Chapter 1

Trent sat in the back of the classroom, but he wasn't paying any attention at all to the teacher. It might have been because he was a senior and was almost positive he was going to be accepted to his first and second choice colleges and knew he could just coast through senior year, but that wasn't really it. His attention was elsewhere because with Dakota sitting three chairs up and a row over he couldn't concentrate on anything else, so he lightly jiggled his right leg and stared at her curly brown hair, which fell halfway down her back, and thought lascivious thoughts about the girl.

Dakota Stein had been the singular object of Trent's affection since they met in the ninth grade. They were in the same English class and were put into the same discussion group. There were four people in the group, but to Trent only one who mattered. It started as a crush on the pretty, funny girl. At first he thought she liked him too, but it was soon clear that Dakota thought of him as "just a friend." Trent became her friend, hoping that at some point she would wake up and realize what was right in front of her, especially when she would bitch about how some asshole guy she was dating treated her. Trent was always there when she needed him, to listen, to be a shoulder to cry on, but try as he might, he could never make the move and break out of The Friend Zone.

Over four years Trent's feelings moved on from a simple crush to something closer to an obsession. Dakota only grew more beautiful with each passing year, which didn't help him get over her. When she reached seventeen Dakota was a curvy, sexy young woman. Her butt was round and bubbly and Trent thought her tits were perfection and although he'd debated it many times he couldn't decide which he liked better. In his mind, and with the help of many bottles of Jergen's lotion, Trent had had Dakota in every way imaginable. With the help of skin-tight polo shirts and snug, low-rise jeans Trent had committed her every curve to memory, like some old time explorer mapping the New World. But unfortunately Dakota Stein was a mysterious land Trent Stack was never destined to plant his flag in. Or that was how it would be if he didn't take things into his own hands.

Trent was smart enough to know Dakota would never give him a second look, nor would he be getting into her panties without help. They were both seniors and next Fall they would be heading off to different colleges and his chance would be lost forever, so Trent began researching alternative ways to get what he wanted. The Internet is a great tool, with information on virtually everything, but it still took Trent months to find what he was looking for.

Nothing was off the table. He bought a book on hypnosis, but decided it would take too long to condition Dakota to do what he wanted. He read into things like Spanish Fly and discovered they were bullshit. There were all sorts of herbs and potions that promised to make any girl horny as Jenna Jamison, but Trent knew they were all a sham too. It wasn't until he found something called Animal Seduction that he thought he was onto something.

The website for Animal Seduction was bare and didn't feature all the screaming blurbs that the other websites had. Every website with some herbal aphrodisiac was loaded with testimonials and "true stories" about how effective the product was, but Animal Seduction just promised it would make its wearer irresistible to anyone who came close enough to feel its effects. There was Animal Seduction for Men and Animal Seduction for Women. The website just featured simple text and a picture of the bottles. No prices, no order form, no phone number, just an email address for more information. Trent sent an email right away and within an hour received a cryptic reply, which asked if he were really serious. The mystery emailer warned that Animal Seduction was potent stuff and that once he used it there was no going back. The product used a unique blend of pheromones which were impossible to resist, the email said. It also warned that it was not a one and done deal. Animal Seduction would trigger certain changes in the target's brain chemistry. Once the wearer was associated with the feelings it caused that association would only fade over time. Depending on the strength of the association it could take months or even years for the effects to wear off. If he was serious and understood the consequences of using Animal Seduction Trent was to reply to the email.

Of course he thought it was bullshit, but Trent did reply because all the cloak and dagger tricks were intriguing. His next email from the seller asked several questions about both Trent and the target he planned to use it on. The email warned him to tell the truth. There was an admonishment that Animal Seduction was not for anyone under twenty-one, as scrambled teenaged hormones could make it that much more powerful. Trent answered all the questions and bumped up both his and Dakota's ages. He sent that email off and then nothing happened for three weeks.

When he followed up with another email his new pen pal said it was a test to see if he was really serious. Trent replied that he was and received a final email giving him instructions to send $99.99 American through an e-pay system and that his product would follow in four to six weeks. Trent still thought it was mostly bullshit, but he was sucked in, so he broke out the credit card his parents gave him for emergencies and made the payment, which led to the longest month of his life.

Finally, at the end of January his order came. It was a small, nondescript brown box that came with the mail and was post marked from Thailand. That explained his mystery friend's poor English in his emails.

"Did you order something from overseas?" Trent's mother asked when he came home from school.

"Uh, I don't think so. Why?" He carefully responded. Some days he was able to get the mail, but his mother was a decorator and worked from a home office, so if she thought of it she brought the mail in before he got home from school.

"There's a box here for you," she said, slipping on her glasses so she could read the label and postmark. "It says it's come through air mail and it's from Thailand." She was holding the package and while he just wanted to snatch it from her hand Trent knew he had to play it cool.

"Oh, I know what that is, it's a cockroach I ordered for my AP Bio class. I know it's from Asia, but I didn't actually think it was shipping from there."

As he'd hoped, she dropped he box back on the kitchen counter with a disgusted snort. His mom hated bugs and usually fled from the room when she found one. "I don't think bringing bugs into the house is a good idea, Trent."

"Don't worry, it's not alive, it's dried. I need to dissect it and write a report." He retrieved the box from the counter and stashed it in his book bag.

"Is it even legal to import that sort of thing?"

Trent was sure it wasn't legal to import what was really in the box, but told his mother, "As long as it's dead I don't think there's a problem."

"Well, take that thing out of the kitchen."

"Don't worry, Mom, I'll make sure I dissect it when you're not around." He patted her on the back and gave her a peck on the check.

"I guess there's a reason I never did well in science. I could never do something like that."

"What did you do in high school? They did have you dissect things, didn't they?"

"Yes, we cut up baby dinosaurs, young man," she replied, catching his sarcastic tone of voice. "I would just get some guy to be my lab partner, flirt with him, and get him to do all the work. You'd be amazed what teenaged boys will do with the right motivation."

"Mom, I'm shocked," Trent said and they both laughed.

He'd seen pictures of his mother from back in the day and while he didn't think of her that way, he recognized that she was hot. After all, Rebecca Stack was literally a beauty queen, having been crowned Miss South Carolina when she was nineteen. And twenty-five years later she was still hot. Trent was well aware that his was the "hot mom" and that it wasn't a coincidence that all his friends wanted to hang out at his house in the summer. His mom didn't run around in a string bikini in front of his friends, but she did three Spin classes a week and ran every morning, so there was no hiding the incredible shape she was in even when she wore a one-piece. Trent caught his friends checking out his mom's ass when they thought he wasn't looking, but he just blew it off. It wasn't like he didn't stare at his friend Adam's mom's rack after she upgraded for her fortieth birthday.

Safely in his room with the door closed Trent opened his precious package. It was mostly shredded paper, but he found the little brown vial within and his first thought was that he'd been ripped off. There couldn't have been more than a few drops in the vial and when he opened it the clear liquid inside seemed like it was just water. It didn't smell like anything at all. Beside the vial and the packing material there was a slip of paper and a small bar of motel soap. The paper said to email for instructions once the package arrived. Feeling more than a little gypped Trent fired off an email

That night he had a reply congratulating him on taking the bold step to take destiny into his own hands. Whatever, he thought. The email advised that only a tiny drop was to be applied to the jugular as it was super potent. The Animal Seduction was to be applied thirty minutes before exposure to the subject and apparently the soap was special, meant to remove the drop from his body afterward. The email strongly warned to avoid anyone but the target after the liquid was applied and before it was washed off as it would turn any female exposed into an uncontrollable nympho. No matter what other feelings she may have, the target would not be able to resist the urges created by Animal Seduction.

Trent stared at the tiny vial in his hand and thought he had to be the biggest fool on the planet. How many other guys had fallen for this pitch, he wondered. Well, he told himself, it had been fun to fantasize about. He'd thought about Dakota getting one whiff and just ripping his pants off and promising to do anything he wanted just as long as he "gave it to her." Trent chuckled and threw the vial in his desk drawer and then went to get some of his mother's hand lotion from the bathroom.

The next day in school he caught up with Dakota at her locker between classes. He took a moment just to drink her in before saying hello. Her little denim skirt looked like it had been hacked off and only barely reached mid-thigh and though she was wearing two layers of shirts, a striped polo over a pink cami, they were both skintight and her big tits looked like they were going to rip free at any moment. The neck of the polo was stretched open by her chest and showed a couple inches of cleavage.

"Hey, Trent, what's going on?" Dakota asked when she saw him. Her smile was radiant and as he forced his eyes up from her chest he thought about all the interesting things she could do with those plump lips.

"Nothing much. Same shit, different day. Trying to figure out how to make June come faster."

"I know what you mean. I don't understand why they insist on giving us so much work to do after winter break. Don't they know we've already moved on? The next few months are about Prom and Senior Trip and partying. When am I supposed to find time to study for a Bio midterm?"

Trent wasn't really paying attention to what she said. He was lost in her big brown eyes and just nodding along.

"Hey, what are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Uh, what? Oh, uh, nothing really." He was supposed to be going over to Adam's house to watch Lost, and maybe go through his mom's porn videos if she wasn't home, but if Dakota had a better offer.

"I was wondering if you wanted to come over and study for the midterm. I mean, we can hang and stuff too, but I'm a wreck. I really need you, Trent." Dakota was giving him that look that rendered him incapable of saying no and he thought it had been a while since they'd hung out together. He didn't need the extra studying, but maybe she would be extra grateful for his help.

Trent chuckled and she asked what he was laughing at and he replied, "Nothing." He was thinking about what his mother said about flirting her way through Biology and wondered if Dakota was pulling the same thing on him. Did it matter? Maybe some guy had been all crazy about his mom too, back in the day. He told Dakota that he'd come over and study.

"It's a date!" She said with a big smile.

The next evening Trent was excited to be spending time with Dakota. When he went to her house Dakota's parents always left them alone in the rec room in the basement, so they'd have plenty of time alone. It was like even her mom and dad knew he had no chance. He pulled open his desk drawer looking for his calculator and the little vial of Animal Attraction rolled to the front. At first he ignored it, but then he picked it up and examined it. No way, he thought. It's just water, dude. But if it's just water what would it hurt to give it a shot? He tucked the vial into his pocket and grabbed his book bag.

"Honey, I really don't think you should be going out tonight. We're right on the line of the storm turning to all ice," his mother said when he went into the kitchen for the car keys.

"Mom, I have to go. Dakota's waiting for me." He replied petulantly.

"And you wouldn't want to disappoint Dakota, now would you."

"Mom..."

"I'm sorry for teasing you. I just think it's her loss if she doesn't realize what a great guy you are, that's all."

"You have to think that, you're my mother."

"I'm sure there are other girls at school who think you're cute."

"Yeah, they're knocking down my door. Can I go now?" Trent wasn't a bad looking guy, but he wasn't going to be replacing Usher on the cover of a magazine any time soon. He was just about 5'9" and skinny, with unruly brown hair that flopped about. All in all, just an average seventeen-year-old kid.

"You really should stay home. Your father isn't even driving home tonight. He's staying in the city so he can make sure he gets to court in them morning."

"But Dad is all the way downtown. I'm only going like three miles."

"Okay, you can go but I want you home by ten, or sooner if the weather turns bad."

"I will."

"Promise?"

"Yes, Mom, I promise. I really have to go now."

"Be careful, kid."

She insisted on giving him a hug and Trent let her even though he felt silly. It was nice his mom loved him and all, but Trent was a man now and he didn't need to hug his mommy every time he left the house.

While the car was warming up, Trent dug the vial out of his pocket and decided to give it a shot, even though he was sure it wasn't going to do anything. He put a drop on his pinky and pressed it to his throat. There was a sense of disappointment as he thought, is that it? At least it would give him something to fantasize about.

Trent thought it was only raining when he left, but he'd barely gotten a mile away when he realized the roads were covered in ice. There were only one or two other cars on the road, everyone else having the sense to stay home in the bad weather, but Trent was determined to get to Dakota's house so he slowed down and gripped the wheel tightly and focused through the icy windshield. All the focus in the world didn't help him when he hit a patch of black ice and the car went into a long skid. Trent hit the brakes and twisted the wheel the other way, but the car kept sliding toward the curb. He cursed as the car jumped the curb with a violent thump and kept skidding until it slammed into a thicket of bushes. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was suddenly drenched in sweat. He watched the wipers beating across the windshield and tried to force himself to stop shaking.

The engine was still running and when he calmed down enough Trent shifted into reverse, but the car shuttered and stayed in the same spot. "Shit," he said and tried it again, but nothing. He put it in park and got out to check out the damage. The bumper was crushed in and the front of the car was hung up on the thicket. It didn't look like he was going to be able to get the car out of there without ripping the bumper off. He said, "Shit," again because he knew his parents were going to kill him, especially his mother, who told him not to go out in the first place. She loved being right and Trent was never going to hear the end of it. At least his dad would just dress him down and let it go. The light sleet was turning into a full blown ice storm and Trent realized he wasn't getting the car out of there tonight so he had to go home and face the music. He shut off the car, grabbed his book bag and started walking back home.

It was a miserable half-hour walk and by the time he got home Trent was soaking wet and his hair was frozen down to his scalp. He came into the kitchen through the back door and stomped and shook to get rid of the ice and water melting off him. The house was completely dark, but he couldn't imagine his mother had gone to bed so early, especially with him still out, but then he saw even the microwave was blank and realized the power must have gone out from the storm.

"Trent is that you?" His mother called from the other room.

"Yeah, it's me." Trent dropped his book bag on the floor and started peeling off his jacket and hat and gloves. The relative warmth of the house was already melting the ice coating him, making him freezing, dripping wet and miserable.