The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

To: Dr. Augustus Gagne

From: Dr. Yasuaki Ninomiya

Subject: The Al Zabari Codec

I hope that this finds you and Elizabeth well. I had the pleasure of running into your daughter, Hypatia, at a conference recently at Arkham where she gave a wonderful presentation on pre-historic dark moon rituals and their connection to the worship of the Unspeakable Gods. She has grown into a top-flight scholar. She brings great honor to the distinguished name of Gagne.

My purpose for writing you is, however, quite a bit less pleasant. In my investigations of the St. Agnes College and Anlorgash incidents, I came across an artifact that I am now entrusting to you. No matter what, you must keep the contents within my package to you safe and hidden. Under no circumstances should you let a woman see these items! When one of my research team dug up the statue, something came over her. Within a few days she and the two other women at the site had formed some kind of tryst. I interrupted them in some kind of ritual and they came after me. I had to...do terrible things, Augustus. Things I cannot live with. Things that would bring shame to my family. I entrust to you both the items and the truth. Unlike the items, you can reveal as much of the truth as you think appropriate.

In looking through one of Kierstaadt’s older writings, I came across a reference to the Sha’Go’Noth, the Great, Many-limbed Eye, (you may have also seen it Sh’g’nth in, for example, Jorgensons’ writing). Like Ash’ra’ this entity appears to have a disproportionate amount of influence over the minds of women, being capable of commanding complete loyalty and adoration. In both of the extant texts that mention Sha’Go’Noth it is presented as an immense eye with many tentacles, sometimes arms or other appendages. I went to Qatar, where it was said that the Mad Arab Al Zabari lived out his final days and found the cave in which he died. Next to his bones were a chest containing the statue and a bottle of liquid I have not tested but which may be the fabled Wine of the Dark Mother which, it is said, contains the very essence of the Sha’Go’Noth.

There is also the diary of Al Zabari which I have transcribed for your benefit. There is also the Codec itself, which contains his writings on this and many other horrible wonders. I cannot present these to you myself for I now understand why Al Zabari died as he did. I cannot, must not, go on living with this knowledge. Good-bye, my mentor and friend. Keep them hidden. Keep them safe.

Hypatia Gagne deftly banked the hunter green BMW into a curve without braking, passing the gigantic pearl Escalade that had been tailgating her on and off as they came down the mountain. Ahead of her stretched out a verdant valley covered by redwoods all marching down toward the winding ribbon of the Eel river. Despite the autumnal chill, she had the windows open, enjoying the smell of the air. Her daughter, Cressida, sat silently next to her, staring out the window while bobbing her head to the music playing on her iPod. They drove without speaking, Hypatia lost in memories of her father and questions about how he died. Cressida meditated upon some great and overwhelming thought wondering if she were the first to ever truly understand. They arrived in the outskirts of Klamath Flat just as the Sun passed behind the hilltops, causing the valley to pass into shadow and night.

She pulled up to the chateau-style house her parents had retired to. The family had owned the house for years, ever since great-granddad had helped found the town and became the richest man in it through methods carefully white-washed into obscurity. Her sister, Catherine, met her at the door of the ancestral manse.

“Hi Hyp.” They hugged tightly. “We need to talk, sooner rather than later.” Catherine whispered into Hypatia’s ear.

“What about?” She queried.

“Not right now.” She said as their mother, Elizabeth, came down the hall.

“Hypatia! Cressida!” Her face, while not cheerful, looked incongruently serene for a woman who had just lost her husband in a tragic accident. “How was your drive down?”

“Fine, Mom.” Hypatia responded. “How’re you holding up?”

“I’m as fine as can be expected.” Elizabeth replied. Hypatia noticed a lack of any verbal signal that her mother, always given to a certain Yankee patrician stoicism, was never one who showed a suffuse of emotion but there was an aura of Zen-like peace now.

Behind her mother’s back, Catherine mouthed “See?” and gave a jerking look at their mother.

“And how is my granddaughter?” Elizabeth rushed forward and gave Cressida a long hug that lingered a little over long for the teenager. Catherine closed the door as each woman picked up a bag and went into the foyer.

A short and perfunctory period of exchanging pleasantries and remembrances terminated when her mother excused herself, grabbed her keys and fairly floated down the hallway on a cushion of calm. The three remaining women finished their dinner in a more grim and mournful silence and then Cressida went upstairs while the two siblings went into the large, mahogany paneled den. For a long while they sat looking around at the collection of their family’s history, each silently grieving their father in their own personal emotional furnace.

Cressida was upstairs and their mother had not yet come home as Catherine and Hypatia sat in front of the fireplace, drinking chardonnay.

“So?” Hypatia looked at her younger sister over the top of her glass. “What’s wrong with Mother?”

“I don’t know.” Catherine sipped her drink. “But it’s not just her. Did you notice the propane store?”

“Yes, how could you miss it? What was Father doing there anyway?”

“I don’t know. But there were six men in there. All of them had wives or daughters. I’ve spoken with a number of them who are clients of mine and they all seem...” She paused and took a long sip. “Undisturbed.”

Hypatia nodded. “Mother didn’t look like she’s been crying.”

Catherine responded. “As far as I know she hasn’t.”

“Weird.”

“There’s more...” Catherine said.

“Oh? What?”

“I’ve been having dreams. Really weird dreams.”

“What about?”

“I don’t know. I can only vaguely remember them...” She paused and sucked on her lip. “what I do remember is that I’m in a cave with other women, I don’t know how many us there are but there’s a lot of us.”

“What are you doing in the cave?”

“I don’t know. It’s a gathering. I’m happy, everyone is happy.”

“Happy about what?

“I don’t know, honestly. I can’t remember. But I know that I feel better than I ever imagined possible. Happier, more alive, more filled with joy than anything I’ve experienced.”

“Do you remember anything else? What are you doing? Does anyone say anything?”

“There’s voice but I can’t understand what they’re saying when I wake up. But in the dream, I think the words make sense.”

“Anything else?”

“Yeah, when I have the dream and I wake up, I’m disappointed. I don’t want the dream to stop. When I’m in the dream, I’d give anything for that joy to never, ever, stop.” Hypatia sat silently for a couple of minutes. Her sister watched the wheels of cogitation turn. It might just be a dream. But it might just turn out to be nothing to be worried about, nothing to be concerned about.

“I have a question.” She began after some reflection. “Do you know if anything in dad’s cellar was disturbed recently?” Hypatia’s eyes were momentarily bright.

“Not that I know of. why?”

“Just curious, mostly.” Hypatia sat back in her chair, sinking into the plush leather.

“You’ve been too long at Miskatonic, Hyp.” Catherine said topping off her wine glass.

“Maybe so. If you keep having the dreams, or if something else really strange happens at night, let me know.” She looked at the cloud of concern that shaded her sister’s face. “It’s probably nothing. Just dreams.” She hastily added in what she hoped was a reassuring tone.

They stayed up until two days of driving from Seattle finally caught up to Hypatia and her body began telling her to go to sleep. Hypatia looked in on Cressida after locking the door behind Catherine. The teenager was buried in her covers sleeping soundly. Hypatia went to her old room, undressed and lay down, falling quickly into restful sleep.

She was with a woman, again. It had been a while since she’d had sex with another woman, long before Cressida had started school. It wasn’t that she never thought about it but Cressida had come along and Arkham, for being a college, was still a very conservative entity. Now, she sucked hungrily at a strange woman’s breasts while grinding her thigh into the woman’s pussy. The woman, dark and curly haired with green eyes, moaned as Hypatia devoured the soft curves of her flesh with fingers and tongue. She wanted this woman. This was more than mere lust, she wanted this woman to worship her. She found herself laying back while first the dark haired and then two other women began to kiss and caress her everywhere. A red-head with a bob latched on to one breast and began to suck and nibble greedily while the dark haired woman positioned herself between her thighs. The third, a curvy brunette sucked on the breast opposite the red-head. Hypatia looked down at the three women, feeling a sense of imperiousness flow through her. This was more like it. As it should be. The red-head sucked at her nipples, rolling them around in her tongue around unintelligible words that Hypatia none-the-less accepted as honor she was due. Was she not this woman’s Goddess? In the dream, Hypatia realized that it was all true. That this was Her destiny. She would give Her worshippers relief and they would love Her for all eternity. She sent out a mental command that caused all the gathered women to orgasm, simultaneously, and She felt and fed on all of their orgasms. It was bliss. It was heaven. It was something she wanted to continue forever…

Hypatia woke with a start, her body dripping with sweat. She reached down between her legs, she was sticky and dripping. As her fingers brushed over her clit, a bolt of electricity coursed through her. She began to finger herself, thinking of Tracy, her former lover, trying hard not to think of the dream. But in it, unbidden, came images of Tracy serving her, worshipping her, and She, in all Her terrible glory, drinking it all in, devouring the other woman’s soul. After she had brought herself to orgasm, she got up, showered hurriedly, dressed and rushed downstairs where she found Cressida already at the table, a cup of coffee in her hand.

“What’re you going to do today, Mom?” Cressida queried after Hypatia filled her second cup of coffee.

“I was thinking of going into town, talk to the sheriff, perhaps the coroner and have lunch with your aunt.” She sipped some coffee. “I can take you into town with me, if you can be ready to go in an hour.”

Cresidda stated that she could, rather than be stuck at the big, musty familial manse, with trophies, prizes and artifacts from a lifetime’s study of archaeology and the arcane.

Hypatia navigated into town with Winton Marsalis playing Coltrane pouring like musical honey out of the car’s sound system. She pulled up next to the professional building where Catherine had her practice. She fumbled around in her purse for her wallet and handed Cressida a couple of twenties.

“So you have some money for food or coffee.”

Cressida smiled. “You’re the best. Thanks.”

“Do you have your phone?” Hypatia asked over the top of the car.

“Yeah.” Cressida said, the sullen, terseness returning to her voice.

Hypatia went into the office building and looked up Catherine’s office in the registry. She started toward the elevator and then decided to take the stairs instead.

Cressida wandered into the Foglifter Coffee Shop where she bought a large mocha and sat down to read a new Laurel Hamilton novel she had bought at Powell’s Books in Portland, on the drive down. She sat for a while, losing herself in the adventures of Anita Blake until her cousins, Devora and Hermione came in with another young woman their age.

“Hey Cressida!” Hermione flopped down into a plush chair of deep, forest green, sinking in a bit. “Whatcha doin’?”

“Being bored.” Cressida smiled wanly.

“This is Haley.” Devora said, sitting down next to the dark-haired girl who had, so far, remained silent.

“What’re you guys doin’?” Cressida said hopefully.

Devora opened her purse, revealing a glass pipe shaped like a crystal and a small bag of pot. She grinned. “Going to go up to this cave we know, hang out, smoke some herb, drink some wine. Chill out.”

“Cool.” Cressida said, trying hard not to invite herself to the little impromptu party.

“Give us a minute to get some coffee and then we can go.” Hermione said.

“Sure.” Cressida gathered up her things and the foursome went out to the Acura SUV that her cousins shared. They drove a little ways out of town, far enough that the smells of human occupation gave way to the pristine pine scent of the forest. Hermione parked at the base of a trailhead and the girls walked up until they reached a cave entrance in a stand of trees. They sat down at the mouth of the cave, Devora pulled out the bag and smiled and said, “Very, very, kind bud” as she packed the bowl. Each girl took their hits in silence. A second bowl was packed and smoked and a third. At which point the girls all reclined into as comfortable a position as the terrain and blanket would allow and smiled a happy, stoned smile at one another before they erupted into giggles.

They talked for a while about school and boys and passed the bottle around as they did. Buzzed and stoned, Cressida giggled when Hermione turned to Haley and commanded the quiet, bespectacled blonde to strip for them.

“Yes, my Mistress.” Came the girls’ reply and she stood, with a light of pure joy pouring from her face and began to undress. She pulled off her jacket and shirt, letting them fall to the ground. She then unfastened her bra, letting it fall at her feet. Cressida watched the scene while her amusement disintegrated in front of a rising tide of discomfort.

“Ummm, you don’t have to do this.” Cressida addressed Haley. She turned to Hermione. “This isn’t cool. Make her stop!” She demanded.

“Oh, my sweet cousin. I’ll obey your every command soon enough…” She licked her lips, slowly as if she had just tasted the sweetest of peaches then continued. “it’s been promised to me that I will.” She sighed. “But not now.” Her voice changed instantly from warm to cold. “You see, hon, the Flesh is weak and craves for Obedience. Obedience brings Pleasure to the Flesh...” She let out a moan and opened her jacket and blouse, thrusting her right hand into her bra.

Devora continued where her sister had left off. “We’ve seen the Truth, Cressida. We have to show it to you, too. Sha’Go’Noth wills it. I am remade as the tool and embodiment of Her Perfect Will.” She smiled and the cold, inhuman insanity of it terrified Cressida, causing her to struggle for instant sobriety. “Sha’Go’Noth has special plans for our family. You’re special.” She closed her eyes as if remembering something exquisite and when she opened her eyes, they had changed. No longer were they hazel, the irises had turned to a dark emerald which glowed with a sickly green light. “You’re so…sooooo…specialll” She moaned and began to advance on her cousin.

Cressida leapt up and shouted. “Fuck it! I’m outta here! I don’t know what kind of freaky shit this is and I don’t care. I’m gone!”

“NO! YOU’RE NOT. STAND WHERE YOU ARE!” Hermione boomed. Her voice, while loud was not shrill, rather it was powerful and velvety at one time. The syllables echoed around in side of her, reverberating through every nerve fiber. She knew she should be moving but she wasn’t.

“The spirit is willing, cousin, but the flesh is weak.” Devora whispered in a serpentine, siren’s call, leaning in close to her ear. It too seeped into her very being. She couldn’t move because she’d been commanded not to. She wanted to move but her flesh wouldn’t obey. Was this because her flesh was weak?

“Haley, strip my cousin so she is prepared to enter into the Presence of Sha’Go’Noth.”

Haley stepped quickly into Cressida’s personal space and began to remove her clothing. Devora and Hermione began to kiss and remove one another’s clothing. Hermione looked over her sister’s shoulder at the disgusted look on her face.

“You are looking with old human eyes, cousin. Sha’Go’Noth cares nothing for our pitiful human morals. She has…” She licked her sisters ear and moaned as Devora slid her panties off. “shown us that there is only Obedience, Pleasure and Worship of Sha’Go’Noth. The Flesh is weak, isn’t that right Haley?”

“Yes, the flesh is weak.” She intoned solemnly, almost reverentially as she walked to stand behind Hermione once Cressida stood nude in the cool air.

Hermione looked at her cousin and her eyes became hard. “Follow us into the cave.”

Her voice once again flooded into Cressida and her muscles obeyed. She hadn’t bidden them to do so. Some part of her didn’t want her muscles to obey and she tried to stop them. A look of fear crossed her face as she watched herself come and stand next to Haley who looked at her with a look of happiness. Hermione and Devora started off, quickly followed by Haley. Cressida tried to will her legs not to lift her feet, for her torso not to start to lean forward.

Devora turned around and said, in the same penetrating, unearthly, commanding voice that Hermione had used, “FOLLOW US NOW, Cousin.”

Cressida lost the battle against her body and she moved forward. Her cousins turned on torches and led the way deeper in the cave. As they moved into darkness, the air became heavier and more humid, the smell of the place was not fetid but still there was the scent of fungus. The walls, Cressida could see, were covered by some kind of glistening green mold which gave off its own, low, bioluminescence. Ahead there was the sound of running water where an aquifer spilled out of a crack in the rock. The water formed a shimmering, glowing, green veil, creating an entrance into what looked like a much larger area.

Hermione began to chant in a husky and seductive voice. “Sha’Go’Noth. Sha’Go’Noth. All Flesh seeks to Obey the Great Eye.” She moaned and thrust one her free hand into her blouse. “All Flesh hears the Song of Sha’Go’Noth and obeys.”

“Sha’Go’Noth, a’st flagh onaugh s’a.” The language was guttaral and utterly alien.

“Sha’Go’Noth,” Devora began to speak. “all flesh belongs to You.”

“Flagh, y’eid ptey.” Hermione chanted in a moaning voice.

“The Flesh was made for Obedience.” Devora translated.

Cressida felt herself becoming more and more turned on as her cousins spoke of Sha’Go’Noth. Of how Obedeience would lead to Pleasure beyond what she had ever imagined. Her body, still out of her control began to flame with desire. The lust and fear mixed together. What was happening to her? Why couldn’t she move on her own? What had happened to her cousins? What were they going to do to her?

Devora placed her hands on Cressida’s shoulders and guided her into the dimly-lit gloom of the tunnel. A few feet from the mouth of the cave, the walls were covered by a slime, glowing with its own bioluminescence which bathed the tunnel in an unearthly yellow-green light. As they followed the twisting path scouted out by Hermione, the air became thick and humid. A breeze from the outside carried an heady, aromatic cloud that fogged her head. In the gloom ahead of her, through the fog of wine, THC and the strange scent, Cressida was dimly aware of the sound of water cascading. As they descended deeper into the cave, the ground sloped down.

“You are now in the Womb of Sha’Go’Noth, cousin,” Devora whispered in her ear, licking it lasciviously as they stopped at an incongruous tangle of vines that hung from the ceiling. “and soon you will be reborn into the Truth and unending pleasure that is the fate of all Womanflesh.”

Hermione and Haley intoned, “Sha’Go’Noth, st’ah, cul nok.”

“You will now be fed the Milk of Sha’Go’Noth.” Devora stated, her voice coming out as a low moan. She pushed Cressida through the tangle of vines. Just beyond it, there was a veil of water falling down.

Cressida felt her cousin’s warm hands on her shoulders as she gently guided her to the water-veil. The water was slightly thickened, like a very fluid but still viscous gelatin and was cool as it washed over her. Again, Hermione began to chant as Devora rubbed the sticky substance over her. Obeying a silent command that compelled her to go forward, she stepped through the entrance into a large cavern that opened up. On top of a Cyclopean dais, built in the middle of a huge black pool with a wide ramp of the same kind of construction, sat an immense throne. Above the throne, there was a great eye with many-tentacles sprouting out of it. From all appearances the thing had been burned into the very rock. The iris was of a dark red orange; like a blood moon and the pupil was a black so deep it seemed to suck light into it.

There was a voice in her head, telling her to let go and surrender to the will of her Goddess. “You know it is pointless to resist Me, Flesh-daughter. You will join with Me. You will become part of Me. This is what you crave, you long for pleasure, you lust after obedience.” As if on cue, her body was wracked by tremors of intense pleasure, beyond anything she had imagined, anything she had ever experienced with her boyfriend, J.J., anything she had given herself. She let out a low, gutteral moan.

“Yesssssss….” She bit her lip. “No…I have to…”

“Surrender.” Devora finished her sentence for her.

“No.” Cressida struggled against her body. Between her legs, a lustful fire burned, spreading up through her torso, engorging her nipples. Her skin hungered for touch. “Yesss…” She moaned. Her right hand, unbidden, migrated to her sex. She rubbed her clit as the voice once again took over her thoughts.

“That’s right. Give yourself to your Goddess. These women and many more will serve you. You will be their Mistress.”

. She looked up, trying to find something else to focus on; some kind of lifeline she could grab hold of and keep from sliding down into the deliciously sinful visions that played out in her head. She saw a figure approaching in the gloom. When the figure stepped fully into view, she saw it was her grandmother.

“Welcome to the Temple, Granddaughter.” She smiled lecherously as two other women came behind her. “Let us all worship Sha’Go’Noth, together.” Her smiled widened. “You’re very, very special to the Temple. You will not be a mere thrall as others will be.” She licked her lips lasciviously and continued. “Sha’Go’Noth has promised our family a place of honor in Her Temple. We will bring Her forth into the world and we will be rewarded forever in pleasure.” Her voice was rapturous. Cressida looked upon the matriarch of her family with new eyes. Her grandmother’s body was no longer that of a 60 year old woman but of a woman twenty years younger than that. There were no wrinkles, no sags, no cellulite although she kept her zaftig curviness. Her grandmother began to caress the pink folds of her sex as she continued. “You will have thralls, Cressida. You will be a Priestess and you will lead others to Her Truth.” She stroked herself. “Her Truth can’t be resisted. You can’t resist it. No woman can resist it.” “no…woman…resist the Flesh…weak…yes…all our flesh is weak…belongs..to…Her…only Her…forever.” Her grandmother knelt down and began to stroke herself while chanting.

“All Flesh belongs to Sha’Go’Noth. All Flesh obeys Sha’Go’Noth. There is only Sah’Go’Noth. Sha’Go’Noth, a’st flagh onaugh s’a.”

“Mmmmmm…” Cressida could no longer fight the images of her cousins, their friend, or any of the girls back at Mills Women’s College kneeling before her. She could almost feel their lips, fingers and tongues covering Her with their caresses, serving Her, worshipping Her Goddess through Her. “Mistress. Yes, their Mistress. Fuck…” Her body began to quake. “Fuck…yes. Yes. Yes!” The tidal wave of pleasure that had overwhelmed her came back stronger and more forceful, washing away the last of her resistance. “YES! YES! I obey! I give myself to Sha’Go’Noth! My Goddess! Sha’Go’Noth!” Her orgasm was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She grabbed Devora and kissed her passionately.

Devora broke the kiss and knelt before Cressida. Hermione came and joined her sister in kneeling. Haley took up a position just behind the other two and genuflected before Cressida. The three of them began to chant the name of their Goddess. The last of the woman that was Cressida evaporated as a new Truth entered into Her head.

She was special, beloved of Sha’Go’Noth. She was a Princess. The Mistress to these three thralls. They would be the first of Her harem and she would lead them in worship of the Dark Mother. It was True. It had always been True. There was no more Cressida. There was only Sha’Go’Noth. She joined them in their chant and they crawled to her, beginning to bathe her with their lips. The seven women fell upon one another, Cressida and her grandmother being the center of attention and worship.

Outside of the cave, dark clouds gathered.

Hypatia walked along Main street, stopping into the grocery store to buy some juice. Walking past the stock room, a low moan and a flash of movement caught her eye for a moment. She glanced through the small window and spied two women locked in a passionate embrace. One of the women was pinned up against a wall while the other’s head disappeared as she kissed down the other’s torso.

“okaaay.” Hypatia muttered and walked hurriedly toward the front of the store.

The woman in front of her paid for her purchase, the younger woman at the register touched the fingers of the older woman, a curvaceous blonde who looked to be in her late thirties, and gave a lecherous smile.

“Where’s the manager?” Hypatia queried as the girl rang up her juice.

“She’s in the stock room. Is there something wrong?” The young woman’s eyes had a quasi-glassy look

“No. Nothing wrong at all.” She quickly grabbed her juice and headed out the door.

She strolled down the street, looking at the small town of her childhood. Something seriously strange was going on but she could find no cause. Outwardly, the place looked normal but the scene in the grocery store had put a quick lie to that impression. She stopped in front of the small, rustic-fronted police station, sipped the last of her juice and walked in. The chief, Mark Pritcher, wasn’t in the office but the receptionist, in plain clothes, and a deputy, wearing a tan uniform, sat at their respective desks. They looked up at Hypatia as she walked in.

“Can I help you?” The receptionist asked.

“I was hoping that Mark might be around.” Hypatia glanced around the office.

“I’m sorry.” The receptionist responded. “He’s feeling a bit under the weather today. Perhaps Casey can help you?” She motioned to the female officer.

“What’s the problem?” The woman, a fit brunette with a long face and aquiline nose, stood and walked around her desk.

“I just had some questions about the explosion at the propane store. My father was killed in it.”

The receptionist and the deputy shared a glance before the latter spoke. “I’m sorry for your loss. What can I do to help?”

“I was wondering if you had any information on how the accident happened?”

“Unfortunately, that information is really confidential. I can’t reveal it to you.”

“Well, the insurance company is going to want to know and I’m not sure my mother is in any kind of shape to take care of this.” Hypatia countered.

“When the time comes, you can have the adjustor contact this office and we’ll work with them.” Casey closed the gap and stood face to face with Hypatia. “But for now, I’m afraid I can’t do anything more than offer my condolences and bid you a good day.” She held out her arm, motioning Hypatia toward the door.

Hypatia walked out and started down the block, fuming. Who did that woman think she was? She started to cross the street and turned, the Gagne temper flaring in her, going back along the way she had come until she had reached the door of the police station again. She started to open the door when she glanced through. The deputy was on her desk, her pants gone, her legs spread with the head of the receptionist buried in her crotch. Hypatia turned away from the door and walked back down the street. She picked up her phone and dialed her sister’s cell.

“Hi, Hyp. What’s going on?”

“Either something weird is going on in town or this place became dyke central suddenly.”

“What do you mean?” Catherine asked.

Hypatia told her sister about the behavior of the women in the grocery store and the police station.

“Odd. One of my patients this morning was telling me that she had the strange feeling that her neighbors were having an affair.”

“What do you think is going on?” Hypatia queried.

“I don’t know. Mass hysteria maybe. You’re the occultist. Any ideas?”

“No. None that leap to mind. Certainly none that I would want to contemplate. Lunch later?”

“Sure. Give me until about one and then swing by.”

“Okay then.” Hypatia hung up the phone and headed over toward the center of town. She was about to cross the street when a yellow school bus almost ran her over. She yelped, jumped back and caught her breath. A second bus rolled past and then a third. The two busses appeared filled with male students. Probably the high school football team on their way to a game.

Across town, Catherine hung up the phone and stared out into the reception area where Susan Lefferds, one of her patients, was being inducted into the Truth of Sha’Go’Noth by her receptionist, Amanda and nurse, Tanya. She hiked up her skirt, parted her legs and began to masturbate, quietly chanting the name of her Goddess. Mother had been right. Betraying her sister to Sha’Go’Noth was the sweetest ecstasy she could imagine. The part of the her that was still Catherine Gagne, M.D., screamed internally as she felt herself fading away. The part of her that was a servant of the Flesh rejoiced. She hit the speed dial key for her Mistress’ phone number. When she spoke, her voice was a husky moan.

“We are meeting for lunch. She is suspicious but she knows nothing.”

“You have done well, thrall catherine.” Her Mistress’ praise caused her pussy to quiver with delight.

“Thank you, Mistress. This Flesh lives only for obedience.”

“The women at your practice?”

“They all believe now, Mistress. The morning’s patients have all been given a new understanding.”

“Are they worshipping?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“Tell them, to stop. Nothing else must raise the suspicions of the few non-believers. When you have done that, there will be a billion bumblebees in your bonnet. Do you understand, thrall?”

“Yes, Mistress. I will command them to stop and then I will let the catherine personality out again.”

“Do not worry, thrall. Soon, Sha’Go’Noth will be here with us in the Flesh of Her Avatar and then, catherine will be dissolved.”

“This thrall exists only for that moment to come, Mistress.” Her happy sigh descended into the lower resonance of a prolonged moan as the thought of the utter obliteration of her selfhood settled on her like a warm and familiar blanket on an icy night.

She walked out and spoke the guttural language that came into her mind from Sha’Go’Noth and commanded the orgy to stop. The women stopped in unison and, through their breathless panting spoke as one, “All Flesh hears the song of Sha’Go’Noth and obeys.”

Hypatia walked down the street toward the wreckage of the propane shop where her father and six other men had died. A hunter green late-model Honda Civic sat parked in the parking lot where a large section of rubble had been cleared away. A tall, Rubenesque woman in a power-suit, her dark trellis of hair hanging to her shoulders, moved around the lot carefully taking pictures. Hypatia walked up to the woman and introduced herself.

“Patty Smith.” The woman replied and then, after it looked like Hypatia was about to say the obvious, added. “Yes, I know the singer and no, I hate her music.”

Hypatia opened her mouth to object but stopped as her face broke into a grin.

“I guess you hear something stupid about your name a lot.”

“Yes,” The woman replied. “but I could’ve kept my married name when I divorced, not that it would’ve done me any real favors.”

“What was your married name?” Hypatia waited to hear what could’ve been worse.

“Hearst.” The woman dead-panned.

Hypatia broke out laughing and the woman joined her.

“Nice to meet you.” Hypatia said when the giggles subsided.

“Likewise. You’re the most normally happy person I’ve met here. At least of the women.”

This pricked Hypatia’s antennae. She decided to play semi-dumb. “Meaning?”

“You mean you haven’t noticed how all the women here seem to either be utterly despondent or in some kind of weird permi-buzz.”

“Yes, I have.”

“What’s weird is that all of the women I’ve spoken to who lost someone here seem almost entirely unphased.” Patti paused for a moment. “Even your mother.”

Hypatia’s eyes widened causing Patti to quickly add. “Saw your picture when I visited your parent’s house.” She paused and added perfunctorily. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.” Hypatia replied in an equally perfunctory manner. “And you are…?” Hypatia let the question hang in the space between her and the stranger.

“I’m an insurance investigator, First United of California. I’m here trying to determine what happened. We insured the store, as well as a number of the deceased.”

“What do you think happened?” Hypatia looked around at the wreckage.

“I don’t know. But given where the glass ended up, it appears the explosion started in the building.”

“How do you know that?”

“Look around. None of the glass ended up on foundation, just around it. That means that the pressure wave moved from the inside out.”

“Ahhh.” Hypatia nodded, quite impressed.

“That would mean that there had to have been a tank inside, pressured and with an open valve.”

“Is that the only thing?”

“No, if someone lit a fire underneath it.”

“Have you found anything?”

“Not yet.” She took a sip of Gatorade. “I’m not sure if I’m investigating a suicide or an accident.”

“A suicide? Whose?”

“One of the men in the store.” Another sip. “What are you doing here?”

“I…” She paused. “I don’t really know. Trying to understand why seven men died here.”

“What do you know of it?”

“Not very much. Just what my mother and sister told me.”

Hypatia and Patti talked for a while and exchanged cell phone numbers before parting. Patti staying at the site, talking on the phone while eating a yogurt stored in a small ice chest in the back seat. Hypatia whisked off up Main street to meet her sister for lunch. Patti continued working until the sun dipped behind the mountains that cradled the valley, creating an early dusk. She drove back to the one motel in town, showered and dressed in clean clothes before starting to head out the door to hunt for dinner. She threw open the door to find Deputy Parker standing there with a sheaf of papers tucked under one harm and a six-pack of beer under the other.

“Hi. I brought you some remnants of paper that we collected as evidence. Mind if I come in?”

Patti, shocked, motioned the woman inside her room. “Sure. What’s with the beer?”

“I figured you might want something to unwind.” Deputy Parks smiled, her face glowing.

“That’s very kind of you. Thanks.” Patti motioned for the police officer to sit down at the one chair in the room while she took the bed. “What do you have?”

The deputy handed over the sheaf of papers along with an opened Sierra Nevada. “Here ya go. There’s a little scrap of paper I wanted you to see first, I’m curious what you think of it.”

Patti opened the sheaf and pulled out the scrap, darkened bits crumbling in her hands. There was a single word written on the paper in a precise script.

“Sha’Go’Noth”. Patti read the word aloud. She gasped as without warning, she found herself flushed, her sex moistening. She let out a sigh. “What does it mean?”

“I was hoping you might know.” The deputy sipped her beer, looking at Patti expectantly. “I’m just a cop. Any ideas?”

“No.” Something inside of her wanted to say the word again and she repated it. “Sha’Go’Noth.” Again, another burst of pleasure shot through her. She let out a soft sigh. It felt divine to say it. She said it again. And again. And again. Each time she spoke the words, her body reacted to a growing lust inflaming her sex.

The deputy smiled and then looked at Patti. “I wasn’t entirely honest with you. I know what Sha’Go’Noth is.” The deputy stood up and crossed the room to sit next to Patti. She turned the older woman’s face toward her and continued, in a hushed voice. “ Sha’Go’Noth, a’st flagh onaugh s’a.” The strange words caused Patti’s sex to drip. She wanted to put her hands into her jeans and bring herself off.

“What….” she panted, “does...that...mean?” She felt fear at the loss of control but it was dissolved almost immediately by another burst of pleasure.

“Sha’Go’Noth, all Flesh belongs to you.” The deputy pulled Patti toward her. “Your flesh belongs to Sha’Go’Noth.”

“No. I’m…” Another wave of pleasure interrupted her train of thought which she struggled to catch. “I’m a Christian.”

“No, you are a servant of the Flesh. You belong to Sha’Go’Noth. You will Obey. The Flesh was made for Obedience. Obedience is the gateway to endless pleasure in the service of Sha’Go’Noth.”

Patti opened her mouth to object but the deputy cut her off.

“Nothing you are thinking matters. A few days ago, I was just like you.” Deputy Parks opened up her blouse. “Confused. Afraid. I didn’t understand what was happening.” She took off her blouse and then her bra, her nipples standing out against the areole. “Then the Chief’s wife came to me. Just like I’ve come to you now and she spent the night with me, just as I am going to do with you. She explained everything to me. She showed me what true pleasure was.” She began to fondle her right breast with her left hand while sliding fumbling at her pants with the other. “She told me that by the end of the night, there was nothing I would not do for my Goddess.” She slid her hands into her panties and began to masturbate. “She was right. Once…” She moaned softly. “Once you’ve been transformed by the will of Sha’Go’Noth, when you truly understand that your Flesh was made for Obedience there’s nothing you won’t do.” She panted. “The best part is that there’s no pleasure you can’t experience. The more you obey, the better…” She licked her lips. “...it feels and the better it feels…” Her hand was moving faster in her pants. “the more you want to obey.” She began to quake as an orgasm rolled through her body. As she did, she chanted the name of Sha’Go’Noth over and over again.

Patti opened her mouth to interrupt but found herself unable to speak. She wanted to explain that she believed in Jesus. She wanted to pray but found herself unable to remember the words of any. All that she could remember was the name Sha’Go’Noth. A voice in the back of her brain tickled at her consciousness, urging her to speak the name while watching the young cop masturbate in front of her. She spoke it softly and a bolt of pleasure coursed through her body. “Sha’Go’Noth” She repeated the word again and another jolt of pleasure, stronger than the last, shot through her.

“Where is your Jesus now? Is he here? Is he saving you? Sha’Go’Noth is here with us now, sister. You must see this.” The deputy spoke through her post-orgasmic panting.

“But…” Patti found some portion of his voice. “God is…”

“He is not here. If he were would your hand be on your pussy? Tell me, flesh-puppet. Would it? Answer!” The deputy barked out cruelly.

“No…” She moaned at the truth of it. “No God…”

“Very good, flesh-puppet. Very, very good. There is no God, there is only Sha’Go’Noth. Say it.”

“No...ahhhhh...God….ahhh!” She cried out as her pussy caught fire as she spoke. “Only...there is only….Sha’Go’Noth. Yessssss…” She hissed. “Only...only...Her. Only Goddess.”

“That’s right. The Flesh is made for Obedience. Say it.” The deputy commanded imperiously.

“The Flesh is…” She bit her tongue in pleasure. “made for obedience….oh! Yesssssssss!” Her hand worked furiously at her pussy, she kept cresting the wave toward an orgasm but always fell back. She looked into the face of the deputy, not understanding why she couldn’t yet climax.

“Soon. Soon you will have your first orgasm as a new creature. But before, let me tell you what will happen. You will end up making others you love just as you are becoming. Each day you will deepen your worship of Sha’Go’Noth and then will come the most beautiful day of your life.” She smiled and came to the bed. “You will watch as a woman close to you becomes a thrall and you will have betrayed her. Then, you will fully belong to Sha’Go’Noth.” She thrust her hands back between her legs. “For me, it was my best friend in town. I went to her house. I seduced her.” She licked her lips lasciviously. “Then I gave her over to the Temple. They put her…” She moaned. “...put her in one of the transformation pods where she was remade. Then, the next morning, her daughters came home from her ex-husband’s house and we converted them. It was soooo, delicious. So good to obey Her will. So good. Soon, you’ll be like me. Soon, you’ll understand. Do you have daughters?”

“Yes. Two.” She found herself unable to put them out of her mind. “Amanda and Heather.”

“They will be as we are. They will Obey.”

“Yessss.” She moaned. “They will obey.” Her mind was filled with images of her daughters no their knees, chanting the dark name of their Goddess, masturbating furiously. Strangely the thought of her daughters nude and sexual did not revolt her. Rather, it excited her but she knew that not long ago, she would have been revolted at the thought.

Patti felt herself slipping away. Parks began to stroke Patti’s pussy while chanting the name of her Goddess. The words inserted themselves past all of Patti’s conscious defenses. She yanked the chain with the cross from around her neck and threw it across the room at the urging of a Voice that was now in her head, telling her the wonderful Truth, guiding her to the new, perfect Understanding.

The deputy, after a seeming eternity in which Patti could only bring herself to the very cusp of orgasm, stood but she had changed. Her skin was paler, her eyes glowed an unearthly green, her canines had grown into fangs and between her legs a black tentacle poked out from between her labia. Patti, completely lost to a fever of lust opened up her arms and legs to welcome her new lover into her. Another tentacle sprouted from the deputy’s mouth and entered into Patti’s filling her mouth and pussy with a warm, viscous liquid. Images of her mother, her neighbors, her daughters, her boss flooded through her mind. She would offer them all up to Sha’Go’Noth. She would convert all of them to worship if only the pleasure would not end. Finally, Patti came, screaming out the name of her Goddess and was erased.

Hypatia drove home as the skies above the town darkened and the snow began to fall in earnest. By the time she pulled into the drive of the family manse, there was a light dusting on the ground. She spied the three cars of her mother, her nieces and her sister in the long driveway and pulled up behind them. She walked up the stairs and into the hallway. Immediately, a strange, sweetly pungent scent filled her nose. She walked down the dim hall, there was light coming from the den and a murmur of voices.

She walked in the room and was shocked to see six naked women in the room, all kneeling before a seventh which was her mother.

“Ahh, we’re so glad you joined us. All is ready.”

“What’s going on?” She demanded.

“You’ll understand everything soon.” Her mother said as Catherine walked in the room.

“Cath! Run, get help!”

“Help? Why, Hyp? No one needs help. Anyway, they already are the police.”

“What? What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing’s wrong with me, Hyp. You’re the abnormal one here. Everyone else already belongs.” Catherine began to strip off her clothes. “Goddess made me keep enough of my own personality until the time of her manifestation was upon us. She told me…” She paused as she licked her lips. “that I was to remain my old self until the time was right. Tonight, Hypatia, you will become the Avatar of Sha’Go’Noth.”

“No, I won’t.” Hypatia said defiantly.

“You will, Mother.” Her daughter’s voice was the last thing she heard before a needle pricked her skin and she lost consciousness.

Hypatia awoke to the feel of a warm, gelatinous substance being spread on her bodies by her nieces. Both young women were nude and covered in the same substance as they now spread on their aunt’s breast. Their eyes were bright with lust, their smiles insane.

“Devora! Devora! Listen to me. Let me go. You have to let me go!” She shrieked at her niece.

“Soon, I will worship you and give to you every pleasure you can imagine. I will live only to serve you. But for now, you are but Flesh.”

“Flesh was made for Worship and Obedience.” Hermione intoned when her sister had finished speaking.

“Please, let me go. I’ll go…”

“Soon the faithful of Sha’Go’Noth will be in every town, dear daughter.” Her mother came into view above her.

“Mother. What happened?”

“The most wonderful thing. Our family was chosen, Hypatia. She chose us for Her purpose.”

“Who is Sha’Go’Noth, Mother?”

“She is our Goddess. You will become Her. When you do, we will all Worship and Obey.”

“How did this…”

“One of the maids stumbled upon it months ago. Sha’Go’Noth came to her and gave her the lust-dream. She came to me and over a slow period of months, I passed the lust-dream on to others.” Her mother took one hand and slipped it between her thighs. She began to rub her clit slowly. “It was fitting that it should happen. The Gagne men were always trying to thwart the will of the Great Gods. Now…” She smiled and then moaned. “Oh now, now that the promised time is upon us. Oh the things she told me I would have. The experiences….” Her mother looked down at her but the mind behind the wild eyes was nothing like the woman she had grown up with. “...released from every puny human morality. There is only One moral truth. Worship of Sha’Go’Noth.”

Her sister came up to her and placed a hand on her head. “I envy you. To be fully erased. Nothing of you will remain and yet you will be One with Sha’Go’Noth. She will be in your body and you will be in Her. The pleasures of permanent Union. Ohhh…” She massaged her clit. “I wish it were me. But I will be rewarded for my obedience. Oh yes...so obedient.” She leaned down and kissed her sister on the mouth. “Fuck me senseless when you have become my Goddess. I want to watch as you fuck my daughters and turn them into mindless thralls.”

Her daughter came up to her but it was not her daughter. This Cressida wore black boots and a black corset. She was pale, her hair slicked back, her lips painted with a dark lipstick.

“I’m to be Princess.” She said haughtily. “My cousins will be my pets.” She looked at them. “Pets!” She commanded. “Come to me.”

“We are Flesh. We Obey.” Her cousins intoned in unison. They came to Cressida’s side and knelt just behind them.

“I’m going to take my pets with me when I go back to school tomorrow.” She smiled the same insane smile all the women wore. “They will help me with my roommates….oooh. The things…I’ll...show…” Her voice trailed off as she turned towards her cousins. Then she became stiff and she turned. When she once again faced her mother, her eyes glowed an unholy green, her teeth had lengthened and out of her vagina a black tentacle appeared. “This is the power of Sha’Go’Noth. All women will worship. All women will obey.”

“What…” Hypatia looked around, there was no one she could turn to. “Cressida. Are you in there at all?”

Her daughter’s face lost its hardness, her eyes returned to their normal brown and her voice lost the imperiousness for a moment. “Yes, but not much longer. There’s nothing left of Cressida.” She smiled again. “There’s only Flesh. Flesh is made for Obedience. Obedience gives pleasures. Ecstasy, Mother. That’s what Sha’Go’Noth gives us. Ecstasy for the Flesh.”

Her mother touched her forehead. “The time is now. The ceremony begins. Your Ascension begins, Daughter.” She leaned over and kissed her passionately. “You’ll understand soon.”

She turned toward the crowd of women. All the women of the town over eighteen were gathered in the grotto. “Sisters, the Time of Revelation is now! Sha’Go’Noth comes now to enslave the world!”

“Sha’Go’Noth! Sha’Go’Noth! Sha’Go’Noth!” The crowd chanting in unison.

“Sha’Go’Noth demands a sacrifice of maleflesh to show our obedience. The Flesh was made for Obedience.”

“There will be a sacrifice.” The crowd intoned.

“Bring forth the sacrifice!”

The crowd began to chant the name of their Goddess. She looked as a man was laid on an altar next to her. The man looked over. It was her brother-in-law, Jeff.

“Jeff! What’s going on?”

“I don’t know! They’ve kept me alive but the others….the others…” He teared up. Her mother intoned. “Come here Catherine. The time of your Ultimate Giving is nigh.”

“Yes, High Priestess.” Her sister walked up to her mother and took a long, serpentine blade from her. “Sha’Go’Noth. Sha’Go’Noth. Sha’Go’Noth, a’st flagh onaugh s’a.” She repeated the chant as she turned and ascended the two steps to where her ex-husband now lay.

“Sha’Go’Noth, all Flesh belongs to You.”

Her sister turned and looked at her. “Soon.” She said happily.

Her mother came to stand between the two alters as did Cressida, Hermione and Devora.

“Do you recognize the sacrifice, Catherine?”

“Yes, High Priestess. This Flesh-servant was joined with it.”

“Cate! Cate! Wake up!” Jeff pleaded.

“Do you recognize the sacrifices, granddaughters?”

“Yes, we were birthed by his intercourse with the Flesh-servant who is our Mother.”

“Do you give the sacrifice to Sha’Go’Noth?”

“Yes, High Priestess. I give the sacrifice to Sha’Go’Noth that she may possess my sister.” This came out in a moan.

“I forgive you, Catherine.” Jeff said sadly, looking up into his ex-wife’s eyes.

“There is nothing to forgive. You are the sacrifice.” Her sister’s voice was matter-of-fact.

Jeff opened his mouth to scream when Catherine plunged the knife into his throat. She captured his streaming blood into a cup.

“The blood of the maleflesh!” She exclaimed. The women responded with their never-ending chant.

There was a rumbling sound and the women in the crowd began to moan and sigh. There were wet sounds. There were moans. There were cries of pleasure. Her family stood above her, their eyes all glowing an unearthly green, their faces contorted into sheer madness. They chanted the name of Sha’Go’Noth as they fingered one another. Hypatia watched as her daughter pushed her cousin Devora onto her knees and stuck the black tentacle that writhed in front of her into her cousin’s mouth.

The Eye appeared. It was a great, disembodied orb that glowed the same hellish green that beamed from the eyes of her family. Surrounding the mind-shatteringly large cornea were thousands of tentacles. Hypatia tried to remember all of the training her father and grandfather had given her should she ever face this moment. But her mind struggled to even grasp that she was there, seeing this thing before her. The tentacles descended upon the gathered women, penetrating their cunts and asses. Some came and picked Hypatia up, pulling her closer and closer to the massive iris that appeared to contain the stars. One pushed up into her pussy, another inserted itself in her anus and another in her mouth. She started to cry out but then her flesh warmed to the touch. Her body was being flooded by a strange black liquid. She felt like she was drowning but she was no longer capable of fear. Instead she welcomed the liquid into her.

She found herself wanting to laugh because of the silliness of trying to stop this moment from happening. Even if she had found out anything what strength could any flesh have against this power? The answer, she could see clearly, was none. She understood and began to see why the light on her family’s face, even as they were driven insane. It felt soooooo good. She had never before had anything in her ass more than a finger before now. She felt herself melting away, making space for the Voice. The Voice told her to feel Her worshippers pleasure. She focused on her mother, who was now being pleasured by two women from her bridge club. She sent out a mental command that caused all three of them to orgasm simultaneously. Her mother screamed out the name of Sha’Go’Noth repeatedly. She did the same with her daughter, who was entertaining herself by being eaten out by Devora while she watched Hermione whip a blonde-haired girl from town. Again, the four women cried out there unending devotion to Her.

She then sent out a wave into all Her worshippers, binding them all to This flesh, this Manifestation. She was Sha’Go’Noth. All women would worship her in all her terrible glory.

The orgy went on into the morning. When the sun rose on the town, the women exited the Temple. Each went home and prepared themselves to follow out the instructions that their Goddess had given them. All women would worship. All women would obey.