtually impenetrable.

I turned around and found Katrina standing between the bed and couch. I remembered our conversation from the day before as if we had just had it, but the young woman standing before me now looked so different, not only in attire but overall body language, that I felt like I was with someone else. I also remembered what I felt from her in the spark we shared: lust, curiosity, and self-restraint. If I was right about her lust, the self-restraint was hard won from practice. Of course, the self-restraint could have been from her being a sub for Heisler, but I wouldn't know unless I asked and I had the perfect opportunity.

There was only one problem with being alone with her like this. If she asked me to have sex with her, I didn't know that I would have the self-control to turn her down. Then again, she was the sub. Hadn't Jaime tried to teach me what it meant? Wasn't this supposed to be my test as a Dom? I had to maintain control. I was the one in control. Yeah, right. And my desire for Katrina was really going to let me get away with thoughts like that.

I moved closer and waved at the couch. "Sit down. I want to talk to you."

She sat down and crossed her legs. She moved smoothly, comfortably. She didn't show any signs of fear or concern.

I sat next to her but without touching and studied her face for a moment. I had a lot of questions and asked the most logical one first, "What are you doing here?"

She blinked long lashes, but didn't say anything.

I looked at the door again. It was locked. The music thumped through the room, making it difficult for anyone to overhear us. I turned back to Katrina. "You can talk here. No one's going to interrupt, and I'm certainly not going to tell Heisler."

She flashed a small smile. "I'm here because Master brought me."

"Okay," I said, "then why are you with Heisler?"

She frowned and all traces of happiness vanished. "Because my father is dead."

It was my turn to frown. "What?"

She shook her head, took a deep breath and looked up again. "Nothing. I'm with Master now. That's all that matters," she said. Her tone was that of someone having accepted a hard truth, rather than the willing sub Jaime's acted like.

I blinked at her. "That's not all that matters. You have a say in where you go and who you're with."

Her smile returned and just like that, all of the desire she felt was expressed in her eyes. "And here I am with you."

"For two hours," I said. "Then it's back to Heisler and his abuse."

"Abuse?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "What abuse?"

I waved at the door. "The way he was treating you downstairs. The slap, the way he groped you. I don't know anyone who would put up with that."

She blinked at me and then shook her head. "That wasn't abuse. He punished me for speaking when I shouldn't have."

"He slapped you for talking?" I asked and she nodded. "Then what was with the groping?"

She leaned toward me and licked her lips. "I don't know. I don't ask his reasons. I simply enjoy it when he decides to take me."

I shook my head. "Even down there, in front of everyone else? Why wouldn't he wait until you were somewhere private, or maybe bring you up here?"

She rolled her eyes up, thinking, and took a breath, which caused her breasts to swell. I glanced down, unable to resist the temptation. She had a big smile when I looked up again. "Master hasn't been interested in sex lately. I don't know why, but when he grabbed me I thought he wanted me again." She closed her eyes. "I was so excited. I didn't care where we were or who was watching. I wanted him to take me." She looked at me, meeting my eyes. "And then he looked over at you and I knew what he was doing."

"What?" I asked.

She licked her lips again. "Teasing you. He knew you were interested."

I felt a little flustered. Had I been that obvious? Even with all the women I was with, I couldn't help how I felt. Yes, Katrina was beautiful, sexy, incredibly busty, and apparently willing to do things I had to convince myself to do, but that didn't put aside the fact that she was with Heisler.

"You are interested," she said with a gasp. She got up on her knees and then climbed over on my lap. "What can I do for you? Tell me and I'll do it."

"What are you doing?" I asked, a little surprised by her sudden closeness.

She wiggled her hips on top of me. "I'm sitting in the lap of a very cute, very promiscuous young man who's interested in me, and I want to show him how interested I am." She leaned back, and pulled the strings at the center of her corset, releasing the slipknot and loosening the thin leather.

I hadn't had sex in several hours and my body was thrumming with desire. I looked up into her eyes. Between the slow unveiling of her breasts and the warmth of her body where she sat on me, I was having problems focusing. "Why didn't you ask me to have sex with you yesterday?"

She pulled the string from the top set of eyes. "Because Master was waiting for me. I couldn't take the time."

I nodded and watched her hands continue to pull the strings from the leather. "And now that we have the time?"

She pulled the lower half of her corset apart, making it loose enough to slip out of. She pulled it up and off, like a shirt and I got an eye-full. Her nipples were pink, hard, and looked delicious. Impressions from the corset lined her breasts. Her skin looked soft, and her breasts pliable. "Let me know what you like," she said softly. "I'll give you anything you want."

I swallowed to wet my throat. I had to maintain control. I looked up into her eyes again. I knew I'd be fine as long as I kept my clothes on, even if she ended up completely nude. I was the Dom after all. I was in control. She was simply demonstrating her eagerness. I could even talk about sex without giving in to temptation. She would probably enjoy that a lot. "Be honest with me" I said. "What do you enjoy the most?"

She ran her hands over my shoulders and fingered my hair while thinking. "I enjoy all kinds of sex." She looked me in the eyes. "I'm willing to do anything you want."

I nodded. "I believe that," I said, fighting to stay calm. "What I want to know is what about sex you enjoy most."

She trailed her fingers around my neck and down to my shirt, where she drew circles on my skin. "Getting you off. Making a man cum does more for me than anything you could do to get me off directly. It doesn't matter if you cum on my hands, in my mouth, over my tits, anything. Let me get you off."

I nodded, understanding that it was something similar to Leanne liking to watch me squirt.

Thinking of Leanne reminded me of what Jordan had been teaching me all week about selecting my Fonti: I didn't have to pick the first woman I saw. I was allowed to pick the ones I was attracted to. In fact, I should pick the ones that were also attracted to me. Katrina certainly fit the bill, and I was here to find another Fonte tonight. There was only one thing that could make it difficult. "I'm willing to let you do all that you want, but I need to know something first."

She tugged on my shirt. I had it unbuttoned almost halfway down. She reached for the first one holding it closed and released it. "What do you want to know?"

With her undressing me too, I knew I would be sunk once she got my pants off. Regardless of my willingness, I had to know something before we went any further. "How do you really feel about Heisler?"

She released two more buttons, but the last one was tucked in my pants. "He's my Master. We have a contract. Why?"

"Sex with me won't be the same as with him," I said, not liking the conflicting feelings coursing through me. I wanted her, but I didn't want to ruin something that she really enjoyed. It meant that I had to really get to know her before we had sex.

She smiled and pulled my shirt out of my pants to release the last button. She lay my shirt open and studied my chest and abs for a few seconds. "I hope not," she said with fire in her eyes and a breathy smile. "Master only cums once and then leaves me alone for the night."

My eyebrows rose. "And you're hoping I can ... what?" I asked, wanting her to put to words what she really wanted.

She leaned forward, pressing her soft, full breasts into my chest. All the control I had over my instinctive reactions slipped and a small moan escaped me. She waited until I was focused on her eyes again and then said, "I want to make you cum over and over again, using a different part of my body each time. I want to make you cum using my whole body."

It sounded like something that would take more than two hours. "That's not going to happen tonight."

She smiled. "It's what I want to do, but that's not what we're here for. I'm here because you won me. You're allowed to do with me what you will. I'm curious what that is."

So, it was really up to me. She had offered an interesting goal, one that we might end up working towards. But there was still one thing that bothered me. "And any repercussions?"

She smiled and rolled her hips on my lap, grinding her pubic bone against my erection. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm protected."

When I caught my breath again, I focused on her eyes. "I don't think we're talking about the same thing."

She pulled my hands up along her thighs to her cheeks, pushing her skirt out of the way. Either she was wearing a g-string or nothing at all under her skirt. "What are you talking about?"

I sighed and enjoyed the feel of her soft skin. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

She moved her lips closer to mine. Her heated breath washed over my face. "That's honest. I'll be honest too. Please show me what you mean. I want to feel it. I'll tell you how I really feel after we're done. Please." Then she kissed me.

I knew there was a certain level of expectation with Katrina. I had talked about my sexual encounters in class, citing numbers that might have seemed extreme to some and ridiculous to others, but she had pointed out how I didn't come on to her. Yes, I had control at the time, but now, with her in my arms, my self-restraint was quickly being devoured by my need for her.

I kissed her back and rubbed her cheeks. I certainly didn't want her thinking I wasn't willing, but she hadn't told me what I needed to know. Until she did, I couldn't let this go any further.

She broke our kiss and looked into my eyes. "You want me. I can feel how hard you are, but why don't you take me?"

"Because you haven't answered my question," I said.

She blinked and looked away. When she tried to sit up, I held her in place. Her eyes widened and then she smiled. "You really want to know how I feel about Master?"

I nodded. "I want you to be completely honest with me. Don't hold anything back."

Her smile lit up the room in ways her previous smiles might have asked for dimmer lighting. "No one has ever told me that before. They've always been too scared of what I might do."

I shook my head. "I doubt you'd scare me."

She wiggled her hips again and said, "Good, because I don't want to do that. But you asked how I feel about Master. I have to admit that he's not as good to me as my Father was, which is why I miss him so much, but Master took me in. I owe him everything."

"He took you in?" I asked. "You didn't have a place to live?"

She shook her head. "No, I lived with my parents until Master took me. Then I moved in with him."

I shifted my hips too, trying to find a more comfortable position, but with Katrina sitting on me it wouldn't happen. "Okay, you don't feel the same for Heisler as you did your Father, but do you love him?"

She nodded. "Every chance he gives me."

I shook my head. "No, I mean are you in love with him?"

She blinked at me. "I just said that."

"No," I said. "You were talking about sex."

"Right," she said.

"Wrong," I said. "Sex and love is not the same thing. You can have sex without love and you can have love without sex, but they're not one and the same."

"I was taught that they are," she said.

Something about her demeanor told me I had just intruded upon something she should have learned long before now, especially if she was as experienced as her comments suggested. It wasn't something I could correct in the time we had left, so I moved on. "What did you mean, you owe him everything?"

"He told me I owed him," she said. "I have to give him what he wants when he wants it."

I frowned. "Has he ever asked you for anything other than sex?"

"No," she said. "Which is kind of odd, I suppose, but it gives me time to do my homework and work for Professor Dumont."

"It sounds like he only thinks of you as a sex slave. He doesn't love you. He uses you. You're nothing more to him than a toy to play with and toss aside."

She shrugged. "If that's what he wants, he's allowed to."

I shook my head slowly. She simply didn't get it, which led to my understanding. She really didn't believe she had a choice in the matter, but what if she developed the desire for change? "What if you didn't want to stay with him anymore?"

She blinked at me. "What do you mean?"

"What if you decided to leave him?" I asked. "How do you think he'd respond?"

She shrugged again. "I don't know. I'm not going to leave him so it seems silly to ask."

"Hypothetically," I said. "Say you decide to leave him, like to come live with me, how would he respond?"

She blinked in thought. "I don't know. He'd probably become angry. He would punish me for suggesting it."

I could feel the tension in her body while she thought of what might happen. She didn't like the idea, neither side of it. "What if he decided to let you go, to send you away?"

"Why are you asking me this?" she said, trying to sit up again, but I held her in place. "Master would never send me away. He might send me to my room, but he'd never send me out of his house."

"I'm not asking what he would or wouldn't do," I said, "I'm asking how you'd feel about it."

She frowned and wouldn't look me in the eyes. "I wouldn't like it. I'd be lost." Tears formed in her eyes and she wiped them away. My questions must have been harder on her than I thought.

I rubbed her cheeks and nudged her chin with mine. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, but I had to know."

She glanced at me and said, "You're in charge. You're allowed to do what you want. I was wrong for crying. I shouldn't have done it."

I shook my head. "No, you were being honest. That's what I wanted, your honesty."

She met my eyes. "You're not going to punish me?"

I shook my head. "Honesty should be rewarded." I patted both her cheeks. "And I can think of one reward that you might enjoy."

Her smile returned. It was a mix between bright and sultry. "What would you like me to do?"

"We could start on that idea of yours," I said, rolling my hips up and grinding my erection into her pubic bone.

The sultry side of her smile took over. "There's one thing I've always wanted to try. Can we do that?"

"Since this is your reward for being so honest with me," I said, "sure. What is it?"

"We have to get your pants off first, and then I can show you," she said.

I nodded and she climbed off me. I started to get up, but she quickly knelt between my knees and put a hand on me. "Sit. I'll do everything." I sat back and she picked up one of my feet. She untied my shoe, removed it and the sock, and then removed the others.

When she ran her hands up my thighs to unfasten my belt, she felt my fetish in my pocket. "What's this?" she asked, and she dove in to retrieve it.

Having sex with her was one thing, but forming a bond with her would lead to complications. Before I could tell her to leave it though, she had it out and held it up to see it clearly. I reached for it. "It's just something someone made for me."

She glanced at me and looked it over in detail. "There's still a price tag on it." She looked up. "Something someone made for you?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"What's it for?" she asked.

"Luck," I said.

Her brow furrowed. "Amber isn't for luck. It's for power. And a tiny egg suggests fertility." She looked at me again. "You've been having a lot of sex lately. Are you trying to get someone pregnant?"

I barked a laugh. "Not hardly."

She looked at it again. "What's in the little vial? It looks like sperm."

Damn, she was too close. "I thought we were going to do something about your reward?"

She looked at me and handed me the Fetish. "Then you should put this on. If it's for luck, you'll need some."

"Really?" I asked, holding it up but not putting it on yet. "Why do you say that?"

She ran her hands over her bare breasts. "Because I want to see how many times I can make you cum before our time is up." And then she leaned over me to unfasten my belt and pants.

I couldn't resist her full, swaying breasts, so I tweaked her nipples. She smiled and cooed at the bulge in my underwear when she opened my pants. "My, I can see why so many women have been happy with you in bed." Then she gripped the waistband of both my pants and underwear and tugged at them. I raised my hips and let her pull them off completely.

She straightened up and pulled at the strings of her skirt. "Now, turn long ways on the couch, but don't lie down. I'll be sitting on the other end."

I nodded and turned. I still had my fetish in hand and didn't want to just drop it on the floor and hope I'd remember to grab it when I got dressed, so I put it on. Katrina already felt a lot of lust. She probably wouldn't even notice the difference.

She slipped out of her skirt with a wiggle of her hips. There were impressions in her skin from the skirt, but nothing to indicate she'd been wearing panties. There was also nothing adorning the crevice between her legs either. She was as bare as a new born baby down there, and from the glistening, she was very excited.

I watched her go over to the two armoires and look through them. She pulled out a bottle of what looked like dirty water until she swirled it in the bottle. The way it moved, I knew it was heavier, like oil. She came back to the couch and set it on the floor. Then she moved the back cushion at the far end of the couch from its normal position to the armrest and sat with it behind her.

If she thought she'd need the additional comfort, I would probably need it to, so I mimicked her and tossed the last cushion on the floor.

She smiled at me and rubbed my inner thighs with her feet. I wasn't sure what to expect and thought to ask what she had planned until she slid her soft, dainty toes to my sac. She fondled me with her toes and rubbed me with the balls of her feet. I was surprised at how gentle she was, but she had only just begun.

She picked up the bottle of oil from the floor, pulled off the lid, and made a show of pouring some over her toes and my genitals. The oil was cool but warmed up quickly as she smeared it over me with her feet.

She said she wanted to get me off using every part of her body, and that she had wanted to try this for a long time. So, I sat there wondering if there were many other parts of her body that had yet to be used. The thought didn't stay with me for long though. I watched her get a good grip on the couch, raise her legs to allow more movement, and experimentally move her feet along my length.

The sensation was incredible. I'd had a lot of sex over the last week, more than I normally did, but nothing could have suggested that this would be as good as it was. No, "good" wasn't the right word. It was amazing, incredible, and fantastic. Yeah, those were much better.

Katrina rubbed her feet along my length while my erection lay on my belly, and then she picked it up with her toes and stroked me more fully. I was surprised by the dexterity of her toes and even more amazed by the fact that she was quickly bringing me closer to orgasm.

I laid my head back, trying to remember the last time I had allowed any of my girls to do something so outrageous. The closest thing I could recall was the day I convinced Danielle to leave Roger and she sucked me to orgasm while I was standing in the parking lot of a motel. Sure, the girls had stroked me with their hands and Leanne liked using her breasts on me, but this was the first time anyone considered using their feet.

I raised my head and watched as Katrina's toes slid up and down my length.

She caught me looking and smiled at me. Then she gripped my glans with her toes and squeezed it.

I moaned and writhed in response, and in that fit of squirming, a thought occurred to me. Two people could play this game.

I kept one foot on the floor and moved the other one between her legs. She frowned for a moment, probably thinking I was going to push her away, until I wiggled my big toe along her wet lips.

Her toes slipped and I flopped back onto my belly. She rubbed her soles along my length and threw her head back as I pressed my toe up to the front of her opening. I felt how hard her clit was and rubbed it. She stopped moving her feet and used their position to raise her hips to grind against my offered appendage. I smiled at her and let her have a few seconds of bliss before sliding my toe back down and pressing it into her.

She looked at me with a smile and moved her feet in tandem along my length. It was another new sensation I wasn't ready for. Fortunately, my toe was pressed all the way in her. It might not reach as deeply as my fingers or my proper "tool" but I had learned from the others that depth wasn't everything.

I wiggled my toe around inside her and she lost her rhythm by trying to grind herself on my toe as well as rub me with her feet.

She kept a grip on the back of the couch and used her other hand to pull at my foot, apparently trying to get me to go deeper.

I laughed under my breath and grabbed her feet to help steady her movements. Our movements quickly shifted focus to our own hips. I was grinding against her feet and she was rolling around my toe. I had a little way to go, though I knew I wouldn't last much longer, but Katrina gripped my toe and squirmed all over her end of the couch. Her fluids flowed heavily, which made it difficult to maintain her grip on my foot.

She looked up and met my eyes. Under her breath, she said, "My turn."

She found her grip on the couch again and shifted her weight. Her feet moved together, rubbing me generously and then shifted to the tandem motion. She shifted back and forth, focusing on pressure around my glans and the sensitive underside.

I gripped the couch too, and pressed my hips up to increase the friction. With a long, loud moan, I felt the heat of my orgasm hit.

My girls had always made sure I was either in them somewhere, or, in Leanne's case, over her when I started spurting. It was a different sensation all-together feeling my semen splashing on my belly and chest. That didn't stop me from completely unloading though.

Katrina kept moving until I stopped and fell back to the couch, and then she relaxed. "That was good," she said and unplugged my toe from herself. "Now I need to clean you up." She sat up and shifted onto her knees.

I watched as she crawled up my body and licked up my mess. I caught my breath, not worried about whether we had time for anything more. That alone was enough to last me a while. At least, it did until she licked my nipples.

My hips came up off the couch and I pressed into her warm, soft belly.

Katrina looked up. "What was that?"

My eyes rolled back to the front of my head again and I looked at her. "Just something I picked up from a friend."

She smiled. "From the feel of it, you're not finished yet."

I shook my head. "Not after that."

She slipped back, smothering my erection with her breasts. "Want to use my tits next?"

I glanced over and then nodded at the bed. "Over there. It'll be easier."

She smiled and got up. I watched her walk over to the bed and crawl up on it. It was very possible she could get me off using every part of her body. Everything about her was sexy, all of the normal areas like her butt and breasts, as well as her back, her knees, and her ankles. Maybe it was part of her nature; the constant yearning for sex might have subconsciously guided her to sculpting her body into something completely sexual – or it might have just been me.

I got up to follow and grabbed the bottle of oil. I knew it would take a little more time to get me off again so soon, but I wasn't going to complain. I didn't know how much time we had left, but I knew Heisler would start banging on the door the moment our time was up.

I crawled up on the bed too and admired Katrina's body. "Heisler hasn't been interested in sex with you?"

She shrugged. "It's his choice."

"And his loss," I said. I crawled up and straddled her belly.

She stroked me lightly. "After you cum on my tits, can we do one more thing?"

I smiled. She was so confident we would have time to go for thirds. "What's that?"

She looked down at me between her breasts. "There's another position I enjoy, and I don't want to miss the chance of having you in me. You're bigger than anyone I've ever been with."

"That'll depend on how much time we have left," I said. "I don't know the time."

She looked up again. "Don't worry. Master can't get through the door."

I arched an eyebrow and smiled. Then I moved up her torso so my erection lay between her breasts. She wasn't as big as Leanne, but Katrina was very soft and very supple. This was going to be different from Leanne, but no less exciting.

Katrina shook her chest to settle her breasts around me and on her arms, and then squeezed them together. She covered me completely.

I held up the oil. "Are you sure about this? We could do that other position you mentioned." I leaned down and lowered my voice. "I want to watch you squirm."

She shivered under me, which did interesting things to her breasts and my sac. "We can, but I saw how you looked at my breasts. I know I can get you off with them quickly." She rubbed at my thighs and pulled them in tight to her ribs. "Please? I want to watch you cum on my tits."

I couldn't bring myself to deny her, so I poured some of the oil along the line of her cleavage and she slid her breasts back and forth along my erection in tandem, like she did with her feet earlier, to spread it over me.

When the oil made the motion slick, I pulled back and thrust forward. It felt good doing this, not only along my erection, but by the way her warm belly rubbed my sac too. I quickly found a rhythm, using the music thumping through the room from below as a guide.

The oil spread over her breasts too. They became slick, not only where I slid between them, but where she held them in place too. She tried to wrap her arms over them to hold them in place, but it was difficult for her alone. She was heavier in the chest than she could handle.

I stopped thrusting and moved off her to set the oil on the floor. I turned around to get back into position and found Katrina sitting up. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head and tried to heft her breasts with her hands. They slipped out of her grip faster than she could maneuver to keep them held up. "I think we'll have to change position. I'm too slick."

"Got something in mind?" I asked.

She nodded. "You lie down and I'll do you."

I smiled and moved to the center of the bed. I lay down and she moved up between my legs. "There's only one thing I'm going to miss about being on top."

She smiled at me. "The way your balls slid along my belly?"

"So, you noticed," I said as she wrapped me up.

"I've done this a lot, in both positions," she said. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you." She moved closer, leaning over me on her hands and knees. She didn't bother trying to keep her breasts in place around me. Instead, she held me up at the base of my erection so I slide between her heavy, dangling breasts, and rocked back and forth, which stroked both my shaft and sac.

I reached down and pulled at her slick nipples. She smiled at me and swayed with the music fed from below. I played with her breasts, twisted her nipples, and thrust up between them in counter to her motion. I was amazed at how quickly I raced toward my next orgasm. My only regret was not being in a position to get her off too.

She ducked her head down and I couldn't see what she was looking at, but then I felt her lips and tongue slide along my crown. It was all I could take.

I flattened my hands on the bed and thrust up through her cleavage and into her mouth. My orgasm wasn't as strong as the first one, but it was apparently just as copious. Katrina kept me in her mouth for the first shot and then raised her head before the next one hit. I had my eyes closed, so I didn't see the expression on her face. I just lay there, squirting all over myself again and she wiggled on top of me the whole time.

When I returned to earth again, Katrina was cleaning me up again. I laid there, letting her work on that while I gulped down more air. She slid up my body, spreading the oil all over my front in the process.

When she reached my nipples, she stopped and looked up. "What'll happen if I suck on your nipples again?"

I glanced at the door. No one was banging on it. "If you really want to know, try it."

She kept her eyes locked on mine as she bent low and ran a soft, languid tongue over my nipple.

I wasn't soft exactly, but when she licked me, I felt the difference between "just starting to go soft" and "completely hard."

Katrina half rolled off me and ran a slick hand over my newest erection. "This is incredible. I've never gotten that kind of response from anyone I've slept with before."

"Don't tell anyone, okay?" I said, half joking. "I'd hate for it to get out."

She shook her head, completely serious. "I won't. I promise." Then she looked up. "But does this mean we can... ?"

I chuckled. "You're a greedy little thing, aren't you?"

She gave me a guilty look. "It's been a while since I've been with anyone who could keep up with me."

"Keep up with you?" I said, sitting up. "I've gone twice and I believe you've only gone once."

A fine tremble started at the top of her head and quickly raced through the rest of her. "But you came so much!" She opened her eyes again. "I want to make you cum again." And her slick hand wrapped around me, sliding along my renewed length.

I nodded. "I'm sure I will, but not with your hand." I leaned over her and she rolled onto her back smiling. I pushed her thighs apart and pressed myself to her. For a moment, I rocked my hips, allowing my erection to slide along her slippery lips, but that wasn't what I really wanted. I drew back and slid my crown between her lips. I found her entrance and pressed into her. She wasn't nearly as tight as some of my other girls. If anything, she was snug, though when she flexed her muscles around me, she added to the friction we both needed.

I stretched out above her, rocking my hips and using my hands to cradle her head to my chest.

She latched onto one of my nipples and sucked on it. The sensation shot straight to my groin and I thrust into her harder, matching the rhythm of the music from the club.

I raised myself up enough to look down at the sub below me.

She looked up too, hooked her hands behind my neck, and wrapped her legs about my waist. "Fuck me like I belonged to you."

I leaned down and kissed her. She knew a lot about sex, including kissing, so I wasn't too surprised that her kisses, in the heat of the act, also spurred me on toward another orgasm. However, I was determined to make her go first again. If possible, I was going to make her go several times.

I drove completely into her and ground my pelvic bone against hers, mashing her clit between us.

She moaned into my mouth and rolled her hips up and around, not only increasing how much her clit was teased but how I was rubbed and stroked inside her too. She had to be the most skillful lover I had ever met, and though I wasn't ready mentally to have another orgasm, my body was telling a different story.

I grabbed her thigh and slid my hand up to her butt. I grabbed as much as I could and felt the heat between her cheeks. I smeared my finger in the combination of her fluids and some of the oil we shared, and then pressed that digit into her rectum.

Katrina tensed below me and her vagina turned into a soft-skinned clamp.

I continued to thrust, forcing myself through her grip and my finger deeper too. I also moved my lips down to her chest and found a nipple to suck on. For almost a minute and a half, Katrina remained tensed up. Her torso shuddered with her occasional rapid breathing before being held again for more of the same.

When she collapsed, only her diaphragm continued to work, pulling in vital air while I continued to stimulate her from three different points. After a couple minutes, she ran her hands over my shoulders and lightly trailed her nails down my back and over my butt.

I smiled and looked in her eyes again. "Better?"

She didn't say anything. She simply nodded, rolled her hips up to accept me as deeply as possible and held on.

I induced two more orgasms in her before I felt the stirrings of my next orgasm. Katrina felt the change in my rhythm and took up encouraging me again.

The room wasn't hot, not with the high-priced AC system the club had to counter the heat of so many bodies moving about downstairs, but Katrina and I were sweating. We slid up the bed until her head bumped the headboard. She put a hand up to keep from hitting it again and then we heard someone knock on the door.

"Time's up, Jackass! Open the door."

Katrina's eyes widened. "It's Yeager. We have to finish."

I nodded and focused on holding her in place while pounding her into the mattress. Katrina latched onto my nipple again and though I had never gotten off from that alone, it was enough to finish the job tonight.

I moaned out loud and drove myself as deeply into the sub with me as I could. I felt the liquid fire empty out of me and then I felt it leaking out of her when she squeezed me. I didn't leave much room for anything in that position.

I opened my eyes to find her licking her lips and breathing heavily too. Maybe she did get off on getting me off.

Yeager knocked again and then I heard other voices. "Open the door, now!" It was a different male voice. It had to be Heisler.

I looked into Katrina's eyes. "How do you feel?"

She smiled. "I'll be sore in the morning, but otherwise, I'm fine."

I nodded and rolled off her. "I'd rather this not seem like less than it is, but I don't think Heisler will let us have any more time to relax and make ourselves presentable. You should go unlock the door."

She rolled over and curled up next to me. "Thank you for tonight."

I smiled and kissed her again. She got up, and went to the door.



-------

Chapter 26



I was too tired to dive after my clothes, yet I couldn't let other men stare at me while I was wet and nude. So, I sat up and turned to sit on the edge of the bed facing away from the door.

I heard the lock disengage and the door open. "It's about damned..." Heisler said. I half turned to look. Anger clouded his face while he looked Katrina over. He looked up at me and I was pretty sure he growled at me. I didn't understand why he was so angry. He allowed us to have two hours alone together. He walked in and stood to the side of the doorway. Yeager stood in the doorway, as if Katrina or I were going to try to escape. Heisler must have been worried if they thought we'd try that.

Katrina wasn't in a hurry to get dressed. She strolled over to her clothes and picked up the skirt first. She glanced my way as she stepped into it, and wiggled her hips to pull it up. She didn't have to go through so much effort, but it made it fun to watch. Once it was in place, she tugged at the strings, tightening the leather about her hips. Her movements made her full breasts shimmy and shake, which she made sure I could fully see. The oil made her skin glisten, and I could make out patches that weren't as shiny. She was a mess and would have to jump in a shower as soon as Heisler let her.

I looked at Heisler. He had turned to watch Katrina specifically. At least he was as interested in watching her as I was. That had to mean something, right? He couldn't stay mad forever, unless he simply intended to take out his anger on her when they left. By the way he had his arms crossed and tapped his foot impatiently I wasn't sure of anything, other than he was ready to leave.

I noticed Yeager watching me with a big frown. He glanced at Heisler, who paid him no attention. Was he trying to tell me something? Probably that I had upset Heisler and he wasn't happy with me for that. I didn't care, as long as they didn't take it out on Katrina.

For a moment, I considered talking to Heisler, to try to convince him that doing anything to Katrina would only make me mad, but I held my tongue. He'd call my threat and I'd try to stand up for her, to defend her, but just because I beat Yeager at arm wrestling didn't mean for a second they would fight me one-on-one. No, I wasn't going to be the one to instigate the conflict. There was already enough animosity between us. If they did anything to her, and I found out about it, I'd do something to them. What I'd do I didn't know, but a good butt kicking sounded good.

Katrina bent to pick up her corset. She smiled when I looked at her again, and made a show of tugging it into place, wiggling her hips and shoulders, showing off the best she could. When she had it where she wanted it, she reached inside to adjust how her breasts settled behind the leather. She was still slick and played with herself for a few minutes, one breast at a time.

Heisler grunted, drawing our attention to him. He was staring at her with a hard glare.

She glanced my way again and worked at tightening the strings to keep the corset from slipping off. It might have been fine before we started, closed about her bare skin, but with all that oil, it could potentially slip. Something told me she wouldn't mind but Heisler might feel differently. As crowded as it was downstairs, he might have been worried about someone pulling something off her "by accident". I remembered the emergency exit at the bottom of the stairs and figured he would probably use that for a quick getaway. It would certainly keep everyone else from noticing Katrina.

With the big guy effectively blocking the entire entry, Lady Brighid had to push her way past him to gain entrance. She stared up at him and I was surprised to see him avoid her eyes. Then she turned, glanced at me, and walked over to stand in front of Katrina. Heisler watched her but didn't say anything.

The sub looked up and smiled at Lady Brighid. It was her bright smile, and that made me feel a little better. She had obviously enjoyed herself and wasn't worried about anything that might happen after she left with Heisler. If she had been scared, I might have made my move to intervene now rather than wait until after Heisler did something. Katrina looked past Lady Brighid at me and her smile added a little seduction to it.

Lady Brighid studied Katrina's face for a second and then turned to look too. Her eyes roamed over me but her expression remained curious. If she was trying to tell me something with that secret female wordless communication, I would never figure it out.

As soon as Katrina had her corset tied up, Heisler waved at the floor. "Grab your shoes. We're leaving."

Katrina didn't bother putting her shoes on. She hooked the straps with her fingers and followed Heisler as he headed to the door. She glanced my way again, that bright smile of hers there for me to enjoy, and then she disappeared through the door behind Heisler and followed closely by Yeager.

Lady Brighid closed the door, turned around and leaned back against it. "I take it everything went well?"

I glanced at my clothes on the floor in front of the couch and nodded. "Yeah. I'm still a little confused by Katrina, but otherwise it went well."

"You may not like the consequences of tonight's events," she said. "Heisler heard your wails of pleasure. From both of you. He might not let his slave see the light of day for a while."

I frowned. "Did he really expect us to come up here and do nothing?"

She flashed a small, unpleasant smile and nodded. "He knew something would happen. I doubt he expected his slave to like it so much though."

I shrugged. "That's his fault for not getting to know her better."

She focused on me again. "And is that what you did so quickly?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I asked her to be honest with me and we talked for a while, but there were several things she said that I'm still confused about."

Lady Brighid glanced at my clothes. "You couldn't have been too confused. It sounded like things were quite agreeable."

I sighed. I was an idiot to think she might hand me my clothes or to allow me some level of modesty. She was a magus, so she was probably used to seeing nude men. I steeled my nerves, stood up, and walked over to my clothes while saying, "She told me she was with Heisler because her dad died. I don't fully understand how one has anything to do with the other." I picked up my underwear. "She's also very experienced at sex but didn't mention any Doms other than Heisler." I slipped into my underwear and found Lady Brighid watching me intently.

She looked up and said, "I don't know a lot about Katrina. In fact, before Heisler brought her here, I had never seen her before. Since he doesn't allow her to talk in his presence, I've never had the opportunity to ask her about herself."

I pulled up my pants and sat down to put on my shoes and socks next. "Then if I want to know more about her, I'll have to ask her."

She nodded. "Yes, if Heisler allows her to talk to you after tonight."

I looked at her while pulling on my shirt. "She can't be forced to not talk to me completely. She's the T.A. in my psyche class. There are going to be times when I have to ask her questions about class."

She shrugged. "Maybe not, but he might restrict what she's allowed to talk to you about. For instance, he might tell her to only discuss class with you."

Finished with my shirt, I put the couch cushions back in place and then stood up and stared at her. "Are you trying to discourage me?"

She crossed her arms under her breasts. "No, I'm simply pointing out possible complications," she said and looked over the room. "And it looks like you didn't use any equipment." She looked at me again. "Except what you brought."

I turned and picked up the bottle of oil we had nearly emptied. "There's this."

She walked over to me and took it. "Simple olive oil. It's good for the skin and makes certain activities more pleasurable."

I nodded and realized that the room would need something to counter the smell of sex, at the very least. There was probably a cleaning service that came in to take care of that, and possibly to restock anything needed. It wasn't much different than renting a room at a motel. I looked at Lady Brighid. "So, what's the cleaning going to cost me?"

She smiled. "It's free for all first-time participants, but normally two hours in a play room costs three hundred dollars, minimum."

I nodded. "I'll keep that in mind for next time."

She focused on me again. "So, there'll be a next time?"

I shrugged. "If I'm ever going to really learn about being a Dom, then I'll continue to need coaching."

She stepped closer with an intent expression. The leather of her corset grazed the cloth of my shirt. "What about being a sub?"

I focused on her eyes. She was serious. "As I learn about one, I'll better understand the other."

"It's not the same thing," she said softly. "I can teach you. I haven't had a male sub in a long time."

I knew the look in her eyes and remembered that I was still wearing my fetish. I pulled it off and shoved it in my pocket.

Lady Brighid watched me and backed away to sit on the bed almost as quickly. She looked up at me and said, "I never knew it could be so potent."

I studied her face. "I didn't know it could affect another magus."

"How was it designed?" she asked.

"To attract and bond available women," I said. "Women not in a relationship."

She nodded. "That would do it."

I fingered my fetish in my pocket. "Is there something I could have added to make it specific to non-magi?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know. That would be up to you to decide what represented non-magi."

I nodded, not sure if there was anything else to talk about. Thinking about my fetish reminded me of Jordan, and that she was home sick. That led to memories of bonding with other women and the post-coital ritual. Katrina hadn't turned into a zombie like the others. Jordan hadn't shown up either. I was wearing the fetish, so I should have bonded with Katrina, but did I? I looked at Lady Brighid. "Are you in a relationship?"

She looked up again. "Why?"

I pulled my fetish out again and sat next to her. "This was designed to target women who are available. It affected you, which suggests you're not in a relationship of any kind."

She nodded. "Okay."

"Well, you said you haven't had a male sub in a while," I said. "But you called Rebecca your pet. What's the difference?"

"Rebecca is my sub, but we're not in a relationship," she said. "At least not the kind you were thinking about when you made that."

"But you believe it's a type of relationship," I said. "Wouldn't that count?"

She shook her head. "No. You designed the fetish. You added the components to include what you were thinking of at the time. Since you're new to the Dom/sub culture, you wouldn't have thought of that while making the fetish." She looked up and studied my face. "Why do you ask?"

I glanced at the closed door. "It's Katrina. She should be bonded to me now, but something didn't happen."

"What do you think should have happened?" Lady Brighid asked. "Did you think Katrina would leave Heisler tonight?"

I blinked at that. "She said she couldn't leave him. It upset her even thinking about it."

"That doesn't mean you two won't hook up again later," she said. "If Katrina wants to see you badly enough, she'll find time to spend with you." Then she smiled. "There's always your time together in class."

I shook my head. "Not if Heisler forbids her to see me again. She'd do what he says."

"No," she said. "The bond is stronger than that."

"And that's what worries me," I said. "Are we bonded?"

"You had sex with her while wearing your fetish," she said. "Isn't that all you needed?"

I nodded. "But after I've bonded with some of my other women, there was a post-coital ritual."

Lady Brighid chuckled. "You ran out of time. Heisler wouldn't have let you two cuddle while he was standing there."

I shook my head again. "No, this was different. My first Fonte, Jordan, always shows up when I finish. She's always glazed over, like she's seeing something far away. The woman I'm with turns the same way. They both stand around me, and I experience a repeat of the finale of my Initiation."

Lady Brighid stared at me. "That shouldn't happen."

I shrugged. "Whether it should or not, it has happened, just ... not with Katrina."

"If you don't mind me asking," she said, "what happened during your Finale?"

"I was with the three women who helped me through my Initiation in a hotel room," I said, not thinking it would hurt anything to tell her. I told her how they spun around me, and how I saw some of their memories, but I didn't tell her what memories I saw.

She turned and thought about it. "I've never heard of anyone experiencing their finale with each additional bonding." She looked me over. "What makes you so different?"

I shrugged. "You've got me. I don't know either."

"What about the rest of your family?" she asked. "Have any of them ever experienced something similar?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. My parents didn't even tell me about my heritage. I wasn't awakened until I arrived here in Texas a few weeks ago."

She frowned. "That's odd. Most families make sure their children are awakened before they leave home."

"My family didn't believe in sex outside of marriage," I said. "My parents are very biblical that way."

"Very, very strange," she said. "I don't know any religious magi."

I shrugged. "I suppose there's a first time for everything. But this doesn't help me. I don't know if Katrina is really bound to me or not."

"I didn't see your mark on her," she said. "But then I wasn't looking for it either."

I stood up. "I'll have to wait until tomorrow and talk to her after class."

Lady Brighid stood up too. "If she's not marked, come back tomorrow and we'll find you a proper sub."

I wasn't sure about that, but it was a nice offer. "Thank you. I'll see you later then." I turned and walked to the door.

"Don't stay gone too long," she said behind me. "You said you need to learn more about being a Dom. There's more to being a magus than casting spells. You need to know how to take care of your Fonti too."

I turned with my hand on the doorknob. "I'll be back. It may not be on Leather and Latex night, but I'll be back."

She smiled and I walked out. I made my way through the crowds and to the front desk where I stopped to ask to call for a cab. The latex clad woman smiled and pointed toward the doors. Outside I could see a line of them waiting. I thanked her and left.

Back at the apartment complex, I went straight up to Jordan and Danielle's apartment. Danielle answered when I knocked. "Hey!" she said and hugged me. "I didn't expect to see you tonight." Then she stepped back and looked me over. She sniffed the air. "It smells like you had fun."

I peeled my shirt from my chest and nodded. "You could say that."

She looked out past me. "Where is she? I thought you'd have her with you for the night."

"It's complicated," I said. "How's Jordan?"

Danielle stepped back. "Come on in. She's been asking about you."

I walked in and gave her a quick kiss. "Thanks."

We knocked on Jordan's bedroom door. I heard her and opened the door. Jordan sat up. She had bags under her eyes and ruffled hair. She'd been sleeping, but needed more. "How did it go?" she asked.

I walked over and sat on the bed. Danielle closed the door and sat on the floor at my feet. It reminded me of Katrina. I looked at Jordan and said, "Well, you're still here, not at the club where you sent me."

Jordan looked me over in confusion. "What happened?"

I shook my head. "I don't know entirely. I went to House Lacertae, like you told me. I met Lady Brighid and told her why you sent me. She introduced me to her friend, Jaime. Together, they told me a little about what you wanted Brighid to help me with. And then they wanted to test me."

"Test you?" Danielle asked. "Test you for what?"

Jordan and I glanced at Red. "Lady Brighid is a magus," I said. "Jordan sent me to learn more about my heritage. At least, one aspect of it."

I looked at the brunette. "You didn't tell me about the dress code."

She rolled her eyes. "They must have changed the night."

Danielle looked from me to Jordan and back again like watching a tennis match. "You two aren't being very forthcoming. What's going on?"

I sighed. I was sure Jordan hadn't told her where I had gone or why, other than to find another Fonte. However, since Danielle knew about my heritage, there was no reason not to tell her about the club. "Lady Brighid and Jaime were teaching me about Dominants and submissives. Jaime asked me some questions and determined that I was neutral and I could fill either role."

Red frowned. "You mean like tying people up and stuff?"

I shook my head. "It's more about having control and giving it to others."

"And they said you could go either way?" Jordan asked.

I nodded. "They wanted to test me as a Dom tonight and we had to find me a suitable sub."

The girls glanced at one another. "Who?" Jordan asked. "What was it like?" Danielle asked.

I looked at Jordan. "It turned out that Katrina, the TA from my psych class..."

She smiled. "The one that got you all hot and bothered yesterday?"

I nodded. "Yes, she was there. She's a sub and her Dom was very ... vocal."

She studied my face. "You didn't like him."

I shook my head. "He slapped her, hard, just for talking when she shouldn't have."

Danielle frowned. "Tell me you got her away from him."

"For a couple of hours," I said, looking at her. "But he collected her and they left before I did."

Danielle looked at Jordan. Hard, angry lines formed around her lips where she had them pressed together in a severe frown. Then she looked at me again. "Tell me you bound her. Tell me she's not staying with him."

I shrugged. "That's what I'm confused about. I had my fetish on while we had sex, but..." I glanced at Jordan. "We didn't see each other's memories."

"That's why you came here?" Jordan said. "To see if I was still here or trying to find my way to you?"

I nodded. "I don't know what to think. You both know what this week has been like. There's no reason to believe Katrina isn't bound to me, but since we didn't share memories, I don't know for sure."

Jordan shrugged. "Just because you didn't see her memories doesn't mean she's not bound to you. After all, when I bonded with my Fonti, I didn't experience my Finale each time."

Danielle nodded. "I agree." She looked at me. "You've got class with her tomorrow, right?"

I nodded. "I'll see her. But if Heisler has forbid her to talk to me, I may not find out."

Jordan shook her head. "No, Seth, it's easier than that. When you see her, you should be able to tell whether she has your mark or not. If she does, then her desire for you will be a lot stronger than any loyalty to him."

I shook my head thinking about some of the things I had learned about Katrina. "I don't know. She seemed genuinely afraid of leaving Heisler. It even upset her when I suggested he might leave her."

Danielle reached up and put her hand on my knee. "Just be there for her," she said. "Show her that you'll do whatever Heisler did only better, like you do for me."

I squeezed her hand and looked at Jordan. "Enough for tonight. You need more rest." Then I remembered her phone. "Oh," I said and pulled it out. "Thank you." I held it out to Jordan.

She shook her head. "Keep it for now. I know you don't have a phone."

"Are you sure?" I asked, still holding the phone.

She nodded. "Yes, I'll survive one night without my phone."

I nodded and put it back in my pocket. "Okay, now get some rest."

She smiled. "I'll be okay," she said and leaned forward.

I gave her the kiss she wanted and then tucked her into bed. Danielle and I left her to rest.

Danielle squeezed my hand to draw my attention. "I'd stay the night with you, but..."

I nodded. "Stay here in case Jordan needs anything. I'll survive one night sleeping alone."

She smiled and pressed herself up against me. "Actually, I was more worried about ending up sick again." She kissed me. "You better go though, before I decide to risk it."

I smiled and kissed her again. Then I pulled away and left the apartment.

My thoughts turned to Katrina again. I was worried about what Heisler was doing to her. Whether he or she thought it was punishment or not, I doubted I would approve. If I knew where they were, I'd take a cab over and just pack her up and bring her back to my apartment, but I didn't know, and between Heisler and Yeager, I wasn't sure how far I would get with that plan.

I turned the corner for my apartment building and noticed someone sitting in the dark in front of my door. I approached slowly and they stood up. Erica stepped out into the light and smiled up at me. "Hey."

I smiled back. "Hey yourself. What are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "I wanted to see you again." Then she stopped and sniffed the air. "You smell like you've already been with someone." Her tone suggested she didn't approve. We both knew that I had been with several different women recently but it hadn't really struck home with her until now. However, she arched an eyebrow and said, "I hope you're not all worn out."

I shook my head at the craziness of the situation. "Well, you waited for me. The least I can do is let you come in and see the place." I stepped past her to the door and then turned to look at her again when another thought occurred. "How did you find out where I live?"

"From your mailing information when you bought all of that equipment the other day," she said. "I wrote it down before I left work and used Google to find it."

I nodded and turned back to the door to unlock it. "I haven't had dinner yet. Care if we order out?"

She leaned into my back and pressed her body along mine. "Good, I'm hungry, but we don't need to order dessert."

I looked to either side of the stoop. If she had a bag or anything I didn't see it. "Really? What did you bring?"

She rose up on her tip toes. "Just me," she said softly and kissed my cheek. I got the door open and she gave me a small push. "Now, off to the showers with you. I want you all cleaned up before I make you messy again."



-------

Chapter 27



Sunrise once again met me and my bed companion in what someone might consider a compromising position, but it was what Erica wanted. She had her head on a pillow and hugged it, but her hips were up in the air with her knees and my hands providing support. I was on my knees behind her, sliding in and out of her anus. It was another night of sporadic exchanges between sleep and sex. Most of our coupling had been normal penis-to-vagina positions, but this time, she wanted more of what she got at the electronics store.

I took my time and felt her shudder through several orgasms before I finally filled her rectum with what she liked calling my "creamy goodness."

I nudged her hips to the side and we moved together to lie on our sides in a spooning position, while never losing our connection. I drew her close and held her while we both calmed from our exertions.

She turned her head toward me and held my arms around her. "I hope this doesn't disgust you. I can't help how good it feels."

I smiled. "Not at all. If you enjoy it, so do I."

"Really?" she asked. "You're not just saying that, are you?"

I couldn't believe she just asked me that. It was something straight out of a bad love novel. I was still completely buried in her. I flexed myself, which made her squirm. "If I didn't enjoy that reaction, I wouldn't do this with you."

She blinked up at me. "You can say it, you know."

"Say what?" I asked.

She flexed around me. "Say it for me."

I leaned in, putting my lips next to her ear. "I enjoy your ass."

She closed her eyes with a soft smile. "What do you enjoy exactly?"

She wanted me to use words I wasn't comfortable with. "Do you mean..." and I pressed my hips to her cheeks, driving myself deeper into her, " ... that?"

She gasped and nodded. "Yes."

I flexed inside her again. "And that?"

She squeezed me in reflex and nodded.

"I enjoy your ass because you enjoy it," I said. "I like watching you squirm and writhe when you orgasm and you do that a lot when I do this..." And I thrust into her again.

She arched her back, thrusting her butt against me. "More," she said. "I want more."

I glanced at the clock. We only had an hour and a half before our class started. "My first class is Political Science. What's yours?"

She looked at the clock and slapped the mattress. I felt her flex around me with the effort. "Dammit. I have College Algebra at eight." She pouted and looked at me. "Can we skip classes today?"

I smiled at her. "If we start that, we might end up dropping out of school."

She flexed around me again. "But I like you right where you are."

I pulled back, withdrawing a little. "And I'll return there when we're together later."

She pouted and I pulled out. Some of my sperm followed but she flexed and closed up quickly. She rolled over to face me. "If I had my way, I'd take you to all of my classes so I could sit on your lap all day."

I grinned. "You wouldn't be able to concentrate on taking notes if you did that."

She reached down and stroked me, even as messy as I was. "I wouldn't care to take notes with you there."

I kissed her. "And I'm going to have difficulties concentrating in the one class we share thanks to that thought." She grinned and tried to maneuver below me for more of what we'd been doing, but I slipped out of her reach and rolled to the edge of the bed. I nodded at the bathroom. "C'mon. We can catch a quick shower before your first class."

She scrambled up and followed me to the bath. It wasn't as quick of a shower as I had in mind because she insisted I clean her out with my proper tool. I made sure she hit a couple of orgasms to tide her over for a while, as if everything we'd done throughout the night wasn't enough, and then scrubbed her clean while she was too weak-kneed to do anything else. We left the bathroom clean and a little wet from rushing through drying off. She got dressed, and kissed me as she rushed out the door to her car.

Erica no more than pulled out of the complex's parking lot and Milena came around the corner. She smiled when she spotted me. "I thought I'd come over to see if you're hungry. You should eat before going to school."

I had my pants on, but needed to finish getting ready. Milena followed me in and waited while I put on a clean shirt, socks and shoes. I grabbed everything I needed, locked up and followed her to her place. I had forgotten she shared a bedroom wall with me. Once we were inside and seated, I said, "I hope I didn't keep you up last night."

She waved me off and put a plate loaded with food in front of me. "I know I'm not the only woman you have over. As young as you are, it would take several to keep up."

I studied her face for a moment. "I didn't hurt you the night before, did I? Keeping you up like that?"

She got herself a plate and sat own, shaking her head. "No, not at all. It's been a while since I've had that much fun though."

I nodded and took a bite of eggs. My mouth ached with the flavor. I was Hungry with a capital H. I bent to my plate and proceeded to clear it. Then I grabbed my glass of juice and drained it.

Milena smiled. "Looks like a good thing I offered you breakfast," she said, picking up my plate and glass. "More?"

I nodded. "Yes, thank you."

She got me more and I watched her work. She moved through the kitchen as smoothly as I had seen Jana do it. Jana liked to cook and from the amount of food Milena had made, she did too. I knew she hadn't dated anyone since her husband left her, so I wondered about her domestic skills.

She set the newly filled plate and glass in front of me with a smile. "Enjoy."

I nodded and worked to clear that plate too. It took a little longer, but I finished it all, as well as the juice. Milena watched me the whole time. At several points, she opened her mouth and took a breath as if she were going to say something but then shook her head and remained silent. I pushed my empty plate away from me and said, "You have something on your mind. What is it?"

She looked down and played with her food for a moment. "I've wanted to ask you something since the other night. I just don't know how to."

I shook my head. "You don't have to worry about how to ask," I said. "Just ask."

She looked at me with a worried expression. "We shared memories, which means you probably know me better than anyone else right now. I don't know what you saw, but there's something I want and I hope you can help me with it."

I stood up, walked around her two-seater table and pulled her to her feet too. I hugged her and gave her a soft kiss. "Ask," I said softly.

"I was only married once and I dated a few men before that, but I've never been in a relationship that excited me as much as you do," she said. "For the first time in my life, I want to do something I hadn't considered before." She squirmed in my arms, especially where her belly rubbed against my erection. I couldn't hold her and not become erect. "I'm just scared that I'm too old now."

I studied her face for a second, not entirely sure I knew what she wanted. I shook off any concerns. "You're healthy, beautiful, and able to do anything you set your mind to." I kissed her again. "Now ask me. Okay? Before I end up late for class."

She nodded and looked into my eyes. In a rush, she said, "Iwannahaveababy."

I frowned and blinked. "Say that again, only slower."

She smiled, maybe because I didn't turn and run right away. "I want to have a baby."

I nodded, slowly, while trying to process this bit of news. I thought about the memories she had shared with me. There weren't any kids in the picture at all. At least, not any that was hers. She had a niece and a nephew, but that was it. I also knew she was the oldest woman bound to me. I didn't know her exact age either from her memories or from asking, because I hadn't asked. The only reason I wondered about that was because she was worried about it. Unfortunately, my knowledge of female biology only covered pregnancy and their cycle. My sex ed. class in high school had been sorely lacking, and it wasn't any thanks to the local church. So, I was left with only one course of action. I had to ask.

I focused on her again. She hadn't said anything and was apparently growing worried about my thoughts. It might have been the expressions on my face as I tried to reason with what I didn't know. I realized I needed to curb her fears. "First, I am not opposed to the idea at all."

She nodded and said, "I know you're young. I wasn't sure if you were ready to be a father."

I nodded in turn and shifted my hands on her back. "With all the sex I've had over the last few weeks, I'm surprised no one else has come to me to let me know I was a father already." I'd have to check with the others about why they weren't pregnant already. No one had asked me to provide protection. I was sure some were on the pill, but that wasn't a hundred percent effective.

I shook my head to clear away that thought and focused on Milena again. I studied her anxious face and smiled. "The first thing we need to do is get you to a doctor to make sure we have a green light. I'd hate to move forward with this and something happen."

She smiled and nodded. "I can call my OGBYN today and schedule an appointment."

I nodded too. "Okay, good." I checked the clock on her wall. "I need to get to class."

She kissed me and then grabbed her car keys. "C'mon. I'll take you."

-------

Erica waved me down to a couple of seats when I reached our Political Science class room. She pushed me into a chair and sat on my lap while the class filled in around us. However, the desk didn't offer enough room for her to do what she had described earlier.

It was fun sitting there while she tried to find a good position. Some of the other students pointed and laughed too, but when Professor Woods came out of her office to start her lecture, I had to move Erica to her own seat.

Erica play-pouted and I pulled her feet to my lap, like on Wednesday. It reminded me of what Katrina did with her feet and Erica smiled when she felt my reaction. She rubbed me with her bare foot.

I smiled and grabbed her foot to stop her. "We can play later," I said quietly. "We have mid-terms soon."

She stuck out her bottom lip way out, pulled her notepad and a pen out of her bag, and turned her attention to the Professor. The rest of class passed quickly and she smothered my lips with hers before bouncing off to her next class.

I reached the door for English Lit when I heard voices coming from the end of the hall. "Let me go!" screamed a female voice. "Not until you agree to go out with me!" came a male voice.

I stood there debating whether I wanted to get involved or not, but I couldn't ignore what I heard. I walked toward the end of the hall wondering just how much of an intervention I would have to be and turned the corner.

Neil stood there with his back to me. The girl he was trying to bully into a date was Leanne. She saw me and relief swept through her face. "Seth!"

Neil turned and grimaced. "Fuck! Can't you mind your own business?"

I shook my head. "Not when it comes to someone I care about." I was surprised at how calm my voice was. Inside, I was an inferno, ready to beat the crap out of this guy.

Leanne twisted her arm out of his grip and shoved her way past him to me.

I moved between her and Neil before he could grab for her again. He glared at me but didn't try anything. "Go to class," I said. "I'm going to talk to Neil first."

I don't know what her expression was, but I heard her walk away. I kept my focus on Neil.

"You can't convince me that she doesn't want me," he said.

I shook my head. "You don't get it Neil. She's not interested in you. If she was, as you believe, she wouldn't have to be convinced of it. She would have agreed to a date without you grabbing her and trying to force her into it."

"I did not..." he said.

I pointed down the hall. "I heard you, Neil. She told you to let her go and you said not until she agreed to go out with you. And it's not your word against mine. She'll say the same thing." I stepped closer. "And if she has bruises where you grabbed her, you're going to have more to worry about than a simple threat from me. I will call the police. She will file charges of assault. You won't have the time to date her or anyone else. Do you get me?"

He was gritting his teeth when I finished. He didn't say anything and stood there shaking with anger. I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to lash out, to unleash that rage on someone. If it wasn't me, it could be Leanne.

I stepped back, watching for any sudden moves, and to give him room to breathe. He stood his ground, so I turned and walked to class, listening for him, wanting to make sure he didn't jump me from behind.

I was late to class, so I took a seat at the back of the room. Leanne turned and saw me. I waved at her and we focused on Professor Swafford's lecture. Neil never came in.

After class, I waited for Leanne next to the door. She looked worried. "What happened?" she asked.

I shrugged. "We talked. I told him if he didn't leave you alone, then I'd call the police." I glanced at her arm. Her sleeves covered the part of her arm where he grabbed her. "How's your arm?"

She nodded. "It's okay. He didn't hurt me."

I shook my head. "It might sound mean, but I almost wish he had bruised you. You could have filed assault charges on him and he'd be carted off to jail."

She frowned. "You're right, that is mean. I just want him to leave me alone."

Everyone else had left and the Professor was arranging papers on his desk. "Well, he didn't come to class. Maybe he decided to take the day off and cool down."

Leanne nodded and we left the building. Neither of us saw Neil anywhere. I didn't want to take the chance that he'd follow Leanne to her dorm and started to walk that way with her. "Can you afford to be late to your next class again?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I can deal with Dumont. I don't like the idea of you going back to your dorm alone."

She smiled. "That's sweet, but you can't escort me everywhere. I'll be fine."

I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm down. "Then head over to the UC or somewhere else that sells pepper spray. I'll feel better if you have a way to protect yourself when I'm not around."

She gave me a kiss. "I will, but you need to get going. Okay?"

I nodded and took a step back. She did too and then turned and walked toward her dorm with a quick stride. She was brave. I had to give her that. But I didn't think simple threats were enough to deter Neil. Only time would tell. I turned and ran off to my last class for the day, Psychology with Professor Dumont and Katrina.

For the first time all week, I wasn't late to class. However, I remembered that Dumont wanted me to stand at the front of the room for the remainder of the semester due to my backhanded comment about her attire on Wednesday. I walked down the aisle to the stage and set my bag on the floor to the side where I stood during the last two classes. There was a small podium next to the wall that I hadn't seen Dumont use at all. I doubted it would be there if she didn't use it at some point, and I wouldn't argue with her if she told me to put it back, but if I was going to take proper notes and avoid having to read over the ones she gave me, I needed something to write on. I grabbed the podium and moved it over to stand next to my bag. Then I got out my notepad and pen and waited along with the rest of the class.

Katrina came out of Dumont's office first. Today she wore more casual clothes: a beige top with a low cut v-neck, shorts with a gold belt, and knee high leather boots. It was Friday after all and most of the students and faculty would be out for the weekend after about lunch time. She looked up and spotted me with the podium. She smiled but didn't look happy about something. She sat at her desk on the other side of the stage, leaving me to wonder what had happened.

From across the room, I couldn't tell if she had applied heavier makeup to cover any bruises, but I couldn't worry about that until after class. I was sure she would have worn something different if she had been hurt, so I was happy about that at least. I felt a little disappointed that she hadn't come over to say "hi" personally, but then there was no telling what Heisler had done to her to make her compliant to his demands.

Dumont came out a minute later. She was also dressed comfortably in a white cotton dress with cornflower blue pinwheel designs at the chest, the edges of the short sleeves, and border of the skirt. The dress fit her loosely, like something someone might wear with swimwear on under it. It was something she could easily take off and put back on later. I doubted she was going to demonstrate that today though and held my pen at the ready. For all the classes I had been on time for, she usually began her lecture the instant she came out of her office.

She looked up and spotted me with the podium on the stage. She stared at me while walking to the center of the stage. "It seems our introvert is ready for class today," she said and flashed a small, unpleasant smile at me before turning to the rest of the class in general. "Today, we're going to explore the natures of dominance and submission, both in nature and in society," she said and shot me another smile.

I knew the contents of the book assigned for the class. I had memorized all of the chapter titles though I hadn't read the entire book yet. None of the chapters were about dominance and submission. I looked at the rest of the class. Most of them looked as confused as I felt, but no one was arguing with the Professor. After all, if she decided it was a part of the curriculum then we had to know it.

I glanced past Dumont to Katrina. She was completely focused on the work at her desk. Either she was too busy to wonder why Dumont chose to lecture about this, or she already knew why and didn't like it.

Instead of dwelling on the reasons for Dumont's chosen topic, I focused on taking notes. I could almost feel her staring at me at certain points in her lecture, like a burning sensation on the back of my neck. Every time I looked up and met her eyes, she gave me another snide smile. I didn't understand her attitude and thus, wasn't surprised that she continued to pick on me as her guinea pig during the lecture, or that she called on me only when she asked questions I didn't raise my hand for, which was often. All I knew about the topic was what Lady Brighid and Jaime told me the night before and that didn't seem to be nearly enough to satisfy Dumont. I didn't get upset about it though, believing that if I didn't rise to her baiting, she would eventually ease up.

At one point in her lecture, Dumont asked, "Now, after what I've told you about the defining characteristics of a dominant and a submissive, who can tell me which one Mr. Connors is?"

Several hands went up, but a few more rose slower. I suspected what those quick hands were going to say, but the slower ones seemed to have to think about their answers before deciding on them. I couldn't imagine what conclusions they came to or how.

Dumont pointed at one of the fast handed students. "Mr. Kemper."

He had shaggy dark hair and a smile that matched Dumont's snide one. He put his hand down and looked at me, aiming his comments carefully. "He's submissive. He's already given in to your authority."

Dumont nodded and pointed to another quick hand. "Ms. Ames."

She popped her bubble gum and said, "He's submissive. Plain and simple. There's no way any dominant would dress like that."

Dumont smiled at me and pointed at one of the slower hands. "Ms. Dobbs. What do you think?"

She put her hand down and glanced around at the other eyes suddenly on her. "I'm not sure. He has traits from both lists. He could be either one."

Dumont didn't comment on that. Instead she turned to me. "Are you too much of an introvert to offer your own view, Mr. Connors?"

I met her eyes. "I'm neutral. I can fill either role and tend toward Dominant."

She turned back to the rest of the class. "Wow! So composed. So sure of himself," she said and then looked at me again. "But then, everyone offers up what they believe are the best traits in an effort to impress others." She let that sink in for a moment and then returned to her lecture. Thankfully, it was already close to the end of the hour.

By the end of class, my feet and elbows ached. I had been leaning on the podium so much I hadn't realized how it would affect me. Well, I had plenty of time to get comfortable with standing for an hour while taking notes three times a week. It could have been worse. Dumont could have written me up and forced me to change classes to one that didn't fit my schedule so nicely.

After the bell rang, I took my time putting my things away. I didn't want to give any of the other students the chance to comment within hearing distance on my perceived standing in the Dom/sub culture or my new seating assignment. Most of them were in too much of a hurry to get a jump start on their weekend or had another class to get to on time, so it didn't take much effort to wait them out. There were a couple of guys who made loud comments about my lack of acceptance in my role as the class stooge.

After they finally left, I put the podium back where I found it. I had more important things to worry about than what the rest of the class thought of me. Talking to Katrina was one of them. I had to find out if we were bound and what happened after she left with Heisler. So, by the time I gathered everything together, the lecture hall was empty. All the students had left, and Dumont and Katrina had disappeared back in Dumont's office.

I picked up my bag and walked over to the office door. I heard Dumont talking inside though I couldn't make out what she was saying. I stood there like a bump on a log trying to wrestle up the courage to knock on the door and ask to talk to Katrina. It seemed silly. I had a legitimate reason for talking to her, though it probably violated school regulations for us to be in any kind of personal relationship together. I considered making up a story about needing Katrina's help with my notes or something like that, something that would assuage Dumont's suspicions, but even to me it sounded lame.

Then I heard sharp crack followed by a scream. It came from inside the office. I heard both again and forgot whose office I was walking into.

Dumont stood over Katrina with a large, flat paddle. Katrina was strapped face down to what looked like some kind of saw horse, but wider with straps holding her arms and legs in place. Her shorts and panties were piled on the floor at her feet and tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked over at me.

Dumont spun with the leather-clad paddle raised. Fear stood out in her eyes until she saw who had entered her office, and then she gritted her teeth and barked at me. "Connors! Leave! Now!"



-------

Chapter 28



I stared at the scene before me and soaked in the details quickly. Katrina was face down on something that looked like a saw horse, only it was wider and covered with leather. Straps held her down via her wrists and thighs. The most eye-catching and worrisome detail was that her bare bottom was propped up and glowed red.

Dumont wasn't wearing her dress. It was on a hanger behind them. As I had correctly deduced, she had been wearing something under it, just not a swimsuit. She had on a corset that covered and supported her breasts. The material was heavy enough to be leather but reflected more light than latex. Whatever it was made out of, she also wore a pair of panties made out of the same stuff. Her curly blonde hair was pulled back in a low, tight pony tail, which left her face open.

When I met her eyes, she pointed the paddle at me and said, "Get out, Connors! Now!"

I shook my head and nodded at Katrina. "What's going on here?"

"None of your business," Dumont said. "Now leave!"

"No," I said, dropping my pack. "Untie her."

Dumont stepped closer to me, brandishing her paddle. "You don't give orders here, Connors, I do. Now leave or face expulsion."

I frowned at her. I had to admit that she might have enough pull with the school to get me kicked out, but I wasn't leaving without Katrina. I needed something to use as leverage, something Dumont couldn't easily repute, like a picture or video of this. Then I remembered Jordan's cell phone. I still had it. I pulled it out and before Dumont realized what I was doing, I took several pictures of her and Katrina.

Dumont dove at me. "No!"

I turned and held her off with one hand. "Yes," I said, feeling contrary. "Now, let her go unless you want these pictures finding their way onto the school web site."

Dumont swiped at the phone again. "You wouldn't dare."

I pulled up web access on the phone. "I can do it from here, right now."

"Give me that phone!" She said, attempting to push her way to it. "I'll make your life at school hell!"

I gave her a good push. It was enough to slide her back, but not so much to send her flying. "You can't have it, and you won't do anything you threaten because you don't want this getting out." I pointed at Katrina. "Untie her. Now!"

Dumont glared at me, breathing heavily. "You won't do it. You'd have to log into the school's system to upload them. If I get into trouble, so will you."

I shrugged. "That may be, but I'm willing to risk it. Are you?"

She cursed me under her breath but turned and unbuckled the first strap.

I watched her and waited until she bent to the last one. When she wasn't looking at me, I closed the phone and stuffed it into the side pocket of my pack. She saw me pull it out of my pants pocket. If she tried to wrestle me to the ground again, maybe hoping to smash it in the process, it would be safe, relatively.

When Katrina was free, she turned and sat on the saw horse. Then she reached down and picked up her panties.

Dumont noticed. "What are you doing? No one told you to get dressed."

Katrina glanced at me with a frown and dropped them back where they were.

I frowned at Dumont. "What? Spanking her isn't enough? What else did you have in mind, Dumont? Humiliate her by making her walk to her car without her clothes? Maybe something physical, like raping her with the handle of your paddle?

Dumont's glare intensified. "Dumont? You will call me Professor or Professor Dumont. Do you understand?"

I accuse her of things like sexual harassment and rape and she gets mad about her name? I shook my head. "You are really screwed up, you know that?" I looked to Katrina and lightened my tone. "Did she tell you what else she had planned?"

Dumont shot her a look and said, "Don't answer that," before her assistant could take a breath to answer. Then she turned to me again. "I untied her, now erase those pictures."

I shook my head. "And chance that you'll try to have me expelled later? I don't think so. I'll be keeping those pictures for quite some time." I glanced at Katrina. "And I'm not leaving without her. She needs to get dressed."

Dumont crossed her arms under her breasts. "And I'm just supposed to trust that you'll erase the pictures when you say you will? Fat chance. She's staying here."

I studied her expression and body language. Her arms were crossed, feet shoulder width apart, and she had a glare for me. She was defiant and ready to fight. Then I looked at Katrina. She sat still, keeping herself covered and half hid her face behind her hair. She was embarrassed and maybe a little scared. She reminded me of how she acted with Heisler last night, before I took her to Room Three.

I looked at Dumont again. "Does Heisler know you have his sub?"

Dumont smiled, and it wasn't pleasant. "That's none of your business."

"Which means yes," I said. "How do you know him?"

She frowned. "It's none of your business. What part of that do you not understand?"

I glanced at the paddle in her hand, to the saw horse thing, and put it all together. "He told you to punish her. Why?"

Dumont shook her head with a sigh. "None of your business."

I was getting more upset every time she said that. I pointed at Katrina. "She didn't do anything wrong."

Dumont smiled. "That's none of your business. None of this is any of your business. Your sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong and if you're not careful," she waved the paddle at me, "it's going to get flattened."

In a flash of anger, I snatched the paddle out of her hand. "Don't threaten me!"

Fear flashed through Dumont's eyes. "If you touch me..."

"It'll be self-defense," I said, knowing where she was going, and I put my face in hers. "You've already come at me twice with this, threatening bodily injury. And with the pictures I have, the police would believe I came to her rescue." I tossed the paddle to the floor.

The fear she felt melted away with her anger. "Even if the police get involved, that doesn't change the fact that Katrina belongs to Steven. She can't leave with you because he's forbidden it."

I leaned back, studying her face. "You told him about me, didn't you?"

She smiled again. "He wanted to know who you were. When I found out from Katrina who she was with last night, I told him everything."

I shook my head. "You lied to him. You don't know me, any more than you know her."

Dumont rolled her eyes. "I'm a psychology professor. I know you better than you know yourself. Like I know you're too much of an introvert to have actually gone out with seven different women, much less fucked them. And when Steven told me what happened last night, I told him that you must have been desperate to get laid, to keep your reputation intact. No one could make the kind of mess he described unless they hadn't had sex in a long, long time."

I shook my head and looked at Katrina. How had she gotten tangled up with Heisler and Dumont? I wasn't going to find out here, with Dumont running interference for Heisler. However, if she had my mark, I might convince her. Jordan said I should naturally see my mark on all of my Fonti. Her top was low cut. I could just make out the edges of her bra, but my mark wasn't there. I looked up and noticed her expression. She wasn't scared or embarrassed anymore, but she wasn't happy either. "Katrina, do you want to go back to Heisler?"

Dumont shook her head. "She doesn't have a choice."

I glanced at her. "She can answer me if she wants."

Dumont smiled again. "No, she can't. She knows who her Master is and who he put in charge of her. She knows you have no authority over her."

I held Katrina's eyes. "Heisler gave her authority over you?"

Dumont shook her head and stepped between us. "It doesn't matter, Mr. Connors. I have the power to keep her from talking to you or doing anything you want, like leaving with you."

I glanced past Dumont to Katrina again. I wasn't sure what her expression meant. She looked despondent. I focused on Dumont. "Unless I supersede your authority."

She rolled her eyes. "Only Steven can say who has authority over her, which means you have none."

I shook my head. "I don't need his approval. I only have to be Dominant to you. Then I'll have authority by proxy."

Dumont laughed. Behind her, Katrina's eyes widened. "What are you going to do?" Dumont asked. "Assume your Dominant role," which she said with fingered quotes, "and try to control me? If you haven't noticed, I am Dominant."

I shook my head and recalled her lecture from class. "There are varying levels of Dominance and submission. You have authority due to your position with the school, and I submit to that authority." She opened her mouth in an attempt to use that authority but I kept talking. "But we're not in class now. I'm not here as your student, and she's not working as your assistant. That authority has no claim right now. Now, I'm challenging your Dominance over Katrina. You only have the authority given to you by others, and in Katrina's case, that's Heisler. Guess who's not here!"

Dumont shrugged. "That doesn't mean I'm submissive to you."

I studied her face and remembered what Lady Brighid said last night. "To the right person you are. Heisler is Dominant to you, isn't he?"

She glared.

I smiled. "He is; which means you only have the authority given to you. And that means you're actually submissive."

"No, it doesn't," she spat.

I nodded. "Yes, you're submissive but you act the Dominant part when given authority. The problem is, you abuse that authority. You pick on anyone you're in charge of who displays any submissive tendencies."

She shook her head, sending her pony tail flying back and forth. "No."

I studied her face and body language and nodded again. It all made sense. More than that, I noticed dents form on her breasts. It wasn't cold in the office. The AC was on, but only to maintain a comfortable temperature against the raging summer sun outside. There was only one other reason for Dumont's nipples to harden. If she was a true submissive, then it probably turned her on to be controlled. I pulled out my fetish. Maybe, if I turned her on so much she couldn't think straight, she would relinquish control of Katrina.

Dumont noticed my fetish. "What's that? You're magical Domination talisman?"

I pulled it over my head and ignored her question. "Tell me something, Professor. Are you married or in any kind of relationship?"

She shook her head and crossed her arms again. "That's none of your business."

Her words didn't bother me so much anymore and I shrugged. "Either you'll tell me or I'll find out some other way." I glanced at her hands. She had them tucked behind her arms, hiding her fingers.

Dumont noticed my glance. "Checking me out now? I would swear you're gay." She held out her hands in presentation. "I'm dressed like this and Katrina is bottomless, yet," she waved at me, "you're not sporting a hardon." She leaned closer, squinting like she was trying to see something. "Unless you're so small, you wouldn't pitch a tent."

Katrina shook her head, but Dumont didn't see her.

I didn't rise to her bait but I smiled for Katrina. To Dumont I said, "I thought your corset was leather. Guess I was wrong."

She straightened up and looked down at herself. Her face, neck, and the tops of her breasts all flushed red. She said, "It's cold in here." She looked up at me again and frowned. "What? You thought I was reacting to you?" She huffed and looked away. "There's nothing about you that I find appealing in the least."

I arched an eyebrow. "Has it never occurred to you that I feel the same way?" I waved at her outfit. "You're very attractive, but you've got your nose so high up in the air you can't see anything except what you want, and even that is skewed by your conflicted nature. That conceit doesn't paint a very flattering portrait." I shook my head. "No wonder you're single."

She turned to look at me with her mouth open, appalled. "You are so full of yourself. Making up lies about how many women you've slept with, just so you don't look so pitiful in front of the rest of the class. And then claiming you're neutral, that you could be either Dominant or submissive. It's obvious you don't have what it takes to be a Dom."

I glanced at Katrina, who watched me with a smile similar to what she left with last night, half bright and half seductive. "Whether you think I'm telling the truth or not, Katrina knows what I can do."

Dumont looked at Katrina with a snide comment ready but then her expression changed. "I've seen that look before. Usually right after you've been with Steven." Dumont looked at me again and she sneered again. "As submissive as she is, you could have raped her and she wouldn't say anything about it."

I frowned. "If you believe that, then you don't know her as well as you think you do."

Her sneer shifted. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I glanced past her at Katrina's thighs. "For one thing, she's wet right now. I believe the two of us fighting to dominate her is turning her on." I looked into Katrina's eyes. "I'd even wager she'd be ready for sex at any time with just about anyone." I looked back at Dumont. "Even someone with your attitude."

Frowning, Dumont turned and looked at Katrina.

Katrina blushed heavily and looked away. Even though she wore a bra and her top was made of some soft material, the dents of her hard nipples were obvious.

"Bah!" Dumont said, turning from the other woman. "She's only wet because she likes being controlled."

"That may be," I said, "but you don't pay enough attention to the small details." I looked down at Dumont's panties. "Like the fact that you're about to leak regardless of how tightly you keep your legs pressed together."

Dumont blushed then and it reached all the way down to the top of her breasts. "It doesn't have anything to do with you."

I knew better. My fetish was working on her and that meant she was single. All of my speculation had proven right so far. I was willing to find out just how much more I was right and an idea occurred to me. "Really?" I asked. "So, what if I were to take off my shirt?" I was wearing a polo style shirt, so I pulled it up and off over my head. I caught Dumont looking away. "That wouldn't affect you?"

She frowned but couldn't focus on anything in her field of vision. "Disgusted maybe."

I smiled and kicked off my shoes. "What if I dropped my pants?"

Katrina leaned back so she could see past Dumont. She looked me up and down and had an expression on her face similar to when she undressed me last night. However, with the two of us fighting for Dominance over her, she wouldn't move to do anything until told to do so.

I unfastened my belt and opened my pants. Dumont continued to fight the urge to look. She could have done better if she turned all the way around, but she stood there with her body squared off toward me and her head turned to the side. She held her arms, crossed under her breasts, like she was trying to hold herself back from doing something. I wondered what that might be and let my pants go. They dropped to the floor and I kicked them over into the pile formed by my shoes and shirt. "How does this make you feel?" I asked her.

She glanced at me, an involuntary reflex. She tried to turn her head away again but her eyes were glued to my crotch. "I ... I..."

Katrina smiled. It was all seduction. She knew as I did that Dumont wouldn't fight much anymore.

I stepped closer to Dumont, close enough to reach out and touch, but that was it. "What's wrong Professor?" I asked softly. "No vicious retorts?"

Dumont's eyes were cast down, still locked on my package. She stood stock still, as if struggling with herself over one decision or another.

I reached up and softly touched her cheek with the back of my finger. "What if I removed your corset?" I asked, trailing my finger along her jaw, down her neck and over one of her breasts. She didn't move away, so I found the top catch of her corset. I released it and looked up to her eyes.

She looked up too with a touch of fear. "Don't..."

"Don't what?" I softly asked and unfastened the next catch.

Her bottom lip quivered and she examined my face, but she didn't say anything.

I released the third catch. "Don't you want me to see?" I asked, maintaining the same soft, gentle tone. "You wanted me to react to you Wednesday. Why not now?" I released the fourth catch. Only two were left.

She looked up into my eyes and took a shuddering breath. "That was different," she said, almost under her breath.

I studied her eyes. "How was it different? Were you trying to embarrass me?" I released the next catch. "Or did you really want to see what I was packing?" I unfastened the last catch and pulled her corset open. She still had her arms crossed, but with a slight nudge from me, she dropped her arms and her corset fell to the floor.

She shifted from one foot to the other. "You can't..."

"Can't what?" I asked and cupped her breasts. She was blessed in that area and her nipples were burned into my palms.

She gasped at my touch, and leaned forward just a bit, just enough to add a little pressure to our contact. She licked her lips but didn't say anything else.

I stepped back and released her. She caught herself and blinked at me. "Don't move," I said, returning to my commanding tone.

"But..." she said softly.

I pinched both of her nipples, and she gasped at the sudden pain. "I said, don't move."

She held still though I could see the struggle in her eyes.

I played with her breasts, squeezing, hefting, and generally groping them. The whole time, I watched her eyes, looking for signs of defiance, any indications that she would throw caution to the wind and do something to either increase our contact or stop it. She whimpered, her breathing got heavier, and she licked her lips, but that was all.

I smiled and said, "Katrina."

The brunette bounced up and stood next to Dumont.

I looked into her eyes and then glanced at her top. This was a fight for Dominance over her. I would have to carry on with that role with both of them. I could probably get away with some leniency with Katrina, but Dumont would require a stern hand. I also had to stick with my plan. "Take off the rest of your clothes."

She smiled and quickly removed her top, bra, boots and socks. I wasn't worried about her footwear, but she was following my orders to the letter. I'd have to be careful around her.

Dumont turned her head to watch the other woman.

For a second, I let her, just to see how she reacted to her assistant. I couldn't tell if she was really interested or not.

Her curly blonde pony tail was there and looked like the perfect handle. I grabbed it and pulled her head back. "I told you, don't move."

She rolled her eyes up to look at me but didn't say anything.

I leaned in close. "If you want something, you have to ask for it."

She frowned. "If you're dominant, then you have to tell me what I want."

I shook my head. "That's not how it works for me. You may ask for what you want, but whether you get it or not is up to me." I glanced at Katrina. "I believe in positive reinforcement. Be a good sub by doing what you're told and be honest with me when I ask you questions, and you'll be rewarded."

Katrina looked at Dumont with a bright smile and nodded.

I pulled on Dumont's hair again. "Do you understand?"

She nodded, pulling against my grip.

I let her go. "Good. Now, demonstrate it."

She rolled her head a little and licked her lips, but she didn't say anything.

I grabbed her pony tail again. "Didn't I make myself clear? You will ask me for what you want."

She nodded against my grip again and then did her best to glance down along my body. "Can I see you?"

I studied her eyes. I knew what she meant, but wanted her to be more specific. However, telling her what she would and would not do hadn't worked so far. She was still defiant. Unlike Katrina, who willingly submitted to my control and followed orders without questions, Dumont needed a firm hand. The combination of firm but rewarded was possible, but I needed to test it. "You can see me just fine."

She tried to shake her head against my grip. "May I see you ... nude?"

I let her go. "I thought I disgusted you?"

She turned and looked me over.

I snatched up her hair again. "Did I say you could look?"

Her eyes were wide and looked in mine. She didn't try to move. "No."

I gave her hair a yank. "Then you don't look." I looked at Katrina. "Take her panties off," I said, nodding toward Dumont.

Katrina nodded and bent to obey.

"What are you doing?" Dumont asked.

I yanked her hair again. "I'm doing what a Dom does." I stared into her eyes while wild ideas ran through her mind. I could see fear and desire grow there. She wanted me to take her because of the lust my fetish instilled in her, but she also feared it. If I took her while she was like that, with both emotions, she would always feel conflicted about me. I didn't want anyone to fear me, not even her. I leaned in close. My lips grazed hers as I said, "I'm taking control."

A touch of confusion flitted by and then the others came back stronger. "I didn't agree to sex..."

I smiled. "No, you didn't ask for it, and I didn't say I would have sex with you."

Her fear shifted and confusion filled into her eyes.

I looked down along her body to check on Katrina's progress. She was on her knees behind the Professor and looked up at me. I understood the problem and gave Dumont's hair another yank. "Pick up your feet or I'll have Katrina cut your panties off." I looked up into Dumont's eyes. "They look expensive, especially since they match the corset. I'd hate to ruin them."

Dumont blinked and complied without complaint.

Katrina stood up and held out Dumont's panties to me.

I took them and said, "Move," to Dumont. She turned and I directed her to the saw horse thing. "What's this called?" I asked.

"It's a spanking horse," she said.

I let her hair go and waved at it. "Climb on."

She shook her head. "No."

With one hand, I grabbed her hair again. With the other, I pinched her nipple. "Did I ask if you wanted to?" I moved her head in a "no" motion. "I said, climb on," and I moved her head down to it where Katrina's head was earlier.

Dumont threw a leg over it and settled down without any struggle.

I held her in place and looked at Katrina. "Strap her down."

The brunette moved to obey, but without the smile she usually had.

"What are you going to do?" Dumont asked.

I waited until Katrina was done and let Dumont's hair go. Oddly, the spanking horse put her face at the perfect level for sex while her partner stood at either end. It was probably designed with that in mind. I crouched so my face was level with hers and looked her in the eyes. "I'm going to talk to Katrina. I might even have sex with her while you watch. Whatever I do, it's my decision. I'm in control." Then I tied her expensive, wet panties around her head with the business end in her mouth like a gag. She didn't fight me, only looking up with an expression on her face I wasn't sure about.

I stood up and looked at Katrina. "We'll use the same rules as last night."

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, sir."

I stepped closer to her, looking her face over. She wasn't wearing heavy layers of makeup, so she wasn't hiding any bruises. I hadn't seen any bruises with her undressed either, but I had to be sure. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "She's not as strong as Master. He could have broken my tail bone. It's why he has her handle all my punishments."

I glanced at Dumont's rear end. "How do they know each other?" I asked Katrina.

She shrugged. "I don't know, but they talk often."

I nodded and went back to Dumont. I pulled the gag down and asked, "How do you know Steven Heisler?"

She frowned. "Why?"

I studied her eyes. "Why do I need to know?" She nodded and I sighed. The problem was, I didn't know why it was so important to me, other than she didn't want me to know, and that was too childish of a reason. I decided on honesty and shook my head. "I don't know. I guess I don't understand why he would let you have authority over Katrina to punish her."

Dumont glanced toward Katrina. "He always has me handle her punishment. Katrina's right. If he did it, she'd have to go to the hospital. I use the paddle. It stings but doesn't do any permanent damage."

I frowned at her. "While I appreciate your humanity, as does Katrina, that doesn't answer my question. How do you know Heisler?"

She blinked and then said. "He's my brother."

"You have different last names," I said, thinking. "Were you married?"

She nodded and rubbed the side of her face against the leather of the spanking horse. She rolled her eyes up toward Katrina again. "Are you going to fuck her while I watch?"

I glanced at Katrina, who met my eyes with a confident smile, and nodded. "Yes, but not yet." I put the gag back in place and moved over to her bare bottom. The paddle lay where I dropped it. I picked it up and offered it to Katrina. "Do you hold any animosity toward her?"

Katrina looked at Dumont and shook her head. "No. She helped me when I needed it and only punished me when Master instructed her to."

I nodded. "Okay." I moved around to position myself for a correct swing. I looked at Katrina. "You didn't deserve to be punished for what happened at the club." I raised the paddle.

"Seth ... wait." Katrina said, quietly.

I didn't expect her to object, which was why I was a little surprised and looked at her.

"She's only doing what she was told," Katrina said. "She's not responsible."

I nodded at Dumont. "Did she ask why Heisler wanted you punished?"

Katrina thought about it for a minute and then shook her head. "No, she didn't."

"Then I disagree," I said. "She should have asked why. She should have thought beyond her brother's orders. I suspect she was happy to oblige, for two reasons." I raised the paddle again. "I believe she likes to cause pain in others," I said, and let my arm fall. I didn't put anything behind the swat, only letting the weight of the paddle do the work. All I made sure of was that it connected correctly. There was a loud crack. Dumont jumped and screamed. Katrina covered her own mouth.

I raised the paddle again. "And I believe she secretly wanted this done to her," I said, and let the paddle fall again.

Dumont jumped with the crack on her bottom and squirmed against her bonds, but she didn't scream. Instead a long low moan came from her.

Katrina heard her and looked up. She smiled at me. "How did you know?"

"Did Heisler choose how you were to be punished?" I asked and Katrina shook her head. "Did you?" Again she shook her head. "Then Dumont chose and she already had the paddle and spanking horse, didn't she?"

Katrina's eyes widened and she looked at the Professor. "She did."

I handed the paddle to Katrina. "Put this away."

She nodded and took it over to Dumont's desk. I didn't worry about where it was kept. Dumont could keep that, but there would be changes to her interaction with Katrina if I had my way. I walked around and squatted next to Dumont's head so we could talk again. I pulled the gag down and said, "Now, ask me what you want."

She blinked a tear away and swallowed. "May I have another?"

I smiled. I couldn't help it. Her request was so genuine. "Not today, but I will grant your earlier request."

She watched me stand up straight and then looked at my crotch, which was level with her face.

I could see the anticipation in her eyes and glanced over at Katrina. However, I saw the door, remembered how I had just walked right in and said, "Ladies, we're going to move this party to a new location." I looked down at Dumont. "I don't want any other students walking in on us like I did you two."

Dumont shook her head. "I don't usually get anyone coming in on Fridays. Most of them leave for the weekend or what not."

I stroked her cheek and she tried to kiss my fingers. "The key word is 'usually'. None of us can chance what would happen if this was an unusual Friday." I looked at Katrina. "Untie her and get dressed. We're leaving."



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Chapter 29



Katrina and I followed Dumont to her car. First, it was because I didn't know what she drove. Second, and probably more important, I wasn't sure I trusted her. She hadn't said a word since we left her office. I wasn't sure if that was because she didn't trust what she might say or because she was worried that one of her other students might see us together and question what was going on. Truth be told, I didn't know what I would say to that either. The truth would be too farfetched for anyone to believe, especially anyone who had seen how Dumont and I interacted in class. For that matter, I was having problems believing that we were really going anywhere else so we could have sex. As I watched her walk, knowing she wasn't wearing anything under that white sundress of hers, I realized that if she really wanted me, if she did anything that confirmed her desire for me, then I would give it to her. The real question, what I kept coming back to, was could I trust her?

Dumont pulled out her keys from her purse and pressed a button. A car alarm chirped and the headlights of a black Lincoln Continental blinked. She opened the driver's door and leaned on it while watching me approach. She lowered her sunglasses and undressed me with her eyes; something Jordan and Danielle did on a regular basis. She smiled and met my eyes. "Where to?"

I was tempted to simply say my place, but didn't think she knew where I lived, and for the time being, I didn't want her to know. However, I knew if we had sex, she would be bound to me. I didn't want to chance that Jordan would try to walk across town to find me for the post-coital ritual. "Rivertree Apartments," I said. "Do you know where it is?"

Dumont shook her head.

I opened the back door. "Drive. I'll give you directions," I said as I climbed in.

Katrina ran around to the other side and got in next to me.

Dumont got in and started the car. She pulled over to South Carroll and I gave directions. Katrina didn't bother with her seat belt and scooted over to press right up against me. I didn't mind the contact but I fought the urge to play around with her. Even in the car, passing so many other people on the street and in other cars, she wasn't shy about what she wanted. Fortunately, she restrained herself from prying open my clothes. Part of me wished she would because I was eager to feel her again, but I knew it could lead to problems with Dumont watching us in the rearview mirror.

When we pulled into my apartment complex, I directed Dumont to park in front of Jordan's apartment. Jordan's car was gone. Part of me hoped it was because Danielle had borrowed it, but another part thought Jordan might have recovered enough to go to work. I wouldn't know until I went up and found out.

Dumont turned in her seat to look at me. "What are we doing here?" Her tone was a little pouty but not really suspicious. I was glad for that much.

I pointed up to the second floor. "I need to talk to someone real quick. I'll be right back."

She frowned and Katrina let me go as I climbed out of the car.

I ran up the stairs and knocked on the apartment door. A second later, Jordan opened the door and smiled. "Hey!" she said and then pulled me into a tight hug.

I hugged her too. "How are you feeling?"

She held on and rubbed her belly against me. I was still hard from Katrina's manipulations. "Much better now," Jordan said and then pushed me back. She looked me over. "Did Milena pick you up?"

I shook my head. "No, something came up."

She looked at me curiously. "Something good I hope."

I arched an eyebrow trying to think of a politically correct way of putting it without being too vulgar. "Something that might have you mindlessly crossing the city to find me," I said.

She smiled. "Who's waiting on you?"

I nodded toward the rail. She padded over, barefoot and wearing shorts and a tank top. She peered over at the Continental and shook her head. "Who is it?"

"Professor Dumont," I said in a whisper, as if trying to avoid stares from my classmates even though I knew none were around. "And her T.A., Katrina."

Jordan looked at me. "You mean the teacher giving you such a hard time and the one you met at the club last night?"

I nodded. "Exactly."

Jordan blinked in thought. "Does Katrina have your mark?"

I shook my head. "No, she doesn't."

She glanced at my chest. "Then she's in a relationship." She looked down at the Continental again. "I thought you wanted to avoid women in relationships."

I sighed. "This is different."

She looked at me again. "How?"

I moved over and leaned on the rail. "I don't know how to explain it."

"From what you told me last night," she said, "I have a good idea why you want her."

I looked up. When she didn't answer, I shook my head. "Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "First, you're definitely attracted to her. She's the same girl who got you all hot-n-bothered the other day, right?" I nodded. She went on. "Well, you saw how her master treated her and you didn't like it. You want to save her from that, even if she doesn't believe she needs saving."

I nodded again. "True."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to save her," Jordan said. "Sometimes you even have to save someone from herself."

I looked down at the car again. "Okay, so I have to find a way to convince Heisler to let her go."

Jordan nodded and looked down too. "I don't know if it's a good idea to forge a bond with your Professor though."

"Why?" I asked simply, not letting my suspicions cloud my tone.

Jordan looked at me. "Well, if your Professor really thinks so little of you, forging a bond with her might amplify that."

I feared that possibility. "You said, 'might, ' but you don't know for sure?"

She shook her head. "Nothing's for certain." She looked down at the car again. "How did you get her to agree to this?"

Part of me felt a little hurt by her question, like she verified my self-depreciating comments about my lack of seductive skill, but I held my tongue and pulled my fetish out from under my shirt. "With magic," I said. "By the time we left her office, she was willing to do almost anything."

Jordan shook her head. "I don't know what to think about this, Seth. From everything you've told me about her, this could backfire."

"What are you saying?" I asked, as tonelessly as I could.

She faced me. "You've got to remember, yes you're fetish helps you attract women to you for sex and to forge a bond with those women, but the bond itself amplifies the emotions you and that woman feel for one another. Most of the time, that's only lust, but you and your Professor already know each other. You already have an emotional connection that the bond will amplify."

"So, you're saying that she and I will only hate each other more?" I asked.

Jordan nodded. "That's why I was directing you at women you didn't know. With the fetish causing endless lust without any other emotions, those women have attached to you based on that one emotion. Don't get me wrong, other emotions tend to evolve later, but if you bond with someone you hate, then you'll be even more disgusted with her after the bond is forged."

I frowned and looked down at the car. Katrina had climbed into the front seat and apparently they had turned on the radio because both of them were dancing in their seats. I watched Dumont, trying to understand how I really felt about her. Did I really hate her? It was such an ugly emotion but not something I could attribute to her as a person. If I could talk to her on some level that allowed us to be cordial, I might learn more about her and understand her better. One thing for sure, I didn't like how she treated me. Would that aspect of our relationship be amplified, or would this latest development overrule it? Would we get along while alone only to go at each other's throats out in public? I really didn't know.

I watched Katrina and asked myself if I could let go of this determined idea of bonding with her. Before I could consider an answer, Katrina looked up through the windshield and waved at me. It was almost like she knew I was watching her. She smiled when I waved back and then I noticed Dumont looking up at me. Her expression was unreadable. I had no idea what she was thinking. If I was really determined to have Katrina, I had to have Dumont's help. I seriously doubted she would willingly let me wrest Katrina from her brother unless she was too loopy in lust with me otherwise. I waved at her too. She smiled and waved back.

I looked at Jordan. "You said the bond amplifies the emotions I feel for the woman and her emotions for me. You also said additional emotions can evolve from them. Is it possible to work through any negative emotions that are amplified?"

She studied my face with a frown. "Why would you put yourself through something like that?"

I looked down at the car again. "Because if that smile is any indicator, I don't believe she hates me. She simply doesn't know me and has made unfounded assumptions. Something I want to give her the chance to rectify."

Jordan sighed. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

I looked at her again. "Let me ask you this then. If only the emotions are amplified, what emotion is it that allows her to belittle others?"

She snorted. "Contempt. Loathing." She studied my face and shook her head. "I can't stop you if you're determined to do this, but you need to ask yourself if it's worth it."

I shot her a grim smile."I have."

"Then explain it to me," she said, "because I don't understand."

I didn't know how to start, so I decided on something related. "When you told me Danielle was sick and that I had to find more Fonti, I didn't like the idea of putting more women in danger. I wanted to find a different solution but little by little you helped me understand why this works the way it does. Since then I've forged bonds with women who I'm attracted to, women who are attracted to me, even without magic, and women that met both criteria. Then you got sick and I struck out to find a Fonte on my own. I believe Katrina would make a good Fonte because she is naturally willing all on her own. However, because she's a submissive to such a degree, she doesn't believe she can leave the relationship she's in of her volition, and I don't believe I can properly forge a bond with her without my fetish, I need Heisler to release her. I don't believe I can convince him without help."

"And your Psyche Professor is supposed to help you?" Jordan asked.

"She's his sister," I said. "She should know him better than almost anyone else."

"And that's your reasoning for chancing that she will utterly despise you?" she asked.

I sighed. "It sounds crazy, right?"

She shook her head. "Completely asinine."

We stood there for a moment. I watched Katrina and Dumont dancing in the car. Having said it out loud, trying to explain it all to Jordan helped me understand it all better. I was using Dumont for something other than what I needed. I needed her as a Fonte. Along with Katrina, my count would reach ten. But to ask for her help in convincing her brother of letting Katrina go seemed like I was making her an optional selection. True, I wouldn't have chosen her as a Fonte under normal circumstances, but by the time I had her strapped down to her spanking horse and heard her moan when I spanked her, I knew I would bond with her. She wasn't the Professor I loathed anymore, though part of me was waiting for her to put her car in gear and run off while I stood next to Jordan and thought about what to do.

That's when it hit me. "Why isn't she leaving?" I said.

Jordan looked down at the car too. "What do you mean?"

I waved at the car. "I've been up here with you for a while now. My fetish shouldn't be affecting her, therefore whatever control I held over her should be gone and she should be tearing out of here. But she isn't. If she really loathes or despises me, shouldn't she have left the moment she believed she could get away?"

Jordan studied the car and the two bouncing women inside. "You're right."

I nodded at her door. "Get your shoes. You're coming with us."

"I am?" she asked.

I nodded. "I'm pretty sure you'd show up anyway."

She shook her head with a smile. "Gimme a sec."

I nodded while she went in. I looked down at Dumont again. She looked up smiling. For the first time I saw a happy smile on her face. I had to admit, she looked better smiling like that than when she was taunting me in class. Now, if I could only amplify that emotion rather than the others.

Jordan came back out, slipped on her shoes, and locked the door. We went down the stairs together and I noticed both Katrina and Dumont watching us. I got in behind Dumont and Jordan sat behind Katrina. I held out a hand to Katrina. "Jordan, this is Katrina. Katrina, Jordan."

Katrina blinked at me, and then reached around and shook hands with Jordan. "Hi," she said softly.

"Hey," Jordan said, smiling.

I held my hand out to Dumont and said, "This is my Psyche teacher, Professor Dumont."

Dumont frowned at me, and then held out her hand to Jordan. "Please, call me Cass."

Jordan shook her hand. "Okay Cass, I'm Jordan."

Dumont nodded at her and then looked at me again. I could see a multitude of questions in her eyes. She didn't like having someone else with us. I understood why and said, "Let's go to your place, Professor. We can all be more comfortable there."

She glanced at Jordan and then turned around in her seat.

Katrina must have picked up on the growing tension. She didn't smile like normal and turned around in her seat too. Jordan must have been curious about her because she said, "Katrina, Seth told me about last night. Did you have fun?"

Katrina half-turned in her seat to look back at us and hesitantly nodded. "Yes I did," she said and then blushed. "I haven't had that much fun in a long time."

Jordan smiled. "Have you considered leaving Heisler to be with Seth?"

Katrina frowned. "Master would be mad if I left him."

Jordan shook her head. "I'm not worried about what your Master thinks. I want to know what you think."

Katrina thought about it for a second. "I-I don't know. Master doesn't have time to do for me what my Father did. And if Seth has been with as many women as he said in class the other day, then I doubt he'd be interested in me after a while."

I frowned at that but didn't say anything. It was one of the things I feared, becoming jaded about my need for sex or worse, taking any of my Fonti for granted. Jordan smiled however. "You might be surprised. Seth is a very caring guy. He does everything he can to take care of those he cares for. And he's told me a lot about you."

Katrina turned further around and studied Jordan's face. Then she looked at me. "Why?"

Jordan glanced at me with a chuckle. "I think he really likes you, not just the sex, but something else too."

Katrina shrugged. "We haven't talked about anything else, except how Master and I get along."

Jordan nodded. "And he's worried that you're not being treated right. I think he wants to help you find what you need."

"He asked me what I thought of him as my Master," Katrina said quietly.

"What did you tell him?" Jordan asked, approaching at the same level.

Katrina rolled her eyes up to look at me. "That I didn't know." Then she glanced at Jordan.

Jordan nodded. "That's honest. Now, from a woman's point of view, tell me what you think of the idea of waking up in the morning to find Seth lying next to you, snuggled up with you?"

Katrina bright smile blossomed and she looked at me with smoldering eyes. "That would be nice."

"Does your Master sleep with you?" Jordan asked.

Katrina shook her head and rolled her eyes like she couldn't bring herself to meet anyone else's eyes. "No, and I don't blame him. He probably wouldn't get enough sleep."

Jordan laughed and glanced at me. "Seth's mentioned that already."

Katrina blinked and looked me over. "He doesn't look tired."

Jordan leaned forward in her seat, speaking conspiratorially. "I think that's because sex rejuvenates him in ways that wears out most guys."

Katrina eyes grew wide as she looked at Jordan. "Like the way he continued to get erect after he came three times?"

Jordan nodded. "Exactly."

Katrina looked at me again. "Wow!"

Jordan sat back again, speaking in her previously frank tones. "But other than sex. If you were living with Seth, if he were your master, what would you think?"

Katrina shrugged. "I still don't know."

Jordan nodded. "Okay. Then tell me about your Master. Why did he have you punished today?"

Katrina frowned. "Because I had sex with Seth last night."

"Did your Master forbid that?" Jordan asked.

Katrina shook her head. "No."

"Did he make it a long standing rule, not to have sex with anyone without express permission from him?" Jordan asked.

Katrina thought about it and shook her head again. "No."

"Then he's punishing you because he's angry," Jordan said, "not because you broke any rules."

Katrina stared at her from around the side of her seat, as if afraid of agreeing with her, but then she nodded.

Jordan frowned. "Did your Father ever punish you?"

Katrina nodded slowly. "When I was young, but as I got older and learned my place, it happened less frequently."

Jordan nodded. "When he punished you, did he explain why he punished you?"

Katrina nodded. "Every time."

"But your Master doesn't?" Jordan asked.

Katrina shook her head. "No."

"Then how are you supposed to learn what not to do if he doesn't tell you what you're doing wrong?" Jordan asked. It was the question I wanted an answer to.

Katrina stared at her and quietly said, "I don't know."

"Just like you don't know if Seth would be a good Master," Jordan said.

Katrina shook her head. "No, I know he'd be a good master. I just don't know what to think about it."

Jordan blinked. "Wait, what's the difference?"

Katrina glanced at me. "Seth would be a good Master, but I don't know if I would be a good slave."

Jordan studied her face. "Why would you doubt yourself?"

Katrina looked at her again. "I have difficulty restraining myself around him. I want to have sex with him a lot. More than with my Father. A lot more than with Master."

Jordan smiled. "Other than sex, would you have a problem with Seth as your master?"

Katrina shook her head. "Not at all. He makes good rules. And he rewards me when I follow the rules."

Jordan glanced at me. "Rewards you how?"

Katrina beamed. "He lets me fuck him in any way I want."

Jordan smiled too and leaned forward again. "I'll let you in on a little secret." She glanced at me and though I could hear them both, acted like she didn't want me to hear her. "He lets me do that too."

Katrina bit her lower lip and looked at me with smoldering eyes. "Really?"

Jordan nodded. "And I want to have sex with him a lot too, but I can't. I have to restrain myself."

Katrina looked at her, blinking. "How?"

Jordan shrugged. "I do everything I can to bide my time. I stay busy working and making sure he gets what he needs when we're not having sex."

Katrina nodded vigorously. "I could do that."

Jordan reached up and touched Katrina's cheek to draw her full attention to her. "That's IF Seth were your Master."

Katrina's enthusiastic expression melted and her shoulders slumped. "Oh, yeah. That's right." Then she swallowed, glanced at me and turned back around in her seat without another word.

Jordan sat back and leaned toward me. I leaned her way so she could whisper in my ear. "She wants you so bad she can taste it, but something about Heisler has her too scared to openly admit that she'd rather be with you."

I nodded. It was what I had suspected. Heisler was using fear to control Katrina. I wondered if she had expressed her desire to be with someone else before and he had her punished for it. I'd have to ask Dumont. Since she was Katrina's punisher, she would know if it had ever happened before.

Jordan pulled me to her again. "And all this talk of you as her Master is turning me on something fierce." Then she sucked on my earlobe and plunged her tongue into my ear.

I squirmed next to her. The feel of her probing was more ticklish than arousing. That didn't discourage her any though and I fought both to keep from laughing aloud and to keep her hands from slipping into my pants.

Before she got anywhere, the car slowed down and Dumont said, "We're here."

I grabbed Jordan's wrists and held them in my lap. She groped me while we looked out at the house. It wasn't as big as the house Danielle used to live in, but it was very nice. The front porch had four regal columns and the front yard looked like a design in progress. Several flowerbeds bordered a curved sidewalk up to the porch and several young trees dotted the yard.

Dumont pulled into the driveway and around to the garage. She eased inside and the garage door automatically slid closed behind us. Dumont turned off the engine and turned in her seat. She looked at Jordan, down to where she was holding me and then up to my face.

I wasn't sure what her expression meant, so I eased Jordan off me and glanced at her in way of apology. Jordan gave me an ever-so-slight nod and turned to get out. Katrina was already out and standing next to the door leading into the house. Jordan went to join her.

I looked at Dumont again. "Did you want something?"

She looked me over. "Can we go inside and talk privately for a few minutes?"

I nodded. There was never anything wrong with talking privately. Not unless she had something else planned, something possibly violent.

We got out of the car and I followed her to the door with the others. Dumont unlocked the door and said, "Help yourselves to the kitchen." Then she took me by the hand and led me through her house to parts unknown.



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Chapter 30


Dumont only opened one door while dragging me along, and that led to the master suite. Her bedroom, unlike the rest of the house, was comfortably furnished. A queen-sized bed dominated the south wall, flanked by the only two windows. An antique chest, covered by a beautiful afghan sat at the foot of the bed. A rich, dark wood sitting table and a matching pair of chairs occupied the opposite wall from the door. Twin walk in closets flanked the way to the master bath. It was lush, quiet, and comfortable.

I turned to Dumont. She was watching me with a curious expression. Not that she was curious, but I thought her expression was because it was a mix of heat, both the angry kind and the lustful kind. What I didn't need was another angry Fonte on my hands. Jana was enough.

She stepped away from the door and said, "What did you do?" Her voice didn't matched her expression. She sounded more like she was afraid, or maybe something was terribly wrong.

Given the only options I had were to tell the truth, which she wouldn't believe, or lie, I decided to lie by playing dumb but concerned. I cocked my head to the side and frowned just a touch while asking, "What do you mean?"

She shook her head slightly and took a step closer. "You know what I'm talking about. You're too smart not to."

Was that a compliment? Hrm... "Then you'll have to be more specific."

She signed and looked up at the ceiling. "Back at my office, during our argument you ... you did something."

I shook my head slowly."All I did was argue with you about Katrina."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not talking about her." She moved closer still. "An... urge washed over me, " she rubbed her hands along her hips, thighs, and belly, like she was trying to rub something off her hands, something she didn't want on her but didn't have any other way to get rid of it. "I've never been so completely turned on by anyone." The her eyes widened as if she hadn't meant to tell me so much. She caught herself and frowned harder. "What did you do?"

I shook my head slowly, thinking up possible ways I could have induced such a reaction. "I didn't give you anything to eat or drink. I certainly didn't inject you with anything. And I don't wear cologne, so, whatever you believe is happening, isn't caused by anything like that."

She shook her head with each possibility.

I raised my head, an idea having come up. "There is one thing."

She perked up too.

"You could simply be attracted to me," I said. Part of me wanted to smile, to tease her, but I refrained. The fact that she had thought to ask what I had done to her alone suggested if I had left her alone any longer while talking to Jordan, then she would have completely snapped out of her desire for me and drove off. I couldn't afford to let that happen again.

Her brow wrinkled and a lot of the tension in her body melted away, like she had finally accepted the truth. She stood within arm's reach of me.

I nodded toward her. "Do you have any other suggestions?" I was surprised at how straight-forward I sounded asking that.

She turned part-way from me, wracking her brain, trying to think of anything that could explain her reaction to me other than my simple suggestion. She continued to rub her hands against herself, including brushes over her breasts. She also pressed her thighs together, bending slightly at the waist like she needed to go to the bathroom. Finally, she turned back to me and looked up with huge eyes, the brims filled with tears.

I knew women were more emotional than men, but this was crazy. I wasn't sure which I preferred: lusty, angry Dumont or overwhelmed, teary-eyed Dumont?

One of her tears broke free and raced over her cheek to the edge of her prominent jaw line. I caught it, barely touching her skin.

That tiny bit of contact must have been all she needed because she lunged at me, wrapped her arms behind my neck and pressed her lips to mine.

At some point in the back of my mind, I had come to expect a few things from Dumont: arguing, struggling, fighting, even claws and teeth. What never came up was the idea of kissing her.

Kissing was something you did with someone you cared for, an intimate act that made everything else buzz with more excitement. It made roses redder, love songs sweeter, and sex hotter. I didn't expect to kiss Dumont, but there I was.

More than that, she was really good at it.

Her lips were soft, and ate at my lips as if they had their own lips. When her tongue snuck into my mouth, it cuddled up with mine, like we were long lost lovers having found one another again.

I was so shocked by what happened and the emotions it elicited, that it took a few minutes for me to realize that I was holding her close to me, as if this wasn't the woman who had threatened to have me expelled about an hour ago. And as firmly as I held her, she pressed as much of her body to me as she could, which included hooking a leg behind mine so her lower body didn't just press against mine, but rubbed me, exciting me.

I broke for air, and to try to re-orient my thinking. If she could sway me so easily with a kiss, what would sex with her do? For that matter, what would the bond do? For the first time since I found out Danielle was sick with the first symptoms of my power's affect on her, I was really and truly scared. I had been able to resist Jordan to a degree but ended up having sex with her too, which made her sick. However, neither of them held this much sway over me when we had sex, not even when we simply kissed. Don't get me wrong, I got a thrill kissing both of them, but this was beyond a silly thrill. So, if this kiss was any indicator of how I would react to Professor Dumont, even in mundane settings, then she could be in real trouble.

I let go of her and stepped back. Unfortunately, my action was faster than her ability to let go and I tripped. Instead of falling to the floor, as I suddenly thought I would, I ended up sitting heavily on the chest at the foot of her bed.

Dumont smiled and covered a small giggle. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head, mostly because of my train of thought, but certainly not because I was hurt.

She took it the wrong way and stepped closer, brushing between my legs. "Oh, c'mere. I'll kiss it and make it better."

She pulled my chin up with only a light brush from the tips of her fingers and then her magical lips met mine again.

I couldn't think straight. Again. Resisting her wasn't a consideration. Pushing her away would have been a criminal act. I didn't want to stop. In fact, I wanted more.

Kissing leads to petting. Petting leads to undressing and more intense feelings. Those feelings short-circuit common logic. Impulse gains control and before I truly understood what was happening, I was standing naked in front of Dumont, watching my erection slipping and sliding in and out of her mouth.

She had her eyes closed and that tongue of hers stroked and cuddled with me the same way it had with my tongue. The sensations were unbelievable, and on top of that, she was doing everything she could to cram me down her throat. From the way her lips were spread thin to accommodate me, I really didn't think that would be possible. But NOT thinking was my problem at the moment.

I grabbed her pony tail and took over. She hummed her eagerness all along me and grabbed me by the cheeks, trying to force me further in. She had already taken more than any of my other girls had, and from her actions, I was sure she wanted all of me.

Whether that would happen or not, I didn't know. What I did know was that her enthusiastic mouth and contracting throat felt good. Really good.

My hips thrust forward in spasm when my orgasm hit. I had just enough for-thought to at least lean back if not fully take a step back. I felt her hands squeezing my cheeks but beyond my orgasm, that was about it.

When it was over, she continued sucking on me and using her magic tongue to seek out any sperm that attempted to hide. When she thought I was good and clean, not to mention steady on my own feet again, she released me with an impish grin.

She stood up, rubbing her hot, hard nipples up along my torso as she went. She licked my lips and draped her arms around my neck. I was the one recovering from a monster orgasm, but she was the one acting like she had gone through it. In that same soft whispery voice, she said, "That was fantastic. I've never had anyone so big crammed into my throat before." She kissed me softly, making my knees week again. "Do I need to ask if you feel like cramming that monster of yours in me again?"

I couldn't even think of a response, not like she was going to wait.

She was short enough that with both of us standing there in no shoes, her lips were only an inch or so above my nipples. She kissed my chest in the center and then again towards my right pectoral. Her tongue got involved about half way to my nipple and by the time she reached it, I was already hard again. Apparently, I wasn't only sensitive at the nipples.

Getting me hard again might have been the goal, but I think she also liked the little whimpers I made as she sucked on one nipple and then the other.

Her hands wrapped around me and slid along my length. I felt like putty and my hips thrust in counter to her stroking automatically.

She smiled up at me. "Mmm ... eager for more. I like that." She stepped back from me with a smile on her face that made me think of her from class. It was a wicked smile, one that said she was having fun. Since I had only associated that smile with how she picked on me, I sobered up some and held my ground.

She pulled at me again. "What's wrong?" She genuinely didn't understand my reluctance.

I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't think of why I had stopped. Was it because of who I was with, or my fear of what could happen if we went all the way?

She closed the distance between us and rubbed her body against mine. "I know we're moving kinda fast, and that we don't have the best relationship in class, but I didn't know that sex with you would be this fun."

Her words struck home, not just what she said, but her tone too. "Then why did you pick on me so much in class?"

"Do we have to talk about that now?" she asked softly and stroked me again.

I studied her face. She was keeping something from me. I didn't know how important it was and chose to adopt my Dom role over her again.

I grabbed her hair, gave her head a slight tug and said, "Tell me what I want to know and I'll give you what you want."

Her eyes widened a little, either because she wasn't expecting this or because my voice ended up being more harsh than I intended. Whatever the reason, it wasn't enough to convince her.

I led her around the bed and pushed her to it. "Climb up," I said and she did. I followed her, and before she could turn to face me, I grabbed her hair again and forced her face down on the bed. With my other hand, I pushed her hips down and then straddled her thighs.

She squirmed under me and pushed up with her arms.

I leaned over her, which made her go down again since she couldn't support my weight, and turned her head to the side. I snagged her earlobe with my teeth and added pressure. She squealed slightly and I let her go. "Calm down," I said.

She held still, her eyes rolling up to watch what she could see of me.

"Very good," I said. "Now, every time you don't answer my question, I'm going to do something unpleasant."

She whimpered but didn't say anything.

"Why did you pick on me in class?" I asked.

She blinked and watched me but didn't respond.

I sat up, considering my options. I could twist one of her arms. I could pull her hair more...

She wiggled her hips. My erection, dwindling because what I was contemplating did nothing for me, lay along her crack. I knew she still wanted me, which was probably why she moved, but I chose to direct my attention to her cheeks instead.

With one hand in the middle of her back to keep her pinned, I used my other hand to swat her right cheek.

She winced with pain. I watched her face, looking for any sign she was ready to talk. "Tell me," I said and swatted her again.

She jumped slightly and whimpered, but like before she said nothing.

I switched hands and smacked the other cheek.

She closed her eyes and arched her hips up at me, like she was enjoying herself.

I leaned over her again, grabbed her hair, and said, "I don't want to hurt you, but I will. Why did you pick on me so much in class?"

She opened her eyes again and parted her lips in a heated effort to catch her breath. Did she just have an orgasm? She didn't answer that question or the one I actually put to her.

Getting frustrated, I moved off her, rolled her over, moved around and pushed my way between her thighs, and leaned over her again. I grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands over her head so I could hold both with one hand. Once that was done, I used my free hand to pinch her nipples, giving them a good twist too.

She watched me the whole time, never fighting, never saying anything. It frustrated me to think she enjoying this but without doing something I really didn't want to, I was left with few options.

She raised her legs and wrapped them around me. Then she pressed herself against me. She rocked her hips, which rubbed me and made me hard again.

I stopped messing with her nipples and stared, incredulous, into her eyes.

She smiled, batted her lashes, and raised her head in an attempt to steal a kiss, but I pulled back so she couldn't.

Her legs relaxed so we weren't pressed against one another so tightly, and her hips shifted side-to-side. She was trying to catch me, to get me in her.

I suddenly thought of something that might get what I wanted and wouldn't bother me as much as trying to hurt her did. Still holding her hands over her head with one hand, I used the other to rub myself against her.

She must have thought I was giving in because she held her hips still. However, when she realized I was only teasing her, she whimpered in frustration again. Not only did she shift her hips again, but she tried to pull her hands free too.

I held her down, putting more weight on her wrists, and I grazed her opening several times without dipping inside.

I watched her face, letting her frustrations build, and waited until I saw the same look she had before she kissed me earlier. When it appeared, I leaned down and pressed my nose to hers. "Why?" I asked.

My eyes were pretty much all she could see. I was in the same position but that was acceptable for the moment.

I rubbed myself along her opening again. "Why?"

She tried for another kiss, but I pulled back again.

"Why?" I asked again, a little louder.

She shook her shoulder, trying to pry her hands from my grip, but it was no use. With a throaty cry of frustration, she said, "Okay, I'll tell you..."

I placed myself at her entrance and pushed my way in just a bit. "Okay..." I said.

She thrust her hips up at me and I pulled back. She whimpered again and shook her shoulders. "Please, don't ask me this."

I shook my head. "That's not how it works," I said with all the patience in the world. "I asked you a question and expect an answer. Lie to me and..." and I pulled myself away. "But if you're honest, if you tell me the truth, then..." I eased into her, a little further than before.

She tried thrusting up to get me further inside again, but I pulled back. She thrashed around under me, kicking the bed and yanking at her arms. To be honest, I was surprised I held her through that. She was giving it her all and I held her like she was no stronger than a child.

She looked up at me when she settled down again. "Why do you have to know?"

For a second, I hesitated, thinking I didn't have a good reason to know, but then I thought about what I was asking and realized, "I deserve to know."

She whimpered again and rolled her hips around under me. She blinked at me and then said, "I've wanted you since the first day I saw you."

I had expected a lot of possible answers, most of which were fairly juvenile, but that wasn't even close. I craned my neck back to look in her eyes. "You what?"

She rolled her hips under me and met my incredulous gaze. She bit her lower lip and shrugged the best she could. "I picked on you, treated you like I did so you'd stay away from me." Then she rolled her hips up again and whimpered softly.

Confounded, perplexed, mystified, puzzled. Pick one. That was me.

I wanted to get away from her so I could think clearly, but she took advantage of my confusion. She wrapped her legs around me and pulled at my hips so I drove into her. Then she raised her head and kissed my lips. Between the two sensations, I relaxed my grip on her hands. She gently held my head to hers.

My bewilderment faded away in the haze her kisses produced. I didn't completely lose all conscious thought as she drove herself up onto me several times. She was tight but very wet, very slick.

I relaxed down over her and slid all the way into her, simply using the pressure of my weight. Just as our pelvic bones met, I felt myself hit the back of her, deep inside. It was an odd sensation, not painful, not pleasurable, just odd.

For a few moments, we both lay there with me buried completely in her, doing nothing else but kissing. Since I could still think, I realized that I couldn't fight this. If her answer to my question was honest, I had to hold up my promise.

Dumont raised her legs, rubbing her thighs along my sides. Her heels dug into my backside and she squeezed me all along my length. We needed friction and I rolled my hips, both sliding around inside her as well as grinding my pubic bone to her clitoris.

She broke our kiss and sucked in a lungful of air. The glint in her eyes drove me to do more and I bucked into her like I hadn't had sex in weeks.

Her breasts, full, heavy and warm, were mashed to my chest and made all the sensations down below even more intense. I didn't know how sensitive she was, but I didn't want to finish too quickly, so I arched my back to continue thrusting while I sought out one of her nipples.

She held my head to her breast and moaned deeply as I sucked first softly and then with more vigor. I switched from one breast to the other, licking, nibbling, and occasionally biting.

Her hips bounced up off the bed in tandem to my thrusts. I could feel her tighten down around me and then all at once she shoved a nipple deep into my mouth, raked the nails of her other hand up my back, and tried to crush my hips with her legs. Inside, she rolled and vibrated around me. Fluids gushed out as I continued pumping and fighting to hold off my own orgasm. If she had been honest with me, I wanted to make sure we at least had the same number.

As she relaxed, I slowed down and stretched out above her. She smiled and lightly scratched my chest with her nails. She pulled me down onto her, kissed my neck and whispered, "Turn me over and do me from behind."

I pushed up enough to look into her eyes. That same happy glimmer was there. This was something she really wanted.

I sat up on my hunches, not losing our connection, and pulled her leg up and around me. She rolled over onto her belly. The twisting of her body around mine was very different. Again, not good or bad, just different.

She drew her knees up and arched her back. My hands automatically went to her hips and smoothed over her cheeks. She reached back for one of my hands and pulled it up to her hair. I grabbed her pony tail and gave her a small tug. She closed her eyes with a smile and thrust her hips back onto me. I knew then that even without her stimulating my nipples, that I wouldn't be able to hold off my orgasm for long. Something about the way she squeezed me, rubbed me, with me behind her like this was extremely good.

Almost like someone had thrown a switch and sent my body into automatic pilot, I drew back and began thrusting again. Dumont watched me over her shoulder and pulled her head down occasionally to remind me of the hold I had on her. Soon, that too became automatic.

I also ended up adding one more thing to our carnal act. With my free hand, I smacked her cheek, watched it shimmy with the force of the slap, and then soothed away the sting. Dumont's eyes flew open and she gasped. I felt how she contracted around me and I did it again.

Dumont whimpered and moaned at all the different sensations. It didn't take long for her to find the precipice to her orgasm and happily jump headlong over it. Since she didn't have my back to scratch, she pulled at the sheets and comforter on the bed, bunching them up under her head. She bit the side of her fist, and she stuttered a series of high-pitched whimpers.

Her hold on me quaked and rolled again, which sent me over the same cliff. I pulled at her hair, drove myself as deep into her as I could go, and gripped the bend of her hip to hold her in place as I poured out into her.

Both of us collapsed on the bed in a sweaty heap. I had enough of my mind left to shift my torso to the side so she could breath but other than that, I remained still.

After a couple of minutes, I felt her soft fingers stroke my face. I opened my eyes and found her smiling at me. Then she pulled my face to hers and kissed me. Considering our position, the kissing didn't go far, or inspire me to go thirds. It was good, very good, but I was worn out. For the first time, I needed a breather.

She licked her lips while studying my face and said, "There are plenty of towels and washcloths in my bathroom."

I understood the hint and eased up off her and the bed before I was reminded why I wouldn't get that far.

Jordan walked in, followed by Katrina. Jordan, as usual when this happened, had that far-away look in her eyes. I glanced behind me. Dumont was climbing off the bed and turned to me with the same expression.

Katrina looked at both of them and then me. "What's going on? Jordan just spaced out and then came in here."

I walked over to the open area of the bedroom. I was glad she hadn't filled more of the room with furniture. Jordan walked up to stand in front of me. Cassandra, stepped up behind me. Katrina stood next to the door, her eyes wide with curiosity. I said, "Stay back. Don't try to interfere. I don't want you to get hurt."

She looked at me with a puzzled expression and then Jordan and Cassandra floated up off the floor. They began their orbit around me, moving faster and faster, until they stopped with Cassandra in front of me, her heavy breasts centered in my field of vision and the amber streak appeared.

-------

Cassandra was sixteen. She returned from school to find the police and an ambulance at her house. Fear shot through her. She ran for the door, pushing her way through all the uniforms until she found her father. "What happened? Where's Mom?"

He didn't say anything. He only waved toward their bedroom.

Cassandra turned around and ran for the bedroom. Her father never had a problem telling her bad news, so this had to be really bad for him to be too choked up to talk.

She turned the corner just as two men closed up a black body bag. She stood there for a second, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. Then she stormed into the room. "Open that!"

The men looked up. Another older man appeared at her elbow. "Miss, please..."

She pulled away, though he made no move to touch her. "No. I have to know."

The man sighed while studying her determined face and then nodded to the others. They unzipped the bag part way and stepped away.

The world fell away. Cassandra walked closer and looked down at the peaceful face of her mother...

Steven was being annoying again. He had promised to do the dishes the night before but Cassandra found them in the sink, untouched. She shook her head and started the water. She never fought with him about any chore other than the dishes. He wouldn't be home for another hour so she'd have plenty of time coming up with all the things she wanted to say.

She pulled out the dish soap, took a whiff, and smiled. The scent reminded her of her mom. It had been a year ago, she suddenly realized that it was a year to the day.

She set the bottle aside and turned off the water to listen for her dad. He was home, she had seen his car in the drive. He had been depressed ever since that day. She thought about how senseless her mother's death had been. An aneurism. It could happen to anyone, anytime, with little or no warning.

She stood at her parents' bedroom door, having wandered there without thinking. She knocked on it. No one answered. She knocked again, calling out, "Dad? You in there?" Again, there was no answer, so she tried the handle. It was unlocked.

She poked her head inside and looked around. The room was a mess, but he wasn't present. Cassandra had offered to help clean up on several occasions, but her dad refused to let her do that in the bedroom.

She heard water. The master bath. Was he in the shower so early? She walked over to knock on the door but stopped when she sloshed on the carpet. Water was coming out of the bathroom.

She tried the door but it was locked. "Dad?" she called and rattled the handle. "Dad, is everything okay?" She knocked on the door. "Dad? Dad!" She ran back to the kitchen for a knife and returned to jam it into the latch and shoved.

The door popped open and her eyes went straight to the tub.

Her father lay there in the water, staring up at the ceiling. His blood dripped to the floor, and thinned out in the running water.

"NO!!"

The old house. At least that's how Cassandra thought of it. She hadn't been in it since Steven left for college. There were a lot of good memories but there were also two bad ones. She had been thinking of selling it for a while but wanted to go through it first. There were things she wanted, keepsakes.

She walked through each room, quickly disregarding what she saw. She and Steven had gotten everything they wanted already. So, she headed for the master suite, her parent's bedroom. After her father's death, she and Steven silently agreed to stay out of there.

She opened the door and flashed back onto the day of her father's death. Nothing had been moved since. Nothing had been picked up. The room was still a mess.

Cassandra shook her head and began piling clothes on the bed. They could go to charity. Under one of the discarded shirts, she found something she'd never seen before, a spiked collar. Her parents were both professionals. She never recalled either of them dressing up in leather and the family never had a dog because her mother was allergic to them.

She set the collar on the bed and continued picking up. She found a few other objects she didn't recognize but could imagine what they were used for. She flushed with embarrassment at the idea of her parents using anything like that. They had always been private, and this was proof of just how private.

Cassandra piled all of the bondage gear on the bed next to the clothes and then went to the closets. She went through her mom's closet first and found a corset made of something only slightly lighter than leather but certainly heavier than latex, as well as a matching pair of panties. There was a crop, and several other bands with rings and spikes. She pulled out everything and piled them on the bed, and then she went to her father's closet.

He had a lot of clothes too, but behind them the wall was covered with more bondage gear. The one thing that intrigued her most was the leather mask. It was too big to fit her mother, which meant it was her father's. Her father was the sub.

In her stunned understanding, she went back out to the bedroom holding the mask. Her mind couldn't put it all together but she understood that the relationship between her parents had been more than marital.

Cassandra sat in a club among the half-dozen friends she'd made while researching her parent's private lives. She wanted to understand their relationship, especially her father's end of it, and she knew there was only one way to find out. Her friends had told her almost everything there was to know about the Dom/sub world and wanted to help her get further experience. Cassandra kept her mother's outfit and wore it along with the spiked collar she had first found in her parent's bedroom. It was only a matter of time before a Dom found her and invited her to play. As it turned out, it took less time than she expected.

His name was Victor and he was tall, devilishly handsome, and mysterious. None of her friends knew him but Cassandra went with him anyway because she wanted, no HAD to know what it was like for her father.

They went to one of the special play rooms and Cassandra's heart quickened. Not from anticipation, but fear. Something about Victor's demeanor had changed. He looked at her like a hunter would prey rather than the expressions she had seen among her friends.

She ran from him and made it to the door only to find it locked. Victor had the key and told her that if she was a good sub, he'd let her go. Cassandra fought her fear and did her best to comply.

Victor was rough and a sadist. He didn't do anything that would cause any permanent damage but Cassandra knew she wouldn't be the same.

When it was all over with, she was too tired from fighting her fear to actually run when he unlocked the door and left. She never went back to that club and did her best not to blame her friends for what happened. There were only two people to blame and she could help only one.



-------

Chapter 31


I woke up lying on the floor in Cassandra's bedroom. That's how I thought of her now, as Cassandra, not Dumont. It was how her memories affected me.

Katrina was sitting on her knees next to me. She leaned over and looked into my eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked.

I nodded and sat up. Jordan and Cassandra were sitting on the bed. Cassandra was wearing a silk robe, but I couldn't tell if there was anything on under it. I was still nude, but someone had obviously cleaned me up. I looked at Katrina. "Did you clean me?"

She nodded with a smile.

I patted her hand and said, "Thank you." Then I nodded past her and said, "Could you hand me my shorts, please?"

She got them for me and while I pulled them on, she found my shirt, pants, shoes, and socks and brought them all to me too.

All three of them watched me get dressed. With all the practice I got changing clothes in front of Jordan and Sammi while modeling, you'd think I might get used to it, but it unnerved me a little.

I looked at the bed. The covers were still in disarray, which meant Jordan and Cassandra were sitting very close to the liquid mess Cassandra and I made earlier.

Both of them were watching me. Their silence was unsettling. Either something was wrong, or I was in trouble. Cassandra was calm and appeared composed, so I had to guess that the problem was the latter. The question was, what did I do?

Cassandra slipped off the bed and stepped closer. She was within arm's reach but didn't invade my personal space. "If I don't say this before long, I'll never be able to..."

I studied her face and felt a pull that I hadn't felt before, an urge to touch her. It didn't matter if I simply brushed her hair away from her face or hugged her to me, I wanted to make contact. She looked like she was about to burst into tears, but with a small sniff, she looked up and said, "I'm so very sorry for how I treated you in class, Seth." She shook her head. "I had no idea what you were going through and you didn't deserve the way I treated you."

I finally gave in to the urge and cupped her cheek. I couldn't help it. She calmed down at my touch and stared into my eyes. "What you told me before," I softly asked, "about wanting me, was that the truth?"

With her eyes locked onto mine, she nodded. "Yes."

"Then you were trying to keep this from happening," I said and nodded at the bed. "You wouldn't want the school to find out. I understand that."

Tears filled her eyes. I could feel an ever so soft tremor run through her body.

I knew why she was reacting that way. "I will never, ever tell anyone what's happened. You have my word."

She blinked several times and then asked, "And the pictures you took?"

"The phone is in my bag in your car," I said softly. "I'll make sure they're erased."

Jordan arched an eyebrow behind Cassandra. I caught the question in her expression and shook my head. I'd tell her about it later.

Focusing on Cassandra again, I said, "I know Jordan probably answered most of your questions, but if there's anything she couldn't answer, I will."

Cassandra cupped my hand on her cheek and pulled it down to her chest. "For the most part, she's told me what's going on. I just don't understand why you chose me for this." She shrugged. "Especially with the way I've been treating you."

I sighed. I should have known she would ask me that. I hoped I would have time to find a way to explain it that didn't make it sound like I only had an ulterior motive. Now that the bond had been forged though, I couldn't imagine not having her. Since I didn't know what else to say, I told her the truth. I had problems meeting her eyes and thought it might be wise to pull my hand from her. "I need your help." I said and glanced at Katrina, but only a glance. "In my effort to find more Fonti, I thought Katrina would fit right in. She enjoys sex and desperately needs to get away from your brother. Since she doesn't believe that she has any say in the matter, my only recourse is to convince Heisler to break up with her. I had hoped that, since he's your brother, you could help. Unfortunately, I didn't know any other way to convince you to help me."

Cassandra stood there staring at me for a moment. I looked up because she wasn't saying or doing anything, which made me wonder what her reaction was. She had a slight smile on her face. "Jordan told me all of that," she said and squeezed my hand. "But, this ... bond we have. It's permanent, right?" I nodded. "Then why chance something like that with me just to get my help?"

Warning flags went off in my head. I knew if I didn't say the right thing, give her the right answer, this could blow up in my face. I sighed and said, "More than the possibility of upsetting you, I'm upset with myself. In my rush to acquire your help, I hadn't considered the long term. What did I really have planned for you once I found out whether you would help or not? I honestly didn't know. I never thought beyond my immediate goal, and for that, I'm sorry."

She frowned and glanced at Katrina. "You did this so I'd help you get Katrina from my brother, and for no other reason?"

I could tell by her tone that I hadn't said what she needed to hear. I sighed and stepped back, pulling away from her. It was the hardest thing I had ever done because it was followed by the thought that I would never touch her again. "If you want me to break the bond," I said, unable to meet her eyes, "then I will. I'll have to have Jordan coach me through how it's done, but..."

"No!" Cassandra said, closing the distance and snatching my hand back again. "Don't do that."

The rest of us jumped at her action and outburst. The feel of her skin touching mine calmed me down pretty quick. Jordan and Katrina took a few more seconds to recover. I held Cassandra's hand not only because it felt good to touch her, but also to reassure her that I wouldn't let go if she didn't want me to.

She pressed my hand to her cheek and said, "I'll help you, Seth. Just don't let me go. I haven't felt like this in a long time, and I'll fight to keep it."

Katrina watched us like a fan of a soap opera, waiting to find out what was going to happen next. Jordan's eyebrows had disappeared up in her bangs, making her look a little lost and a little shocked by what was going on.

Cassandra smiled and ran her hand down the center of my chest. "If I hadn't had my own fears, I would have been more open to the idea." She turned and looked at Katrina. "I introduced them, after all. I should have a hand in this."

Katrina looked from her to me and back again, but she didn't say anything.

A thought crossed my mind. I squeezed Cassandra's hand. "You said you understood what I was going though, did Jordan tell you?"

She blinked and sighed. "Not all of it."

I realized what she meant, but something told me that she saw more than just that day. "What did you see?" I asked.

She avoided my eyes but said, "It started the day you got detention for looking at Lisa Hartwell. I saw what her father did and how you avoided everyone during high school." She looked at me then and continued. "Then I saw what happened when you arrived on campus, what Jordan told you, what you've been doing since then, and especially this week."

I stared at her for a moment. None of my girls had seen so much of my past. It was usually just the punishment from Lisa's dad, but for Cassandra, or anyone, to see so much I didn't know what to think. I glanced at Jordan and she nodded to confirm. I squeezed Cassandra's hand again. "I'm sorry Cassandra. I knew you'd see something, but not everything."

She shook her head. "No, not everything. It was like seeing the highlights of a movie or a sporting event." She licked her lips and said, "And I am so sorry for calling you a liar in class. It was unfair and unfounded." She shook her head again. "I was such a bitch to you, and you didn't deserve that."

I patted her hand. "That's behind us ... Well, sort of." I caught her expression and said, "We'll have to work out what to do in class before Monday."

She nodded and looked back at Jordan. "She told me that you saw some of my memories too. What did you see?"

I glanced at Jordan and Katrina. "I'm not sure you'll want me to talk about it with them here. Most of it was either very painful or very personal."

She closed her eyes and let out a long breath, like she'd been holding it for hours. "My parents," she said. Then she opened her eyes and asked, "What else?"

I summed it up in the same way she had the night she met Victor. "You were trying to understand their relationship, especially your father's side of things."

Her eyes widened. "How much?"

I shook my head. "Not in detail, but I know what you went through, mentally and emotionally."

She relaxed and nodded. "Yeah, that was a bad night." Then she shook her head and said, "Before we work out what to do about my brother, I need something to eat."

I frowned while she wasn't looking. It was one thing for her to accept that this magical bond had been forged, but she was taking everything a lot better than expected. It was better than I hoped for but I thought I should talk to Jordan first, before going forward with any plans with Cassandra.

I nodded to the door and said, "I need to talk to Jordan real quick, okay?"

Cassandra nodded but it was obvious she was as reluctant to let go of me as I was of her. She walked toward the door, holding onto me as long as she could, and when she stepped out of the room, she looked back at me, looking scared, like I was going to disappear or something.

Part of me felt the same way.

Before anything else, I described this to Jordan.

She smiled. "Good. That means you're close to completion." She noticed my confused expression and rolled her eyes. "I mean that with one or two more Fonti, you'll have all you need."

I guffawed and pointed at the door. "I can't stop touching her."

Jordan licked her lips and nodded. "I know." Then she reached out and ran her fingers along my cheek.

I didn't jump her, but I snatched at her hand to press it into my skin. "I'm guessing that touch is going to be like this with all of you?" I asked.

She bit her lower lip and stepped closer. "Yes," she said in a lusty tone.

I didn't want to chance making things worse for Jordan, so I stepped back, out of reach. It hurt to do it, but for the moment, I was sure it would be necessary. Fortunately, she didn't look hurt, just an expression of longing. "This is getting out of hand," I said. "You realize that you, Danielle and Jana won't be able to even touch me for the next week or so."

Jordan ran her fingers over her own lips and nodded. "It's going to be a long week."

I nodded as well and glanced at the door. "Do you believe Cassandra?"

Jordan blinked and then came back to herself. "Yes, I do. She seems genuinely infatuated with you." She shook her head. "Of course, right now, all of the women bound to you are going to be infatuated with you, but I honestly believe she was treating you like she was to keep things between you from getting this far."

"But I forced it," I said. "And now, if the wrong people find out, she could lose her job."

"And you could be expelled from school," Jordan said. "I think, as long as you two continue to 'bicker' at one another during class, everything will be okay. In fact, it might be a good idea for you to find another class to attend rather than hers."

I nodded, having thought the same thing. "The only reason I was putting up with her before was because her class fit my schedule so well. Gambling on me getting expelled and her fired isn't worth it."

Jordan nodded. "We better go before I decide to give in and find out what might happen after I fuck the hell out of you."

I met her eyes and realized that I was tempted by the same thing. I put more distance between us and opened the door. "Riding in a car with you is going to be a lot more dangerous."

She smiled and walked past me through the door.

We found Katrina sitting at the bar between the kitchen and breakfast nook, looking nervous. Cassandra was in the kitchen with her phone, talking quietly to someone.

I was about to ask Katrina who she was talking to when Cassandra turned, spotted us standing there, and spoke louder. "No, I won't do it ... And if you do, I'll call the police. No, Steven, because I know you. You'll be too angry to realize what you're doing until it's too late. That's why you've always sent her to me ... No, I asked her what happened ... Yes, she told me. I also asked her if you told her not to have sex with him, but you didn't. You just want her punished because you don't like what happened. You're taking your anger out on her through me and I won't be a part of it anymore." She rolled her eyes, listening to the phone. "I'll bring her to the club tonight, but you have to promise not to hurt her ... Okay, I'll see you later." She glanced at me. "Yeah, I'll probably stay for a little while. Okay. Bye."

"I take it he's not happy with you right now?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes again and nodded. "You could say that."

I sat at the bar next to Katrina. She was the only one of the three I didn't feel that pull with, so I considered her safe. Jordan sat on the other side of me and I almost scooted over, away from her. It was so distracting. I took a couple of deep breaths and focused on Cassandra. She moved closer, standing across the bar from me. I wanted to touch both of them so badly it was almost ridiculous, but I folded my hands in front of me and did everything I could to stay composed.

Cassandra looked from me to Jordan. "What's wrong?"

Jordan tore her eyes from me to answer. "The bond," she said. "It's making our longing for each other stronger. It means he's close to getting the number of Fonti he needs to properly feed his power."

Cassandra looked at me again. "You mean it didn't feel like this before?"

I shook my head. "It was there, just not this intense." She frowned and I said, "I normally wouldn't mind, but we have to stay focused for the time being." And I glanced at Katrina.

Cassandra nodded and took a small step back from the bar.

It wasn't enough to make a big difference, but I took it as a good sign. "Is there any way to talk your brother into simply letting her go?" I asked.

Cassandra shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. You've seen him with her in the club. He likes the idea that other men want her but can't have her. He likes that power."

"What does that stem from though?" I asked. "If he's no longer interested in sex with her and only uses her to play power games, then what could I offer, short of someone else, in exchange."

"Why couldn't you offer someone else?" she asked and her tone was fairly neutral. I'd heard her use this tone when one of the other students in class asked a good question.

Jordan frowned at her. I understood why but didn't respond to her. To Cassandra I said, "I would never willingly put anyone in Katrina's position," I said. "He's abusing her even though neither of them will admit it."

Cassandra shook her head. "No, he'd admit it and then laugh."

"But without Katrina's say-so, we couldn't get the police involved," I said, glancing at Katrina.

She covered her mouth with both hands and squeaked in surprised. "The police?" she asked. "Why do you need them?"

I turned to face her. "The abuse we're talking about is a kind of assault on you. He could be charged and sent to jail."

Cassandra shook her head. "I seriously doubt you'd actually convince the police of that Seth."

I turned to her again. "Okay, we can't have him arrested. We don't have anything to trade with. What would you suggest?"

She shrugged and said, "Well, there's one option you have that few others do. Use a spell to force him to give Katrina to you."

I shook my head. "First, I don't know a spell like that..."

Jordan interrupted. "What about the spell I used on Milena?"

I looked at her. "The last thing I want is for Heisler to turn into some kind of helpless lapdog, so, unless you know how to correct that spell so it doesn't become permanent, that option is off the table."

Jordan slumped but came back almost immediately. "Challenge Heisler to an arm-wrestling match, like before."

I snorted. "After seeing how I beat Yeager, I seriously doubt he'd go for it. Besides, we're talking about a permanent exchange, not only a couple of hours together." I glanced at Katrina. "I don't think two hours will ever be enough time for either of us."

Katrina smiled and Jordan rolled her eyes. The former magus had another suggestion. "Then forge a bond with Katrina without your fetish. You know how, and since you've already had sex, it shouldn't be that difficult."

"I'd rather not tempt fate twice and botch it like I did with Leanne," I said. "If I did, there wouldn't be a way to fix it since my fetish doesn't work on her."

Cassandra looked a question at me. "What fetish?"

I pulled off the necklace and slid it across the bar to her. She picked it up and looked at it. "My fetish has two features: to instill lust in women who are not in a relationship, and to forge a bond between me and my sex partner."

She studied it and said, "This is what you put on before the urge to fuck you became so strong."

I nodded.

She gave me a look that said I was naughty and should be punished, but the small smile on her lips said the punishment would probably be something I would enjoy. Then she said, "Why not adjust this so it'll work on anyone?"

I shook my head. "The bond doesn't change who you are or how you perceive things, except to have an ongoing sexual attraction to me, at the very least," I said. "Katrina and I are already attracted to one another like that. However, she believes she belongs to your brother. So, unless he says it's over between them, that belief will not change."

"Then use magic to change her mind," Cassandra said.

Before I could contemplate the idea, Jordan said, "He can't. It's not allowed."

All of us looked at her.

She looked at me and said, "I haven't told you because you've been so adamant about not learning and therefore not using magic. However, her suggestion is something you cannot consider."

I stared at her. "What about the spell you used on Milena? Isn't that the same thing?"

She shook her head. "No, because that spell doesn't affect her mind directly, like Cassandra is suggesting."

I frowned and slipped off my stool to pace around the breakfast nook. "Okay, I'm still confused. If that spell doesn't affect her mind directly, what does it do?"

"It influences her," Jordan said. "Most of the suggestions I gave her were just ideas. She decided how to implement them."

"Then she could have decided not to follow through with your scheme of seducing me the other day?" I asked.

She nodded. "She was already attracted to you. All I did was suggest you felt the same. She's the one who decided to act on it."

Cassandra looked from her to me and back again. "And making Katrina think she no longer belongs to my brother is different how?"

"You're talking about making a direct change," Jordan said. "There are laws about magic that could get Seth in big trouble regardless of whether he's aware of them or not. Affecting someone's mind directly with magic is one of the big ones."

I stopped pacing and pointed at her. "You and I are going to have to have a long talk about that later." I looked at Katrina. She had been quiet the whole time. "Do you have any ideas?"

She shrugged, unable to anyone's eyes. "The only time Master lets anyone have something he doesn't want them to have, is when he loses it while gambling."

"Like when I beat Yeager at arm-wrestling," I said and she nodded. "Since we all know he won't travel that path again, do you know what games he likes to play?"

Katrina looked at Jordan and Cassandra. "He likes poker, games of skill rather than chance because he prefers to stack the odds in his favor."

I shook my head. "How does he do that?"

She looked at me finally. "By using me as a distraction. He'll make me flash my boobs at the other players."

Jordan and Cassandra both smiled but I didn't. If anything, I was irritated.

Cassandra came around the bar but only to sit on one of the stools. "Seth, there's one thing you're forgetting with all of this. My brother isn't going to simply agree to play you over whether or not he's going to let Katrina go. That's not how gambling works. You have to offer a wager of equivalent value."

I frowned. "I don't have anything he wants. He doesn't know about you, so I doubt that would be an issue."

She arched an eyebrow. "He's already expecting me to be there."

I studied her and realized she had an idea. However, there was something bothering me. "Don't you want to keep your brother from finding out about us?"

She rolled her eyes. "I don't want the school finding out about us. My brother, on the other hand, could find out any number of ways."

I mulled that over. "If he comes after me because of you, I could have him arrested for assault."

Jordan saw the flaw in that plan. "But that wouldn't necessarily make him end his relationship with Katrina."

I rolled my eyes. "And offering to drop the charges in exchange for Katrina would put the power in his hands too." I looked at Cassandra. "You have an idea. What is it?"

"We go together," she said, "with you dressed as my Dom and me your sub."

My eyebrows shot up into my hairline. "Throw it in his face? Just like that?"

She smiled. "Yeah, just like that."

I blinked in disbelief. "You want to see him beat the crap out of me, don't you?"

She waved a hand. "I doubt he'd really try anything after Yeager lost to you. The point is to rattle his cage, and considering any game of skill you'll end up playing against him will be something he'll choose, both because he'll want that edge and because he won't agree to anything you suggest, you're going to need all the help you can get. Katrina's right. It'll be something in the way of poker, and he's very good at poker."

"If he's that good at poker," I said, "why would he feel the need to..." I glanced at Katrina, " ... stack the odds in his favor?"

Cassandra adopted a lop-sided grin. "How do you think he's so good? It really isn't skill. He's bragged to me on several occasions about how he cheated at poker to win some big pot or other. This won't be any different."

"So, what are you suggesting?" Jordan asked.

Cassandra looked at her. "The three of us will show up with Seth in the lead. He'll have me and Katrina on leases. Steven will recognize Katrina right away and demand Seth release her." She looked up at me. "Do so. The point is to get him to let her go and pissing him off won't accomplish anything."

I frowned but held my tongue. I was pretty sure he'd be pissed once he saw me holding Cassandra's leash.

"When he sees me on your leash, he'll demand that you let me go too," she said.

"But I don't," I said, seeing the full picture. "I offer him a challenge."

She shook her head. "Nope. You hold your ground. The best thing to do is to let him come up with the idea of a challenge. If you do, he'll refuse simply because you cost him face before."

I shook my head. "How am I supposed to get him to come up with that idea?"

She shrugged with a smile. "Treat me like he treats Katrina."

"But you're his sister," I said. "He wouldn't be interested in you like I am Katrina."

Cassandra smiled. "That's the other secret you didn't know. Steven has always been very protective of me. Even when we were in high school, he'd tell me who not to date because he knew those boys wanted to get into my pants. He even told me that my one and only husband would leave me. I didn't see it, but he did. Unfortunately for me at the time, but fortunate for us now, he was right. He hasn't let me forget it since."

"So, I treat you like ... what? A dog I don't like?" I asked, already doubting I could do that.

She bobbed her head while thinking about it. "Yeah, more or less."

I shook my head. "I'm not sure about that..."

She fluttered her eyelashes at me. "Seth, it's all about appearances. All you have to do is make him believe that you treat me like that." Then she smiled a wicked, Professor-Dumont-from-class smile. "Treat me like I treated you in class."

Then she hopped up and stood really close to me without touching. "We'll have to go do some shopping first, so I need to get dressed."

"You don't have to do this," Katrina said softly. Cassandra turned back around and all of us looked at Katrina. "It would probably be better if you didn't," she said, refusing to look any of us in the eyes. By her expression though, I thought she was about to burst out crying.

I moved closer to her, not afraid of touching her if necessary. "Katrina, we're doing this for you."

She shook her head. "No you're not. You want me to be your Fonte. You just want me for sex."

I was floored. She hadn't said anything about this before, not when I asked her what she thought of the idea of leaving Heisler, but hearing us talk, actually making plans to break her and Heisler up, must have made it very real for her. I looked at Jordan and Cassandra. Both of them shrugged. Then I turned back to Katrina. "Katrina, if you really want to stay with Heisler, just say so and we'll back off. I hate the way he treats you. You deserve better than that."

She looked up at me with tears streaking down her face. "Did you ever ask what I wanted?" I started to nod but she stopped me. "No, you haven't. You've asked me what I thought of the idea. You've asked what Master would think. You've made offers that are wonderful, but you haven't actually asked me what I want."

I thought about that really hard and could not recall asking that particular question. From the looks on the others' faces, they hadn't either. With a sigh, I turned to Katrina. "What do you want?"

She looked from me to Cassandra, to Jordan, and back to me again. She blinked for a second, probably because she didn't really expect me to ask the question. Finally, she said. "I want to be free of Master, so I can find a new one."

And I knew, with those words, before this night was over, she was going to be free of him. I didn't care what I had to do, use magic, break the law, offer my soul to the Devil, I would do whatever it took.



-------

Chapter 32


After dropping off Jordan at her apartment, Cassandra drove me and Katrina over to a fetish store she frequented called The Leather Box. I expected it to be in a fairly seedy neighborhood, not that I really knew what that meant, but it turned out to be surrounded by other fairly conservative stores (by comparison) like Sears, Kroger's, and Radio Shack. Unlike its neighbors however, the little shop was having a slow day.

The first thought that crossed my mind when I walked in was to walk right back out again. Standing not five feet from the entrance was a mannequin dressed completely in leather, including a hood with zippers for the eyes, nose, mouth and ears.

Before I could follow through with my planned retreat, Cassandra hooked her arm through mine and dragged me further into the store where we were greeted by a small man with a big voice. "Caaasss!" he yelled, trotting our way. He gave her a hug like she was his long lost sister. "It's been so very long, dear! How have you been?" He wore a white dress shirt that was unbuttoned halfway down his chest, a pair of slacks held up by a black leather belt, a pair of expensive looking dress shoes. I hadn't known what to expect from the store owner, but this was better than what greeted me at the entrance.

Cassandra smiled at him, looking on level with his eyes because he was that short. "I've been well, Peter. How's your shop doing?"

He looked around like he had forgotten where he was. "I have a shop?!? Oh! Yes, I do!" He laughed at his own joke and said, "The shop is doing well." Then he looked up at me and flattened his hand on his chest. "Be still my heart. What have we got here?"

"This is Seth Connors," Cassandra said. "Seth, this is the store owner, Peter Mathis."

I frowned as Peter walked around me like I was some piece of art that had to be inspected from every angle. He even pinched my bottom!

I jumped away from him, rubbing the sore. "Please keep your hands to yourself."

He had a coy smile and said, "Oh, my, Cass. Please tell me you've brought him to play."

She smiled her wicked smile and said, "He needs a Dom outfit, Peter."

He arched an eyebrow and looked at her. "Really? And what is the occasion?"

She flicked a stray hair from her face and said, "He's taking me to House Lacertae."

His eyes widened. "Tonight?"

She nodded. "We're going to meet my brother there." She looked at me again. "I want Seth to scare him."

Peter looked me over, completely over. I felt like cattle about to be chopped up for steaks. He waved at me. "Take off your shirt. Let me see what we have to work with."

I glanced at Cassandra and she nodded.

Peter caught the exchange. "Are you sure he should be dressed as a Dom?"

I frowned. Cassandra smiled. "Oh yes, and we don't have much time."

Peter nodded. "Very good then." He looked at me again. "Well? You heard the lady. You don't have much time! Off with the shirt!"

I frowned but took off my shirt.

Peter's eyes widened. "Oh my! If the rest of you is this nice, I could make some suggestions for modeling."

I swallowed. "Thanks. I already have a manager." Sammi told me I should say that if anyone made the offer. I laughed it off at the time.

All three of them looked at me then. Peter smiled. "Really? And what, pray tell, do you model?"

I looked from him to Cassandra, to Katrina, and back again. All of them were waiting for my answer. "I ... um ... I model men's underwear," I said, virtually under my breath.

"For whom?" Peter asked.

I frowned. This was beginning to get a little too personal, to me at least. "For Silk and Lace right now."

Peter frowned, as did the other two. "Silk and Lace doesn't have a men's line..." then his eyes lit up. "Is Sammi finally getting it off the ground?" and followed that almost instantly with, "And you're the model she's been so excited about!"

I was flabbergasted. "You know Sammi?"

He nodded. "She came in just the other day, looking for something a bit more outrageous than her store carries. I heard she finally broke it off with that bastard Stan and fell into the arms of some young stud in the same moment. I think she has something planned for this weekend for him."

Cassandra waved at me. "What do you think, Peter? Where do we start?" She obviously wanted to get him back on track.

He smiled. "You're a model," he said to me, "So, you shouldn't have any problems stripping down for me, right?"

I frowned and crossed my arms. "I'll get undressed to change, but not simply to be gawked at."

Peter's face fell into a huge frown. "Aw, no fun!" Then he turned and slipped off toward a counter. "I have something here that might suit him. Whether it'll fit or not is a different question though."

Once he was out of earshot, Cassandra stepped closer to me. "Can you magic the suit so it'll fit?"

I glanced sideways at her. "You're really into the magic thing, aren't you?" She didn't say anything because she was serious. "Maybe," I said. "I'll have to think on how to do it."

"Whatever he gives you, it should be form fitting," she said and then stepped away.

"You do know where the power for my magic comes from, right?" I asked under my breath. The store was so quiet that she heard me. She threw one of her wicked grins my way. I was beginning to hate that grin.

Peter came back with what looked like a pile of straps and large chrome rings. He held it out to me. "There you go, give that a try. Okay?"

I held it up, truly confused as to how it was supposed to look on me, much less how to get into it.

Katrina came to my rescue. She took it from me, turned it this way and that, and then held it up with a large opening in the straps. I slipped into it like a t-shirt, only it didn't give or stretch like one.

Once it was on, it was obvious that I had room to spare in it. Peter scoffed. "Take it off, I'll find another one."

"Do you have a smaller one?" Cassandra asked.

He shook his head as he reached the counter. "That was one of a kind." Then he ducked behind the counter to rifle through whatever else he had hidden there.

Cassandra looked at me. "What do you think?"

I looked down at myself. "I don't know. Straps suggest sub, don't they?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

I nodded too and between Katrina and myself, we got it off by the time Peter returned. It bothered me that it was so much more difficult to take off, but since I wouldn't be wearing it again, I let the thought go.

Peter took the shirt-o-straps and handed me what looked pretty much like a leather jacket. "Try that one on." He said and headed back to the counter.

I glanced at Cassandra and slipped it on. It was a leather jacket, only with elaborate bits here and there, as well as different types of rings all over it.

Cassandra's eyes widened. "Oh, zip it up."

I did and still had room to spare. Whoever these were made for must have been a lot bigger than me.

Cassandra and Katrina looked me over and fiddled with different parts of the coat. "I think this will work," Cassandra said. Then she met my eyes. "Can you tighten it down, make it fit snug?"

I had been considering how to do that. I had ideas for something that needed to be made bigger, but to shrink the coat I didn't have any thoughts. "How would I shrink a leather coat normally?" I asked her quietly.

She shook her head. "You wouldn't. You'd just ask for the next smaller size."

"Drawstrings," Katrina said. "If the coat had drawstrings, you could make it fit."

Cassandra frowned. "There aren't any drawstrings on this though."

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. I just needed an idea of how I would make it fit."

Cassandra looked at me and watched as I pulled at draw strings that weren't there. The coat shrank in the areas I needed it to until it fit like a glove.

"I don't have anything else in the Dom department that might be considered 'Scary'," Peter said returning from the counter. Then he saw me wearing the jacket. "Oh my! Very nice. And it fits you perfectly. Like it was made for you!" He skipped around me, looking from every angle again. "I could have sworn this was made for someone bigger than you." He stopped in front of me with his finger on his lips as he thought about it.

I realized what he said and asked, "You said this was made for someone bigger than me. Was it special order? Aren't they going to come by to pick it up?"

Peter looked up at my questions. "Oh, no. No, I get things like this every so often from different sources. Leather crafters and members of various leather fetish groups make them and send them to different stores like mine in the hopes to get orders for more. I got these six months ago and no one's been interested in them at all. Too bad too, because, my friend, you look like a grade A bad ass!"

I glanced at Cassandra. She met my eyes and smiled. "Now, if we could only find some matching pants," she said.

Peter's eyes dropped from my chest to my crotch. I almost felt the need to cover myself. He backed away slowly, never taking his eyes off me. "You'll want to take those pants off. I have a number of different outfits for you to consider." Then he finally turned and dashed toward the back of the store.

Cassandra waited until he was out of sight and then turned to me. "Are you really a model for Sammi?"

I nodded. "Yes, I am. Jordan helped me get the job."

She sidled closer. "And are you the ... young stud that Peter mentioned? The one who Sammi found right after dumping Stan?"

I glanced past her toward the doorway Peter had disappeared through. "Yes, but don't tell him."

"Why?" she asked. "Afraid he'll be jealous?"

She moved even closer, running a hand over the leather jacket. "You know, sooner or later, he's going to ask you to remove your underwear."

I had heard of the term "a deer caught in headlights" and I suddenly knew what that felt like. I swallowed and shook my head adamantly. "No, not happening."

Cassandra kissed my cheek. "But Beefcake, he has some very interesting leather underwear that I would love to see you in."

I suddenly wished Jordan was with me, but with this desire to touch and be touched, I thought better of it. She would probably be egging this on like the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders during the Super Bowl.

Peter returned with a pile of leather hung over his arm and shoulder. I couldn't even begin to imagine what he was going to try to get me into. When he saw me standing there with my pants still on, he frowned. "Even if you're not gay, you have two gorgeous women here who I'm sure would love to see you in your shorts as much as I would. Now lose the pants." He glanced at the women. "Ladies ... help him."

I sighed in resignation and then kicked off my shoes. Cassandra helped me get undressed while Katrina watched from the side with a slightly amused look on her face. She caught me looking at her and did her best to wipe away the small smile.

Peter, however, was ever the entrepreneur. "Seth, when we finish putting this ensemble together, would you mind posing for some pictures?" He met my eyes and quickly added, "For the store's website, honestly." He looked me over again. "I would hate for you to get the wrong idea about me."

Oh, I was pretty sure I had the right idea about him.

About twenty minutes later, after trying on an unknown number of different leather pants, we had narrowed down my options to three pairs. One pair was simple, straight cut leather pants. No pockets. Only a zipper and snap to close them up. I liked them only because they were so simple. The next pair were the girls' favorite. They fit like rodeo chaps, which meant they had a built in cup to keep my equipment safe and left my cheeks hanging out behind me. They were meant to fit over normal denim jeans, but all three confessed that a lot of leather fetish groups would wear them as I was, minus the shorts I continued to refuse to remove. The third pair were interesting because they had more of those different rings built into them. In that manner, they resembled the jacket, and because it was supposed to be a full outfit, I was most inclined to choose them. The style was different though. It would be obvious that I had thrown this together last second, no matter which pair I went with, but that wasn't the point.

"So," said Peter, thrilled to see me standing there in only my shorts. After trying on all the different pants with the jacket, and narrowing down my selection, I took off the jacket to stave off sweating to death. "Which will it be, dear Seth?"

I pointed at the pants with the rings in it. "I still say those are the best choice. They most closely match the jacket."

Peter rolled his eyes. "Yes, but are you going to use any of those rings?"

I frowned and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

He looked at me for a second like he couldn't believe what he was seeing and then turned to Cassandra. "I thought you said he was a Dom. He should know what the rings are for."

She waved him off. "Seth, having too many rings is like asking someone to make fun of you. The jacket works, so there's no problem there. But with so many rings already built into that, you don't need them on your pants." She held up the chaps. "Go with these. If it turns into a fight, at least no one will get the better of you by a nut shot."

I looked at Katrina. "What do you think?"

She looked at Peter and Cassandra. "I like the chaps too. They make you look bigger in the thighs."

She looked away from me then and I knew she was leaving something out. "What else?"

She blushed and said, "And I like the way your ass looks in them."

I rolled my eyes. "They don't even cover me back there."

She smiled and blushed more. Yeah. Well, that was what she liked.

I shook my head and looked at Peter. "Don't you have anything else?"

He frowned at me. "You didn't like anything else I had." Then he glanced at the clock. "And if you really are in a hurry..."

I sighed and closed my eyes. The girls liked the chaps, and if Cassandra was right about having too many rings on me, then I couldn't choose the other pair. I leaned toward the simple leather pants but then grabbed the chaps. "Okay, these then."

Cassandra and Katrina both smiled. Peter smiled too and waved toward another counter behind me. "There are a few other details you might consider to help make the outfit complete."

I picked up my clothes and looked behind me. Since I had chosen a jacket and pants, I probably wouldn't need to be standing around in my shorts in order to choose anything else. Katrina went to the counter but Cassandra turned to Peter. "What about boots?" she asked. "He'd be better suited in boots with the chaps than tennis shoes."

Peter nodded. "You're right. What size do you wear?" he asked me.

I told him and he trotted off with arms full of leather pants to the back of the store.

Considering I was about to try on boots, I left my shoes off after I got dressed. I went over to the counter where Katrina was looking at different hoods. She pulled one down and giggled as she slipped it on. This hood, unlike the one at the entrance, didn't have any zippers. The openings for the eyes, nostrils, and mouth were all open and double stitched so they wouldn't fray.

I had a sudden inspiration. "Do you like it?"

Katrina shrugged her shoulders and then smiled and nodded.

I nodded too and said, "Find a matching one for Cassandra."

She arched an eyebrow but did as she was told.

I looked at the other things in and behind the counter. I spotted an assortment of leashes and had to hop over the counter to get to them. I found two that were identical and began searching for collars.

Peter returned with several boxes. He spotted us at the counter. "Oh, I see you've found things you like." He set the boxes down and rushed over. Then he saw what I had in hand as well as what Katrina was holding. "I thought you only needed an outfit for you."

"We're putting on a show, so to speak," I said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Is this all in part of scaring Cass's brother?"

I nodded. "I have to make him believe that his sister has fallen in with the wrong Dom."

He crossed his arms. "Is there really a right Dom?"

Katrina turned around then, still wearing her mask. "Seth is a good Dom. He doesn't play favorites and he rewards his sub when she's honest and follows the rules."

Peter looked from her to me. "That is interesting. And why exactly are you trying to convince Steven that you're the wrong type for his sister?"

I nodded at Katrina. "I'm trying to convince him to set her free. He's been treating her wrong and she doesn't deserve that."

"Rescuing the damsel in distress?" he said and then he caught her looking back over her shoulder at me. "Well, if you ask me, the only distress she's in is not getting a fill by the good Dom," he said in a sing-song voice as he walked away.

I caught Katrina's eyes and noticed the heated expression. If Cassandra's plan worked, I had a feeling I wasn't going to be getting much sleep later.

Cassandra walked over to see what we were all talking about. Then she spotted the leashes in my hand. "Oh, very nice." She looked up at the shelves and pointed. "There. Grab a pair of those."

I looked up but couldn't really see what I was grabbing. I reached up and took down one box. It had what looked like normal tan leather collars in it.

Cassandra said, "No, not that box. The one above it."

I scoffed and put the box back. I had barely reached that one as it was. I glanced around and found Peter looking through the contents of the counter as if he didn't know what was in there. With his back turned, I reached for the box Cassandra indicated and imagined myself using one of the gripping claws paraplegics use to grab items off high shelves with from a wheelchair. The box floated out from the shelf and down to my hands, just as I pictured it. I frowned at myself. Cassandra's enthusiasm over my magic was infectious. I had to be careful about what I did with it.

Looking in the box, I found metal collars. I frowned and looked at Cassandra. She was smiling and waved at me to bring it to her. I walked over and she pulled one out. "Wow!" she said. "This is beautiful."

I looked at the fasteners on one of the collars. It wasn't sizable like a dog collar. Each one was marked with a specific size in inches and centimeters. Katrina saw what we were looking at and walked over. She frowned and took a step back. She noticed that Cassandra was about to put one on and she threw out her hand, shouting, "No!"

Cassandra jumped. Peter and I looked at Katrina. Cassandra glanced at us and then faced her too. "What?"

Katrina was shaking her head. "Those are permanent. Once you close the clasp, you can't get it off."

Cassandra looked at it again. "Really?"

Peter came over and turned the box. "Oh, she's right. It would take bolt cutters to get one of these off."

I frowned. "Why would anyone want a permanent collar?"

Katrina said, "It's a sign that a sub is only a sub. I've seen a few subs wearing them. Usually the ones who've found a Dom they wouldn't ever leave."

"Okay," I said. "it's good in theory, but things happen. The Dom might be in an accident."

She picked one up and pointed at the two D rings built into it. "The bigger ring is for a leash. The smaller one is for a tag, like dog tags or some other identifier to the sub's master. If something happens to the master, the sub would remove that tag, showing she's available for another Dom. If she finds one she likes, she'll accept his tag."

"But she can't take off the collar," I said, "ever."

She nodded. Cassandra looked down at hers with a slight pout. "But they're so pretty."

I turned to Peter. "Do you have any that look the same with a non-permanent clasp?"

He shook his head. "Not in this design."

Cassandra looked up at the shelves again. "Okay, then I guess I'll settle for the black leather with spikes."

I smiled at her and then reached for the box. Peter looked up at where I had retrieved the metal collars from. "I know you're tall, but damn, how did you reach this one?"

I held up the stiff handle of the leash. "I nudged it out till it fell and caught it."

He arched an eyebrow. "Well, that's not going to get it put back." He set the box down and walked away, presumably to find something to stand on.

I turned back to Cassandra and Katrina. "Okay, we have leashes, collars, masks, and my outfit. Other than me trying on some boots, what else do I need?"

Cassandra looked at me. "Most Doms don't wear any head gear, except maybe a pair of sunglasses." She looked past me and said, "You might consider some leather gloves."

I looked through Peter's selection and found a pair I thought went well with the jacket. Peter returned with a step ladder and once he put all the boxes of collars back, he set the ladder aside. "Now, about your boots."

I nodded and followed him from behind the counter proper, rather than hopping over it again. Katrina and Cassandra drifted over to a counter full of makeup and were trying on lipstick.

I didn't like the boots Peter brought me. I couldn't get over the fact that they weren't tied to my feet. He smiled though and said, "I've got something you might like. I'll be right back." He piled up all the boxes and trotted away like an excited mouse packing away cheese to eat later.

The girls returned with a few different items from the makeup counter. Cassandra wore a darker shade of red than her own natural color. Her mascara was thick, making her lashes look heavier and longer. Her eye shadow was dark purple that brought out flecks in her eyes I hadn't noticed before. She gave me her wicked grin and it was devastating. I was glad I had my pants back on.

Katrina went for cherry red lipstick. It would stand out in sharp contrast to the darkness of her mask. She too wore heavy mascara, but her eye shadow was dark gray, which I didn't understand why she chose it though Cassandra said I would see later.

Peter returned with a single pair of boots. They had a draw string up the side and two inch heels. I didn't mind the extra height and the drawstrings meant I could cinch them down, making me more comfortable walking in them. No, my problem was that they were thigh-high boots.

"Those are women's boots," I said.

He smiled at me and shook his head. "Not so, hon'. I've been looking for the right man to try these on and if I've sized you up correctly, they'll be perfect on you."

I looked up at Cassandra and Katrina. Katrina simply blinked at the boots. Cassandra, however, was nodding enthusiastically. "At least try them on, Seth. Let's see what they look like."

I looked at them with apprehension but trying them on wouldn't hurt anything. Peter helped me tuck my pants in even though he tried to convince me to take them off again. I really didn't believe I was going to buy the boots anyway, so I declined. He frowned, but helped nonetheless.

Once I had them on and cinched up, I realized that my pants actually made them uncomfortable. I got to my feet, feeling odd with the additional height, and walked the length of the store. I felt ridiculous but from the dreamy looks on all three of their faces, my imagination must have been painting a different picture for me than what was true.

I spotted some dressing rooms and wondered why I had given in so easily to changing in the middle of the store. I went over and sure enough, there were mirrors inside. I looked at the boots, strapped to my legs. It felt surreal looking at myself in those boots, but then I hadn't seen myself in the rest of the outfit. So, I went and got the jacket, chaps, and gloves. I put everything on, minus my pants and shirt, and then looked at myself again. In a word, I looked ... different.

"C'mon out Seth," Peter called. "We want to see too."

I shook my head and stepped out of the dressing room. Peter did his orbiting inspection while Cassandra and Katrina simply let their eyes roam.

"How do the boots feel without the pants?" Peter asked.

I nodded. "Better. You were right about that."

He scoffed. "Of course I was right. I've been doing this a hell of a lot longer than you." Standing by the girls again, he spun his finger in the air. "Turn around. I'm sure the girls will want to see you from behind too."

Both of them perked up and I couldn't help but laugh. I turned around in a slow circle and heard appreciative oohs.

Cassandra said, "You would look so much better if you simply ditched the shorts."

I sighed. "Right now, I'm worried about making the right presentation at the club, not showing off my backside to everyone."

Peter smiled. "There might be a way for you to do both!" Then he darted for the back room again. "I'll be right back."

I rolled my eyes and Cassandra said, "There is something missing though." She leaned over and whispered to Katrina. She nodded and then turned and walked back toward the makeup display.

I wasn't sure which to be more frightened of, Peter's secret idea for showing off my backside and still looking scary, or the not-so-secretive idea Cassandra had just gotten.

Peter and Katrina returned at the same time. I was looked from him to her so much Peter looked at the girls too. "What? Did I miss something?"

Cassandra said, "No, you haven't missed a thing."

He nodded and turned to me. He held up what looked like a leather skirt. I gave it the withering look I thought it deserved and asked, "What is that?"

He smiled. "It's a leather apron. However, instead of wearing it in front, to keep drinks from spilling on you, you'll wear it in the back. Tie it on first, but let it hang outside of the chaps. That way you can wear those chaps the way they're meant to be worn while keeping your virtue intact."

I looked from him to the apron to him again.

Cassandra walked up with a huge grin on her face. "I would love to see that."

I gave her another sideways look. "Does the term 'live Ken doll' mean anything to you?"

She smiled at me, took the apron from Peter, put it in my hand and shoved me toward the dressing room.

I groaned, but complied.

When I returned, the girls chose to follow Peter on his inspection. They all stood behind me for a moment, looking at my behind with the shades drawn, and then with then pulled up. I'm ashamed to say, yes, I had ditched my shorts. And I was fine until I felt a hand linger across my right cheek.

I jumped away and turned to face them. All three were giggling. Even Peter. Like a girl!

I strode toward the dressing room mumbling about bad ideas when Katrina caught up to me. "Seth, please."

I stopped and looked at her. She was looking up at me with that half-bright, half-smoldering smile of hers. "I really like the outfit. Just the way you're wearing it right now."

There was no way I could deny that expression of hers.

Dammit.

I looked past her at Cassandra and Peter, whispering to one another while looking me over. Obviously they were looking for any other details that were missing. I looked at Katrina again and noticed she was holding something in her hand. "What's that?" I asked.

She held it out and said, "Cassandra thought you could you a little touch up here and there, just to add to the ... grade A bad ass effect."

I frowned even harder, if that was possible. "What kind of touch ups did she mean?"

Katrina thought for a second and said, "Well in the dim light of the club, it'll make you look different. Right now, you look like you in a bunch of leather. We need to give you some touch ups to alter your facial expressions too."

I shook my head, still confused.

She waved at herself. "Compared to before, how do I look now?"

I really looked at her then, taking in all the details. I realized that the makeup hadn't changed who I was looking at, but I could have sworn she was an entirely different woman than before. I nodded. "Okay, I think I see what you're talking about."

She smiled and waved at me to follow. We went back to Cassandra and Peter.

"What did he say?" Cassandra asked.

Katrina nodded. "He understands the use."

Cassandra looked up. "Good, I'd hate to have to tie you down to do this proper."

I gave her a withering look but didn't say anything.

Peter waved at them. "Get him dolled up girls while I go get my camera."

I forgot that he wanted pictures.

Cassandra took the makeup from Katrina and sent her to retrieve a chair or something for me to sit on. Then she looked up at me. "Really, Seth, you look good. My brother won't recognize you when he first sees you."

"Yeah," I said, "but the first time I say anything, he'll know who I am."

She shook her head. "You can't think like that. It doesn't matter that he figures out who you are. You have to make your actions speak louder than his ideas."

I sighed for the umpteenth time just as Katrina returned with a stool for me. I sat and closed my eyes while Cassandra applied makeup. I was expecting some eye shadow but not lipstick or lines along my cheeks. I didn't say anything though and sat still while she worked.

Peter returned with his camera and watched her turn me into something else. When she finished, I felt like I had bugs stuck in my teeth or something. All three were staring at me.

Without a word, I went back to the dressing room. She had highlighted my cheekbones, made my eyes look deeper set, and made my lips look fuller. It was obvious I was wearing makeup but the overall effect was striking.

I stepped back out and Cassandra asked, "Well?"

I nodded. "I thought you were a psych professor."

She smiled with a touch of blush and Peter waved me over to a section of the store he had cleared out for pictures. He had me stand with my fists on my hips as if I were in control of everything. I followed his instructions both for my poses and expressions. After about ten minutes, he had taken a couple of hundred pictures.

He was so excited he squealed as he ran to the back room with his camera, "This is going to be great!"

I shook my head and chuckled at his exuberance. Then I reached up to scratch my cheek and Cassandra swatted my hand away. "No scratching. You'll mess up your makeup."

"Great," I said. "One more thing to make this as uncomfortable as possible."

She shook her head. "Once we arrive, you'll have other things to take your mind off your comfort."

I frowned. "Like what?"

"Like making my brother believe that I've fallen in with the wrong Dom," she said. "You have to focus on that, not worry about what you look like, not now that we've put this together." She turned me and pushed me toward the dressing rooms. "Now, get this all off. We'll set up a payment plan with Peter and then go back to my place so Katrina and I can get dressed."

I turned back around. "Are you two going to wear the same outfits you've worn before?"

She blinked at me. "I have other outfits, but Katrina doesn't."

I shook my head. "No, you both need the same outfits."

She cocked her head to the side. "What do you have in mind?"

Peter returned just then and looked up at me. I looked at him and said, "It's my turn to play dress up with them."

His eyebrows rose and he turned to look at Cassandra. "He's certainly playing up to his role."



-------

Chapter 33



The outfits I had in mind for Cassandra and Katrina were simpler than mine. I wanted them dressed the same but their physical differences made it only a slight challenge for Peter. "You might find it hard to believe, but I have more leather for women than men." Then he disappeared in the back and came back with a cart loaded with tons of different outfits for them to try. Once I picked out what I liked, it was just a matter of finding the right sizes. In the end, the only thing left to get were shoes. They had black high heels that matched, but Katrina's shoes were at Heisler's place. Since I wasn't going to allow her to go there, unless I didn't have a choice, we had to buy new ones for her.

When we were finished, Peter helped me put together a payment plan even though I had enough money to pay for everything then and there. "No," he said. "I report to all the credit bureaus. By making payments, even these small ones, it'll help your credit rating. That way when you go looking for a house for these pretty ladies to live in, you'll get a good rate for your mortgage."

I was surprised at how helpful he really was, outside of teasing me. I took his advice and went with the payment plan.

When we left The Leather Box, we went back to Cassandra's house so we could all get dressed. On the way, we stopped to grab food. Cassandra and I talked about some of the things I should do that would have the greatest affect on her brother. I couldn't imagine really doing some of the things she suggested until she said, "Remember the argument we had in my office?"

I nodded. "I'm not likely to forget that anytime soon."

She smiled. "Good. You have to behave the same way, to treat me like someone you have to dominate. Use the leash rather than my hair," she shivered at her own words, "Even though I'd prefer you use my hair. And don't worry about choking me. Unless you hang me by it, I'll be okay."

We talked about a few other situations that could arise, even though they probably wouldn't, and how to handle them. For the most part, that consisted of assessing the situation at the time and deciding then how to handle them. What bothered me most was that once we were at the club, I was in charge. At no time could Cassandra or Katrina offer suggestions. I was the Dom. I had to make the decisions. And I had to live with the consequences, no matter what they might be.

All three of us took a quick shower. Separately. I was sorely tempted to climb in with Cassandra, but I knew we'd forget what we were supposed to be doing while blinded in carnal bliss. Katrina offered to wash my back for me, but I turned her down for the same reason. I didn't feel the pull of a bond but I was just as attracted to her. I worried how much that would be amplified by the bond.

Cassandra's house not only had a second full bath on the main floor, but it also had a second story I had been too distracted to notice before. So, while she took the master bath, and Katrina took the shower stall in the other bathroom, I went upstairs to use the third one. Out of curiosity, I looked in the other bedrooms. All of them were bare of furniture, but I could imagine various activities in each one. I shook my head and went to the bath. I couldn't believe how easily my mind turned to sex recently. Yeah, I was dealing with magical problems that stemmed from sex, but one would think I was getting enough to keep me from thinking about it all the time.

When I finished my shower and thoroughly dried off, I realized that Cassandra would have to re-apply my makeup. I shrugged off the thought and turned to the new outfit I would don.

Usually I held off on putting my shoes on till last, but since I had to fit the chaps over these thigh-high boots, they had to be first. I had seen my girls walking around in nothing but thigh-high stockings before and wondered what I looked like in only the boots. I stepped over to the mirror but didn't see anything all that enticing about it. Of course, that wasn't something for me to decide either. I'd have to let the girls tell me what they thought. Later.

I put on the apron next and made sure it was low enough to cover me. It almost reached the backs of my knees, but I knew the chaps would cause them to rise a few inches. The chaps were easy to put on. They were nothing but a belt around my waist and a strap between my legs that met the belt in the back. The rest of the leather hung down my legs with a couple of straps to go around each thigh. That was it.

I felt odd not wearing anything under the chaps. Even though I knew the apron covered me. I checked in the mirror again, just to be safe. Sure enough, between everything I wore, no skin could be seen from my waist down. I still felt like I was hanging out there for everyone to see though. I knew the girls liked the idea and it was their excitement about it that really influenced me.

The jacket was last. Cassandra told me to make myself look as tough as needed, I would have to zip it all the way up, including the short, stiff collar. I didn't have a problem with that. The problem was, I would sweat heavily in the thing. I grabbed my t-shirt and pulled it on first. Since no one would see the shirt, I didn't see a problem with that. Then I pulled on the jacket and zipped it up.

Looking at myself in the mirror, it was hard to believe that I was the one filling out the jacket and hidden behind the chaps. Never in my life had I thought I would ever dress like this.

I picked up my clothes, left the bathroom, and headed downstairs. I found the girls in the master bath. They were taking advantage of the lighting and large mirrors while applying their makeup. Cassandra turned when she felt me approaching. I could feel her too and realized that the built in cup in the chaps would chaff if I didn't keep myself under tighter control. I remembered what Lady Brighid's friend, Jaime, told me the night before. "Being a Dom is as much about control of yourself as it is control of your sub." She had been talking about fear at the time, but this was so similar a situation I believed it applied.

Once Cassandra was finished with her makeup, she took care of mine. I didn't look exactly the same as before, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was making the right presentation for Heisler.

When she was done, she put on the hood I bought her. I was shocked by the difference it made. By taking away various details of her face, it was like she had been remade or something. She wasn't the same person as before. Since the hood covered her head but had an opening for her hair, she kept it in a tight, loosely curly pony tail. I was tempted to grab her hair, pulled her face to mine, and find out what kissing her with the hood on would be like, but I fought off the urge and left while she finished getting dressed.

The two of them came out of the bathroom about ten minutes later. I hadn't seen them wearing everything at The Leather Box, so this was a treat. They walked across the living room toward me, an impressive pair. The leather hoods covered their faces, other than their eyes and lips. The only difference I could make out there was the color of lipstick they wore. Even Cassandra had gone with the charcoal gray eye shadow. The leather and spiked collars adorned their graceful necks since their hair was pulled back on both rather than flowing. Nothing covering their shoulders or arms. The corsets supported their breasts like they were being offered to whomever chose to gaze upon them and as they walked, they jiggled. threatening to pop out. The skirts I chose were meant to mirror my chaps. So, they hugged their thighs and just above their knees split in front and back, creating the illusion of chaps. Finally, both wore the matching high heels that Cassandra informed me were correctly referred to as stilettos. I didn't ask what the difference was, though I was sure I would have to learn sooner or later.

It was a real test of my self control when they both stood in front of me. They weren't showing a lot of skin, but what they were showing, not to mention the pull of my bond with Cassandra, was enough to make me squirm in my seat while trying to stop myself from becoming erect. The girls giggled. I didn't have to ask why. They simply knew the effect they had on me.

Cassandra held out her leash to me. "This is for you. Hook it to your jacket for now. When we arrive, you'll attach the other end to my collar."

I took it and nodded. Katrina gave me her leash too. I hooked them to the rings hanging over my nipples. Both of them smiled. I was sure it was for more than just the symbolism of my acceptance of what was going on as well as what touching my nipples would do.

It was close to seven o'clock, so we gathered the few things we would need, like IDs and money, and left for House Lacertae. Habitually, I tried to put my wallet in my coat pocket, but there wasn't one in the normal locations. All of the odd leather flaps hid a couple of pockets though, big enough for everything we needed and I carried the girls' cards too.

Cassandra drove. Not because it was her car but because from this point on, she was my sub. She served me and that included driving. I sat in the back seat and Katrina opted to sit in front too. I was thankful for that. I didn't need more testing of my self control.

A line was already forming when we arrived. Cassandra parked and we got out. I kept my eyes on the girls as they walked up to me.

Cassandra leaned over and tilting her head back and to the side, both offering a wonderful view of her cleavage and easy access to her collar. I hooked the leash to the big D ring on her collar and she straightened up.

Katrina posed the same way when it was her turn. Not only did I have to control my desire for her, but I also had to control the fear that whelmed up with the thought of what might happen to her if this didn't work. I hooked the second leash to her without a word though, and she straightened up with a bright yet sultry smile that the hood could not hide.

As if we had rehearsed it, we turned as one and made our way to the growing line at the entrance. Several of those already in line turned to watch us approach, and others who were heading to the line too stopped or slowed in their tracks as we marched up to the line. It felt a little odd, having so many people watch us, but I remembered my emotions from the argument I'd had with Cassandra in her office and let my face adopt the same hard expression I used then.

No one said anything to us. In fact, the soft whispers of conversation died away as we made it to the end of the line. I was dressed appropriately and adopting the role of a Dom, but it seemed I drew more attention tonight than I had last night.

The same doorman who ushered me in the night before walked the line. I saw the curious expression on his face and his deduction of what had drawn everyone's attention. He looked at me and his brow furrowed. He walked up to us, with a quick glance at the girls, but he dismissed them and focused on me. "We don't need any trouble here."

I didn't change my expression in the least. "And you'll have none. Not from us."

His expression softened a touch but then hardened again. "Consider this your only warning."

I nodded and he walked away. The rest of the crowd murmured about the exchange and I'm sure other things.

Not long after that, the line moved. I pulled out our IDs and offered them to the bouncer. He looked at mine and then looked up at me, doing a double take. Then he waved us in.

Like the night before, the pulsing music hit like a hammer on the senses. There wasn't much in the way of sweat, but that was sure to change as the night progressed, and the lights did more to make the room visible without so many people packed inside.

The two guards with the metal-detecting wands looked at me and shook their heads. I had metal on me, designed into the jacket, not to mention the clips for the leashes. The only metal on the girls were their collars. They waved the wands over us anyway. I opened my jacket to show I didn't have anything under it and then zipped it back up. I thought I saw something in Cassandra's eyes because she saw the shirt I had on under it. No one said I couldn't wear it and I wasn't about to take it off now.

At the counter just inside, the cashier was dressed the same as the night before. She smiled at us and said, "Now that is taking advantage of the tools at hand, or not at hand as is the case." I paid our cover fees and showed her our IDs before we walked toward the dance floor. The club looked almost pitiful without the teaming crowds bouncing around inside.

"Do either of you want anything to drink?" I asked between Cassandra and Katrina. Both of them turned toward me with a glance and I remembered how Jaime didn't ask Tony what he wanted the night before. She simply told him what to do and he complied. I didn't entirely like it, but this was about appearances, not how we really got along. Instead of taking back the question, I stood there waiting for them to answer. Both nodded.

I nodded too and we went to the bar. The few people who made it in ahead of us were already crowding the bartenders. I met my next problem with finesse. I didn't know what the girls wanted to drink, so when the bartender turned to us, I ordered them to tell him what they wanted. Cassandra got a rum and coke while Katrina, giving me another glance as if she couldn't believe I was doing this, ordered a whiskey sour. I was the only one among the three of us who was underage and I ordered a coke, like the night before.

The bartender got the drinks with little fanfare and told me how much. If we had actually come here to drink and have fun, it would have been expensive. As it was though, we would probably only have one or two drinks each before leaving. I handed him my card, and got it back along with my drink. I took a sip and discovered that I had to work around the leash carefully lest I end up yanking at Cassandra's collar.

I turned, thinking about where to go next, and spotted Lady Brighid heading our way with Rebecca in tow. Compared to the night before, Lady Brighid's black latex dress seemed almost tame. It clung to her as only latex could and displayed a generous portion of cleavage. The sleeves were trumpeted and the end of the skirt ruffled, but otherwise, every curve followed her body closely. Rebecca wore a dark red corset/bra lined with heavy buckles down the center of the front and where the shoulder straps attached to the tops of the cups. Tucked under it was a black latex skirt with a zipper in front that she wasn't using at all. Her black latex panties were there for everyone to see and she walked along behind Lady Brighid in elevated spiked heels that made her several inches taller than the Magus.

I watched them approach with as much detached interest as I could muster. I didn't know how Cassandra or even Katrina would respond to them, but I was about to find out.

Lady Brighid stopped and looked at my two subs. A small smile curled her lips and she looked up at me. "Well you have certainly gone to great strides to appear as a good Dom, but what makes you believe you really control these women?"

I had expected possible challenges from other Doms in the club, but not from the owner herself. Maybe this was only a test. "Cassandra, Katrina. Put your drinks down. You're done with them."

Both of them jumped slightly because though I had to speak up to be heard, yelling wasn't necessary. However, both turned around, set their drinks on the bar on either side of me, and turned back to face Lady Brighid.

She smiled at me and shook her head slightly. "Fair enough, Dom Connors." Then she looked at Katrina. "One of my security personal informed me that you're already on your final warning. What did you do before you even made it to the doors?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. I got in line along with everyone else."

She arched an eyebrow. "You're being modest. I understand that your appearance alone caused the entire line to stop and stare."

"I didn't tell them to," I said.

It was obvious she was fighting laughing out loud. I felt frustrated because I didn't know what was so funny. Then she waved at me to follow and headed toward the VIP area.

Without a word from me, the girls followed her and I was right behind them. I had seen how most Dom's lead their subs, towing them along with a leash or simply expecting them to be there behind them. I felt more like I was being towed along by my subs. I wasn't sure which was better, my method or the others', but I wasn't going to let it bother me. Oh, I might beat myself up over it later, but now was not the time.

The VIP area was empty except for Jaime and Tony. Jaime wore another purple latex outfit. Unlike the dress, this one ended like a garter belt, holding up purple latex stockings. I only just caught those details as we approached her table from the side. Tony wore a different outfit too. I only just remembered that the hood he wore the night before was very similar to what Cassandra and Katrina wore tonight, but that didn't bother me as much as the hood/mask he wore tonight. It was dark brown leather and for all intents and purposes comprised of nothing more than a muzzle covering his nose and mouth with enough straps to make sure he couldn't pry it off in any way. On top of that, he wore a matching leather straight jacket! I knew Jaime said a Dom is responsible for her sub, but this was going a bit far, wasn't it?

Jaime looked up and shared a look with Lady Brighid. I was pretty sure the redheaded club owner was still smiling but Jaime didn't. She looked our way and her eyes darted here and there, taking in the details as we approached.

Lady Brighid and Rebecca sat on the far side of the table from the entrance of the VIP section. I moved up between Cassandra and Katrina and pointed at two chairs for them to occupy, leaving the chair between them for myself. It was difficult being so close to both of them without so much as a graze, but I maintained my control.

I met Jaime's eyes and she blinked for a second before saying, "Seth?"

I nodded. "How are you?"

She glanced at my girls with her mouth open as if trying to find the right words to answer my question. "I'm doing well, and apparently you are too."

I nodded and looked at the girls, "Say hello."

Both of them nodded and said, "Hello."

Jaime smiled brightly. Then she recognized Katrina. "Isn't she Dom Heisler's sub?"

I nodded.

"Does he know you're here together?" she asked.

"He'll be here later," I said. "I'll send her to him when he arrives."

Jaime nodded and glanced at Lady Brighid. She looked at me again and said, "I see you found something to wear to fit in tonight."

Lady Brighid smiled more and reached out to pat Jaime's arm. "Seth is already on the short list with Harland. It seems Seth's mere appearance drove everyone else in line to silence."

Jaime nodded and looked at me again. "With this presentation, I understand why." She smiled with a slight shake of the head and then said, "To be honest, after last night, I didn't think you'd be back again."

"I actually had a lot of fun last night," I said. "Why wouldn't I come back?"

"Well, Dom Heisler for one," she said. "He was royally pissed when he left last night." She looked at Katrina and said, "Did he punish you for last night?"

Katrina glanced at me and I nodded. She said, "He tried to but Seth saved me."

Jaime smiled as if it was the sweetest thing she'd heard in a long time. Then she studied Cassandra. "What's her name?"

"Cassandra," I said.

Jaime looked from one of them to the other, obviously comparing their outfits. "You do like your women busty," she said and glanced at Lady Brighid. "Is it safe to say you've already had some play time with Cassandra too?"

I shot Lady Brighid a quick glance and said, "She's bound to me." Jaime didn't bat an eye but Lady Brighid's eyebrow rose. "And, hopefully, after tonight, so will Katrina."

That made Lady Brighid study me more closely. She knew something was going to happen. Anything that might disrupt the general flow of the club would be unwelcome. "What are you planning?" she asked.

I met her eyes and said, "To stand my ground, nothing more."

She gave me a shrewd look and then looked past me.

I turned in my seat to see who had arrived. It was Heisler and Yeager. Both were wearing the same outfits as last night and both leered at my subs as they walked past us to their usual table. I watched them until they sat down. I was a little confused because Heisler didn't recognize Katrina. This wasn't expected. I didn't know what it meant, but I detached Katrina's leash from my jacket and from her collar. With one last brush of my fingers over her hood covered jaw, I said, "Go to your Master, Katrina."

She nodded, stood up, moved around our table, and walked slowly toward Heisler and Yeager. I could tell each step she took was harder and harder to make. She didn't like this any more than I did, but she was doing what she was told. Good girl. I'd have to reward her later, if this worked.

Heisler looked up as she drew up to the table. He watched her pull out the chair across from him and sit down. He opened his mouth to say something and then recognition set in. He stood up and looked past her at me. His face turned red and I could see the vein in his forehead throb.



-------

Chapter 34



I knew that Heisler was a hot head, but I didn't think he'd actually make a scene in the club. He stormed over to our table, stopping in front of Cassandra.

I stood up so I wouldn't be forced to crane my neck back while looking at him. He wasn't better than me, thus I wasn't going to let him look down on me. Cassandra remained in her chair though Lady Brighid did not. Yeager, who followed him over, came around to stand in front of me. I ignored him. Heisler was the one I had come here to confront.

Heisler looked down at Cassandra and grabbed her pony tail to pull her head back and look at her face.

"Hey!" I barked, and reached for Heisler.

Yeager planted one of his large hands in my chest, stopping me, and detached the leash from my chest in the same move.

Heisler's eyes grew wide. "No," he said softly and then looked up at me, his rage burning hotter than before. "You bastard! This is my sister!"

Yeager turned to look and I took advantage of the distraction. I hooked my leg behind his and used his favorite stopping action to make him move. Planting my hand in his chest, I shoved with everything I had. I apparently had more than I thought because he went down hard. He coughed and caught his breath but didn't try to get up.

I looked at Heisler but Lady Brighid beat me to him. She grabbed his other wrist and gave it a slight twist. He shouted in pain and she growled at him, "Let his sub go."

Heisler gritted his teeth and looked her in the eyes. "That's my sister. He can't have her."

She twisted his wrist harder and said, "Then challenge him for her, but right now take your hands off her. You didn't ask permission."

He hung in there for a few seconds but finally relented and let her go. Lady Brighid stepped away from the table, leading him back, and then released him.

He rubbed his wrist while glaring daggers at her. That was when security came tromping in. One guy grabbed Heisler, another picked Yeager up off the floor, and someone else almost yanked me off my feet via the collar of my jacket.

In my ear, I heard Harland say, "I told you I didn't want any trouble."

Lady Brighid shook her head. "Wait," she said, holding up her hands. The security guys all stopped and looked at her. She looked from me to Heisler. "I will allow a challenge, but I will not allow any fighting. Do you both understand me?"

I was fine with that. After all, that was what I was really there for. I nodded immediately.

Heisler looked at me, and then asked, "What kind of challenge?"

She studied him for a second. "You're challenging his dominance over Cassandra. What else would I be talking about?"

He shook his head. "No, how do we settle this?"

"First, we have to have a sub willing to participate for both of you," she said and turned to my sub. "Cassandra, stand up."

I frowned because this was not what I was expecting. Cassandra, however, merely looked up at Lady Brighid without standing.

I reached for Cassandra, but Harland kept me from touching her. I looked back over my shoulder at him. I didn't want to fight if I didn't have to, but I would to defend myself and Cassandra. Keeping me from her was tantamount to hurting her.

Harland looked past me at Lady Brighid. I looked too. She nodded and he let me go. I looked at him again and said, "Thank you." If my words affected him in any way, he didn't show it.

I touched Cassandra's shoulder and said, "Do everything Lady Brighid commands you to."

She nodded and stood up.

I caught Jaime's nod of approval from the corner of my eye, but Lady Brighid offered no such expressions. Heisler had murder in his eyes as he watched me.

Lady Brighid said, "Cassandra, are you Dom Heisler's sister?"

Cassandra nodded.

"Did you come here with Dom Connors willingly?" the club owner asked.

Again Cassandra nodded.

Lady Brighid hesitated slightly before asking, "Do you have any wish to sub for your brother?"

I didn't know how Lady Brighid knew they were siblings. It was possible Cassandra had been here before and that information came out then, but it didn't matter. Cassandra didn't hesitate at all and shook her head.

"Of course, she's not going to sub for me," Heisler barked. "Why the hell would you ask her that?"

Lady Brighid turned to him again. "That's the point of challenging his dominance over her," she said. "You want her as your sub."

The expression of disgust on his face was comical, but I kept my smile and urge to laugh to myself. He sputtered. "You think I want to ... to..." He shook his head. "I wouldn't ... I couldn't..."

Lady Brighid studied him. "Then you withdraw your challenge?"

He shook himself one last time and said, "I don't want her as my sub. I want him to let her go and to leave her the fuck alone."

"And why should he do that?" she asked, spinning on her heel to look Cassandra over. She threw a smile over her shoulder at Heisler. "She obeys him willingly and I daresay they are even compatible when having sex."

Heisler grimaced again. "The last thing I need to hear is that they're having sex."

Lady Brighid ran a finger over Cassandra's hood. "Have you and Seth been fucking?" she asked in the same sweet tone a mother would use with her daughter when talking about the girl's favorite game.

Cassandra nodded immediately but didn't elaborate.

Lady Brighid smiled and turned to Heisler again. "I can't force any Dom to release his or her sub. That's not how this works and you know it." She took a step closer to him. "There have been many times that I've considered taking your sub from you." She stood within touching distance. He didn't back away at all and she took advantage. She poked him in the stomach. "You're cruel." She poked him in the chest. "You're vulgar." She pressed her finger under his chin, forcing his head up. "You are a bastard and need to learn some manners."

He leered down at her with a half-grin. "None of that matters though," he said, fully confident in his words.

She pulled her hand away and nodded. "You're right. None of that matters." She looked back at me. "As long as you don't break my one rule while in my club."

Heisler's grin filled out. "And even then, you can't force me to give up my sub."

She met his eyes. "Just like I cannot force Dom Connors to give up his sub." She smiled and added, "Unless someone challenges his dominance over her and proves himself more compatible to the sub."

Again, Heisler frowned. "I told you, I don't want her for myself..."

She nodded. "Yes, I heard you the first time, but what I'm saying is, it's the only way I can help you. Otherwise, you'll have to live with the way things are."

I stared at her, trying to understand what she was playing at. If the challenge didn't involve wagers, like Cassandra and I had discussed at her place, then there wasn't any reason to continue with the challenge.

Before I could come to any conclusions though, Heisler's face lit up. He understood something that I didn't. "Okay, then I challenge him."

Lady Brighid turned and looked at us. "Well then, since we have a challenge but the sub in dispute is your sister, we're going to need a stand-in for her." She focused on me. "Dom Connors, did you bring another sub with you?"

I frowned because I had no idea what she was planning or how to answer her question. She didn't ask if the other sub I brought belonged to me, so I said, "Yes."

Heisler frowned for a second and then looked around, probably wondering where she was and what she looked like. Lady Brighid turned and looked back at Katrina. She noticed Heisler and said, "He's talking about your sub, Katrina."

He frowned and looked too but didn't say anything.

Lady Brighid called out to her, "Katrina, come here."

Katrina hadn't turned to watch what had happened after Heisler left the table, but she stood and walked over without waiting for Heisler to give her permission.

Heisler gritted his teeth. "You'll jump no matter who tells you to, won't you, you little slut?" He grabbed her arm when she was close enough. "From now on, you'll only take orders from me. Got it?"

She didn't look up or respond to him in any way other than to stop when he grabbed her arm. She met my eyes though and then looked at Lady Brighid, waiting patiently for her next command.

Either Heisler didn't expect her to confirm his comments or didn't realize she hadn't, either way, he looked at Lady Brighid too.

The redheaded club owner looked up at him for a second and then at Katrina. "Katrina, are you willing to sub for Dom Connors?"

Katrina nodded instantly.

I frowned harder. "I don't understand what we're supposed to do, give her contradictory orders and hope she chooses one over the other?"

Heisler looked up with a greasy smile. "What's wrong runt? Afraid she gave you a mercy fuck last night?"

"What do you know about mercy fucks, Heisler?" I shot back. "Had a few?"

His smile vanished. "You wouldn't know what it means to be a Dom if you had it tattooed to your forehead."

"And you don't know what it means to take care of your sub," I said, getting mad. "You haven't touched Katrina in weeks. You don't even talk to her unless you want something from her that has nothing to do with her being your sub. If you would simply pay attention, you'd learn what she's really like, not just as a sub, not just as a sex partner, but as a person. Stop acting like a bully with something to prove and grow up."

Music filled the room with heavy base and driving beats while everyone stood around, staring with various expressions ranging from approval to shock to outrage. Take a wild guess what Heisler's reaction was.

Heisler let go of Katrina and took a step toward me. I shifted my weight, ready for him. It never got that far. The security guard behind Heisler grabbed his arm and stopped him before he took a second step. Harland laid a hand on my shoulder too, just to be safe.

Heisler jerked his arm, trying to pull free of the guard. His eyes were locked on me and the grit of his teeth told me just how much he didn't care about Lady Brighid's rules.

The club owner stepped in front of Heisler, looking up into his face. Once he settled down enough to realize she was there, she said, "Give me a reason."

He glared at her and said, "Why the fuck are you protecting that runt?" Spittle sprayed in her face with his rage.

She never flinched, not even to clean herself. "I'm not protecting him. I'm stopping you from making a mistake you'll regret for months or years."

I could see the confusion in his eyes. "What the hell are you talking about?" he asked.

She looked to the side, to another table. Heisler followed her gaze. Yeager sat in a chair with a guard next to him but he didn't look eager for a fight. He noticed everyone looking at him, shook his head, and turned away.

Lady Brighid looked at Heisler again. "When you grabbed your sister, Seth slammed Yeager to the floor so hard, he not only knocked the breath out of Yeager, but also his willingness to come to your aid. Not to mention, if you start a fight in here, I will not only have you permanently banned from my club, I'll make sure you're arrested for any number of charges I can come up with. All because you couldn't take a few sharp barbs from a new Dom who is apparently speaking the truth about your sub."

Heisler glanced at Katrina. "I don't give a fuck what he thinks about my slave. He's got my sister in a collar and a leash for Christ's sake! I can't let him do that to her."

"First, I have already confirmed that your sister came here with him of her own free will," Lady Brighid said, her own anger starting to show. "Second, Seth brought your sub here too and without a word from you, he sent her to you, exactly as he told me and Jaime he would when we realized who she was."

Heisler looked from her to me several times as she spoke but never interrupted.

Lady Brighid looked around, smoothed her hands over her latex dress, as if it needed smoothing out, looked up at Heisler again and said, in a slightly calmer tone, "Now, your challenge of dominance has been answered, quite thoroughly. Seth has not only taken what time he's spent with your sub to get to know her, but through her, he's gotten to know you too. You have one chance to turn this around or I will side in his favor."

Heisler shifted his feet and the guard let him go so he could. He looked at Lady Brighid for a moment, then Cassandra, me, and finally Katrina. He reached for her and said, "Come here."

Katrina stepped closer and he, quite gently, pulled her to him with a hand on her bare shoulder. He looked over the outfit I bought for her and then looked at me too. He smiled and turned back to Katrina. "Did you tell him who your former master was?"

She nodded.

"Did you tell him who brought you to me?"

She nodded again.

"Did you tell him about our contract?"

She started to nod, thought about it, and then said, "I mentioned it but he never asked more about it."

Heisler's greasy smile was back. "Thorough, huh? Why didn't he ask more about our contract?"

"He was more interested in what I thought about leaving you," she said.

"And... ?" he asked, like he knew there was more to her answer she was leaving out.

She glanced at me and said, "And I ... think he was too excited to think straight."

Heisler chuckled. "That's my slave." He looked my way and said. "I don't believe my sister came here tonight as his sub. I think she's posing in the hopes to upset me so much I wouldn't figure out what the runt really wants." He shook his head and chuckled. "I can't believe I almost fell for it." Then he met my eyes. "She is mine. Our contract is unbreakable."

I couldn't see Cassandra's face to know what her expression was and it was a fight for me to keep a straight face.

Lady Brighid, however, never looked our way. "You may have a contract with Katrina, but that is not the point. Seth has met your challenge of dominance."

Heisler looked down at Lady Brighid and shrugged. All of his anger was gone. I didn't understand how he shed it so easily. "What I don't get is why you even let him play this game," he said. "You're supposed to be the ultimate Dominatrix." He shook his head in disgust and added, "You never saw this coming."

I thought he not only overstepped his bounds as a guest in her club, but just committed some form of social suicide.

Lady Brighid stood there staring at him for a moment. I didn't know if it was because she was silently counting to ten or what, but when she spoke again, there was no mistaking what she said. "You are not a Dom."

There was almost a palpable shift in the room. Jaime's eyes were wide. Tony looked taken aback. Yeager shook his head like he knew it was coming. The guards were all stone-faced, but I could tell that this wasn't something Lady Brighid did often and that things could turn ugly real quick.

Katrina's reaction was stronger than any other. She looked from Lady Brighid, up to Heisler, and back again as if she didn't know what just happened. I could see panic growing in her eyes and wanted desperately to go to her, to comfort her, but I forced myself to stand still.

Heisler's greasy smile faded as Lady Brighid's words sank in. "What are you talking about?"

She nodded. "Seth was right. You are a bully."

His anger returned. "I am a Dom, and no bitch like you is going to change that."

I didn't understand why he was so adamant about being a Dom. He didn't have to be a Dom specifically. For that matter, he didn't have to be involved in the BDSM or D/s culture at all. There were plenty of people out there who weren't.

I glanced at Katrina. She was his live-in sub. Heisler had several before her but they all left of their own cognizance. The only reason Katrina hadn't was because her view was different than anyone else's. Maybe those other subs understood that he wasn't a real Dom, only Cassandra never understood and came to her own conclusions. But why? Why the need to act like a Dom?

Lady Brighid stood there for a few seconds. I wasn't sure if she was going to explode in her own rage or what but she calmly asked, "Really? Then how would you define a Dom?"

Confusion distorted his anger, cooling his rage. He glanced at me and I could see in his eyes what he was about to try. "A Dom doesn't take any shit from his sub. A Dom has his own rules that must be followed. And a Dom doesn't try to steal another Dom's sub."

We all stood there for a second. "Is that all?" Lady Brighid asked.

He glanced at her and nodded. "Those are the important ones."

She nodded. "Okay, let's examine them, shall we?"

Heisler grinned again. "Yes, let's..."

"A Dom doesn't take any shit from his sub," she said and turned to Cassandra. "When was the last time you were punished by your Dom for something you did wrong?"

"Today," she said.

Heisler's smile faded. "Punished how?" he asked.

Cassandra glanced at him but didn't answer.

He looked at me. "What the fuck did you do to my sister?"

Lady Brighid looked back at him. "You said a Dom doesn't take any shit from his sub. If Dom Connors felt she deserved the punishment, that's all that counts. It's not your place or mine to judge what kind of punishment he used." Then she looked at me. "Nor, by the same rule, should we judge other Doms methods of punishment."

I nodded, understanding her warning.

Heisler looked at Lady Brighid again. "I don't care about your rules. I want to know what he did to my sister."

She looked at him again. "These are your rules. In fact, your rule number two was 'a Dom has his own rules that must be followed.' If you're not going to follow your own rules, why should she?" Lady Brighid asked, waving at Katrina with her question.

He shook his head. "It's never too late to revise the rules."

"What's the matter Heisler, afraid she'll prove you're really not a Dom?" I asked.

He looked up at me with murder in his eyes. "Shut your mouth runt, let the real Doms talk."

I waved around at the people near us. "That's funny. Other than Lady Brighid, all the real Doms haven't said a word."

He took a step forward mumbling, "You little fuck, I'm gonna..." and the guard grabbed him again.

I shook my head. "I'm not your sub Heisler. I don't have to do what you say and for the time being you're going to have to take my shit."

He looked at Lady Brighid, pulled at the guard's grip on his arm, and then looked at me again. "Only for now, runt."

Lady Brighid pointed at him. "Remember my warnings." Then she turned and pointed at me. "And stop baiting him."

Well, there went my fun.

She turned to him again. "Your second rule was 'a Dom has his own rules that must be followed.' Were you talking about your rules for your sub or your own personal rules?"

He stared at her and said, "For my sub."

Lady Brighid nodded and turned to Katrina. "What are Dom Connors' rules?"

She glanced at me and said, "To be completely honest."

"Is that all?" the club owner asked.

Katrina nodded and even smiled slightly.

"Okay, what are Dom Heisler's rules?" Lady Brighid asked.

Katrina rolled her eyes up to look at Heisler, who looked down at her in return. "He doesn't put up with any of my shit, he expects me to follow his rules, and he wouldn't take another Dom's sub from him."

Heisler frowned. "We have a contract, slave. There are more rules than that."

She held his gaze for a few seconds and said, "Then may I go retrieve a copy from your car?"

He turned and looked at Yeager. "Yeager, go get the copy..."

The blonde man refused to meet his eyes. "I'm not your sub," he said.

Heisler frowned and turned to Katrina again. "Fine, go get it. And be quick."

She left without looking at anyone else. Lady Brighid looked up at Heisler. "She doesn't know the contents of your contract with her?"

He shrugged. "It's been a while since I drew it up. I don't recall all the details." I shook my head and he noticed. "What's your problem?" he barked.

I met his eyes. "If the contract was so important, you'd remember the contents. And if she had been privy to the contents she would have remembered. She's very smart."

He frowned and growled but didn't say anything.

Lady Brighid looked at him again. "Did you write up the contract and not let her read it?"

He couldn't meet her eyes. "We were too ... busy that night."

Her stance shifted with her emotions, her fists going to her hips. "You've been together for months and you've never taken the time to let her read it?"

He met her eyes then. "It never came up again, not until now."

Katrina returned with a folder. She held it out to Lady Brighid who only looked at her. "Have you read that?" Lady Brighid asked Katrina. The sub shook her head but didn't say anything. I could only imagine the withering glare Lady Brighid gave Heisler, since I only saw the back of her head.

Lady Brighid took the contract and scanned it. She stopped on the third page and read it in detail. She glanced at Heisler and then looked at Katrina. "When was the last time you were punished?"

"Yesterday," she said immediately.

"And did your Master inform you of why you were being punished?" the club owner asked.

Katrina shook her head. "No."

Lady Brighid looked up at Heisler again. "You have rules for your sub but none for yourself. Why?"

He half-grinned. "I don't have to follow the rules I set for her."

Lady Brighid flipped back a page. "All rules set here are for Master and Slave," she said, reading from the contract.

Heisler snatched the papers out of her hands. "Where the hell does it say that?" He read over the page and I could tell when he found the passage. Then he flipped to the next page and read further. "There are no rules regarding explaining punishment."

Lady Brighid stared at him. "Which means you can punish her without explaining why, however, that also means you can punish her for no reason at all." She glanced at Katrina. "How is she supposed to know when she's being punished for an infraction as opposed to being punished just because you feel like it?"

He folded up the contract and clutched it in his fist. "That doesn't matter. My challenge of his dominance..."

"Means your methods are to be questioned just as much as Dom Connors' methods," Lady Brighid interrupted. She nodded to Katrina. "She knows his rules. He's kept it very simple, very easy to remember. But you have rules regarding specific situations, and punishments. For instance, none of your rules restrict her from having sex with other people, or following the orders given her by other Doms."

"Neither does his," Heisler said.

Lady Brighid nodded. "Correct, but she knows that. She didn't know it for certain with you."

Heisler threw up his hands. "This is ridiculous. I didn't challenge his dominance over my slave. I challenged his dominance over my sister."

"Who would become your slave if you won," Lady Brighid said. "If you'd prefer, we can continue with this asking her the same questions I've been asking Katrina."

Heisler shook his head. "No, no, we don't have to do that."

I frowned and glanced at Cassandra. Something about that sparked a memory. "Lady Brighid, if you don't mind, I'd like to ask Cassandra a question."

She looked at me with an odd expression. "You don't need my permission to talk to your own sub."

I shook my head. "Not as my sub, but as another Dom."

She blinked, as did Cassandra. I looked at my professor. "You've been a Dom with others before, right?"

She looked around and then nodded.

"You were also a sub for one other Dom, correct?" I asked.

She frowned but nodded again.

"After your experience with that Dom, you swore to yourself that you'd never let anyone do that to you again, right?" I asked.

She glanced at Lady Brighid and then nodded to me again.

"How did you treat your subs, the first ones you had after your first experience as a sub?" I asked.

She shook her head, either not remembering or not understanding my question. "I don't understand."

I nodded. "You had rules, right?"

She nodded.

"You punished your subs, right?"

She nodded again.

"Did you tell your subs why you were punishing them?" I asked.

She thought for a few seconds and then her eyes went wide. She blinked up at me and shook her head. "No."

"Heisler..." I said, starting to look up, and then glanced at Cassandra. "Steven," I emended and looked at him. "This isn't you."

He frowned. "What are you talking about? You don't know me."

I shook my head. "Cassandra and I ... talked. I know about your parents. I know what you and your sister found out about them, about the intimate nature of their relationship."

Heisler's face screwed up with horror and revulsion. "None of that is any of your business..."

I waved away his growing anger. "It's not the point, but it has given me insight, along with knowing a few things about Cassandra's past too." I studied his expression. "You don't like being bullied, so you bully others."

"I'm not a bully," he said.

I ignored his declaration. "Bullies act the way they do for two primary reasons: either they're used to getting their way, because they're spoiled, and don't have issues with taking what isn't given, or one or both of their parents are also bullies and the child is acting in the only way he knows.

"Since your parents are dead and you weren't spoiled, there's only one reason for you to act the way you do," I said and studied his eyes. He stared at me, a hard look on his face but something else in his eyes. "What was her name?" I asked.

The frown on his face shifted. It was subtle, something I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't been paying attention, but I did and it confirmed my suspicions. "I don't know what you're talking about," He said.

I turned to Cassandra. "Do you know who she was?"

She frowned and shook her head.

I turned back to Heisler. "You know what I'm talking about Steven. Some time ago, you were interested in the scene. You wanted to know, just like Cassandra did, why your father was sub to your mother. And like her, you met a Dom, except it was a woman. She did something to you. She hurt you, humiliated you, maybe even tortured you. And you swore you would never let anyone do that to you again."

"You don't know what you're talking about," he said with a sneer.

"I believe I do," I said. "She hurt you. She did things you never thought a woman would do to a man. You don't have to tell me what happened, just tell me her name."

He glanced at Yeager. It was quick, but the look was significant. He shook his head again. "No."

I looked at Yeager. He had a curious expression on his face and stood up. Heisler looked at him again and blanched.

"It was her, wasn't it?" Yeager asked.

Heisler's eyes shifted back and forth and he shook his head.

"It was Gloria, wasn't it?" Yeager yelled.

Heisler's face broke down then. Tears raced down his cheeks. "It's not what you think."

I stepped between them, looking at Yeager. "You know, don't you?"

He frowned down at me. "Bits and pieces," he said and looked at Heisler again. "She was my Dom for over a year while we were in college. She left me because I was too boring. What I didn't know was that she chose him as my replacement."

Heisler shook his head. "Nothing happened..."

"Liar!" Yeager interrupted. "You can't be Gloria's sub and have nothing happen!"

Heisler grimaced and nodded. "We had one scene. I didn't know what I was doing, but that didn't stop her from tying me down on the bed..." He shook his head. "At first, I thought she was going to ... to..." he shrugged, "tickle me with feathers or something like that but..."

Yeager's expression shifted. "She was a sadist," he said almost under his breath. "I like pain but even I have my limits. She wanted to push past that limit but I wouldn't let her. She grew frustrated with my weakness and left me."

Heisler's face, which was already messed up and wet, screwed up even more. "She came to me and told me you two had broken up." He looked away from Yeager. "She said she knew all along that I wanted her. We went to a motel for the weekend." He looked at me. "Gloria was the only Dom I've ever subbed for. That doesn't mean I'm emulating her."

I simply met his eyes. "Did Gloria punish you but not tell you why?"

Heisler frowned. His eyes shifted, and he rubbed his chin. He glanced back at Katrina and looked at Cassandra. Finally he nodded. "She kept saying, "I have to punish you," but she wouldn't tell me why." He looked at Yeager. "I think she was taking their breakup out on me."

I looked from one man to the other. "Then that's between the two of you to work out, but Steven, you're not cut out to be a Dom."

He looked at me again, the heavy emotions swept away by his anger again. "You don't know what you're saying."

I glanced at Katrina. "You sent your sub to Cassandra to be punished for last night, but never told her why. You may not have mete out her punishment personally but you were punishing her. On top of that, you were keeping her at arm's length, and using her only to tease others. You have to let her go, so she can find someone who will take care of her." I glanced at her. "So she can find her own happiness and you can find yours."

His frown wasn't of anger anymore, but pain. "How? I don't know anything else."

I looked at Lady Brighid and remembered what she said about not having had a male sub in a long while. "Why not find a Dom who will take care of you?" I said.

She looked at me and then at Heisler. She wasn't angry anymore and the expression on her face was blank. I really didn't know what she was thinking. "That's up to you," she said to Heisler.

He met her eyes for a second and then looked at Cassandra. I looked too. Her expression was difficult to read with her wearing her hood, but I could see her concern for her brother in her eyes. She gave him a small nod, almost imperceptible. Heisler nodded too and then said, "Okay."

Lady Brighid glanced at Harland. "Take him upstairs to one of the play rooms. I'll be up in a minute to talk to him."

Harland walked up and took hold of Heisler like he was going to escort him out of the club, and everyone's eyes were on them.

I glanced at Katrina. She watched too, with wide eyes and a touch of fear. I realized that she was scared for Heisler. His becoming someone else's sub didn't necessarily preclude setting her free though. "Heisler," I called and he paused and turned. "Are you forgetting something?"

He frowned and stared at me. He knew what I was talking about but didn't want to give in, probably because it was me who asked.

Lady Brighid stepped up next to me. "You have to do this, Heisler."

He dropped his eyes and shook his head. After a few seconds, he looked up again. "Fine." He looked past us and said, "Katrina, you're free." Then he turned and let Harland lead him toward the stairs.

When they were out of sight, Lady Brighid waved to the guards and they went back to their normal duties in the club. A small crowd had formed near the DJ booth while everything had been happening, but with the guards leaving, they went back to the main floor too. No one else had come into the VIP section yet and I suspected no one else had so much as gotten into the club with all the guards back here.

Lady Brighid turned to Katrina, talking to her quietly.

I walked back over to Cassandra. She smiled up at me and said, "I never would have guessed he was unhappy."

"After the initial newness of their relationship wore off," I said, "I think he wasn't interested in Katrina in any other way."

Cassandra glanced past me and I turned.

Lady Brighid approached me with Katrina in tow. Katrina looked stressed, even under the hood. The club owner asked, "Would you be willing to take Katrina as your sub?"

I looked at Katrina, saw the lost expression in her eyes, and nodded. "Yes."

Lady Brighid nodded and stepped from between us. She waved at Rebecca, who had sat quietly all throughout the drama in the VIP section, and the two women left for the play rooms.

Katrina stepped up to me and I could see the tears brimming along her heavy lashes. I didn't have any cloth to dab them away before they streaked her mascara and fretted until I saw her rose red lips spread in a wide, bright smile. "What can I do for you ... Master?"



-------

Chapter 35

Katrina moved in with me that night, just like she did with Heisler when he became her master. Lady Brighid must have kept him busy all night because it took us several trips to transfer all of her stuff to my apartment and we never ran into him. We saw Yeager once but didn't talk to him.

I didn't expect her to sleep on the couch, so I took her to the bedroom and told her to pick a side. She chose to sleep in the middle, that way no matter which side I chose, she would be close to me. I had to remind her that she wasn't the only one to share my bed. For that night though, it was just the two of us. And to be honest, I'm glad it was. She asked if we could continue what we started at the club the night before and I didn't see any problems with it. I wasn't expecting her to try to get me off with every part of her body in one night though.

As for the question of whether I would have the same memory sharing event with Katrina, I did. Jordan showed up again and everything. The memories I saw of Katrina's were of her time with her family, starting the night she had sex for the first time. She was eleven. Yeah, eleven. Before her father started having sex with her, her brothers had already popped her cherry and had her addicted to the feel of being filled with "hot, hard, man-rod". That's how she put it. I believe her father and brothers treated her wrong, like Heisler, only in different ways, but from the experiences I got from her memories, she doesn't feel that way.

Having her live with me hasn't changed how any of the others feel about me either. In fact, my apartment has turned into congregation central for everyone. Nothing has turned ugly, though I'm constantly worried it will. Even Jordan has trouble believing how things are working out.

Sammi and I finished the photos for her new men's line over the weekend, and yes, she did buy something sexy to wear for me from The Leather Box. I won't tell you what it was though; that's between me and her. Well, actually, it ended up on the floor with nothing between the two of us, but that's a different story all together.

I got my first check for modeling. It was a lot more than I expected. Sammi told me that was what most of the self-managed models made. The models that had managers working for them usually made three to five times more. I almost gave her the check back but then changed my mind and decided it would make a good down payment on a car.

I asked Sammi if she would be my manager. She turned me down flat, only because we were sleeping together. She didn't want to wreck our private relationship with work. I laughed, thinking she was joking, but she wasn't. She made a few calls and I ended up talking to Dennis Rittenhouse. He worked with several models, all female, and had been looking for a male model because more and more work came his way asking for males. He saw the portfolio Sammi and I put together and was extremely impressed. I told him about my situation, mostly referring to being a full time student. He already had five shoots asking for male models that fit my schedule. I couldn't turn down the work. After all, the money I got from the winning lottery ticket was dwindling faster than expected, so I accepted.

The following Monday, I picked up the proper forms to change classes because I didn't want to chance someone would figure out what was really going on between me and Cassandra. I had to have her signature on the form and went to class long enough to get it. I was mildly surprised at how she treated me. It felt like nothing had changed at all because she happily waved the form around for the class to know I was leaving them. Quietly, just before I walked away, she whispered to check with Professor Waldrop about his morning class and gave me a subtle wink.

I checked with him. It turns out his classes are all pretty small. I found out why later. He's not the most entertaining or enthusiastic instructor. I struggle to stay awake, like many of the other students.

Jana surprised me when she called Monday night. Vanessa set her up with an appointment with a couples therapist. I didn't understand why she wasn't going to someone for anger management but Jana had refused to go to any of those because they were all group sessions. Since the appointment was for a couple, and Jana's issues were with men in general, my presence was required. We didn't have to be there until the following Monday, but something told me Jana wasn't looking forward to it. It could have been the sounds of her throwing things while she was on the phone or maybe even her adamant declarations that she wasn't going to go to any therapy sessions, I don't know, but once she was too worn out to argue, I convinced her that Vanessa wouldn't have done this if she didn't love her. I got a call later from Vanessa asking what I told Jana because when they met up that night, Jana was more loving than ever before. I simply smiled over the phone and told her to enjoy it while it lasted because if Jana went to the therapy sessions, her mood would probably change. Radically.

Milena met me Tuesday morning to talk about her request from the previous week. She had an appointment set up for Wednesday afternoon to find out if she was healthy enough to have children. It fit perfectly in the open slot that used be when I had Psych class with Professor Dumont.

The Doctor, a woman named Carolyn Morris, wanted to meet both of us. I think she was a little surprised to find out that a young college student was willing to start a family so soon with an older woman, but she didn't say anything about it. She did a quick exam of Milena, took some blood from both of us, and said unless anything odd showed up in the blood tests she didn't see any problems with us having children.

Apparently, that was all the green light Milena needed because next thing I knew, she was working up a schedule of her fertile periods every month. She didn't mind not getting as much attention as the rest of my girls, as long as I was there during those times of the month. I didn't like the idea of only being there as a father for our children and spent the night with her that night in an attempt to convince her she deserved as much of my attention as anyone else.

Oddly, Jordan and Danielle's idea of making sex videos to sell online didn't come up again until Erica found the equipment collecting dust on my computer desk. I laughingly told her why I bought the equipment in the first place, and she made another movie with me that night. I didn't mind. It wasn't like she was going to post it anywhere, right?

Apparently, she reminded Jordan and Danielle about it too and the word spread to all the others. The only one who initially refused was Cassandra because she was sure some horny college student would recognize her and turn her in to the school board. I waved off the possibility, saying that the videos were just for fun. Katrina came up with an idea for Cassandra to wear the hood I bought her from The Leather Box.

My little bubble of denial popped a few days later when I overheard some girls in psych class whispering about the videos. First, I didn't think girls watched videos like that and second, I was shocked by some of the details they discussed while giggling. Details I knew intimately. Details that informed me that my girls posted the videos we made. I was about to interrupt them to ask for the website until the girl telling the others came to what she thought was the best part of all those videos: my "Johnson." I had mixed feelings about it all at that point. If it had been a bunch of guys talking about my girls, I probably would have shut the whole thing down, but this was the reverse. To be honest, if I really didn't want the videos to get out, I never should have made them. It was too late though and as long as I didn't hear more about it, especially from any of the guys on campus, I would only worry about it if my girls voiced any problems with it.

Leanne waited a whole week before she started looking for a new job. Since she had only been working part time for Nicks N Picks, she didn't qualify for unemployment checks and couldn't afford to go without eating any longer. I took her out grocery shopping and Milena had the two of us over for dinner that night. I thought I ate a lot, but she beat me by one pork chop. Of course, she worked it all off on me later.

Knowing Leanne was extremely interested in getting into the clothing industry, and was working on a degree in business management so she could get in that way, I decided to help her out. I told Sammi about Leanne's situation and the two of them got together to talk about Leanne's ideas, goals, and dreams. It worked out better than I thought because Leanne never expected to get into designing lingerie for women built like her, which was why she was aiming for normal, everyday clothing. Sammi liked Leanne's designs and hired her, not as a sales girl, but for her growing specialty department. I remembered there was a room leading back to the storage and modeling rooms in the store marked specialty but never asked about it. Leanne told me all about it the following week while thanking me in ways that only a horny college girl could.

Of all the women I forged bonds with, Vanessa was the only one who I hadn't been alone with at the time. It was a close call with Sammi on our first day, but she had me to herself that night. The following Friday, after my classes were over, Vanessa picked me up and drove me to her place for our "scheduled meeting." It was a beautiful condo, what I saw of it, because from the moment the front door closed for the next couple of hours, she was on me like white on rice. We made it to the bedroom only after we wore each other out enough to want a nap, and even then we didn't go right to sleep.

We woke up later and actually talked about Jana, my concerns about how my powers affected the girls, and her take on what it was like. We were making love again when Jana showed up. I was worried that she was going to blow up all over both of us, and I was prepared to take the brunt of it for Vanessa, but it never happened. Jana sighed with relief finding me there, because everyone was looking for me. Then she stripped down and joined us. It was another couple of hours before she thought to call anyone else to let them know she found me.

Danielle was fully recovered by the weekend I won Katrina from Heisler, but, like Jordan, she kept her distance until the following Saturday. She wanted to hear about everything. We talked about school, I ended up telling her some of he not-so steamy details of my search for more Fonti, and she told me about her divorce proceedings.

It turns out, because she applied for food stamps, the state decided Roger should pay her alimony. There was also the issue of who would pay for the rest of her college classes. Danielle's lawyer was trying to get Roger to pay for the rest, since she only had to finish this semester and the next to earn her Bachelor's degree. Roger's lawyer was contesting both, which meant the whole process was going to be dragged out even longer.

Jordan and I finally talked a little over a week after Katrina was freed from Heisler. She told me everything she knew about the magical laws she mentioned when I forged my bond with Cassandra.

The primary law is referred to as the Law of Secrecy. No one other than Magi are allowed to know about us with only a few exceptions. Most Magi don't tell their Fonti about their true nature, however, it wasn't unheard of for one or two Fonti to find out. The only others who know are former Magi, unless the Magi Council believes they represent a threat to our secret community.

The rest of the laws have to do with what a Magus was not allowed to do with magic. For the most part, I'm not allowed to kill, tinker directly with anyone's mind, or do things that would draw unwanted attention from the mundane world.

Punishments for breaking any of the magical laws range from simple fines to death. Most punishments involve having various levels of power taken away. Breaking conventional state, federal, or international laws would require the complete removal of power and handing the offender over to the appropriate authorities. The Council doesn't worry about misdemeanors, so at least I wouldn't be punished by them for traffic tickets.

Jordan also told me about the Council. In the United States, there are nine Council members who reside over different regions, each consisting of several states. Each state has several Sherriff Magi who regulate the magical laws and assist with the apprehension of magical criminals. The Sherriff Magi can be members of mundane law enforcement but not always.

The last thing Jordan told me about was Houses and what the different colors of Magi's Marks meant. It was pretty simple. The major Houses are controlled by the Council members and smaller Houses, like House Lacertae, are made up of several local Magi. Most Magi are pledged to one House or another not long after their Initiation but there are those who don't join a House, like me. Usually, that was because the Magus was an orphan, but not always. Obviously I was one of those exceptions and considering the scale of my power, Jordan believed someone from House Pavonis would be around soon to talk to me. The House is based in Austin, Texas and the Council member residing is Barbara Martindale.

There was a lot more we talked about too, mostly between heavy bouts of sex.

A little over a month after I won Katrina from Heisler, I talked to Jordan about Katrina's family and she told me that in some magical families, the siblings have sex with each other until only one has all the power among them.

"You were lucky," Jordan said while we were sitting in my living room and Katrina was cleaning dishes in the kitchen. "Imagine waking up to find either of your sisters having sex with you to awaken and steal your powers."

I frowned and then smiled. "Isn't that essentially what you tried to do?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I only wanted a little. We're talking about them taking everything."

I thought about that and shook off the idea of either of my sisters trying something like that. "It's not possible. Both of them thought I was too icky to touch much less try something like that with."

Jordan smiled. "Oh, you'd be surprised what a woman would be willing to put up with to get what she wants." Then she looked past me.

I turned and found Katrina watching us. "What's up?" I asked.

She shrugged and walked closer. "I know you're talking about magic, but I didn't think having sex with my brothers was so bad."

Part of me wanted to find her brothers and beat the crap out of them, but I held my seat. "You were young Katrina. They were taking advantage."

She shrugged again. "At first, maybe. But once the pain passed from my cherry, I liked it."

I recalled that night. I couldn't argue with her about it. She had enjoyed it. Then I thought about my sisters. I hadn't seen either of them for a few months, not since Faith's graduation because neither of my sisters came to mine. I realized, like with Cassandra, I didn't hate either of them, I just didn't like the way they treated me.

Jordan stood up and stretched. "Well, I've got to go to work soon. I need to go get ready."

I stood up and followed her to the door. Though the pull of the bond was still there, we had all learned to keep ourselves under control, unless it was time to relax and enjoy the sensations. Jordan stopped with the door open and turned to me. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

I nodded and accepted the kiss she offered. Of course, I had to pull away lest we give in too early.

She smiled and walked away with a bounce in her step. I closed the door and leaned against it, watching Katrina put away the last of the dishes. I shook my head and said, "I've got the bathroom."

She rushed over toward the door saying, "No, I can get it."

I smiled and stopped just short of running her over. "As much as I enjoy the idea of having someone do all the cleaning, this isn't fair to you."

She pouted slightly and said, "But I want to clean for you. It's the only way I know to reward you for all the sex we have."

I struggled to suppress the urge to laugh. It sounded crazy being rewarded for sex. "The sex is reward enough," I said. "You're going to end up spoiling me."

She thought about it and said, "I'll take care of the shower and toilet if you clean the sink."

I couldn't stop the chuckle that rumbled up out of me. "Okay then, let's get this over with."

She moved from the door to get the bucket and cleaners, and I went into the bathroom. The sink, toilet and shower all looked immaculate. Other than a quick wipe down, nothing else needed doing. Then I looked at the floor. She hadn't mentioned that. Maybe I could sneak the mop in here while she was working on the bathtub.

She came in with the bucket, cleaners, and sponges. I picked up one of the cleaners and a sponge. Then I heard the front door fly open and Jordan yell, "Seth, where are you?"

Confused, I stepped out of the bathroom to find Jordan looking out one of my windows. "I'm here. What's wrong?"

She stood up and pointed at the window. "A Sheriff Magus. She's talking to various Magi in the area and your name came up several times. I told her I hadn't seen you today and she left, but Seth, she knows where you live. I think she's here to find out whether you're involved with the Lockdown."

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I want to thank rw.strider and gray_shadow for their help with Child Magus. There were many points where I had problems and they were both excellent and patient in helping. Thanks guys.

And for everyone who asked for a reference list of characters, here is the cast of women in alphabetical order:



Beatrice Stratford is based on the Model/Porn Star Beatrice Prochaszka. The character is 23 years old, with Brown eyes, and Brunette, Straight, Mid-Back Length hair. She's Caucasian, has a Slim build, stands 5' 7" (1.7 m), and weighs 115 lb (52.16 kg). Her measurements are 38-27-38 in (97-69-97 cm) and her bust is 34E (86E).

Beatrice Stratford manages one of the clothing factories Sammi works with. She offers to help Seth find more work as a male model. She first appears in chapter 19.

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Bianca "Lady Brighid" Bourgeois is based on the Model/Porn Star Bianca Beauchamp. The character is 33 years old, with Brown eyes, and Brunette, Curly, Mid-Back Length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 2" (1.57 m), and weighs 115 lb (52.16 kg). Her measurements are 39-24-35 in (99-61-89 cm) and her bust is 32G (81G).

Lady Bridhid owns and runs House Lacertae on Club Drive. In fact the club doubles as a night club for business and as the meeting place for her House Members. She considers Rebecca her 'pet' and will protect her fiercely. Lady Brighid helps teach Seth about the roles between Doms and subs. She first appears in chapter 23.

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Brigette Woods is based on the Model/Porn Star Bambi Woods. The character is 41 years old, with Hazel eyes, and Blonde, Wavy, Mid-Back Length hair. She's Caucasian, has a Slim build, stands 5' 9" (1.75 m), and weighs 135 lb (61.23 kg). Her measurements are 38-24-38 in (97-61-97 cm) and her bust is 32E (81E).

Professor Brigette Woods teaches Seth's Political Science class. She first appears in chapter 1, though she doesn't interact with Seth directly.

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Cassandra Dumont is based on the Model/Porn Star Cassandra (Porn Star). The character is 32 years old, with Brown eyes, and Blonde, Curly, Shoulder Length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 5" (1.65 m), and weighs 125 lb (56.7 kg). Her measurements are 40-25-36 in (102-64-91 cm) and her bust is 34G (86G).

Seth and Cassandra butt heads several times during class. However, when Seth finds out that she is punishing Katrina for Heisler, he rides to the rescue with unexpected results. Dumont submits to his dominance, Katrina tells Seth that Dumont is Heisler's brother, and Seth thinks of a way to solve both of his problems. She first appears in chapter 1.

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Daisy Gorden is based on the Model/Porn Star Daisy Van Heyden. The character is 27 years old, with Blue eyes, and Blonde, Wavy, Medium length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 1" (1.55 m), and weighs 104 lb (47.17 kg). Her measurements are 39-23-33 in (99-58-84 cm) and her bust is 34E (86E).

Daisy works for Sammi at her store, Silk and Lace. She first appears in chapter 5.

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Dana "Augur" Bradley is based on the Model/Porn Star Dana Benn. The character is 28 years old, with Blue eyes, and Blonde, Wavy, Medium Length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 5" (1.65 m), and weighs 119 lb (53.98 kg). Her measurements are 43-27-38 in (109-69-97 cm) and her bust is 38E (97E).

A Magus with a penchent for Precognition. Other, local Magi call her Augur. Dana warns Seth that he needs more Fonti (by her estimage, he needs at least ten), and that he's the only one "free to resolve the Lockdown." She first appears in chapter 13.

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Danielle Stone is based on the Model/Porn Star Danielle Riley. The character is 21 years old, with Brown eyes, and Redhead, Wavy, Shoulder Length hair. She's Caucasian, has a Slim build, stands 5' 7" (1.7 m), and weighs 110 lb (49.9 kg). Her measurements are 40-24-34 in (102-61-86 cm) and her bust is 30H (76H).

Danielle continues to be loving and supportive of Seth as he looks for new Fonti so he doesn't accidentally kill her or any of the other girls bound to him to feed his power. She first appears in chapter 1.

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Erica Carmichael is based on the Model/Porn Star Erica Campbell. The character is 30 years old, with Blue eyes, and Brunette, Straight, Shoulder Length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 5" (1.65 m), and weighs 121 lb (54.88 kg). Her measurements are 38-25-36 in (97-64-91 cm) and her bust is 34D (86D).

As a student at the University of Texas at Arlington and studying Screenwriting, Erica shares Political Science with Seth. Erica is knocked over by Seth in PS. She's in too much of a hurry to even offer her name at the time, but she sees him at work the next night and is bowled over by the effects of his Fetish. She drags him to the office with the promise of showing him how some software works, but in order to use it, she needs to make a video first, and Seth doesn't argue with her choice in hardware. Erica is roommates with Leanne in Brazos House. She first appears in chapter 1.

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Jaime Hainsworth is based on the Model/Porn Star Jaime Hammer. The character is 30 years old, with Brown eyes, and Brunette, Straight, Long hair. She's Caucasian, has a Slim build, stands 5' 0" (1.52 m), and weighs 92 lb (41.73 kg). Her measurements are 36-24-33 in (91-61-84 cm) and her bust is 32D (81D).

Jaime is a Dom but not a Domminatrix. She has only one sub, Tony, and they've been together for an unknown amount of time. She occasionally Doms for other subs, but hasn't in several months. Lady Brighid introduced Seth to Jaime his first time to House Lacertae. Jaime helped Seth understand that he was what Doms and subs call a "Switch", which means he can fulfill either role. However, unlike most Switches, instead of making a conscious decision as to which role he would participate as, his position is determined by his emotions. She goes on to explain the roles of both aspects and helps him on his path as a Dom. She first appears in chapter 24.

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Jana Perreira is based on the Model/Porn Star Jana Defi. The character is 27 years old, with Brown eyes, and Black, Straight, Mid-Back Length hair. She's Caucasian, has a Slim build, stands 5' 8" (1.73 m), and weighs 120 lb (54.43 kg). Her measurements are 38-25-35 in (97-64-89 cm) and her bust is 32G (81G).

Jana is aware of the delimma Seth faces when Jordan tells her that Danielle is ill. In an effort to help Seth, and to prove to her girlfriend, Venera, that Seth really exists, she shows up at Seth's new apartment with her girlfriend in tow and begs Seth to bind Venera too. After a couple of hours of fun with the two people she cares for most, Jana falls ill too. She first appears in chapter 20.

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Jordan Krumm is based on the Model/Porn Star Jordan Carver. The character is 25 years old, with Gray Blue eyes, and Light Brown, Curly, Mid-Back Length hair. She's Caucasian, has a Slim build, stands 5' 6" (1.68 m), and weighs 121 lb (54.88 kg). Her measurements are 40-24-35 in (102-61-89 cm) and her bust is 32I (81I).

Jordan helps Seth find more Fonti when Danielle gets sick. She also teaches him a few lesser spells and helps him to build his first Fetish. She first appears in chapter 2.

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Katrina Hannes is based on the Model/Porn Star Karina Hart. The character is 23 years old, with Green eyes, and Brunette, Straight, Waist Length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 5" (1.65 m), and weighs 134 lb (60.78 kg). Her measurements are 42-30-40 in (107-76-102 cm) and her bust is 34H (86H).

Kartrina meets Seth in his Psychology class (she works as a Teacher's Aide for Professor Dumont), but she doesn't believe him when he claims to have slept with seven women in one week. However, she finds out first hand what his sexual prowess is like. It's too bad her master, Steven Heisler, won't free her. She would love to give herself completely to Seth and show him just how much she's willing to do. She first appears in chapter 1.

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Leanne Carlton is based on the Model/Porn Star Leanne Crow. The character is 23 years old, with Brown eyes, and Brunette, Wavy, Mid-Back Length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 7" (1.7 m), and weighs 140 lb (63.5 kg). Her measurements are 44-30-38 in (112-76-97 cm) and her bust is 34K (86K).

Leanne bumps into Seth going to English and asks to walk him to avoid another classmate, Neil. She sees Seth again the next night at work (Nicks N Picks) but her boss harrasses her and she quits on the spot (something she had been tempted to do for over a week). Leanne enjoys talking to Seth and decids to fool around a little. Things get crazy when Seth attempts to bind her withouth his Fetish, but they remedy that with another round of sex, which takes her virginity. As a student at the University of Texas at Arlington, studying Business Management, Leanne shares English with Seth. She is roommates with Erica in Brazos House. She first appears in chapter 1.

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Maria Morales is based on the Model/Porn Star Maria Moore. The character is 36 years old, with Dark Blue eyes, and Brunette, Wavy, Shoulder Length hair. She's Caucasian, has a BBW build, stands 5' 3" (1.6 m), and weighs 147 lb (66.68 kg). Her measurements are 46-33-39 in (117-84-99 cm) and her bust is 36K (91K).

Maria was the receptionist at the Fort Worth branch of the Texas Lotto offices. She first appears in chapter 4.

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Milena Veltri is based on the Model/Porn Star Milena Velba. The character is 41 years old, with Brown eyes, and Brunette, Straight, Shoulder Length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 4" (1.63 m), and weighs 130 lb (58.97 kg). Her measurements are 48-35-37 in (122-89-94 cm) and her bust is 36J (91J).

Milena has been the property Manager at the apartment complex for almost ten years, and when she met Jordan, she was willing to let her have an apartment though she didn't have a job or rental history. Milena never knew it but Jordan cast a spell on her to make her compliant regarding the apartment. When Jordan moved though, she wasn't influenced by her anymore. However, Milena was instructed by Jordan to allow Seth to have the same apartment and the turnover in occupancy had the unintended effect of allowing Milena to be influenced by Seth instead. As a last instruction, Jordan arranged for Milena to give Seth a special house warming gift, which made Milena one of Seth's Fonte. During a night cap, Seth finds out how desperate Milena is to have a baby. She first appears in chapter 8.

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Rebecca Parnell is based on the Model/Porn Star Rebecca Pauline. The character is 37 years old, with Green eyes, and Blonde, Wavy, Waist Length hair. She's Caucasian, has a Slim build, stands 5' 9" (1.75 m), and weighs 128 lb (58.06 kg). Her measurements are 43-24-35 in (109-61-89 cm) and her bust is 38E (97E).

Lady Brighid's pet. She first appears in chapter 23.

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Robyn Ramos is based on the Model/Porn Star Rebecca Anne Ramos. The character is 43 years old, with Dark Brown eyes, and Redhead, Wavy, Mid-Back Length hair. She's Latina, has a Slim build, stands 5' 5" (1.65 m), and weighs 110 lb (49.9 kg). Her measurements are 39-24-34 in (99-61-86 cm) and her bust is 34E (86E).

Robyn is the bank manager Seth tested his fetish on first. She first appears in chapter 4.

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Sammi Ashburn is based on the Model/Porn Star Danni Ashe. The character is 33 years old, with Blue eyes, and Blonde, Wavy, Mid-Back Length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 2" (1.57 m), and weighs 115 lb (52.16 kg). Her measurements are 39-23-38 in (99-58-97 cm) and her bust is 32G (81G).

Sammi needs a male model for her store's new line of exotic male underwear, and she asks Seth to give it a try. She argues with an ex-partner about how she wants to run her shop and after throwing him out of her store, she ravages Seth in the Studio. She first appears in chapter 5.

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Vanessa Isabella is based on the Model/Porn Star Sexy Vanessa. The character is 24 years old, with Hazel eyes, and Blonde, Straight, Waist Length hair. She's Caucasian, has a Slim build, stands 5' 3" (1.6 m), and weighs 107 lb (48.53 kg). Her measurements are 40-24-35 in (102-61-89 cm) and her bust is 32G (81G).

Vanessa and Jana have been together for two years. She knows how Jana feels about men though she's never been able to get Jana to talk about it. Recently, she's noticed a change in Jana. She hasn't been as rough during sex and less vehement when talking about men in general. Vanessa finally got Jana to spill the beans about Seth and was shocked to know her girl had been having sex with a man. Vanessa didn't feel threatened but she insisted on meeting him. She wants to know just what it is about him that has tamed Jana. She first appears in chapter 20.

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Raven is based on the Model/Porn Star Veronika Zemanova. The character is 36 years old, with Brown eyes, and Brunette, Straight, Mid-Back Length hair. She's Caucasian, has an Average build, stands 5' 5" (1.65 m), and weighs 121 lb (54.88 kg). Her measurements are 40-24-36 in (102-61-91 cm) and her bust is 36D (91D).

Raven helped Seth create his first fetish and talked about his home. She first appears in chapter 3.




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The End
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Posted:  2012-05-06
Last Modified: 2013-02-18 / 04:19:09 pm
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