Chapter 24

Jason was a bit bleary-eyed the next morning. He had been up until nearly one in the morning trying to get into Marcie Fuller's calendar manager. Even after breaking into her account, he had to figure out what files he needed to modify. She was not exactly the most organized person in the world.

His efforts appeared to pay off. Now when he logged into the account, he saw that it already had a note entered by Marcie not five minutes before from the mother of a student claiming her son had the flu.

This confirmed he had the right file, but now he was concerned Marcie would notice two new entries popping up out of nowhere. He had little choice but to take the chance.

He added a note for himself, indicating that he had a cold. Then he added one for Richie, claiming an earache. He hoped to get to a computer before the afternoon check call, delete the entries, and pray that Marcie did not notice. She had never been that bright to begin with, and Jason did not believe that being permanently enslaved to Laura Bendon had helped it much.

Now he had to deal with his mother.

"Jason! The bus will be here soon!" his mother called out from downstairs, as if on cue.

"Coming!" He logged off his computer and bolted for the door, grabbing his backpack and slinging it over one shoulder without slowing down. He was careful to take the stairs one step at a time and not rush.

Audrey wore the same look of mild concern that she had been exhibiting for the past few days. Jason had tried not to worry about it.

"Mom, I was thinking of taking my bike to school today," Jason said.

Audrey looked surprised. "Really?"

Jason nodded as he stepped off the stairs. "Just thought it would be nice to get away from the other kids."

He hoped this would work. His mother already knew he used to have difficulties on the bus. Though now his mother tilted her head and gave him an appraising look. Jason recognized it and inwardly sighed.

"Is everything okay at school, Jason?" she asked.

Jason recognized that tone as well. It meant that she already knew or had heard something, and denying it was only going to make her suspicious. So he had to play up to it. "Um, well ... it's not that bad. I've just been getting teased a lot lately by the other kids. More so than usual, I mean, and I just want a break from it."

Audrey folded her arms and pursed her lips slightly. "Jason, I'm a little worried about you."

"Um, why's that, Mom?"

"Before I answer that, I want you to tell me what the others are teasing you about."

"The usual stuff. Being the class nerd, that sort of thing."

Audrey looked expectantly at him.

Yeah, she knows something. Shit. "And ... and they tease me about the girls I've been going with," he said, his cheeks pink. "I guess they're jealous or something."

Audrey took a deep breath and let it go. "Jason, there have been some awful rumors circulating about you. I've been hearing it from some of the other parents. Are you sure there's nothing else you need to tell me?"

Jason tried to look confused. "Rumors? What rumors? And no, there's nothing else to tell you."

Audrey's lips drew to a thin line. "I hope there's nothing else, Jason. I hope you understand that there are certain things you are just too young to think about doing."

Jason gave her his best bewildered look. "Huh?"

"You're too young to think about ... about taking a relationship too far. Personally I think that sort of thing should wait until marriage, but..."

Jason looked alarmed. "Is that what you heard? That I've been having sex?" His voice quavered as he spoke. "Jeez, Mom, no offense, but give me a little more credit than that. I don't want to come down with something awful or get some girl pregnant. Wow. I don't know who started that fantastic rumor but..."

"Well, never mind that," Audrey said, looking relieved. "It's enough to know you're being smart about it."

Jason nodded and tried to smile. He hated having to deceive her like this. He appreciated her concern for his well-being. He wished he could explain things to her and make her understand, but that was beyond his abilities.

Audrey smiled and ruffled his hair. "All right, go ahead and bike to school. But stay at the bus stop long enough to tell the driver you won't be on that morning so I don't get a call later."

"Sure thing, Mom," Jason said, his smile more genuine now. "See you later."

"Hmm..." Bill Radson mused as he put on his jacket.

"Is this something you can do for me, Mr. Radson?" Melissa asked.

"Oh, yes, I can do it." He smiled and chuckled. "Considering the big projects I work on all day, it would be a nice change of pace to do something small like that."

"Would you have trouble obtaining the wood?"

"We have some at the construction site for trimming and finishing work. I could easily lift some from the waste pile. It would go to recycling anyway."

Melissa smiled. "Wonderful, Mr. Radson. I was worried you wouldn't be able to find it."

"It is unusual, yes, but I can swing it. Mind you, I won't be able to work on it until this evening."

"Do you think you could finish it tonight?" Melissa asked hopefully.

"Hmm. Not sure about that. Delicate work."

"I really would appreciate it if you could finish it tonight."

"Well, I'll try, but..."

Melissa mentally pushed a bit more. "I really need you to do it tonight."

Bill paused. He slowly nodded. "Yes, of course. I'll get that done for you tonight, Melissa. You can pick it up tomorrow morning."

Melissa smiled broadly. "Thank you, Mr. Radson, you've been a big help."

Bill smiled in return. He swept his gaze around the room. "Now, where did Debby and Susan go?"

"They're busy in the kitchen, Mr. Radson. I'll tell them you left."

"Thank you. Well, have a nice day at school." Bill tipped his hardhat to her and left.

Melissa headed into the kitchen. Soft moans greeted her as she entered. She grinned at her two charges, who sat in adjacent chairs, each with her hand down the other's panties.

"I'd make you do more, but Susan has to get to school," Melissa said. "Now make each other cum quickly."

Their hands moved faster, causing each of them to squirm and pant. First Debby then Susan cried out softly in orgasm.

"Susan, wait for me at the door. We'll go to school together. I know you'll love that."

Susan nodded silently, her eyes glazed and listless. She withdrew her hand from her mother's sex and left the room without a backwards glance.

"You're breaking her," Debby said, her eyes glistening. "Susan is so withdrawn now. She barely says a word to anyone when you're not around."

"Her mouth is being put to better uses," Melissa said casually as she took a seat across the table from Debby. "You don't seem to mind."

Melissa applied her will. Debby shuddered and her cheeks reddened. "Yes, I love it when she eats me out until I cum so hard I scream." She whimpered and closed her eyes. "S-stop making me say these things..."

"I could make it worse for you, Mrs. Radson. A lot worse."

Debby shuddered. She yanked her jeans and panties down her legs and masturbated in a wild frenzy.

"I could make you do that all day. I could make you want to do it all day. Would you like to be addicted to frigging yourself? Ten times a day? Twenty? Or you just simply have to do it every waking moment?"

"Uhhn ... n-no ... p-please, Melissa... !"

Wet sounds filled the room. Melissa pushed harder. Debby uttered a desperate cry as she felt the Darkness closing in on her, suffocating what was left of her free will. She struggled against it, but the pressure against her mental shield only increased.

Each time Melissa nudged a little harder, that remaining bit of will pushed back. She could sense it quivering before her. It could not hold out indefinitely. Yet she sensed her link to Brad already growing weaker. He would slip from her control if she kept this up.

Melissa pushed again. Debby frantically finger-fucked herself. It was becoming an all-consuming need. She was at the edge of a chasm filled with inky black. If she slid into it, she would fall and never come back out. She dug in her heels and resisted with everything she had left.

Melissa's control over Brad was tenuous now. She could already sense some bewilderment on his part as to what he had been doing for the past few days. She was losing him.

You will not lose him if you put everything into one push.

Melissa panted and pushed a little harder. Debby's resistance trembled, but refused to yield. The essence that made her Debby Radson still lay just barely out of Melissa's reach.

Everything. All your power. One quick burst.

Melissa swallowed. She could feel it. Energy throbbed and strained, as if eager to be unleashed. One second was all it would take, and it would be over. Debby would be neutralized. She would be practically mindless.

You will put the thoughts in her head that she needs to survive. But then discard her. She is unimportant.

Melissa clenched her teeth. One push. She could do it. She felt the power waiting to be used. Mindless. Debby would be utterly broken. Mindless. She would be better off dead.

Then arrange that instead if you wish.

Melissa uttered a tiny gasp. She pulled back, mentally and physically. Debby felt the intense pressure vanish, and the tendrils of Darkness snap back. Her hand moved at a more sedate pace. She cried out softly in orgasm, moaning in distress at the deep ache in her pussy.

Melissa took a deep breath and let it go. Her eyes burned as she gazed at Debby again. "You see? I could have destroyed you just now. I could have left you nothing more than a puppet. A little wind-up toy. A husk. Don't cross me. Don't ever cross me. Don't even fucking think about crossing me!"

Melissa shot out of her chair and burst out of the room. In her anger, she lashed out at Susan mentally and made her collapse to the floor in a mind-numbing orgasm.

Melissa took a few more deep breaths to calm herself. She eased off Susan. "Get up, you look pathetic."

Susan rose slowly to her feet, still panting.

"After school, I want you and Ann to go to that adult shop on Oak Street," Melissa said. "Buy the biggest dildo they have. Then go home and take turns fucking yourselves senseless with it."

Susan shuddered. "Yes, Melissa," she said softly. She trembled as she already grew horny just thinking about it.

"Now, come on. And try not to moan at every little orgasm you get along the way."

Melissa had to keep her anger engaged. It was the only way she could drown out the pendant. It was not speaking to her directly, but she could sense its presence in her head. And it was not pleased with her.

It was not pleased at all.

Diane stepped off the school bus just as another pulled in behind it. She smiled faintly and felt a tingle in her sex as she drifted in that direction, waiting for Heather to emerge.

It had been a long time since Diane could remember herself feeling this happy. She had finally consummated her relationship with Heather and didn't need to hide it from anyone. She didn't even care about the mocking sniggers and vicious gossip that she had heard around her through the bus ride.

Heather saw Diane and waved. Diane rushed over to her lover. "Hi, Heather, did you ... oh!"

Heather leaned in and kissed Diane on the mouth. Diane uttered a slow sigh through her nose. The kiss did not last long, but it was tender and affectionate. It left Diane with a feeling of pleasant warmth over her body despite the chill air.

"Ugh. Are you two going to suck face like that every morning now?" Melinda piped, wrinkling her nose.

Diane smirked. "Not like you don't know what it's like to do another girl, right?"

Melinda blushed. "Oh, shut up. For your information, we've hardly done anything since you two got it on. Not much, anyway."

"I just make her touch herself when she's trying to get dressed," Heather said with a giggle.

"Yeah, and you almost made us miss the bus, you bubblehead!"

Heather and Diane laughed. To Diane, it was like old times again.

"I just wish you two hadn't done it in front of everyone the other day. I'm getting teased because of it," Melinda said sullenly.

"Not like I had a choice, runt," said Heather. "And I don't really care. You'll just have to deal."

"Or maybe I can help."

The voice caught them all by surprise, but Melinda recovered first. "Go fuck yourself, Brad, you big turd," she hissed.

Brad cast a disdainful look at her. "Sorry, I don't listen to little kids."

"Little kid?!" Melinda screeched. "Listen, you fuckhead, I... !"

"Melinda, hush," said Heather. "Let me handle this."

"Ooo, you're gonna handle me?" Brad said with a smarmy grin. "I got something I want ya to handle, babe."

Heather smiled coldly. "Better 'handle' that yourself, because that's the closest you're going to get to me touching it."

"Yeah? Maybe I can change your mind."

"Don't you dare!" Melinda cried. "You do that, and I'll see it for sure! You can't get away with anything that the rest of us won't know about!"

"She's right, Brad," Diane said, feeling a little bolder with Heather next to her. "They can see if you mess with Heather."

Brad turned to Diane. "Then maybe I should check you out, instead."

Diane's eyes widened, and her foot moved as if to back up a step.

"In case your tiny little brain hasn't figured it out yet, Brad, Diane's not into guys," Heather said loftily.

"Oh yeah? Betcha I could change that. Would you like that, Diane, huh?"

Diane suddenly drew in her breath sharply as another wave of heat passed over her. She let it go as a ragged sigh, her pussy tingly and hot. She closed her eyes and shook her head violently as an image of herself humping his cock filled her head.

Brad smirked. "Yeah, that'll feel good, huh? That'll be better than anything Heather could stick in there."

Diane moaned and shivered, partially out of forced arousal, partially from utter revulsion. Each stroke of a phantom cock in her mind's eye increased her desire and disgust in equal measure.

Heather stepped between Diane and Brad. "Stop it! Leave her alone!"

"Diane? Are you all right?" Melinda called out.

"N-no ... please, stop..." Diane moaned as she staggered against Melinda, panting softly. She shuddered as her pussy throbbed.

Brad grinned. "Yeah, I can do it for you, Diane. Just you and me. I'll show you what you're missing out on when..."

"Ned, no!!" came a sudden shout behind them.

The next moment, Brad was nearly knocked off his feet. He staggered to the side, twisting his body to avoid falling, but just barely. He spun around and glared at his attacker.

"Ya hard o'hearin', dude?" said an red-faced Ned, his hands clenched, his eyes narrowed to angry slits. "Or ya jus' got bonked in the head with the football to many times? Lady said leave her alone."

Diane took advantage of the distraction. Breaking Brad's concentration had freed her from his influence. She swallowed and staggered away, trying to ignore the lingering ache from her forced orgasm.

Heather came up to her and draped an arm around her shoulders. "You okay?"

Diane nodded, still catching her breath. "I'm fine now. Thank you."

Cassie ran up to them and clutched at Ned's arm. "Ned, please, he'll hurt you!"

Brad snickered. "Ooo, he'll hurt you!" he cried in a mocking falsetto before he dissolved into laughter. He made a come-on gesture to Ned. "Fine. Go ahead, take a swing at me. You pussy. You freak."

Ned clenched his teeth and shook with rage. His muscles tensed. Cassie tightened her hold on his arm. "Dude, I grew up in Bed-Stuy in New York. Ya don't know what yer messin' with. An' ... mebbe I don't wanna see ya hurt that bad."

Brad smirked. "Awful sweet of you, nosy. But then maybe I want to see you hurt."

"AHEM."

Brad snapped his head around and froze. Ned just smirked.

"Well, Mr. Weston?" said Mr. Seeger. "Care to explain that little threat you just made?"

"Brad started it this time!" Melinda cried. "He did! He... !"

"Enough, Miss Sovert. I am very well aware of what happened." He turned back to Brad. "I'm waiting, Mr. Weston."

"Uh ... um, well..."

"Yes, I see you are as eloquent as always."

Melinda had to clamp her hand over her mouth to avoid laughing.

"This time you have no excuse. You made a very clear and overt threat. Your detention is extended to two weeks."

Brad's mouth dropped open. "What?!"

"Is there a problem, Mr. Weston?"

"What about the No ... Ned? He shoved me!"

Seeger looked at Ned. Ned cracked a tiny smile and tipped an imaginary hat at him. Seeger's jaw tightened. "I saw no such thing."

Brad fumed silently. Cassie glanced curiously at Seeger.

"No more argument from you. Get to class. That goes for all of you." Seeger turned on his heel and left. Brad glared at the others before he headed away as well.

"Well, that takes care of that bag of hot air," Ned said with a grin. "All in a day's work for... mmph!"

Cassie had thrown her arms around him and kissed him full on the lips.

Ned just stared at her when she broke off. "Um ... wow ... I, uh ... what was that for?"

"For not trying to fight him," Cassie said. "I prefer you intact."

"What is this, Haven kiss-in-public day? Jeez!" Melinda piped.

"Sounds good to me," Ned said, still grinning. Cassie giggled.

"We lucked out," Diane said. "Seeger could've given you detention, Ned, and we'd really be screwed having another member down."

"I don't know about that, Diane," said Cassie. "I don't think it was luck. I saw Seeger while I was running over to you. He was looking right at you, Ned. He did see you push him."

Ned blinked. "He did? Why ain't I gonna serve time with Brad then?"

"Does it matter?" Melinda said. "Maybe he finally figured out Brad's a total dick."

"Anyway, we better get to class," Cassie said.

"Um, you all go on," Heather said. "I want to talk to Diane for a moment."

Melinda rolled her eyes and muttered something about making out as she followed Ned and Cassie inside.

Heather turned to Diane and smiled. "So ... are you still up to this afternoon?"

"Huh? Oh yes. Yes, of course."

"Did you bring the paper again with the spells on it?" Heather asked in a husky voice.

"I did. I-I have it my pocket."

"Any new spells you want me to try on you?"

"There w-was only one more. The ... the enslavement spell..."

"Oh? I thought there were two incantations left."

"Yes, but ... but that last one is different, it ... it sort of makes other spells more permanent."

Heather looked surprised. "Permanent? You want me to control your pussy permanently?"

Diane shivered. "I-I don't know why I wrote that one down, honestly, but ... um..."

"But what?"

Diane hesitated, then shook her head. "Never mind. It's not important."

Heather smiled. "Okay, then, we'll meet after school. This is going to be a lot of fun."

Diane slowly smiled.

Jason met Cassie's limo a short distance from his neighborhood and got the book from her. He then took a circuitous route towards the foothills road, trying to avoid being seen by anyone that might know his mother. He saw Richie lounging against the railing along the side of a short bridge that forded a dry stream bed.

"'bout time you got here," Richie grumbled.

Jason dismounted from his bike. "I sort of took the long way to get here. You should have as well."

Richie shrugged.

"You're not afraid of getting caught?"

Richie snorted. "Like my Mom is really gonna care."

The usual acid sting to his voice when he spoke about his mother was absent. His tone was more one of resignation than anything else. Jason missed this, and sighed in exasperation. "I really wish you'd stop to think for once."

"Look, if you're just gonna get on my case the whole time, I'm gonna go home, 'kay?"

He turned away. Jason grabbed his arm. Richie spun around and was about to yank his arm viciously from Jason's grip when he saw the contrite look in Jason's face.

"You're right, I'm sorry," Jason said, letting go of Richie's arm.

Richie's expression softened. "Whatever. I mean ... yeah, no prob."

Jason nodded once. "Anyway, we should get started. This is going to be a bit of a hike. I looked on a trails map and I think Cassie misheard Diane, or her family is in exceptionally good shape. This is more like a three..."

"I've given her up."

Jason stopped, looking confused. "Given up ... oh ... Miss Davis, you mean?"

"Yeah, her. Cold turkey. We're done. That satisfy you?"

Richie couldn't help but let that last acerbic comment slip out. He regretted it as soon as he had said it, but he didn't try to apologize for it.

Jason gave Richie a neutral look. "It wasn't about satisfying me. It..."

"I know, I know. Don't go into again, 'kay? I did it cuz I don't wanna fuck up her life anymore than I already did."

"Than you already did? What do you mean by... ?"

"Never mind. Forget it. Just ... something I saw. Something I didn't like."

Jason understood. He was very curious what it was Richie had seen in Miss Davis' past, but he would not push it. The point was that Richie had done it for the right reason, and not just to get in good with Jason or the others.

But he had trouble letting go. That betrayal to Nyssa still stung like a wound that wouldn't close. He didn't think anything could heal that.

"Come on, let's get going," Jason said.

The two of them mounted their bikes and pedaled down the road leading west out of town.

"Marcie."

Marcie Fuller appeared at the door to Laura Bendon's office and gave her Mistress a languid gaze. "Yes, Miss Bendon?"

Laura gestured towards her computer. On the monitor was an email from Marcie titled "Absentee and Truancy Report for Oct 11 2005."

Marcie's dark and slightly glazed eyes glanced at the screen. "Yes, I sent you that earlier. Is there something wrong with it?" Her voice betrayed a genuine fear that she had somehow displeased her Mistress.

"I see Jason Conner and Richie Gardner's names on this list."

"Yes, that's correct, Miss Bendon."

Laura considered for a moment. "Do you specifically remember receiving a call from either of their parents?"

Marcie's eyes widened. "Come to think of it, Miss Bendon, no, I don't recall that. That's a bit strange, isn't it?"

Laura leaned back in her chair. Marcie was a bit scatterbrained. Enslaving her had no effect, either for better or for worse. Even offering her additional pleasures when she properly remembered things had not helped.

Normally, Laura would not have even questioned it. But where it was two of the Harbingers, that made it rather suspicious.

"Should I call their parents, Miss Bendon?" Marcie asked, anxious for her Mistress to give her an order.

"No, not yet. But I wish Melissa Hendell to be sent to my office after her current class is over."

Marcie sighed softly as pleasure swept over her. "Mmm ... right away, Miss Bendon..."

"Fuck ... gotta ... I gotta stop..." Richie breathed.

"'s'okay," Jason panted in response. "We're here."

Both their bicycles staggered to a stop at the crossing gate lowered across the road into the campgrounds. Richie reached out a trembling hand to steady himself. Jason dismounted, then nearly fell to the ground when his weak and aching legs threatened to give out from under him.

Jason stumbled to a post and leaned against it, panting so hard in the cool air that his throat hurt. Despite the chill, the morning sun against their jackets had warmed them just enough so that both were sweaty from the effort.

Still breathing hard, Jason yanked down the zipper of his jacket and welcomed the cold breeze against his shirt. He looked at his watch. "Two ... t-two and a half..." he croaked. "Better ... than I thought ... we'd do..."

Richie got off his bike, letting it fall to the dirt. He draped himself over the gate like a rag doll. "Oh man ... felt like fucking two days..."

Jason looked at his bike, where the bag with the book hung from one handle. Trying to steer the bike with that weight had been a challenge. "S-sorry. But this is the only place it could be."

Richie groaned and straightened up. He looked past the gate. Parts of the road were obscured with patches of snow. Much of what was uncovered was muddy. "Man, it's a fuckin' mess in there," he muttered.

Jason finally caught his breath and came alongside Richie. "Might be easier to go on foot."

"Yeah, but how far, huh?"

"I don't know. I think you're just going to have to keep walking while holding the book."

Richie rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Gimme the book, then."

Jason went to his bike and lifted the bag from the handle. He took out the book and handed it to Richie.

Richie grasped it firmly in his hands. Suddenly it was as if Jason were racing away from him, dissolving into a mist. The world spun around his head...

"Richie? Richie!"

Richie blinked and staggered as reality settled around him once more. "Whoa ... what a trip..."

"What happened? Did you see something?"

"Oh yeah, man. Shit, that was freaky." Richie conveyed to Jason what he had seen.

"That must have been her, the one I read about," Jason explained. "Agatha Kessru, the one the police wanted to question about the disappearance of those girls. And those four were probably them."

"Dunno what she had planned for 'em, dude, but it looked kinda kinky."

Jason sensed the amusement in Richie's voice and frowned deeply. "This isn't funny, okay? It's not your damn private peep show. Those four are ... were ... going to be used in that Rite of Power. Cassie told you how terrible that..."

"Hey, fine, okay! Jesus Christ, I know all that! I can't help it if I like lookin' at naked chicks. It's in the past, man. Chill."

The confidence in his voice wavered, but he wouldn't back down. He was growing tired of Jason harping on everything he said.