The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

She’d missed the Circus Parade.

A day of cleaning tables, and she’d missed the only thing in town that would be worth talking about for months. The bar was practically empty, anyway, she could’ve skipped out, but if her boss had gotten wind-

She winced at the thought. She liked this town enough. It was quiet and simple but she made rent tending bar, and she didn’t feel like leaving anytime soon.

Even if she had to miss the Circus Parade, and likely the whole damn Circus. She’d just stand around and wait for patrons to file in afterwards. A sigh. It was a crap deal, but that was her hand.

“Miss?”

She stilled. She’d been re-organizing bottles, back turned to the bar, and she hadn’t heard anyone come in. There was a bell over the door and everything. And the voice, a man’s voice, wasn’t the soft slur of the afternoon regulars, or the voice of any regular, really.

It was just odd. And off-putting. She spun on her heel. “I’m so so—”

He was, in layman’s terms, terribly handsome. He had too pretty for a man, and she was immediately captivated by it. She hated herself for being so weak in the knees, but he was new. Exciting. A stranger with a a head of black hair. Which just added to his mystery, really.

“I’m sorry, sir,” she said. “Didn’t hear you come in.”

“Old talent of mine,” he said. “Sorry to have startled you.”

“Can I—” She’d forgotten her lines. The same lines she gave to every customer.

“I’d love a drink, thank you,” he said. “Whatever’s on hand.”

She nibbled her lip. “It’s a bar, sir,” she said. “Everything’s on hand.”

“True,” he said. “My mistake. Something light. It’s only the afternoon.”

A curious tilt of her head. “You’re not making my job very easy.”

He had the audacity to laugh lightly, the most enduring of sounds. “Would you think less of me if I just ordered a ginger ale?”

“At a bar?” she said. “Maybe.”

“I’m working,” he told her. “And I hate drinking before dark.”

She could respect that, she supposed. He was good-looking enough that she’d really have respected anything he said. “A ginger ale then,” she said, getting a glass. “For the stranger.”

“We don’t have to be strangers,” he said, as she slid him his drink. “You could take this seat right next to mine and we could get to know each other.”

“I’m working,” she said. “Same as you. Though I don’t know what job would bring you to a bar at this hour.”

He met her gaze. “You’ve heard the circus is in town, haven’t you?” he asked. His finger circled the rim of the glass.

She nodded. “Yessir,” she said. “But I doubt I’ll be able to go.”

The stranger even frowned handsomely, and she felt that was hardly fair. “That’s a real shame,” he said. “I was hoping to make you an offer.”

“About the circus?” she asked.

“Well,” he said. “Yes. If you’re inclined to listen.”

“I already said I wouldn’t be able to go,” she said. He didn’t implore her further. Just gazed at her with honey-colored eyes, like a dog waiting for a treat. She sighed. “Fine,” she said. Reached for a glass to clean, if only to keep her hands busy. He made her feel like fidgeting. She couldn’t put her finger on why. “Make your offer.”

A smile, more charming than the last. She wasn’t sure how he did it. “Well, let me preface by telling you I’m clearly a very persuasive man,” he said. “I’m certain I could convince your boss to let you off for a few hours.”

She snickered. Not to be rude, just to make a point. “You’d do that? Why?”

“Well,” he said. “Can I tell you a little secret, Miss?”

“I think you would even if I said no,” she said.

He laughed. “You’re right,” he said. “I absolutely would.” With the crook of his finger, he beckoned her to lean over the bar. She obliged him.

“You better hope no one sees this,” she said. “Wouldn’t want the patrons to think I’m getting friendly.”

“Of course not,” he said. Tucked her hair behind her ear. It was entirely too forward of him, and she should’ve minded, but one look into his eyes and she decided she didn’t. “Now, what would you say if I told you I was the ringmaster of a certain circus?”

“I’d say men have told me more impressive lies,” she said.

“Clever,” he said. “But it’s the God’s honest.”

“And if it’s the God’s honest,” she said. “Then why are you in here, talking to the barkeep, when you should be out getting people to see your show?”

“Because my job’s a little different,” he said. “See, I’m something of a recruiter.”

A raised eyebrow. “Are you asking me to join the circus?” she asked.

“No, no,” he said. Smiled sheepishly. “Perhaps a bit.” He noted her frown. Placed a hand on her shoulder. “Not permanently, mind you. This is a nightly agreement. And I’ll give you two bits for it.”

She could use the bits. It was only because of that, and not because she found him particularly handsome, that she nodded for him to continue.

“Excellent,” he says. “You know, you are a delightfully charming lady.”

A tilt of the head. “Thank you?”

He laughed. “No, I’m sorry,” he said. “You’ve got a real spark to you. An attitude.”

“Well,” she says. “I can assure you it’s not just for your benefit.”

His grin became even sweeter, though she wasn’t sure how. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about. You have parents in town, darling?”

She huffed. “You were saying about the show?”

“Yes!” he said. Snapped his fingers. “The show. You and I and the show. I open. And I always ask for a volunteer. So it is my job to come into town, right after the parade, and find someone.”

“And you thought you’d pick a bar in the middle of the day?” she asked. “You must be looking for a real winner.”

“And I found her,” he said.

She was flattered, despite knowing better.

“The audience is supposed to think it’s random, you see,” he said. “But if I pick someone out before, the whole show just goes more smoothly.”

“I could understand that,” she said. “Now, why do you care about my parents?”

“Well,” he said. “Don’t you want them to come see you in the show?”

“Nope,” she says.

“Ah,” he said. “Bad terms?”

“You could say that,” she said. “And besides. What kind of a girl with good parents works in a bar?”

“You’d be surprised,” he said. “It takes all kinds.”

“You’d know, then,” she said.

“I would.” He drummed his fingers on the counter. “What about a man? Some handsome fella to come see you be a star.”

“Also a no,” she said. She noted the slight change in his expression. To something a little less formal. A little more pleasant. And she felt almost glad about it. She certainly didn’t mind the stranger’s attention. “Why? You interested?”

He looked shocked, and she smiled at that. Not so slick anymore. “You’re very beautiful,” he said. “But I do have to prepare for the show. Maybe after?”

She shrugged. “We’ll see.”

She counted the glint in his eye as anticipation. “I guess we will. So you’ll come?”

“If you can get me the time off,” she said.

“I can,” he said. “All you need to do is come to the show, raise your hand, and follow my lead on everything. Easy as can be.”

And she’d get two bits out of it. Two bits and maybe a go with the most handsome man she’d probably ever encountered. Not too bad. “It’s a deal,” she said, offering her hand.

“It will be a deal,” he said. “Once I get your name.”

“Lillian,” she told him.

“Divine,” he said, though they both knew it was a rather ordinary name. “Robert,” he said, taking her hand.

“Pleasure,” she said.

“It’s mine,” he told her. “That’s a promise.”

It was an odd thing to say. But he was rather odd, she supposed. “My time off?”

He squeezed her hand once, for good measure. “Of course, dear,” he said. “Anything for my volunteer.”

He left a ticket in her hand.

She arrived late. Just as they were closing the tent flaps. She’d barely even noticed the time, she’d gotten to thinking and then she’d gotten to dress-choosing and it had just been a mess, really.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she told them, a pair of clowns working the door. “Robert asked me to come and I couldn’t find the right dress and um—” She figured it best to stop talking.

The clowns looked at each other. One shrugged. “We’ve got a seat saved for ya,” the one on the right said. “Come on.”

She handed her ticket to the one on the left before following them both inside.

It was an aisle seat, predictably, two rows back from the ring. Right where he’d be able to see her and pick her at random.

She smoothed her hair. She wasn’t entirely sure how well he’d be able to see her, but she couldn’t take her chances. She really couldn’t understand why she was so nervous, though. Perhaps she was worried that he’d changed his mind. That he did this with many girls, and that he’d pick someone else.

She didn’t want to be so interested in him. But she was. And she’d be rather disappointed if someone else got his attention. She’d looked around as the clowns had led her to her seat, and seen many other pretty girls. She wasn’t all that special. He could choose anyone, really.

The lights went up in the ring, and Lillian did her best to swallow her anxiety. She was being foolish. Even if he did pick another volunteer, it wouldn’t be so bad. It just meant she wouldn’t get a go at him, is all. A disappointing endgame, but not a disastrous one.

And besides. The show had started, a funny little warmup routine, and Robert was no where to be seen. He could’ve just been a liar. He may not have been a Ringmaster at all.

She should just enjoy the show, really. The swirling overheard lights, the noise, the way the entourage of clowns in the ring began to clear a path for-

Well. At least she knew he was honest. He was, indeed, the Ringmaster, a rather spiffy-looking one, if she did say so herself. He stood proudly in the center of the ring, his ring, assumedly, and glanced into the audience.

He found her without having to try. Probably because he saved her a seat. Still. She felt a little breathless as he locked eyes with her. Had trouble hearing his opening remarks over her own heartbeat.

She was so nervous! This was all incredibly embarrassing.

Richard cocked a smile at her, and she managed a nod.

“Welcome, welcome,” he said, and at least she heard that. “I’m sure plenty of you have seen a circus before. For those of you that haven’t, welcome to our show. We like to think ours is a little special. A little more than the average show. And to show you what I mean, I’ll need a volunteer.”

Lillian raised her hand, and waited. She noticed other hands go up. Again, she felt a pang of nerves.

Robert chuckled at the sight, with a smile that Lillian could almost call predatory. He surveyed the crowd for show, before his eyes found hers once again. “You,” he said, pointing right at her. “Come down.”

She nodded, either for him or for herself, or for the fact that she hadn’t anticipated having any stage fright. She hadn’t thought much about it, really. But her she was, climbing out of her seat and smoothing her skirt, like it would do her any good.

“There we go,” Robert said. She noticed that he hadn’t stopped staring at her, hadn’t tried to address the audience again. “Come on, dear. I don’t bite.”

For some reason, she was almost certain that was a lie.

She entered the ring. His ring, she corrected herself, and his crowd and his spotlight. And she was his volunteer.

He offered her his hand, and she took it. For show, he bowed to her, pressing his lips to the back of her hand. “What’s your name, darling?” he asked.

“Lillian,” she said.

That smile, again. “Give Miss Lillian a round of applause!” he said. Not said. Demanded. The crowd erupted. Lillian couldn’t imagine that they wouldn’t. His presence demanded that the crowd obey him.

That, she supposed, was Robert. Robert the performer, Robert the Ringmaster. Robert, who made it seem perfectly normal to order ginger ale at a bar. He left no room for questions.

“You’re a very brave woman, Miss Lillian,” he said. “Offering to be our volunteer.”

She felt a nervous laugh bubble in her chest. “Why am I brave?”

“Oh, you’ll see,” he said. And she didn’t get the feeling that he was saying it for show. “Miss Lillian, have you ever seen a lion?”

She blinked. “Yes?”

“Are you asking me?” he asked, and the crowd chuckled with him. “It’s alright if you haven’t, Miss Lillian.”

“I’ve seen pictures,” Lillian said. “And I’ve seen another circus with a lion.”

He gave her an amused sort of look. She hadn’t meant it as an insult, though he seemed to find it cute that she had tried. “Well, Miss Lillian,” he said. “In this show, we don’t believe in keeping wild animals captive. But we do have lions, you see.” Something twinkled in his eye, and she knew it couldn’t be good for her. “Well. We have a lion.”

She had no idea where he was going. But she went wide-eyed anyway, and made the appropriate, surprised noise. He had asked her to play along, after all. “Where is it?” she asked.

“Standing right in front of me,” he said.

She took the opportunity to look around him. The crowd laughed at that. “I don’t see any lion.”

He seemed to appreciate her acting. He took her wrist in his hand, and gave her a light squeeze. Whether it was possessive or reassuring was unclear. “That’s the beauty of the circus,” he said. “Anything is possible. And you, my dear, are going to be our lion.”

Murmurs from the stands. Lillian tilted her head in confusion. “How am I supposed to be a lion?”

He winked. Mouthed “good,” at her. “Why my darling, I’ll show you. If someone could get the lady a seat!”

There was a quick beat, as one of the circus members rushed into the ring, placed a chair by Lillian’s side, and rushed back out. It happened so quickly Lillian wondered if it was supposed to be a bit of some kind. But Robert was putting his hand on her waist, and she really didn’t have time to think about anything else.

“Sit,” he said, guiding her into the chair like she was too delicate to sit on her own. “Are you ready for the next part, Miss Lillian?”

She put her hands on her knees. “I guess so.”

“Excellent,” he said. He turned his back to her, to better address his audience.

“How many of you believe in hypnosis?”

There were whispers. Stares. Her throat was at once impossibly tight.

He hadn’t mentioned that. And he’d caught her by surprise, which she didn’t like. Hypnosis. She’d heard of hypnosis, as the subject of a book. The kind of books that everyone seemed to read but her. She hadn’t had the time or the interest in it, though she knew it was one of those things ladies and gentlemen whispered about. Sort of like dirty pictures. Hypnosis. It was all the rage, these days.

Robert must’ve wanted her to pretend to be hypnotized. And then act like a lion, she supposed.

Well, from what she’d heard of these books, hypnotists liked to do much worse. And this would just be for show.

“Now, now,” Robert said, and Lillian realized that the audience was still talking, still speculating if hypnosis was real or not, or if it was indecent. “Settle down. I take it many of you have heard of it. And many of you probably think it’s just some kind of magic trick, or some kind of fantasy from a torrid novel.”

A few nervous laughs from the crowd.

“But I assure you,” Robert said. “It’s very real, and we do it every night in our dear show. We’ve had many lions in our time. And I am not just ringmaster, but master hypnotist.”

Lillian resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He certainly did enjoy selling himself.

“When I’m through with Miss Lillian, she will believe not that she is the well-mannered lady you see before you, but our show’s beloved pet lion, Nimea. Of course, I will return her to her lovely self at the end of the act, and she’ll have nothing but a very pleasant memory. So! Are you ready to watch hypnosis in action?”

There were cautious cheers.

“I asked you a question, ladies and gentlemen!” he bellowed. “Are you ready for our show?”

They shouted for him. Whooped and hollered, like they were ashamed he’d had to ask them a second time. They might of been. He’d seemed scolding, for an instant, and the audience must’ve been terrified.

“And Miss Lillian,” he said, turning to her again. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” she said.

His smile made her heart pound. She wasn’t quite sure if it was nerves or something else entirely. “Good girl.” He pulled a long necklace from the front of his pocket, at the end of which hung a silver, tear drop shaped pendant, made of many flattened facets. She’d never seen silver so polished before. It was so shiny. Impossibly so.

“Now, Lillian,” he said, low enough that only she could hear. Low enough that he could drop the ‘Miss.’ “Watch the pendant.”

It wasn’t like she had much of a choice. It kept aiming the show lights right into her eyes, making her wince. If he could just hold it still, get it to stop spinning, she was sure she’d be fine.

He continued holding in front of her, as he moved behind her chair. He leaned forward, his lips brushing the shell of her ear. His arm remained outstretched, still dangling that pendant, still blinding her with light.

All the crowd would see was her, sitting still. Robert’s hand dangling the light in front of her.

“Hello, Lillian,” he whispered. “Can you hear me?”

“I can hear you,” she said.

“Good,” he said. “Good. Do you like my necklace?”

She would’ve shrugged, if she could. She just didn’t have the energy. “It’s... bright.”

“Good eye,” Robert said. “It’s got many little facets to it, do you see? It’s like several shining mirrors at once. Can you see your reflection?”

“What?” she asked.

“Your pretty reflection. Don’t you see it?”

She squinted. Tried to squint. “It’s too bright.”

“No, no it isn’t,” Robert said. “Your eyes are just adjusting to it. You’ve got to keep staring at it, and the light will become more bearable.”

“Robert,” she whispered. “I get it. It’s an act. Why don’t you just snap your fingers and we’ll pretend—”

His hand slid up the back of her chair. Slipped into her hair. He pressed his fingers to the back of her scalp. Kept his hand low enough that no one would be able to see it. But she could feel it. “Keep looking at the lights, Lillian. Keep looking.”

“Why?” she said. It felt like a childish thing to ask, even as she said it.

He chuckled behind her. It rolled against her skin. In her stomach. “Because they’re fading, just a little, aren’t they?”

Sort of. Not a whole lot, but she could see the pendant more clearly. See her tiny, distorted reflection, with Robert looming behind her.

“Look at you,” he said. “Look at you, sitting pretty for me.”

She almost giggled. Was he trying to flirt with her? Now, of all times?

“Lillian,” he said. “I have to ask you a favor, right about now.”

“What?” she asked, not really thinking about it.

“I need you to trust me,” he said. “Because you see, I’ve already taken control of you.”

She tried to blink, and found she couldn’t. “You—”

“Try to look away from the pendant,” he said. “Please. Humor me.”

She tried. She tried to look anywhere else. The tent. The audience. Her feet. But she couldn’t look away. She absolutely couldn’t.

“You can’t,” he said. “You can’t because you’re already hypnotized, just a little.”

“Hypnotized?” she asked. “But it’s—”

“Sh, sh,” he cooed. “You’re getting more and more hypnotized as you stare into the pendant. It was too late the moment you laid eyes on it. I’m in full control of you, Lillian. I have been since I took this pendant out of my pocket.”

She needed to close her eyes. She needed to-

“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Trance is perfect. Trance is good. Because I’m the one putting you into a trance. And you trust me.”

“I trust you?” she asked.

“You have to,” Robert said. “You’re letting me hypnotize you. You’re giving me complete and total control. And you’d have to trust me, in order for me to do that.”

She barely knew him. Didn’t she? How could she let him take so much control if she didn’t trust him? He just made too much sense. He was too right. She barely even knew what she was thinking, anymore. Or if she was thinking at all. “Yes,” she agreed, softly. “I’d have to trust you.”

“And that’s good,” he said. “It’s good that you trust me. You trust me more than you have ever trusted anyone else. Because no one else has ever controlled you like this. Only me.”

“Only you,” she said.

“Only I control you,” he said.

“Only you control me,” she repeated.

“Good girl,” he said. He lightly stroked at the nape of her neck. “What a good little subject you are. My subject. All mine.”

“All yours,” she said.

“And why are you all mine?” he asked.

“Because I trust you,” she said. “I trust you to control me.”

“So good,” he said. “So smart. Such a perfect subject. I want to take you deeper, Lillian. Deeper into trance. And you want to follow me there. Because everything I tell you is the truth. Trust means truth. You know that.”

She couldn’t even think about where her doubt had gone. She couldn’t think at all.

“All you want is to go deeper and deeper into trance. Until you’re mine. Until you can never come back out. Not fully. You wanted this from the moment you sat here.”

“Yes,” she said. “I want to go deeper.”

“You want to be in my trance,” Robert said.

“I want to be in your trance,” Lillian said.

“Trance is bliss. Bliss is obedience.”

She swallowed. “Trance is—”

“Shh,” he said. “I know you understand. I know you trust me. Beautiful Lillian. Obedient Lillian.”

His voice held too much power over her. She trusted him to have all the power, and trusted herself with none. He had to control her. It was the only thing that made sense.

“Watch the pendant spin and spin,” Robert said. “Watch your reflection turn.”

“Spinning,” Lillian repeated.

“I can see your reflection too. You’re so pretty,” he said. “So pretty and so docile. You must be finding it so hard to move right now. Aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she said.

“And that’s because you’ve been so caught up in staring at my pendant,” Robert said. “It’s made your brain soft. Made you nice and easy to talk to.”

“Soft.”

“And look,” he said. “Look at your reflection. It’s all you can see, isn’t it? You’ve completely forgotten everything around it, you’ve been staring for so long.”

She watched it with a focus she didn’t know she had. She just couldn’t think of anything else too look at. There wasn’t anything else.

“And it’s funny,” he said. “Because just like that’s all you see, my voice is all you hear. Just listening to the sound of me speak has captured you, hasn’t it, Lillian?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Yes what?”

“You captured me.”

“What did I capture?” he asked. “Tell me.”

“My attention,” she said.

He laughed. She felt herself want to laugh too, though she couldn’t. “Literal, aren’t we?” he said. “I’ve captured your mind, Lillian. It’s entirely in my pendant, for me to do with as I see fit. That girl? Your reflection? She belongs to me. And do you know what that means, Lillian?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered. She didn’t hear her own voice.

“It means you belong to me, Lillian. From the moment I saw you. You’ve belonged to me. Because I hold your reflection. I hold you, right here from my pendant.”

“Right there,” she repeated. “I belong to you.”

“Good,” he said, rubbing small circles with his fingers. “It’s so nice, belonging to me. You always have, you know. Always have.”

“I have always—” She swallowed. “I have al—”

“You have always belonged to me,” he said. “It’s okay, darling. My sweet girl. Just say it slowly. We’ve got time. You have always belonged to me.”

“I have—” She saw the pendant turn again. And again. “I have always belonged to you.”

“Yes,” he said. “Let’s go deeper. Let me show you who you are.”

“Show me,” she said. “I have always belonged to you.”

“Good girl,” he said. “Fall deeper into your trance. Keep staring at my pendant. What do you see?”

“Me,” she said.

“Mm,” Robert said. “That beautiful girl in my pendant. You know her. You are her. But I know her better. I know you better. Because I own you. Say that.”

“You own me,” she said.

“Good,” he said. “And I love looking at your reflection. Seeing how obedient you are, sitting here. I can see it because your eyes have glazed over completely. You’re so deeply mine. So deeply hypnotized.”

She felt the word hypnotized ping around in her empty head. She knew, in some distant sense, that he was bragging to her. Flexing his power over her. But it didn’t matter. Because it was true. Everything he said was true. She belonged in his power. She always had.

“You will always be mine,” Robert said. “You know it’s what you were made for. To be my pet. Look at your reflection. You look just like my pet, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Lillian said.

“You are my pet,” he told her.

“I am your pet,” she said.

“Look at me, behind you. But you know I’m all around you, don’t you? I’ve consumed you. There is nothing beyond me. There is only me.”

“Only you,” she said.

“Good girl,” he said. “So deep in her trance. I’m going to pull the pendant away,” he said. “But it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because I haven’t said anything that wasn’t true. The pendant just helped you see it.” The light left her eyes. And there was only a haze. A dream. “Stand up for me, and bow.”

She did as he commanded. She bowed deeply for him, and returned to her standing position.

“Lillian,” he said, his voice booming again. Volume didn’t matter. Every word was just as true. She was still bound by it. Tied up completely. “I want you to speak up. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes,” she said.

“I’m going to ask you some questions,” he said. “Answer me honestly.”

“Of course,” she said.

“Lillian,” he said. “Are you in a trance?”

“I am.”

“Your eyes are wide open,” he said. “You’re standing in front of a whole audience. Do you see an audience, Lillian?”

“No,” she said.

“Cheer for her,” Robert said. “Yell for her, our lovely volunteer!”

She waited.

“Did you hear that, Lillian?” Robert says.

“No,” she said.

A click of his tongue. “A shame,” he said, nearly apologetic for it. “But that’s hypnotism, of course. And Lillian, since you’re in a trance, that means you can only hear my voice, can’t you?”

“Yes,” she said.

“And you can only see what I tell you to see, correct?”

“Yes.”

“You can see me now, Lillian. But only me.”

He appeared before her like he’d always been there, like he’d always been the only thing she could see. Hadn’t he? Stood there and smiled at her, and controlled her very being?

“And you must believe everything I tell you,” he said. “You must accept it as your truth. Right, Lillian?”

“Yes,” she said. “Everything you say is true.”

“Then let’s test that,” he said. “I did tell the audience they’d be entertained.” He approached her. “In fact,” he continued. “I believe I promised them a lion.”

“Yes,” she said. “You did.”

“Good memory,” he said. “Now listen carefully. You are no longer a human woman, do you understand? You are a lovely lioness named Nimea, and I am your tamer. Nimea is a very well-trained lioness. Perhaps a little spoiled. She’s a diva. She loves to perform. She loves the spotlight. And she always listens to her Master.” He paused. Let his words sink into the puddle he’d made of her brain. “When I snap my fingers, all of this will become true to you. You will be Nimea. And when I snap my fingers again, twice quickly, you will return to this state. You will return to Lillian in a trance. Do you understand?”

Of course. Whatever he wanted. “I understand, Ma—”

He snapped his fingers.

Nimea let out a noise of confusion. She was in an uncomfortable position on her hind legs, for some reason. She fell forward. Landed on her front paws.

She heard her Master’s laugh. Her head snapped up, and she gave him an indignant little huff, prowling over to his legs. She didn’t like standing, even though Master always made her. It felt odd! Surely she knew enough other tricks to please him.

Her Master had trained her well. Some lions may have been rowdy and wild, but not Nimea. Nimea loved to perform. And she loved her Master.

She rubbed her nose affectionately against her Master’s leg. Arched her back.

“Good girl,” her Master said, reaching down to stroke behind her ear. Nimea allowed him a little purr, to let him know his affection wasn’t wasted. “Sit, Nimea.”

Nimea moved into a sitting position. Held her head up proudly, for her Master to see. She was always such a good girl.

“Can you roar for me?” he asked.

She shifted her shoulders back, puffing her fur. That was such a silly question. She was the best roarer in the whole world. Her Master knew that!

“Aw, Nimea,” he said. “Was that a dumb question?”

She indignantly turned her head.

“Come on, girl,” he said, stroking her head. “Don’t be mad. You knew what I meant.”

She sniffed dismissively.

He ran his hand through her fur, stroking the top of her head. He rubbed the spot right on the top that she liked so much. Nimea yowled in pleasure. Her Master could make her feel as silly and docile as a kitten sometimes! She’d forgotten all about being mad.

“There’s my princess,” he said.

She purred. She loved being called his princess.

He looked right into her big, brown eyes. “There she is,” he repeated. “Roar for me, Nimea,” he said.

She threw her head back and gave him her finest roar. She knew he’d be smiling at her. Beaming with pride.

“Excellent,” her Master said. “Simply amazing. Can you give me an even louder roar, Nimea?”

Nimea gave him one of her looks.

He chuckled, and rustled her fur. “Pretty please, princess?”

Nimea sucked in a deep breath through her nose. She shut her eyes and roared to the stars.

“You are a magnificent creature,” her Master told her, as she settled back down. “But you know that, don’t you princess?”

Nimea licked her paw in response. She was tired, now. She’d done so much roaring. She really deserved a nap.

“Don’t go to sleep on me just yet,” her Master said. “Not yet, Nimea.” He snapped his fingers. Just once. The sound echoed in her head as she shot straight up in her sitting position, eyes wide.

She had to obey. She was Nimea the lioness, and she always obeyed.

“Stand, Nimea,” her Master said. “Come on, princess. Up!”

Nimea bounced up on her hind legs, wobbling slightly. She teetered. Her Master quickly caught her paws, and placed them firmly against his chest.

She didn’t like standing. But she liked being this close to her Master’s face. Not quite at his eye level, as her Master was so large and strong. Larger and stronger than her, and she was a mighty lioness! But from here, he could pet her fur more gently. Rub the back of her neck.

“There’s a good girl,” he said. “There’s my princess.”

She struggled to lift her nose more closely to his face.

“Oh?” he said. “Are you trying to tell me something, Nimea?” He leaned down.

She smushed her nose against his cheek, and breathed in the scent of him. He was her Master, and she was his pet.

“Aw,” he cooed. “Good girl.”

She lovingly licked his cheek.

“Down, girl,” he said. Nimea obeyed, returning to her spot at his feet. She settled onto her front paws, resting her cheek on his shoes. Her tail lazily flicked back and forth. She was such a good lioness. Her Master’s pride and joy. Such a happy, obedient little lione-

Her Master snapped his fingers twice in quick succession.

Lillian was on her hands and knees, muddling in the dirt of the ring. Robert stood above her, smiling down.

He’d taken her very personhood from her. But that was okay. That was his right, since she’d given him her whole mind. He owned her.

He’d called her pet, and he’d wanted to make it literal. Some part of her was thrilled, twisting over and over that Robert had forced her onto all fours. Robert had done this to her, because he was so powerful and she was so weak.

But she loved being weak. She couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t.

She was getting filthy, resting against him in the dirt. But she didn’t want to stand before he told her to.

He chuckled. “Stand up, Lillian.”

He lowered his hand and she quickly took it, rising back to her feet.

“Look at her!” he said. “Back to a lady once more!”

She heard nothing and saw nothing. She watched him. His eyes crinkled as he grinned. That must’ve meant he was pleased.

“Now,” he said. “How on earth to get you out of this trance?” A pause. He laughed. Not at her. “Don’t worry, folks!” he said. “Just a rhetorical question!” He turned his head towards her. “When I snap my fingers once,” he said, in a tone so low she had to strain to hear it. “You will appear awake. But we both know you’ll never be truly awake again. Not like you once were. But be a convincing little lamb, won’t you?”

He snapped his fingers.

Part of her came back. But she’d been reshaped. She knew that.

She could see the audience again. Hear them cheering for her. But it was as though they were behind glass. Like they were a moving picture with the sound being played in a separate room. They were barely real. The only real person was Robert. She knew that, now. He’d shown her the truth.

“What—” She blinked innocently, whipping her head to look Robert dead in the eye. “What happened?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” he asked.

All of it, she thought. And her heart skipped a beat in her chest. “Sitting in that chair over there,” she said, pointing to it. “And you took out some silly little necklace.”

It felt almost like sacrilege, to insult the pendant that way. But she knew what Robert needed her to do.

“What a darling!” he said, showing her off to the audience. “No memory of the experience at all!”

They loved it. She could tell that they loved it. An odd sense of pride swelled within her.

“Now then,” he said to her. “Let me just dust you off.” He circled around her, dusting off her dress in spots where she’d gotten particularly filthy.

When his back was turned to the audience, and they couldn’t see her little body, he brushed one hand over her breast.

“Soon, soon,” he promised.

Her nipples peaked against her dress, and she knew he was grinning. He continued to prowl around her.

“How do you really feel?” he whispered.

“Obedient,” she said. “Relaxed.”

“Perfect,” he said. “You’ll come to my car after the show, won’t you?”

“Do you want me to?” she said.

“Of course I do,” he said. “Just think of all the filthy things I’m going to do to you, away from prying eyes. How eager I am to get that dress off you. Because I own you know, don’t I?”

“Yes,” she said. Her breath hitched as he took her hand.

It was just so they could bow. That was all. Though she couldn’t deny the way his fingers were laced through hers. How possessively he was squeezing her hand. And how right that possession felt, deep in her mind.

“You’ll barely register the audience speaking to you,” he said. “And it’s not like it matters. They’ll all be behind you, soon enough. Now go back to your seat.”

“Thank you, Robert,” she said.

“I’d kiss you if I could,” he told her, softly.

It was the kindest, sweetest, most important thing she’d ever heard. Reluctantly, she released herself from his grasp.

“One last round of applause for Lillian!” he said, as she returned to the audience.

It would’ve been funny, if she could think about it. The audience loved her. They screamed for her. And she faintly remembered a time when that would’ve pleased her.

But they barely registered to her at all.

She wasn’t made to please an audience. She was made to belong to Robert. And as she sat back down in her seat, bombarded by questions from everyone near her, she felt... content.

He winked at her from the ring. She managed to stifle her sigh.

She did clench her thighs together.

Thankfully, no one noticed.