Chapter 30

Heather stood off to the side of the examination table, dressed again in the clothes she was wearing when she had arrived. She barely remembered taking them off, and remembered nothing of what had happened from there. Yet she felt a sense of euphoria, a gentle feeling of well-being through her entire body and mind.

When Nyssa stepped in front of her, she smiled at her Mistress.

Nyssa smiled in return and cupped one of Heather's cheeks. Heather closed her eyes and uttered a slow sigh of contentment.

"I know everything you do now, my pet," Nyssa said in a low voice. "Every little secret you have is now mine."

"I wouldn't keep secrets from you, Mistress," Heather said, her voice soft yet urgent.

"Yes, my slave, I know that now. You've been a good pet to your Mistress." Nyssa stroked her cheek once.

Heather drew in her breath as she felt her pussy and her nipples tingle in reward. "Thank you, Mistress," she moaned.

Nyssa withdrew her hand. Her slave looked to her expectantly.

"It was quite clever," Nyssa said after a moment's pause. "Very clever indeed. I didn't see it at first. I had assumed you simply had a very strong will. But that wasn't it at all."

Heather gave Nyssa a quizzical look but said nothing in comment.

"She gave you a Gift," Nyssa explained. "You were only beginning to learn to use it. She placed it in your head. It was very powerful magic. Even I cannot remove it completely. I will have to be content with making it serve me instead. Eventually."

Dimly, Heather was aware of what Nyssa was talking about now. Her lips parted briefly, and in that instant she felt as if something had gone dreadfully wrong. It did not last long, but Nyssa saw it immediately.

"And even now it tries to fight. It tries to resist. It will take me some time to tame it. To completely make you my slave."

"I-I already am your slave, Mistress," Heather said, her voice quavering.

"No, not totally... " Nyssa trailed a finger along Heather's arm. Heather shuddered as her nipples hardened and throbbed. "But enough for now. Though... the next thing I ask of you is something you may have trouble with."

Heather moaned as Nyssa drew her fingers down around Heather's hip. The pleasure was enhanced by her own thoughts of obedience. "I'll do anything you say, Mistress..."

"Always remember, slave. I reward good behavior." Nyssa slid her fingers around one thigh and to Heather's crotch. "I reward it very well..."

Nyssa flicked her finger. Heather mewled as she came. Her desire to have Nyssa command her grew stronger until it became a need in and of itself.

Nyssa paused, then pressed her hand more firmly against Heather's crotch. Heather's orgasm continued softly, making her pant. "Feel the pleasure, my pet. This is yours when you obey."

"Uhhhn!... y-yes Mistress... I will o-obey... please tell me what you want... "

"I want Jason."

Heather's eyes flickered open. "J-Jason?... what... ?"

Nyssa removed her hand. At once, Heather's orgasm faded and died. Heather uttered a small whimper as the pleasure vanished from everywhere in her body at once. She felt as if a chill had descended upon her.

"I want Jason," Nyssa repeated, turning her icy gaze on Heather. "He's the only one that can stop me."

Heather cringed under Nyssa's gaze, the chill becoming a heart-stopping arctic cold. "S-stop you, Mistress? But... but he's not..."

"You see, my pet? Even now that tiny corner of your mind I cannot completely breach tries to resist. It tries to protect him. But you, slave, you will not protect him."

Heather swallowed. "I... I w-will not protect him..."

"He's going to run, isn't he? He's not going to come to me when I call him? I can see it your mind already, don't lie to me."

Heather was panting as she struggled. "Y-yes... yes, he... h-he wants to run..."

"But you're going to stop him, my slave. You're going to do as your Mistress commands."

Heather gave Nyssa a forlorn look but said nothing, biting her lip.

Nyssa could see the struggle in Heather's mind, and now she knew the reason why. Heather's desire for her little sister had been planted there. It had not been her own fantasy, but something someone else had instilled in her. Nyssa did not know whether this was simply a side-effect of the precognitive Gift she received or if there were some other purpose in mind.

In either case, it was very clear: someone already knew of the Darkness and had enlisted four teens to help fight it. Her lips curled into a wicked smile. Were four teens. Now only one, one that would be hers soon enough.

But first, Heather was going to need some added incentive.

Nyssa stepped behind Heather. Heather's breath grew short and her heart began to pound. She shuddered when Nyssa's hands alighted on her shoulders. "You're going to do as your Mistress commands," Nyssa purred into Heather's ear.

Slowly, her hands slid down and around Heather's body and cupped Heather's breasts. Heather uttered a soft but shrill cry as she came almost immediately from the touch.

"You're going to obey your Mistress."

Nyssa tweaked her nipples. Heather staggered, gasping for breath, as her pussy throbbed.

"Oh yes... you feel the pleasure, don't you?... It will get more and more intense as you think about submitting to my wishes..."

Heather moaned loudly, her body quaking with lust. Her cunt convulsed with the strength of her continuing orgasm. Each cry from that hidden corner of her mind to resist was met with an equally strong scream of a need to obey.

"But that's not going to be enough is it? Not quite enough..."

"M-Mistress... p-please... uhhhnn!... c-can't think..."

"I don't want you to think, slave. I want you to obey. And here is what will make you obey... your little sister Melinda."

"Uhhhn!!... Uhhh!... wh-what... ohhh..."

"She's your slave now. She's your toy. But she still has a mind. She has her memories and her own little desires... I can change that..."

Heather squirmed and writhed against Nyssa, her pussy still pulsing with almost unbearable pleasure. "Uhhn... what... no..."

"I can empty that little mind of hers... completely... totally... she's be just a fucktoy... nothing else... she'll eat, sleep, and please you, but nothing else..."

Heather squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She tried to wall off her mind against the overwhelming sexual pleasure, but it was in vain. The only thing that was nearly as strong was the horror she felt at the idea of Melinda being nothing but a mindless, empty shell.

"You don't want that. You want her as your slave, but you don't want her mindless."

Heather let out a scream, half in pleasure, half in terror.

Nyssa relented and pulled back. Heather moaned and fell on all fours, panting wildly as her orgasm finally abated. Nyssa stepped around her such that she was looked down at Nyssa's feet. "Now, my pet. What will you do for me tomorrow?"

Heather had to pause to catch her breath. "D-do... t-tomorrow?"

"Yes, tomorrow. I cannot wait any longer. He is a threat to me. Now... what will you do for me, slave?"

"I-I'll... I'll make sure he comes to you, Mistress..."

"Will you fail me?"

"No, Mistress..."

"Because if you do..."

Heather whined and tears dripped from her eyes. "P-please no... don't m-make her mindless... I-I won't fail... I'll do as you say... I'll obey..."

Nyssa slid a foot forward and let some of Heather's tears splash on it. She slowly smiled. "Stand up, slave."

Heather immediately rose to her feet, still panting lightly.

Nyssa touched Heather's cheek briefly. Heather flinched, and then uttered a soft, mewling sound.

"A little added incentive, my pet," Nyssa said in a sultry voice. "You're going to stay just a little horny until you do what I wish of you. Not even your slave will get you off until you finish your task. Then I will allow you to cum."

Heather felt exhausted, both physically and mentally. The little bit of resistance in her mind was overwhelmed. It could not stand up against what Nyssa had put her through, and now it was kept at bay by the waves of pleasure washing over her from her pussy, and the need to seek sexual release. This was just one of the all-pervading thoughts in her mind, that release would not come without obedience.

The other thought, the one that made her shiver, was what pushed her over the edge and into total submission. She had to protect her little sister. As much as she desired her as a sex slave, she still loved her as a sister.

"Yes, Mistress," she said in a steadier voice, her eyes filled with devotion and loyalty. "I will do as you wish."

Nyssa nodded slowly, smiling in satisfaction.

Yet... something was still not right.

She had the uneasy feeling that Heather was still keeping something from her. That tiny corner of Heather's mind where Mara had placed the Gift had not been completely breached. She could sense it, she could see that there was something inside of it. It was possible it might have lifted a thought from Heather's mind when she was being enthralled and thus kept it out of Nyssa's reach.

If Nyssa knew the right question to ask, Heather would eventually be compelled to speak this hidden truth. It would be forced to yield rather than have Heather suffer for disobedience. But what was the question?

There was nothing more maddening than wishing an answer when one does not know the question in the first place.

It did not matter. It would weaken eventually. She had sensed it straining to maintain itself against the intense emotion that had flooded Heather's mind earlier. Nyssa had hoped that would break it utterly, but it proved too hard to crack. It would have to be worn away slowly over time.

It would not stand up to her. It was no threat to her losing control of Heather, Melinda, or Richie. All it meant was that she would have to expend more energy than normal to maintain it.

Jason was brooding silently as he and Cassie walked into the cafeteria together. Cassie couldn't stand the quiet between them and spoke up first. "They didn't do too bad for their first time."

Jason waited until they approached the serving line before speaking again. "It could have been better," he said simply.

"Well, it was their first time. This was just a dry run anyway."

"Becky's too timid. The only reason she could tell us that Heather had been to see the nurse again was because we had already told her that. I doubt she got within twenty feet of the nurse's station."

"She said she was in a hurry to get to her next class."

"Cassie, I specifically scheduled her for the time slot where her class was practically right next to Nyssa's door, and it was right at the time I estimated Heather would be finishing up with the nurse, assuming Nyssa calls them back in the same order that they were originally taken."

Cassie nodded absently. It had been Jason's idea to have them observe Nyssa's office in turn as they changed classes, just as a dry run for Thursday. Unfortunately, it was the only dry run they would get.

"I'm sure she'll improve with time," Cassie commented.

Jason lapsed into silence again until they had paid for their lunch and headed over to a table. "Yeah, I know," he said sullenly. "I'm just not sure we have a lot of time to get her up to speed."

"Ned did really well."

"With Ned, I'm more worried he'll go too far," said Jason as they sat down. "He's so gung-ho I half-expected him to storm Nyssa's office like it was the Bastille."

"Don't you have anything good to say?" Cassie said crossly.

Jason paused and stared at her.

Cassie sighed. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay. Sorry I'm being such a sourpuss."

"Can you tell me what's wrong?"

Jason stared down at his food. His appetite was rapidly waning. "I'm feeling a little lost, Cassie."

Cassie tentatively laid a hand on Jason's shoulder. "Melinda?"

"Melinda. Heather. Richie." Jason shook his head. "I feel like I've lost control of everything. I feel like I've lost them."

Cassie squeezed his shoulder lightly. He raised his head and looked at her, his eyes shimmering.

"Cassie, has there been anything in your dreams at all that could tell us if this is permanent?" Jason pleaded. "Anything at all?"

"I wish I could, Jason. I mean... I do get a sense of time urgency from these dreams. But I can't tell what that means." Cassie paused a moment. "Look, Melinda told me that you guys were constantly put in and out of control at the House, right?"

Jason nodded.

"So then that means the control can be lifted. Someone can be freed from it."

"Yeah, but only if the controller wants to do it. If you're the one being controlled, you can't do anything against it. What you're saying is that we'd have to get Nyssa to release them."

Cassie paused a moment before turning away, stricken. "Jason, what do you want from me?" she asked in a choked voice. "I wish my dreams were more detailed. I wish I had these answers, I really do."

"Hey, it's okay, I..."

A few tears slid down Cassie's cheeks. "I j-just feel that for the first time my dreams are actually useful and now it's the opposite problem. They're not good enough."

Jason draped an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, it's okay. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way."

Cassie looked at him, her eyes still wet but hardening as well. "It's frustrating, Jason. I feel like I'm on the verge of something with these dreams. In that last dream with Nyssa, the one where she was talking to the Darkness, I think she was a little worried."

"Worried? You didn't mention this before, unless..." Jason's gaze narrowed. "Don't tell me this just because you think it will make me feel better..."

"Well, maybe I am, in a way, but it's the truth."

It was, however, a stretch. The emotions that Cassie felt in a dream like this came to her in such a rush that it was often hard to sort them all out. It sometimes took her days of thinking about them and writing them down in her journal before she understood everything.

Her journal! She was surprised that this was the first time she had thought about her journal in what seemed like a long time. She had not been keeping it up. There was too much else on her mind and too many other things to do for the Harbingers.

And yet, even then, it could take up to a week for her to completely interpret a dream. They simply did not have that sort of time. She was afraid to tell him this for fear that she would be thought of as useless again.

"Cassie, are you sure of this? If she's worried, then maybe we're having an effect on her. But if she's not, we have to figure out something else to do."

Cassie felt her heart pounding. She briefly hated him for doing this to her. He was making his actions hinge on her dreams. She tried to conjure up the imagery from the dream again and what she had been feeling while it was happening. She tried to let herself experience all the emotion of it. Yes, it was there. Or she thought it was there. She wasn't completely sure. Her instincts told her she was right. Her intellect told her she could be wrong.

She decided to go with her instinct.

"Yes, I'm sure," Cassie said, her voice slightly hollow. She took a deep breath and repeated with more confidence, "Yes, I'm sure she was feeling nervous. We could be having an effect on her."

Jason looked intensely thoughtful for a few moments. "Cassie, this Thursday, there can't be any failures. They have to find all three of the new ones that will be taken."

Cassie nodded quickly. "We'll try."

"And this Friday, they can't miss stopping even a single one. They have to stop all of them, Cassie."

Cassie nodded again, more slowly. Something was bothering her about the way he was talking. "We won't be able to watch for the ones taken Friday, then."

"Right. You'll have to concentrate on the one batch."

"Or divide them up? Concentrate on only two Friday so we have time to..."

"No. Stopping three at once will be a much more powerful message to her. Handing her a complete failure like that may be the edge you all need."

Cassie shivered as she realized what it was that bothered her. "Jason, why do you keep saying 'they' and 'you'?"

"I need you to come by my locker after lunch. I want to give you the list of addresses and the rotation schedule."

Cassie's eyes widened. "Why?"

Jason hesitated. "Just in case."

Cassie groaned. "Jason, don't do this to me!"

"What?"

"Don't try to put me in charge!"

"I'm not! What's there to be in charge of? You all know what you're supposed to do. The only thing that I have that you don't are those two items I mentioned."

"But you're talking as if you expect to be taken!"

"Look, I'm not going to be taken. Calm down already," Jason said, exasperated. "But if I have to leave the school to stop it, I might not be able to get that stuff to you in time. "

"But..."

"No buts! You can read a printout as much as I can. You know how to read a map. You all can figure out who goes where. It's not that hard, Cassie."

Cassie had to pause to take a few deep breaths, her heart hammering in her chest.

"Now you see why I didn't want to be considered the leader of this group. It makes you all think I'm indispensable."

"Jason... are you sure... are you absolutely sure that she can't go after people she's failed to get the first time?"

"I don't know for sure. All I know is from observation. I have a good feeling about it. Just like I have a good feeling that she doesn't know that you or Ned or Becky or Diane can see auras..."

"Diane can't."

Jason paused. "Yes, right. She's so enthusiastic about wanting to help I forget that sometimes. But she doesn't need to in order to help stop someone. You already know who it is by then. The point is, I don't think Nyssa knows."

"Unless Heather's told her. Or Richie."

Jason was silent for a long moment.

Cassie looked sheepish. "Please tell me you thought about that already..."

Yes, he had thought about it, and it had worried him. If Heather and Richie were in her thrall, it stood to reason they would be compelled to be truthful with her.

Yet no one had gone after Cassie, Ned, or Becky. Even if they could not be taken again, surely Nyssa could order any of her slaves to put more conventional impediments in their way.

"It doesn't matter," Jason said flatly. "We don't have any alternatives. We have to continue on and just hope that things don't quite work that way."

Cassie nodded slowly. She glanced down at her lunch. Now she had lost her appetite as well.

Nyssa smiled wickedly as she traced a single finger down Richie's back, watching him tremble and strain against the inside of his pants. He tried not to show it. He suppressed the moan, biting his lower lip instead. Nyssa had let some of his real personality show through when in her thrall. She found it amusing.

"Now, my pet," Nyssa cooed in his ear. "You would not keep any secrets from me, would you?"