Chapter 57

Heather looked up as Brad and Gina entered the classroom together. Her attempt to quell her anger towards Brad failed. She wanted to believe that his fawning over Gina had not been his idea, though she realized she had no right to feel jealous if she was the one that had rejected him. Brad was as much a victim as Gina.

Heather could feel it herself. She could let herself believe that it made sense for Brad and Gina to be together. From what little she heard of their conversation, she learned that they were planning to leave the party early. She hoped she would have a mind enough under her own control after suffering through Ms. Hollis' class to allow her to tell the others.

The last stragglers entered the classroom, and Ms. Hollis strode across the front of the room. Just as Ms. Hollis started to close the door, Marcie Fuller appeared, and the door almost closed on her foot. Ms. Hollis pushed on the door for another second even after Marcie's presence was obvious to her.

Marcie handed Ms. Hollis a yellow slip. Heather's stomach turned to ice when she realized it was an absence excuse slip. The only three faculty members authorized to issue such a thing were Bendon, Seeger, or Victor.

Ms. Hollis gave Marcie an annoyed look, sighed, and turned towards the class.

Not me not me not me not me... Heather thought.

"Heather Sovert," Ms. Hollis called out in a peevish voice.

Heather sighed. "Yes, Ms. Hollis?"

"The Principal wants to see you in her office."

Heather was tempted to ask why just to stall for time. She did not consider this any better than being stuck with Ms. Hollis. It felt like Nyssa all over again.

Heather stood and headed to the door. Ms. Hollis thrust the absence slip towards her. When Heather tried to take it, Ms. Hollis held onto it and forced Heather to look up.

"Don't think you'll avoid me that easily," Ms. Hollis said with a sly smile. "Even if Laura monopolizes you today, I'll have you every day that she doesn't."

Heather's eyes burned, but she said nothing, nor did she shrink from Ms. Hollis' gaze.

"I'm already arranging things at my place. You're going to look so lovely in a shiny metal slave collar and chain."

Heather ground her teeth until her jaw ached. She snatched the note from Ms. Hollis' hand and barreled out the door.

She very nearly stomped down the corridor as Melinda might do. At the first hallway intersection, she let out a tremulous sigh and leaned hard against the lockers, the rattle echoing in the empty hallway.

The lockers kept rattling as she trembled. She took another deep breath and wrapped her arms around herself. Stop it. Ms. Hollis won't do that do you. We'll just keep control of her, or program her, or something.

Her hands balled into fists as she allowed herself a moment of pure fury. She banged them against the lockers behind her, ignoring the flare of pain across the side of one hand as it caught the handle.

"Miss Sovert, what are you doing out here?"

Heather was startled enough after hearing her name that she gasped and did not hear the rest. "What?? I'm sorry, I--"

"I asked you what you were doing out here, Miss Sovert," asked Seeger.

Heather contemplated feigning innocence, or claiming she was skipping class, but she saw his eyes flick down to her hands, where a corner of the yellow absence slip protruded from between the fingers of her clenched fist. She uttered a ragged sigh and unclenched her hand, lifting the crumpled note.

Seeger frowned and took the absence slip. His eyes darted over it. "Why is Ms. Bendon summoning you, Miss Sovert?"

"I don't know, Mr. Seeger. Maybe I did something else wrong."

"Did you?"

Heather had no idea how to reply. For one insane moment she had the notion of telling him the absolute truth about Ms. Bendon.

"Is there anything you wish to tell me, Miss Sovert?" Seeger said, urgency edging his voice.

Heather stared at him. She could almost fool herself into thinking that genuine concern lay buried among the jowls of his dour face. Yet he was hardly in a position to help her. He was part of the problem: a faculty member that was either influenced by the Darkness or oblivious to it, just like most other adults in Haven.

Heather shook her head. "No, Mr. Seeger," she said in a calmer voice. She stepped away from the lockers and forced her other hand to unclench. She took the note back, Seeger's fingers clinging to it for a second longer. "I better go see what she wants. Um ... thank you for your concern."

Seeger stepped aside and let her by.

Heather hurried down the hall. For a moment she hated him for delaying her. Ms. Bendon was sure to blame her for her tardiness just to have an excuse to punish her.

As she drew near the Principal's office, her pussy tingled, and she put an extra swing into her hips. The delicious sensation of her lacy underwear rubbing against her smooth skin elicited a soft moan. The urge to model it for Ms. Bendon sent pleasant little tingles through her breasts and sex.

Marcie looked up at Heather's approach and gave her a smile that was part sunny, part dreamy. "Ms. Bendon will see you now."

Heather did not know what disturbed her more, the little shiver that ran through Marcie as she said the Principal's name or the same shiver that rippled through her own body and left behind hot, moist heat in her pussy.

Heather stepped past Marcie's desk and opened the door.

Ms. Bendon looked up and smiled. It was devoid of warmth, the smile of someone who sat smug upon her throne while supplicants groveled for her favor. She gestured to a chair in front of her desk. "Please, Miss Sovert, make yourself more comfortable and sit down."

Heather did not move from the threshold for a few seconds to convince herself she was not yet in Ms. Bendon's total thrall. She finally closed the door behind her and lowered herself into the seat.

Ms. Bendon leaned forward and steepled her fingers. "Perhaps you didn't hear me. I said, get comfortable."

Heather's confusion lasted only a few seconds. What had started as a mild desire now escalated to a burning need. Letting out a husky sigh, she stood up and took off her blouse. Her nipples were two tingly, hard pebbles pressed to the inside of her bra. She twisted her torso as she dropped her blouse to the floor just to feel them rub against the cups. Her hips tilted and swayed as her jeans slid down her legs. She tugged her panties snug against her mound to a flood of moist warmth.

Heather sat down as the Dark power slithered into her mind again. She moaned and shuddered, her pussy suddenly aching and needy. Her hand slid down her body in a slow, sensual glide and slipped under her panties. Her legs parted, and she panted as her fingers massaged aroused flesh.

Ms. Bendon sat in silence, watching. Heather moaned as her pleasure rose. She dipped her fingers into her cunt on an unspoken command, flicking her clit with the pad of her thumb. She panted hard as she drew close to orgasm and whimpered as she strained at the edge.

Ms. Bendon relented, and the urge eased. Heather was close to climax, but she knew how the Darkness used the moment of orgasm to entrench itself deeper in its victim. As much as she wanted to cum, she ignored the compulsion. Her fingers relaxed, but remained pressed to her wet flesh.

"You do understand a great deal, don't you?" Ms. Bendon said in a silky voice. "Oh, I'll make you cum soon enough. And then you'll just adore frigging your sweet little pussy for me whenever we're alone."

"Is that what you wanted me for?" Heather said, her tone challenging but shaky.

Ms. Bendon raised a finger. "Remember who I am. Use the proper title of respect."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Bendon."

"Try again."

Anger and despair both flashed in Heather's eyes. "I'm sorry, Mistress."

"Better. No, that is not all I want of you. You -- and I am sure, your fellow Harbingers -- have information I want."

The urge crept over Heather again. Her fingers massaged her clit with deep, firm strokes that stoked her pleasure in rising waves until she panted and writhed.

"I want you to tell me everything you know about Victor Mann."

Heather opened her mouth to protest, but uttered a loud moan instead. She shivered and stroked herself faster, her lust rising to a fever pitch, her legs spreading further apart.

"I want to know exactly what he is doing in Haven and at this school. I want to know what his intentions are."

Heather's hips bucked, the chair squeaking as she finger-fucked herself. She gasped as she strained at the edge. "Uhhnng ... oh God ... uhnn..."

"Tell me if you want to cum, Heather," said Ms. Bendon.

Heather slid out of the chair, falling to her knees, her fingers thrusting in frantic but useless effort.

"Tell me if you ever want to cum while you're my slave, if you don't want me to leave you wet, wanting, and insane with lust."

Like a light switch flipping off, the urge to masturbate left Heather all at once. She rubbed herself for another few seconds before she whimpered and settled back on her feet, panting hard. She withdrew her wet fingers from under her panties and shivered with the lingering ache in her sex.

"Well?" Ms. Bendon said. "I'm waiting."

Heather resented telling Ms. Bendon anything. The fact that Ms. Bendon wanted the information had proven what the Harbingers had suspected, that she was in the dark about Victor's activities. Yet now Heather worried that whatever she might say would drive Ms. Bendon to seek an alliance with him.

"I'm not going to ask you again, slave," said Ms. Bendon. "And perhaps that is what you need to be reminded of. You are my slave. Even though I cannot command you every moment of every day, you do not stop being my slave when you are not in my presence, nor do we have to wait until the first week that I have you to consider you my slave."

Heather let out a ragged sigh and shuddered. More tendrils of the Darkness wrapped around her mind. Her pussy rose and strained on its own, as if eager to reward her for her obedience.

"Or perhaps it is just the opposite that you wish to avoid," said Ms. Bendon, her voice rising. "Perhaps you need to cum over and over. Perhaps once an hour. Imagine trying to get through the school day having an intense, pussy-gushing climax once every period."

Heather sensed the Principal's increasing frustration. She closed her eyes and let her precognitive eye gaze upon her mindscape, but it projected no visions. No feelings of dread nor dire predictions materialized.

"A-All right," Heather said in a tiny voice.

Ms. Bendon let out a long sigh that sounded like relief.

Heather could not remember all the intricate details in her current state. She hoped Ms. Bendon would settle for the highlights. "Victor wants to enslave a girl named Gina Caligano."

"I know that already," snapped Ms. Bendon.

"He does this every year. Every year around Halloween he takes a sixteen year old girl. First he makes her into a slut, then he makes her a slave on Halloween."

Ms. Bendon nodded slowly. "Go on."

Heather wiped away a tear. Despite the lack of portents, she still felt that this was a betrayal. "He's been doing this for a long time. At least twenty-one years. He has someone change around the school records, or he makes other students transfer between schools to cover his tracks so no one misses the girl."

"What someone? Who's helping him?"

"I-I'm sorry, I don't know!" Heather lied. She wanted to keep at least one secret for the sake of her own dignity. "He probably has some people helping him, maybe other slaves, I really don't know. I just know he's real good at this. He has to be if he can do it that long without anyone knowing."

Ms. Bendon lapsed into a long, thoughtful silence. Her lips twisted into a smirk. "And I suppose you and your fellow Harbingers are going to try something stupid, like stop him from taking Gina."

Heather said nothing. A trace of defiance glistened in her eyes.

"Or, perhaps, stop him entirely. It would be just like your band of budding revolutionaries." Ms. Bendon leaned forward. "Just tell your friends not to step on my toes."

Heather stared. "I-I'm sorry?"

Ms. Bendon smiled. "Oh, yes, Heather, that's right. I don't care what you do with Victor. Either he'll turn the lot of you into sex thralls, or -- by some divine miracle -- you'll defeat him and stop his interference in this town and my school. Either way, I come out ahead."

Heather was almost of the mind to say "but you were ordered to help the Darkness."

"And when I say don't step on my toes, that includes trying something equally foolish, like 'rescuing' you from me. You're going to make sure that they don't try."

"I don't understand."

"Don't play dumb. You're far smarter than your big boobs and sexy figure suggest. I know the Harbingers have developed some sort of powers. You used them against my Mistress and then against Melissa. Each threat was more powerful than the last, therefore your powers must be getting stronger as well. If you defeat Victor, they will be stronger yet."

Heather swallowed. "Then ... then maybe I can't really stop them. They'll do it anyway."

Ms. Bendon's eyes gleamed. "Not unless you want me to have your sister as a slave alongside you."

Heather's blood ran cold, and she gave Ms. Bendon a stricken look.

"I know a little something about her you don't. Something Victor and his cohorts did to her. Something that could let me enslave her given enough time."

Heather's lower lip trembled. Her eyes blazed. "Y-you're lying. You're lying! You have to be!"

"Do you want to take that chance?"

Heather said nothing. She could only stare and tremble in fear and rage.

"Perhaps I will arrange a demonstration," said Ms. Bendon. "Or perhaps you will simply see it for yourself. That is my condition, slave. That's my payment for looking the other way if you go after Victor."

"Wh-what about Ms. Hollis?"

"What about her?" Ms. Bendon asked, sounding bored.

"She's ... she's in it with Victor..."

"Then feel free to target her as well." Ms. Bendon's lips curled into a sly smile when she witnessed the brief moment of shock on Heather's face. "Hmm, so you were already planning something against her."

"I didn't say that!" Heather cried.

Ms. Bendon waved a hand. "As I told your mother, Terri Hollis is an idiot. If she cannot defend herself against your ilk, why the hell should I care?"

For the next few seconds, the only sound was that of Heather's labored breathing. "The ... they ... they'll need me to help..."

"I suppose I could spare you for a short while at the party. Yes, I see we understand each other now. Very well."

Heather gasped. She rocked on her knees and moaned as the urges again crashed over her like a tidal wave. She clenched her hands into fists, shaking with the effort to resist it just to spite Ms. Bendon. She finally thrust her hand under her panties and whipped her fingers back and forth against her clit.

She came at once, crying out and spurting hard against her hand. Cum squirted out from behind her panties and leaked through her fingers, soaking her crotch. She stroked herself until she was spent, then fell forward and panted hard into the carpet, cum still dripping from her crotch and trickling down her thighs.

"Note to myself," said Ms. Bendon with a wry smile. "Buy more towels before you stay at my house for the first time."

Heather rose to all fours. "I need one now," she said in a low voice.

"Wrong. Try again."

"May I have a towel to clean up with, Mistress?"

"No," said Ms. Bendon. "Get dressed and head back to class. Perhaps smelling like a whore for awhile will remind you of your place when you're dealing with me."

Heather slowly rose, still panting. She refused to meet Ms. Bendon's eyes, but not from humiliation. She was beyond that and deep into contained fury. She did not want Ms. Bendon to see her anger and use it as an excuse to keep her longer or punish her further.

Smelling like a whore? She could take that. People had seen her masturbate in class; this was nothing compared to that. None of it mattered. The Harbingers now had carte blanche to do what they needed to do. What she had to suffer for it was irrelevant.

Yet the thought of turning the tables on Ms. Hollis seemed sweeter than it ever had.

Seeger had never known himself to fidget. He also had never known himself to be this worried over a single student. Moreover, he had never known himself to be this reluctant to confront a fellow faculty member, even one that was technically his superior.

Yet all three were in evidence in Seeger's office.

He tried to busy himself, as he had left his door open in order to hear the click of Laura's office door opening. This in itself was unusual enough, as insular as he was, that other faculty gawked at him as they passed.

When he finally heard the noise, he bolted from his seat, his chair nearly toppling over behind him. He got to the door just as Heather Sovert passed Marcie's desk. His eyes immediately scanned Heather for any sign of...

Of what?

He had no idea what he was looking for. Physical abuse? None of his suspicions of Laura ever suggested that she would raise a hand to any child, let alone one of the students. As for any other sort of abuse...

Seeger wiped his face with his hand. That line of thinking stopped now. It was not appropriate for someone his age, regardless of the very untitillating nature of the thoughts it had conjured.

He steeled himself and ventured forth from his office, his steps displaying a confidence he no longer felt. He heard another click and turned his head. Laura had closed the door to her office and now Marcie was no longer in evidence. Seeger clenched his jaw and started after Heather.

Heather had a head start and had entered the hallway. He widened his stride to catch up, but just as he passed the threshold, he sniffed and stopped dead.

Seeger's eyebrows rose. He sniffed once more, and at once the denials began in his head. He could not possibly have any idea what such a thing smelled like after so many years. His mind was too twisted with the lurid stories told by Mr. Gardner and Mr. Weston, that was all.

He turned away from the hall. Something on the floor glistened in a shaft of sunlight. He lowered his gaze and narrowed his eyes. A single drop of fluid lay along the path from Laura's office to the hallway.

Seeger looked around. He crouched and dabbed his finger against the droplet and bolted to his feet. He looked around again, then brought his fingertip near his nose and took a single, tentative sniff.

His eyes widened. One of his denials vanished. Some odors were simply never forgotten.

Seeger ducked out of the administrative area and into the nearest washroom. He washed his hands twice and felt the urge to find Heather and apologize for violating her, only to scowl at himself in the mirror for his foolishness.

He needed to find the truth, if for the sake of his own sanity if nothing else.

"It is almost the end of third period, sir," said Kelly.

"They all gather after every period, sir," said Lynn. "They did that after the first two periods, even though it made some of them late for their next class."

Victor nodded and regarded his two cultists. The first order of business had been to ensure they would use no title for him other than "sir" in public. He had to nudge their minds a bit to accomplish it. "There are three more brethren at the school, correct?"

"Yes, sir," Kelly replied. "We have successfully established control over the perceptions of the student body. It was surprisingly easy."

It was not surprising to Victor. He understood the same thing that Elizabeth Jellison had before him: sexual energy could be harnessed, and Victor could turn it inward to help enforce his own power. Teenagers were very sexual beings, regardless of whether they did the act or not, and thus the easiest to manipulate.

"We're ready whenever you are, sir," said Lynn.

Victor sensed the eagerness in her voice and her thoughts. "Fetch the other three, Lynn, and get them into position now."

Lynn smiled. She bowed her head and left.

"So you will confront them now, sir?" Kelly asked.

Victor stood. "Yes, we need to show a strong hand. I must impress upon them what we can do. Jason may feel brave in the knowledge that I cannot simply snatch both Book and pendant from him, but he must be made to see the danger that we pose to his friends."