Author's Notes:

This story is not meant to be a reference guide to the Wicca belief system. I borrowed from it lightly for the benefit of telling this story. I'm not promoting or condemning it. While I did some research into Wicca, I'm fairly certain many could do better. Again, I'm just writing to entertain, not educate. By all means, if you are interested in Wicca, far better information resources are available than this story.

Additionally, if you doubt the possibility that a company owning the patent on a life-saving drug might decide to withhold it for purely financial reasons, look up Glybera.

What is wrong with a society that grants corporations more rights than people?

Greed may be the deadliest of the Seven Sins, after all.

Chapter 1

Jennifer's prey was already three drinks into his party experience, and the night was young. He was watching trust-fund Amazon bimbo Kate Stirling, who was on the dancefloor shaking the big implants her daddy paid for. As her bouncing boobage came close to freeing themselves from her dress, Richard's eyes were firmly locked on target.

This also meant no one but Jennifer was watching him.

Slipping up next to the man, Jennifer set her red plastic cup next to Richard's on the kitchen island's marble top.

Richard lifted his hands to amplify his shout as Jennifer stepped back into the shadows with his cup.

"Kate! Show us your fat tittays!" he bellowed drunkenly.

The tipsy man brayed with laughter at Kate's angry glare, glanced down to pick up the cup before him, and chugged the contents in quick gulps.

Jennifer smiled. Prey tranquilized.

She just needed to track her target now, wait for the roofie to kick in, and separate him from the herd.

As the brunette beauty stalked the boorish turd from the shadows, she moved to the music as if she was in a world of her own. She ignored the frat boys' feeble attempts to engage with her, and each moved on with expressions of contempt or anger. One was unusually persistent, but a disgusted glare finally sent him on his way.

None of that mattered as she was hunting big game.

Richard Madden was the son of Charles Madden, CEO of Madden Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He was being groomed to work in his daddy's empire as he'd take over one day.

Jennifer's coven needed someone on the inside, and Richard would be their inside man.

Her part of the mission was to bring Richard to the coven. They would take the next steps once she delivered him.

She saw the signal when he stood and ambled slowly back toward the kitchen. His steps were hesitant, so she smoothly slipped through the crowd and moved beside him.

Jennifer quickly confirmed eyes weren't aimed their way and slipped her hand around his waist to guide him toward a hallway leading to some bedrooms. They moved at a relaxed pace until they were at the door to the last room. She reached around, opened it, and eased them inside. She relaxed when she saw the room was empty. It was still early in the evening, so the horny frat boys hadn't begun to drag their victims to secluded bedrooms to score.

Richard's eyes were glassy and vacant, and his facial muscles relaxed. She scooped up the black hoodie she'd left on the bed, threw it over his shoulders, and pulled the hood up to hide his face. Then she sat him in a chair. She unzipped her small purse to get her phone to call in the troops.

She froze when she saw her cell wasn't there.

An image flashed into her mind of her phone sitting on her bedside table, plugged into its charger.

Jennifer cursed silently and moved to plan B. She'd already spent too much time in Richard's presence. People might recall seeing them together. She'd have to leave him here while she retrieved her helpers.

Jennifer took another look at Richard and moved to the room's door. She slipped into the empty hall and immediately rushed to the exterior door at the hall's end to slip from the house. The coven members were waiting in a car in the lane behind the frat house. She saw people walking in the neighborhood, so she kept herself to a comfortable but quick walk.

Richard should be safe enough until she returned momentarily.

-=-

One of the party attendees, a certain frat boy burned by a scornful glance, was fuming about Richard Madden's fucking success at capturing the interest of the hot bitch who'd snubbed him. Kevin Tate tossed back the last of his drink and recalled the harsh look on the otherwise perfect features of the brunette he'd been watching since she arrived.

Kevin's family was one of the wealthiest in the state, and he was far better looking and more fit than Richard. His car was better than Richard's, and he dressed better. He'd fucked more sluts than the asshole too!

So why did such a succulent piece of tail lead Richard away toward a bedroom instead of him?

His anger increased, and he pushed himself to his feet to go to the kitchen to get another drink. The more he thought about it, the more unfair it seemed.

He decided to have a few words with Richard when he finished scoring with the slut.

-=-

Kate caught a glimpse of Richard walking away down the hall, and she scowled. He really was a bastard. She'd gone on a date with him the week before, and he got a little rough, ruining her favorite skirt. He'd also broken the gold chain her mother gave her. He owed her money for repairing that.

She pushed away the clingy frat boy on the couch who was trying to feel her boobs and stood up. She swayed slightly as the beer was going to her head. Time to switch to water.

Making her way to the hallway, she spotted someone stepping out of the last bedroom and leaving the house by the side door. Was Richard in there?

Glancing back, no one was watching her, so she quickly wobbled down the hall to the last door and slipped inside. She squeaked as she saw someone sitting in the chair in a black hoodie.

She stepped closer when he made no noise and pushed back the hood.

"You fucker, Richard! You scared me!" she cursed at him as she swayed on her feet.

Still, he made no sounds. She squinted at him. "You owe me money for breaking my chain!"

When his silence continued, she got mad. She grabbed the hoodie and pulled, making him lean forward. She tugged harder and the sweater pulled free as Richard toppled out of the chair to land on his face on the floor.

Kate burst into nervous giggles as Richard was face down and ass up. She tossed the sweater on the bed and leaned down to tug his wallet from his back pocket. Her head swam a little for tilting over, so she stepped back and sat on the edge of the bed. Looking in the wallet, she saw the wad of cash inside, so she stuffed the bills into her bra. She tucked the wallet into the sweater's pocket as she examined Richard.

An idea was forming in her beer-addled brain. Richard was totally smashed. She could do anything with him. She giggled nervously again as her sorority sisters had said some angry things about Richard. They'd told her to avoid him, and she'd still gone on a date with the man. As they'd warned her, he'd acted like a brute, tore her clothes, gave her some bruises, and broke her chain.

Kate stood and pulled Richard to his feet before she could talk herself out of it. She was a head taller than him, and he wasn't very stable, so she wrapped an arm around the man. She guided him out into the hall and pulled the door closed before walking him out the side door. She had to keep a tight grip on him, and her own stability wasn't the best, so they wobbled along the path, but she got him to her car and inside.

The drive to the sorority house took only minutes, but she parked at the back and walked Richard's drunk ass into the building.

When she reached the large living room, eight of her house sisters were having a meeting. Faces turned in her direction, and most expressions held barely restrained rage and shock when they saw who she was clinging to.

The two most senior members, Jillian and Audry, held up their hands to quiet the group as they rose to their feet and approached Kate cautiously. They stopped before her and carefully examined Richard's face.

"What happened to him, Kate?" Jillian asked.

Kate nodded to her. "I think..." She looked closer at his zombie expression, and an idea trickled into her drunk brain. "I think someone slipped him a roofie at the Frat Party."

The ladies behind them snorted in surprise and amusement.

Audry checked Richard's pupil reaction, and she glanced over at Jillian. "Was it you?"

Kate shook her head. "I just borrowed him from the party, but no one saw us leave."

"Let's take this discussion downstairs," Jillian suggested as she glanced at Audry.

The ladies behind them immediately jumped to their feet and assisted Kate in walking Richard down the stairs into their private ceremony room.

Jillian turned to Audry. "Collect Richard's victims as quickly and quietly as you can. This must be over in one hour, so we'll have time to do a cleanse."

Audry nodded and rushed up to her office to make some calls.

They were having their own party tonight.

Chapter 2

James had never been to a party.

In his nineteen years, he'd never received a birthday party invitation, attended a school dance or a house party, or been asked to participate in a wedding reception.

Now, in his first year of college, he'd been invited to a Frat party for new students.

He knew what a party was, and from what he understood, a Frat party was the penultimate level for his age category. He was more than a little nervous about jumping into the deep end on his first try.

There was also the fact that he wasn't joining the fraternity, but the guy from his class who told him about it assured him it was an open party and everyone was welcome. The guy had been a little insistent.

James took slow, deep breaths as he walked through the heavily treed neighborhood.

When he left home to attend college, his grandpa told him he'd need to be prepared to step outside his comfort zone.

He'd discovered that everything here was outside that zone, but he was trying.

In the month since his arrival at the college, he realized the three years he'd spent in the rural high school, after many years of being home-schooled, hadn't prepared him for life amongst a far more worldly student populace. Their ease with relating to the trappings of the new social matrix made him feel like an artifact from days gone by. He was floundering as he tried to fit in.

Going to tonight's party was a bold step into the unknown for him.

He knew his grandpa would be proud.

He glanced down at himself to quickly assess his look. He didn't know the proper attire for this kind of party, but casual seemed to be the rule at college. He wore his good jeans and a button-down black shirt, as dark colors seemed appropriate.

He was physically fit and handsome (so the ladies at his grandparent's assisted living home informed him), and his brown hair was neatly brushed. He was as prepared as he'd ever be.

James left the sidewalk to cross the expansive lawn toward the large home just ahead.

A fist came out of the darkness, smashing into his left cheekbone, catching him completely by surprise.

The sucker punch sent a shockwave through his head and left him dazed. His leg muscles lost tone, and he went down onto his knees.

That's when a second fist swung in from the opposite side and struck him viciously on his right cheek, a ring carving a deep scratch into his skin.

He felt his face strike the lawn then hands grabbed his arms to haul him back to his knees. Two people pulled him up, and a third hit his face with a flurry of punches.

Then, they switched to allow the others to take turns.

James' head filled with flashes of light and pain. He was thrown to the lawn face down once more, and his consciousness faded in and out as he remained there, struggling to breathe.

A foot caught him in the side, and the air left his lungs. Several more kicks landed until he was retching onto the grass, curled up.

"Michael! Fuck! Enough! Don't kill him!"

He felt someone tug his wallet from his back pocket.

His mind was trying to pull away from the assault, but he never went completely out. Voices and heavy breathing echoed oddly in his ears from his prone position on the lawn.

"Where's Richard? This was his fucking idea!"

"How the fuck should I know? He was supposed to be here."

A buzzing in his head blocked out the voices for a moment.

"Derek, get his arm. We'll stash him at the party," one of his assailants said close to his ear.

They dragged him closer to the house and then suddenly ducked down, pushing James against the ground painfully. He faded for a moment, then was lifted once more and dragged.

"Who was that?" a voice harshly whispered. The buzzing in James' head came in waves, blotting out all other sounds.

"Couldn't see clearly... drunks leaning on each other."

"Fucking pussies... handle their drink... still early!"

Concrete steps struck shin bones, and more pain flared as James was dragged into a side door.

James heard laughter, loud music, and raucous shouting ahead.

"In here!"

He was roughly pulled into a room, and a door closed, blocking most of the party noise.

"Shit! Lewis! His face... your fucking ring... bleeding," someone asserted with great tension in their voice.

"Get the hoodie from the bed and put it on him to hide his face!"

James felt his painful muscles squeezed again as his arms were forced into the sleeves of a sweater, and the hood was pulled over his head to disguise him. He was shoved onto a chair.

"Let's go find Richard," one said urgently.

"Fine," another responded then the door opened and closed again.

The room was mostly silent, but James couldn't move as the pain was making itself known.

After what felt like only seconds, the party noises swelled again as the door opened.

"He's in there," a feminine voice said from the hall. "It was a strong roofie."

James felt big hands grab his arms again, and his head dipped forward, shadowing his face in the hood.

"Good luck," the voice said as the others efficiently but roughly dragged him out the side door.

When he was dumped into the trunk of a car, James' head struck something hard, and he finally slipped under where the pain couldn't follow.

-=-

Shivering, James surfaced once more.

With awareness came pain.

He wished he could return to the dark place, but his mind wouldn't let him.

Then he heard the music. It was beautiful, like an angelic chorus. He wanted to hear more, and the sound became smoother and deepened as he soaked it in.

Someone... was touching him in a private place—then words were spoken, drowning out all other sounds. They felt like they were trying to burn themselves into his mind. The burning suddenly stopped as a cool sensation splashed over his nerves, and he faded momentarily.

His next realization was that he was shivering again, and his pain returned.

With it, his muscle tone returned slowly as he tested his control over his body. He slowly and painfully pushed himself to a seated position. Everything was dark, and his face felt hot, tight, and painful. He tried to see his surroundings, but his face was so swollen his eyes were mere slits.

He could see a sparkling light in the distance. A house's porchlight, maybe?

Pushing himself to his feet, he wrapped his arms around himself as he discovered he was naked. He set that aside and staggered toward the light. He bumped into a tree trunk and adjusted his course as he slowly shuffled through what soon felt like a forest.

When he felt smooth asphalt under his bare feet, he turned left and started walking along the edge of the paving. He didn't want to get hit by a car.

He lost track of how long he walked, but the moment red and blue light began to pulse as a vehicle drew closer, his strength ran out, and he sank to his knees, then slowly fell back and to the side, hitting gravel.

James sank into the darkness once again.

This wasn't how his first party was supposed to end.

Chapter 3

High Priestess Katherine Collinsworth faced her coven as they waited in the woods where they performed their ceremonies. Eight ladies were warming their vocal cords with some quiet practice chanting. Two more members would arrive shortly with their special guest. The remaining coven member, Jennifer Young, would sit out tonight's activities to provide herself with an alibi.

Katherine was intensely proud of the women gathered before her. They came from distinctly different backgrounds, but they'd bonded like no other group she'd led before.

As her group found its members from the university's student body, she knew they would only be with her for a few short years as they pursued their academic careers. However, that was fine with her as she considered her coven to be an introduction to the practice. If her members chose to continue once they graduated, she would help them find another coven wherever they went.

Tonight's ceremony was something special. They'd never attempted anything so profound before. The opportunity to change the world for the better in a significant way had presented itself, and they couldn't turn away from this responsibility. All had voluntarily joined tonight's event.

Her mind took her back to the day a young man entered her antiques shop with a steamer trunk he claimed to have found in his basement. She'd watched him arrive in a renovation company van on her shop's surveillance system and was aware of the old mansion being worked on by his company several blocks away. The basement he'd found it in was likely from that building, but she'd play along.

When he'd opened the trunk, she maintained a bored expression as she examined the ancient artifacts. These were museum pieces and, as such, were priceless. She'd raised a brow and stared at the nervous man. Before his nerve broke, she more closely examined the items and spotted a caption card with the National Museum of Iraq symbol printed on it. She'd read about the museum being raided twenty years earlier during a war. She sighed and offered him five hundred. The worker immediately accepted, took the cash, and quickly left. She locked the door and prepared to review the contents in more detail.

Before she'd moved to New Haven, Connecticut, to open her little antique shop, she'd earned a degree in anthropology and published two books on ancient civilization and theology. She'd traveled the world and worked in several renowned museums, researching, categorizing, and documenting ancient artifacts much like the ones before her. She recognized some of the items were likely Mesopotamian from five hundred BC.

After she'd removed all the items from the trunk and inventoried them, she'd discovered a hidden compartment in the bottom of the chest. Inside was a flat and square stone box covered in writing. It was roughly five inches along each side and three inches deep. When she lifted the lid off, she discovered a ring inside. Its inside diameter was approximately an inch, and the band was just under half an inch wide. When she'd moved her gloved hands over it, she'd felt a distinct pull of magic.

She yanked her hand back as she stared at the ring in shock. In all her years of being a Wiccan, she'd never experienced magic this strongly.

She'd been taken by a sudden and uncharacteristic impulse to keep the artifact. It went into her office safe before she contacted a former colleague at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. They would return the stolen items to their rightful owners... or not.

A day later, they came, collected the trunk, and reimbursed her for the sale. That was welcome.

She'd spent weeks researching the stone box and deciphering the cuneiform writing on the lid. The words on the box indicated the ring was cursed. It would enslave the wearer, making the one who placed the ring on them their master.

The lid contained instructions for activating the ring's curse. The final line was a warning against using the ring on... something. The final symbols were obscured by damage, but they might have translated as virtuous or blessed. That was just a guess, as the symbols were barely legible.

On the inside of the stone lid was a simple pictograph showing a spreadeagled man with circles around his hands, squares around his feet, and a triangle around his dangling penis. Below the man was the ring with rays pointing to these identified locations.

Katherine could feel the strength of the magic emanating from the ring, but she was careful not to touch it with her bare skin. Examining it closely, it appeared to be pure gold as the inner surface of the ring was a yellow gold metal. The outer surface was mostly black with writing etched into it, showing the gold underneath. She couldn't read this text. Scanning it found no matches to any known languages.

Katherine couldn't revisit the exciting memories of discovering the ring without being dragged through the painful ones of the far more tragic event that followed. These painful memories surged through her mind next.

She'd rushed to her brother's side in New York when he called her to say he'd been diagnosed with a rare and fatal disease. When they consulted with a specialist, they were informed that Madden Pharmaceuticals produced the only medication that had ever been effective in treating the disease. Unfortunately, the company had discontinued it for not being cost-effective. They kept the patent in case they changed their mind so no one else could produce it.

Katherine pushed all other concerns aside as she pursued this cure for her brother. She begged the company to make some, and when they ignored her, she turned to the press. The company sued her for public defamation and filed a restraining order against her.

Her brother died before she could find a solution.

Katherine's world spiraled down into depression, rage, and grief. When she reached rock bottom, the small part of her that wanted to survive got her into group therapy.

During those sessions, she met a woman, Jennifer Young, who was dealing with her own rage issues from being raped.

The sessions were greatly cathartic for them both, and they became good friends. Jennifer moved to New Haven, transferred her studies to the college, and joined the coven.

Jennifer's suggestion prompted Katherine to implement a plan to use the ring to take control of Madden Pharmaceuticals to make them use their power for good. Free or inexpensive medicine for all.

While they couldn't get to the company's president, his son attended the university, and Jennifer was in some of his classes. She gathered intel on him and soon discovered he was as much of a bastard as his father, who was grooming his son to follow in his footsteps and eventually run the corporation. What Jennifer reported to her about Richard's proclivity for physically abusing his dates made Katherine believe turning him into their slave was justified. The curse's warning did not apply to him. He was not in any way virtuous or blessed.

After considerable planning, they held a special ceremony with the coven to introduce them to the plan. They gathered in these woods to speak of an opportunity to make a difference in the world. They would take control of the heartless corporation from the inside by making Richard their inside man, unable to question their orders.

Then, she had each member pass their hands over the ring so they would know what real magic felt like.

They were told they could opt out by not attending, but the more voices they had, the stronger the binding would be. While the magic was ancient and powerful, the spell was surprisingly straightforward, and she was confident they would master it.

While none of them had personally experienced it, each coven member was aware of stories of Richard's reputation for hurting women on campus. They were outraged by his untouchable status due to his family's influence at the university and in the community.

In the end, all agreed to participate. The following night, they began learning to sing the ancient words of the spell that would activate the ring. They quickly picked up the cadence and pronunciation of the complex sounds until their voices brought it to life. Katherine got tingles hearing them sing and had never been prouder of her coven. The group was very excited by how powerful they sounded.

The sound of tires on gravel pulled her from her memories, and shortly, they heard the last two members of their group moving closer along the path. The clearing was lit with the silver light from the full moon and the candles they placed at the points of their pentacle and the circle around it. This was enough to let her see Phoebe and Phoenix holding up a man between them.

Katherine frowned in concern as the man was completely limp. When they stopped before her, she pushed back the hood to expose his face, and they gasped.

It was badly swollen and had a deep gash on one cheek.

Had Jennifer's rage resurfaced? She'd been doing so well in their group sessions. The others in the coven weren't aware of their friend's struggles, and Katherine wouldn't air them here.

"Oh my, he seems... quite bruised," she said softly as the two holding him watched with wide eyes.

Katherine took her cell from her pocket and opened the photo gallery to compare the young man's face to the picture Jennifer had taken of him. Aside from the hair color and general physical dimensions, she couldn't confirm they were the same man as the swelling was so bad.

"D-does he have ID on him?" she asked.

Phoenix patted his pockets and found a wallet in his hoodie. She handed it to Katherine.

Inside, she found Richard's driver's license. "It's him." She pushed her reservations aside and nodded to the group. They were unsettled and needed confidence, so that's what she presented. She smiled at the twins. "Let's get him prepared."

They grinned and carefully carried him into the center of the pentagram. They quickly stripped him of his clothes and attached the anchored straps to his wrists and ankles to follow the pattern of the diagram.

"He's got a nice package," Phoenix said with a grin.

With a raised brow and a smile, Katherine shooed the twins to take their places in the coven's circle around the pentagram.

She stood and moved outside the circle to gaze down at their captive. Another moment of doubt passed through her, but her brother's face returned to her mind, and she felt her resolve return.

She began with their daily observances and asked for the Goddess' Blessings for the ritual they were about to undertake in her name to improve the world and end suffering for the ailing.

Katherine gestured to the coven to begin the chant. Their excitement made the sound wobble slightly as they started, but soon, they found their center, and the sound swelled around the circle.

She allowed herself a moment to soak in their voices' beauty before stepping into the circle. She knelt between Richard's spread legs and set the box on the ground before her. She praised the Goddess one more time and then opened the lid.

Katherine sensed an expectant tingling rush through her body as she looked down at the ancient ring. The chanting surrounding her suddenly took on an ethereal tone, and she smiled at them in admiration. They could feel the magic coursing through them as well. She'd never felt as connected to her coven as she did now.

Taking a deep breath, she added her voice to theirs and lifted the ring from the box, touching it with her bare fingers for the first time. She was surprised by how warm it felt! The tingling she'd experienced was a mere shadow of what filled her now.

Before her, Richard was waiting to receive his punishment. Would he wear it on a finger or a toe?

Katherine knew the ring had to remain a secret just as his role as their inside man did, so the best place to wear the ring would be a place he would keep hidden.

Nice package, indeed.

She looked at the ring and realized it would fit around his limp penis, but should he get excited, it would prevent him from getting an erection. This seemed to be another fitting punishment for someone guilty of sexual abuse.

Continuing to chant, her eyes returned to the script running around the outer surface of the ring. She felt a tickle in her brain as their meaning was right at the tip of her tongue. The sounds were so close.

Reaching forward, she placed the ring over the head of his cock and pushed it down the shaft. Taking the head between her fingers of one hand, she tugged it upward as her other hand firmly pushed the ring down to the base, where it snugged up against his balls.

Katherine's head snapped back as she stared directly into the silver moonlight.

The words that erupted from her throat hadn't been spoken since the ring's creation. As quickly as the sounds reached their ears, they dissolved into unfathomable whispers.

Their effect on the ring, however, was far more dramatic. The etched letters flashed and glowed fiercely as if they were made of molten metal fresh from a smelting cradle. The glow suddenly disappeared, and a fierce wind exploded outwards from the ring in all directions. The candles snuffed out and flew from their positions. As the force wave passed over each woman, they were lifted from their feet and tossed into the darkness beyond the clearing. A fierce tingling shot through their bodies, and they fell unconscious amongst the leaves on the forest floor. Thankfully, none collided with the surrounding trees.

The clearing was silent once more as the silver light bathed the last occupant. Clouds floated across the face of the moon, and the clearing fell into darkness and silence.

Even the small creatures of the night seemed to be holding their breath.

-=-

Katherine moaned as a spike of pain went through her head and settled in her throat.

"High Priestess! Are you alright?" a frightened voice called out nearby. She recognized the voice as Dawn Evergreen (nee Brighton) who'd been in her coven the longest at six years. She was becoming a perpetual student, having changed her major three times.

"Oogh. My head hurts... and my throat," she said with a gravelly voice. "What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell us? Richard's gone," another nervous voice said. That was Julie Tarkington, the lovely business major who'd joined the coven two years ago.

Katherine was helped to her feet by Phoebe and Phoenix Papadakis, who were as tall and strong as they were beautiful. They'd been in the coven for three years and would be moving on after graduation from their course this year.

Rose Williams was another two-year member and a long-distance runner. She was standing in the remains of their pentagram. She held up one of the Velcro straps that had been tied to a tent spike. The strap was shredded into threads like it had exploded.

Zhang Min Yue was shining the light from her cell phone at something on the ground. "High Priestess! The lovely box is destroyed!" The bioengineering student was a recent immigrant from China with a strict father, so she'd kept her involvement in the coven a secret from him for the past two years.

Katherine walked as quickly as her sore muscles could take her to stand beside Min Yue. She carefully knelt next to the remains of the ancient box that once held the ring. It was shattered, and when she tried to pick up one of the pieces, it crumbled into sand. She stroked her fingers over the remaining pieces, which all collapsed into sand. She blinked in surprise.

The twins helped her back to her feet as she stared at their expectant faces. She needed to get out in front of this. They needed her.

"Who woke first?" she asked.

"We did," the Greek twins answered.

"Was Mr. Madden already gone?" she asked, and they nodded.

"But we were all tossed back into the shadows, and his face was so swollen I doubt he could see through his eyes," Phoebe offered.

Katherine nodded. "I concur about his eyes. He was also heavily drugged, so there is little chance he'll have any memory of tonight's events."

Elke Brehmer, their three-year German immigrant member who'd also be leaving after her course finished this year, held up Richard's clothing. Katherine nodded and took them from the shy woman with a smile.

"Can you collect any candles you find?" she asked, and the coven members immediately spread out to hunt using their cell flashlights.

Clarisa Sánchez Moreno seemed to know where a few were as she dashed immediately into the woods. She'd only become a member this year but was enjoying the comradery of the group.

Mary-Anne Kirby, another three-year coven veteran, pranced off into the woods with a squeak as she wanted to get to the candles before Clarisa.

Joining the coven just weeks after Clarisa, Naya Rhone made no move to head into the woods. She was a city girl through and through and hadn't become comfortable with the woods yet. Instead, she seemed deep in thought.

Katherine struggled to think of what went wrong. There was a moment during the ceremony her mind was preventing her from examining. Something powerful used her as a conduit and the power had marked that memory as hazardous.

"I've never felt anything like that," Naya said quietly. "We were connected to something... big. It felt good!" she said as she stared at Katherine in shock.

The ladies returned, and most were holding a candle or two. She gestured for them to follow and had them dump their finds into a box in her trunk. She stuffed Richard's clothing with the spare tire in the hollow under the floor in the trunk.

"Everyone should head back to your rooms. I'll contact you when it's safe to discuss tonight's events. Until then, keep it to yourselves, please," Katherine said, holding their eyes with hers. In relief, she saw them all nod in agreement.

They stripped off their ceremonial gowns before climbing into the cars to drive north back to the campus.

Katherine got in her car and drove south to return home.

She only made it a half mile down the road before she saw the flashing lights. As she drove around a bend, she spotted a police car and an ambulance on the side of the road. A police officer flagged her down.

She rolled her window down as the man approached her car. "Good evening, officer? What's happened?" she asked as she glanced behind him.

"We found an injured man walking along this highway. Have you seen anything unusual tonight?" he said, watching her closely.

She gave him a surprised expression. "Nothing at all!"

"May I ask your name and where you were coming from?" the officer asked.

"Yes, I'm Katherine Collinsworth, and I was visiting a friend at Dane College. I'm just heading home," she replied.

"And where is that?"

"I run KC Antiquities, a shop in New Haven." She glanced at the ambulance as it rushed away. "Is he going to be okay?"

The police officer glared after the ambulance and then scribbled something on his pad. He glanced back at her. "I believe so, but they'll take him to the hospital to confirm. May I see your hands?" he said in a hurry.

Now, her surprise was real. She held her hands up and flipped them over when he gestured for her to do so.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Drive with care," the man said before rushing back to his cruiser and peeling off to chase the ambulance.

Katherine had no other option but to continue, but slower. She felt a little lost as she had no idea if the spell worked. She needed to meet with him, but visiting the hospital would raise too much suspicion. She decided to call Jennifer to ask her to check on him later.

She'd take that opportunity to find out why Richard was beaten so viciously.

She prayed Jennifer's rage issue hadn't returned.

Chapter 4

Dr. Emil frowned as he examined the only article of clothing his next patient wore when he arrived.

"It doesn't seem to be harming him, and I think it looks very nice! It's a lovely ring," Nurse Mitchell said in admiration. She was one of their younger nurses in the ER. He thought she needed to start wearing scrubs that gave her abundant curves a little more room.

The doctor stared at her in exasperation, and she suddenly realized her opinion hadn't been requested. She found somewhere else to be.

Head Nurse Miller took her spot and shared a glance with the doctor. "Can you remove it?"

Dr. Emil looked closer. "I can't see evidence of the bonding agent, but it's stuck to his skin. I'd do more damage removing it before I find out how it was glued on.

"So, it's glue?" the nurse asked.

The doctor shrugged. "It's just a guess, but the most likely answer. But, like I said, no excess glue leaked from under it, so I have nothing to test. It looks like the metal is bonded to his skin."

He sighed. "It's not cutting off any circulation at this point, but if he gets an erection, it's going to be damn uncomfortable and potentially hazardous."

"Should I take him for x-rays?" Nurse Miller asked.

The doctor shook his head. "He's young, and it's too close to his testicles to safely get a clear shot."

"I meant of his face and chest for skull and rib fractures," she sighed.

"Oh! Of course. Sorry," Dr. Emil said, embarrassed.

Nurse Miller pulled the sheet to cover the patient before gesturing for an intern to help move the gurney from the emergency ward to the X-ray department. She waited while they got their pictures and returned him to a cubicle in the emergency ward.

Ninety minutes later, Dr. Emil returned to look at the pictures and was relieved to see no broken bones.

"Severe bruising, but nothing was broken, not even his nose," he said in satisfaction as Nurse Miller nodded.

The police officer who came in with him moved to the curtain. "Doctor. Is the patient awake for questioning?"

The doctor poked his head out and gestured for the officer to enter. "He's not awake yet, but you may wish to get some pictures of the bruising as it looks like he was beaten by multiple assailants."

The doctor and nurse pointed out the bruise patterns, showing how he was held by two as a third assailant hit him. The officer took pictures of the marks.

Then, the doctor gently touched his ribs. "These are kick marks."

James moaned, and his eyelids fluttered open.

Dr. Emil leaned a little closer. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes...." James whispered.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"...James Bailey," he replied.

"I'm Doctor Emil. You're at the county hospital. You are bruised, but there are no broken bones. The police would like to ask you some questions. Are you up for that?"

"Yes...."

"I'm Officer Genner. You appear to have been attacked by multiple assailants. Can you recall any details you can tell me?"

James tried to nod but winced from the movement. He took a breath as he rode out the pain then began. "A student in one of my classes invited me to a frat party." He took some breaths as he tried to recall. "His name is, uh, Walter... Walter Scoville. I was crossing the lawn next to the house. Someone hit me from the darkness. I fell to my knees. They took turns beating me as I was held by two others. I faded in and out of consciousness, but I heard them talking, and they used their names. There were three: Derek, Michael, and Louis. The last one was wearing a ring. They beat me. They were cursing someone named Richard, who they said set it up and was supposed to help them. One of them kicked me, I think it was Michael, and I passed out. I don't know who they are as I don't know anyone at university by those names. I'm new there."

Dr. Emil moved closer. "How did you come to be naked?"

James' eyes widened momentarily then he frowned. "I don't know. I heard... singing. Truly beautiful singing, then I woke up in the dark outside, and it was cold. I just started walking toward some lights, found the road, and walked some more until I saw the colored lights of a police car."

Emil nodded. "Why are you wearing a penis ring?"

James frowned at the doctor in confusion. "Wha—I don't! I don't own any jewelry, and I wouldn't wear anything there!"

The doctor nodded. "Well, you have one now, but we can't remove it as it might have been glued on. The skin looks healthy, with no irritation that a Cyanoacrylate glue might cause. Acetone had no effect as a remover. For now, there doesn't appear to be any circulation loss. If glue was used, it should dry out then the ring will come loose. My concern is if you become erect, the ring might constrict the blood flow. I'm going to suggest a medication to prevent erections until the ring can be safely removed. We will monitor you. You're going to need to stay in the hospital for a few days due to your injuries anyway. Do you have insurance?"

James' eyes rolled a little. "Part of my Dane college scholarship, I think."

"We'll look into that for you." The doctor turned to face an older woman. "Nurse, please start him on four hundred milligrams of Oral Ketoconazole three times a day," he said to Miller as she nodded and left through the curtain.

"Are there any further details you can recall about how you got from the frat house to the country lane?" the officer asked.

James struggled to get his memories lined up, but exhaustion pulled at him. "Sorry, no."

The nurse returned and helped James take the meds. He rested back and slipped back into unconsciousness.

"It looks like my patient is done for the day," Dr. Emil said, and the officer nodded.

"I'll return tomorrow to see if he recalls more detail," the officer said.

As Genner reached the exit of the emergency room, a stretcher was rushed inside with another young man in severe distress. He looked like someone had run his face through a blender.

"Jerry! What are you here for?"

Genner turned and saw Officer Bartley standing behind him. He gestured over his shoulder with a thumb and asked, "Is this one yours?"

"Yeah. He's a fucking mess!" Bartley grimaced. "Found in a small neighborhood parkette by an elderly dog walker who says he glimpsed at least three people running away. He didn't get a good look at them as it was dark, and he's old with shitty vision, but he said one had a ponytail as the hair was bouncing behind them as they ran."

"A ponytail. Shit. That's not much of a lead," Genner grumbled, and Bartley shrugged.

It was Genner's turn. "I found a naked man walking along County Road Six, beaten by multiple assailants, his face swollen so bad he couldn't see. Ribs bruised from a brutal kicking. Here's an interesting detail. He's a close physical match to the guy you just brought in. Did your guy have any ID on him?"

"No, but he had a coherent moment in the ambulance and told the paramedic he was Richard Madden," Bartley said with a knowing look.

"Shit! Of Madden Pharmaceuticals?" Genner said.

"None other. Shit is gonna hit the fan on this one," the older cop said, and he approached the doctor who was looking harried.

"Prep him for surgery!" the man said to his team, then turned to the officers. "Your man was attacked by multiple assailants who resorted to scratching and slashing. Someone or multiple people also kicked him in the balls repeatedly. He's being taken to surgery, but I'm not too optimistic he'll keep his testicles. You'll have to come back tomorrow to question him. I have to go." The officers watched him hustle away.

The younger cop lifted his pad. "Let's compare notes. These attacks are strangely similar. We'll have to go to the college to see if there is any connection between these two men besides their physical similarity," Genner suggested.

Bartley sighed. "You're dreaming if you think I'm gonna get to keep this case. And if they're linked, you won't get to keep yours."

Genner sighed as he knew Bartley was right.

"Fine. Let's go speak to the captain."

Chapter 5

Detectives Koenig and Spiegelman arrived at the Dane Campus hours after being briefed by their captain. They'd spoken with the officers on the scene and the captain told them to wrap this up quickly as he didn't need Madden's legal team interfering.

With the mandate to make this go away, the veteran detectives knew their time on this case would be limited. They'd faced this challenge before and worked well together.

Their first stop was the registrar's office to get details on the men in question and see if they had any connection.

Linda Spiegelman approached the counter and displayed her badge to a dark-haired older woman with vintage framed glasses on a gold chain. Her outfit was plucked from the fifties as well. No accounting for taste.

"Good morning. I'm Detective Spiegelman, and this is my partner, Detective Koenig," she began.

"I'm Francine Tucker, Senior Administrator of Dane's Registrar's office. How may I help you?"

Linda nodded. "We're investigating the assault of two students from Dane last night."

"Oh my! The poor dears! Are they alright?" the woman gasped delicately.

Linda smiled at the gentle manners of the woman. Very old school. "One, by the name of James Bailey, is badly bruised but should be able to return to the college soon."

The woman's distraught expression intensified. "Not Mr. Bailey! He's such a gentleman! Who would want to hurt him!"

Linda was surprised the woman was aware of Bailey as there were so many students at the university. "You know James Bailey?"

"I know all the students who pass through those doors. James made a special impression as he had such wonderful manners. He was one of our special students," the woman said with a knowing smile.

Linda glanced at her partner and then turned back to the clerk. "Can you expand upon that?"

"James had an exceptional transcript but comes from a less advantaged home, so he qualified for a free-ride scholarship. Dane doesn't offer too many of those. Only the truly worthy receive them."

Detective Koenig was watching the admin assistant behind Mrs. Tucker. Guilt was radiating from her and her tension spiked at the mention of the scholarship.

"Perhaps you'd like to get something off your... shoulders?" the gruff detective said to the young woman, changing his words when he saw how busty she was.

Mrs. Tucker turned to look at her assistant and saw the miserable expression on her face. "Lisa, dear. What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry! Richard Madden made me give him the list of students who received the scholarship. He said they didn't deserve to be here," the woman said as her bottom lip began to tremble. "I didn't know what he was going to do!"

"How did he make you, dear?" the older woman asked with a controlled voice.

Her misery increased. "Richard drugged me at a party, then took pictures of me naked. He said he'd release them to the Internet and send links to everyone I know."

Mrs. Tucker aimed a grim look at the detectives. "I know Richard Madden, too. If ever there was a justified reason for a post-birth abortion, it would be for him."

Linda contained her amused snort and nodded. "Richard Madden was the second victim of assault."

"What?" Lisa gasped with hope in her eyes.

"He's been assaulted, not murdered. Seeing as you just confessed to having a reason to wish him harm, how about telling me where you were last night?" Linda said firmly.

Wide eyes blinked in fright. "I-I-I was at my mom's! We were baking!"

"Give my partner her number so he can verify that," Linda said and kept a straight face as Koenig glanced her way in annoyance. He wearily turned back to Lisa and accepted her cell phone to look at the number as he dialed it on his.

Linda returned her attention to the Administrator. "Mrs. Tucker, you obviously have strong feelings about Mr. Madden. How did that come to be?"

"That young man does everything in his power to abuse the policies of this college. He made an absolute nuisance of himself when his course calendar was delivered to him this year. He attempted to have the schedule rearranged to suit his personal preference. When he couldn't get some of his classes moved to the afternoon, he disrupted those classes up to and including harassing the professors who would not move them. When the police were contacted to protect the faculty, then and only then did his father get involved, and Richard ended his campaign of terror. He just laughed it off." The woman was red in the face by the time she finished. With a huff, she looked Linda in the eye. "While I might have enjoyed participating in whatever punishment Richard Madden faced, I was in bed last night from ten o'clock with my husband."

"Where does Richard Madden reside while on campus?" Linda asked.

"He's a member of a Frat House over on Wilson. Thirty-two Wilson, to be exact," the administrator said.

Linda made a note. "One more thing. Do the names Derek, Michael, and Louis mean anything in relation to Richard?"

"They're Richard's posse," Lisa offered. "They're in the frat too."

"Josif, call the captain. Ask him to arrange a quick but comprehensive warrant to search thirty-two Wilson," Linda called out.

He put his cell to his ear again with a smile. The captain wanted a quick closure on this case. They would get it done, no matter whose nose got bent out of shape.

-=-

Two hours later, Detectives Koenig and Spiegelman served the warrant on the frat house and discovered some nice surprises.

Derek, Michael, and Louis were all hanging out in their rooms.

All three had badly bruised knuckles.

Louis still had blood and a little skin embedded in his ring. This went into evidence.

James Bailey's wallet was on Michael's bureau. This also went into evidence.

All three had bloody clothes in their laundry hampers. More evidence bags.

The list of students with free-ride scholarships was found on a bulletin board behind Richard's door with Bailey's name circled with the date of the party written next to it. It went into an evidence bag.

As they were searching for clues to the identities of people who might want to harm Richard, they collected his computer and portable hard drives that might contain the blackmail photos he'd taken of female students.

Richard's room was taken apart.

They found far more than they bargained for, including drugs and weapons. Some of the drugs were in Madden Pharmaceuticals' internal lab packaging labeled: Not for Distribution.

The detectives left the lab guys merrily bagging everything needed in the trial.

Their next step was to inspect the scene where Richard was found. They stood in the middle of the park and looked around.

"The witness said three people were running away, potentially one of them was a woman. If we follow the premise that this was a revenge attack and females attacked him, could it have been the three that left him here?" Linda suggested.

Josif frowned as he looked around. "There was a lot of blood, and I don't see any sign of that here. Also, the doctor said there were many distinct kinds of wounds with different strength levels. I believe this means there were many attackers."

"Did you see that old movie, Murder on the Orient Express?" Spiegelman asked her partner.

"No. Are you going to spoil it for me?" the man said warily.

"Uh, never mind."

"Shit," he grumbled.

"Where is the closest Sorority House from here?" she asked.

Koenig looked at the map the Registrar's office gave him.

He looked up and pointed. "That way on Ashcroft Lane. Three houses over."

Linda looked in the opposite direction. "And the witness saw them running away in that direction. Clever. Let's go visit the clever women."

They walked side by side through the lovely neighborhood and admired the beautiful homes. So well-kept and clean. As they approached the front walkway leading up to the house, they noticed the sidewalk was brighter and cleaner than the sidewalk before the neighboring houses.

"This has been power washed," Josif said in surprise.

The lawn sprinklers came on, and the grass soon glistened with water droplets.

They quick-walked to the front door and noted the steps and front porch had also been scrubbed.

Ringing the doorbell, they waited briefly before a young blonde woman opened it. She was wearing an apron, rubber gloves, a kerchief, and not a smudge of make-up. A brunette woman joined them, dressed similarly and equally bare of make-up. They both looked fresh, clean and... well-scrubbed.

Linda was seeing a pattern. The scent of antiseptic hung in the air.

"Hello, can I help you?" one asked.

"Detectives Koenig and Spiegelman. We're investigating the assault of a student that happened last night. They were discovered not too far from here."

"What's her name?" the blonde asked.

"The student was male. Richard Madden."

"Why did you assume it was a woman?" Koenig asked.

The two young women gave him a sour look. "Really?" the brunette asked.

Linda gave her partner an annoyed look and then turned to the two students.

"I'm Jillian, and this is Audry," the blonde said. "I'm the house president, and Audry is my vice president."

"You seem to be giving the house a very thorough scrubbing," Josif said, recovering from his earlier gaff.

Jillian gave him a cold look. "We had a makeover party last night. Lots of guests and a lot of mess afterward. We're just finishing up the cleaning. We have a reputation to protect."

"Did you know Richard Madden?" Linda asked.

"Everyone on campus knows of Richard. We warned our members to avoid him at all costs. He's the definition of toxic," Audry said.

"This party you had last night. Was there a guest list?" Linda asked.

"No, just a general invite. Anyone who wanted a makeover... with drinks," Jillian added with a smile.

"The sidewalk has been power washed," Josif said.

"Some of the ladies drank a little too much. We couldn't leave that for the neighbors to find. We have to protect the reputation of this house after all," Audry said simply with a smile.

The fumes of the cleaning products were beginning to sting Linda's sinuses. "You might want to open some windows to release the fumes." She received nods from the ladies. "Thank you for your time."

With nods, the two detectives turned and left the house. They heard windows being opened as they walked back to the curb.

Linda stopped on the spotless sidewalk and glanced back at the house. Audry smiled at them from the front window. They walked back toward their car.

"Yeah, it probably happened there, but there's no sense in calling the lab boys to look for evidence now."

"I should hire them to clean my place," Josif said.

Linda gave him a quick glare. "What the hell was that crack about assuming it was a woman?"

Josif closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "A brain fart. Like you never have those."

Linda shook her head wearily at her partner and then got behind the wheel of their car.

The captain wouldn't like their results for finding Madden's assailants. The entire female population of Dane College would have to take the stand.

Mrs. Tucker might be right about Richard.

Chapter 6

Jennifer sat on a bench in the quad in deep thought. She could feel the buzz of energy going through the people around her as the news of the assault on Richard Madden spread like wildfire. They were saying his face, neck, and chest were badly slashed. There was a second story about a student receiving a severe beating the same night, but she didn't get any more details on that one. Richard certainly hadn't been injured when she handed him to her coven.

She'd seen the police cars cruising through the campus, and tension was running high.

Then she heard they'd arrested Michael Dupont, Derek Kirkland, and Louis Sinclair for assaulting this other student, which added to her unease. She'd seen them at the party last night after she'd delivered Richard into the hands of her coven.

Her cell rang, and she jumped. She chastised herself for her nervousness and looked at the screen. She relaxed when she saw who it was.

"Hi, Katherine!"

"Hi, Jennifer. How are you doing?"

Jennifer paused as there was a worried tone in the voice. "I'm good. How are you?" she responded.

"I'm hoping we can meet today. At the diner in Stamford?" Katherine asked.

"Sure. When?"

"As soon as possible," Katherine said. The worried tone was back.

"I'm on my way," Jennifer said as she left the bench and headed for the parking lot.

-=-

Katherine was sitting at a table watching the door when Jennifer entered. She rose and gave her a hug as she reached the table. Jennifer stiffened slightly as she could sense something was wrong.

They sat and glanced around to confirm they had privacy.

"What's happened?" Jennifer asked first.

A waitress joined them, so they smiled and just ordered coffee. They waited for the woman to pour and leave before facing each other again.

Jennifer's tension made her speak again. "A couple of stories are going around the college, and they're confusing. I-I heard a story that Richard was assaulted and a second story that someone received a severe beating. I'm having trouble believing the coven did that," Jennifer said, watching Katherine's eyes. They widened in surprise.

"We didn't! He arrived in that condition. We found Richard's wallet in his sweater pocket and had to use his ID to identify him as Richard. When we undressed him for the ritual, we saw additional injuries on his body as well. I-I thought you'd had a relapse of your rage issue."

Jennifer stared at her friend in surprise. "No! I slipped him a roofie and put him in the chair. He had no injuries when I left to get the twins." She thought for a moment. "You said his wallet was in his sweater? I didn't put it there."

"How long was Richard alone while you collected the ladies?" Katherine asked.

"Ten... twelve minutes, tops! They were parked behind the wrong house," Jennifer claimed. "But when we returned, he was exactly where I left him. Sitting in the chair." She recalled when the two Greek ladies picked him up by his arms—in the hoodie's sleeves! Her eyes widened. "Oh my god! Someone else must have entered the room after I left! I didn't put Richard's arms through the sweater sleeves or his wallet in the sweater's pocket! But when we collected him, he was wearing the sweater properly."

Katherine looked at her nervously. "What did you hear about the beating?" she asked.

"Michael Dupont, Derek Kirkland, and Louis Sinclair were arrested for the assault, but I saw them at the party last night. They were asking for Richard but left when they couldn't find him. I left shortly after they did."

Katherine and Jennifer went silent for a while as they tried to line up the details of the two incidents.

Jennifer finally shook her head as she'd have to come back to it. "What happened in the ceremony?"

Katherine's attention swung back to her friend. "It didn't go as I expected it to. The ceremony itself was the most thrilling experience I'd ever had with magic in my life. All the ladies in the coven felt the strength of the magic flowing through them, but when the spell activated, we were all tossed into the woods by a huge gust of force. When we awoke, Richard was gone."

Jennifer sucked in a sharp breath.

Katherine nodded. "I sent the others home, but when I drove the other way, I was stopped by the police, who found Richard walking naked down the highway. They took him to the hospital in an ambulance. I have no idea if the spell worked. I need to see him, but it's too risky."

She shook her head in wonder. "How he made it that far with a face so swollen he couldn't see is a mystery!"

Jennifer froze. "Swollen?

The older woman looked at her cautiously. "Yes. His eyes were mere slits. I doubt he could see."

"I was told Richard's face was slashed, not beaten. Slashes from his face to his chest."

The older woman was also frozen, struggling to grasp the scope of the mistake they might have made. "Maybe Richard wasn't as drugged as you thought and wandered away on his own. Then someone, like those three men, left the beaten man in the same room?"

"Richard was incapable of walking on his own. But the sweater and the wallet?" Jennifer insisted.

"Right! He matched Richard's hair color and physical dimensions but wasn't slashed. He had one cut across his cheek, but he'd been punched in the face multiple times," Katherine insisted. Her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton. "We got the wrong man with the... spell."

She'd almost admitted it was a curse, not a spell, but that was a detail she hadn't shared.

Katherine felt sick. She didn't know how the switch happened or what it meant regarding the curse.

She had a sudden epiphany as she looked into the compassionate eyes of the younger woman.

Curses were not within the domain of Wicca. Here she was, worried that Jennifer had relapsed, but the truth was that she was the one who was still harboring a need for vengeance. It had blinded her to what she was doing.

She'd broken the Wiccan Rede in her pursuit to force an uncaring corporation onto a righteous path of compassion.

If it harms none, do as you will.

She burst into tears with her hands over her face, and Jennifer immediately moved to her side to hug her.

Jennifer did her best to calm her friend, as Katherine once did for her.

When her tears subsided, Katherine took some shuddering breaths to regain control. "I'm so sorry for what I've done. I must make amends to the man who now wears the ring and undo the harm I've caused. Then I'll step down as High Priestess and disband the coven. I'm not fit to lead."

"Katherine! Your support and the coven have been critical for my recovery, and the ladies also need you!" Jennifer pleaded but saw the woman's pain was still too sharp to recognize her words. "We'll work together to undo the harm," she insisted, and Katherine's glassy eyes lifted to look at her and she nodded shakily.

"I have contacts at the hospital. I'll connect with them to gather information on the student attacked by the three men," Jennifer offered.

Katherine dabbed her eyes. "Yes, please."

Jennifer promised herself she would also speak with the coven to express her dismay over Katherine's decision to step down. She wondered how upset they would be.

"Let's meet again once you've gathered the information on the second man," Katherine said with a trembling voice.

They stood and hugged again before heading outside and going their separate ways.

Katherine would try to glean any additional information on how the slavery curse was supposed to work.

And what that warning meant.

Chapter 7

After spending a long, painful day in the hospital, James woke in the semi-private room his insurance was paying for. He'd expected to be put in a ward with other patients. He'd been alone all day as the second bed remained empty.

He wondered what had woken him when he felt the urge to use the washroom flare again. He noted it was still dark outside the windows.

He gingerly slipped out of bed, then shuffled painfully toward the washroom next to the hallway door to do his business. On the way, he noted a new patient in the bed next to his. Their face was completely wrapped in bandages.

James entered the bathroom, closed the door, and turned on the light. Standing before the toilet, he lifted his hospital gown and blinked in surprise at the black and gold ring on his cock, tucked up against his balls. He wasn't erect, and the ring wasn't squeezing anything, so he took the ring between his finger and thumb and tried to pull it off. It was firmly attached and uncomfortable to tug on. He recalled what the doctor said about glue and waiting for it to dry out, so he let go. Grabbing a piece of toilet paper in preparation, he aimed his dick at the toilet bowl and peed.

No issues so far, and it was a major relief.

A moment later, there was a gentle knock on the bathroom door.

"Are you alright in there?" a feminine voice asked quietly through the door.

"Uh, yeah. I'm good."

"May I come in?" she asked.

"I'm peeing," he responded hesitantly.

Before he'd finished speaking, the door opened to admit the nurse.

She was a pretty blonde in her mid to late twenties. Her body was a little thick, and her scrubs were tight across her breasts and ass.

She closed the door behind her and smiled at him. He dabbed himself dry, covering himself with the paper.

"I'm Nurse Mitchell. I apologize for barging in, but I must confirm the color of your urine and check for signs of internal bleeding," she said simply.

"Oh! Okay."

They both looked in the bowl but there was no sign of red, just pale yellow. They looked at each other and the nurse gave him another smile.

"It looks like you're keeping well hydrated, and it looks healthy. "You can toss the paper in now." He did and dropped the hem of his gown to cover himself.

"I'm also pleased to see the swelling around your eyes is diminishing," she said as she examined his face. He turned slightly to look at himself in the mirror and jolted when he saw the extensive facial bruising.

"Damn," he said quietly as he took in the discoloration and swelling.

She smiled at him. "You've shown significant improvement over how you looked when you arrived." She nodded. "Could you turn to face me? I need to see if there is any change in the skin's condition under and around the ring."

"Uh, it looked okay to me," he mumbled, and she raised an eyebrow at him. He sighed uncomfortably and nodded.

The nurse lifted the gown until his cock was exposed. "Is there any discomfort?"

"N-no." He cleared his throat.

"I need to examine it closer," she said, and he gave her another uncomfortable glance before nodding.

"Please hold the gown up," she instructed as she squatted down before him to take the ring between her finger and thumb of her left hand as she held the head of his cock in the fingers of her right. She tugged gently on the ring as she looked closely at his skin.

"There is no skin discoloration at the edges of the metal, and you have a healthy skin tone. The ring still refuses to turn or slide in any direction."

Her face was very close to his groin, and he began to feel the start of an erection.

"Uh, I'm getting stiff," he warned her, but her eyes just widened.

After a moment, her mind returned to her, and she frowned. "Aren't you taking the medication to prevent this?"

"Yes, I've had a few doses of it so far, but it's not working," he said nervously.

"You shouldn't be able to react like this," she said, pulling her hands back. His erection continued to grow until it stood tall and proud. She took the head between her fingers and felt his pulse. She squeezed and released to see it swell up with blood once more so his blood vessels weren't being constricted by the ring.

That made no sense. He was visibly larger now that he was erect, and the ring should be squeezing the hell out of him. She touched the ring, which felt warmer but wasn't digging into his skin as expected. It still seemed to be gently pressing against the surface.

Her expression showed she was genuinely confused. "The ring grew bigger with his erection?" she muttered to herself but aloud. She ran her fingers around the ring and felt no gaps or mechanisms to explain how it might expand.

She glanced at his face and saw he was biting his lip. "Are you experiencing any pain or discomfort?"

"No! I can't feel the ring, but I can feel your fingers touch me when you touch it. It's like it's not there!" he sighed.

Nurse Mitchell looked at him in surprise and stroked a finger across the ring once more, drawing a moan from him.

Her face began to flush like his.

She glanced at the door behind her and listened to the silence before she looked up at him.

"I can help you with relieving this." His eyes widen in surprise. "Would you like me to?" She was still handling his cock, which scattered his thoughts.

"I-I-I've n-never done anything like this before," he gasped.

She smiled and nodded to him as she slipped her fingers around his erection and began to pump slowly. He gasped aloud, and she made a shushing gesture. He nodded.

His cock got harder and larger as she stroked it, but she could still feel his pulse. She glanced at his face, but he was lost to the sensations. The nurse returned her attention to her hand on his cock, and licked her lips as she admired the ring. She found herself leaning closer and closer to him until she closed her eyes and took the head of his cock into her mouth.

James grunted quietly in surprise and tossed his head back in bliss. He then looked down at the nurse, who seemed lost in her own world as her head bobbed over his cock, taking him deeper with each stroke.

The nurse moved a hand into her scrubs and began to rub her pussy in fast circles as she sped up her head movements. Her other hand was pressed flat against his stomach, fingers splayed as her thumb gripped the base of his cock, touching the ring.

Suddenly she forced his cock into her throat as her lips wrapped over the ring. She squealed as her hand moved over her clit in frenzied circles.

As his first experience with oral sex, he couldn't last. "Something's happening!" he gasped, but she just sucked more aggressively. It was too much for him, and thick ropes of cum fired into her throat. She swallowed but didn't stop sucking until he gently pushed her face from his groin. Once her lips were past the ring, she suddenly released him and dropped back on her ass, her back thumping against the bathroom door. She sucked in a sharp breath as the impact triggered an aftershock for her.

James held the safety bar on the wall beside the toilet to brace his wobbly legs. He finally had to sit on the toilet seat and take deep breaths as he watched the nurse recover from her own release.

Finally, their breathing began to settle.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She looked up at him with a dazed expression and dabbed the corners of her mouth with a fingertip.

"Yes... I'm fine," she said as he used a tissue to clean himself.

She looked at his cock, and it had returned to a resting state, and the ring seemed... smaller again. It must be an optical illusion. Something to do with the pattern of symbols on the band.

She looked him in the eye. "I need to tell the doctor you had an erection and were able to have an orgasm without being restricted by the ring. Please don't mention my involvement. I wasn't supposed to do what I did. Are you okay with telling the doctor that you masturbated?"

He blinked at her in surprise, paused, then nodded as he understood. "Can I stop taking the medication as it doesn't seem to be working anyway? I didn't have any issues with the ring, and I'd rather not take drugs if I can avoid them."

She nodded. "I'll tell the doctor you refused your next dose. While he may argue, the doctor won't force you, and you don't seem to be in any danger."

James knew there was still the question of how the ring became stuck to his body, but time might take care of that. He might be able to go home today.

"Pull the gown down. Your cock is too distracting," the nurse said with a wink.

James' face flushed as he covered himself.

She looked down at her scrubs and realized she'd have to change into a fresh set as she made a mess of her current ones. She'd never come so hard.

He got to his feet and helped her up. She glanced at him and quickly kissed him on the cheek before she ducked out and left the room.

Surprised but secretly pleased, he slowly walked back to his bed as there were still hours before breakfast.

He eased his sore body back onto the bed and quickly fell asleep with a smile.

-=-

During morning rounds, Dr. Emil dropped by to check on James. He was surprised and pleased to see the swelling was greatly reduced, though the discoloration from the bruising was still vibrantly visible.

He was also pleasantly surprised with the progress of the healing of the cut on his cheek and changed the bandage to a smaller one.

"I read the overnight nurse's comments on your file. I'm concerned by your reckless actions."

James snorted in nervous surprise but sagged in relief when the doctor explained.

"Masturbating while wearing the ring was a dangerous gamble!" the man insisted.

James felt very awkward, but he needed to respond to protect the nurse. "I discovered I was erect during the night and not in any pain, so I did that to relieve the pressure. Everything was fine. The medication to stop erections obviously isn't working and doesn't appear necessary, so I don't want to take any more. I don't like taking drugs." He recalled his grandparents took so many.

"I still believe you should stay on the regimen," Emil insisted, but James shook his head.

"I heard the nurses saying there was a shortage of beds. I'm willing to give mine up and return to college. You said the ring will likely come off when the glue dries. I haven't experienced any issues so far, but if I do, I'll return to the hospital. I just want to get back to my life."

With a frown, the doctor examined his cock and confirmed there was no visible signs of infection or rash. He pulled the gown back down and nodded.

A blonde woman in a suit knocked on the door jamb and smiled at the doctor. Behind her was a large man in a wrinkled suit.

"Detective Spiegelman. My partner, Detective Koenig. We're looking for James Bailey. We have a few questions."

The doctor pointed at James, then looked at him. "I'll sign the discharge papers," he said, and James nodded with a relieved smile.

The female detective paused as she entered and pointed to the patient wrapped like a mummy. "Is this Richard Madden?" she asked in surprise.

Dr. Emil nodded, then left. The two detectives shared an amused look, then moved toward his bed.

James glanced at the bandaged man's eyes and saw them opening slowly. He looked around dully.

"I read the report from the officer who found you, and I'd like to go over your statement if you feel up to it," she said, and James nodded.

Some of his memories were clearer now but others he didn't feel he could trust. He began with the invite to the party and took the detective through all the events right up to the point where he was left in the room at the house.

"You distinctly recall the assailants mentioning their names and another?" Spiegelman asked.

"Yes. They didn't seem to care that I might hear. They were pissed they'd been stood up by Richard—" He froze, then turned to look at the man wrapped like a mummy. His eyes widened, then returned to the female detective to see her nodding.

"Mr. Madden was also at the party. His friend's names are Derek, Louis, and Michael. They, incidentally, had your wallet, and all three men had clothes with your blood on them. Louis was wearing the ring that gave you that cut on your cheek. It also had your blood and skin on it. All three men are desperate for a plea deal and reported the attack was Richard's idea, and he was planning to participate. We found proof of that in his room in the frat house."

She watched James closely to see if he might get violent, but he seemed dazed.

"I don't understand. I have no idea who these people are. Why on Earth would they attack me?" James said quietly.

It was Koenig's turn to talk. "Seems like Mr. Madden, who glided in on a legacy admission, disagrees with the college's policy of granting some students free-ride scholarships. He planned to do this to all of this year's recipients. You were just lucky number one."

James looked over at Richard, who was starting to have a nervous glint in his eyes.

"He had me beat up because I was attending college on a scholarship? What is he, nine?" James asked incredulously.

Linda couldn't block her amused snort but quickly regained control and cleared her throat. "So, you've never heard of Richard Madden of Madden Pharmaceuticals?"

James looked away from the mummy in the next bed to stare at the detective. "No. I've never heard of him or his company—"

"His daddy's company," Koenig corrected.

"Ah," James said as the potential of the man's entitlement became clear. He looked back at Richard wearily. The eyes no longer looked nervous. There was anger there.

Josif continued. "Richard is used to getting what he wants and getting away with bad behavior. Daddy bails him out. But the same night you were ambushed, so was he. The hate he generated at the college reached critical mass. From what we've heard from a great deal of students and faculty, Richard is lucky to be alive today."

Now, the fear returned to Richard's eyes.

A man in a dark suit pushed into the room and glared at the detectives. "You can't question my client without my presence!"

"And you are?" Linda asked.

"Mr. Madden's lawyer," the man snapped back.

The detectives just smiled. "We weren't questioning your boss' son. We were speaking with James," Linda said. She faced James as she nodded. "Thank you for your assistance."

He nodded in return.

"Who are you?" the lawyer asked suspiciously.

Koenig grinned at him. "He's the guy Richard's friends beat up for him." With that, the detectives left.

The lawyer frowned at James. "Why were you put in the same room as my client?"

James sighed. "I was here first. There's a shortage of beds."

The man turned to Richard. "Don't worry. We'll move you into a private room when one becomes available.

"I'm being discharged today, so he'll have the room to himself soon enough," James offered.

"Richard isn't safe with you here," the lawyer said.

James looked at the man and Richard. "Unlike your client's shitty son and his low-life henchmen, I don't assault people."

He turned away to look out the window. He couldn't get out of this place soon enough.

James made a promise to himself. When he returned to college, he'd keep his head down and concentrate on his studies.

Then, everything would return to normal.

Chapter 8

James leaned back against the seat on the bus that was taking him back to the college campus. The worn scrubs the hospital gave him and the old sneakers from the lost and found were good enough to clothe him until he could return to his room, but he missed his shoes.

He watched the city go by outside the window and saw people rushing to their destinations. A much faster pace life than he once had.

He'd grown up in a small farming community. His parents, who'd lived in the nearest thing to a city, disappeared when he was just three. They'd dropped him off with his mom's aging parents, saying they'd be gone a week, then headed off to parts unknown and never returned. While his grandparents were the only family members available to care for him, they welcomed him with open arms into their farmhouse at the far edge of the rural community.

As soon as he was old enough, he began working on the farm with his grandpa.

His grandma, who was a retired schoolteacher, home-schooled James until the summer he turned fifteen.

He hadn't had many opportunities to socialize with kids his age while growing up. His grandparents weren't churchgoers and had a limited social circle, so they rarely went visiting. There was little time for socializing during their occasional shopping trips in the nearby town.

James wasn't completely isolated from the world as he watched the news and listened to nighttime radio talk shows with his grandparents to catch up on current world events. He learned a lot about people from listening to their hopes and fears, but he had his grandparent's calm voices to help him separate truth from opinion... at least according to them.

He was also a voracious reader. The farmhouse had hundreds of books, and he'd indulge himself by reading more in the library whenever he was in town.

When his grandmother suffered a stroke, her doctors insisted she needed to move to an assisted living home in the small town. His grandpa refused to be away from his wife, so he sold the farm and rented a two-bedroom unit in the facility. The home's management team didn't fight the idea of a fifteen-year-old living with them since he offered to assist at the facility when he wasn't completing his high school education in town.

The new school environment had been a rough transition for him. The faculty tested him and discovered he was academically advanced compared to the other students, but his social development was completely out of sync. He excelled in his classes but had no friends.

While he enjoyed sports as his lean muscular body was very fit, the other students didn't accept him. Many went out of their way to exclude him during team activities. This just made the teachers upset with them, driving the wedge further between James and his classmates.

His grades remained at the top for each of his classes. Combining this with his after-school volunteer activities supporting the elderly and infirm at the assisted living home made him eligible for scholarships.

When he graduated, James was accepted into Dane University. His family's income was very low, so he qualified for their free-ride scholarship.

He recalled his tearful departure as he hadn't been away from his grandparents since they took him in. His grandfather took him aside and told him it was time for him to spread his wings and find his own way. They loved him, couldn't be prouder of him, and they had every confidence he would succeed.

James wiped the fresh tears from his eyes and winced at the pain that caused his face. He took some deep breaths and felt himself center once more.

They were approaching the campus and where he needed to be, so he pressed the button to request a stop.

He eased himself down the stairs and off the bus to stand on the sidewalk before the main administration building. The police hadn't returned his wallet yet, and his keys were missing, so he had to visit the building to get a new student ID card for his meal plan and keys to his room.

He climbed the stairs, took some breaths at the top before entering, and found his way to the reception desk.

The young female clerk behind the desk paled when she looked up and saw the lurid bruising on his face. Then recognition kicked in. "Oh my god! You're the guy who got beat up by the frat boys!"

James sighed. Was this going to be his legacy at the college?

"I'm James Bailey. I need a replacement Student ID and keys for my room. The police have my wallet, and my keys went missing when I was attacked," he said calmly.

Mrs. Tucker spotted him and quickly joined them at the counter. "Mr. Bailey, I'm so sorry for the trouble you experienced with those students. We'll make you a new ID card immediately. While you wait, Dean Whitaker asked me to bring you to him when you arrived."

James nodded and followed her into the building to a door she knocked on before entering.

The white-haired man stood and walked around the desk to shake James' hand. His eyes took in the bruising and showed his sympathy. "Thank you, Francine," he said to the woman, gesturing for James to sit before his desk. Then, it was just the two of them in the office.

"Firstly, I'd like to offer you an apology from myself and Dane College for the terrible ordeal you've gone through," the man said sincerely. "One of our junior clerks was coerced into providing the information on the scholarship students. This breach should not have happened."

James held up his hands. "I don't hold you or the college responsible for what these students did to me. I'm grateful to be able to attend on the scholarship and will do my best to excel in my program. I would be interested to know how the college intends to deal with the four students involved in the assault."

Now, the Dean looked a little uncomfortable. "The three who participated in the physical altercation have been expelled."

"But the mastermind of the plan? Mr. Madden?" Bailey prompted.

Bushy white brows drew down. "Yes, he's more problematic as his father has strong ties to Dane."

"Financial ties," James said wearily.

"Yes," the man said simply.

James nodded and thought for a second. "According to the detectives I spoke with, Richard Madden has created a huge number of enemies here at Dane. They implied his safety might be in question when he returns."

The Dean looked at James in surprise. Then, a slow smile appeared on his face. "For his protection, it might be wise for him to transfer out."

"Unless this college provides around-the-clock security for individual students, that would seem prudent," James agreed with a nod and a slight smile.

The man smiled and reached into his desk to pull out a set of keys. "The groundskeepers found your keys on the lawn next to the Frat house. Thankfully, you had the college ID tag on the ring, so we could identify them and get them back to you."

"Thank you," James said in relief as he accepted the keys.

"Is there anything else we can help with?" Whitaker asked.

"Has there been any sign of my clothes?" James asked.

The Dean wrote a note. "I will ask the office to follow up on that."

"Also, the police have my wallet. I'd like to get that back as my ID cards are in it as well as pictures of my grandparents."

Whitaker smiled at him. "I'll see how we can help you with that."

"Thank you," James said and nodded. It felt like the meeting was over, so he pushed himself to his feet and smiled at the Dean.

"They should have your new student ID prepared for you in the office," the man said with a smile.

James left the Dean's office with a final nod and returned to the front office. Mrs. Tucker handed him a new card there so he could eat in the cafeteria again.

After thanking them, he left the building and walked across the campus grounds toward the dorms. When he'd first arrived, he was surprised to discover they were coed. His grandpa suggested he'd be in a male-only building.

He entered and began to climb the stairs to the second floor. He was still moving slowly due to the bruising, so he paused on the landing to rest and looked down at the ugly sneakers. They had no cushioning at all.

Two more pairs of sneakers came into view to stop before him, so he looked up to see two pretty ladies standing there. They shared enough features to be fraternal twins. He looked at them cautiously as they were slightly taller and much more muscular than him. Their long, curly black hair was pulled back into ponytails. They had lovely and lively green eyes and were looking at him expectantly for some reason. Did he know them? He recalled seeing them before in the residence, but he'd never spoken with them.

"Hello," he began with a friendly smile, and they immediately smiled back at him. Their beauty flared as they seemed to relax.

"Hello, I'm Phoenix Papadakis, and this is my sister, Phoebe," one said.

"James Bailey," he replied and held out a hand. They took turns shaking it, releasing it only when he pulled back. Their smiles widened after touching him.

"We heard you'd been attacked," Phoebe said, and he nodded, gesturing to his face with a slight smile.

Phoenix's smile widened. "We're both black belts in Judo, eighth dan. We could protect you on the campus grounds!"

His eyes widened in surprise, and he grinned. "That's very thoughtful of you, but I hope I won't be the target of any more assaults."

Now, they had a desperate look in their eyes. "We must protect you!" Phoebe insisted.

James was confused as to why these strangers were so concerned. It was sweet, but he could see it becoming logistically impossible. "Wouldn't that interfere with your own classes?"

Their smiles dimmed. "Yes, I suppose it would," Phoenix agreed begrudgingly.

"I'm flattered by the offer, but you should concentrate on doing your best in your academic careers. I'll be fine. I need to get to my room so I can get changed and complete my homework for tomorrow's classes," he said gently, and they nodded. He continued climbing, and they followed him up the stairs and down the hall to his room. Phoebe looked into his room first to ensure it was safe, then he stepped past.

"Well, goodbye! Have a lovely evening," he said, and they stepped back with a wave as he closed his door.

James turned to look at his neat room and sighed to himself.

What a strange day!

-=-

When the door closed, the twins shared a surprised look with each other at the sensations coursing through their bodies. Then, they rushed back to their room.

Jennifer had arranged a video call the night before with the coven, except Katherine, who wasn't available. She filled everyone in on what she'd learned from her friend at the hospital and the mix-up on the night of the ceremony.

They were all greatly disappointed that they'd missed their opportunity to make a difference with Richard. Now, they needed to gather information on the man they'd performed the spell on, James Bailey. The twins learned he lived in their dorm and would be getting home today. They'd volunteered to speak to him to test the waters, so to speak.

Now, they had something to report.

They called Jennifer and put the phone on speaker when they were behind their closed door.

"Hello?"

"Jennifer! It's Phoebe and Phoenix. We just spoke with James Bailey. There is definitely some magical influence radiating from him! When we saw how bruised he was, we immediately felt compelled to stay by his side and protect him. We told him we'd be his bodyguards, but he thanked us and graciously told us we should concentrate on our studies. The compulsion to remain by his side immediately eased. We can still feel it, but it's no longer a compulsion. It's manageable. Initially, it felt like if he'd asked us to get naked, we would have, right there on the stairs." The twins shared a glance and couldn't stop their grins as the thought wasn't totally unappealing. They both thought James was handsome under those bruises.

"I will call Katherine to let her know the spell seems active. She'll know what to do. In the meantime, you two should probably stay away from him if you can," Jennifer said.

"Right," Phoebe said, grinning at her sister.

They said their goodbyes and hung up.

"So, do we stay away from James?" Phoenix asked slyly.

Phoebe pretended to ponder the idea. "I think we owe it to the others to gather more direct information."

"I concur," Phoenix said with a firm nod.

They burst into giggles.

Chapter 9

James was feeling much better by the end of his classes on Monday. It had been a strange day as he'd drawn more attention than usual. It almost felt like his first day in high school, except it didn't feel threatening. Now, he was something interesting for the other students to stare at. He'd caught a few women staring at him intently but when he turned to face them, they'd quickly turned and walked the other way.

Weird.

The facial swelling was almost gone, and his ribs no longer hurt so much. The bruising was beginning to fade as well. The fast healing was a little weird, but he wouldn't complain.

His classes had been interesting, and he was really enjoying the educational part of college at least.

The social side was a bust. He just didn't have the skills to fit in with the other students. He was out of step with the culture they grew up in and their values didn't line up with his.

On the other hand, the teachers and other faculty thought he was delightful, but he knew better than to show any acknowledgment of that. The students would turn on him in a second if they thought he was sucking up for favoritism.

So, he'd keep his head down as he'd promised himself and hope life would return to normal.

He sighed as one of his goals was to find a girlfriend. Perhaps later.

He crossed the quad, walking along the path leading to his dorm. As he got closer, he saw the twins he'd met on the weekend sitting on the steps. They had a gym duffle bag with them.

As he got closer, they smiled at him and stood.

Were they waiting for him?

"Hi Phoebe, Pheonix," he said, smiling and nodding to them as he said their names. Phoebe's face was slightly more heart shaped than her sister's. They seemed pleased when he got it right.

"Hi James," they replied then Phoebe stepped a little closer. "We were wondering if you had dinner plans."

He looked at them in surprise. "Uh, I don't. I mean, I'm on the meal plan, so I get dinner in the cafeteria."

"Would you like to join us for the picnic dinner we picked up instead?" Phoenix asked, gesturing to the gym bag.

He realized eating alone in the cafeteria paled compared to having company, so he smiled at them with a nod. "Where shall we go?"

They grinned happily at him. "How about your room?" Phoebe suggested.

Now, his eyebrows rose in surprise. "My room? I don't have much in the way of furniture."

"Have you never had a picnic on the floor?" Phoenix asked with a teasing smile.

He grinned. "I can't say I have, but it sounds fun."

They gestured for him to lead the way, so he climbed the stairs to enter the building, holding the door for them. Then he climbed up to his floor.

"You seem to be moving much easier than yesterday," Phoebe noted.

James nodded with a smile as they walked down the corridor. "Yes, the bruising is really healing quickly. There's almost no pain now. I've never healed this fast before."

The ladies glanced at each other and then smiled at him with an impressed expression, making him smile self-consciously.

He unlocked his door and gestured for them to enter.

"This is far cleaner and less chaotic than any dorm room I've been in," Phoenix said in admiration.

There was a pile of books roughly stacked on one side of his work desk, some loose papers on the surface, and a cup holding pens and pencils in it. This was the only visible clutter, but it was enough and prevented the room from looking like it was inhabited by a compulsive neat freak.

He had a soft rug on the floor between the bed and the desk, so the ladies sat cross legged, leaning back against the bed, and set the gym bag before them as James sat facing them and leaned against the desk.

They opened the bag and pulled out foil-wrapped sandwiches and side salads.

They handed the food out, and James discovered the sandwich was barbequed chicken on a bun with a spicy sauce. He thanked them and dug in. His taste buds immediately noticed the difference from his usual meals. "This is delicious!"

"Better than cafeteria food?" Phoenix asked with a sly grin.

"Much better!"

As they ate, the ladies filled James in on the fact that they were at the university on athletic achievement scholarships. They participated in volleyball, basketball, and some decathlon events, but their real love was Judo. Their dad taught them originally to ensure they grew up strong.

James was very impressed with the two beauties.

They said they emigrated from Greece to the States with their family when they were sixteen. They continued to win many tournaments as they finished high school and received scholarships to Dane. They participated in events for the college now.

James shared his story with them and finished off with his trip to the college.

They packed up the wrappers from their dinner as they were done. "Thank you very much for dinner. That was really nice!" James said.

"You're welcome," Phoenix replied.

"Returning to what you said about high school, you've never had a girlfriend?" Phoebe asked, catching him unprepared.

James blushed. "No, I haven't."

"Our Papa initially kept the boys away, but when we started adding muscles to our bodies, they did the job of frightening off the boys instead," Phoebe said with a sad little frown.

"I think this was Papa's goal from the start," Phoenix insisted.

Phoebe nodded in frustration, then looked at James. "Do our muscles make you uncomfortable? Do you find them repulsive?"

James' eyes widened. He hadn't expected to be asked this. "No! I think you're both lovely! Being fit and strong doesn't diminish that in any way!"

"But are we sexy?" Phoenix asked as she held his eyes.

James felt his cheeks preparing to combust. "Ah! I think you are."

The ladies smiled in satisfaction, and Phoenix spoke again. "We think you're very handsome. I would like to kiss you—"

"Me, too!" Phoebe added quickly.

"Oh!" James said in surprise then couldn't stop his smile. "I'd like that, but I've never done it before."

"Same here," the ladies said in unison, then giggled. They moved the gym bag away then all three rose to their knees on the carpet to face each other. Phoebe and Phoenix played a game of rock-paper-scissors to determine who would go first.

James watched with a nervous grin then the winner, Phoenix, glanced at him in happy embarrassment. "We're super competitive."

"Seems like," James said. Then she leaned closer, and he tilted his face up a little as she was taller.

Their lips met and brushed softly against each other. That felt good, but James automatically pressed a little more firmly and nibbled her bottom lip with his.

Phoenix made a soft whimpering sound and tried to match his actions. This let him nibble on her top lip, and her breath began to come in gasps.

When he placed his hands on her hips, she moaned aloud once more.

James' head was spinning as he pulled back.

Phoenix opened her eyes, looked into James', and saw he was feeling the same.

"Wow! That was sexy!" Phoebe sighed.

Phoenix could only nod as she glanced at her sister and made room for her turn.

Phoebe smiled nervously at James, who nodded to her and leaned forward. She moved forward timidly, but when he nibbled on her lips, her arms went around him, and she pulled him against her tightly. As their mouths were pressed together, James gently pressed the tip of his tongue forward to caress Phoebe's lips.

That lit a fuse in the woman as she gasped and thrust her tongue forward into his mouth. He wasn't sure what to do, so he sucked on it, and her moaning got louder. He then realized Phoenix was keeping her sister from falling with him in her arms.

He pulled back as best he could in her embrace, and Phoebe's eyelids flickered open as she looked at his mouth.

"You can let go of him now," Phoenix said, and Phoebe quickly did so.

"I like kissing," she gushed to her sister.

"I do, too. I'm not sure if I can forgive Papa for keeping us away from it," Phoenix grumbled.

James chuckled.

"Another!" Phoenix said and got closer.

Now James was feeling the woman's body pressing against his, and that felt really good. It was true that she had very firm muscles, but nature would not be denied as her chest pressed softly against his.

His hands landed on her lower back, her eyes flared with desire, and she moved in for another kiss. It was slow and sensual until James touched her lips with the tip of his tongue. She moaned and tried to catch his tongue with her lips, so he slid it further into her mouth, and she sucked on it sensually.

Fuck! That felt good! His mind was back to spinning. His hands unconsciously slid down to cup her ass cheeks, and Phoenix's moans got louder. He gave her a squeeze, and she ground her body against his. This brought a moan from him as his cock was trapped between them and felt like a bar of iron.

Her strong hands squeezed his ass which made his hips rock against her, and she cried out in bliss.

"What? What was that?" Phoebe asked as she tried to see what they were doing.

Phoenix reluctantly pulled back and dipped her face again for another quick kiss. She pulled back to look into James' eyes, and he watched her with equal need.

She turned to her sister. "We were grinding our pelvis' together as we kissed."

Phoebe grinned and locked eyes with James. He nodded to her, so she immediately pressed her body against his. Phoenix moved her hands from James' back down to his ass.

James sucked on her tongue as he rubbed his groin against hers. He gripped her ass in his palms and squeezed. A tremor went through her body, and she leaned back to moan loudly.

When she opened her eyes, she looked at her sister in awe. "Oh my god, this feels so good!"

Phoenix grinned. "I think James agrees."

Phoebe reluctantly pulled back as the three of them fidgeted.

"I'd like to continue exploring this, but we're overdressed," Phoenix suggested.

James' brain was coming back to him, and he realized they were suggesting they get naked. That would mean they'd see the ring.

"Uh, there's something you need to know before that happens," he said.

"You're a virgin?" Phoebe asked.

"No—I mean yes... I am, but that wasn't what I was going to say," he continued. He took a deep breath. "Sometime during the attack on me, someone glued a ring on my... penis."

The sisters looked at each other, and then Phoenix grinned at him. "You're wearing a cock ring? Kinky man!"

He exhaled in annoyance. "I just said someone else put it on. I can't get it off!"

Phoebe frowned. "How are you getting erections if there is a ring on it? Doesn't that hurt?"

James' expression became unsure, and he shook his head. "I don't know how it does it, but the ring seems to grow too."

Now, the ladies were staring at him with shocked expressions. "Can we see it?" Phoebe asked softly.

He took a deep breath, then undid his pants and slid them down his legs. He stopped as he looked at the twins. "Am I the only one undressing?"

They burst into giggles and scrambled to catch up to him.

He pulled his pants off with his socks and tugged his shirt over his head.

He was down to his boxers when he saw they were only wearing their panties.

James stopped as he admired their bodies then he realized he was gawking. "Sorry. Your bodies... are so beautiful!"

They smiled happily and pointed to his underwear. He was already showing against the fabric.

He nodded nervously and pulled them down, and the twins froze.

James saw they were staring at the ring, so he also looked down. He was very stiff and tingling madly from their previous activities, but the ring wasn't pinching or blocking circulation. He couldn't even feel it. If he wasn't staring at it, he wouldn't be able to tell he was wearing it.

"So... that's it," he said.

"May... may we touch it?" Phoebe managed to say quietly.

"Uh, sure," he responded, and they immediately reached out to run a finger along the ring's surface over the writing.

He sucked in a sharp breath as he felt their touch, and it was good.

They pulled their hands back quickly and looked at him, but he shook his head.

"I can't feel the ring, but when you touch it, I feel your fingers on my skin. It's the weirdest thing!" he said quietly.

"It's beautiful!" Phoenix said quietly as her eyes returned to the ring. She reached out and took his cock in her hand. "It's so hot!"

James was a little confused, unsure if she was still discussing his jewelry.

Then, all he could think about was how nice it was to feel her hand on him.

Phoebe smiled at her sister. "This is the first one we've seen in person. It's giving me naughty thoughts."

Phoenix giggled as she pulled her hand back and made her sister wrap her fingers around James' cock.

"Ooohoohoo!" Phoebe gasped as she gently squeezed. Her eyes widened excitedly as she looked at her sister. "I want to ride this! I want it inside me!"

When she saw his eyes open suddenly at her sister's words, Phoenix glanced at James. "Would that be okay with you, James? We brought protection," Phoenix asked before he could object.

James struggled to think as Phoebe massaged him so well with her hand. "S-sex? Phoebe wants to have sex? With me?"

Phoebe felt a thrill rush through her body hearing the words. She nodded to him, and he held her eyes as he nodded in return.

"I'd be honored," James said, and Phoebe giggled at his old-fashioned formality.

Phoenix got them moving when she gently pulled her sister's hand from James and guided him down to lie on the carpet. She reached into the gym bag and pulled out a box of thirty-six large-size condoms. Having appreciated his package a few days earlier, they knew this was the most appropriate size for him. Looking at his raging hardon, they knew they'd chosen correctly. She also grabbed a tube of lube and a packet of wet wipes.

While they may have been virgins for actual sex with a partner, both sisters had toys for relieving that particular itch. James was larger than the toys, so lube was a necessity.

Phoebe knelt on the carpet next to James and kissed him again. He seemed to enjoy that, and when his hands came up to hold her, they landed on her breasts. She gasped once more and held his hands against her.

Phoenix rolled one of the condoms over his erection and squirted a little lube on her palm before she gripped him and rubbed the slippery stuff up and down his shaft.

James jolted and moaned into Phoebe's kiss.

"Now, sis," Phoenix said, and Phoebe pulled back from the kiss and swung a leg over his body. She eased back as her sister pointed him toward her descending pussy.

Contact!

Everyone gasped then Phoebe began pushing down in surges as he opened her wider than she'd ever been before. He wasn't enormously endowed but was still larger than she'd taken.

The woman began to make small grunting noises with each push, and her eyes were wide but dazed.

"Does it hurt?" Phoenix asked quietly.

"No... it's so good! He's filling me up so well!" Phoebe moaned in bliss.

James reached his left hand down between them and began to massage Phoebe's clit in gentle circles.

"OH, FUCK!" she exclaimed as she slammed herself down to take the last two inches. "Fuck!Fuck!Fuck!"

Her hips began to roll and twitch as James kept his hand in play.

Phoenix watched this in awe and moved down to see James entering her sister, who was beginning to bounce up and down faster and faster.

Then she noticed the glow.

The letters on the ring were beginning to shine with a gold light. The condom was covering the ring, but moments later, the latex over the ring split and rolled away from the metal. Before she could warn her, Phoebe slammed down again, and the ring pressed tight against her skin. She threw her head back with her mouth wide open as she screamed silently. Phoebe froze as she watched her expression, afraid she was experiencing agony from being burned by the ring.

She saw Phoebe trembling, then shaking as she slowly leaned forward and kissed James tenderly.

They were both breathing hard and smiled at each other.

"What... are you okay?" Phoenix asked her sister as she noted the ring was no longer glowing.

Phoebe turned her head languidly. "That was... the best... I've ever felt!"

Phoenix almost mentioned the glowing letters on the ring, but something told her it was too soon for James to know.

As she eased herself off James' cock, Phoebe continued to tremble and shake. "Fuck, I'm so sensitive!" she gasped.

When she managed to move aside, Phoenix stared at James' still-hard cock. He hadn't come. She quickly rolled off the ruined condom and the base ring, which had separated from the condom. She rolled on a fresh one and lubed it well as James watched her hungrily. She was becoming tingly just from his gaze. She eased her leg over him and guided the head to her opening. She gasped quietly as she felt the head pop inside then her thoughts were pushed aside as sensation became all. He was thick and hot and sliding so deep into her body.

James was in heaven. Phoebe had been so hot and tight around his cock, but Phoenix felt like she was clamping down on him with every inch she managed to take. He could feel his release getting closer.

He reached down with his left hand again and began to gently strum her clit. She responded more dramatically than her sister, so he reduced the pressure he used.

He wasn't sure how he knew how to do this, but they seemed to like it.

Phoenix slammed James deep and began to bounce on his cock again and again. At the bottom of each stroke, she felt a deep, warm tingle growing in her pussy. Then, she was driving him into her body frantically as the pleasure began to race out of control.

When she slammed down for the last time, it felt like her entire body had become incandescent, glowing fiercely as wave after wave of bliss exploded through her. She felt his heat firing into her body, but it was muted, so it must have been caught in the condom.

She leaned forward as her sister had and kissed James. More sparks jumped through her body. She needed Phoebe's help to dismount as her legs shook too much.

When she was free, she checked and saw the condom was still on and had captured his cum. She sighed in relief.

Phoebe did the task of collecting the condom and looked at her sister in concern when she noticed the base had somehow torn free from the rest. Phoenix just shook her head slightly for her to let it go. Phoebe tied off the used rubber and dropped it into the trash bag with their dinner waste. She grabbed the wipes and handed them out so they could freshen themselves up. These went into the bag as well.

Phoenix stretched out next to James, and Phoebe did the same on his other side.

They grinned at him happily as he smiled back.

"That was really amazing!" James sighed. "I can see why everyone seems so obsessed with sex."

The twins burst into giggles.

He rolled his head from side to side to enjoy their happiness. Then he got a little tongue-tied. "I don't mean to sound stupid, but I'm just going to say it because I don't know any better." He sighed. "Does this mean we're boyfriend and girlfriends?"

They smiled, and the sisters looked at each other over James.

Phoebe spoke for them as she usually did. "Can we start as friends with benefits? We're just getting to know each other. We don't know what this might become. We both like you a lot. You're also really sexy, and we enjoyed our time with you tonight. We learned a lot and have a lot to think about. Is that okay?"

James looked into their eyes and realized he was far better off now than earlier in the day. He had friends!

"Yes, that sounds great to me. I really like you, too."

"Give us your cell number so we can send you messages," Phoenix suggested.

He gave them an awkward look. "I don't have a cell phone."

They looked at him in surprise. "Everyone has a cell phone!" Phoebe said.

He shrugged. "I'm here on a free-ride scholarship and use the meal plan for a reason. I can't afford a phone or a plan, but you can reach me by my college email address. I check it here on the loaner laptop the campus supplied."

"Sorry! I didn't mean to be rude," Phoebe said contritely.

He waved a hand. "It's fine. You don't miss what you've never had," he said with a smile as he quoted his grandpa. "I'd like to pay my share for dinner. I insist," he said.

The ladies grinned at him. "No," they said in unison, and James couldn't help but smile and surrender.

They collected their clothes and pulled them back on. Phoenix put the box of condoms, the lube, and the wipes into the drawer of his nightstand with a grin.

Then they were ready to go.

"We had an amazing time tonight," Phoebe said, and her sister nodded enthusiastically.

James grinned widely. "I did, too. I have a question, though."

They looked at him curiously.

He gestured to the bed. "Any particular reason we didn't use the bed?"

The ladies chuckled. "You have a lovely soft rug, and we'd make far too much noise on that bed. They're not very strong. At least, compared to us," Phoenix explained.

"Ah! Thanks for the enlightenment," he said, walking them to the door. They paused to kiss him as they stepped outside, and he enjoyed that. He waved to them as they walked down the corridor. When he turned to go back inside, he spotted two male students staring at him in shock. He nodded and stepped back inside to close and lock his door.

He had homework to do.

-=-

When Phoebe and Phoenix returned to their room, they locked up and dropped back onto their beds. They looked over at each other and grinned.

"Okay, what did we learn tonight?" Phoebe asked.

"Sex is good!" her sister sighed.

"Yes, yes. Agreed, but you know what I meant."

Phoenix looked inside to see if she felt the burning need to be near James. "I don't feel the compulsion anymore, but I don't know if it's gone permanently."

Phoebe nodded. "Yes, I agree. Waiting for him on the steps today, I could feel the urge, but now it's quiet."

"Something else we learned is that he's the opposite of Richard Madden. He's a good person, an innocent," Phoenix said.

"But no longer a virgin," her sister said with a grin.

Phoenix beaned her sister in the head with a thrown plushie. "The same can be said about us."

"The ring's magic is working. It resizes to match the size of his cock. That's impossible for a solid metal ring," Phoebe said.

"It doesn't like to be covered by a condom. The letters glow and burn through the latex," Phoenix said, and her sister jolted up to a sitting position to stare at her.

"WHAT?" she gasped.

"I saw it when you were riding James, but I had no time to warn you. Maybe the ring needs to touch his partners. I got to experience it, too. It feels incredible!" Phoenix explained.

"Are we going to share this with the others?" Phoebe asked her sister nervously.

Phoenix was quiet as she tried to think of a way to warn the others without sounding like a slut. Then she looked at her sister and spoke her fears out loud. "Are we sluts?"

Phoebe must have been thinking along the same lines as she jolted slightly to hear the thought outside her head. "I-I don't feel like one. I mean, yes, we had sex with a man we'd only spoken to twice, but I don't feel like fucking any man that asks."

"Not that many men do," Phoenix said, and her sister saw she was agreeing with her and nodded.

"There was the magic compulsion to be near him," Phoenix offered.

"But not to fuck him. It never felt like that," Phoebe asserted.

"True. I was attracted to James physically when we first met him in the woods and after talking with him, I genuinely like him," Phoenix said with a smile.

"So, how do we explain the condoms to the others?" Phoebe asked.

"How they burn off the ends?" Phoenix replied.

"No! How do we explain why we bought and brought them in the first place!" the sister stressed.

"Ah, right," Phoenix sighed and thought about that briefly. "Honestly, it was just wishful thinking for me. I know he's no Ryan Gosling or Henry Cavill, but he's... classically handsome? There's also something about his eyes. There's an honesty there. No cruelty, sarcasm, or condescension. I felt safe and free to speak my mind without feeling like I was being judged."

Phoebe was smiling dreamily. "I like how he looked at us. It made me feel beautiful and desired."

"Yes!" her sister gasped and giddily drummed her heels on her mattress as she hugged herself with a grin.

They were quiet for a bit as they recalled their evening.

"Are you feeling the compulsion returning?" Phoebe asked quietly.

Phoenix examined her feelings and shook her head. "No, I don't feel the magic behind it."

"But you do want to see him again," the sister clarified.

Phoenix shared a smile with her sister. "We both do, but we must see if the compulsion returns."

"Shit," Phoebe moaned.

They'd have to deny themselves a repeat performance to ensure they were truly free.

But at least they had something to tell the others.

Chapter 10

The following evening, the coven met for a special meeting at Katherine's home. The ladies found seats in the cozy sitting room and admired the décor, but they were mostly concerned with the state of their High Priestess. They quickly picked up that Katherine wasn't in the best of spirits. They saw her eyes were glassy and she looked like she hadn't been getting much sleep. They were worried for her.

Jennifer settled them and gave the floor to Katherine, who stood to address her coven. She took them through their daily observances and asked for the Goddess' Blessings. Then she looked into their eyes.

"Thank you all so much for making time to join us tonight. I know you have busy schedules, so I will try not to take too much of your time." She took a deep breath. "As you are aware, through some strange twist of fate, our target for the ceremony was switched, and Richard had a far more violent conclusion for his evening."

There was a low murmur as the ladies recalled the stories of how Richard ended up in the hospital.

Katherine lifted her hand, and they quieted again.

"Instead of that wicked man, we performed the ceremony on an innocent one," her voice broke a little, but she rallied.

"I haven't been completely honest with you, or myself for that matter. When the ring came into my possession, and I felt the strength of its magic, I found a way to get vengeance against Charles Madden and his corrupt corporation. Yes, there would be a beneficial outcome if we directed the company to produce medicines for the world for fair prices and prevented them from withholding necessary medication from those in need. But my need for punishing them led me to break the most sacred vow of Wicca. Do no harm," Katherine said in shame.

The twins were confused as they'd experienced the ring's influence directly and sensed no harm in them or James. "We don't understand! James hasn't been harmed!" Phoebe exclaimed.

Katherine shook her head. "A critical element I kept from you was that the ring's magic wasn't a spell. It was a curse. Applied to Richard, it would have made him our slave and stripped him of his free will. Applied to the wicked, the ring controls the wearer. But worn by the innocent, the curse reverses, and the wearer controls those who bound him to it."

Now, the ladies were much more vocal about their upset. They didn't want to be slaves!

Jennifer stood and managed to quiet the outraged women. She caught Phoebe trying to get her attention and addressed the group. "Please remain calm. I believe Phoebe and Phoenix have met with James Bailey and can shed some light on their experience." She turned to them. "Ladies?"

The twins stood to face the others and saw their upset expressions. Some looked like they were moments away from bursting into tears. Phoebe took a deep breath.

"We went to speak with James the day he was released from the hospital. He was bruised and in pain. We immediately felt compelled to protect him. It was definitely the magic at work. We offered to be his bodyguards, but he gracefully declined, and that compulsion eased." She glanced at Jennifer as what she would say next went against the woman's wishes. "The next day we met him after classes and invited him to share dinner in his room, a floor picnic." She caught Jennifer's frown but continued. "We needed more information on how the magic worked. James is completely oblivious of the ring's effect. He truly is an innocent. He's also a really nice man as well as being handsome—"

"You had sex with him!" Rose gasped as she stared at them and caught Phoenix's expression. "Both of you?"

Now, all the women were shouting or crying, and Jennifer once more struggled to get control.

"SHUT UP! WE'RE NOT FINISHED!" Phoenix yelled loudly, cutting through the chaos. The two large women glared at the others until they sat and sullenly listened.

Phoebe thanked her sister quietly, then continued.

"We didn't have sex with James because he ordered us to or because of any compulsion. We had a really nice dinner in his room. We talked about our childhood and his. We got to know a little more about the man. He is genuinely sweet, if a little old-fashioned in his values. He grew up living with his grandparents. I think that's where his values come from.

He's never had a girlfriend or even kissed a woman. We had no experience either, but we brought protection in case the opportunity arose. We wanted to see the ring Katherine placed on him, so there was a chance."

She saw she had the complete attention of her audience now and smiled.

"James has a really fit body, and he's nicely equipped. The ring is on his cock, right up against his balls. When he gets hard, the ring seems to resize to match. It doesn't cut off his circulation as we thought it might. That must be magic!"

"Did you feel it?" Rose asked, and several of the ladies snickered. "I meant the magic!" she insisted.

"Yes, to both meanings," Phoebe said with a smile. "When we saw the ring, we could feel it radiating the same energy we felt the night of the ceremony. We asked him if we could touch the ring, and he agreed. That's when we really felt the energy."

"And it compelled you to fuck him?" Rose blurted.

"No! It just felt... good. Powerful! I've never felt anything like it except for at the ceremony. But here's the thing. James said he couldn't feel the ring on him, but when we touched it, he felt our touch against his skin! That must be another aspect of the magic."

"But you had sex with him," Rose insisted.

"Yes, we did. Like we said, we brought protection. Phoenix put a condom on him, and I rode him first," Phoebe said.

Phoenix picked up the next point. "The ring was covered by the condom, but the letters began to glow, and the latex over it dissolved."

"It destroys condoms!" Julie gasped.

"No, just the part touching the ring. You can't cover the ring with the condom," Phoenix clarified.

"When you have all of him and the ring touches you..." Phoebe's voice failed her as her mind took her back to the sensation.

"Intense! It's an incredibly intense pleasure," Phoenix completed for her sister.

"But you've never had sex before," Rose said, and the twins looked at her questioningly as they nodded.

"With no comparison, you could just be describing how normal sex feels," she clarified, and the twins burst into giggles.

"If that's how sex normally feels, sign me up for more!" Phoebe grinned.

"Now that you've had sex with him, are you feeling compelled to do it with him again—I mean magically compelled!" Julie asked and frowned at their smiles.

"No, the compulsion seemed to be gone," Phoebe said.

"How do you know?" Rose asked.

Phoebe grinned. "Because he gave us a direct order, and we both said no."

That made them quiet.

"What... what did he order you to do?" Mary-Anne asked timidly.

"He insisted we take money for his share of dinner," Phoenix said with a grin. "Dirty minds!"

There were some relieved chuckles as the ladies had been thinking along darker lines.

"He also asked if we were now his girlfriends because we had sex with him. While the idea appeals to us, we told him we'd start with being friends with benefits. He graciously accepted that, too," Phoebe said. She saw Julie perk up.

"That still doesn't help us! I can feel the need to seek him out! Does this mean I have to have sex with him to make that urge go away?" Rose snapped.

The twins turned to look at Katherine, who stood to speak as they returned to their chairs.

"I'm still researching, but there is so little information available due to the age of the item. The twins have done an excellent job discovering important facts about the ring. One thing I've gleaned from my research is that when such power is granted to a man, even one as virtuous as Mr. Bailey seems to be, it will inevitably corrupt them and lead to abuse of that power. He must never learn of the curse for his sake and ours."

She let that sink in and then hit them with the rest of her news.

"I will do everything in my power to right the wrong I've done to you and Mr. Bailey. Then I will be stepping down as High Priestess and releasing the coven."

The uproar this caused was the loudest yet.

When the room was quiet once more. "I'm sorry. I'm not worthy to be a High Priestess. I've let you all down and myself when I didn't allow myself to recognize my need for vengeance. I've done harm through my actions. I will try to undo it, but that doesn't change the fact that I did it. It has been my honor to serve the Goddess with you."

"We need you!" Dawn gasped.

"I will remain your friend and confidante, but I can no longer lead you on the path of Wicca. Considering how excellent your voices are, maybe we could start a choir? You sounded absolutely angelic the night of the ceremony," she sighed.

"That was the magic!" Naya insisted. As a first-year member, she had the least confidence in her own abilities.

"No, it was you. All of you expressing your connection to each other and the Goddess. Your voices produced that beautiful music! I couldn't be prouder."

That led to more pleas for her to remain their High Priestess, but they could see she was committed to her path.

The meeting was about to break up when Jennifer got everyone's attention. "Going back to the point Katherine made about not informing James of this curse, some of you may feel the need to visit him. Please keep in touch with each other and do your best to schedule your visits to not conflict with anyone else."

She saw them nod as they agreed that made sense.

They said their goodbyes and got hugs. Jennifer saw Katherine speaking quietly with the twins as she handed them a plastic grocery bag with something in it. Then, the ladies filed out to drive back to the campus. Jennifer remained behind to speak with Katherine.

When they were alone, they moved to the kitchen, where Katherine made tea. They sat at the table, and Jennifer pulled out a tablet to make notes. On it was a list of names from the coven.

"Phoebe and Phoenix. They've had sex with James and believe they've been released from the curse. We'll have to see if that's the case. They still want to be with him, so their evidence isn't so convincing on its own. If they're right, then the others might wish to use their method to escape the curse," Jennifer reasoned.

"Rose. Considering how outspoken she was at tonight's meeting, I wouldn't be surprised if she was the next to approach him. She's smart enough to not divulge anything incriminating.

I'm more concerned with Mary-Anne. She's such a sweet, innocent girl and engaged to be married to her childhood sweetheart. This threatens that. Maybe I'll have another talk with her."

Katherine nodded as she was concerned about the woman's peace of mind. She was tearing up during the meeting. Jennifer made a note on the tablet and moved on.

"Julie is very driven, but she's also smart enough to avoid saying the wrong thing. She broke up with her long-distance boyfriend, or rather, he ghosted her. She might be rebounding or shunning the idea of a man in her life. Not sure.

Elke. I don't know about her. She's so quiet. She has a lovely singing voice, but she doesn't talk much. As far as I know, she doesn't have a boyfriend. She might allow herself to approach James as he got a vote of approval from the twins, but she's also very shy. She might need a wingman.

Min Yue is another mystery. She's told us about her father scaring off her potential boyfriends. He sounds like a tyrant. Will she leak the secret? Not intentionally, but her English isn't so strong, and she's awkward around men. She may need coaching.

Naya told us she has a boyfriend, but they fight. A lot. That could get complicated. She hasn't been with us long, but I think she'd be careful.

Dawn is a free spirit and has many male friends she beds. She won't betray the confidence of the coven, and she will definitely have sex with James.

This brings me to Clarisa. I'm pretty sure she likes women," Jennifer said, and Katherine raised an eyebrow. "She hasn't come out and said as much but I've picked up some clues from observing her behavior around the other students. If she is, I have no idea what we can do for her to break the curse."

Then Jennifer looked at her friend and confidante. "Then there's you. You're feeling the compulsion more than the rest, aren't you."

Katherine stared at Jennifer in surprise. "How could you know?"

Jennifer smiled gently. "You get to know someone when you go through a traumatic ordeal with them. How bad is it?"

Katherine sighed. "It isn't unbearable, but it is highly distracting. My mind wanders to the night when I slid the ring into place. That image also returns to me in my dreams, and I wake up intensely excited. I'm forty-eight! I should be done with all this sexy stuff, shouldn't I?"

Jennifer smiled. "I've heard the forties are the hottest time for women's sexual adventures. A fling with a younger man might be just the thing!"

Katherine gasped in shock at her friend. "Oh, my goddess! He must be half my age!"

"Age and time are conventions of the mind," Jennifer said.

"What fortune cookie did you read that in?" Katherine exclaimed, drawing a laugh from her friend.

That was exactly where she found it.

Chapter 11

Rose woke before her alarm. She knew she had another few minutes, and had a lot on her mind, so she remained in bed and let the thoughts trickle up the topics of the day.

Number one was James Bailey.

Discovering she was bound to the man with a curse she'd participated in casting enraged her, but she didn't have a satisfying target for that anger.

It wasn't his fault.

It wasn't her fault.

It was true that Katherine kept the nature of the spell a secret, but if they'd performed it on Richard as planned, they wouldn't be in the mess they were in now.

Fate fucked them over by swapping the two men.

When the twins mentioned they'd had sex with James, she couldn't get that thought out of her mind. It sounded like an escape route.

She was no virgin. She'd had several boyfriends throughout high school and now in college. The problem was that she always chose the wrong kind of men: forceful and dominant with almost exaggerated masculine behaviors. Each relationship had ended badly. Especially her last one with Dennis. They'd broken up and gotten back together so many times as she always surrendered to his charm, good looks, and how good he was in bed. But Dennis had a bad temper, and she was done trying to appease it. The last time he roughed her up, she packed her bags and left. Unfortunately, he refused to admit they were over, and she'd come close to filing a restraining order against him.

She'd spent a lot of time with Katherine and the coven, working through her self-esteem issues, the root cause of her attraction to men like Dennis. She was learning to love herself, and she believed she deserved better. She was getting a little better every day.

She reached out and tapped her alarm off a second before it rang. She was going for a run this morning, which boosted her self-esteem as she was good at it. She was in the cross-country running club and won awards at the last three events. These achievements she was earning for herself made her feel good!

She removed her hair bonnet and confirmed her beaded braids were in excellent condition. They reached her lower back, and she loved them. A quick look in the mirror confirmed the absence of acne on her brown complexion. She'd had a terrible time with it in her teens, but that problem was behind her now. Her skin was smooth and blemish-free!

Once more she contemplated going for braces to correct her slight overbite, but cash was the issue on that. It wasn't too obvious, and her lovely brown eyes distracted most people from her mouth.

Pulling on her running tights and zipping up her sports bra, she looked for her watch, keys, and shoes. Once she'd strapped on the watch and laced up her runners, she headed out, locked up, and secured her key in the small zipper pocket.

She followed this ritual every morning, which never failed to raise her spirits as she pushed herself to achieve more.

The running path through the campus was nicely treed without giving predators anywhere to hide. A fair amount of early-morning runners were also getting in their laps. She recognized a lot of them as familiar strangers. She also saw a couple of members of her running club.

Soon, she was running smoothly, her muscles warm and loose. Casting her eyes around to scope out the competition, she spotted someone new but strangely familiar. As she got closer, she realized it was James Bailey! She didn't know he was a runner!

She slowed her pace to remain behind him and studied his movements. He wasn't making too many mistakes, but she saw some improvements he could make to increase his performance. She found herself picking up her pace, trying to slow down, then picking it up again until she was beside him. She glanced over at him, and he wasn't gasping or a running zombie. He turned his head and smiled at her.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," he returned.

He had six inches on her five-foot-six height and, as the twins mentioned, a hard and lean body. She liked what she saw.

"I'm Rose."

"James."

Talking while running was a lost cause, so she pointed to a bench coming up, and he nodded.

They slowed and walked the final distance to the bench, but neither sat as they weren't done.

"You run pretty good!" she said when her breathing allowed. "Any thought about... joining the running club?"

He smiled shyly and shook his head. "I'm not nearly good enough for that. I just like to run at my own pace. May I assume you've won a few events?"

Her smile widened. "You may."

As they smiled at each other, a car pulled up to the curb and stopped abruptly. Rose immediately recognized her ex's customized black Camero with its deep rumbling engine, flashy rims, and overly tinted windows. The driver's was coming down. Sure enough, it was Dennis, and he was scowling at James.

"Hey Fuckhead! Stay away from my girl!" the man yelled.

It was suddenly too much for Rose. She spun to face the car and unleashed her rage.

"Shove your my-girl shit up your ass! Why don't you run back to Janelle or Shanelle or whoever your current booty-call-slut is like the piece of shit you are! We are done!" she flared.

Dennis' surprise showed her he'd thought she was unaware of his indiscretions. Surprise turned to anger. "Fucking bitch!"

The Camero roared away from the curb to leave the neighborhood.

Rose turned to see James' face was red with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry my ex behaved like such an asshole."

James nodded with a small smile. "I should be getting back to my dorm to prepare for the day."

Rose held out her hand. "It was very nice to meet you, James."

When they touched, she felt tingles. "C-could we meet for coffee later, after classes, so we can talk without all the panting?"

James seemed surprised, but he nodded. "Sure."

"How about dinner? Angelos is local, and it's nice," she suggested.

His face reddened further. "I'm sorry, but I'm attending college on a very tight budget, which leaves me with no extra funds for meals outside the campus."

"We can eat here!" she blurted, and he paused again.

"Okay," he said as he looked in the direction Dennis went. "Based on that car, I guess he doesn't have budgetary restrictions."

Rose frowned as she considered that. "It might have taught the spoiled asshole some humility." She pushed a smile back onto her lips. "Where and when can I meet you," she asked.

He told her the number of his dorm and suggested six o'clock. She nodded with a grin.

"See you later!" she said as she continued her run.

He watched her leave, and she looked back with a smile as she saw his admiring expression. He looked away in embarrassment and began to run back to his residence.

She knew she should do the same as she had a day to start.

-=-

"I'm sorry we couldn't go to the restaurant you suggested," James said as they walked into the cafeteria.

Rose waved away the concern. "It's fine. It's the conversation and company, not the décor or meal."

James blinked at her, and his face warmed as a smile appeared. He gave her a nod as his tongue was currently tied.

They got their meals and found a table in the corner with privacy. Rose began with her story of growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, her journey to Dane, joining the cross-country running club, and the promise of a new start.

He shared his story of growing up on his grandparent's farm and learning to love running through the fields, along country roads, and on the trails through the forest. Then he told her of his subsequent move to the assisted living home after they sold the farm. He spoke of his graduation and acceptance at Dane and replacing the farm work and school gym workouts with visits to the campus gym.

Rose realized how true the twin's impression of him was. He really did seem like a man out of his era. Still, she thought it was sweet.

The conversation somehow found its way to Dennis and his belligerent behavior. Rose wasn't sure if it was her who introduced the topic or James.

"I knew better, but it became a pattern, and I fell right into it. He'd wrong me, and I'd leave him. Then he'd come back all sweet talking and looking sexy and charm his way into my bed once again to fuck my brains out." She glanced at James and saw he'd been embarrassed by her frankness. She reached over and touched his hand. "I'm sorry. TMI." She saw his confusion over the term. "Too much information."

"No, I'm the one who is out of step here. My upbringing didn't prepare me for the more relaxed attitudes about intimacy," he admitted.

"Sex?" she asked, and he grinned and nodded.

"I'm fascinated by this as our very culture is embedded with sexual cues!" she said.

James shrugged. "I didn't watch television or hang out with people my age as I grew up. I worked on the farm, read books, exercised, and most of my interactions with people were with seniors."

She smiled. "Have you ever had a girlfriend?"

James shook his head. "No, but I thought I had one, two in fact, but they prefer to be... friends... with benefits?"

"So, you've experienced benefits!" she said with a grin.

Once more, James' face heated up, and he nodded but kept the details to himself.

When they finished their meals, Rose suggested a walk around campus.

The night was comfortably warm, and they weren't the only ones enjoying a stroll.

They talked about their respective courses, he in Engineering and she in Business Administration.

She caught him giving her an admiring look. "What?" she asked with a grin.

He smiled self-consciously. "Sorry, but I love your hair. It's beautiful, and the beads make such a nice, gentle sound."

Her smile widened. "You didn't see too many black women with braided hair in your farming community?"

"None at all, and now I see how much of a loss that was," he said.

Rose felt a flutter in her stomach as she saw the honest admiration in his eyes.

With a sudden roar, a black Camero swooped close to the curb and skidded to a halt. This time Dennis shut the engine and got out to walk over to the sidewalk and get in James' face.

"What the fuck did I tell you about staying away from my girl, White Trash?" Dennis snarled.

"I believe she said you were no longer together," James said calmly.

"Bitch don't know shit. You don't know shit!" Dennis snapped and shoved James back a step.

"Don't do that," James said.

Dennis did it again, a look of contempt on his face.

That was too much for Rose, and she surged closer. "Leave him alone—"

Dennis threw a fast backhand to strike her face, but she quickly leaned away and fell back on the grass.

Just as quickly, Dennis swung his fist back to punch James, but he wasn't there.

Fists grabbed Dennis' jacket lapels, and his feet left the ground. James flipped him over his hip to slam Dennis against the concrete sidewalk. He hit with enough force to bounce.

Striking the back of his head on the concrete hurt and dazed him, but he suddenly felt excruciating agony in his right shoulder, left wrist, several ribs on his back, right knee, and left shin.

He began to squeal in pain.

James stared at Dennis in shock. Rose climbed back to her feet and walked over to stand beside him as she watched the man wailing.

"You didn't mention you knew Judo," she said.

He blinked at her and shook his head. "I don't."

James shook off his paralysis, then squatted next to Dennis, who squeaked into silence as he looked at him fearfully.

"You shouldn't have tried to hit Rose, and you shouldn't have acted like an ass. You'll leave Rose alone from now on, yes?" He lowered his hand toward the dislocated shoulder as if to press on it.

Dennis panicked. "Yes! Yes! She'll never see me again!"

James nodded. "Good. You really need to move on."

Dennis was getting glassy-eyed from the pain, so James stood up to look at Rose.

Campus security arrived and called for an ambulance and a tow truck for Dennis' car.

The police also arrived as they were still patrolling the neighborhood.

James recognized the man as he stepped from the cruiser. "Good evening, Officer Genner," James said politely.

The man looked at him closely. "Mr. Bailey?"

James nodded with a smile.

"You seem to be in much better condition than the last time we met," Genner said.

"Yes, I'm healing well," he said and glanced down at Dennis, who suddenly jerked his left hand awkwardly to reach under his jacket lapel. James stepped on his chest, pinning his wrist in place.

Dennis tried to scream, but his eyes rolled back, and he fainted. James pulled his foot back. Officer Genner pushed the jacket open, and Dennis had been reaching for a nasty-looking gun in a holster.

"Oh! He had a gun," James said as he realized if Dennis had started with that weapon, he'd be dead.

Rose was also staring at the gun with wide eyes.

"I got it all on camera, officer!" a pretty blonde gasped excitedly as she pranced closer with her cell phone aimed back at her face as she recorded the events for her followers.

Genner took statements from James, Rose, and the streamer. Rose asked her to send her a link to her page.

When they were done with the police, James and Rose were free to leave as the officer followed the ambulance to the hospital.

Rose walked with James and moved closer until she reached up and touched his face as they stopped. She pulled his face down to hers as she kissed him.

She looked into his eyes. "Could we spend a little time alone someplace?"

"I-I have a room in the dorms," he said.

She nodded and held his arm as they walked back to his dorm. He led her upstairs to his room and saw a shopping bag hanging off his doorknob. She gave him a curious look, but he just opened the door and dropped the bag on the floor inside, out of the way. He'd look at it later.

He closed and locked his door once more.

When he turned to face her, he saw she had begun to undress. He froze momentarily, then began to pull his clothes off, too.

She paused as she was down to her panties. "Do you have protection?"

His face flushed, and he opened a drawer. He tried to pull out one condom, but it caught on the box, and he lifted an entire strip of condoms from the drawer.

Rose snorted in amusement. "Ambitious."

His face was burning as he glanced at her. "I didn't buy the box. It was a gift." He tore one off and tucked the rest away.

All he had to remove were his boxers, but he wanted to warn her in advance.

"I want you to know I didn't put this on myself. Someone else stuck it on while I was unconscious after I was attacked," he explained as he tugged his underwear down.

Rose finally got to see the ring on his cock. She could feel the energy coming from it, and she sucked in a quick breath as it sent tingles down her spine.

He looked at her cautiously.

"That's a really pretty ring! It looks very good on you!" she explained and saw James relax.

She reached forward, took the condom from his hand, and placed it on the table beside the bed. "We'll work our way up to that."

Then she took his hand and moved onto the bed, tugging him after her.

They stretched out, lying on their sides facing each other. James looked into her soft brown eyes, leaned forward, and brushed his lips against hers. She caressed his mouth in return, and he felt tingles running through his body.

He placed his hand on her hip and heard her sigh. Then both of her hands were clinging to his cock, from the ring to the head. He heard her gasp as she did. Or maybe the sound came from him as it felt so good.

He couldn't get enough of her kiss as her lips were so soft. When he stroked them with the tip of his tongue, she gasped again, and the kiss became deeper and more aggressive.

She gently pushed him onto his back as her tongue slipped between his lips to chase his. His mind was floating away in the clouds as she was such a sensual kisser.

When she pulled back, his eyes opened, and he looked at her mouth and saw she was smiling. She kissed her way down his chest, pausing briefly to tease his nipples with her tongue, then crossed his stomach to reach her destination.

He looked down to see her running her fingers over the ring and sucked in a breath as it felt so good. She pressed those beautiful lips to the side of his shaft, and he struggled to keep from lifting his hips from the bed. His eyes flared with need, and his gasps grew louder as she stroked her tongue up and down his length.

When she wrapped her lips around the head, he couldn't stifle his moan, and it was accompanied by sighs and sharp inhalations. While this was only the second time someone had done this for him, he recognized the differences between their techniques. Nurse Mitchell had sucked his cock, but Rose was making love to it.

He felt her pause her efforts and move on the bed. He hadn't realized he'd closed his eyes, so when he looked down, he saw she was placing the condom over the head of his cock. Then those amazing lips were descending over his erection, rolling the protection down his shaft excruciatingly slow.

"Fuuuuuuck!" he gasped softly as she stopped just before reaching the bottom.

He felt her tugging on his arm as she stretched out beside him. He moved his body over hers as she shifted on the bed under him. One hand landed on his hip, and the other guided his cock to her wet lips. He looked into her beautiful eyes, and her mouth dropped open in a gentle gasp as he parted her folds and slipped inside. Her eyelids fluttered as he went deeper. He pulled back and pushed forward, and Rose's eyes would widen and flutter each time he did.

James finally reached the bottom, and her hands immediately went to his ass to pull him deeper until he was grinding his pelvis against hers.

Rose's eyes flew wide. "FFFFFFFUUUUUUUHHHHHH!!!" she cried as her hips twitched and shook.

That rocketed the intensity for James, and he pulled back to the head to drive himself deep once more. Rose's eyes rolled back as their bodies slapped together, and she nodded to him. He began to give her long, deep strokes with a grind at the bottom, and she began to make the cutest little moans each time he pressed her to the mattress.

"Yes! Do it! Fuck! Harder!" she gasped between strokes.

He added a little more strength to the thrusts, and she began to tremble. Truthfully, James was right there as well.

Her lovely brown eyes locked on his. "Coming!" she gasped as she grabbed his ass and pulled him against her as her hips went into overdrive with her rocking.

His mouth found hers as he came in surges. They had to break the kiss to breathe but held each other's eyes as waves of bliss washed through them.

Finally, James gently pulled back and out, gasping at the burst of pleasure. Rose moved aside for him to lie beside her. He tugged the condom off and tied it closed.

As they rested in the afterglow, James wondered at his recent luck with meeting lovely women. First, it was the nurse. Then the twins and finally Rose. His emotions were all over the place, and he knew this wasn't the best time to start making plans. He also wasn't the most eloquent speaker, as he didn't use the current language of his age group. Still, he couldn't silence his thoughts.

"What's your opinion on dating and being a couple?" he blurted out unprepared and immediately pinched his eyes closed in embarrassment. He was such a dumbass!

Rose turned her head to glance over at him. "What do you mean?" she asked, but she had an idea where he was going.

Now that he was committed, he continued. "I was wondering if you might consider being my girlfriend."

She pushed herself up on her elbow and smiled down at him, seeing the flush on his cheeks. He looked over at her nervously. Too sweet!

"I'm still shaky from how badly my last relationship failed so dramatically. I think it's too soon for me to jump into another one. I'm happy to be with you now. I think you're someone I might like to get to know better when I'm ready, but I won't ask you to wait," she said gently.

He nodded to her with a smile, and she snuggled in against his arm.

Rose realized she'd just confirmed for herself that she was no longer compelled to obey him. She could no longer detect the compulsion. She sighed in relief.

"What was that for?" he asked curiously.

She just smiled. "This is nice," she responded and watched him playing with the beads in her braids.

Eventually, she heard his breathing deepen, so she slipped out of bed and dressed.

She gently kissed him on the forehead and watched him smile in his sleep.

She left his room silently and headed back to her own.

She'd speak to Katherine and the coven later to let them know she was clear of the compulsion. She liked James, but she really did have to work on her self-esteem and be able to stand on her own. She would do everything in her power to prevent repeat occurrences with guys like Dennis.

A smile returned to her face as she thought of her evening. While she felt no compulsion to do it, she realized she'd like to see James again.

She paused as this was exactly how the twins felt.

Chapter 12

Life went back to normal for James. He got in a run every morning, ate breakfast, attended morning classes, ate lunch, attended afternoon classes, worked out in the campus gym, ate dinner, did homework, and then went to bed.

He was pleased to have his clothes back from the night of the attack, especially his shoes. It took some time, but he got the blood stains out of his pants and shirt. He had no idea who left them in the bag on his doorknob, but he just wanted to put the whole night behind him.

The ring remained bonded to him, but he ignored it as he couldn't feel it. He'd check in the shower every morning to see if it showed any signs of loosening or was starting to rash or become inflamed, but so far, all was good. Truthfully, he'd never felt better.

Except it wouldn't come off.

He saw no sign of the twins or Rose and felt slightly sad about that as he really liked them. He was also a little confused about how people could move from stranger to lover and move on so quickly. It left him with jumbled-up emotions. Watching and listening to the other students, he was definitely picking up the impression that the issue was with him. All they seemed interested in were hookups, brief sexual encounters without the need for emotional bonding. They almost seemed afraid of the emotional context.

Weird, but again, that was his issue with today's culture.

On Thursday night, he finally received his wallet. The three goons who attacked him pled guilty due to the overwhelming evidence against them. The police no longer needed the wallet as evidence.

Thankfully, he could concentrate in his classes because the subject matter interested him. He was grateful for the distraction during the day.

It was Friday night, and he was at the gym finishing up his routine on the strength training machines when he noticed he was being watched by the only other student in the large room. He assumed she was there to work out as she was also in gym clothes.

But she looked spectacular in hers!

She must have caught him looking as she stood up from the machine's bench and walked toward him, a slight smile on her lips.

She was almost as tall as he was, with a sveltely muscled body and pale skin. Her platinum-white blonde hair was stylishly cut in a bob that curled in to touch her long neck. She had high cheekbones, a long, slim nose, blue eyes, and a sensual mouth that displayed a dazzling white smile as she stopped a few feet away.

James realized he'd been staring and blushed.

"Hi, I'm Julie," she said and held out her hand. As he took it in his, he noted she had long, slim fingers and painted her nails to match her hair. The tips looked sharp, too.

"James," he managed to say without sounding like an idiot.

"I was wondering if I'd see you in here. Rose mentioned you had a daily workout routine," Julie said.

He perked up when she mentioned Rose. "You know Rose? How is she doing?"

Her smile became a little sympathetic momentarily, then went back to dazzling. "Yes, Rose and I are in the same classes for Business Administration. She's... doing okay. She's certainly a lot better since you crushed that abusive bastard of an ex-boyfriend of hers."

James detected more than a little venom in her tone as she said ex-boyfriend. "Did she tell you about that?"

Julie was back to being happy as she laughed. "Told me? Everyone is talking about it. The Tik-Tok went viral!"

James stared at her blankly. "The what did what?"

"Where's your cell?" she asked with a grin.

"I don't have one," he responded and saw the incredulous expression he was coming to associate with a culture dependent on them.

"Oh! That's... unique!" she fumbled.

He grinned self-consciously and shrugged.

She slipped her cell from a hip pocket on her skin-tight workout tights and tapped the screen a few times before turning it to face him. On the screen, he could see himself standing on the sidewalk, being shoved by Dennis. Then Rose was falling back, and a punch was flying toward his face. It happened so quickly that he almost missed how he threw his attacker over his hip to slam him against the cement. He actually jolted when he saw it.

Julie started to laugh when she saw his surprised expression. She held those graceful fingers before her pearly whites. "Oh my god! Your expression is priceless!" she giggled.

"C-can I see that again?" he asked, then realized the video was looping. It suddenly went into slow motion, and he saw himself take a grip on Dennis' jacket. Then he was pivoting, and Dennis was going airborne. Seeing him strike the ground in slow motion and bounce made James wonder just how much damage he'd done to the man.

He leaned back when he'd seen enough. Julie stopped the playback and slid the phone back into her pocket. Her smile was every bit as dazzling as before, but now he could see the joy in her eyes. "I'm told that was one of the most perfect Judo throws ever!"

James shook his head in bewilderment. "I don't know Judo."

Julie blinked at him. "You didn't study it? Any martial arts?"

He shook his head.

"Maybe you saw it on TV or a martial arts movie," she reasoned.

"I don't watch TV or movies. I like to read, but not about martial arts," he responded, and her eyes widened.

"Wow! That's even more impressive! A little weird about not watching TV or movies, but hey, you be you!" she finished with a grin.

That felt like a left-handed compliment, but he just smiled to show he wasn't offended. His workout was over, so he stood. "Next time you see Rose, please say hello to her from me," James asked.

"I will," she said with a smile as her eyes roamed his body.

"It was nice meeting you, Julie. I should hit the showers. Have a good night."

"You too," she said a little distractedly. Then he noticed her nipples were beginning to show against the fabric of her tight top. He looked away and headed for the change room. He felt her eyes on him the entire way.

Once in the change room, he stripped off his workout clothes, wrapped a towel around his waist, grabbed his kit, and slipped on a pair of cheap flip-flops. He'd been warned to wear them to protect against athlete's foot.

Walking into the showers, he once more noted he was the only one using the facilities. Then he recalled it was Friday night, and most students would either be in a bar in town or at a party in one of the Frat or Sorority houses.

He was grateful the showers weren't communal but had individual stalls. With his new jewelry, he was more than a little self-conscious about being nude in front of strangers. He sighed. He'd always been uncomfortable about that, but now it was worse.

He chose the middle stall and closed the door. His towel went on the door hook, and his kit went on the shelf behind the shower. He pulled out his shampoo/conditioner and soap. He got the water running and allowed himself to soak under the hot spray.

He felt cool air enter the stall and looked over his shoulder to see Julie stepping in with a towel wrapped around her.

"What... what are you doing?" he asked incredulously.

Then she opened her towel.

Julie's body was exquisite. Long, toned limbs, smooth, unblemished skin, tight stomach muscles, and modest-sized breasts with stiff pink nipples. Breathtaking!

James found himself facing her as her eyes dropped to lock on his cock, which was rising to greet her.

His brain returned to him. "I said, what are you doing? We just met!"

She blinked as she wasn't expecting this. She went on the offensive. "Tell me to leave," she said with a sexy smile.

"Leave."

Julie's eyes flashed wide as she turned back to the door, opened it, and stepped outside to close it behind her. She couldn't refuse his command but regained control once outside the stall, as his instructions weren't clear beyond his presence. She faced the door, unsure of herself for the first time in a long time.

With her looks and keen brain, Julie knew she would succeed at whatever challenge she faced. She was an exceptional student all through high school and had a hunky quarterback boyfriend through most of it. When she left to attend classes at Dane, Rick maintained their long-distance relationship for a year. Then he went radio silent. She discovered from a friend back home that Rick married his next-door neighbor, and they were expecting their firstborn at Christmas.

That had shaken her confidence. She found Katherine's coven through Rose and quickly rebounded, aside from some lingering bitterness about boyfriends.

Performing that spell had introduced her to a completely new form of power, and she loved it. She'd felt its draw since that night, but discovering she'd become a slave because of it hadn't seemed real until this very moment.

A single word from James proved it.

She was lost again.

"Please... please don't send me away," she said, shocked by how pitiful she sounded.

James opened the door with a troubled look for the woman standing in the aisle. He could see her trembling and she looked so desperate he gestured for her to come in. He motioned for her to stand under the hot water to warm up.

"I'm sorry for being so abrupt before, but you surprised me. I've never had someone come on to me so quickly." He paused and raised a finger. "Let me amend that. I'm just learning how to fit in with the culture of my age group. I was raised by my grandparents and never spent time with people my age. That's put me at a disadvantage. Since I've been at college, I experienced intimate relations with three lovely women. With them, we spent at least an evening getting to know each other before it became... intimate. You and I barely spoke for five minutes before you let yourself into my shower stall—Uh, how did you do that with no handle on the outside, by the way."

She smiled a little. "You just lift the door a little with your foot, then turn the external disc with the heel of your palm."

He nodded as he could see that would work. He got his mind back on topic. "Do... do people do this kind of thing often? Hookups?"

She nodded. "It's not as uncommon as you think. I know some people who swear by them. I don't usually, but... I-I just had a good feeling about you, and... it's been a long time since I've been... intimate. I need a release."

"Oh. A good feeling," he said a little skeptically.

"Rose likes you," she blurted.

"Ah. As long as I come highly recommended," he said with a confused smile.

"You were!" she gasped, missing his point. "Look, I'm not a bad person. I just had some bad luck with my boyfriend, who I've known since high school. I came to Dane, and he said he'd wait. A year in, he married his neighbor and they're having a kid. I don't want children. I guess he did. I really enjoy sex, but I have plans for my life."

James watched her for a moment and realized he wouldn't object to spending some time with her. She was beautiful, and she seemed... nice? He sighed, beyond his comfort zone once more.

"I don't have any protection with me, and we're in a public place," he said, gesturing to the shower.

Her smile blossomed. "I'm on the pill. I have been since high school." She moved closer and gently trailed her nails down his chest. "As for the public place, that just makes it hotter!"

James shivered as sparks jumped through his body from her light scratching. His cock was waking up quickly.

She looked down and smiled. "You're wearing a lovely ring down there."

"Not intentionally, but it doesn't seem to cause any trouble," he said, glancing down to see her fingers wrap around his cock. He sucked in a breath as that felt so good. Julie gasped, too, but her eyes closed, and she had the sweetest look of bliss.

Just from touching him? How long had it been for her?

Before he could move, Julie dropped to her knees and pressed her tongue to the base of his cock. She made a deep moaning sound, then she stroked her tongue up to the head and swallowed him right down to the base, her lips wrapping around the ring.

James went weak in the knees from the intense sensations. He gripped the top of the divider walls on both sides to brace himself.

He looked down at Julie and wondered when she would take a breath. He began to worry, so he gently pushed her head back until she suddenly pulled back and gulped in some breaths of air. She looked up at James, her eyes glassy and wild. Her beautiful lips looked a little swollen.

He helped her up, and she turned to face the wall and pointed her ass back at him. "Take me, James!" she said feverishly.

He looked at her in surprise, but she bit her lip as she wiggled her ass at him. He moved behind her and pressed the head of his cock against her wet lips and felt it slip inside. When he took a grip on her hips, she moaned again, so he pulled her back as he drove his hips forward. She threw her head back as they crashed together with a wet slap.

"Oh, fuck yes!" she cried.

He pulled back and slammed forward, spanking her ass with his pelvis. He did it again and again, each stroke a little faster and each impact a little harder. Julie's cries were becoming incoherent. When her legs began to give out, James wrapped one arm around her stomach and the other just under her breasts. He pulled her back against his body and used his arms and legs to bounce her up and down on his cock. She was a tall woman, so he could only slam her against the last inch, including the ring.

She began to convulse as a monstrous orgasm struck. Her squeezing in pulses was too much, and James' release struck, causing him to fire thick ropes of cum deep into her body.

He held her in place as she twitched and shook through her release. Her head rolled back to rest on his shoulder.

James was becoming tired from lifting her, so he pulled his cock from her and gently set her on her feet.

It took some time before she could get the strength to stand on her own. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. Then her lips were on his, and James' head spun from the passion in her kiss.

She pulled back with a crooked smile. "I did that all backward. I should have started with the kiss."

He chuckled with a little shrug.

"That was... incredible!" she sighed. "We should do this again sometime," she said with a grin.

He raised an eyebrow. "Next time, not in such a public place!"

"And miss out on the sexy danger of being caught? Not on your life!" she replied with a grin.

He rolled his eyes as she giggled sweetly.

She wrapped her towel around herself, slipped out of the cubicle, and was gone.

James blinked at her sudden departure. He realized he didn't even know her last name. He wondered how many Julies attended Dane College. He sighed and finished up in the shower.

His stomach grumbled, so it was time to get dressed and feed his hunger.

-=-

Julie finished cleaning up in the women's shower, dried her hair, and dressed. Then she sent a text to Rose.

Julie: James says hello.

Seconds later, she got a response.

Rose: You were with James? How did he look?

Julie: Had some fun with him in the men's shower room. He looks delicious!

Rose responded with a barrage of emojis depicting her astonishment and excitement.

Rose: I can't believe how bold you are! How did James deal with that?

Julie: You're right. His values are outdated, but he's still sweet... and one helluva fuck!

Rose's next text was a stream of Eggplants and Sweat Droplet emojis signifying squirting penises. Julie laughed.

Her smile became gentle as she recalled the soft wonder on James' face after she kissed him.

Rose: Are you free and clear?

Julie nodded to herself. She knew the compulsion was gone, but would she seek James out again?

She thought she would.

Julie: Yes. It's gone.

Julie: I wonder if I can get him to do it in the stacks? Amongst the Anthropology books? Zoology?

Rose sent her an animated GIF of two dogs fucking.

Julie burst into laughter.

If she only knew.

Chapter 13

Katherine sat in her living room, once more facing her coven. Their expressions were quite a mix this time.

Phoebe and Phoenix were deeply conversing with Julie and Rose, but they seemed more excited than upset.

Mary-Anne looked miserable, nervously glancing at the other ladies and biting her lip. Katherine needed to speak to her soon.

Clarisa was also looking uncomfortable, and Jennifer's words returned to her. She wondered what words she could use to put the young woman at ease.

Min Yue, Elke, and Naya were reading their cells as they waited while Dawn was chasing after white rabbits in her mind, perhaps. She seemed the happiest of the bunch.

Jennifer was last to arrive and apologized to the others. As she moved before an empty chair, Katherine stood, and everyone followed suit. She reached out to take the hands of the ladies on each side of her, and soon the chain was complete. They went through their daily observances and asked for the Goddess' Blessings.

"C-could we sing tonight?" Elke spontaneously asked before they released their hands. It was so surprising for their quietest member to speak up. Everyone looked at her with smiles and nods. They all felt the need to sing, so Katherine nodded.

"Any particular one, Elke?" she asked, and the brunette timidly smiled and nodded.

"The Earth Mother song?" she offered, and smiles widened. This one had some lovely harmonizations in it.

Katherine began with the lead-in, and the ladies' voices swelled to fill the room with perfect timing, the notes ringing pure and smooth. Katherine felt something in the music, a power she'd only experienced once before. She looked at the faces of the women around her as their voices blended effortlessly. Chills ran up and down her spine as they sang of the Earth Mother and praised her for caring for them.

The notes faded softly as they reached the end, and everyone's eyes were wide with excitement. There was magic in the music.

"Katherine! Look! The flowers!"

Suddenly, everyone was talking at once as they exclaimed their surprise to see every flowering plant in the living room had bloomed while they were singing.

"Did you feel it?" Naya gasped.

Elke nodded excitedly as Min Yue squealed with joy. Dawn's smile showed her bliss as she held her hands up in worship to the Goddess.

Katherine noticed Jennifer was staring at the others with a conflicted expression. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"The song was lovely, but I didn't feel anything other than the joy of singing," Jennifer said.

Julie glanced at the others. "It was less than the full power we felt the night of the ceremony. Like an echo of it."

Min Yue shook her head. "It was so strong! Just like that night!" Elke, Naya, Mary-Anne, Dawn, and Clarisa nodded in agreement with wide smiles, while Rose, Julie, and the twins looked surprised.

"I felt it as Julie did. Like a distant echo of that power," Rose said, and the twins nodded their agreement.

All eyes turned to Katherine. "I—my body was humming with the magic. I thought it was just how beautifully you were all singing, but then I realized what it was." She looked to Jennifer whose face now showed her disappointment. "I'm sorry, dear. It must be the curse."

"Now, more than ever, I wish I'd been there!" she said.

Her coven moved to her and gave her a group hug. That seemed to make her feel a little better, and then everyone took their seats again, though their eyes flicked to the flowering plants.

"Have there been any signs of the police investigation getting closer to us?" Katherine asked.

Jennifer shook her head. "From what I've heard, they seem satisfied they found the culprits with the Frat-Boys who attacked Mr. Bailey. They're also concentrating on finding Richard's attackers, but their suspect pool is too large, and the ladies are all sticking to their story. I was questioned by the police but there was no evidence that I was involved with anything."

Katherine could see relief on their faces at this news. It must have shown on her face, too, as Jennifer gave her a compassionate smile.

"We have news about James," Julie said, all eyes turning to her. "You've seen the video of him taking Rose's ex-boyfriend down?" she asked, confirming everyone had. "Phoebe and Phoenix have identified it as a variant of a Judo throw called Seoi Nage but done with tremendous force. When I asked James about it, he said he's never studied Judo or any martial arts. He hasn't even seen it on TV or a movie, as he apparently doesn't watch."

"I'd love to spar with him!" Phoenix said, and the ladies burst into giggles at the desire in her tone, none louder than her sister.

Julie grinned at her friend. "He was already confused about knowing how to do the one throw. I don't think it would be wise to test him for others."

Katherine frowned. "What does that mean?"

Julie looked at the older woman. "I think the magic in James learned the skill from the twins."

"What?" Katherine gasped.

"That's impossible!" Jennifer exclaimed.

Julie pointed to the flowers. "So's that."

"What made you connect those dots?" Naya asked.

Julie smiled. "It's how my brain works. I make connections. Hey, I could be wrong. I may not have enough information, but at this juncture, with the information and experience I have, this makes the most sense to me. I could test him to see his skill with kick-ups. I'm damn good at it. If he is, too, he already was or learned it from me through the magic."

"What is kick-ups?" Min Yue asked.

"It's when soccer players bounce the ball from foot to foot or knees, chest, or head without letting the ball touch the ground," Naya explained.

Min Yue looked at Julie. "You play soccer?"

"Best player on the team," she said with a grin.

Rose was thinking, and she looked at Julie. "I think I have another way we can test your theory. Before I was with James, I watched him on one of his morning runs. I studied his gait and his movements. He was pretty good, but there were a few things he could have adjusted to improve his running efficiency. Things my coach trained me to do. I'll watch for him when I go for my runs and see if he's picked up that training."

"This is crazy!" Jennifer said. "How could James be picking up skills from others just from having sex with them!"

Julie shook her head. "I wasn't suggesting that. He may have gotten them from us the night we cast the spell. He may be gradually absorbing talents we share through our connection to him via the magic." She looked at the ladies who hadn't yet been with James. "What skills do you have that we might test James on?"

"I speak Mandarin and Cantonese," Min Yue offered.

Rose nodded with a smile. "I highly doubt James learned those in the small farming community he grew up in. That would be a good one—"

Katherine saw the need for caution. "Hold on, Rose. Julie said James was confused about knowing a Judo move. How would he react to discovering he knows a completely new language? Might that not frighten him or make him suspicious?"

The group paused to think of that.

She continued. "Rose's suggestion is subtle, so please proceed with that. More importantly, do you believe you're no longer controlled by the curse's compulsion?"

Julie responded first. "We've all been able to refuse something he's asked after being with him. Before we had sex, he told me to leave, and I couldn't stop myself from doing as he said. Afterward, I could. That said, I could still feel the magic when we were singing just now, but it wasn't as strong as before."

"He told you to leave?" Rose said in surprise.

Julie looked at Rose in embarrassment. "I did surprise him in the shower stall, naked," she pouted.

Rose's eyes widened further. "And he told you to leave?"

"He's not like other guys. He's... a gentleman?" Julie explained.

"So... how did you have sex with him?" Rose asked.

"I convinced him to let me back in," she asserted.

Rose held her eye with a raised brow.

Julie huffed. "I begged him not to send me away, okay? He upset me, and when he saw that, he let me back in." She sighed. "We talked for a bit, then he agreed." She smiled sweetly. "He's a bit of a softie."

"He has soft cock?" Min Yue said in shock.

The ladies burst into laughter as Julie waved her hands as she giggled. "No! No, he has a soft heart!"

Min Yue laughed as she caught on, and Julie's smile became a little wicked. "He's hard in all the right places!"

Another burst of giggles passed through the group.

Naya caught Katherine's attention. "I love the sensation of the magic and being able to do amazing things like this," she said, gesturing to the flowers. "I don't want to be anyone's slave, but I don't want to lose this either."

Clarisa gestured to the woman next to her. "What about Mary-Anne? Her fiancé isn't going to be so happy about her having sex with another man! There must be another way to break the curse!"

Jennifer traded a look with Katherine, who nodded.

"How is everyone who hasn't been with Mr. Bailey coping with the compulsion?" Katherine asked gently.

"I've found myself walking toward his dorm on more than one occasion when my mind gets distracted," Mary-Anne admitted sadly.

Dawn nodded with a dreamy look. "It's a most perplexing sensation. The need to be somewhere when you're where you need to be. The need to be with someone you don't know."

"To be with someone you don't want!" Clarisa snapped, and eyes turned to her.

"It isn't his fault—" Katherine began.

"I know, okay!" Clarisa cried and leapt to her feet. She rushed from the room, and Jennifer went after her, holding up a hand to stop the others.

Katherine looked at the remaining ladies and gave them a small smile. "I'm also affected."

They looked at her in surprise as she continued. "I'm afraid it's quite strong for me. Perhaps because I was closest or more likely because the curse would have made me the primary master. Now, I'm the primary slave. We must find an alternative method for breaking the curse."

Phoenix smiled. "Well, you could have sex with him."

Katherine gaped at the younger woman in shock. "I'm old enough to be his mother!" she exclaimed.

Phoenix's grin widened as her sister smirked and added her two cents. "Lots of men find that really sexy!"

"Oh hush, you two! Seriously!" Katherine huffed, and more smiles appeared.

Mary-Anne squeezed her thighs together as she tried to think of something else.

-=-

"Clarisa! Please wait!" Jennifer called out as they got outside.

The young woman with shoulder-length, dyed purple hair stopped and clenched her fists. "I don't want this!"

"I know," Jennifer said. "If I could trade places with you, I would. I'd love to experience real magic once in my lifetime."

Clarisa looked at Jennifer and frowned. "You wouldn't want to live my life—"

"Because I'm attracted to men, and you're not?" Jennifer said gently.

Clarisa's mouth opened in surprise, and she began to deny the words, but Jennifer's compassionate smile broke that effort. "You knew?"

Jennifer shrugged. "I surmised based on observed behavior. It doesn't affect our friendship or your inclusion in our group. It's your business. If you wanted us to know, you'd tell us. I understand your particular objection to this situation."

Looking like a light breeze might carry her away, Clarisa looked back toward the home's entrance. "Who else knows?"

Jennifer shrugged. "I know Katherine suspects it too, but as for the others, I don't know. You can tell them. They won't react badly."

Clarisa looked pessimistic. "I have such a shitty track record with coming out to people."

"I believe you are in a safe place with the coven," Jennifer said. She looked back at the house. "Katherine is likely telling them now that she's also affected by the curse."

Clarisa thought about that. "Is she going to have sex with James?"

Jennifer laughed gently. "That would probably be wonderful for her, but I can't see her agreeing to do it."

The other woman was quiet for a moment. She winced and then sighed. "Okay, I'll tell them."

Jennifer nodded and led her back inside.

When they were standing before the group, everyone looked at them.

Clarisa cleared her throat and watched the expectant expressions. She hoped Jennifer was right.

"Uh, I have something I need to say. It's about this situation and my reaction." She took a deep, cleansing breath. "The reason I reacted like that was because... I'm a lesbian."

"Les-bean?" Min Yue asked.

Dawn leaned closer. "Lesbian. A woman who is sexually attracted to women and not men."

"Ah! You no want to sex with James!" Min Yue exclaimed with a smile.

Clarisa smiled in nervous relief. "Right, I don't want to have sex with James."

Min Yue nodded and practiced the new sentence quietly to herself. She appreciated her friend's help with her English.

Glancing around, Clarisa looked for stiff expressions but saw none. "Don't worry, I wouldn't risk our friendship by acting like a creep and hitting on anyone."

Julie pouted. "Now, I feel rejected! Was I even your type?" Laughter erupted.

Clarisa was feeling massively relieved as her friends were still her friends. "Sorry, you're all cute, but my heart is devoted to redheads."

Mary-Anne, the only redhead in the coven, made a surprised squeaking noise as her eyes widened. "My fiancé!"

Laughter erupted.

Clarisa bowed her head. "Exactly, Mary-Anne. Your fiancé is the only thing keeping me from pouncing."

The laughter continued.

Mary-Anne squeezed her thighs together tighter.

When the laughter calmed, Rose caught their attention. "I'm just wondering if anyone has an old cell phone they no longer use? James doesn't have one, which makes it difficult to contact him."

Jennifer caught her eye. "You need to contact him?"

Rose squirmed as she glanced at the others. "Not need, but I feel bad for ghosting him. We had some fun, then poof, I'm out of his life without another word? I know we need to wait and confirm the compulsion is gone, but I'd hate it if that was done to me—Oh, shit! Sorry, Julie!" she said contritely as she realized that was exactly what happened to her.

Julie held up a hand. "No, it's alright. From personal experience, I can tell you it does suck, and I think getting James a cell phone is an excellent idea! I know I'll be calling him," she said with another wicked grin.

Phoebe frowned in concern. "I got the impression from him that he won't accept charity."

Dawn began to smile, which wasn't atypical for their flower child, but there was a mischievous glint this time. They waited until she turned her attention back to them.

"Leave the cell phone and plans to me. Daddy's going to give another grant to Dane College for the Free Ride Scholarship Students," she said.

"Your daddy? How will you convince—" Jennifer began.

"You don't want to know. Not to worry. I'll let you know when it's done," Dawn smiled sweetly.

The others gave her an impressed look.

"Do you think we can sing another song?" Elke asked.

The others were immediately on board with the idea.

Katherine smiled at their quietest member. "What song will it be this time?"

"The Abundance Chant?" Elke suggested.

"Oh! We haven't done that one in a while. Would you like to lead us on it?" Katherine asked.

Elke's smile was showing an almost manic excitement.

That should have been their first warning sign.

Chapter 14

After his final class on Wednesday, the professor told James the Dean wanted to see him, so he headed directly to the Administration Building. When he got to the office, he saw three other students waiting as well. They were all carrying backpacks or satchels, so they must have also come directly from their classes. He smiled and nodded.

"Hey! You're the one of us who got beat up by the Frat Boys!" a skinny man who seemed to be all arms and legs exclaimed. He had to be at least six-foot-eight, but there was hardly any meat on his bones. He had a shock of peppery gray hair and a rather unkempt beard. "I'm Brian Kempler."

He stuck his hand out to shake, so James did. "James Bailey."

Brian wasn't finished. "It sucks what they did, but I'm so glad they didn't start with me! They would have killed me!"

"One of us?" James asked as he looked at the two ladies watching him.

The pretty, petite Hispanic woman with a thick braid of hair hanging down her back clarified this for him. "We're all Free Ride Scholarship students. I'm Estefanía Sanchez Alamilla."

He shook her hand as well. "James Bailey." His eyes widened as Brian's comment registered, and he realized the ladies would have been attacked by the Frat Boys, too. "Oh! Right. Any idea why we are here?"

The last member was a black woman with very dark skin and hair trimmed as short as it could be. "Waiting for the Dean to tell us," she said without offering her name. He nodded to her with a smile.

They heard a noise behind them and saw Mrs. Tucker gesturing for them to follow her.

They filed out into the hall and walked to the Dean's office. "Go right in," the older woman said with a pleasant smile. James thanked her as he followed the others inside and heard the door close behind him.

He took the last open seat before the Dean's desk and smiled at the man before him.

"Thank you for joining me. I have some very pleasant news for the four of you," the man began.

Eyebrows rose.

"One of the college's benefactors has decided to add a special bonus to the scholarship!" he said with a smile that put one on their faces, too.

"Keeping in mind the purpose of the scholarship, the benefactor has arranged with a major telecom company to provide the recipients with a cellular phone plus a generous call and data plan package for the term of your course with us. The phones are yours, and when you complete your course, you'll have the option of transferring ownership of the plan to you so you can take over the payments," the Dean said as he pulled out four boxes and placed an envelope on top of each, along the front edge of his desk.

Each of them picked up the set and glanced at the envelopes. "Inside, you will find a little chip thingy that you put in the phone to connect to the provider's service. It gives you the telephone number. There are instructions inside as well," Whitaker said with a little wave of his fingers. "The phones come in various popular colors, I'm told."

Brian held his box up happily. "Mine is Phantom Black!"

Estefanía showed hers. "I have Phantom White."

The woman, whose name James had yet to hear, frowned in disappointment. "Green?"

James looked at his. "I have... Pink Gold." He glanced at the unnamed woman who was looking at him beseechingly. He smiled and traded with her. She grinned happily at him.

"This is very generous! Thank you," James said to the Dean and received a smile. The others seconded his thanks then they all stood as the Dean did.

"Don't let these new toys distract you from your studies," the Dean said in his best dad voice with a twinkle in his eye. James smiled and nodded as the Dean seemed to be expecting it.

They said their thanks again as they left his office and walked as a group toward the front door. James immediately tucked the box and envelope into his backpack as the others glanced at him.

"I was already targeted once for my scholarship. There's no benefit in showing people I also received a bonus," he said quietly.

The others considered that, and Brian immediately put away his phone. Estefanía opened her bag to drop hers in, but the other woman said something quietly to her and gave her the same beseeching look she gave James. With an awkward smile, Estefanía traded her white phone for the pink gold one. Grinning like she'd won the lottery, the nameless woman put the white phone in her bag and quickly left the building. With a wave, Brian went as well.

"Some people are never satisfied with what they get, even when it's free," Estefania said to James with a sigh. Then she grinned at him. "But I like the pink-gold color best, so it worked out for me!" She pulled an old cell phone from her purse and James saw it had a keypad on it and a tiny screen. The woman saw his interested glance. "It will be wonderful to switch to a smartphone. I'll just transfer my number to the new provider and let the school pay the bill until I graduate. Any way I can save a little money is welcome."

James nodded. "It was very generous of them to do this. I've never owned a cell phone before."

She looked at him in surprise. "Oh! This is a bonus for you!"

James gave her a little shrug. "I've never needed one before."

Her eyes widened. "Don't you keep in touch with your family?"

"I write letters to my grandparents. They raised me," he said.

Her mouth dropped a little as she continued to stare. "Write letters? Mail? I don't know anyone who does that anymore!"

He smiled shyly. "You do, now."

She grinned at him. "That's... sweet! I imagine they love receiving them!"

"As do I when they reply," he responded.

Her smile grew then she suddenly looked a little flustered. "I-I have a boyfriend," she blurted.

James grinned at her. "That's great! He's a lucky man."

Estefanía fluster increased, her complexion reddened, but her smile widened. "I-I should go. Homework."

He nodded as he returned her smile. "Me, too."

They waved goodbye as they walked down the steps and went their separate ways.

James returned to his dorm and realized he'd have to skip the gym tonight as he had too much homework to fit it in. He'd also missed his run the last few mornings, so he'd have to make a special effort to get one in tomorrow. He'd set his alarm thirty minutes earlier and hit the trail.

No one mentioned how little time he'd have to squeeze everything into each day.

-=-

The morning air was crisp, and his body was slow to warm up because he'd skipped a few days. He relaxed and let the rhythm of the effort flow through him until he felt his muscles begin to respond effortlessly. He smiled gently as his breath puffed out and in, fueling his body. The morning sun was touching the tops of the trees as it rose above the horizon to start its trek across the sky. There wasn't a cloud in sight, so it would be a lovely day.

He'd done a couple of loops around the campus grounds and realized he still had plenty of time, so he thought he'd venture out into the surrounding suburban parkland when he reached the entrance this time around.

James wasn't the only one out this early. He'd seen at least five others, and more were joining the route as the morning advanced.

He began to hear someone else running behind him, so he kept to the right to let them pass, but they didn't. He saw the park entrance coming up, so he put the follower out of his mind as they'd go by when he took the new path.

The parkland had much more vegetation as the path was lined with a lovely forest on both sides and wound its way through the surrounding upscale neighborhood. There were a few road crossings, but they were clearly marked.

As he reached the entrance, he turned onto it and smiled at how pretty the tunnel of trees ahead looked with their crowns lit up with morning sunlight.

He continued along and realized he could still hear the footsteps and breathing of the runner still behind him. He decided to glance back to see who his persistent tail was.

"Rose!" he gasped when he saw her. His legs slowed, and she smiled shyly as she pulled up beside him.

"Hi, James!" she gasped out.

They let their breathing slow as they smiled at each other happily.

Finally, he could speak without gasping. "I was wondering if I'd see you again."

She nodded. "Yeah, sorry for ghosting you like that. I'm still working out things in my head over my last breakup."

He nodded to her. "It's fine. I'm glad you're taking care of yourself. You look good!"

She grinned at the compliment. "Shut up! I'm all sweaty! A mess!"

"No, you look beautiful," he said with a smile.

"And you are a sweet man," she replied, giving him an admiring look.

He shrugged.

"I've been meaning to contact you, but I'm more of a text and TikTok person," she said.

"Ah, well, I now have a cell phone, or I will when I set it up. I looked at the instructions last night but was too tired and wasn't up to trying. I expect I'll immediately get lost as I've never done this before," he lamented.

"Oh! I could set that up for you if you'd like?" she offered.

James' eyes lit up with relief. "If you could, that would be awesome!"

"How about I come by tonight around seven?" Rose suggested.

James nodded with a grin. "That sounds perfect!"

Rose gestured the campus over her shoulder with her thumb. "I should actually get back to clean up before classes, so I'll see you tonight?"

"Wonderful! Have a lovely day!" he said.

She hesitated momentarily, then leaned forward, touching his chest as she tipped her face up to him. He met her halfway, and their lips met. A few seconds into the kiss, she suddenly pulled back with wide eyes and released a little blurt of laughter as she turned to run back toward the school.

James watched her go and couldn't stop the smile that was spreading across his lips, tingling from the kiss.

He realized he'd better turn back himself and get ready. His mind was too dreamy to keep track of when to return on time.

He had a date!

He immediately put the breaks on his expectations. She was recovering from a bad relationship. He knew he'd have to be patient.

That didn't cause his smile to fade one bit as he jogged back to his dorm.

He was looking forward to the day.

-=-

When Rose completed her preparations for her day, she sent a note to the group chat the coven used.

Rose: Confirmed talent transfer. Complete adoption of all training methods. Will visit tonight to set up his new cell phone.

She signed off as it was time to get her day started. She was looking forward to her visit. She unconsciously touched her lips, and a tingle went through her.

She confirmed once more she wasn't feeling the compulsion, but anticipation was definitely at play.

She stopped to take deep breaths as a nasty thought came to her mind.

Was she falling into the same pattern she had with all her previous boyfriends? This felt familiar, too familiar. The giddy anticipation stage in the early moments of a relationship. She knew James wasn't like the men she'd previously been with, but she knew herself too well and didn't want to fall into the next phase where she willingly let them make all the decisions for her. This destroyed her self-esteem.

She froze as she realized she was in no emotional condition to enter a new relationship.

Suddenly, that anticipation became dread. Could she do this? She'd promised him she'd set up his phone.

With a feeling of dread, Rose realized she couldn't.

-=-

By seven-fifteen, James was beginning to wonder if he'd been ghosted again, but the knock on his door had him on his feet and at the door in seconds.

When he opened it, he saw a stranger standing there with a wide, blissful smile on her lovely face.

A face adorned with three nose rings, one in each nostril and a larger one through her septum, piercings through both eyebrows, a bar through the top of the bridge of her nose, studs in the center of both cheeks and a ring in her plump lower lip. Small blue tattoos of a sun, a crescent moon, and a pentagram were on her cheekbones.

Framing this was an enormous mane of yellow-blonde hair in braids and dreadlocks flowing over her shoulders and hanging down to her ass. Beads of all kinds, shells, and tiny bells were woven into her hair. She was wearing a thin wrap stretched across her large natural breasts, which had obvious piercings as well. Multiple large gold hoops were supported by her stretched earlobes, and many chains hung around her neck, dangling crystals, carved beads, and polished stones above her deep cleavage. Around her waist, she wore a short gossamer wrap skirt worn low on her hip. Another piercing dangled from her belly button. Her exposed skin displayed bright and colorful tattoos following a nature theme of plants and animals. Both of her arms were completely covered with sleeve tattoos.

James was frozen by the surprising presence at his door but finally got his brain working. "Hello?"

"Hi, I'm Dawn Evergreen. A friend of Rose Williams."

James was immediately concerned about Rose. "Did something happen? Is she alright?"

"Nothing happened. May I come in, please?" she asked sweetly.

Feeling a little out of sorts, James stepped back and gestured for her to enter. As she passed, James caught the scent of citrus and melon. It was quite nice.

Dawn walked in, kicked off her sandals, boldly sat on the edge of his bed, and patted the spot before her for him to sit as well. He sat and faced her.

The woman reached across the took his hand in hers. He couldn't help but notice she had lovely hands tattooed with ancient symbols and adorned with at least one ring on each finger. Her nails were intricately painted and extended a good half inch beyond her fingertips.

"Rose is fine, and it wasn't anything you did. She's just a little emotionally fragile right now. She likes you very much but realized she wasn't ready to let someone into her heart. She needs to learn how to protect her sense of self before she can relate to others on that level," Dawn said gently.

James watched her for a moment. "Sorry, how do you know Rose? Are you in her classes?"

"Business Administration?" Dawn snorted gently in amusement. "Goddess forbid! I would never willingly chain myself to that slave wheel!" She smiled at him again. "We're both part of a woman's support group. It's very therapeutic."

He nodded but still felt like his feet had been kicked out from under him. He understood Rose needed this but still felt the sting of losing something that could have become love. He took a deep breath, held it, then released it. He did this again and felt his body recentering. A few more, and he felt calm and alert. When he opened his eyes, Dawn was watching him with a wide, happy smile.

"You know the Box Breathing technique! It's very effective, isn't it!" she gushed.

He looked at her blankly. "The what?"

"Box Breathing. It's a yoga technique for re-centering yourself. You've taken yoga?" she asked with a wide smile.

James shook his head. "No, I-I was just feeling off balance and needed to catch my breath."

She nodded as her eyes sparkled. "Oh! Rose said she was going to set up your cell phone."

"Oh, right. Well, that's okay. No one calls me, and I have no one to call, so it isn't a big emergency," James said.

"Nonsense! I know how to set up cell phones, so I'll do it. I can be your first contact!" she said with a grin.

Her smile was infectious, and James felt his spirits lifting a little. He stood, and she released his hand so he could collect the phone and the envelope. He handed both to Dawn, and she immediately got to work. He was surprised how she managed to get the SIM card holder out of the phone, load the tiny chip into it, and get it back into the phone with the longer nails she had.

Now that he was concentrating on them, he could see each nail had a different flower painted on it. That must have taken a lot of time and cost a fortune! He could see one of her feet, and her pedicure looked equally expensive. As were the gold rings she wore on her toes.

The rings she was wearing on her fingers weren't costume jewelry either. They seemed to be real gold, silver, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.

He watched as she powered up the phone and quickly went through the set-up process, entering the information from the instruction sheet.

So... she was a Bohemian Flower Child skilled in tech and wore a small fortune in jewelry.

Dawn was a complex person who was more than met the eye, which was impressive considering what did fill his vision.

Finally, she began installing applications. "I'll set you up with the basics. The most popular web browser, email, chat client, and social media apps."

Dawn could have been a professional in the tech field with the competency she was demonstrating. He was in awe.

She handed him the phone a few times to enter personal passwords for apps and looked away as he did it. She also got him to add a password to lock the phone when it wasn't in use.

Finally, she was satisfied and handed it to him. "You'll need to plug it in every night to keep it charged, but it should last all day." She pointed to the icons on the screen, named each, and told him what it was used for.

"Now, you should take a picture of me for my entry in your contact list."

James looked at the screen and saw the camera icon and pressed it. The screen showed his knees, so he tilted the phone up to point at Dawn, and she was smiling and... topless. Click!

"What? Dawn! Why are you topless?" he gasped.

"I'm a naturalist! This is how I appear in all my friend's contact lists," she said calmly.

He froze as the idea went through his mind of this woman's naked photo being in all those phones. It was in his now! He took a picture!

"Ahhh! You said pictures go in the Gallery. This button gets me out of the camera app, and this one goes into the Gallery. Oh! I have a naked picture of you in my Gallery! What if someone asks to see the pictures I've taken?"

Dawn smiled, still quite topless. "If they ask, you can tell them I'm your naturalist friend. There is nothing shameful about being a naturalist and nothing shameful about being naked. If there weren't rules against it, I would attend classes nude." She stood and pushed her skirt down until it dropped to the floor. Then she stepped back. "Take another picture."

"You don't know me! Why would you want me to have naked pictures of you?" James exclaimed.

"I have excellent intuition about people. My mystic third eye has never failed me. Your aura is brilliant green, indigo, and white, showing no sign of evil or negative energy. Rose likes you. I also saw the video of you protecting her," she said. "Go ahead."

James sat on the bed staring at her, trying to find some way to make it clear to her how this was not a good idea. "You're right. I wouldn't do anything bad with the pictures, but I've never had a cell phone before and I'm a complete novice with one. If someone steals it from me or gets control of it, remotely or directly, I'd feel terrible if the leak came from my phone. So, no, I don't want any nudes on the phone, please." He deleted the image he'd taken.

Dawn smiled and tipped her head forward to him. "I understand. Take another, but zoom in on my head and shoulders."

He nodded and took the picture after some fussing. She plopped herself down on the bed next to him. "Let me see!" she said excitedly.

James was overly aware of Dawn's bountiful goodies so close to him. He got the picture on his screen, and she touched a few screen controls, and the image improved. She saved the final image. "There are a lot of editing features in the Gallery application," she said, leaning closer and pointing to them. James nodded as he saw the other controls. Would he ever use them? Probably not. He'd never used a camera before.

She was so close!

Then he detected her citrus scent again and thought it had to be her shampoo. She smelled good.

"Open up your contacts app. We'll create a new entry for me," she said, and he found it and launched it.

She told him what to enter, and they got her image displayed.

"Now you can send me a text, but no dick pics," she said with a grin.

He gave her a troubled look. "Is a dick pic what it sounds like? Do people do that?"

She rolled her eyes. "It happens way too often. Unsolicited dick pics are a plague at college." She then smiled. "It's fun to forward them to the offender's mother if you can get her address. You can usually find their parents on FaceBook."

James shook his head. "No dick pics." He opened the text app, created a new message for Dawn, and hit send.

Her cell played a musical tone, and she grinned as she opened the message. She read it out loud.

"Dear Dawn. You're as brilliant as you are lovely. Thank you for setting up my phone. Regards, James Bailey."

She looked at James with a happy smile. "Awww!"

Then she hugged him.

James couldn't say he didn't enjoy feeling her soft breasts squeezed against his chest or the scent of her hair as it tickled his nose, but he wasn't sure where to put his hands.

When Dawn pulled back, she looked him in the eye. "Sorry, I'm a hugger. I've always found that the best way to express joy is with a good hearty hug."

"Made extra spicy when nude," James said with a shy smile.

"Naturalists learn to separate sex from nudity. Being naked is our most natural state. Wearing clothes is a social convention, and when you hide your body, you entice the viewer to use their imaginations. That's asking for trouble, as the brain is our largest erogenous zone. After a short time living nude, you no longer sexualize the human form. It's just a body."

James was becoming painfully stiff in his pants. "H-how long did you say it takes to stop being excited by seeing nudity?" His eyes went once more to the piercings on Dawn's thick nipples. That just sent another throb through his cock.

"Have I excited you, James?" Dawn said with a seductive smile.

He paused. "Was that your intent?"

She smiled. "I'm not going to lie. You're an attractive man, so the thought crossed my mind. I wouldn't mind getting to know you better."

"Getting to know you first would be welcome," James said honestly.

Dawn smiled as Rose warned her that James might need some context to feel comfortable with intimacy. "What would you like to know. I'm an open book."

He held her eyes with his. "I think you're more than a quick read. I'm picking up signals that you might be a rather complex woman."

Dawn was impressed but tried not to let it show. "All women are complex. How would I be different?"

James smiled. "I'm certain you have the usual wonderful and mysterious traits, but you're presenting yourself as a free spirit in touch with cosmic energies who shuns the trappings of capitalistic society...." She smiled with a nod in agreement. "Yet, I can tell the rings and pendants you're wearing are the real thing. I worked with elderly women in an assisted living facility. Most had their special pieces they wore on special occasions and costume for day-to-day. They showed me how to tell the difference. Your jewelry is real and likely worth quite a bit." He saw from the sparkle in her eyes he wasn't wrong.

"Something else I used to do is bring the ladies to the spa room where a manicurist would work on their nails. It was a small town so the pricing was considerably less than you'd find here, but I can tell you had an artist work on your hands and feet. Time and money were spent to achieve this level of quality," he reasoned, and Dawn's smile widened.

"Finally, there's your incredible ease with technology. I understand how someone could become familiar with setting up cell phones by upgrading to the new models. But I watched you slip into the settings app and switch on the developer mode to adjust the phone's memory management. You made a series of setting changes. No hesitation. No hunting and flipping through menus. You went straight to each function with a tech professional's ease. I wasn't following what you were doing, but it was damn impressive."

"You're very observant, James," Dawn said.

"My grandma homeschooled me until I was fifteen and drummed into me the importance of listening and watching before talking. When she got ill, I had to watch for signs of her condition worsening. When we went to the assisted living home, I got a lot more practice there," he explained.

Dawn nodded in approval. "My friends are aware I come from a very wealthy family. I'm a trust-fund baby. My great-great-grandparents and their children were some of the early business tyrants who got their wealth from exploiting people and viciously crushing other businesses and lives in their wake. Truly evil capitalists through and through, but they left their wealth to their kids and grandkids, of which I'm one. I didn't learn about any of that until I turned eighteen.

I worked in one of my father's tech firms when I was sixteen. You're right. I'm a technology savant and quickly worked my way up through the company. That pleased my father greatly as he groomed me to take over the company when I turned eighteen. His partner wasn't so keen on that idea. He got drunk and raped me in his office one day. I spent eight months in a mental health hospital to be able to function in society again. When I got out, I discovered my father bought his partner out and dissolved the company to bury what happened. The rapist was retired and living in a mansion in Tahiti."

James' expression showed his shock and anguish at her pain, so she placed her hand against his cheek and smiled at him. "My father didn't know that I'd installed a hidden camera in the man's office because I was convinced he was embezzling. The numbers he was reporting didn't make sense to me. We still owned the building, so I visited it to collect the equipment. I had the recording of the rape and the recording of my father buying his partner's silence with a big fat check instead of sending him to jail. When I turned eighteen and my share of the trust fund was open to me, I learned about its bloody origin. I talked with my father and told him I would be going to college, and he would be paying for it. If he didn't, then the tapes would be made public. It would destroy his reputation and subsequently his business empire."

"What about his partner?" James asked with a rough throat.

"He had a fatal accident while scuba diving. Then he was eaten by sharks," Dawn said with satisfaction.

James suspected there might be more to that story, but the man deserved his fate, so he nodded.

"I'm working on ways to use my inherited money to benefit humanity. While doing that, I spend my father's money attending this expensive college. I've changed my major three times so far," she said with a smile.

"You have a lot of beautiful and colorful art," James said gesturing to the tattoos.

She smiled fondly at her arms and lifted her breasts so he could see the art hidden beneath them. She grinned at his glazed look.

"Yeah, they serve a few purposes," she remarked. "They prevent my parents from inviting me to any family gatherings or official events. I'm the black sheep of the family. None of my siblings will talk to me as they've all drunk the Kool-Aid and are suckling at the teat of father's business empire. None of them have any intellectual spark.

The second purpose is for my disguise, which you saw through. I'll ask you to keep the secret as no one else has seen through it, and I'm far happier as Dawn Evergreen, the free spirit, than Dawn Brighton, spawn of monsters.

The final purpose is a lingering issue from the rape. The pain of a new tattoo keeps me in the now and drives back the night terrors. It's been a while since I had one."

James had reached the limit of what he could bear to hear. He reached out and pulled Dawn against his chest in a warm, compassionate body hug. He felt her stiffen for the briefest moment then she cuddled in.

Her breasts still felt amazing against him, but the meaning of the hug was far more important. They enjoyed it for a while. There was no hurry.

Eventually, James moved his lips close to whisper to her. "Your secret is safe with me, Dawn Evergreen, free spirit of love and empathy, mistress of the wonderful breasts," he said, and she began to laugh.

She pulled back and they shared a smile.

"Would you like to touch them?" she asked with a coy smile.

"I would be agreeable to that idea," he said after the slightest pause.

She raised a finger. "On the condition that I'm not the only one without clothes."

He paused again and saw the fairness in that. He nodded, and she grinned excitedly as he pulled his shirt up and off.

"Mmm, I like what I see so far!" she purred.

He stood next to the bed, slid his pants down his legs, and stepped from them as Dawn continued to admire his body.

He tugged his socks off, then stood before her in his boxers. He gave her a cautious look. "During the night I was attacked, someone put a ring on me. It won't come off, but it doesn't seem to be harming me... so far, so... that's a good thing."

She watched him, but he seemed to be hesitating. "It's okay. You can show me," she said gently.

He gave her a nod and dropped his boxers.

"Oh!" she exclaimed involuntarily as his cock bounced up to slap his belly after it caught on the elastic. She burst into nervous giggles as she stared at it. Her eyes found the ring, and she leaned closer as she felt the pull of the magic.

"It's a beautiful ring! May I?" she asked, glancing at his face to see his relief.

"Yes," James said.

She reached forward and touched his cock, sliding her fingers down its length until she reached the ring. Its power flowed up her arms and into her body, making her sigh happily. She smiled at the look of bliss on James' face, and she needed more.

"James, lie on the bed," she said.

His eyes opened. "You mentioned something about touching your marvelous breasts."

She burst into giggles. "You'll get your chance! Lie down first!"

He smiled and did as she asked after she moved aside. Then she climbed onto the bed, had him spread his legs, then stretched out between them. He gasped when she lifted her heavy breasts and tucked his cock in between them.

"Oh my god!" he gasped. "That feels so good!"

Dawn's eyelids were fluttering as her breasts were in contact with the ring, and the magic was flowing into her body. The heat from his cock felt incredibly good too. "For me, too," was all she could manage.

The head of his cock was poking up from between her breasts, so she took it between her lips and stroked it with her tongue as she squeezed and stroked his shaft with her breasts. She saw James' head fall back on his pillow as the pleasure was too much. His fingers clenched the bedspread tightly as he moaned in bliss.

Dawn's body was tingling madly with need as he throbbed between her breasts until she couldn't take it any longer. She felt her juices trickling down her thighs, and her need rocketed.

She released his cock from her mouth with a pop and pushed herself up on her hands and knees.

James lifted his head to look at her, surprised by her sudden movements.

"Move your legs together," she asked, and he did. Then she knee-walked over his body to sit on his cock, trapping it between them with her pussy.

"Fuuuuuuuck!" she gasped as the heat felt like it might brand her.

"P-p-protection!" James blurted out.

"I'm on the pill!" she gasped as she rocked up and down his shaft, making him slick with her wetness.

James' head fell back against his pillow once more as it felt so damn good. Her body was much softer than the other ladies he'd been with, and it felt marvelous!

He felt her shifting on the bed then his cock was sinking into overwhelming sensations of hot, wet, and soft. His eyes flew open to see Dawn's expression of absolute bliss.

Her breasts were right there before him, beckoning his hands, and she did say he could, so he reached up and sank his fingers into their pillowy softness.

Dawn's head went back as she cried out her bliss to the ceiling, lifting herself up to slam down on the last inch of his cock, grinding her lips against the ring.

Shocks surged through Dawn's body. He filled her so well, and the magic was flowing through her. His hands! They were massaging her breasts until she couldn't think straight. She needed more, so she lifted herself and drove him back into her depths. Again and again, feeling the bliss climbing to something monumental.

James was in heaven. This goddess of softness was trying her best to squeeze every bit of bliss from him, and he was her willing subject. He watched her face and saw she was lost to her pleasure as well. At least she stopped screaming. He'd heard two thumps on the wall from an annoyed neighbor and sighed in relief when they stopped at that.

He didn't know how much longer he could hold on as it felt like he might explode any second.

But he wasn't in any hurry to stop squeezing Dawn's amazing breasts. He gently tugged on her nipple jewelry, and her legs suddenly gave out, dropping her one last time against him as her inner muscles went into spasms, squeezing his cock desperately. This triggered his release as well, and his cum surged into her again and again.

She leaned forward, and he lowered her to his chest. Then they were kissing, slow and deep, as her body slowly squeezed the last of his cum from his relaxing cock.

Dawn pulled back from his mouth and rested her forehead against his as the last waves gently flowed through her.

"That was so good," she sighed.

"For me, too," James said as he looked into her eyes.

She caught the look and smiled. He was so easy to read sometimes. She kissed the tip of his nose.

"Dawn, the free spirit, is not a slave to society's conventions. She floats through life like a butterfly, touching down to sample the good things life brings her, and moves on. She revisits, but she's never still."

"So, if I said... be my girlfriend?"

Dawn's smile was gentle and sweet. "I'd say no. But I would promise to remain the best of friends and let my friend enjoy the benefit of touching my breasts from time to time."

James chuckled. "Ooo, I'll never find a better deal than that!"

Dawn smiled and kissed James tenderly. She pulled back to look into his eyes. "You are a wonderful man, James. You will find what you're looking for. College is a time for exploring options for everyone. Enjoy the hunt, and don't become disheartened. Give yourself time."

He gave her a smile as he shook his head in wonder. "All this and wisdom, too!"

She giggled. "Well, I am a spiritually enlightened shaman."

"A sexy and beautiful one at that," he added.

Something flared in her eyes, and she suddenly pushed herself up to step off the bed. She grabbed one of the personal wipes from the open drawer next to the bed and dabbed it between her legs. "Ooo, someone gave me quite a lot."

"Another reason for a condom," he suggested.

She shook her head. "I've never liked how they feel."

"They're new to me as well. I definitely prefer without, but I get the necessity," he sighed.

She tossed him his underwear. "You're entirely too distracting like that!"

He grabbed a wipe from the drawer and cleaned himself before tugging his underwear back on.

"Better?" he asked with a smile.

She gave him a critical look. "No, still too distracting," she said seriously, then grinned.

He quickly pulled his shirt and pants on and walked her to the door as she dressed. She slipped her sandals on and turned back to him.

"Thanks for setting up my phone and for your words of wisdom."

She beamed him a wide smile then they kissed once more. She patted his chest as she pulled away.

She quickly opened his door and stepped outside. "Enjoy the rest of your week!" she said with an upbeat tone.

"Goodnight!" he said as he watched her leave.

He closed his door and smiled. He was meeting so many lovely women. He knew he had to listen to her advice, but his heart was stubborn.

-=-

Dawn rushed back to her dorm and up to her room. The moment she got inside and dropped onto her bed, someone knocked on her door. Getting back to her feet, she dabbed her eyes with a tissue and looked at herself in the mirror to ensure her eyes weren't puffy before walking to the door. She opened it to see Rose standing there with Julie at her side. She sighed and gestured for them to enter.

"Was he upset?" Rose blurted.

Dawn looked into her eyes and could see her friend was hurting. "Initially, he was surprised and concerned something had happened to you, but after I calmed him down and explained, he understood and wanted me to let you know he says hello and wishes you well for your recovery." She watched Rose process that and saw her relaxing. That was good. Rose would be fine.

"Did you set up his phone?" Julie asked eagerly. Dawn knew the woman was aching to take James for another ride and wanted a quicker way to contact him. She kept her expression pleasant and nodded. "Yes, his phone is active, and all the apps are installed. I have his accounts. If you reach out to him, please tell him you got his address from Rose, as I would have told her, and he knows you two share classes."

She sighed with a frown. "This sneaking around behind his back feels wrong."

"But he can't know!" Rose stressed.

Dawn raised her hands. "I won't spill the secret."

Julie pulled out her cell, and Dawn gave her his text account. "Don't use it tonight. He's... tired."

Eyes widened. "You fucked him!" Julie gasped, and Rose squeaked in protest.

"Please! I fuck no one! I did share pleasure with him, but he took some convincing."

"You got naked in front of him!" Rose accused.

She giggled. "He was taking my picture for his contact app. Of course, I presented my best look. I'm a naturalist! Didn't I do that for your phones?"

"And we cropped the picture to just your head," Julie smirked but raised a hand in surrender. "I'll wait until tomorrow."

Dawn rolled her eyes. Wow. A whole day. She likely wouldn't last a full twenty-four hours. "You know, there is a lovely stress reliever called masturbation—"

"I can't reach a climax when I do it myself, okay?" Julie said in annoyance. Her friends glanced at her in surprise.

"Are you free of the compulsion?" Rose asked, and Dawn nodded. "But you still want to see him, don't you." Dawn nodded again but shrugged lightly. "Someday. Gotta fly where the wind takes me," she sighed dramatically with a smile.

Rose hugged her friend. "Fly, little butterfly," Rose said fondly as she turned to leave. Julie gave her a hug and mumbled an apology for snapping.

Dawn watched Rose pull her cell out to get James' account from Julie. Not that she'd be using it for a while.

When the door was closed behind them, Dawn let her smile drop as she locked it.

She would keep the secret, just as James would keep hers.

Chapter 15

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!"

Friday at twelve-thirty, Jennifer walked into the cafeteria to hear a chant she'd last heard at the Frat Party. A large crowd was gathered in the corner, but it wasn't the jocks who were making the noise this time. The crowd was made up of the usual students she saw here, and they were standing around a table. She got closer and saw Elke sitting before an array of milkshake cups, most empty. She suddenly realized Elke was who they were cheering for.

Then she saw the difference.

When Jennifer joined the coven two years ago, Elke had already been a member for a year. Her first impression of the German Immigrant was that she was an introvert and exceptionally shy. The coven was her safe space for opening up.

She was tall at five-foot-eleven but exceptionally slim with no breasts or ass to ripple the baggy sweaters and skirts she preferred. She was all limbs and hid behind her large, black-framed glasses and mousy brown hair that reached her shoulders.

But she had a lovely singing voice.

Today Elke was filling out that baggy sweater very well. Her face showed no sign of weight gain, but her chest? Epic!

Something was wrong.

Jennifer pushed through the crowd to get to her friend's side. When Elke reached for another shake cup, Jennifer caught her hand. "Elke! Stop!"

The crowd tried to shout her down, but she glared at them and told them the show was over. Elke twitched in her grip. When the mob finally left, Jennifer saw the wrappers from at least six hamburgers. She looked into Elke's glassy eyes.

"What's happened to you?" Jennifer asked quietly.

"I-I did something... bad," the young woman replied in a whisper.

Jennifer waited, but Elke remained quiet. "What did you do?"

Elke looked up into Jennifer's eyes. "When we sang the Abundance song at Katherine's, I did not direct my wishes for abundance to the farmer's crops or the fishermen's catch. Instead, I selfishly turned the spell inward to give me larger breasts and an ass. I suddenly became very hungry but for bad food. I never eat this but now I feel I must. I cannot stop the compulsion, yet I am already too big!" She began to cry, and Jennifer put her arm around her.

Jennifer pulled her cell phone out and dialed Katherine. As she waited, she saw Dawn enter the cafeteria. Jennifer waved her over quickly. The call went to voicemail, so she hung up.

Dawn got one look at Elke and stared at Jennifer, who explained. "She used the magic of the Abundance song on herself. Her body is craving junk food to turn into fat for her breasts and ass, but she can't stop. The compulsion is too strong." She huffed in frustration. "I tried calling Katherine, but it went to voicemail."

A thoughtful expression came to Dawn's eye as she suddenly had an idea. "She needs a compulsion stronger than the song to reverse the eating disorder."

Jennifer looked at her with a frown as she tried to think of how they'd get a stronger—"No! Are you insane? We can't tell him!"

Dawn smiled. "We wouldn't! We're just looking for a firm male voice who can command her to stop eating junk food and return to her usual healthy diet. Elke told us her father was a strict disciplinarian."

"It is true! I could never refuse his orders," Elke said softly with downcast eyes. The ladies gave her a troubled look.

Dawn nodded. "We tell James, due to her upbringing, Elke needs a firm male voice to break her compulsion for junk food."

Jennifer tried Katherine's number again but still couldn't reach her. She scowled, then looked at the two friends. "You'll have to do the talking as I don't know if he'll recognize my voice from that night. You don't tell James anything about magic or the coven. It's an eating disorder brought upon by feelings of inadequacy."

Dawn looked at her sharply, but Elke nodded as it was true.

"There was nothing wrong with how you looked," Dawn told her.

Elke looked at Dawn's breasts and ass. "I do not think you are qualified to tell me my old shape was enough." She reached for a milkshake, but Jennifer moved it out of reach.

Scowling, Dawn texted James, asking if he was available now to help a friend in crisis.

She saw the notification that he was responding, but it took time before it came through.

"Dear Dawn, I'm heading to the cafeteria for lunch, and have a spare period directly afterward. What can I do? Regards, James Bailey"

"You need to teach him how to write texts," Jennifer said, and Dawn nodded.

"Can we meet at your room? We'll bring you lunch," Dawn sent.

"Dear Dawn, I will meet you at my room. Regards, James Bailey."

Jennifer helped Elke to her feet and guided her to the door as Dawn quickly paid for two egg salad sandwiches, a bag of chips, and a bottle of water before running after her friends.

They crossed the quad and rushed over to James' dorm. Dawn led them up to his floor and down the hall to his doorway, where she knocked.

No answer.

"Didn't he say he'd be here?" Jennifer asked stiffly. She was almost in a panic that he'd recognize her.

"Yes, but he's probably still on his way. Listen, let me go in and prepare him for what he needs to do, then I'll come out, and Elke can go in," Dawn suggested.

Jennifer immediately agreed as she didn't want to be in James' presence for too long, just in case.

"Sorry!"

They turned and saw James hustling toward them. Dawn quickly glanced at her friends, and they both looked tense. Elke almost seemed to be shrinking in on herself. Dawn took a deep breath, then put a smile on her face.

"Hi James, these are my friends Jennifer Young and Elke Brehmer." She turned to them. "This is James Bailey."

He smiled and shook their hands, then glanced at Dawn.

"We should go in for a quick talk," she said, and James nodded as he unlocked the door and gestured for them to enter. Dawn gently pushed him in and followed to close the door behind her. "I meant just you and me," she explained.

James' eyebrow went up in surprise.

"I'll get right to it. Elke has an eating disorder brought on by feelings of inadequacy. I'm afraid it's rather severe and complicated by a glandular issue that deposits the weight on her chest and ass. It is further complicated by her emotional dependence on her disciplinarian father. He's extremely controlling, and she said she could never refuse a command from him," Dawn explained.

James stood before Dawn with a confused look on his face. "And how are you expecting me to help her?"

"You are the only one I'd trust with this. Elke needs a male authority figure to command her to return to her healthy diet and to stop eating junk food."

James wasn't any less confused. "She just met me! She won't think of me as an authority figure! I'm a stranger!"

"Remember what I said about her father's controlling nature. I'm not asking you to be a cruel prick like him, as I know that's not you. Just be firm and decisive with her. Commands only. Trust me, she will respond," Dawn insisted as she held his eyes.

James was still uneasy about what he was being asked to do. "You said she has feelings of inadequacy. In what way?"

"Not that long ago, she had no breasts or ass. She was very self-conscious about being so skinny. Then the glandular issue began, and she started binge eating the worst foods. Lately, it's gotten out of hand and will become a health issue if we don't stop it," Dawn pleaded.

"I still think she should be in a hospital for this kind of care," he said honestly.

"If we can get the binge eating under control with this, and I know it will work, then she can see someone about her feelings of inadequacy. She's a really sweet woman and has the voice of an angel," Dawn said with a smile. "Let me bring her in, and remember, only commands."

James nodded with a frown. He dropped his bag on the desk and turned to face the door.

Dawn slipped outside for a moment. He heard a hushed conversation in the hall, then the door opened, and Elke was pushed inside, the door closing behind her.

"Your name is Elke?" James asked.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Speak up," he said as a safe test.

"Yes, she said with a stronger voice.

He nodded, then sat on the edge of the bed. "Sit here."

Her eyes widened, and she crossed the room to sit before him. He examined her closely and saw her soft brown eyes were partially hidden behind ugly glasses. Maybe it was all she could afford.

Okay, he had to try what Dawn suggested. "No more junk food. You will return to your healthy diet."

She shivered and looked at him a little desperately. Maybe that was the inadequacy flaring? Dawn said her junk diet was making her breasts and bottom bigger. Was it a size thing? He glanced down at her body. "You've reached your target size, so no more junk food."

Instantly, her desperation was gone, and a smile of relief replaced it. He smiled, surprised at how quickly she was responding to this. "Concentrate on your health and happiness. You deserve to be healthy and happy!"

"Thank you!" she gushed. "A-am I pretty?" she asked.

His smile widened. "Yes, you're beautiful! You have gorgeous eyes. It may sound cliché, but why are you hiding them behind these large frames?"

"Papa does not like when men look at me," she confessed.

Oh.

His enthusiasm hit a dead stop. James felt like he was moving into dangerous territory. "He told you to wear them?"

"Yes."

"Does he live with you?" James asked.

"No, he is back in Leipzig, Germany," she said.

"Are you going back after you finish your course?" James asked.

Elke's expression became sad. "I do not want to. I have so many friends here."

"Are you doing well in your courses?" he asked.

"Yes! I am at the top of my class!" she grinned.

"Have you thought about applying to stay?"

Her smile disappeared. "My Papa told me I must come home when I graduate."

Now, he knew he was in dangerous territory. James' mouth felt dry. "Does your Papa hurt you if you disobey?"

She flinched.

James pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear. "I'm sorry for making you remember something bad."

Could he do this? Should he?

He couldn't stand by and do nothing. Though she was clinging to him, he gently pushed her back so he could look her in the eyes.

"Your Papa is not legally allowed to hurt you. You're an adult, and your Papa must never hurt you again. You don't have to follow his orders if you don't want to. You are free to do as you choose. You mustn't allow him to control you any longer. Do you understand?"

She nodded shakily and pulled at him, so he hugged her again. He could feel her trembling and was slightly unsettled by how intense she was. Was he doing more damage than good?

When he managed to get her to sit back, she took the glasses off, and he saw he was right. Her eyes were beautiful. Then he noticed something odd about the glasses. He took them from her and checked the lenses. It was just flat glass. "These aren't even prescription glasses!" He looked at her. "You don't need glasses?" She shook her head again. What a prick Papa was! "Don't hide your eyes behind these glasses," he said, and she nodded.

On an impulse, he slid his fingers into her hair and pushed it back behind her ears. He used to help some of the seniors with their hair in the morning, so he got used to this. Then he saw her smile and her eyelids fluttering.

"You have lovely high cheekbones. They're easier to see this way and much more flattering. I think you're beautiful. You should believe it, too."

She sucked in a breath as her smile widened and tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

"Hey! What's with the tears?" he asked.

"I'm just so happy!" she gushed.

"Oh! Well, that's good." He looked at her firmly. "What are you going to do?"

"Stop eating junk food and return to my healthy diet. Concentrate on my health and happiness. Make my own life decisions. Stop hiding my face behind fake glasses and believe I'm beautiful."

He nodded. She seemed a lot better. He was surprised by how effective this treatment was.

It was weirdly effective. He paused to take a really close look at Elke, and she smiled back and bit her lip.

"We will have sex now?" she asked.

"What? Sex? Why would you ask that?" he fumbled, completely caught off guard.

"I am feeling so good, and you feel so good. As I am making my own decisions now, I am thinking we should have sex!" she said with a bold grin.

Then she pulled her sweater up and off.

James was frozen as Elke's breasts were very large and close. Her frame was tall and slim, and if he hadn't been told otherwise, he would swear she'd had implant surgery. Big round ones that seemed so out of place on the slim woman. When she surged forward, he moved back and slid off the bed.

James hit the floor with a loud thump and clocked the back of his head on the foot of his rolling chair. "Ow! Fuck!"

Dawn pushed open the door and stared at the scene. Elke was topless, standing over James, who was on the floor holding the back of his head.

Jennifer's face flashed through several emotions: fear, desperation, and finally, rage. She pushed past Dawn with a full head of steam. She planted a boot into James' ribs before she began to yell.

"How dare you take advantage of Elke in her weakened state!" Dawn leapt forward and dragged Jennifer away from James, who was moaning on the floor.

"Elke, put your sweater on!" Dawn said as she held the struggling brunette.

The woman did as she asked, knelt beside James, and touched his face. "I'm sorry, Jennifer kicked you. Are you okay?"

"Just let me lie here until the pain stops throbbing," James said.

"Elke, did James ask you to have sex with him?" Dawn asked, and James shot her an angry look.

"No, we talked, and I felt so much better that I wanted to have sex with him. He jumped back and fell off the bed. He did not want to have sex with me." She looked sad and stood once more.

"That's what I thought. Nice going, She-Hulk," Dawn said to Jennifer, who was realizing she'd kicked an innocent man.

She glared at Dawn, then turned to Elke. "So, you're feeling better?"

She smiled widely and nodded.

"What did he tell you?" Jennifer asked hesitantly.

"I will stop eating junk food and return to my healthy diet. Concentrate on my health and happiness. Make my own life decisions. Stop hiding my face behind fake glasses and believe I'm beautiful."

Dawn stared at her with wide eyes. "Make your own life decisions? You're not going to follow your father's orders?"

Elke looked at James, and he nodded. "They're your friends. You can tell them if you want."

"Papa hits me when I disobey. He is not allowed to do that. I do not want to go back to Germany when I graduate. I will try to stay here."

Dawn threw her arms around Elke in a hug. "That's wonderful! I'll do everything in my power to help you with that!" She knelt down beside James, who looked at her cautiously. "Thank you so much, James! I'm so sorry you got hurt for your efforts."

He just nodded to her, then looked at Elke's sad expression and sighed. "Elke, you are a very desirable woman. Of course, I'm attracted to you, but you just made these important life decisions, and you're feeling a little giddy. It's not the right time to jump in bed with someone. It's too soon."

Her smile returned ten-fold. "So, we will have sex later?"

He returned her smile. "Perhaps when the time is right. You may find someone you like more now that you're making your own decisions. Remember this: unless he treats you like the special woman you are, he doesn't deserve you."

Elke giggled happily.

Dawn and Elke helped James to his feet, and he winced as he touched his ribs. They kissed his cheeks then he looked at the troubled expression on Jennifer's face. "I have work to do, so if you don't mind."

"I'm sorry," Jennifer said contritely, and James just nodded. Dawn handed him his lunch then she tugged Elke with her as the three ladies left.

As they walked along the sidewalk back toward their classes, the two friends watched Elke walking with her head held high and a smile on her face. Even her posture was better. With a wave, she turned onto the path toward her classes.

"Shit! She's a changed woman!" Jennifer said.

"For the better, though. James didn't tell her anything she didn't need to hear," Dawn said.

The beauty scowled at Dawn. "I get it! I fucked up! I was just worried about what he might have done, considering he could ask her anything and she would have done it. That's a scary amount of power in one man's hands."

Dawn slowed as she was going in a different direction. She held Jennifer's eyes. "I guess we lucked out that the man we picked isn't like that."

Jennifer locked eyes with her. "He doesn't know! That makes all the difference! If he knew how much power he had, he'd abuse it. Maybe not immediately, but he's no different than the rest."

Dawn shook her head sadly. "And there we have it. Jennifer's deep-seated man-hate. You should talk to someone about that." She turned and walked away.

Jennifer was left fuming as she knew Dawn may be right. The other woman was also acting much less flighty than usual, making Jennifer's behavior feel even more infantile.

But she was right. Jennifer needed to speak to Katherine.

Chapter 16

James was really enjoying his course, and he'd made a few friends in class. They asked him once to join them for a pub crawl, but they stopped asking when he told them he didn't drink. They were still generally friendly in class.

Julie tried sending him texts on a couple of occasions to lure him into semi-private but generally public spots to have a little fun, but as he silenced his phone during classes, he always missed the messages and replied too late.

He also received many texts from Dawn as she attempted to teach him How to Text. Apparently, he was doing it all wrong. Short, sweet, and informal were the targets for this communication method. She wanted him to learn the SMS Language. His concerns about misconstrued meanings fell on deaf ears. After several lessons, he could tell her frustration levels were rising.

Dawn: Your messages are all TLDR! WTF?

James: Wouldn't it be simpler to TTYL?

Dawn: SMH, just do it!

James: IMHO, it will cause problems IRL

Dawn: FFS IRL people text this way. KISS

James: NP, I'll try.

Dawn: Do or do not. There is no try.

James wondered where Dawn found such a nugget of wisdom. Still, he refused to LOL or ROTFL, and he definitely wasn't touching Emojis.

After a particularly full day, he was making his way back to the dorm when he heard raised voices. It tickled his brain, and he turned his steps toward a nearby parking lot. When he got closer, he stepped through an arch in the hedges to see a lovely and petite Asian woman standing before an older Asian man with an angry expression on his face and a younger Asian man who was looking at the woman in amusement.

With his sudden appearance, the beauty turned her head and spotted him. Her expression instantly changed to relief, and she ran toward him.

"James!" she called out and his eyes widened as she was a stranger to him.

Suddenly, she was pressed against his chest and his arms automatically wrapped around her lightly to keep her steady.

She spoke quickly and softly. "My name is Min Yue. I am friend of Elke. My father wants me to marry this man. I told him I have boyfriend."

James immediately understood what she was asking as he'd read a few books with the fake boyfriend ploy.

"Right," was all he said, and he felt her immediate relief. She turned her face up to smile at him, and he bent down and kissed her. She squeaked in surprise, so he realized that wasn't what she was after. He whispered a quick apology, and she turned to tug him toward the other two men.

Now, the older man's face was turning red. This wasn't a good sign.

When they stopped to stand before her father, James gently dropped his backpack on the ground behind him.

<< "Who is this insolent white boy?" >> the father snapped at his daughter in Mandarin.

James' brain continued to tickle as he smiled at the older man.

<< "Greetings, esteemed father of Min Yue. I am James Bailey." >>

Min Yue looked up at him in surprise, so he smiled at her and wondered if he'd gotten the honorific wrong. She glanced back at her father with a sweet smile.

The old man seemed surprised by James' words, so maybe he had said something wrong, but the younger man just gave James with contemptuous smirk.

<< "Even the simplest Myna bird can be trained to repeat sounds," >> the man asserted.

James wasn't clear on his point, but the rudeness was clear enough. << "If a Myna bird makes rude sounds, it should be forgiven as it was trained by a fool." >> James was pretty pleased with his attempt at pithy wisdom, but he'd struck a nerve with the smug man as his expression immediately became hostile. James heard Min Yue attempt to stifle her amused squeak.

Looking back at the father, he saw he was still unhappy but off balance for some reason.

<< "I have not heard of you from my daughter," >> he said stiffly, switching to Cantonese to test him.

This was dipping into the backstory of the lie, so it had to come from Min Yue. << "Oh, is this true?" >> he responded and raised an eyebrow in surprise as he looked to the pretty woman to explain herself.

She nodded to James and then turned to her father. << "I did not tell you of James as you frighten off every man I date!" >>

James looked back at the father, who was scowling at his daughter and then faced James.

<< "Are you a musician? An actor? An artist?" >> the man snarled, his disdain for these careers plain in his voice. This might be the previous boyfriends he'd frightened away.

<< "No, I'm studying to be an Engineer," >> James said in Cantonese with a smile.

<< "Of a choo-choo train?" >> the angry younger man asked belligerently.

James gave him a weary look. << "Choo-choo? Are you a child?" >>

Belligerence became rage, and he lashed out with a punch at James' face.

James caught the sleeve and lapel of the expensive suit jacket and pivoted his hip into the man while pulling. Then the angry man was on the grass behind James, trying to suck air back into his lungs.

James saw he wasn't getting up any time soon, so he straightened his shirt and turned to the father with another bow.

<< "Apologies for the display of violence. This one does not appear able to control his temper and remain civil." >> James said, glancing down at the man who'd managed to roll onto his side as he wheezed.

He noticed the man's shoes were missing.

The older man was no longer as hostile as he gave James an evaluating look. << "Which field of study in engineering?" >>

James smiled. << "I'm in my first year, so I'm testing my strength in classes for each field. I'm doing very well in all of them so far, and they are all interesting in their own way. I will need to make a decision to select my path in my second year." >>

Now, the older man seemed much calmer and gave James a brief nod, which he returned a little deeper. The father looked down at the younger man who'd reached his hands and knees. << "Get up. We are leaving." >> He glanced at his daughter. << "I would have preferred a Chinese boy, but you should have told me about him. It would have spared me the embarrassment." >>

<< "My shoes!" >> the wobbly man complained.

<< "Your shoes or your drive back to the city. Choose," >> Min Yue's father said curtly as his chauffeur opened the back door of his car for him to enter.

Giving James another angry look, the shoeless man rushed to the other side of the car and got in.

As they drove away, Min Yue sagged against James's side. "I am so sorry to get you into a mess."

James smiled as he hoisted his backpack strap onto his shoulder. "This is my first time pretending to be a boyfriend to save a damsel in distress. I think it went well, but as they always do in the books I've read, the lie will fail. You need to get out in front of that and find a way to let your father down gently."

"Or you could be my boyfriend!" Min Yue said with a bright, hopeful smile.

James looked at the petite beauty in surprise. "Don't people date anymore? Does everyone leap immediately into a relationship or just hook up?"

Min Yue's eyes lit up. "Yes! We will go on a date tonight! I take you to dinner! As thanks!" Before he could protest, she waved a hand. "Money, I have. Please!" she begged cutely.

James couldn't keep the smile from his lips as she'd perfected her cute look. "Okay. I happen to be free tonight."

"I will pick you up at your dorm at eight?" she asked.

"You know where I live?" he asked, surprised.

She gave him another sweet smile. "Elke told me."

"Ah, okay. Eight it is," he said with a nod.

They left the parking lot through the hedge arch and saw two students holding a pair of shoes.

"Hey, dude! Are these yours?" one called out to James.

"The guy who owned them just left," James called back.

"Sweet! Free shoes!" the other called back, and James chuckled.

"I will see you tonight!" Min Yue said as she waved and ran off along the path.

James shook his head and continued to the library. He had a little research to do.

-=-

Katherine hung up her phone and returned to her kitchen to sit at the table by the window overlooking her back garden.

Sitting across the table was Jennifer, who'd visited a few times this week as she was concerned she was having a relapse of her anger issues. The woman gave Katherine a questioning look as her expression must have shown her shock.

"That was Min Yue. We have some rather dramatic proof of Julie's theory of skill... mirroring in Mr. Bailey," she said quietly.

"What happened?" Jennifer asked.

"Min Yue's father arrived at the college with a man he wanted Min Yue to meet as a prospective husband. There was an argument in the parking lot. James overheard the yelling and investigated.

When Min Yue saw James, she called out to him and quietly asked him to pretend to be her boyfriend so she could escape her father's plan.

When they went to speak to her father, James greeted him in perfect Mandarin. When her father switched to Cantonese, James did as well. Min Yue said he had no accent but spoke it like a native."

"Oh my God! He must have freaked out!" Jennifer cried.

"Min Yue said he didn't even seem aware he was doing it! After her father and the man left, she switched back to English, and so did he, seamlessly and without noticing!" Katherine exclaimed.

Jennifer stared at the older woman as her mind raced. They'd dodged a bullet but wouldn't be able to for much longer. He was bound to realize something out of the ordinary was happening to him.

Katherine looked a little sad. "Min Yue was excited to be going on a date with James tonight. She said she asked him to be her boyfriend."

"What was she thinking? What about the others?" Jennifer gasped in outrage, and Katherine held up her hands.

"I had to remind Min Yue that she wasn't the last of the group who needed to be freed from the compulsion, and taking Mr. Bailey off the market was premature. She wasn't too happy about that, but she understood. She said she will do her best to let him down gently."

Jennifer took some deep breaths to calm herself, then she got a determined look on her face.

"We need a plan. We need the ladies beyond his control before he realizes his power over them. That means you, too. I can see how much the compulsion is draining you—"

"I can't! I'm too old! He's so young!" Katherine exclaimed in distress.

Jennifer reached across the table and took her friend's hand. "You are a beautiful woman, and from what I've heard, he appreciates beauty. He'll definitely be attracted to you."

Katherine made a sound of disbelief and then looked away from Jennifer's insistent gaze. "Let's talk about this plan of yours. Min Yue has a date with Mr. Bailey tonight."

Jennifer smiled. "That's an excellent start."

-=-

He was closing the books he'd pulled as he'd found the formulas he'd needed when he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket. It took a moment for him to recall what that sensation meant. He glanced at the screen and pulled up the text app to see another one from Julie.

Julie: Where are you now, James?

He sighed with a smile.

James: I'm in the library. Just finishing up.

Julie: Excellent! I need your help in the stacks in the Zoology reference section.

James: Where is that?

Julie: Third floor, far corner. OMW

James stared at the last three letters, wracking his brain to recall what that one meant.

He went to drop off the books he'd used and saw one of the librarians, so he walked to the counter. He hadn't spoken to this one before. She was probably in her late thirties, with a slim build and her light brown hair tied back. Cute in a girl-next-door kind of way. "Hi, can you direct me to the Zoology reference books?"

Her eyes seemed a little large for her slim features, and they widened slightly behind her glasses when she heard his request.

"Yes." She pointed to the staircase in the far-left corner. "Take the stairs to the top floor, then walk to the far-right corner." She pointed to the location.

"Thank you," he said, and she nodded as she gave him a once-over with her eyes. That felt a little odd, but she was stuck moving books around all day, so get your fun where you can, he supposed.

It didn't take long to reach the top floor and make his way to the far corner. The shelves were tall back here and there were small step stools for reaching the top shelves. He hunted for a while until he found the zoology books. He wondered what a Business Administration student wanted with these.

He stopped and looked around. There was nobody up here in amongst the shelves. There was almost complete silence as the books and carpet seemed to scatter and absorb all sound.

James suddenly realized why Julie wanted to meet him here.

Then, it was too late as she stepped up to him and slid her arms around his back and her mouth found his.

Her kiss was deep and hungry, and James couldn't help but go with it.

She ground her body against his as her hands went to his ass, pulling the growing ridge in his pants against her skirt-covered panties.

"Oh fuck, you get me so hot!" Julie sighed as she pulled back from the kiss.

"You can't seriously believe this is a safe place to do this!" he said quietly.

"Odds are good that we won't be disturbed. It's the risk we will which adds the thrill!" she said with a grin, then suddenly squatted before him to bring her face before his crotch. She deftly undid the button and fly on his jeans, tugging them and his boxers below his ass. His cock bounced out and swayed before her face, so she moved her hands to it and directed the head into her mouth.

James struggled to stifle his gasps as she did her best to stuff as much of him into her mouth as possible. She drooled over his cock until it was slick with spit. She then quickly stood and grabbed the end of one of the stacks. She bent at the waist, yanked down her panties, and flipped her skirt up to present her wet pussy for his use.

He knew what she wanted, so he moved behind her and directed the head of his cock to her wet lips. She gasped as the head slipped inside. Taking a grip on her hips, he slammed himself deep, and she screamed silently. This was what she craved.

He set up a steady pounding, ensuring she took all of him down to the ring on each powerful thrust, and he felt her legs begin to buckle from the sensations exploding through her. As she could no longer support herself, he lifted her against his body and walked her to the corner, where he saw two chairs and a large, cushioned ottoman.

James lifted her off his cock, making her moan in complaint. Then he laid her down on her back across the large cushion, hooked her legs back with his arms, and stuffed his cock back into her pussy. Resting on his hands and toes, he began to pound her against the ottoman, but this time the ring was slapping her clit. He managed six more strokes, then it was too much for Julie, and she grabbed at his ass to keep him pressed against her as she came explosively. Tremors rocked through her as he watched her face. He couldn't tell if she was in agony or an unbearable bliss as the expressions were the same. As he gently rocked against her, he heard an odd sound. It was a slick squishing and low moans. He leaned his face closer to Julie's, which added pressure to her pussy, and her legs thrashed ineffectually in the air. She gave out a guttural moan.

"I think someone is watching us," he whispered to Julie, whose eyes cracked open slightly. She looked into his eyes and then leaned her head to the side to see past James' body. She smiled crookedly.

"Stand up and turn around," Julie said.

Frowning, James moved back, lowering Julie's legs as he pulled his cock from her. She gasped once more.

He hadn't come yet, so he was swollen and red with need as he stood and turned.

There was the librarian he'd spoken to. She must have followed them and watched.

"You don't want her reporting us, do you, James?" Julie asked with a sly voice. He shook his head. "Then give her what she wants."

He looked into her eyes and saw she was very excited. He wasn't sure how good of an idea this was, but she really could mess things up for him. He moved closer as her eyes locked on his cock.

He saw her panties were on the floor, and she'd pulled her dress up to rub her fingers over her pussy. As he got closer, she widened her legs and spread her lips to receive his cock. This was what she wanted.

He moved very close, bent his knees, and pressed the head against her wet opening. He felt it slide inside, and she suddenly clung to him. He moved his hands to her ass and lifted her against him as he slowly bounced her up and down to gradually sink himself into her body. Her moans got louder as he squeezed her ass in his hands to lift and drop her on his cock.

She suddenly kissed him, and that was a new experience as her tongue tried to steal his tonsils.

When she had all of him, he ground himself against her, and she felt the ring. Her head snapped back and trembled fiercely.

James needed more sensation, so he pressed her against the wall and began to thrust into her in long strokes. At the top of each one, she'd hit the ring and go into spasms. She squeezed him in pulses, so he thought she might have come.

Then it was his turn. "Gonna come!" he growled.

"In my mouth," she cried and pushed at him frantically.

He pulled himself free, then lowered her to her knees. Julie was immediately next to her and reached out to grab his cock and started pumping.

Seeing their blissed-out faces was enough to trigger him, and ropes of cum jetted from his cock to splash across their faces. Julie wasn't a good aim.

Finally, he staggered back and watched with wide eyes as the ladies cleaned each other with their tongues.

"You're going to give me a permanent erection," James said softly, and they burst into delighted giggles.

Julie pulled a pack of facial wipes from her purse and shared them with the other woman so they could clean themselves properly. She handed one to James so he could refresh himself and pull up his underwear and pants.

Panties went back on, and dresses were straightened. The Librarian gave them a smoldering look, then accepted a breath mint from Julie, who popped one into her own mouth. They grinned at each other, and then the woman left first.

"That was wonderful, but it's been so long since the last time!" Julie pouted when they were alone.

James shook his head. "It's not like I'm sitting around my dorm room all day. My classes take most of my day, and the homework is crazy!"

"Your evenings are full, too!" she moaned.

He shook his head. "Sometimes I get a free night, like tonight—I have a date!" he said before she could ask.

She blinked at him. "A date? With whom?"

"A friend of Elke's. Her name is Min Yue." He saw Julie's expression change. "You know her?"

"We may have met. Where did you meet her?" Julie asked.

He shook his head. "I was just walking past the parking lot, and I heard shouting, so I took a look. She was there with two men and suddenly called out my name. She rushed over to me and told me she was Elke's friend and needed me to pretend to be her boyfriend."

"Ah, the fake boyfriend trick. Did it work?" she asked with a crooked grin.

"Seemed to. Min Yue no longer needs to marry the guy her father brought. She asked me out to dinner to say thanks," he explained.

"Ah. Well, the next time you get a free night, you let me know," Julie insisted.

"This is my first in a week. They're rare!" he insisted back.

"I call dibs on the next," she said firmly.

He watched her until she began to fidget.

"What are we?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" she said cautiously.

"You're asking for preferential treatment, so I ask again. What are we?"

"Fuck-buddies?" she said with a strained smile.

"I don't even know what that means. Min Yue asked me to be her boyfriend. I know what that is."

"You just met!" Julie exclaimed.

James smiled. "Hence the date. I'm the old-fashioned type. Meet a girl. Court a girl. Get to know a girl as she gets to know you. Hold hands. Maybe go dancing or see a movie, not that I've done either. Going out to dinner sounds nice. The goodnight kiss. After all that, then the intimacy."

Julie took James' hands. "The world moves a lot faster these days. Many women won't understand the delay and will take it as cold feet or a lack of confidence and bail. They need to know if you're sexually compatible quickly, as it's an important part of a relationship. Women aren't as repressed as they once had to be. They enjoy sex!"

She gave James a sad look. "Min Yue is a modern young woman. You can have a girlfriend, but you need to accept the current pace of relationships."

"Are we sexually compatible?" he asked her.

"Absolutely. You're an amazing fuck!"

"But I'm not boyfriend material for you?" he asked.

She sighed. "I was burned by my last one, but being with you has made me see it was more a case of incompatible life goals. I plan to concentrate on my career and work my way up to a lifestyle that includes traveling to beautiful places and the ability to afford the best things in life. I'll find someone along the way with similar goals and hopefully a compatible sex drive."

She saw a little sadness in his eyes, and her heart ached for him. "I have no doubt you will find someone special. You're still young and building the skills to start a career. You don't need to achieve all your life goals in your college years. Allow yourself time to meet new people and expand your boundaries. Get some experience."

James paused to think about that and realized she had a point. He was trying to find a soulmate while also learning to be who he wanted to be.

He nodded to her. "You're right. I am trying to do it all at once." He sighed and gave himself a little shake mentally. "Life skills come first, though I'll keep an open mind toward relationships. I still have difficulty disconnecting the emotional context of intimacy."

Julie hugged him, then leaned back to look into his eyes. "Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you just need to accept that it may not always be reciprocated to the same degree. Everyone is different, after all," she said with a gentle smile. "I do like you very much. I just know our life goals aren't compatible, and you wouldn't be happy trying to adjust to mine. That doesn't mean we can't share some moments of pleasure together."

"Beauty, brains, and wisdom. You're the whole package!" he teased.

She grinned happily. "Don't forget driving ambition and colossal sex drive."

He chuckled. "I certainly can't forget that last trait."

She nodded with a contrite smile. "Yeah, I can be a little demanding."

"I'll keep that in mind for the spare moments I find in my days," he promised. "But does it always have to be in public places?"

She grinned happily for his promise of future fun. "Not always... but often."

He laughed at her impish grin.

They walked to the stairs, and Julie left first. After a suitable wait, James climbed down to approach the Librarian station to hand in his chit to collect his backpack. The same woman who'd followed him upstairs stepped behind the counter to move the other staffer aside and took the chit from his hand while she locked eyes with James. She turned to pick up his backpack and returned to the counter to give him another smoldering smile.

"Please come again," she said quietly, and he barely contained the burst of chuckles that triggered. He smiled at her with a nod. Her voice was surprisingly breathy now. Very sexy indeed!

He headed for the front doors and glanced at the clock. He saw he had time to hit the gym.

Some of his muscle groups could be skipped as they'd already been exercised today.

He sighed happily as he walked across the quad. His smiling muscles were certainly getting a workout.

-=-

Julie immediately texted Min Yue when she left the library.

Julie: I just heard from James that you asked him to be your boyfriend! You can't do that until the others are free!

Min Yue: Katherine told me this, too. I will tell James tonight I was teasing. But I like him.

Julie: Yeah, I get it. He's a great guy. I don't like this either. Be as gentle as you can.

Min Yue: I will.

Julie's heart ached for Min Yue, who she knew really wanted a boyfriend.

This sucked.

Chapter 17

Min Yue held James' hand as she walked him to the student parking lot. Her transformation stunned him when he came outside to meet her. While the five-foot-four woman was previously dressed in an outfit that leaned heavily toward the cute side of the fashion spectrum, tonight, her slim physique was wrapped in an elegant and sexy off-the-shoulder party dress that only reached mid-thigh. Her mid-back length, straight black hair with straight bangs gleamed in the evening sunlight.

His awe must have shown in his eyes, and her lovely dark brown eyes twinkled with joy. Her happiness bloomed when he complimented her on how stunning she looked in the dress.

He was relieved he'd dressed in his best but felt underdressed compared to her. She didn't seem to mind one bit.

They still had a fair amount of daylight left in the day, so when they reached her car, he could see how bright, shiny, and deep the red paint was on the sporty vehicle.

"My father bought it for my birthday. It's a 2022 BMW 230i," she said with pride.

James saw it was parked amongst several other very expensive-looking cars. Some wealthy people attended this school, or rather, children of rich parents. He focused on her car again. "It's very pretty!" he said, and her smile grew.

They got in, and he was relieved to see how gently she moved them out of the parking lot.

Once they got onto the country highway, she picked up her speed and he had to admit he white-knuckled the grip on his door. It felt like they were flying.

"Please slow down a little," he said and was relieved when their speed dropped to just over the limit.

"Thank you," he said and got a smile for that.

It didn't take long for them to reach the restaurant and park.

"Oh! I should have asked if you like Chinese food!" she asked in concern.

"I won't know until I try it," he said with a smile.

They went inside, and the owner rushed up to greet Min Yue. He seemed delighted she was there, and they spoke to each other fondly. He led them to a reserved table in the corner. The moment they were situated behind what he thought was a rather large table for just the two of them, steaming dishes of food were brought out of the kitchen and placed on the large glass turntable in the center of the table.

He glanced at her in surprise.

She gave him a coy look. "I preordered."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I come here often as the food is so good!" she said, smiling at one of the waiters who brought two small bowls of soup.

James leaned forward, smelled the aroma from the bowl before him, and quickly pulled back. He glanced at Min Yue. "My, that seems... spicy!"

She smiled at him. "If it is too much spice, please do not feel you must finish."

He nodded and lifted a spoonful to his lips. He noted it was also molten and realized the wisdom of using ceramic spoons. After carefully blowing on it, he managed to take a mouthful. He closed his eyes and let the new flavors and textures pass over his tongue and down his throat. He opened his eyes to smile at Min Yue. "Oh, that's yummy!

Somehow, talking seemed to ignite the heat building in his mouth. Immediately, his eyes watered, and he reached for the glass of milk a waiter just placed on the table before him. That helped, but he suffered for the next minute or so. Another napkin appeared at his elbow so he could wipe his eyes, and the soup was gone when he opened them again. He blinked at Min Yue who was looking very contrite.

"I did not know you would react so much!" she said in apology.

He held up a hand with a smile. "It's fine. It really was delicious, but that level of spice is obviously too much for me. Was that high spice?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Just a little over mild."

He shook his head with a grin. "I'll have to stick with mild then."

Min Yue pointed out the dishes he should have no issues with, and he filled a plate with helpings from each dish.

As they ate, she talked about growing up in Shenzhen, the life she left behind, and the friends she was making here. She said the grades she was getting in her Bioengineering course should guarantee her a lucrative career, but she was unsure if she wanted to return to Shenzhen or remain in the States.

"Would your father try to interfere if you decided to stay?" James asked as he thought of Elke's dad.

Min Yue must have been thinking the same thing as she smiled. "My father shouts and pretends to be a tyrant, but he worries too much for me. He is not bad man like Elke's father. I work hard, and my father knows this. He will not interfere... much."

"He did try to marry you off," James said with a smile.

She shook her head with a small smile of her own. "He worries that I am lonely."

James looked at her in concern. "Are you?"

She waved her hands in embarrassment. "No! I mean, not as much anymore. I found a support group—Women. We like to sing." She finished with a flustered expression, then a weak smile.

James smiled and nodded. "I was just speaking to a friend of mine. Her name is Julia. She told me I'm trying to complete all my life goals simultaneously. While working hard to become an engineer, I'm also trying to find my true love. She was right."

Min Yue looked a little relieved. "She sounds smart. Maybe we are rushing. We are young."

James glanced at her in surprise as he thought she was looking for a boyfriend. Was that not the case any longer?

They finished their dinner but there was a lot of food left over. Min Yue gestured to their waiter, and a group hurried over to their table and collected all the dishes.

James looked at Min Yue curiously, so she explained. "They will package it to go."

"If you get the munchies later?" James asked with a grin, and she giggled.

Min Yue paid the bill, and the manager was very grateful for her continued patronage as he followed them out. James carried the bags of containers.

The sun had set while they'd enjoyed their dinner. As they returned to the car, Min Yue smiled up at James. "May I show you something?"

"Ooo! I like how this is starting!" he said with a grin.

She slapped his arm playfully as she pouted sweetly at him.

"Yes, of course," he said, and her smile returned.

They put the bags in the trunk and James was relieved to see they were tied down under a cargo net.

Then they got in and Min Yue got them back on the road. She kept to the speed limit this time but took a route they hadn't taken before, and soon, they were parked on a ridgeline overlooking the city far below.

She turned off the engine and turned in her seat to face James in the dark. There was just enough light from a few LEDs on the dash and city lights below to make out her features.

"The view is lovely," he said, then he looked at her and saw her smiling at him. "You look very beautiful tonight."

Min Yue climbed over the center console to sit on James' legs, taking his face between her hands. She kissed him, and he couldn't help but compare her gentleness to Julie's passion and the Librarian's lust. Gentle was nice.

James slipped his fingers into Min Yue's hair and sighed at its softness. Then, he kissed her tenderly.

Everything about Min Yue was petite, from her delicious mouth to her palm-sized breasts and her tight, firm ass. As his hands moved through her long strands of hair, they followed the contours of her waist and hips to her ass. He noted she'd pulled her dress up to expose her delightful bottom, and she wasn't wearing any panties. Her cheeks fit his hands so well that he gently squeezed them.

"Ahhhh!" she gasped as she writhed on his lap. She was so much lighter than Dawn.

She suddenly leaned down, and a mechanical whirring sound began. The backrest of James' seat was tilting back and didn't stop until it was almost completely flat.

Min Yue moved her knees to the armrests on the door and center console and lifted herself from resting on James' lap. "Pull your pants down, please."

James almost laughed as she made her demands so sweetly. Glancing out the car windows, he saw no signs of other people, so he undid his pants and slid them and his underwear down to his knees.

Then he gasped as he felt her skin against his.

"Protection?" he said, kicking himself mentally for not keeping some in his pocket. Note to self.

"I'm on the pill," she said.

Then she lowered her body onto his, and they both moaned at how good that felt.

She rocked her hips, sliding her wet lips over his cock, her breathing becoming sharp gasps.

James knew his cock wasn't that big, but Min Yue was so petite he began to worry that he might be too big for her.

The sensations she was giving him kept pushing these thoughts from his mind.

She caught him off-guard when she lifted his cock and pressed it firmly against her very wet lower lips. They parted, and she managed to take the head and an inch of his shaft inside.

"James! Your cock is thick!" she squeaked quietly as she gently rocked her hips, stirring her insides with the top of his cock.

"If it's too much—"

James gasped as Min Yue suddenly drove herself down to force more of him deep into her hot depths. He could feel the inner walls of her pussy trembling, which was doing amazing things for him, and he watched her expression in surprise, but it held no pain. She licked her lips, and her eyes were closed.

"So good..." she whispered.

She now had a little more than half of him deep inside, and he held still as he wasn't sure how she'd react if he tried to move in or out. She was so incredibly tight!

Her lips touched his, gentle as a butterfly, and tingles shot down his spine.

"FUCK!" Min Yue cried out as she suddenly slammed herself down on James' body, taking him to her absolute depths until she was pressing her wet lips against the ring.

"AHHHHH!" she cried as she clung to him. He felt her inner muscles begin rippling against his cock, and it was too much for his control. His release surprised him and crashed through his mind. Hot cum jetted into the petite woman as his hands gripped her petite ass and held her tight.

"Yes!" Min Yue sighed and shook as her body continued to squeeze James' cock in pulses.

He buried his face in her soft, sweet-smelling hair.

They remained like that for long minutes as they gradually returned from their mutual bliss. James slowly softened within Min Yue's body until he could slip free.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and smiled at him.

"That was so good!" she sighed.

All James could do was nod and smile as he was struck speechless by the woman's beauty. He knew he'd sound like a fool if he tried to put it into words at this moment, so he remained silent.

Min Yue moved back to her side of the car, and James pulled his clothes on and struggled to find the correct button to raise his seat. Finally, she took pity on him and guided his hand to the proper control.

Once they were both decent, she drew his attention to the view out the front window.

"This is my favorite spot when I need peace and quiet after stressful days. I'm glad you could see it. Now it has another reason to be a treasured place," she said with a happy smile.

"Thank you for sharing it with me," he said, and she started the engine. It was time to return to the college.

-=-

After they returned her car to the parking lot, James walked Min Yue to her dorm, holding hands. Each carried a bag of takeout containers in their free hand. There was a lot of food.

They didn't feel the need to speak as they'd covered a lot of ground during dinner, and both enjoyed the peace of their mutual enjoyment of the date's finale.

Soon enough, they smiled at each other on the steps before her building.

"So, do I qualify as boyfriend material?" he asked.

She pretended to eye him critically. "You have many good qualities, so you are in the running."

He chuckled and hugged her before moving forward to get the door. "That's a start. If I become your boyfriend, we can spend the night at each other's places, cuddle, and disclose our deepest, darkest secrets to each other with the lights out."

James opened the door and turned to hand her the other take-out bag. He caught the tail end of an expression he thought looked like guilt. She replaced it quickly with a smile, but he was sure he'd seen something.

She took the bag from him and quickly moved into the building.

"What was that?" he asked, and she shook her head as if it hadn't happened. "Please."

"I'm just tired. I will text you tomorrow," she said with a stiff smile, then hustled away.

James stepped back from the door, letting it close.

What the hell was that? What did he say? The night was going so well. Then he didn't even get a goodnight kiss. It felt more like a brush-off.

He was just teasing her about sleeping over at each other's rooms. Did she not like the idea of sleeping over? He knew some people had very particular needs for their sleep. It could have been that.

He walked down the stairs and began walking toward his dorm. He had time to think.

Or maybe he was overthinking it. Perhaps she was just tired. Was he certain that glimpse of an expression had been guilt?

His mind returned to what he said just before he caught the look. Was it the sleeping over or the cuddling?

Oh... the deep, dark secrets?

But that made no sense. He really didn't pick up anything nefarious about Min Yue.

James rubbed his face with his hands. He really was looking too deeply at this. Overthinking is a dangerous path.

He'd get some rest and wait for her text in the morning. Things would be clearer then.

-=-

Jennifer heard her cell ringing and saw it was Min Yue. She'd been on a date with James!

She picked up. "Min Yue?"

"Hi, Jennifer."

"Katherine told me you were on a date with James, and you'd asked him to be your boyfriend—"

Min Yue sounded frustrated. "I know! I made mistake! Katherine and Julie already said!"

Jennifer hadn't heard the woman angry before. "I'm sorry. How did it go?"

There was a long sigh then Min Yue spoke. "The date was so good. We had lovely dinner, and then we made love in my car. It was... perfect!"

Jennifer felt a definite twinge of jealousy and then gave herself a shake for the stupid reaction. "So, you're free of the compulsion?"

"Yes," Min Yue said quietly.

"Does he believe he's your boyfriend?" Jennifer asked carefully.

"At dinner, I told him it was too soon, like Julie told him. But... he still wants to be." Min Yue sounded miserable.

Julie told James it was too soon to become girlfriend-boyfriend? Then Jennifer realized Min Yue also wanted him to be her boyfriend.

"I'm sorry, Min Yue. Julie was right, though. It is too soon. Maybe once everyone is free?" she offered. "For now, though, I think you'll have to tell him again that it's too soon."

"I know! I hate lie!" she shouted then the call disconnected.

Jennifer looked at her cell in surprise but couldn't blame the woman.

This had to end soon.

Chapter 18

James swore once more to keep his head down and concentrate on just making it through his course.

This morning, he'd received a brief text from Min Yue saying it was too soon for her to begin a relationship. She was sorry if she hurt him as she really liked him.

He'd had a dark moment when his temper flared at yet another example of how far out of tune he was with people his age. His frustration swelled as he flailed in his mind to target the source of his shitty luck.

He struggled with the anger and realized he shouldn't blame the women who'd shared their time with him as their behavior seemed the current norm. He was the one viewing the world through the perspective of his grandparent's outdated cultural expectations.

He couldn't blame his grandparents as they truly loved him and did their best after he was left with them by his parents.

He could certainly focus his anger on his mom and dad, but they'd disappeared so that felt unsatisfying.

Words from his grandfather reminded him that assigning blame was a wasteful effort and didn't bring peace, so he had to let it go.

James sighed as he was distracted once more when images of the previous night flashed through his mind.

He closed his books and put them back into his backpack. He was clearly too upset to study, and the cafeteria wasn't the best location for it anyway.

Normally, he would have gone to the library, but he didn't want to bump into the Lusty Librarian in his current mood.

He decided to just go for a walk. Maybe he'd find a quiet park bench to unwind his thoughts.

The campus grounds were peaceful this morning, so he had no trouble finding a nice place to sit in peace. The sun was warm but was filtered through the leaves, so it felt pleasant. He could hear birds, squirrels, and subdued sounds of the campus but it was quiet enough to get his unruly thoughts to shut up.

Unfortunately, his tranquility only lasted for about ten minutes.

Raised voices interrupted his Zen. A couple having an argument were walking along the path that passed before his bench.

He glanced to his left and saw a young woman with a large mane of wild, kinky black hair. She had light brown skin, dark eyes with extra long lashes, and her plush lips wore dark plum lipstick. Her body was extra curvy which her tight hoody and jeans showcased well. Her breasts strained her sweater, and her ass, hips, and thighs tested the strength of the denim.

He did his best not to stare, but as she got closer, he realized the denim was just a pattern printed on stretchy tights. She waved her hands at the man behind her as if to shoo him away and James saw she wore extra long nails also painted dark purple.

Directly behind her was a young man trying to get her to stop and talk to him. He wore a flashy tracksuit and a collection of gold chains and rings. His hair and beard were professionally groomed, and the jewelry looked expensive.

Neither was using their quiet voices.

"Baby, come on! I can't pass up an opportunity like this! You know it's my dream!" the man said, and his accent caught James' attention. From his olive skin tone, James wondered if he was Mediterranean.

The woman stopped dead and spun to glare at him, pointing a long nail at his face. "Your dream? You mean your dream this week! Let's see. First, it was custom T-shirts for concert venues. Then, it was opening an after-hours nightclub. Customizing Cadillac Escalades, then it was a limo service. Each and every time, you'd say it was your dream! No more!" She spun and continued along the sidewalk.

They were getting closer, and James was becoming uncomfortable, but dammit, he was here first.

He just wanted some peace and quiet. What drama these two were dealing with had nothing to do with him, so there was no way he would let himself get involved.

"Baby, you know those opportunities only died because they were undercapitalized. This time, the start-up costs are much lower!"

"I'm not holding you back! Go! Live your dream. It's not mine!" she shouted.

"Aww, don't be like that! You know I love you! I want you in my life and to share my dreams with you!" he pleaded poetically.

She spun once more and was almost next to the bench this time.

"Right. Right. How much will it cost me this time to share your dream? You know what? I don't want to know because you're not getting any more of my money! I've been a fool for you too long. Take your loser dreams and get out of my life permanently!" she snapped.

As quickly as he presented a pleading expression, his face switched to rage. The man didn't care to be called a loser and pulled his arm back to give her a backhand slap.

James was on his feet instantly and the man's eyes shot to his face. He quickly relaxed his stance but curled his lip at the woman, who glared defiantly at him.

"I guess I was wrong about you all along. Bitch," he muttered, then reversed his course and walked back along the path.

Only then did the woman turn her head to glance at James, who was beginning to sit again.

"Sorry you had to see and hear that," she apologized.

James just shook his head. He repeated his mantra internally. "Keep your head down." Again, this wasn't anything he needed to get involved in.

A shudder went through the woman's body as the adrenaline ran out. "Do you mind?" she said as she pointed to the bench.

James gestured for her to take a seat, so she did.

They sat quietly, just breathing and enjoying the day's peace.

When he heard a sniff and glanced over at her, he saw tears running down her cheeks. He wanted to get to his feet and walk away. Wasn't that what people did these days? Avoiding emotional involvement seemed to be a skill everyone was quite good at. He felt his grandparent's disapproval at the idea but they weren't here, living in a world they wouldn't understand.

He should just stand up and walk away.

Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulled out his handkerchief, and offered it to her as his grandfather had taught him long ago.

She glanced at him in surprise and accepted the small cloth. "Thank you."

She dabbed her eyes as she struggled to regain her composure. "I-I don't know anyone who carries a handkerchief."

He smiled self-consciously, as here was another example of his outdated behavior. "The need for them hasn't gone away."

She nodded at that. After a short time, she cleared her throat delicately and could speak. "Sorry. I'm just sad about all the time I've lost to that charming sponge and how much money I've given him over the years for his stupid schemes."

He looked at her and heard his grandmother's response coming from his lips. "It sounded like you made a clean break. That means you won't lose any more time or money from this day forward." He smiled with a little shrug. "Just another perspective."

"Glass half full, huh?" she said with a wobbly smile.

"Exactly," he agreed as he leaned back and relaxed. It looked like he might just make it through this encounter unscathed.

They were quiet for a while as she regained her equilibrium.

"I have got to get my head on straight. I keep falling for sweet-talking Romeos, all flash and no substance. Julius was an ideas man who couldn't turn any of them into reality. Before him, it was Jevon who was only happy when he was on the court. He was abusive when he wasn't. My first was RJ, but he turned out to be a drug dealer. Fuck! I've got the worst taste in men!"

James nodded as he grinned at her. Once more, his grandmother's wisdom came to his rescue.

"Sounds like you've identified the problem. Since you know the pattern you're following isn't making you happy, don't fall for the sweet-talking Romeos. Don't be attracted to them. Look for substance before flash. You deserve to find someone who loves you and doesn't just want something from you. Feel good about yourself, and don't settle for less!"

She grinned and rolled her eyes as he made it sound so easy. She opened her mouth to say so and her voice stuck.

"Okay," she managed, and her voice sounded... submissive?

"There you go," he said with a nod, thinking she was just going along with his teasing.

She turned to face him and held out her hand. "Hi. I'm Naya Rhone."

Being careful of her nails, he took her hand in his. "James Bailey," he said, and she sucked in a breath and squeaked. His smile became a look of concern as he saw her expression freeze. Were his words coming back to bite him after all?

"Is something wrong?" he asked cautiously as he released her hand.

"NO! No, I..." She seemed frozen again. "You were on that video! Beating up that guy!" she said in a rush.

He relaxed and shrugged. "Oh, yeah. It wasn't such a big thing."

"You certainly helped—that girl." Then, her eyes widened as she recalled how Julius suddenly backed off when he went to hit her. "Were you going to do that to my ex?"

James frowned. "If he tried to hurt you, yes. But he was just a bully. A coward."

"Then I'm really glad I met you today. I-I should get to class, but I'd really like to grab a coffee with you sometime?" she asked hopefully.

"Oh, uh, sure. Okay," he said as he saw her pull her cell phone from her purse. He took his out, and they exchanged numbers.

She took a picture of him for her contact page. Then she helped him take a photo of her for his.

"Sorry, I'm still new to cell phones," he said with a self-conscious smile.

She stood and smiled at him. "It was really nice to meet you, James. Talk to you later?"

"It was nice meeting you, Naya. I look forward to it!" he said with a smile, then realized he actually was.

She rushed away, and while he tried, he couldn't help watching her leave momentarily. She glanced back and grinned at his embarrassment at being caught.

He sighed and realized he'd be late for his next class if he didn't get moving.

He did feel a little better, though, so he silently thanked Naya for redirecting his thoughts.

James smiled to himself as he realized Naya was a major distraction.

-=-

Naya called Katherine the moment she was alone. The woman picked up on the third ring.

"Naya? Is everything alright?"

"Oh my god, Katherine! He did it! He gave me an order, and I couldn't do anything but agree!" Naya cried.

"What happened?" she gasped.

"Julius found me at the campus and was trying to get me to give him more money. I tried walking away and he followed me onto the quad. We got into this big argument. I called him a loser and told him we were over, permanently. He was about to hit me when he froze and then walked away. This guy was watching us from a bench, and I sat and cried—Oh! I still have his handkerchief! Anyway, I told him I had bad taste in men, and he told me not to be attracted to the Romeos and to feel good about myself! I can feel it!"

"What?" Katherine asked.

"I do feel good about myself! I feel really good!" Naya gasped as her eyes widened in realization.

Katherine was quiet for a moment. "So, he didn't ask you to do anything against your will?"

"N-no. He was really nice. He gave me his handkerchief as I cried a little. I didn't know it was him!" she exclaimed.

Katherine sighed in relief. "That's good. So, we know the compulsion is still active, and he seemed unaware?"

"Yes," she said. "We exchanged numbers so we can meet for coffee. I'll give him back his handkerchief. Oh my god."

"What is it?" Katherine asked cautiously.

"I-I think he's attractive," Naya said softly in shock.

"What's wrong with that?" Katherine asked softly.

"He's totally not my... type. Oh my god! Did he change my type?" Naya squeaked.

"Was your type these Romeos?" Katherine asked.

"YES! SHIT!" Naya cried as she came to a complete stop on the path.

"Did they make you happy?" Katherine asked. "I understand you had a very tempestuous relationship with your last boyfriend. Did you not just say he tried to hit you?"

Naya heard her, but she was trying to recall moments when she was happiest in their relationship and found so few. Even those moments were colored by her new awareness. Her joy in herself shone a new light on all the moments when Julius made her happy for his benefit, not hers.

"Naya?"

"I'm sorry. Yes, it's true. I see it now. Sorry, I should get to class. Thanks for listening, Katherine."

"Take care, dear."

Naya put away her phone and headed for the building where her sociology classes were held. She had much to think about.

There were some bad boys in one of her classes. She'd see if they still gave her tingles.

If they didn't, what would that mean for her life plan!

Chapter 19

James felt much better about his activities with the women he'd... interacted with recently after meeting Naya at the coffee shop the night before. They talked for hours about relationships, societal pressures, and generational expectations. She assured him the behavior he'd experienced was normal and that he had time to experiment at this stage of his life.

She was fascinated by his adoption of his grandparent's values due to his isolation from his own peer group. She returned his handkerchief and raised her eyebrow as it symbolized this.

He'd laughed at her phrasing as it sounded like he'd become a lab rat for her.

She apologized for her enthusiasm, blaming her Sociology Major, but he assured her he hadn't taken offense.

They ended the evening with a hug, and she was an armful of softness. They made plans to meet again.

As he entered the room for the second class of his Friday morning schedule, he nodded to two other students who sat near him. They were talking excitedly about a camping trip this weekend.

Rian Moore was a fit but slim man in his twenties with a shock of red hair, pale skin, and numerous freckles. He had an infectious smile and laugh and an outgoing personality. He lamented that these qualities didn't draw in the babes.

Tom Jensen was a stocky man also in his twenties who must have spent a lot of time outdoors to get such a deep tan. He also had numerous tattoos on his arms but the art was poor quality and didn't seem to follow any coherent theme. He wore his dark, messy hair down to his shoulders, and his beard always looked like it needed trimming. He was a bit of a party animal from the conversations James overheard.

"Did you sign up, James?" Rian asked him.

"Me? No. It's not in my budget," he replied with a smile.

"How is free not in your budget?" Tom snorted in amusement.

James looked at them curiously. "Free? How are the organizers doing that?"

Tom seemed very enthusiastic about the event. "It's a social mixer the university is throwing. They supply tents, sleeping bags and pads, and food. The camping area is in the woods on the north side of the college grounds. It starts with a barbecue dinner tonight. When it gets dark, there's gonna be a campfire with music, stories, smores, and roasted marshmallows. The Astronomy nerds are bringing telescopes and binoculars for stargazing as it'll be clear tonight. Then we sleep in the tents. Breakfast will be served in the morning then we come back to the dorms."

"How many have signed up?" James asked.

Rian and Tom looked at each other to recall what they'd seen on the sign-up sheet.

"When I signed it, there were only eighteen," Rian said.

"There were twenty-eight names when I did," Tom said, then grinned wolfishly. "There was a surprising number of ladies on that list."

James looked at him curiously. "Surprising?"

Tom nodded. "Yeah, chicks don't like camping—"

"You're talking out of your ass again, Tom."

They turned to see Barb Carver, one of the two women in the mostly male class, scowling at Tom.

"Whaddaya mean? It's true! Chicks don't like camping! With the bugs, sleeping in tents, and getting dirty, they're too squeamish!" Tom insisted.

James and Rian shared cautious looks, eased away from Tom slightly, then turned to Barb.

"That's a misogynistic generalization and horribly inaccurate. Lots of women love camping! I would have signed up, but I have other plans this weekend," Barb insisted with some extra steam.

"Oh please," Tom groaned wearily, preparing to set her straight.

Rian and James quietly walked away and sat at their desks across the room. Rian turned in his chair and looked at James. "You really should try to sign up. Have you ever been camping?" he asked.

James smiled and nodded. "My grandpa taught me how when I was a kid. We'd set up camp in a grove of trees not too far from the farmhouse. I learned how to start a fire without matches, pitch a tent, and build a firepit to cook over it. We fished in a nearby stream and ate the fish we caught. He showed me how to clean our catch, and we cooked them in the coals."

"Sounds like a great time," Rian said with a smile.

"It really was," he said with a little smile.

James decided he would see about signing up for the mixer. This seemed a lot safer than a Frat party.

-=-

On his lunch break, he was walking toward the Student Activities Center when he saw someone waving to him. James paused to wait for her to catch up and smiled at Elke as she approached him.

"Hi, Elke! How are you doing?" he asked.

Her smile widened as she stopped just before him. Her lovely yellow sundress clung to her curves, and her eyes twinkled happily as she caught his appreciation of her beauty.

"I am much happier now, and Dawn is helping me with my immigration application," she said.

"That's wonderful to hear! I'm so happy for you!" he said, and she suddenly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. He was slightly surprised but returned the hug, which felt very good.

When she pulled back, she gave him a coy smile. "Do you have plans tonight?"

He paused as his mind returned to the present. "Uh, I was on my way to sign up for an overnight camping party the college is putting on tonight. Apparently, it's free."

Elke's eyes widened as her expression showed her excitement. "Could I join you?"

James' smile widened as he held her eyes. She watched him, hopefully.

"If they are still accepting names, sure! We should sign up quickly," he said as he took her hand and led her toward the building.

A group of four students signed up, but when it was their turn, they saw they were number forty-five and forty-six out of fifty. They signed their names and entered their student IDs on the list. The activity center staff smiled at them as he handed them a plastic numbered tag.

"You're in luck! You two got the last two-man tent, number eighteen," the man said with a smile. That number was on the tag.

James looked at Elke and saw her delighted smile, so he had some idea of her expectations for the night. Considering his recent experiences, he couldn't deny the appeal of being with this lovely woman.

The staff member handed them a sheet of paper containing information on the event, such as the time and location, plus suggestions for what they should and shouldn't bring. It also explained the rules of conduct. It was an official college-organized event on the grounds, so they asked for it not to degenerate into a drunken mess.

James and Elke thanked the man, and they stepped outside the building.

"Have you camped out before?" James asked her.

She shook her head, but her smile showed she was excited.

"You don't mind sharing a tent with me?" he asked.

Her grin widened, and she shook her head quickly as a little nervous giggle emerged.

"Take the instruction sheet. I've been camping before, so I know what to expect. How about we meet here at five-thirty? We can walk over to the campsite together," he suggested.

"I will be here," Elke said quickly. She suddenly pressed herself against his chest as she tilted her face up to his.

He automatically leaned into the embrace, and their lips met. She squeaked slightly, then pulled back with a happy grin and pranced away.

James was left swaying on his feet, the sensations of her body and lips against his still sending tingles through him. He struggled to get his mind back on track. He still had to get through the rest of his classes.

It was going to be a long afternoon.

-=-

Walking to the northern edge of the college's property didn't take too long, and the trip went by quickly as he and Elke traded stories about their childhoods. Her stories of Leipzig fascinated him as they felt so different from his life on the farm. He learned her father was an accountant for a construction company. Her mother was taken by cancer when she was six, and her father raised her alone. He wasn't good with children, told her once that her birth was an accident, and he was very strict.

His mind reeled at the thought of the man's cruelty towards his daughter. More than ever, he was happy she was escaping his control.

Elke was surprised to hear his parents had abandoned him when he was three. She couldn't comprehend how someone could do that.

He gave her a slight grin and said they both had parent issues.

She gave him a hug for that.

Elke was studying to be a forensic accountant and did well in her course. Her father's influence in drilling her on her math skills was paying off.

He told her his curiosity about how things worked made him choose engineering as a career.

When they reached the woods, they followed the path with the colorful arrows pinned to the trees. This led to a wide glade surrounded by trees. The staff set up the barbecues and arranged the attendees' picnic tables.

They could see around twenty-five people had already arrived and were milling about, checking out the tents set up amongst the trees on the other side of the glade. Each tent had a tag with a number corresponding to one like James was carrying.

"We should find our tent and drop off our bags," James suggested, and Elke nodded with a smile.

They crossed the glade and started hunting for their tent. They saw several different sizes around the north side of the glade's periphery: one family-sized, ten-person, multi-room tent, many four and five-person tents, and scattered amongst the trees were the two-person tents. Thankfully, they were each given a decent amount of space around them so a neighbor's snoring wouldn't sound like it was in your ear.

Due to the random placement of the smaller tents, it took a little effort to find theirs. They finally spotted it, furthest from the glade in a small clearing between large evergreens.

"It seems more private than the others," Elke said with a coy smile.

This put a smile on James' face as well as he nodded.

They tossed their backpacks into the tent, zipped it closed again, and made their way back to the glade.

"Did you recognize any other names on the sign-up sheet?" James asked Elke.

"No, but I don't know many people at the college," she said.

James nodded toward a man in a loud flower print shirt frantically waving at them. "The fellow waving his arms is Rian Moore. He's in some of my classes. He was the one who told me about the campout. Would you mind if we said hello?"

She smiled at him. "Not at all."

As they approached, James saw Rian's expression change to surprise then awe as he realized James was with Elke.

"You didn't mention you had a girlfriend!" Rian blurted as they stopped before the man.

James smiled and shook his head. "This is my friend Elke Brehmer. I met her on my way to sign up for the campout, and she decided to join the fun. Elke, this is Rian Moore, a classmate of mine."

Rian's smile got wider as he shook her hand. "I'm delighted to meet you." Then he glanced at James in surprise. "You just met her today?"

James shook his head. "No, we met before... through mutual friends. I meant we saw each other today in the quad while I was walking to the activity center, and she decided to participate."

"Oh!" Rian said with a smile.

"Is Tom here? He seemed the most excited about camping," James asked, looking around for familiar faces. He noted eyes were watching Elke. Eyes that quickly looked away when they saw him looking back.

"Tom said he might be a little late but to hold a spot for him for dinner," Rian said.

James looked at Elke. "Tom is also in some of our classes. He's...." He glanced at Rian. "How did Barb describe Tom?"

"She called him a knuckle-dragging mouth-breather," Rian enthusiastically offered.

James smiled at his friend and then held Elke's eyes. "Maybe he's not that bad, but his views on women... don't seem very progressive. He and Barb have some strong arguments about that."

"It's true. In Tom's opinion, all women should be subservient to men," Rian added. James raised an eyebrow at him in surprise.

Elke looked at James nervously. "Like my Papa?"

James shook his head. "No. Not like that. He's friendly, but he needs to improve his view of women. My grandmother would set him straight."

Elke giggled at that, and Rian smiled at the sound.

More students arrived, and they noticed one was carrying a guitar case.

"Here comes the musician for the bonfire party after dinner," Rian suggested. "Would you like to share a table?"

James and Elke nodded to him, and he grinned.

In the group that just arrived, James spotted a familiar face. Estefanía was looking around at the other students. He waved with a smile when her eyes turned in his direction. She smiled and began to walk toward him. He turned his face to Elke, who looked at him in question.

"She's a fellow scholarship student like me," he explained. "She has a boyfriend." He saw Rian deflate a little, but Elke's smile returned.

"So good to see you again, Estefanía!" he said, introducing her to his group.

"What course are you taking, Elke?" Estefanía asked her.

The woman smiled. "I'm in my final year of forensic accounting."

Estefanía's eyes lit up. "I'm in my first year of accounting and was thinking about that field! I have so many questions!"

Elke giggled at the other woman's enthusiasm, and James couldn't help but smile at the two ladies grinning at each other.

They found a table, and Estefanía waved over two more people from her class, a petite woman from New Delhi named Prisha Khatri and a slim, quiet man named Vincent Taylor. He and Prisha both had their long, straight black hair in thick braids hanging down their backs.

Rian and Prisha struck up a conversation immediately and were all smiles. Vincent was also interested in forensic accounting, so he listened to Elke's description of the classes and the professors. James saw Estefanía rapidly keeping notes on her new pink-gold cell phone. She grinned at him when she noticed his attention on the device.

When the people manning the barbecues announced the food was ready, they took turns to ensure they kept their table. The food was burgers and sausages, which could be beef, chicken, or veggie. The vegetarian options were cooked on a separate barbecue. There were various salads, potato chips, pretzels, and a huge cooler of soft drinks and bottled water. The condiments for the burgers and sausages took an entire table alone. There was a huge variety!

Tom arrived and saw their table was full, so he waved and joined the next table. He threw James an approving thumbs-up for sitting with Elke. James just smiled and nodded.

The food was pretty good, and the cooks managed to not burn anything for the most part.

The conversation was lively at their table, and then Estefanía let slip that James was the one who'd been attacked by some frat boys. The others quickly asked for details.

"There isn't much to tell," James sighed. He saw their eager attention, so he nodded. "I was on my way to a frat party. Walter invited me." He turned his face to Rian. "He told me that Richard Madden made him do it, but he had no idea why Richard wanted me at the party." He turned back to the others. "Three of Richard's goons ambushed me on the front lawn and punched and kicked me until I was almost unconscious. They stupidly said their names as they argued about Richard's absence from the attack. My memory gets really hazy at this point, but the next thing I recall is waking naked in the woods, walking out to a country road, and the police finding me. I woke up in the hospital."

"Naked!" Estefanía gasped, and the others laughed.

James saw Elke was giving him a sad look. He squeezed her hand before looking back at Estefanía. "Yes, but some days later, someone must have found my clothes because they returned them in a bag on my room's doorknob. Weirdest thing."

"What happened to the guys who beat you up?" Vincent asked.

"They were complete morons. They were picked up by the police at their frat house with my wallet, my blood on their clothes, and a ring one had been wearing when he hit me. It was a cut-and-dried case against them. They pled guilty, but they'll get reduced sentences if they testify against Richard in his trial. No idea when that will be. The last I heard, he's confined to his home until he heals enough to go to court. They found evidence in Richard's room of his plan to attack me the night of the party and the other three scholarship awardees later."

Prisha suddenly grabbed Estefanía's hand in shock, knowing her friend would have been on the list.

Estefanía nodded. "We were lucky they started with James, but we feel guilty about that too."

James smirked. "Well, you and Brian feel guilty about it. I doubt the other woman feels anything at all."

That pulled a laugh from Estefanía, who nodded. She described the woman's weird behavior but didn't mention the cell phones, thankfully.

They continued talking about their classes, the professors, and their future plans.

Vincent would be working at his father's company when he graduated.

Prisha had a job waiting for her with her family as well.

Estefanía was convinced she wanted to be a forensic accountant like Elke.

Rian and James hadn't yet determined which field of study they would concentrate on, but they enjoyed the course.

They saw the bonfire flames in the glade's center begin to dance, so it was time to find seats around it. A wide ring of logs surrounded a circular crushed gravel pad with the firepit at its center. People were sitting on the logs while others sat on the gravel and leaned back against the logs. Some enterprising students carried their picnic tables over to the ring to let up to four people sit on one side to face the bonfire over the heads of the people sitting on the logs.

More tables were added until everyone had a seat and could see the flames.

Ingredients for Smores were made available and many people tried them.

James was sitting on a log, and the man who'd brought the guitar asked if he could sit beside him. He nodded and gestured to the spot.

Elke was on his other side, and they shared a grin as they'd have the best seat in the house to hear the music.

Some of the students had long sticks and were immolating marshmallows.

"Would you like a toasted marshmallow?" James asked Elke.

"Those burnt things?" she asked with a look of distaste.

He smiled. "No, properly toasted a golden brown. They're quite delicious."

She smiled and nodded, so he got to his feet and walked to the table to get a stick and a marshmallow.

He'd done this with his grandparents on cool fall nights, so he knew how to evenly toast the fluffy confection. When he was satisfied, he carried the stick back to Elke. She smiled at him and watched the people next to her eating the treat. She put the marshmallow in her mouth and pulled the stick out. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the flavors.

She looked at James and smiled widely. "That was delicious! Thank you!"

"Would you like another?" he asked, and she shook her head. She gently bounced her boobs once, and he got the message.

The fellow with the guitar was staring at Elke as he'd seen the bounce. He looked up at James, then quickly looked away.

James returned the stick to the table and returned to take his spot. The musician, whose name was Dave, was taking requests as people called out to him to play their favorites.

He made his decision and began.

The crowd was delighted to discover the man was really good, and people began to sing along.

Dave had just finished his seventh song when one of his friends returned from the bonfire with a toasted marshmallow for him.

James was facing Elke, who was enjoying singing along. He didn't see the smoldering marshmallow suddenly burst into flame as Dave pulled it from the stick with the fingers of his left hand.

"SONOVABITCH!" Dave shouted as the flaming goo stuck to his fingers. He flung the marshmallow away from him, but the outer layer remained and continued to burn.

He dropped his guitar as he jumped to his feet. James caught the instrument as it fell and passed it to Elke.

The flames were quickly out, but Dave's fingers were painfully scorched. His playing was over for the night. He looked at James.

"Thanks for catching my guitar. I wasn't thinking rationally at the time," Dave said shakily.

"Hard to do when you're on fire," James said with a grin, putting one on Dave's face too. The man looked at Elke, holding the instrument like she was about to play.

"Do you want to take over for me?" he asked with a grin.

"What song should I play?" she returned with a bold smile, but James saw the little tremble. She was pushing herself outside her comfort zone. He gave her a proud smile, and her smile widened happily at his praise.

Dave blinked at her. "Seriously, she plays?" he asked James.

"Give her a song," he said simply.

"Okay, uh, Lori wanted to hear Paint It Black. Rolling Stones," Dave said.

Elke grinned and played the opening notes of the song.

"Wooo!" Dave howled excitedly. Then he began to strut like Mick Jagger and quickly got into the lyrics and gyrations. He did a remarkably good impression of the rock legend.

Afterward, the group laughed and clapped.

Dave called out for other suggestions and would look to Elke for her nod or head shake before each.

Lori, one of Dave's friends, changed places with him and belted out some amazing vocals as Elke played.

Finally, Elke waved to Dave to say she was done as her fingers were tired. She handed the guitar to James and pointed to the row of porta-potties. She also needed a restroom break.

Dave was busy talking with Lori excitedly. James thought he them say something about forming a band.

He grinned at how happy people were. Music was a powerful force. He looked down at the guitar in his lap and recalled how, as a kid, he'd fantasized about learning to play to create music for his grandma.

James passed his fingers over the strings as he remembered her listening to her old Beatles records. Here Comes the Sun was a favorite song of hers. His left hand slid up the fretboard and found the spots to press as his right strummed and plucked. His voice rang out clear and true as he sang the song for his grandmother, imagining her joy.

He was oblivious to the silence of the others as the music swelled and ebbed.

When he finished the song, he imagined the smile on her face as she clapped for him. That sound grew, and his awareness of his surroundings returned in a rush. He gaped at the people around him who were clapping and smiling.

Rian patted him on the shoulder. "That was beautiful! You have quite the talent!"

James looked at him blankly. "What... what happened?"

His friend looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean? You played a lovely Beatles song for us and sang wonderfully! Were you in the zone?" he added playfully.

He stared at Rian in shock.

He didn't know how to play the guitar. He'd taken no lessons. He'd never even held one before tonight!

James looked at his fingertips. They were red from playing and stung. He had no calluses to protect his skin from the strings.

Dave walked over with a wide grin, and James quickly stood and thrust the guitar into the man's uninjured hand, surprising him.

James needed quiet to think, so he turned and walked quickly away from the bonfire toward the edge of the forest where the tents were set up. There were very few people here.

What the fuck was going on with his brain? He suddenly recalled a story on the news about a very young boy with some mental disability who suddenly knew how to play the piano. Could this be what was going on with his mind? Maybe his brain was injured in the attack, and it was developing strange autistic savant skills? He should speak to the doctor again.

"James?"

He turned and saw Elke watching him cautiously. "What's wrong?" she asked.

He shook his head. How would he describe this? "I don't know... but something is."

"What happened?" she asked.

"I played the guitar and sang," he said.

She seemed to freeze for a moment. "Was that you? I heard someone when I went to use the restroom."

James nodded. "I don't know how to play guitar, but tonight I did. I'm also a terrible singer, but tonight I wasn't."

"D-do you know why?" she asked quietly.

He looked at her, his spinning mind completely distracted by dire possibilities. "No. I think—I'm going to the hospital tomorrow to speak to the doctor who examined me that night. Maybe... maybe it's a brain injury."

She gasped, or it could have been a released breath. "How could a brain injury make you able to play guitar?"

He shook his head in frustration. "I don't know! None of this makes sense! The only thing I could think of was a story on the news about an autistic kid who suddenly knew how to play piano. My case may be completely different, but I need to find out!"

She hugged him, and it was his turn to gasp. He wrapped his arms around her, and they stood there in silence, taking comfort from a simple embrace.

Finally, he kissed her forehead. "I'm not feeling much like rejoining the party. Do you think we could just go back to our tent?"

"Yes," she said.

They had to use the flashlights on their cell phones to find the tent, but when they did, they got inside on their hands and knees and zipped it closed. Their backpacks were on top of the two sleeping bags, which rested upon two cushioned mats. The ground below their tent was a thick bed of pine needles, so there was plenty of softness beneath them.

"We should get ready for bed," James said, and Elke smiled.

She pulled her top off, peeling it from her waist upwards and over her head.

Once more, James was stunned by the sight of Elke's large and round breasts. They seemed oversized for her slim torso, but he had trouble looking away.

Emphasizing her generous proportions, she wore a sexy black lace push-up bra. Her nipples were plainly visible through the sheer material, and she seemed to be excited by his ability to see her.

"Oh my! That's... uh, that's a really sexy bra you're wearing," James stammered.

She smiled in delight. "Dawn helped me pick it out. She also selected these!" Elke said excitedly and spun to get on her hands and knees with her ass facing him. She quickly pulled the shorts down her legs, and James gaped in surprise as he thought she was naked! Her ass cheeks were so round and full he initially missed seeing the beads at her tailbone guiding the lower strap of the G-string between the fleshy orbs.

"That's... wow! Is that comfortable?" he managed to say, and she giggled.

"It took a little bit of time to get used to the string, but now it just excites me," she admitted.

She was talking to him over her shoulder, and her ass was so inviting-looking. Without thinking about it, he reached out and cupped her ass cheeks between his hands and squeezed them.

"Ooohhh! That feels so good," Elke signed and shivered with the thrill of being touched so roughly.

Emboldened, James leaned forward and pressed his face against her ass and pressed his tongue against her fabric-covered pussy.

"OH GOD!" Elke cried out and forced her ass back against his face.

Her fingers cleverly pulled the G-string aside to let his tongue reach her pussy. He wasted no time in worshipping her wet lips with his mouth and fingers until she was crying out in bliss and writhing. He squeezed her ass in his hands as he thrust his tongue deep into her pussy, and she dropped her face to the tent floor as she came hard. The only thing keeping her from collapsing completely was his firm grip on her cheeks.

When James pulled back, he returned to his senses and realized he'd just had his way with the sweet woman.

"I'm sorry, Elke. I don't know what came over me!" he apologized.

She panted as she turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were dreamy, and her lips were puffy from her biting on them. "No, I liked it very much! Do not apologize for your passion. I have never felt better!" She paused as she saw he was still looking at her hungrily. A thrill rushed through her body, and she looked back at him.

"I want to do more with you. I want you to take me every way you can! Use my body to bring yourself pleasure. Use every orifice!" She held his eyes as the pink tip of her tongue licked her lips.

James watched Elke in surprise and felt a little zing shoot up his spine. He lowered her gently to the floor, then pulled off his clothes as he watched her eyes. When she saw his swollen cock and the ring at its base, she released a little involuntary gasp. He took her hand, placed it on his stiff member, and wrapped her fingers around it.

Her gasp was louder this time, and she squeezed him as the ring pressed against her palm. Elke's eyes threatened to roll back, so he slipped his fingers into the hair behind her head and pulled her face toward his erection.

Elke's eyes snapped open as she realized what he wanted. A smile flashed onto her lips, though she looked slightly intimidated. He could see she was new to this.

"Stroke me with your tongue, kiss its length, then take me in your mouth gradually, but be careful not to let your teeth drag on it," he said with a rumble of desire in his voice.

Her eyelids fluttered as her tongue slipped out to lick the hot skin on his shaft. She moaned quietly as he used his grip on her hair to direct her up and down its length.

She pressed her lips against the soft head, and tremors ran through her muscles. He pulled her face back and looked into her eyes curiously.

"I love this!" she sighed.

He smiled and pressed the tip against her lips. She parted them, and he thrust forward slowly, then pulled back. He kept this up, gradually pushing deeper into her mouth. Her tongue was stroking his skin as he reached the back of her throat. Instead of gagging or resisting, she pulled at him on his next thrust and felt the head slip into her throat.

Now, she moaned with need. His next thrust pushed the head much deeper inside, and her lips reached the ring. He felt her convulse and worried that she was choking, but her arms wrapped around his legs as she pulled him even deeper into her throat. He began to fuck her mouth and throat, and her sighs and squeals increased.

As she was completely absorbed, he reached down to place his hand over her gushing pussy and stroked his middle finger over her gushing lips.

Elke pulled back to gasp in a deep breath, telling James she'd been desperate for a breath.

He knew her pussy was sufficiently wet, so he pulled her under his body and locked eyes with her. "Protection?" he asked. He'd brought some condoms but needed to know her preference.

"I'm on the pill," she gasped, so he lifted her legs up to rest against his shoulder. Squeezing her legs to one side made her tighter, so when he drove his cock into her wet depths, she cried out in surprise and bliss.

James moaned as well, as she was so very tight and hot. He ground his pelvis against hers, and her jaw dropped as he was pressing the ring against her pussy lips. She had it all.

James began to long-stroke the beauty beneath him, slapping himself against her at the bottom of each stroke. Her eyes were rolling, and he felt her clamping down on his deep intruder, so she must have reached her release.

"James! Oh, James!" she cried softly.

He leaned forward, bending her almost in two so he could kiss her sensuous mouth. This forced the base of his cock against her, and she moaned into their kiss as tremors rushed through her.

When he finally pulled back, his cock slipped free, and she gasped aloud. He gently rolled her onto her stomach and moved his body over hers to pin her under him. His still-hard cock rested between her soft ass cheeks.

"Yes! Please, James!" she whimpered softly.

"What do you want me to do, Elke?" he asked as he teasingly stroked his cock in the crack of her trembling ass.

"Fuck my ass!" she pleaded softly.

"Where do you want my cock now?" he said into her ear, and her body trembled again. He nibbled on her ear, and she quaked under him.

"IN MY ASS!" she cried.

He stroked his cock across her wet pussy until he was slick with her juices. Then he pressed the thick head against her tight sphincter and felt it begin to accept him inside.

As the ring muscle stretched open sufficiently, his cock sank into her molten core. Elke's eyes flew wide as her mouth opened in silence. She was incredibly tight and hot as he went deeper and deeper into her body until she had it all.

"UUUUUHHHHNNNN!!!" Elke grunted from the overwhelming sensations as she took him deep. She sucked a sudden deep breath as he gave her all he had, pressing his body against the tight and wet muscle.

"FFFFFUUUUCCCKKK!!!!!!" Elke howled and thrashed under James. It felt too good for James as well, and he only managed to pull back and slam himself deep three more times before he erupted deep inside her.

He collapsed on top of her as they gasped for breath, coming back to Earth from their mutual bliss.

James realized he must be heavy for her, but when he made to move, she reached back an arm to cling to him, keeping him from leaving.

His cock slowly relaxed in her ass.

"Okay," Elke said as she released her hold on his leg.

He eased back and pulled free before lying next to her.

"I apologize if I got a little rough. I-I'm not really feeling like myself tonight after that little discovery... earlier," he said with a slight frown. "I never meant to take my frustrations out on you."

She smiled at him as her eyelids fluttered as a series of trembles rushed through her body.

"No, it was perfect! I'm not in any pain, and it felt so intense!" she purred, then looked into his eyes. "I am sorry you are feeling so confused. Nothing sounds bad," she said as she tried to ease his mind.

Still unsettled, James sat beside her, reached into his bag to pull out the package of wipes to clean himself, and handed some to her. "Yes, there is that. Still, it's a significant, inexplicable change, so I must check."

They cleaned themselves as best they could in the tight space of the tent, then settled down next to each other.

"I had the best evening," Elke said sweetly as she watched his face.

He was started out of his quiet and smiled at her. "It was pretty amazing for me as well."

"Now I feel like I could sleep for a full day!" she teased, and he chuckled.

She snuggled in to rest against his chest, and that's how sleep found them.

Chapter 20

"You're telling me your evidence of brain injury is a sudden ability to play the guitar?" Dr. Emil asked skeptically.

James glared at the doctor and struggled to contain his frustration. He'd caught the doctor in the hallway while the man was doing rounds and put the question to him. Convincing him was proving more difficult.

"How else can I explain it? I'd never even picked up a guitar before, but I could suddenly play a song and do it well enough to get everyone applauding? I also don't sing very well, but I did last night. It's impossible!"

The doctor frowned at him. "Maybe you experienced memory loss and forgot the lessons?"

James shook his head. "The only memory loss I know of happened the night of the assault. I have clear memories of growing up, and I never suffered any significant injuries during that time. I had no access to a guitar or lessons. My grandparents couldn't afford either."

Dr. Emil looked at James in exasperation. "A brain injury wouldn't explain this. Yes, there are cases where autistic children pick up the ability to play an instrument, like the piano. But that wasn't caused by injury. The loss of an ability is far more likely. We did brain scans after the attack and found no sign of injury beyond surface bruising. Not even a concussion, which was a possible outcome of the assault." He looked down the hall. "I must get back to my rounds. I'm sorry."

James watched the man leave and throttled back his anger. It wasn't the doctor's fault.

He walked toward the exit and tried to let the doctor's words ease his concerns.

As he approached the exit, he was deep in thought when he heard the distraught voice.

<< "Please! Someone help me! Why won't you help me?" >>

James looked up and saw an older Asian woman in a panic just inside the doors. He looked to the workers and saw them glancing her way as they busily moved by, but none spoke to her.

<< "He is dying! Please!" >>

James walked up to the lady, and she looked into his eyes desperately. << "My husband!" >>

<< "Where is he?" >> James asked, and relief flashed across her face.

<< "Come! He is in the car!" >> she said, tugging on his arm to follow her outside.

James grabbed a wheelchair as they stepped outside and quickly followed the woman to a sedan parked in the emergency lane. In the passenger seat was an older gentleman with his eyes closed.

<< "What happened to him?" >> James asked as he pulled the door open and released the man's seatbelt.

<< "We were returning from visiting our son at the college. He moaned, and his head tilted down. I could not wake him!" >> she said anxiously.

James scooped the old man from the seat and moved him into the wheelchair. There were bubbles on his lips, and he was breathing very shallowly.

Pushing the wheelchair as quickly as he could while keeping the unconscious man from sliding out of the chair, he got them back into the hospital.

<< "This man needs immediate care!" >>> he called out to a man in scrubs standing by the nurse's station.

The man shook his head as he approached. "English?"

"I said this man needs immediate care!" James repeated in frustration. "He fell unconscious as his wife was driving back from the college. She couldn't wake him."

The man checked the old man and then signaled for some orderlies to move him onto a gurney then they rushed away into the emergency room.

"I'll need some information on the patient," a woman behind the counter said. "Can you interpret for her?"

"What do you mean interpret? She's speaking English," James said with a frown.

<< "Where did they take my husband?" >> the old woman asked.

He turned to her. << "The doctor took him into the emergency ward to help him. This woman needs some information on your husband," >> he explained, and she nodded shakily.

Looking back at the woman behind the counter he saw she was looking at him strangely. << "What's wrong?" >>

"She isn't speaking English, and neither are you."

"What? Of course, I'm speaking English!" James scowled.

"Now you are, but you were speaking Chinese to her," the woman insisted.

<< "Please, I must see my husband!" >> the old woman said with trembling lips.

<< "Let me ask," >> James said gently.

The nurse raised an eyebrow at him, and he paused. "English?"

She smiled and nodded. "Now."

"Not before?" he asked softly.

"How can you not know you're speaking another language?" she asked.

James was stunned, and his mouth moved silently. Finally, he found his voice. "Because I wasn't aware I was speaking it." He didn't want to talk about this with her. "Uh, she wants to see her husband. Could we do the paperwork after? We're gonna do it later."

He took the old woman's hand and guided her through the doors to follow the doctor. He ignored the calls of the woman behind the counter. They looked in the different cubicles until they saw the old man on a bed hooked up to some machines. James looked at the screen and saw the heartbeat looked normal to him. The doctor stood beside the bed and turned to see James and the old woman. He joined them and smiled wearily.

"We shocked his heart back into a normal rhythm. He's breathing normally as well. How long was he in the unconscious state?" he looked at James expectantly.

James looked at the old woman, and the words came to him. << "Your husband's heart is beating properly again, and his breathing is now normal. The doctor wants to know how long he was unconscious." >>

The old woman cried happily, hugged James, and patted the doctor's hand. Finally, she was able to speak. << "Not long. Maybe a minute or two. It happened as we got close to the hospital." >>

James looked at the doctor. "She thinks it was only a minute or two."

The doctor smiled and nodded. "We'll do some tests to see if we can find the underlying cause, but I think he was lucky this time. It's damn lucky she met someone who speaks Chinese."

James looked at her eager expression. << "They will do some tests to find out what happened. They think he will be fine." >> She wept in relief, so he asked his next question. << "Can I ask you... what language are we speaking? >>

She looked at him in surprise. << "Cantonese! How did you not know? You speak like I do!" >>

James nodded with a stiff smile and turned to the doctor. "Apparently, it's Cantonese."

"Apparently? How can you not know yet still speak it?" the man asked in confusion.

James closed his eyes and took some deep breaths. "That's a question I'd like to ask Dr. Emil."

He sighed as he looked into the old woman's eyes. He then glanced at the doctor. "We need to go back and fill out the paperwork. The old man will be here for a while?"

"Yes. What's his name?" the doctor asked.

James looked at the woman. << "He will rest here for now. What is your husband's name and yours... and your son's." >>

<< "He is Lam Mak. I am Chen Wan. Our son is Lam Park." >>

He nodded to her and passed the names along. Then he guided the woman back to the admissions desk and asked them to contact their son at the college so he could come and help his parents. While he waited, he helped the mother register her husband. They had travel insurance, so he hoped they didn't have any trouble with that.

Eventually, a young man rushed into the emergency area, spotted his mom sitting next to James, and hurried to her side.

They spoke rapidly to each other, and James realized he understood everything they said.

Park looked at James. "Thank you for taking care of my parents."

James smiled and shook his head. "I lived and worked in an assisted living home with my grandparents when I was younger. I'm glad you're here to help her feel calm. I think your dad is going to be fine. I'll leave them in your care. It was nice meeting you."

He waved and smiled to the mother then headed for the door. He was walking to the curb when he heard a voice call out to him. He turned and saw it was Dr. Emil. He turned and walked back to the man.

"I was told by Dr. Franklin that you were speaking Cantonese with the wife of a patient, but you didn't know what language you were speaking," the man said in concern.

James nodded. << "Yet, I don't feel insane." >> The doctor blinked at him, and James sighed. "I just said I don't feel insane in Cantonese."

"You've never spoken this language before? You took no lessons that you can recall?" Dr. Emil asked.

"No, I've—" He suddenly froze as a memory surfaced of speaking with Min Yue's father and her suitor.

"You recalled lessons?" the doctor asked.

"No... no, I just remembered speaking the language once before. How could I have remained unaware I was speaking a language I didn't previously know?" James asked in confusion.

"Maybe we should take another scan of your brain. If you have time," Dr. Emil suggested.

James nodded, and the two men headed back inside to look for clues.

-=-

He walked back onto the campus grounds after hours of fruitless testing. Dr. Emil confirmed his brain was healthy but otherwise unremarkable. They found nothing to explain these new skills.

The doctor wanted him to have an MRI, but James reminded him that the metal ring was still attached, and he didn't want it to be ripped free by the magnetic field.

Dr. Emil examined the ring again and still couldn't see any sign of the glue. He also saw no sign of skin irritation or other harm, but the ring wouldn't come off. He suggested cutting it off, but James gave him a definitive no on that procedure.

He finally told the doctor he was returning to the college.

The campus grounds were quiet, but he heard noises from an open gymnasium door. He needed a distraction, so he wandered over to see what was happening inside.

The large area was filled with people grappling with each other and being thrown to the mat they were standing on. His mind immediately recognized the moves and began assessing their skills. The belts on their uniforms indicated their ranks but he saw many wore black belts.

He couldn't look away as he saw the athletes bouncing back up to their feet and bowing to their opponents before moving back into position for the next attempt.

He didn't see the man walk up to him until he was a short distance away. He turned and saw he was wearing the uniform with a black belt around his waist and a confident smile. He was a few inches shorter than James but looked very strong.

"I thought I recognized you. You're the young man in the video performing the Seoi Nage throw with too much enthusiasm."

James looked closer at the man and saw the fine lines at the corners of his eyes. He couldn't gauge his age, but he looked like he might be somewhere in his thirties. He held out his hand. "James Bailey."

The handshake was firm but not overpowering.

"Roger Tanaka. I'm the sensei of this dojo. Where did you study?" he asked with interest.

James shook his head with a sigh. "I haven't. That was my first throw. My body just reacted... like muscle memory."

Roger's eyes climbed up toward his hairline. "Really? Have you any interest in joining our club?"

James' immediate response was to say no, but the word froze on his lips. He needed to know....

"I-I don't know how I knew that throw. I'd like to know if it was a fluke or if I have some... skills," James said hesitantly. "Honestly, I don't know if I have time in my schedule to join the club. My course is pretty time-consuming."

"What are you studying?" Roger asked.

"Engineering," James said.

Roger nodded. "Tell you what. Let's get you into a Gi, and we'll test you against the lower ranks to see what your muscle memory can do."

James thought about that and then nodded. "Okay."

Roger smiled and led James to a room off the gym. He pulled a uniform out and handed it to James with a light blue belt. "The change rooms are the next door over."

James nodded and walked to the room to quickly pull the Gi on. He tied the belt and then joined Roger in the gym. The man checked the uniform and made some adjustments to ensure it was properly fitted and the belt was secure.

Then, they walked over to a group of men wearing white belts.

"We'll start you off with Hector. He's learning as well. Fourth kyū. The floors are padded, but try not to use as much energy on your throws as you did to that man in the video," he instructed.

James nodded.

Roger directed Hector out onto the mat and James moved to then bowed to the man. Hector went into his stance, and James watched his opponent's moves. They surged forward together, and Hector was on his back as James bounced on his toes as he moved back. Hector was blinking in surprise as he slowly rolled back to his feet. James bowed to him, and he returned it before looking at Roger in question.

"We're doing an assessment of James' skill level. He's said he has no formal training," Roger explained to the group, and they all looked at James in surprise.

Roger gestured to James, guiding him to a group wearing brown belts.

"Christine will be your sparring partner," Roger said.

The woman in question smiled and stepped onto the mat. James joined her, and they bowed.

She was much more cautious, having witnessed Hector's immediate failure.

She lunged in and got a good grip on his lapel and sleeve. But he got his arm inside hers to grip her lapel, which prevented her from being able to throw her hip into his body. As she tried to shift her stance, she found herself lifted off her feet, and she hit the mat.

Confusion flashed across her expression as she tried to recall how he'd caught her.

James moved back as she climbed to her feet. They bowed, and James turned to Roger.

"Now you've really got me curious," Roger said with a grin. "Let's spar."

James blinked. "You want me to spar with you?"

Roger nodded and gestured for him to follow.

They walked to the center of the largest matted area and most of the belts in this were like the sensei's, black. He suddenly spotted Phoebe and Phoenix and nodded to them. They smiled and waved.

Roger stopped on the mat and looked at James. "You know the Papadakis sisters?"

James blushed. "We've met."

The man paused. "Did they teach you?"

James shook his head. "No. They mentioned they knew Judo and were originally taught by their father, but they never demonstrated their skills."

Roger held his eye and seemed to accept that.

They bowed to each other and began.

James was thrown to the mat this time but immediately rolled out of the clinch and back onto his feet.

They moved together again, and James was pulled forward as Roger planted his foot on James' hip and threw him. James turned that motion into a cartwheel and remained on his feet. Roger rolled back to his feet, and they moved together again.

James was completely focused on Roger as they grappled and rolled away from each other repeatedly. Neither could get the advantage on the other and both were getting tired.

Finally, James saw his opportunity, threw the sensei over his hip, and dropped to pin him. He found himself facedown on the mat and unable to move. He patted the mat in submission, and Roger released his hold. James rolled over onto his back and gasped for breath.

"Oh my god! I hurt all over," he moaned.

Roger laughed, then winced a little as he got to his feet. "It's clear that you were having a little fun with me. You must be at least eighth dan and have been training with the Papadakis sisters."

James lifted his head to stare at the man. "What?"

"The excess bend in your wrists when you take a grip in a grapple matches Phoenix's, and the way you twist to escape a pin matches Phoebe's style," he said smugly.

James looked at him in confusion. "A grip and a twist? This is what you're basing that guess on?"

"Combined with the fact that you know them." Roger waved the question off with a dismissive gesture.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I have no rank. I've never competed," James said sincerely.

Roger looked at him in surprise, then shook his head. "I could only assign you a brown belt, Ikkyū. You need to compete to raise your rank. You'd still be an excellent addition to our team. We'd have to arrange for your rank exams and registration."

James pushed himself up to his feet and then stretched his back with a wince. He took a deep breath, then looked back at the sensei smiling at him.

"I wasn't expecting to do this today, but thank you for helping me grasp my skill level. I'll have to put some thought into determining how to fit this activity into my schedule," James said honestly.

Roger nodded, then gestured for Phoebe and Phoenix to join them.

The two ladies hurried over and bowed to their sensei. "I leave it to you two to convince Mr. Bailey to join our team," he said to them. Then he fixed a stern eye on them. "You did him no favors training him outside the testing and registration process. I thought you knew better. I'm of a mind to remove you both from the next event."

James didn't want the ladies to get in trouble because of him. "They had nothing to do with this. Did they tell you who trained them?"

Roger froze for a moment. "Their father? That's who taught you?"

James just smiled at the man. He wasn't going to lie... directly.

Roger frowned. "But your rank wasn't tested or registered?"

James shook his head.

"Then he did you a disservice. You are very good!" He turned to the twins. "I still want you to convince him."

Roger patted James' arm, then hustled away to get his students back to their training.

"Why did you tell him our Papa trained you?" Phoenix asked.

"I didn't actually say those words. I just let him think that. It's easier to explain than the truth. Also, I didn't want him to punish you two just because he thought you were somehow involved in training me in Judo," James said as he shook his head incredulously.

"This has been the weirdest two days of my life. Last night, I discovered I suddenly know how to play a guitar and sing decently. Today, I realized I can speak Cantonese fluently and have high-ranking Judo skills. I went to the hospital today so the doctor could take scans of my brain. He found nothing that might explain this sudden uptick of skills."

Phoebe shared a look with Phoenix, then turned to James. "It doesn't sound like bad things, like losing an ability."

"True," he agreed and tried to put his anxiety into words. "But if it was that, there'd be some explainable cause. Spontaneously gained skills can't be explained, and that's frightening." He looked out at the room of people learning Judo. "Plus, it feels like I'm cheating. I didn't earn these skills through my own hard work. I shouldn't profit from them. That... doesn't feel right," James said quietly with a frown.

The twins pulled him into a hug. When he pulled back, his face was red.

"Does this mean you won't join the team?" Phoenix asked quietly.

He looked at her. "Compete against people who earned their skills? That wouldn't be fair. I'd feel terrible if I won." He sighed. "I can defend myself and protect others, but I won't use it otherwise.

He smiled at them. "Still, it's nice seeing you two again. Lovely as always."

It was their turn to blush. "You must have hit your head. We're all sweaty and wearing Gis!" Phoebe insisted.

His smile became a wolfish grin. "I know exactly how good you look in that state."

Their eyes widened as they grinned at him hungrily. Then they noticed they had an audience watching. They moved closer to the side of the gym.

"I have a cell phone now, so you can reach me much more easily," James said.

"I'll get ours!" Phoebe said and rushed into the woman's change room. He collected his and returned to the gym to share contact details. They posed for photos for his contact page, and he posed for them.

"Are you busy tonight?" he asked hopefully.

They pouted and nodded. "We're meeting some friends tonight and in a study group tomorrow."

"Well, you have my number now, so if you get some free time, please call me," he said with a hopeful smile.

Overly conscious of the eyes on them they nodded with sweet smiles as he waved and walked into the change room to put his clothes back on.

When he was done, he left the uniform in the office and walked toward the exit with a last look at the twins who were tossing their opponents to the mat.

He went outside and walked back to his dorm, his mind struggling to find a rational reason for his recent changes.

Everything pointed back to the night of the assault.

What happened to him?

Chapter 21

Richard Madden clung to the edge of his ensuite bathroom counter as he stared at his bloodshot eyes in the mirror.

He'd been restricted to the family home since they released him from the hospital. Initially, he'd been weak as a kitten and nauseous from the operations, pain killers, and unending agony.

His father gave him the news that the surgeons had to remove his testicles as they'd been destroyed by the angry cunts who continued to be anonymous. He didn't want kids anyway, but that pissed off his parents.

Then, another insult was piled on this humiliation. The cops made him wear a fucking ankle monitor as he was considered a flight risk. They were pressing charges against him for masterminding the plot to attack the free-ride scholarship deadbeats. They also had his stash of blackmail photos and videos, illegal drugs, and the unregistered weapons he'd had in his dorm room. His scumbag friends were working with the police, providing them with all the evidence they needed to put Richard behind bars for a sentence far longer than he thought he could endure.

While they were concentrating on building a case against him, the detectives made no fucking progress on discovering exactly who carved him up. There were too many suspects as he'd apparently made enemies of the entire female population of the college.

He stared at the patches of skin visible between the remaining bandages.

Many of them had been removed as the wounds beneath had healed sufficiently, but this just revealed more of the scarring on his face and body. The plastic surgeries to repair the scars would come later.

Some of the slashes were shallow and would only leave little white lines.

Others went deep, and he'd lost sensation and movement in the underlying muscles. The damage to his chest left him with the sensation of fire ants crawling over it. He looked like a fucking freak when he tried to make normal expressions. Smiling caused twitching in his cheeks. The plastic surgeons weren't too optimistic about repairing this.

It was all too much, and he screamed at his reflection in frustration.

There was a sharp knock on his door, and he turned to face it. After a moment, he stiffly walked over to answer the door.

The butler was in the hall and had an uncomfortable expression.

"What is it," Richard snapped.

"You have a visitor in the study downstairs. He said his name was Kevin Tate. He said he was at the party on the night of your abduction."

Richard's initial response was to scream at the butler that he wanted no visitors. But he resisted that impulse as he knew Kevin, and for him to show up like this was out of character. Could he have something to say that Richard wanted to hear? He thought for a moment, then nodded. "I'll be down in a moment."

He didn't bother waiting for a response as he closed the door.

He stripped off his dressing gown and pulled on his track suit and slippers. He left his room and walked down the stairs to the main floor and down the hall to the study.

Richard caught his breath before he opened the door and stepped inside.

Kevin stood before the fireplace, looking at the large painting above the mantle.

He turned to look at Richard and his expression showed his shock and horror.

"Fuck me," the man breathed quietly.

Richard smiled manically. "Yes, aren't I the prettiest you've seen?"

Kevin struggled to control his expression. "Sorry, I heard you'd been injured, but the extent wasn't clear."

Richard gave him a quick and stiff nod as he held the other man's eyes. "You mentioned you were at the party? Did you speak to the police?"

Kevin nodded. "Yes. They were useless. I mentioned I saw you at the party."

"Everyone saw me at the party," Richard said, gritting his teeth.

"Yes, but I saw who you were with. Something I didn't mention to the police," Kevin said with a crooked smile.

Richard looked him in the eye. "Why the fuck not?"

Kevin shrugged. "Because I saw her return to the party soon afterward, she couldn't have been part of the group that... did that to you. Your boys arrived and she followed them back into the party moments later. I was surprised to see her clothes intact. Your reputation precedes you. Was she good?"

Richard stared at him as his thoughts raced. His memories of the party were badly distorted, but he didn't recall fucking anyone.

"I don't have any memory of that," he finally said.

Kevin's eyebrows rose. "You were roofied?" he snorted in surprise.

"Who's the bitch?" Richard growled.

Kevin smiled widely, like he'd just been handed a winning lottery ticket.

"Get better soon, Richard," Kevin said as he walked by and ducked out the door. Richard tried to run after him, but pain shot through his groin, causing him to stumble and fall. He hit the floor and screamed in agony until darkness took his consciousness away.

-=-

Outside, Kevin slipped behind the wheel of his dad's Maserati MC20. He quickly sped down the long driveway and out onto the street.

Richard's admission that he'd been roofied shone a new light on what Kevin witnessed that night. The bitch had been guiding zombie Richard down the hall to hand him off to someone else. This gave Kevin the perfect leverage to get what he wanted from her.

He'd asked around and got her name, so all he had to do now was find her and claim his prize.

Jennifer Young's sweet ass was his.

Chapter 22

Katherine interlaced her fingers on her lap and tightened her grip. This prevented her hands from shaking.

It was getting harder and harder to hide the symptoms of her unraveling mind.

She'd had to close the shop as she couldn't do her work.

She'd also reached a dead end on the data available for the ring. Truthfully, there was no information on the ring itself. The only information she'd managed to find was about the box it had been contained in. The writing appeared in an inventory listing, but oddly enough, only the text from the outer surface of the box was mentioned. It was as if the box had never been opened before.

The ring's creator remained a mystery lost in the mists of time.

Aside from the warning not to use the ring on the innocent/virtuous/blessed or whatever word that damaged symbols had been, there was no explanation of how to break the curse. The women who'd taken steps on their own to meet and have sex with Mr. Bailey all claimed they no longer felt the compulsion to obey him. Would it return, or were they truly free from the curse?

She couldn't offer them a definitive answer to that question. Only time would tell.

Her need to see him rushed through her body again, and she clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering.

Opening her eyes, she saw Jennifer watching her with deep concern.

The ladies had come to visit again and were just arriving. Jennifer was first and had prepared the tea.

"Katherine! You must visit James Bailey. Perhaps just shaking his hand will reduce your symptoms," she said earnestly.

She shook her head. "The others must go first. They must be free. I cannot promise not to break down completely in his presence."

Jennifer continued to look distressed, so Katherine shook her head. She looked toward the others who were arriving. The twins were the last to enter, and they took their seats. Everyone was admiring the lush plants around the room with their lovely flowers. She could see the smiles on their faces as they knew they were responsible for that.

For the first time, Katherine and a few other ladies saw Elke's physical changes from the Abundance spell she'd used on herself. Seeing the evidence of magic at work was thrilling yet frightening. The fact that Elke had lost control of the spell was lost on none of them. The danger was very real.

That she'd turned to Mr. Bailey to regain control was also not lost on any of them.

The group stood and held hands to perform their daily observances and asked for the Goddess' Blessings. They took their seats again.

Naya was the first to speak. She was one of the last holdouts for being with Mr. Bailey, so Katherine looked at her hands and saw her fidgeting slightly. That was one of the stages she'd gone through as well.

"Elke informed me that she's no longer under the Abundance spell's compulsion, and she's free from James' control. I wondered if we could use our connection to magic to break the curse. If Elke could direct the Abundance spell on herself, could we not do something similar to sing ourselves free of James' control?" she asked.

"Do you know which Wiccan chant removes curses?" Katherine asked a little sharper than she intended, then raised her hand and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Naya. I didn't mean to be rude." She took a breath as worried eyes watched her. "There are chants to protect against curses and other misfortunes, but I've found nothing to remove a curse already in place that was self-afflicted by going against the Wiccan Rede. This was my fault, and I bear complete responsibility for it."

The group was quiet for a moment, and Phoebe spoke up. "We have an update you should hear."

Katherine looked at the young woman's worried expression, and a sense of dread washed through her.

Phoebe took a breath and began. "James is now aware of the skill transfer, though not its cause. He discovered he could play the guitar, and his singing improved. Then he realized he could speak Cantonese." All eyes turned to Min Yue. "This afternoon, he showed up at our Judo Club and almost won sparring against our sensei, a ninth-dan black belt. Our sensei really wants him to join the club, but James told us he won't compete with skills he doesn't feel he's earned." She looked at Rose. "If he realizes he picked up your long-distance running techniques, he won't join your team either." Rose nodded.

The Greek beauty shared a look with the group. "He's seriously worried about this sudden accumulation of new skills. He's struggling to find a mundane reason for it."

"Who plays guitar?" Katherine asked.

Elke raised her hand. "I played the guitar when I was with James at a campout. I handed it to him when I went to use the restroom. Then I heard him playing and singing. When I found him afterward, he was confused and frightened. He thought it might be a brain injury from the beating he received."

Phoenix nodded. "He mentioned he went to the hospital to have them scan his brain, but they found no signs of injury."

"Are there any more skills James will discover?" Katherine asked.

Nervous glances were shared.

"I knit," Naya said. "But I can't imagine the scenario where he'd discover that skill by himself." A few chuckled at the idea.

"I play the piano as well," Elke offered.

"I do yoga and play the drums, bongos, and hand pan," Dawn added. She grinned. "James could be a one-man band!"

"And dance to the music he makes. I dance," Rose said as she imagined dancing with James with a dreamy little smile. The twins giggled as they caught her smile and knew what it meant. Rose shot them a look but couldn't stop her smile.

"How about languages?" Katherine asked.

"Greek," Phoebe offered.

"Spanish," Clarisa said.

"James can speak Mandarin too," Min Yue confessed.

"I'm fluent in Parisien French," Julie said.

"What other kind of French is there?" Naya asked.

Julie smirked. "You've never heard of a French Canadian? Tabarnac!" She grinned. "Truthfully, French is spoken in many countries with their own unique flavors."

Elke smiled. "I speak German and French, too."

Katherine nodded. "I have French and Arabic from my time working in Paris, Cairo, and the UAE." She sighed. "We must do our best to not use these languages in his presence."

Jennifer nodded, then addressed the group. "There are only four people who haven't been with James to clear their compulsion." She looked at Naya. "You met James after a long wait. Afterward, was there any decrease in the sensation of needing to meet him?

Naya nodded. "Yes, the pressure did decrease."

Jennifer gave Katherine a hopeful smile.

"Are you going to have sex with him?" Katherine asked bluntly then put her hand over her eyes as she apologized quietly.

Naya looked at the High Priestess in surprise, then looked at Jennifer, who shook her head with a pained expression.

"I-I don't know if he's interested in me that way. We had a good time talking when we met, but he wasn't displaying the usual signs of wanting to take me to bed, so...." She shrugged.

"Compared to your usual dates who try to peel you out of your clothes during dinner, James is far more of a gentleman. Did you show interest in him?" Julie asked.

Naya looked at Julie in confusion. "I played with my hair and touched his hand when we laughed."

"And how did James respond to these?" Julie asked.

Naya glanced at the others. "He complimented my hair and my nails. He told me I was beautiful." She smiled as she recalled how good that made her feel. Then she shook her head as she focused on Julie. "But he didn't try to kiss me or pull me against his body!"

"Didn't you just break up with your boyfriend?" Julie asked.

"Days ago!" Naya asserted.

"As I said, James is a gentleman. He also moves far slower than men do these days. Probably too slow. Take a lesson from my book. Approach him if you are interested and let him know. It certainly sounds to me like he likes you that way," Julie said.

Naya sat back to think about that.

Jennifer looked at Mary-Anne, who was biting her lip, and her knees were pressed together. Little beads of sweat were glistening on her forehead. Jennifer was surprised as she was showing stronger signs of withdrawal than Katherine was. "Mary-Anne, are you okay? Mary-Anne?"

The woman in question jolted as she suddenly realized she was being spoken to.

"Suh-Sorry. I'm a bit dazed," she said softly.

"I think you need to see James as soon as possible—tonight. This must be affecting you in your classes," Jennifer said.

The redhead nodded.

Jennifer looked at Dawn. "How do we explain this visit without raising suspicion.

Dawn frowned. "Is it too late to suggest we just ask James for his help, honestly? I'm telling you, he's a good man—"

Jennifer flared as her fear/rage spiked. "That option is not on the table until the remaining ladies are free from his control! You thought of a convincing lie to get him to stop Elke's out-of-control spell. You can think of one for Mary-Ann!"

Dawn drew back as she looked at Jennifer in disappointment. "Count me out. I can't abuse his good nature any longer. It's unethical and repugnant—"

"Unethical and repugnant?" Jennifer gasped in outrage. "And what do you call his absolute control over the minds and bodies of our friends? Don't try to convince me he wouldn't abuse that power once he discovers he has it!"

"I wouldn't think of trying to convince you. Your heart and mind are obviously closed. I don't know why, but I feel sorry for you," Dawn said calmly. She directed her attention to Katherine. "Please consider speaking directly to James. If you have a change of heart, feel free to contact me. Otherwise, I wish you well on your individual life journeys. Goodbye."

Dawn stood and left the room with dignity. Julie sighed as the outer door closed and looked down at her hands. "I can't do it anymore either. He's a really nice man." She stood. "Thank you, Katherine. Good luck." Then she left the home as well.

Phoebe and Phoenix shared a look and stood. "We feel the same as Dawn and Julie. Thank you, Katherine. Goodbye."

Once they left, the others shared stunned expressions. Rose's expression was deeply conflicted.

Jennifer looked at her with a scowl, and Rose spotted it. "You know what, Jennifer? Fuck you. I agree with them that James doesn't deserve this and certainly doesn't deserve your poisonous attitude, but I'm still here for them!" She gestured to Naya, Mary-Anne, Clarisa, and Katherine. "Tonight, I'll get Mary-Anne and Clarisa in to see James to relieve the pressure. I'll tell him they're friends of Elke who wanted to shake his hand and thank him personally for helping her." She looked at Katherine. "It would be better if you arranged to meet him separately."

Min Yue spoke up. "I told James I was in a group for women. When you meet him, you could tell him you run the group and thank him for helping Elke."

Jennifer was still smarting from Rose's words, but she nodded to Min Yue as this was an excellent plan if she could convince Katherine to do it. "Thank you, Rose, Min Yue. I think we've got our next steps. We'll meet again when we can."

They all stood and nodded to Katherine as they filed out of the house. Jennifer was the ride for Rose, Naya, Mary-Anne, and Clarisa, so she told them she'd be right out and moved to Katherine.

"I'll come back tomorrow, and we'll make arrangements for you to meet James," she said gently.

Katherine nodded. "Thank you, Jennifer."

As she watched the young woman leave, she reflected on Dawn's and Rose's words for her friend. They were right. Jennifer was reverting to her deep-seated, angry state, and Katherine worried she wasn't strong enough to help her this time.

Chapter 23

James closed the book he'd just finished and smiled. He'd really enjoyed the classic from Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird. Naya mentioned they would be showing the movie in the activity center this week, so he decided to check out a copy from the library to refresh his memory. He would ask Naya if she wanted to see the movie with him.

He didn't see the sexy librarian when he went to pick up the book, so he breathed a sigh of relief.

James' homework was done, so he had his Sunday free. He thought he'd go for a long run tomorrow, so getting to sleep relatively early was probably a good idea.

There was a knock on his door. He wasn't expecting anyone. He threw his robe over his pajama bottoms and cinched it tight before answering the door.

When he opened it, he smiled as he saw Rose standing there. Then he noticed two ladies standing behind her.

"Hi, James," Rose said with a timid smile.

"Hi, Rose," he returned as his smile grew. "How are you doing?"

"Oh! Ah, I'm doing better every day," she said as her eyes flicked up to his face. She'd seen his robe, so she assumed he was getting ready for bed. "I know it's late, but my friends wanted to meet you to thank you personally for helping Elke."

It was James' turn to be surprised. "Oh! Okay," he said with a little self-conscious smile.

Rose urged Mary-Anne forward, and she looked up at James' friendly face. "This is Mary-Anne Kirby," Rose said, and James took the redhead's hand between his.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mary-Anne," he said as he looked into her slightly glazed eyes. She made odd, breathy noises before she regained her composure.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you!" she managed but still sounded out of breath. James' smile showed his curiosity at her phrasing.

As she gently pulled Mary-Anne back, Rose guided the other woman forward. "This is Clarisa Sánchez Moreno."

James admired the deep purple color of her hair and noticed the caution in this woman's eyes like he was somehow dangerous. He put on his most harmless smile. "Hello, Clarisa."

She shook his hand, and her mouth dropped open involuntarily, then it snapped closed, and she gave him an embarrassed smile.

"Thank you for helping Elke. She had us very worried," Mary-Anne chirped through a tight throat.

"Y-yes! Thank you!" Clarisa repeated.

"I'm glad I could help," James said with a nod. He glanced at Rose. "I was planning on going for a long run tomorrow. If you're interested in coming along, I'll start from the front door at nine."

She smiled. "I'll see if I can make it." She nodded and glanced at the other two ladies then back to James. "Well... Good night." She turned to head back down the hall.

Mary-Anne reached out to snag Clarisa's sleeve to keep her from following Rose. The woman froze.

The redhead looked up at James with a desperate expression. "Might I have a little more of your time to ask you some questions in private?"

He blinked in surprise and glanced at Rose, who'd stopped in the hall to look back at Mary-Anne questioningly.

Mary-Anne turned to her. "Thank you, Rose, for the introduction. I won't ask more from you tonight." The redhead looked back at James hopefully. After a brief pause, Rose nodded to James awkwardly and then continued down the hall.

James looked at Mary-Anne and Clarisa, the latter having a confused expression. "I suppose that would be okay," he said, inviting the two women inside.

They walked to the center of the room as James closed the door. When he turned to face them, Mary-Anne was facing him and fidgeting nervously. Clarisa was watching her with concern.

"Elke told me you were someone she felt she could trust. Even with her darkest secrets," the redhead said as she held his eyes.

James nodded slowly. "I don't recall it coming up, but it's true. I wouldn't disclose anything anyone told me in confidence."

Mary-Anne sagged in relief, and Clarisa touched her arm. The redhead smiled at her friend and then looked into James' eyes. "So, if I were to ask you to keep something I shared with you and Clarisa secret, you'd do it?"

"As long as it isn't something that risks someone's life. If it's a personal secret, I would," he said.

Mary-Anne grinned. "I'm not a terrorist, or a criminal, or anything like that. It's a personal secret that would dramatically affect my life if it got out."

James gave her a confused look. "Why do you feel the need to disclose it to me? You don't even know me!"

She nodded as a tremor rushed through her muscles. Still touching her arm, Clarisa felt that, and her concern grew.

"Mary-Anne, what's wrong? You're trembling!" she asked quietly, worried for her friend.

The redhead placed her hand over her friend's and squeezed it as she smiled at her. "I'll explain in a moment." She looked back at James.

James was seriously intrigued but confused by this sudden request from a stranger. Still, Elke was a good person, and these were her friends. Taking a deep breath, he nodded to her.

Mary-Anne sagged in relief. "Maybe we should sit?"

James gestured for them to sit on the bed and spun his desk chair to sit facing them.

After taking a deep cleansing breath, Mary-Anne began. "I was a bit of a wild child growing up and didn't have a stable home life. I also had what might have been called an overactive sexual curiosity. Not that I did anything when I was young, but I got into trouble at school and the local mall for peeping. I never knew my papa and mama was more interested in getting her drunk on. She married a new man, and he had eyes for me, so when I was sixteen, I ran away from home when he tried to rape me. I joined a friend of mine, and we hitched across the country to find jobs. We lied about our age and found work being cam-girls."

Clarisa gasped softly, but James was lost, and his face clearly showed this.

Mary-Anne smiled. "A cam-girl performs sexual acts in front of a camera which subscribers connect to over the internet. She entices her audience to pay for more explicit acts and draws out the experience as long as she can to earn as much as possible. I don't know how it started, but I became very popular in Japan. I learned how to read and speak the language to talk to my patrons. That made me even more popular, and soon, I was earning more than any of the other girls. Of course, I was also doing things none of the other girls felt comfortable with. My acting abilities were stretched to the limit as these Japanese customers had... intense fetishes.

When I turned nineteen, a porn movie director tracked me to the cam-girl studio and offered me a contract to do films for him. This meant more money doing sexy stuff I loved, and I'd be working in LA, so I agreed. I made around forty-five films for his company and earned a good sum of money. I found love from my boyfriend, Marc, and my girlfriend, Sindy, and we moved in together."

Clarisa sucked in a sharp breath in shock, and Mary-Anne smiled fondly at her before turning back to James, who she saw was still listening intently. She saw no judgment in his eyes, so she continued.

"What I was exposed to in LA was a cesspool of drugs, alcohol, and physical abuse, but I'd watched my mother slide into that hell, and I wasn't willing to let myself follow her path. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop Marc or Sindy from indulging. One night, we were partying with some big-shot Hollywood types in a mansion in the hills. At the night's end, Sindy took too much of something bad. She had a gun for protection, but she used it to shoot Marc. Then she turned the gun on herself. I was a wreck, but the owner of the property told me if I was willing to keep it quiet, he'd make it all go away. He asked what I wanted. I told him I wanted to start over.

He paid for my cosmetic surgery and braces. He arranged a new identity for me. He had contacts in significant places. Over the next year, I lived with him in his mansion, and I became Mary-Anne Kirby, complete with a high school transcript I never earned. I was prescribed antidepressants to help me with the death of my life partners, and these also curbed my sex drive. As a starting-over present, the director paid for my tuition at this college and got me in."

Clarisa had tears in her eyes and was clinging to Mary-Anne's arm as the redhead held her hand.

"When I came to Dane College, I adopted a new persona to fit in and found friends. As I had no sex drive, I invented a story about having a fiancé to explain why I wasn't dating. I had to distance myself as much as possible from the woman I once was. All was going well until my doctor told me I had to stop taking the antidepressants as they were causing other issues. I'm finally over the loss of Marc and Sindy, so I weaned myself off the drugs. The problem is my sex drive has returned with a vengeance. I can't lose everything I've worked for, building this new life, only to revert to being a slave of my libido again," she said pleadingly.

James watched her carefully as she was obviously asking him for help, but he had no idea what she needed him to do. "How... how can I help you with this?" he asked cautiously.

Mary-Anne smiled. "Just like you did for Elke, I need a firm voice to give me the strength to control my desires. I love sex, but it shouldn't control my life. Once I felt the bliss of an orgasm, my body would crave another and another until I passed out."

James shook his head. "I still don't understand how I'll be able to help. It sounds like an addiction, much like alcoholism. One drink leads to another until you pass out. It's a mental compulsion."

Mary-Anne burst into tears and hid her face behind her hands. Clarisa wrapped her arms around the weeping woman and shot James a disapproving frown.

"I-I-I s-see in m-myself m-m-my mother's addictive buh-behavior!" Mary-Anne struggled to say through her tears.

James knelt before Mary-Anne and took her hands in his. "I want to help. I really do, but this is something best left to the professionals. I have no training for this," he said gently.

"Are you at least willing to try?" Clarisa asked him point blank.

James' mouth dropped open. "How?"

Clarisa thought about that, and then her eyes lit up. "You firmly tell her one is enough, and she doesn't need or want more. She controls her libido, not the other way around. Then we bring her to orgasm to test if it worked."

Mary-Anne's eyes flew wide. "No! Not after just one! That's too few!" she cried in dismay.

Clarisa and James shared a cautious look. "What's the usual number for a lovemaking session?" the purple-haired woman asked him.

James gave her an awkward frown. "I'm not that experienced. If one is too few, maybe three could be the maximum?" Clarisa's eyebrows rose in surprise. He looked away in embarrassment as his face burned.

Mary-Anne smiled through her tears. "Yes! Three!"

After seeing Mary-Anne's hopeful smile, Clarisa held James' eye. "Will you try this for her?"

James was once more frozen by indecision. These were strangers, and they wanted him to have sex with the redhead. They were friends of Rose and Elke, so they had that going for them. He sighed as he knew he was going to help them. He nodded.

"Oh! Thank you!" Mary-Anne sniffed and leaned forward to wrap her arms around his neck to hug him.

He hugged her awkwardly, then released her to stand. He pulled his box of condoms from the drawer next to the bed and got smiles from the ladies. They were pleased to see lube and wipes as well.

"We should get naked first!" Mary-Anne said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Clarisa squeaked. "What? Not me!"

Mary-Anne looked at her with a smile. "Yes, you, too!" Then she leaned forward and captured Clarisa's lips with hers. While she initially squeaked in protest, it quickly became a purr as Mary-Anne seemed to be a talented kisser. James was a little mesmerized by how hot this looked. He'd never seen women kissing before and wasn't certain why he found it so stimulating.

When she pulled back from the kiss, Mary-Anne quickly began undressing. Clarisa was wobbling slightly but when her eyes opened, she saw the other woman was almost topless, so she rushed to catch up.

As she pulled her top off, she suddenly recalled that James was also in the room. She looked at him quickly.

"Clarisa is attracted to women," Mary-Anne said gently as she pulled Clarisa's chin to turn her to face her. "I'm attracted to men and women."

The Spanish woman smiled widely as she leaned in and kissed the redhead.

"You kiss so good!" Clarisa sighed when she pulled back.

Mary-Anne smiled. "I really missed kissing. I missed a lot of things."

They quickly shed the rest of their clothes as James took off his robe.

He was tenting his pajama bottoms, and Mary-Anne smiled hungrily at him.

Clarisa maintained enough rational thought to make them pause. "Before we proceed, you must give Mary-Anne the firm command."

James pulled his mind back from admiring the two women before him. What did he do for Elke? Oh, right. The new rules she would follow to get control over her life. He still had no idea why it worked for Elke, and he wasn't sure it would work for Mary-Anne at all, but he knew he had to behave like he believed it would.

He moved to stand before Mary-Anne and took her face between his hands as he looked into her eyes.

"You are Mary-Anne Kirby, master of your sex drive. You are not a slave of your libido. You will allow yourself to enjoy sex, and depending on the circumstance, you will achieve satisfaction with one to three orgasms. If there is only time for one, that will be perfectly sufficient. If you and your partner have the opportunity for two, you will feel content with two. If you mutually decide on three, that will be enough for complete satisfaction. You will no longer need to continue to have sex until you're exhausted. Do you understand?" he asked.

"Yes," she gasped. Her eyes widened as she felt the commands sinking into her mind.

She tilted her face up, and he kissed her sensually until she moaned.

She pulled back and then looked down at the tent he was making. She knelt and tugged his bottoms down until they fell to his feet. He stepped out of them and kicked them back.

"Ooo! That's a pretty cock ring!" Mary-Anne gushed.

Clarisa looked at it cautiously like it was a viper.

Mary-Anne chuckled as she caught Clarisa's expression. She reached forward to touch the ring and gasped as tingles rushed through her body. "Oh, fuck that feels good!"

James was enjoying her touch as well.

Clarisa looked at Mary-Anne cautiously, so the redhead pulled her hand to get the woman to kneel next to her. She kissed her tenderly, and Clarisa moaned softly.

When Mary-Anne pulled back from her soft lips, she moved her mouth to Clarisa's ear. "Touch the ring. Trust me," she whispered softly.

Clarisa pulled back to gaze into Mary-Anne's eyes, then reached out tentatively to stroke a finger across the gold symbols on the black ring. Her head rolled back as sparks jumped through her nerves to her stiff nipples and clit.

"Fuck!" she gasped as she leaned on Mary-Anne, who was watching James' cock throbbing with need.

Leaning forward, she took him into her mouth and slowly worked her lips and tongue over the head and down his shaft until she took him into her throat and her lips reached the ring. Once more, she felt the wave of tingles shoot through her body. Clarisa tugged on her nipples, and she moaned with James in her throat, which made him moan as well.

Mary-Anne pulled back from James' cock and looked at Clarisa. "Sit on the edge of the bed," she said urgently.

As the purple-haired beauty moved as directed, Mary-Anne pulled a condom from the box, took it from the wrapper, and pressed it against the head of James' cock. Then she used her mouth to unroll the condom over his length, stopping just before she reached the base. She grabbed the tube of lube and slathered it on his cock, making him slippery.

She turned to face Clarisa and looked over her shoulder at James. "Take me from behind and fuck me hard! It's my favorite position."

She turned back to Clarisa and pushed the woman's legs apart with a hungry grin.

Clarisa's eyes widened and she flicked her eyes to see James wasn't watching her but was moving behind Mary-Anne. Then she closed her eyes as Mary-Anne was teasing her so deliciously with her clever tongue. She slid her fingers into the woman's beautiful red hair.

James slapped the head of his cock against Mary-Anne's wet lips, making her moan loudly. This made Clarisa cry out as well. Taking a grip on her hips, James pushed forward and sank his cock deep inside the redhead. She gasped against Clarisa's pussy, and that woman pulled her face tighter as Mary-Anne began licking and sucking in a frenzy.

It took a few thrusts and withdrawals to finally get all of him inside her, but when his pelvis finally slapped against Mary-Anne's ass, she had him down to the base.

Mary-Anne thrust her tongue deep into Clarisa's pussy as sparks leapt through her body from her connection to James.

Clarisa felt sparks explode in her pussy from Mary-Anne's wonderful tongue.

James recalled her asking him to fuck her hard, so he pulled out and slammed himself back in, slapping her ass with his pelvis again. He increased the speed of his thrusts until he was spanking her ass like a machine.

Mary-Anne was in heaven. This was so much better than she remembered but she had to admit the magic in the ring was a big factor. Every time she felt it touch her wet lips, she got a hit of bliss.

How did James know how to fuck so well if he admitted he was not that experienced? It wouldn't be one of the skill transfers, as no one in the coven were men!

Unless he was picking it up from her experiences. She had a tremendous amount of them.

Her mind was whiting out, and it was becoming impossible to think of anything but the pleasure! She made sure she wasn't neglecting Clarisa and renewed her attack.

Clarisa howled as she suddenly crested strongly. Her toes curled, and her thighs trapped Mary-Anne's head between them as her body shook.

Mary-Anne felt herself tipping over the edge, and waves of bliss exploded through her body. When she began to clamp down on James' cock, he drove it deep one last time and ground himself against her as he filled the condom with his hot cum. She moaned loudly as it felt so fucking good!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

James looked at the wall next to the bed with a guilty expression. They were being too loud again.

He saw Clarisa watching his embarrassment with a twinkle in her eyes and a grin she was trying to hide.

"I think we should call it a night—" James started.

"If we're quiet, might we try one more thing?" Mary-Anne said quickly.

James gave her a concerned look, but she waved her hands. "Not for me! I'm good!" She pulled forward, and James popped free.

She rested on Clarisa's lap as the purple-haired woman watched her in confusion. "Not for you—Me?" she yelped. "I'm gay!"

Mary-Anne's smile widened. "Yes, you are, and that's wonderful! There's just something I'd really like to do with you that requires something only James has."

"If Clarisa is uncomfortable with me, I don't want her forced into something she doesn't want," James insisted. He tugged the condom off, tied it, and disposed of it. Then he grabbed a wipe.

Mary-Anne smiled. "I've had many sexual partners, men, and women, with various sexual orientations. I would never force someone to do something they were uncomfortable with. With that wealth of experience, I can assure you, Clarisa, that you will find it sexy as hell and enjoy it very much. Trust me." She held Clarisa's eyes.

The woman slowly nodded, and Mary-Anne kissed her until she moaned quietly.

The redhead looked at James. "Could you stretch out on your back on the carpet?"

He looked at Clarisa, who seemed to have resolved her issue and was intent on continuing, so he did as asked.

Mary-Anne grabbed another condom and the tube of lube. She saw he wasn't completely soft after their last bit of fun, so she leaned over him and took him in her mouth again, making him suck in a sharp breath at the intensity of the sensation.

She had a very talented mouth, and he quickly rebounded. She unrolled the condom over his cock with her mouth once more, then added a slick layer of lube to it. Once he was very hard again, she straddled his thighs, facing him. She moved up until his cock was resting against her pussy. With her thighs on either side of his body, when she pulled his cock to point skyward, it just rose above her legs.

"James, hold it here, please," she said softly, so he moved a hand down to keep himself at the angle she needed. The redhead smiled and nodded.

She looked at Clarisa with heat in her eyes. "Come sit on my lap, Clarisa. I want to fuck you!"

Nervously, Clarisa stepped across James' body and carefully sat on Mary-Anne's legs. The head of James' cock slipped between her lips, and the woman gasped in surprise, but Mary-Anne wrapped her arms around her body and pressed her large breasts against Clarisa's smaller ones. While she reacted to this delicious sensation, the redhead kissed her passionately and began to rock gently. This felt intensely good for James as the head of his cock dipped in and out of Clarisa.

Mary-Anne continued the rocking, but she was also slowly sliding herself out from under Clarisa. This lowered Clarisa slowly, so she was taking more and more of James into her pussy. He pulled his hand back as he no longer needed to hold his cock in place. The redhead continued to rub her breasts against Clarisa's, and their kisses were deep and sensual, which made both women moan softly.

Moving her hands down to Clarisa's bountiful ass, Mary-Anne squeezed the kneaded her flesh, drawing gasps from her lover.

When Clarisa's legs gave out from the intense sensations, she suddenly dropped on James' cock, taking it all.

Her wet lips pressed against the ring, and she threw her head back to howl again as ecstasy shot through her body. Instead, she felt a soft breast pressed against her mouth, muffling the noise. Her lips closed on Mary-Anne's nipple, and she sucked as her tongue thrashed it.

Clarisa took over the task of rocking on James, and her movements began to speed up and become chaotic. Her eyelids were fluttering, and Mary-Anne pushed her over the top by pinching and tugging her nipples.

James felt when Clarisa hit her release as her inner muscles rippled against him. His wasn't quite there yet, but he could tell she'd had enough. He caught Mary-Anne's eye, and she nodded as she wrapped her arms around Clarisa and lifted her against her body to gently lower her onto the bed. She kissed the woman and then let her rest there.

Turning back to James she saw he was still hard. She bit her lip. "I could help you with that."

He looked into her eyes and nodded.

She quickly knelt and guided him into her wet pussy. They both sighed as it felt so good. She began bouncing aggressively on his cock, and his hands automatically cradled her shaking breasts. She sucked in a sharp breath and smiled down at him. She could see he was close, which was good as so was she.

Mary-Anne began grinding her pussy against his body at the bottom of each stroke. That proved to be the trigger for both of them.

The redhead slapped a hand over her mouth as her cries threatened to escape and annoy his neighbor.

James kept his own exclamations to himself, but he enjoyed the feel of her breasts in his hands.

She leaned forward and kissed him with a smile.

"That was wonderful!" she sighed.

"Enough?" he asked as he held her eyes.

She paused and realized she wasn't feeling the intense need to keep going. She smiled sweetly. "Yes."

James nodded with a relieved smile of his own.

They separated with squeaks and sighs, then tidied themselves before dressing.

James looked toward his window and saw how dark it was. "I'll walk you two back to your dorms."

"No," Mary-Anne and Clarisa said simultaneously and began to giggle.

James looked at them in confusion.

Mary-Anne took his hand between hers and smiled at him. "We've taken too much of your night already. We're not far. More importantly, I need the time to confirm how I will present myself to my friends going forward."

Clarisa watched her with a worried expression.

"You don't feel you can share what you told us with your friends?" James asked as she released his hand.

Mary-Anne shook her head sadly. "Who I was can never be linked to my new identity. I owe that director so much for giving me a second chance at life. I'm Mary-Anne Kirby, the good girl. The cam-girl turned porn star is no more." She held Clarisa's eyes with hers and smiled. "There is one lie I need to confess about to our friends. The fiancé story. I told that one to prevent anyone from getting too close. They don't need to know the real reason I was afraid of intimacy. I want to take it slow, with one special person in my life to start." She looked at the other woman. "Can it be you?"

Clarisa let out the breath she was holding and gasped. "Yes!" She flung her arms around the redhead and kissed her.

James watched them with mixed feelings. While he was happy to see the two discovering their love, he was sad not to be part of it.

Love was what he was searching for, after all.

Mary-Anne might have seen that in his expression as she smiled sadly. "You're such an amazing man, James. If my life wasn't so complicated, I would jump at the chance of asking you to be part of it too. I need to do better and take things one step at a time. If the stars align and we reconnect in the future, I can think of nothing better. As for now, I am eternally grateful for your help and discretion."

James nodded to her as he understood her need to retake control of her life. He wouldn't add complication to that.

He walked them to the door, and Mary-Anne turned her face up to his so he kissed her tenderly. She touched his chest as she bit her lip and stepped outside.

Clarisa stopped and faced him as well. Her eyes showed mixed emotions, but she tilted her face. After the briefest pause, he gave her a tender kiss as well. She pulled back, wide-eyed, and touched her fingertips gently to her lips as she watched his mouth in surprise.

"Good night," he said softly, and she nodded.

As James closed the door, he heard Clarisa gasp quietly to Mary-Anne, "He kisses like you!"

James chuckled to himself as he walked back to his bed. That was quite the compliment!

He yawned as he dropped himself on the mattress. His alarm was set to give him time to prepare for his morning run.

He was looking forward to it. He hoped Rose would be able to join him.

-=-

Mary-Anne stopped in the park and gathered Clarisa into her arms as she looked into her lover's eyes.

"I want you to know that my Mary-Anne identity is the one I must show to the world for my protection. It's who I want to be, and it's evolving. I'm not using it to lie or fool anyone. It's one of the reasons I don't talk much. It's easier not to lie if I say little. Unfortunately, I've been very lonely since I took it on. The coven has been so good for me. It let me be part of something with people I've come to love.

I will tell them that my fiancé story was a timid lie I was hiding behind, and my loneliness made me realize I could no longer deny my attraction to you. What happened in James' room is no one's business but ours."

Clarisa smiled joyfully and nodded. "We're free."

"Let them fill in the blanks with their imaginations. Again, it's only our business," Mary-Anne said.

"Discretion is my middle name," Clarisa said with a smile.

Mary-Anne kissed her lover, and they sighed.

They continued to their dorm and spotted Rose sitting on the front steps with Naya.

They'd caught sight of them holding hands and were obviously wondering what happened.

Mary-Anne smiled at Clarisa, who looked a little nervous. She faced Rose. "Clarisa and I are free of the compulsion."

"What-what about your fiancé?" Rose blurted.

Mary-Anne shook her head. "I want to apologize for that. I made up the story about having a fiancé. Coming to college, I was frightened about opening myself to intimacy. I thought telling people I had a fiancé would protect me, but it just made me lonely. Speaking with James, much truth surfaced, and I could no longer deny my attraction to Clarisa."

Naya blinked. "But... you had sex with James?"

"Yes, he's a very sweet and sexy man."

"So... you're Bi?" Rosa asked.

Mary-Anne shrugged. "I don't need a label to tell me who I'm attracted to."

Rose paused, then gave her an approving nod and smiled. Then she looked at Clarisa. "How—"

"What happened in that room is our business and nobody else's," Clarisa said calmly, and Mary-Anne kissed her cheek with a proud smile.

Rose held up her hands in surrender as she grinned at them. She turned to face Naya. "It's down to you and Katherine now."

Naya frowned. "I'm feeling pressured to do something I'm not ready to do." She looked at Clarisa. "I thought you'd be supporting my position on this."

Clarisa nodded. "I do, but if it had to be done, I'm grateful it was someone like James and not some frat bro."

Rose looked at Naya. "Maybe it would have been better if he was a bad boy, as Naya gets the hots for them."

"Used to. Not anymore," Naya said with a pout.

"What?" Rose said in surprise.

Naya nodded. "I didn't know it was him when I bumped into James the other day. I told him about my boyfriend troubles, and he suggested I stop being attracted to these bad boys as they didn't make me happy. Then I discovered I no longer found them attractive."

"Shit! That's spooky," Rose said.

"Healthier for you, but yeah, spooky," Clarisa admitted.

Naya shot her a look but sighed. "Yeah. Okay, I'll see what I can arrange."

Mary-Anne looked into her eyes. "Please be gentle with his heart."

Naya huffed in annoyance but nodded.

"You're going to run with him tomorrow?" Mary-Anne asked Rose.

It was her turn to look uncomfortable. "Yes... I can't be a no-show again without raising his suspicions."

"It's a run. It doesn't have to be anything more. Just have fun!" Mary-Anne insisted.

Rose nodded and then eyed the redhead critically. "You seem far more self-assured. What commands did James give you?"

Mary-Anne giggled and hugged Clarisa. "What happened in that room...."

Clarisa's smile was pure happiness.

Chapter 24

James smiled as he walked across the campus from his last class to his return to his room. He was recalling his run on the weekend with Rose. When she arrived in the morning, she'd brought him a compact running belt with a small, zippered pocket for carrying his wallet, keys, and cell. It was an extra she'd received at an organized run. He dumped his backpack in his room and lightened his load.

They'd followed the path system beyond the college grounds and explored the interconnected parks. It was the longest run he'd ever done, and they really enjoyed the day.

They'd picked up sandwiches at a shop and talked for hours, sitting in a park at the edge of an idyllic pond as they watched the swans glide back and forth over the water as big fluffy clouds majestically sailed by on the horizon. Rose gave him a lesson using the camera on his cell phone. They took some selfies, too, then they ran back.

Rose had given him a wonderful hug and kiss when they'd parted at the steps to his building. She looked far more relaxed with him, too. That was a hopeful sign.

That day set the tone for the next two as he enjoyed his classes and got along with his classmates better than ever. Maybe he was more relaxed with them? It certainly felt like he was fitting in better.

Something else was putting a smile on his face. Naya accepted his invitation to see the movie at the student activity center tonight.

James returned to his room and checked the clock. He had plenty of time as the movie wasn't showing until eight. He grabbed his kit and towel, then hit the shower. When he returned, he dressed, set a reminder alarm, and settled at his desk to complete his homework.

When it was time, he walked to the activity center and spotted Naya waiting by the door, watching videos on her cell phone. That was a habit he had no interest in adopting.

"Good evening, Naya!" he said as he got close.

She looked up with a little jolt, and he apologized for frightening her.

"No! It's not your fault. I just get so sucked into these damn videos!" she said with a guilty grin.

He nodded, gesturing for her to enter the building as he opened the door.

They walked to the theater and found seats close to the center. There couldn't have been more than eight other people in the tiered seating chamber, but the screen was a good size, and the cushioned chairs were comfortable.

James did a quick count and estimated the room had an occupancy of one hundred people, so the turnout was pretty limited.

Naya smiled at him as she noticed he'd seen how few had come for the movie. "They don't know what they're missing."

The lights dimmed, and the movie began.

From the first moments, James was enthralled. He was aware of Naya watching him with a grin, but he couldn't hide how much he was enjoying the movie. In his opinion, it was nowhere as good as the book, but the movie interpretation was highly entertaining.

Suddenly, Naya grabbed her temples and gasped painfully. James immediately looked at her and saw her rocking in her chair as she clung to her head.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked her.

She turned her head and blinked at him, then glanced around like she didn't know where she was.

"Oh my god! That wasn't me!" she said quietly, scrambling toward the aisle.

Confused, James rushed after her and caught up when they exited the theater into the outer hallway. He watched Naya frantically texting someone. He couldn't see her screen and didn't try as it might be private. Instead, he watched her expression and saw she was in a considerable amount of distress.

Naya suddenly turned to face him and grabbed his arm.

"She's in trouble! We have to get to her fast!" she blurted.

He held her eyes. "Who?"

"Katherine Collinsworth. She runs our... women's group. Will you come?" Naya asked.

James' eyebrows rose. "Come where? What do you need me to do? How can I help?"

"To Katherine's place. It's not far, and I'm not sure how you can help, but you need to be there," Naya said with an awkward but desperate expression.

James' mouth worked as he tried to find an answer to that. He gave up. "Okay, how do we get there?" Instead of responding, Naya immediately hammered out another text.

When the response came back, she grabbed his hand and pulled him as she ran for the front door.

"We're getting a lift. We need to get to the parking lot," she explained.

They held off on talking as they rushed out of the building and across the campus to the lot.

As they approached the entrance, he heard the thump of feet behind him and looked back to see Phoebe and Phoenix catching up. Behind them, he saw Rose with Mary-Anne and Clarisa.

His mind struggled to connect the dots. Were they coming, too?

He frowned as he tried to recall if Naya mentioned she knew them.

When they reached the cars, they rushed up to a luxury SUV, and he spotted Dawn behind the wheel with Julie sitting next to her. Naya yanked the back door open and pushed James inside before following him in. When the door closed, they accelerated out of the lot as James and Naya pulled their belts on.

He looked back and saw Rose, Mary-Anne, and Clarisa jump in the back of the twin's truck.

Then, they rushed away from the campus grounds and took the country highway south. The Papadakis sisters maintained their distance behind them.

He faced forward again. "Uh, so you three are all part of this woman's support group and are friends?" James asked. "Including the Papadakis twins, Rose, Mary-Anne, and Clarisa?" He suddenly recalled Min Yue mentioning a woman's support group. "Min Yue, too?

Dawn glanced in the mirror as Julie gave him an awkward smile and nod over her shoulder.

James couldn't get a handle on what was going on here.

They finally pulled into a gravel parking lot next to an antique shop. Next to this building was a lovely home. Two cars were already in the lot, and one was Min Yue's.

They got out once the engine was off, and Naya took James' hand to guide him toward the home's front door. He caught Dawn and Julie glancing at him with guilty expressions, but when he looked at them, they moved forward to enter the house. His confusion continued to grow.

Inside, they turned right and stepped into a beautiful room filled with chairs and various plants in full bloom. At the far side of the room was a woman on a recliner chair. Min Yue and Elke were standing on either side of the chair, holding the woman's hands.

James saw she was older, maybe late forties or early fifties, and she looked like she was suffering from something.

Min Yue and Elke glanced back at their arrival, and both stared at him in surprise, then quickly looked at the others.

James cast his eyes over the gathered women standing in the room with them. He suddenly realized, except for Naya and the woman on the recliner, that he'd been intimate with each of them.

What kind of woman's support group was this?

The crunch of gravel indicated another car had arrived.

"Here come the fireworks," Dawn muttered.

They heard the front door open and close, then rushed footsteps before another woman entered the room quickly. She glanced around at everyone in surprise. James saw it was the woman who kicked him when he was on the floor.

"What are you doing here?" she said sharply to Dawn.

Then she froze as she stared at James. "What the FUCK is he doing here?"

Dawn gave her a cool look. "Jennifer. What are you doing here?"

"Katherine called me! Now answer my questions!" Jennifer insisted.

"So, you didn't feel it. The sharp pain in your head when Katherine moved into the final stage of withdrawal. We did," Dawn said as she held the other woman's eyes.

"What?" Jennifer blurted and glanced at James nervously. Her face was starting to turn red.

James watched this as his confusion turned to frustration. He didn't know why the lovely brunette seemed so angry at his being here. He also didn't know why this group of women had all... been with him. It felt like they were sharing him around, which was disappointing as he liked them, and now it all felt like a big lie.

Rose approached him and took his hands in hers. "I can see you're upset and confused. No one here wanted to hurt you. We all like you very much!"

James saw the sincerity in her eyes, looked at the others, and noticed they seemed in agreement, except Jennifer, who was staring nervous/angry daggers at him. He turned to face her.

"What have I done to make you hate me?" he asked quietly. "I barely know you!"

"Before we delve into the mystery of Jennifer's man-hate, we need you to help Katherine," Dawn jumped in to say.

James' eyebrows rose in surprise. "I keep getting asked to help people with things I lack training in! I'm not a doctor!"

"She doesn't need a doctor, and I'm just asking you to hold her hands," Dawn said.

He blinked at her. "Oh!" he said in surprise, then he frowned. "How is that going to help?" he asked as he moved closer to the woman on the chair.

"We don't know, but it seemed to help Naya the day you scared off her abusive boyfriend," Dawn remarked.

James stopped and looked at Naya, who nodded to him. He turned back to Dawn. "I'd really appreciate it if someone told me what's happening."

Dawn nodded but remained silent as she looked at the woman in the chair.

He sighed and moved closer. He could see her eyes were glassy, and her hands trembled. "Hi, I'm James Bailey. Your name is Katherine?"

The woman nodded slightly, but her eyes never left his.

"May I hold your hands?" he asked, and she nodded timidly.

The moment he gently gripped her hands in his, her eyes rolled back, and she sucked in a deep breath as a euphoric smile spread across her features, her eyelids fluttering. James could see every muscle in her body was beginning to relax, and he realized she'd been curling in on herself. Now he could see she was taller than he'd thought. She also no longer looked as old as he'd previously assumed.

What the Hell?

He looked incredulously back at Dawn and Jennifer, watching the women's relief.

"Please, someone tell me what just happened!" James asked.

Jennifer's expression immediately reverted to suspicion, but Dawn smiled. "I think it's time," she said.

"That's not your decision to make!" Jennifer snapped.

"Jennifer," a soft voice spoke, and James turned his face back to Katherine to see a far more alert and peaceful expression than she'd had before. "Mr. Bailey deserves to be told, and I need to confess the harm I've done to him."

James' eyebrows went up in surprise. "Harm to me? I don't understand. How have I been harmed?" he asked as he released her hands.

She leaned forward, and the chair returned to its non-reclined state. "Maybe everyone should sit down."

Phoebe brought James a chair so he could sit in the middle of the circle, facing Katherine.

James saw everyone sitting comfortably around the room and had relaxed smiles, except Jennifer. She'd taken the chair closest to Katherine and had Naya sit on her other side. He saw the older woman pat Jennifer's hand and then look his way.

"Firstly, I should introduce myself properly. I'm Katherine Collinsworth. I run the antique shop next door and am the High Priestess for a Wiccan Coven." She watched James carefully to see how he'd react.

"A Coven? Witchcraft?" James asked.

She smiled. "Not in the Hollywood sense, but Wicca is a religion that worships nature. We give praise to the Goddess and commune with nature."

"And we sing!" Elke said with a wide smile, which was picked up around the room.

Katherine nodded to the ladies. "Yes, we sing. Songs and chants, asking for the blessings of the Goddess."

James continued to watch Katherine as he hadn't heard an explanation yet.

A look of pain crossed the woman's features, and she nodded to herself. "I need to give you a little backstory as it explains the motivations behind our actions."

She proceeded to tell him about her brother's tragic news and her efforts to obtain the medicine that would have saved him, her emotional collapse when she failed to save him, and her struggle to return to a state of balance.

"At the time this happened, I came into possession of an artifact of considerable power. I believe it originated in Mesopotamia from five hundred BC," she said.

"Power?" James asked.

"Magic," she said softly.

James smiled. "Magic?"

Katherine returned his smile and glanced at the ladies in the room. "We can give you a simple demonstration. Julie, could you bring in one of the smaller potted plants from the front step?"

The woman leapt to her feet and rushed outside to collect the item. When she returned, Katherine directed her to place it on the floor between herself and James. He saw it looked like a tiny rose bush with a couple of closed buds.

"The Earth Mother song?" Elke asked excitedly, and Katherine nodded.

"This time, I'd like everyone to focus on just this one plant," she said as the ladies stood to join hands.

Katherine began, and the other voices joined seamlessly to pick up the notes and carry them higher.

James smiled, then froze as he recognized the angelic chorus he'd heard once before, the night of the attack. With this recognition came the sensation of flowing energy.

Then, his eyes widened as the small plant in the pot began to move. It almost seemed to be dancing to the heavenly music as it grew upward and outward to become a small round rose bush in full bloom.

He stood quickly and the singing faded as each slipped out of their trancelike state. The bush's accelerated growth stopped as well.

"Oh! That felt better than before!" Dawn sighed blissfully.

"Far more powerful!" Phoenix agreed as her sister nodded in glee.

James looked at Katherine and saw Jennifer was looking a little unstable on her feet. She dropped herself into her chair as the older woman knelt before her and held her hands.

"You felt it this time, didn't you," she said.

Jennifer didn't seem able to speak, but she nodded as tears came to her eyes. She began to cry, and Katherine gathered her into her arms and held her as sobs tore from the brunette.

James saw these two wouldn't be able to speak for a bit, so he turned to Dawn. "I've heard you singing once before. The night of the attack. I'll never forget how sweet that music was."

Dawn smiled and nodded. "Yes. It was us, but we had nothing to do with your attack, and we all thought you were someone else."

"Your face was so badly beaten, we identified you by the ID in the wallet we found in your sweater's pocket," Phoebe added.

"I wasn't wearing a sweater when I went to the party, and my wallet was stolen by one of the thugs who beat me!" James insisted.

Phoenix nodded. "Someone removed Richard after putting his wallet in the sweater that ended up on you. You weren't meant to be in the room that night. Richard was."

Katherine's voice came from behind him. "We performed an ancient ritual that night using the artifact I'd obtained. It was a ring. A cursed ring that would make the one wearing it the slave of the one who placed it upon them. Except there was one caveat to the curse. It could not be used against the innocent or virtuous. The one who was supposed to wear the ring was a wicked and corrupt soul, Richard Madden—"'

"Wait! The ring I'm wearing is cursed?" James exclaimed.

Katherine nodded. "But the curse wasn't applied to you. Because you met the conditions of the exception, the curse reversed and was applied... to us."

James frowned in confusion. "What?"

"You became the master, and we became the slaves," Katherine said cautiously.

James stared at her in shock and looked at the others as dread appeared on his face.

"Is—is that why you've had sex with me? You were forced to do it by the curse?" The shock cramped his stomach badly, and he doubled over with a pained moan.

Rose moved next to him and rubbed his back. "Deep breaths, slow in and out. You'll be fine. The curse didn't work that way."

When the cramps subsided, Rose helped him straighten up. He looked at her and noticed the others looking at him with sad expressions.

Rose looked into James' eyes. "I need you to listen as I have something to say," she said firmly.

James saw her fierce conviction, so he nodded and sat again. When he was ready, Rose stood before him and held his eyes.

"Listen to me carefully. We had to learn how the curse affected us, and we determined it doesn't work like you think. We did feel a compulsion to be near you. Katherine resisted that, and you saw her condition when you arrived. Naya held out and felt jittery until you met her on the campus grounds and held her hand.

The twins met you first the day you left the hospital. When they saw you were so bruised, they felt compelled to protect you, but you graciously told them to concentrate on their studies instead. They felt this as a command, and they're following it. They decided to act on their attraction to you the next time they met you. They weren't compelled to do this. They genuinely wanted to.

They discovered from this that, afterward, they no longer felt any compulsions from you. It was like the curse was broken for them. They were still attracted to you—"

"Are still attracted," Phoebe corrected, and Rose smiled at her before continuing.

"You were a stranger to us, so we weren't comfortable with being under your control. Your commands were undeniable, and that's a lot of power to give to one man. I decided to find out for myself if the curse could be broken as the twins did. I did, and it worked. That didn't mean I did it because I was compelled to. I genuinely like you." James gave her a trembling smile.

"When you saved me from Dennis, you did it with skills you got from the twins," Rose said, and James' eyes widened. She nodded. "It seems you learn skills from us. Judo from Phoebe and Phoenix, long-distance running techniques from me, guitar and piano from Elke, and others from the rest. And languages. Min Yue speaks Mandarin and Cantonese. You spoke to her father in both, but you were unaware you were doing it. You can likely speak Greek, German, Spanish, French, and Arabic as well. Learning the skills of your slaves seems to be part of the curse."

James jolted in revulsion. "I don't want slaves! I don't want to be anyone's master!"

Rose looked him in the eye. "Most of us are no longer slaves. We're free from the compulsion. Command us to pat our heads."

His mouth worked as he looked back at her. "Pat your heads?" he said softly.

"No, make it a command!" she insisted.

He nodded. "I command you to pat your heads."

James was relieved that most people in the room weren't moving. He saw surprise on some faces and turned to see who they were staring at.

Katherine and Naya were patting their heads, but they were staring at Jennifer, who was doing it too.

"What the fuck?" Julie gasped.

"Jennifer, are you messing with us?" Dawn said in annoyance, but the woman shook her head with wide, frightened eyes.

"She wasn't there that night!" Mary-Anne exclaimed. "How could she be included in the curse?"

"Stop patting your heads," James said, and the three stopped.

"Jennifer was with us when we did this," Clarisa said, gesturing to the flowers throughout the room. "But she didn't feel the magic that time."

"James was within our circle this time, and Jennifer felt the magic. Maybe that's what's needed to link someone to James?" Julie suggested.

"I don't want this! It's the ring, right? How do I eliminate the curse?" James insisted.

Katherine looked at him with a guilty expression. "I've exhaustively reviewed the ancient text from the stone box that once contained the ring. I found no information on removing the curse."

"What happens if he tries to go through airport security?" Julie asked.

A few ladies giggled at the thought, but James was not amused.

"Seriously, that's not helpful," he scolded, then looked at Katherine. "Maybe there is something else written on the box?"

"It became sand after the ceremony," Min Yue said sadly.

At James' disappointed frown, Katherine gave him a hopeful smile as she picked up her tablet and pulled up the pictures she'd taken of the box. "Can you read this?"

He glanced at her, then accepted the tablet to look at the cuneiform symbols. Something tickled in his brain, and the meanings of the symbols popped into focus. "Y-yes, I can." His eyes scanned across the text, but the message they gave wasn't hopeful and confirmed what Katherine had said. "Dammit." He ground his teeth in frustration. "Did you find out who created it?"

Katherine seemed pleased that he could read the ancient text, a skill he'd obviously learned from her, but gave him a sympathetic smile for his disappointment. "No. I found no additional references about the box, the ring, or its creator. The only other information we have is that it came from a chest with a secret compartment and contained artifacts stolen from the National Museum of Iraq. If they had records, they were likely lost when the museum was looted and set ablaze during a war. The letters printed on the ring itself don't match any known language, though the box text was cuneiform."

Min Yue moved to stand beside James as he handed the tablet back to Katherine. He looked at the small woman. "I did not have sex with you because I had to. I wanted to. I'm sorry I had to tell you I wasn't ready for a boyfriend, but others needed to be with you. You are—" she quickly glanced at Clarisa, "definitely boyfriend material." Clarisa grinned at her friend for getting the phrase right.

He couldn't stop the pleased smile from reaching his lips as he now understood her behavior after their night out. It actually shone a light on a lot of their behavior. He nodded to her. "Thank you," he said softly.

Phoebe and Pheonix made sounds of protest. "Is Min Yue making moves on James? We were going to ask him to be our boyfriend!" Phoebe insisted.

"Me too!" Elke added with a grin.

"As long as James can spare some moments for me," Julie said, giving him a hopeful smile.

James held up his hands in surrender as he saw smiles on the ladies' faces.

"Let's put a bookmark in that discussion until we straighten out a few other points," he said. "This all started with you attempting to make Richard Madden your slave. Why, again?"

Katherine nodded. "He will one day take over his father's business. We needed to have a man on the inside of Madden Pharmaceuticals. Someone to ensure life-saving medicines would be made available and affordable to those who needed it," she replied.

"Ah... okay. I can see the value in that, but slavery?" he asked.

Katherine's expression fell. "My anger over how they withheld the medicine that would have saved my brother drove me to extreme measures. I broke the Wiccan Rede. I attempted to cause harm with magic. I can no longer be their High Priestess."

The other women immediately protested passionately. James saw they genuinely cared for the woman and wanted her to continue leading their... coven? He sighed.

He really wasn't happy about being included in this drama and magic of all things. He didn't want to believe in magic but couldn't refute his experiences and what he'd just witnessed with the roses.

He also understood he wasn't the target they'd been aiming for, and only the weirdest twist of circumstances led to him being involved. He wasn't going to try to find an answer to why it happened as he wasn't sure he wanted to know. He preferred to believe it was random chance rather than an unseen force guiding their fates.

Considering his current situation rationally, he realized he wasn't doing so badly. His college course was going well, and he was meeting some wonderful people who seemed to want to be friends with him. Friends with benefits. His day-to-day activities weren't being affected.

Yes, he was wearing a bit of jewelry in an embarrassing place, and yes, that might cause him issues down the road if he took any trips on airplanes or went through other metal detectors, but he'd deal with that later.

He took a deep breath and faced Katherine, looking into her eyes.

"You mentioned earlier that you caused me harm. What was the harm?" he asked, and Katherine's mouth dropped open as she stared at him.

"I-I-I put a cursed ring on your... private bits!" she stammered.

James nodded. "Yes, that was rude of you, but you thought I was someone else and your ultimate goal was worthy, so... I forgive you."

Katherine blinked at him in shock. "You... forgive me?" Everyone was looking at him in surprise.

"Listen. Would it have been better for me not to be caught up in this magic-based drama? Perhaps, but then I would have never met so many wonderful people if I hadn't. We're all strangers here at college and as weird as our introduction was, I'm grateful as it saved me from my loneliness. I discovered that I don't fit in with my generation, so it's been difficult to make friends. I've had so many wonderful talks with this group of women. Lately, I've found myself fitting in more easily and becoming more comfortable with my classmates."

Dawn was the first to rush closer to wrap her arms around him in a hug. Min Yue quickly joined, then the others, until he was in the center of a group hug. As they pulled back, he noticed the smile on Naya's face as she stepped back. Only Katherine and Jennifer had held back.

"Thank you," he said humbly. He cleared his throat to relieve the tightness, then looked at Katherine with concern.

"You were in a bad way when we arrived. I hate to think I'm the cause of that. There must be a way to break the curse without making you do something you'd rather not. You shouldn't need to fear me saying, I command you to pat your heads."

Katherine and Naya smiled at him, but Jennifer's hand immediately rose to follow the command.

Everyone froze and gaped at Jennifer.

Dawn frowned at her. "Shit! Are you messing with us now?"

"No! I can't stop!" the brunette cried.

James stared at her and glanced at Katherine and Naya, who shook their heads.

"Stop patting your head!" he said, and Jennifer yanked her hand down to cling to it with her other one, watching him nervously.

Dawn moved closer to Katherine and then looked back at James. "Command Katherine specifically to rub her belly."

James blinked at her and then looked into Katherine's eyes. "I command you to rub your belly."

They all waited, but Katherine's hands remained at her sides.

"Naya, I command you to slowly flap your arms," James said quickly, but the woman remained still.

She grinned. "I'm free? How?"

Julie's eyes widened in delight as her quick mind connected the dots. She smiled blissfully at James. "It has to be from James forgiving Katherine! She told us she was the Master-Slave, and we were all linked to James through her. When he forgave her, the curse was broken for her and Naya!"

"But Jennifer's still affected!" Naya said.

"She wasn't part of the original curse. She was linked to James by participating with us when we performed magic with him inside our circle." Julie suggested.

Dawn was stunned. When she regained control, she looked at the gathered women with dismay. "So, if we'd been open and honest with James from the very beginning, he could have forgiven Katherine and canceled the curse?"

This caused an eruption of raised voices and more flung recriminations.

Katherine held up her hands for quiet and the women settled down as James watched them in surprise.

The older woman turned her face to James. "I don't believe anyone regrets their time with you." He saw the ladies nodding as they watched him.

Katherine continued. "Dawn is probably right, but we were too frightened by the idea of being enslaved to think rationally about it. I regret being one of the first to insist on maintaining the secret from you. As the others got to know you, they realized you were a good person and didn't deserve to be kept in the dark about the curse. Those who resisted let our fear split the group, forcing the others to leave. The only reason they didn't confess to you earlier was out of respect for me, the guiltiest culprit. I'm truly sorry."

James saw the women were nodding again in agreement with her.

"More importantly, James, can you remove the ring now?" Rose asked.

"Ah! Uh, give me a second," he said. He walked to the washroom off the hall and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

He dropped his pants and underwear and looked at the ring still in its position nestled against his balls.

He took hold and tried to slide it down his relaxed appendage, but it wouldn't budge. He now understood the bond was due to magic. He had no idea how to deal with that.

James dressed again, then walked back to the sitting room to shake his head. "No change."

"But the curse is broken. We're all free—" Dawn began, then stopped and looked at Jennifer.

That woman was staring back at her with wide, frightened eyes. She suddenly leapt to her feet and ran from the room. They heard the front door thump closed and moments later, the sound of her car crunching gravel as it sped out of the parking lot.

"Should we go after her?" Rose asked.

Katherine shook her head with a sad expression. "I'll call her later and arrange to meet her one-on-one. For now, please give her some space."

James was deeply unsettled. "She looked terrified of me! I feel awful! Please let her know I would never do anything to harm her in any way."

Katherine smiled at him and gave him a nod. Then she saw Julie was watching her with a mischievous smile on her lips. "What?"

Julie's smile widened. "I was just thinking. Perhaps James can't remove the ring because he wasn't the one who put it on. Maybe the person who put it on him must be the one who removes it."

Giggles burst from several of the ladies, and they were all smiling as they saw the flustered expression on Katherine's face and the deep blush on James'.

"Seems logical to me," Rose nodded, struggling to hide her grin.

The two people in question looked at each other as their faces got hotter.

"I'd be willing to try if you would," James said as calmly as he could.

Katherine's eyes widened in surprise then she nodded as she couldn't trust her treacherous tongue.

She refused to face the ladies as she knew their smiles would destroy what little nerve she had.

Cheeky girls!

-=-

Jennifer knew she was driving too recklessly and reduced her speed as she finally made it back to her neighborhood. She was grateful it wasn't far from Katherine's.

She was renting a basement apartment in a lovely old Victorian home as she couldn't stay in the dorms without flashbacks. This home gave her no such troubles.

As she drove closer to the home, she noticed a very expensive sports car parked at the curb before the building. The homeowners were in their seventies and drove a station wagon, so she didn't know who owned this car.

Jennifer parked at the curb behind the sports car and got out.

Someone stepped from the luxury car and smiled at her. She thought he looked vaguely familiar, and her nerves tightened.

"Good evening, Jennifer," the man said smugly as he leaned back against the bumper.

She gave him a cautious look as she gripped the can of mace in her purse. "Do I know you?"

His smile widened as he shook his head. "Kevin Tate. We spoke at a certain party at a frat house a while ago. You were very rude that night. You wouldn't even return my hello."

"Then you should have picked up on the fact that I'm not interested in you," she insisted, moving toward the driveway.

The man's smirk grew. "You wouldn't give me the time of day as you were too busy slipping Richard Madden a roofie."

Jennifer stopped and glared at the man as a chill shot down her spine. "What are you talking about?" She tried to keep the tremor from her voice.

"It didn't make sense for you to choose Richard over me, but then I spoke to him and learned he'd been roofied. Then I recalled how he moved, how you guided him down the hallway, and how soon you returned. You handed him off to your co-conspirators, then returned to give yourself an alibi. Clever, but you didn't count on someone watching your moves that night," he said, enjoying the moment.

"You have proof of this fantasy of yours?" she said stiffly.

"My statement of these events could be delivered to the police, who are eager to get any leads on the investigation. There's a lot of pressure on them to catch the guilty parties and punish them to the fullest extent of the law. That would be... unpleasant for you. Alternatively, I could let Richard and his father know who made his mutilation possible. Their actions upon learning this would likely be far worse than... unpleasant."

She glared at him as she saw the anticipation in his eyes. Her skin crawled. "You could have done either of these things, but instead, you're here. What do you want?" Jennifer asked, but dread was filling her.

"Something far less unpleasant, I assure you. I want—"

Kevin was interrupted by an obnoxious ringing of his cell phone. He frowned as he pulled it from his pocket. He glanced at her, then turned his back to her.

"Dad, how's it going—"

"WHERE THE FUCK IS MY CAR, KEVIN?" a deeper male voice yelled into the phone, loud enough for Jennifer to hear.

Kevin glanced over his shoulder at her again. "You're back from your trip?"

"YES, FUCKNUTS! THAT'S HOW I KNOW MY CAR ISN'T HERE! BRING IT BACK NOW!"

Kevin stared at his cell as his father had obviously hung up. He turned and glared at Jennifer. "Be here tomorrow, same time. We'll continue this conversation."

With a final sneer, he returned to his car and got inside. It started with a deep rumble, then he peeled away from the curb and raced away.

Jennifer's legs wobbled, but she managed to stay on her feet.

Instead, she returned to her car and got back behind the wheel. She needed to speak to Katherine. She realized now that regardless of her intent, she'd drawn attention to herself at the party with her hostility. She'd thought she had done everything to remain invisible, but poking the fragile egos of creeps like Kevin drew their attention.

She started the engine and pulled back onto the road. She hoped the others had left as she wanted to speak to Katherine alone. She needed her advice.

-=-

Katherine left the sitting room, and James followed as they tried to ignore the quiet giggling behind him.

Katherine opened a door and led him into a nicely decorated bedroom. He glanced around as she closed the door and realized this must be her room from the feminine touches he saw around the space.

"You have a lovely bedroom," he said, returning his gaze to her.

"Thank you," she said as she waited. Then she raised an eyebrow as he just stood there.

"Ah, right!" he blurted quietly.

He undid his pants and slid them down his legs. He was beginning to show against his underwear, so he hooked his thumbs under the waistband and pushed them down as well. This just added a little energy to his rising erection.

Katherine gaped at his cock as the last time she saw it, he'd been completely flaccid. It showed much more strength now and rose to stand tall and firm before him.

"Why are you erect?" she asked in confusion as she couldn't tear her eyes from it.

He snorted quietly in surprise, finally making her look up at his face.

"I'm half naked, standing before a beautiful woman, and she's about to touch me in a very sensitive place. Sorry if I find that situation to be stimulating."

His words drew her gaze. "Beautiful? Compared to the others, I'm old—"

"Older, but no less attractive," he insisted. "Please excuse my eager friend, but at least it's honest."

Katherine couldn't stop another smile and blush on her face. "You are a charmer!"

He shook his head with a smile of his own. "Just being honest."

With an amused and skeptical flick of her eyes, she moved closer and looked down at his cock, which seemed to be moving with his pulse.

She reached down and touched the ring with her fingertips.

A burst of pure bliss shot through her body, making her gasp as her legs began to give out.

James quickly caught her in his arms, holding her against his chest as her mind spun.

Her fingers were now wrapped around his cock, squeezing it in pulses as it surged in her hand.

James sucked in a sharp breath as the intense pleasure coursed through his body. His lips found hers, and she moaned needfully as they kissed.

Her passion flared as she felt the strength in his arms supporting her and the need in his kiss. The heat between them grew.

Katherine found herself naked, stretched out on her mattress, gasping for breath as James drove her pleasure higher and higher with his talented tongue in a way she'd never experienced before. She knew she should stop this, but her fingers were locked in his hair, pulling him to her tighter as her cries of bliss burst forth.

As she got closer to cresting, she pulled at him to make him move up over her body.

When he drove his cock deep inside, she cried out with joy at their joining. Moments later, she was lost to her release, which felt like she might come apart.

He kissed her deeply, and her fires were stoked once more. He set up a rhythm of pounding strokes, and she began to cry out her joy again and again.

"I'm close," he growled, and his voice sent tingles shooting across her skin.

"Inside!" she begged, and he gave her everything he had as she clung to him.

They tried to catch their breath as their bodies and minds returned from the heavens.

James eased himself out of Katherine and settled onto the mattress beside her.

Their breathing slowed as their minds returned to the here and now.

Katherine glanced over at him in wonder, and he turned his head to smile at her.

"That... was... intense and wonderful!" he sighed. "It escalated surprisingly fast, too."

She pushed herself up on one elbow and looked down his body toward his shrinking cock. It had almost returned to its fully resting state. Before he could ask her what she was doing, she reached down and tried to tug the ring free.

"Oof!" he exclaimed.

She gave him an embarrassed smile. "Sorry. I thought it might work if it was soft." She smiled in apology. "Apparently, it's not coming off."

"Seems that way," he said in agreement.

"We... we should rejoin the others," Katherine said, then looked at him in embarrassment. "Do you think they heard?"

James' eyes flicked to the door and the gap beneath it. He sighed. "I can't see how they couldn't have." He heard a faint giggling coming from outside.

His eyes suddenly returned to hers. "Oh! Uh, we didn't use protection."

She smiled. "It's not my time for that. Besides, at my age, I don't think the odds are good that I could."

James looked into her eyes, and she didn't seem to be putting herself down.

He stroked his fingertips across her flat tummy as he smiled. He saw her eyelids flutter from the sensation.

"It was incredible!" he said as he watched her expression and enjoyed the flush that appeared on her cheeks.

"You're incorrigible!" she said with no heat as she tried to hide her smile. She sat up and moved quickly into the ensuite bathroom, closing the door behind her. He soon heard the shower start up, but she wasn't in there for long.

When Katherine exited, she gestured for him to take a turn. He picked up his clothes and moved to take his own shower.

When finished, he dressed and walked back into the bedroom, but Katherine had already left.

He took a deep breath, returned to the seating room, and endured the applause and whistles.

"Really?" he said with mildly embarrassed annoyance. He noticed Katherine's blush, but there was also a twinkle in her eye. She obviously treasured her closeness with these women.

Dawn gave him a warm hug as she smiled up at him.

"Katherine let us know the ring refused to be removed," she said.

"Yes. It seems permanent," he admitted, then shrugged. "It hasn't become an issue yet, but I haven't had to fly anywhere," he sighed, which caused Dawn to giggle.

He shared a concerned look with Katherine across the room. "There's only one person still bound to the ring. Will you be speaking with her tomorrow?" Katherine nodded, so James felt a little better. "Now that I'm aware of the nature of the ring, I don't want to leave anyone in that state. We need to find another way to release people."

The crunch of gravel drew eyes to the window, and Julie peeked outside. "I think that's Jennifer's car."

Katherine shared a look with the others. "Let me go speak to her. Alone," she said, and they nodded.

James watched Katherine leave then realized all eyes were on him. The ladies were wearing silly grins.

"What?"

-=-

Katherine stepped outside and walked toward Jennifer's car. Its engine stopped, and the young woman got out and rushed into Katherine's arms as she burst into tears.

"It's okay. Shhh. Shhh. You'll be okay," Katherine said softly as she rubbed her friend's back.

Jennifer suddenly pulled back to look into Katherine's eyes. "N-no! It isn't going to be okay! He saw me! At the p-party! He knows what I did!"

Katherine looked at the woman in her arms in confusion. "Who are you talking about? What happened?"

"K-Kevin Tate! Just now, he was waiting for me outside the house I rent an apartment in. He was at the party. He tried to pick me up, but I brushed him off. This made him angry. He watched me when I roofied Richard and led him down the hallway. Kevin thinks I'm part of the group who attacked Richard," Jennifer gushed in a panic, and her eyes grew wider as she confessed.

Katherine frowned in concern. Guilt spiked through her as she was to blame for putting her friend in danger. How could she protect her from this? Then she realized how much time had passed since the party.

"Why did he wait this long to come after you?" Katherine asked in confusion.

Jennifer nodded shakily. "Kevin didn't realize Richard had been given a roofie until he recently spoke to him. Then he connected the dots."

Katherine nodded as that made sense, but it led to another. "He didn't go to the police with this?"

Jennifer shook her head. "He's threatening to take it to the police or, worse, to Richard and his father unless I do... what he wants."

Katherine had a good idea of what that would be. Asking a rape victim to do it was inexcusable cruelty.

She looked into Jennifer's eyes and saw her terror and misery. She couldn't allow this to continue, but she needed help.

"Jennifer, we need to speak with the others to get their help with this," she said firmly as she looked into the woman's eyes.

Finally, Jennifer nodded, then looked up at her. "James is in there!"

"He might be the one who can help the most," Katherine said softly, gently guiding her inside once more.

-=-

After the initial outburst of outrage at hearing Kevin Tate's blackmail demand, the ladies did their best to assure Jennifer they were in her corner and might be willing to do unthinkable things to his person to severely reduce his quality of life.

Throughout the explanation and the resulting explosive reactions, Jennifer kept her eyes on James as he sat quietly, listening and keeping his opinions to himself.

Finally, she couldn't endure his silence any longer.

"Do you think I deserve to face this punishment?" she gasped with a cracking voice.

He jumped slightly as he'd been deep in thought. "What? What? Deserve... no, of course not!"

"Why are you being so quiet? How can you be so calm!" Jennifer demanded.

James nodded slightly. "My grandfather taught me the value of keeping a cool head when a crisis strikes and emotions run high. He was a rock we could depend on in those situations. He made sure Grandma got the care she needed after her stroke. Only when it was over did he let himself get the shakes." He cast his eyes around the room and saw they were absorbing this. "Feel the stress, but put it aside until it can be safely released. So, I was trying to think of the most effective way to eliminate the danger of his knowledge."

Everyone looked at James in surprise, so he explained.

"Kevin being at the party is a fact, and many can probably confirm this. Kevin seeing Jennifer at the party and unsuccessfully attempting to pick her up is a fact but not dangerous. Kevin seeing Jennifer guide Richard down the hall in his roofied state is the issue," James said. "After all this time, no one else has come forward with this fact, so no one but Kevin likely witnessed it."

"So, we take Kevin out," Phoebe said grimly, and her sister nodded.

James gave them a frustrated glare. "No! We must deal with his knowledge of seeing Jennifer with Richard that night."

Naya gaped at him incredulously. "Are we just going to ask nicely for him to forget?" she snorted.

James looked at her and thought about her words for a moment. "That might just work... if what you've been telling me about the curse is accurate."

Now, everyone was looking at James in surprise.

He locked eyes with Dawn. "You asked me to help Elke with an eating disorder. You told me to give her firm commands to eat better, which seems to have worked. I can only assume that was because she was receptive to commands because of the curse."

Dawn nodded, but her expression remained confused.

"It worked on Elke because she was there when the curse was initiated," she argued.

"Jennifer was at the party that night and not in the forest when I was given the ring. Why is she affected by my commands?" James asked.

Dawn pointed to the rose bush. "She was here when we performed this magic!"

James pointed to Dawn and nodded.

Julie's jaw dropped, and her eyes lit up. "Oh my god! That's brilliant!"

"What?" Naya asked in frustration.

Suddenly, expressions of surprise and delight began to appear on face after face.

Rose relieved Naya's frustration. "Kevin needs to be added to the curse."

"How will we do that?" Phoenix asked.

James could answer that one. "He's coming to see Jennifer tomorrow. She won't be alone. We'll demonstrate rose bush growing and command him to forget seeing any sign of Jennifer at the party."

Jennifer's eyes were glassy with tears and Katherine gave her a hug. "Your friends are here for you."

Soon, they were in the center of a group hug.

Jennifer saw James watching from the side with a kind smile.

"Thank you," she mouthed, and he nodded.

They had a plan.

Chapter 25

Richard was pacing in his room. The pain from his groin was being masked with a generous quantity of painkillers, which caused him a few spacey moments, but the alternative was much worse.

He'd been told that tomorrow he was going to be taken into custody by the police, and he'd be presented before a judge for an assessment.

What the fuck they'd get from that, he didn't know, except it wasn't likely to be good for him.

He was still fuming over Kevin Tate's visit. The asshole knew something related to his attack and wasn't sharing it. He considered telling the cops about this evidence, but the fucker would just deny it.

Richard suddenly realized he needed to confront Kevin directly. However, when he left the grounds, his ankle monitor would inform the cops. He'd examined it closely and there was no way for him to remove it.

He'd only get one chance.

He knew where his father kept his handguns, so he'd bring his favorite from the collection: the Desert Eagle. The bullets were locked away in a safe, but he wouldn't need to fire it, as it was so fucking intimidating just to look at.

His parents were out of the house tonight, enjoying dinner at some charity event, no doubt. That meant the staff in the house would be reduced. He'd be able to get to his father's office without being seen.

Richard immediately left his bedroom and walked down the hall to enter his father's study. He found the display case of pistols in the secret compartment behind the bookshelf. He grinned as he collected the heavy beast and shoved it into his belt.

His next stop was the garage to get his car. Something caught his eye, and he stopped before his father's favorite, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The old man hadn't stopped bragging about its bullet-proof glass and armored panels. It was luxurious, fast, and protected its passengers.

What better ride to enjoy his last one as a free man!

He grabbed the keys and slipped behind the wheel. Pressing the garage door remote, he shot out the opening door and raced down the long drive. The gates opened at his command, and he swung onto the road, heading toward the Tate estate.

He needed to get that punk to spill his secret.

Then he'd get some vengeance.

-=-

Kevin's plan for his first night of fun with Jennifer's pretty ass had undergone some significant changes. With the return of his father, he couldn't take the bitch to his place. He'd have to settle with stuffing her asshole full of his cock at her place. He was already stiff in his pants from the anticipation.

He saw Jennifer standing at the end of her driveway as he turned onto her street.

"Good, obedient little bitch," Kevin chuckled to himself.

As he parked and stepped from his car, he couldn't keep his eyes off the beauty's svelte body. He was going to enjoy her so much.

When the black hood slammed down over his head and cinched tight around his throat, he froze for precious seconds. This enabled his attackers to throw him down on the lawn on his stomach, knocking the wind from him. Next, they zip-tied his wrists behind his back, tied his ankles together, then lifted and carried him roughly.

All he knew was his assailants were completely silent and terribly strong.

He wanted to scream for help but still hadn't gotten his wind back.

Suddenly, he was lifted upright and pushed onto a chair. His arms and legs were secured to the chair.

As he gathered his breath to scream, he paused as he heard singing, which was so... beautiful!

-=-

Richard silently cruised up to the sidewalk and parked a distance behind Kevin's car. When he got to the asshole's house, he'd spotted him driving away, so he quickly followed but stayed back to not spook him. This wasn't how he'd planned on confronting him.

He slipped out of his car and moved closer to look in the car's window, but he wasn't there.

FUCK!

How could he have slipped away so quickly when Richard was so close? This road was a dead end, so he hadn't been concerned he would get away but maybe Kevin spotted him and ran?

Richard looked at the closest house and ran toward the side of it to peer into the windows.

Then he heard music coming from the backyard. He turned quickly to rush forward but stumbled and felt his head spin as the painkillers ran through his blood.

He took deep breaths as he got his equilibrium back.

He looked toward the backyard and realized the music he'd heard was no longer playing. Had there been music or was it the drugs?

What he heard now was a deep voice. He inched closer to the corner and peeked.

The backyard was a freaking garden with flowers everywhere. He could see a bunch of people wearing white robes among these blooms. Candlelight lit up the backyard.

Then he spotted Kevin sitting in a chair, looking up at a man whose back was to Richard.

"...but you were drunk, so you don't remember anything from that night. Do you understand?"

Kevin nodded as he looked up at the man.

"You won't remember what you were doing here tonight when you leave. You just want to go home, go to bed, and forget this ever happened," the man said firmly.

"Yes, that sounds good," Kevin said in relief and staggered to his feet. The man gently assisted Kevin to steady him and turned as he guided him on his way toward the other side of the house.

Richard finally got a clear look at the man's face. It was that fucking trash he'd met in the hospital room, the one his posse had beaten the crap out of. Except he didn't look injured in any way!

Wait! What did he say to Kevin?

Richard spun and rushed back to the front of the house and saw Kevin crossing the yard toward his car.

"Stop right there, shithead!" Richard shouted.

Kevin slowed and turned his face to peer at him. "Richard?"

"You're going to tell me who you saw roofie me at the party!" Richard raged at him, and Kevin stepped back.

"What are you talking about? I got shitfaced at the party! I can't remember anything," Kevin scoffed.

Richard stared at Kevin in shock as his story had changed. He pointed toward the backyard. "He told you to say that!"

Kevin smirked and gave Richard a confused look. "Uh, who told me to say what?"

Richard's attention locked onto the man's condescending grin, and he lost control of his rage. He yanked the gun from his belt and pistol-whipped Kevin as he roared.

The deafening boom of the gun going off sent a shockwave through the neighborhood just as two police cruisers skidded to a halt before the house. The weapon spun through the air as Richard's surprise made him lose his grip.

-=-

James had been watching from beside the house. He couldn't help but feel responsible for Kevin as he'd changed his memories. After Richard dropped the weapon, James leapt out of hiding and ran across the front lawn as he pulled off his shirt. He looked at the bloody mess of Kevin's face and saw the bullet went in one cheek and out the other, but the holes were vicious looking. He dropped to his knees next to the unconscious man to press his shirt against the wounds, turning Kevin's face so he wouldn't choke on the blood.

"Call an ambulance!" he yelled to the police.

He saw two were running up the lawn with weapons in hand.

Richard stared at James and bared his teeth in a snarl. He spotted his gun a few feet away, lunged to grab it, and swung his arm to aim it at him. The police opened fire. The cannon in Richard's hand boomed again before he was knocked backward by a spray of bullets.

James leaned over Kevin's body and hissed as fire carved a streak across his shoulders.

The other two officers hustled closer as their partners collected the weapon from Richard. "He's alive! Call for more ambulances."

"What are you doing here, Mr. Bailey?" a voice called out next to him.

James looked up at the cop and saw it was Officer Genner.

His back sent a pulse of pain through his body, and he winced before looking at Genner again. "My friends and I were just enjoying the beautiful garden in the backyard. I came out to see who was yelling."

"Your friends?" Genner asked, then heard screams of panic and concern as the ladies rushed around the corner, making a beeline for James.

Soon, they were swarmed and surrounded by very concerned women.

"Were these the men who were yelling?" Rose asked James as she held his eyes.

He winced from the throbbing as he held the makeshift bandage against Kevin's face. He was beginning to feel a little light-headed. "Uh, yeah. That's Richard Madden. This is... fuh..."

James slumped to the side, and Phoebe quickly caught him before he fell on Kevin.

Officer Genner quickly took over holding the makeshift bandage on Kevin's face as the first ambulance arrived.

The next moments were filled with a flurry of activity.

Richard was collected and taken away in the first ambulance as a second one parked at the curb. The paramedics next collected Kevin.

"We'll take James to the hospital," James heard Phoenix telling Officer Genner.

"I'll see you there," the policeman agreed.

Then James felt himself being carefully lifted and eased into the back seat of the twin's truck. With the next throb of pain, James slipped into unconsciousness.

Chapter 26

"So, you and your choir were practicing in the backyard of the house one of your members lives at," Detective Linda Spiegelman said.

Katherine nodded. "The home has such a beautiful garden! It seemed like the perfect spot to sing!" she added.

"What happened next?" Linda asked.

"It was getting dark, and we heard shouting. That's when James went to investigate," the woman said.

"Is James Bailey part of your choir? He'd be the only male," the detective noted.

Katherine smiled. "He's not a member. We're a women's support group as well as a choir. He's just friends with the ladies. Such a gentleman!"

Linda smiled at the other woman's joy and wondered how close her friendship was with the handsome young man. She snorted in amusement, then covered up her reaction with a quick headshake and smile.

She'd keep those thoughts to herself.

-=-

Josif Koenig rubbed his tired eyes as he finished questioning the last member of the ladies support group. They all claimed to be visiting a member's home to admire the garden and being inspired to do a little singing before they heard shouting.

Nothing was suspicious about that, but it didn't answer the question of why Kevin Tate had been there. The doctor said it would be a few days before Kevin would be conscious and hopefully able to speak. Or write his answers to questions considering the injury to his mouth.

The fucking cannon Richard Madden had fired in Kevin's face at point-blank range had done terrible damage. Both cheeks were badly torn up, as well as his tongue and a big section of his dental work on both sides was blown out. He'd need reconstructive surgery. And it sounded like he had James Bailey to thank for keeping him from bleeding out.

As for Richard, he was in a coma. The bullets that brought him down had done significant damage. They wouldn't be getting any answers for a long time, if ever, as to why he'd been following Kevin or why he'd shot him.

In speaking with Madden's father, he claimed the weapon was typically stored unloaded, but it might have been accidentally put away with a full magazine. He said the shooting must have been an accident.

This didn't get Richard off the hook for shooting James, as after the first discharge, he knew the gun was loaded. It was now guaranteed he'd be doing some jail time.

He thanked the young woman and entered the emergency ward to join his partner, who was finishing up her questioning of James. The young man seemed groggy from the painkillers. He'd gotten off light considering what he's been shot with. The grazing would leave a scar, but if it had been a few inches to the right, it would have gone through the back of his neck and spine. He was a lucky man.

Linda joined him outside the curtain and frowned wearily at him.

"All facts indicate that Richard Madden has gone quite mad," she said.

"Any doorbell cams in the neighborhood? Josif asked.

"Nope, another dead-end," Linda said, then frowned at herself for the pun as the road itself was a dead-end. All the home occupants on the street were seniors with aversions toward tech.

"No witnesses of the start of the confrontation, either," she sighed. She looked at her partner. "Come on, let's put this case to bed. The captain wants it closed, especially since the younger Madden was kind enough to give us just cause for putting him away. Even his papa can't push this one under the rug."

With a shrug, Josif followed Linda out of the hospital to return to the station. They were both glad to be done with this case.

-=-

A few days later, Katherine held a special meeting in her home with the ladies of the coven and a recently discharged patient.

Everyone stood and held hands in a circle as they performed their daily observances and asked for the Goddess' blessings.

Today, they felt her presence all around them as James had been included in the circle, not just standing within the group. Their connection to the magic was strong and fresh. It felt like... hope.

James smiled at his friends, who grinned back at him.

He was pleased that the wound across his upper back was healing quickly. He wasn't sure if he'd be left with a scar, so he'd have to just wait and see.

"The police told me their investigations have been officially closed. Richard hasn't woken from his coma yet, but the case against him for attacking me is cut and dried. As for the attack against him, there's no evidence to identify any of his attackers, and the suspect pool is too big. Kevin told the police he had no idea why Richard chased him into that neighborhood."

The ladies sighed with relief, and their grins widened.

They began giving reports on how their weeks were going. Generally, each believed life was settling back into normal patterns, and calm spread amongst them.

Then they heard the sudden sound of a car skidding on gravel and looked towards the windows to see headlights. Katherine held up her hand to get the ladies to remain where they were, but James followed her to the door and stepped out onto the small landing at the top of her front steps.

Striding toward them with a scowl on his face was Charles Madden. He stopped at the base of the steps and gaped at Katherine.

"It is you! Those fucking police are useless! The prime suspect for my son's attack was right in front of them the whole time!" Charles snapped.

Katherine gasped and was about to respond when she felt a hand take hers. She looked into James' compassionate gaze and felt the tightness ease from her chest.

"You're Charles Madden? I'm James Bailey. Your son targeted me in his campaign against the Free-Ride Scholarship students." He held up his hands to prevent the father from blustering. "I'm not going to blame you or complain about my treatment. It's done, and I healed because this woman really helped me. I can also prove to you that she caused no harm to your son."

Katherine and Charles looked at James, but while the woman's face showed surprise, the man's expression was still closed off.

James looked into Charles' eyes. "Katherine runs a women's support group, who are female students from the university. They're inside, and none of these women could have harmed your son the night of the frat party as they were all singing in the woods with her." He looked at Katherine, and his smile widened. "It's what they do. They sing about nature and do it quite beautifully." He looked back at Charles.

"Could we speak inside where it's more comfortable? I promise it's just to give you full and honest disclosure. When I'm done, if you think I'm trying to bullshit you, please take whatever steps you feel are necessary."

His scowl intensified but James could see the man was thinking about the promise of full disclosure. He finally nodded.

Katherine turned and entered as James waited for Charles to join him. "I'm going to try to convince them to record some of their songs. There's a fortune to be made!"

Charles raised an eyebrow, but James could see he'd scored a point by giving the man something he could relate to. Profit.

James led Charles into the sitting room and saw the man's eyes widen when he saw all the flowers in bloom. While the father was distracted, James noted the absence of Jennifer, so Katherine had picked up his message.

His mind worked double-time to devise something Charles would believe or at least make him sit still long enough.

"Ladies, this is Charles Madden. I'm going to give him the evidence that none of you could have been involved in his son's attack." They all nodded comfortably and looked toward the older man. As none of them had laid a finger on Richard, they were relaxed with this truth.

Julie and Dawn added two chairs inside the ring, and James took one and gestured to the other for Charles. Once they were comfortable, James began.

"After I returned from the hospital, I was pretty banged up and feeling out of sorts. That very day, I met two members of Katherine's support group. Later, I met the others. Their inclusiveness pulled me from the dark places that event could have taken me. When I met Katherine, she told me about her brother, what had happened to him, her efforts to save him, and his ultimate end. She did go to a dark place, but she also found help which grew into this amazing group of people. I mentioned they sing. Maybe they could give us a little example?" Charles shifted uncomfortably, and James smiled. "I promise, it's not preachy, and it sounds incredible!"

Min Yue surprised James by placing a small pot with a few sprigs poking out of the dirt on the table between the two men. He hid this reaction as she smiled at him and retook her seat.

This was a potential problem for James. He didn't want to show Charles actual magic working as he didn't know how the man would react. James took a deep breath and kept a calm smile on his face.

Katherine started the song, and Charles' eyes were immediately drawn to the pure sounds. She reached out and took the hands of the ladies to her left and right, and they continued the pattern until the two men were contained within the closed circle of beautiful sound. The music strengthened, and James took a deep breath as the energy passing between the women and him felt uplifting and empowering.

James looked at Charles to see his eyes were locked on the potted plant beginning to overflow its container with leaves and lovely little flowers. He nodded, and Katherine wound the song down until the last notes seemed to kiss their ears and fade. The ladies released their hands and sat smiling in contentment.

This is where everything could blow up in his face. James had to determine if Charles had been affected. If not, there was nothing left he could do.

Charles suddenly looked up at James with excitement in his eyes. "I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!"

Taking a deep breath, James steeled himself and spoke with a decisive voice as he addressed Charles.

"The truth is right before you. Katherine and the members of her women's support group did not cause harm to your son," James said firmly. "The past is past, and the present contains too many wonders to waste time on what happened before."

The man held James' eyes and nodded slowly. "I see that now. It... just seemed like such an obvious answer to me before. Now I see I was also dwelling on the past." James nodded to him and struggled to hide his relief. He decided to push ahead.

"Your company also has a great opportunity to learn from past mistakes and grow. Protecting the company's future profits by maintaining copyright on lifesaving medicine for rare diseases is good business. Ensuring this medicine is produced and used to save lives when the need arises will be seen as a heroic act of charity and proves the company cares about human lives. This should become a corporate policy. It will boost public opinion about the company. People want to invest in companies with humanitarian values. Marketing should incorporate this message." Charles was watching with rapt attention as he nodded.

Katherine was gazing at James with tears in her eyes.

James needed to keep the magic trick a secret, so he would have to get creative and hope it worked. He reached out a hand and Charles gripped it in his as they held each other's gaze. "The fast-growing flowers was a metaphor you saw in your mind. It represents the ability to see the future and its bounty."

"Ah!" Charles sighed with a peaceful smile. This answer allowed Charles to retain the memory but keep it under the safer and more mentally acceptable category of imagination. Seeing actual miracles unsettled the mind.

"I'm glad we were able to ease your concerns and shed light on the truth," James said.

The man seemed a little shaken by the experience. "Yes, thank you. I-I won't take any more of your time." He looked at the women. "Your singing is absolutely beautiful!"

He received happy nods then James stood and walked Charles back to his car.

When he drove away, James watched until his taillights' glow was gone. Then he walked back inside and was immediately grabbed into a group hug.

"You were brilliant!" Katherine exclaimed. "I'd given up hope of ever seeing Madden Pharmaceuticals implement such a humanitarian policy!"

James smiled self-consciously and raised his hands. "Just because the CEO now believes this is a good policy doesn't necessarily mean he'll be able to get his company to follow through. We can hope, and that's enough." He took a deep breath, and his expression now showed his discomfort. "There's a more pressing concern for me. Now that he seems to be... susceptible to my orders, does that mean he'll begin to have withdrawal if he doesn't get to see me? I understand the necessity in their case, but the idea of enslavement makes me really uncomfortable. We must find a way to break the bond for him and Kevin."

He looked at Jennifer. "But especially for you."

Julie got his attention. "You could release the original curse verbally when you forgave Katherine. Couldn't you do the same for Jennifer?"

James looked at the lovely platinum blonde as he thought about that. "But Jennifer didn't place a curse on me."

"But she did kick you in the ribs the first—uh, second time you met," Dawn offered, and Jennifer's face reddened as the ladies who hadn't been present cried out in outrage until Katherine raised her hands for calm.

James looked at the miserable expression on Jennifer's face and felt sympathetic toward her. "I forgive you for kicking me."

"But do you understand what the apology is actually for? Do you know what motivated her actions? I assume the pardoning needs comprehension and sincerity," Katherine suggested gently. Jennifer locked eyes with her and they shared a look until the younger woman nodded.

"Maybe we can sit down?" she asked, and everyone moved to their seats again.

Jennifer took a deep breath and looked at her clasped hands on her lap. She needed to get this out, and everyone deserved to hear it.

"I met Katherine in Group Therapy. She was dealing with the loss of her brother, and I was getting help with my... uncontrolled rage from being raped."

This caused the others to make sympathetic noises for her pain. Comprehension spread amongst the ladies.

Dawn's eyes flicked to James, and they shared the memory of her similar disclosure to him for the briefest moment. Dawn returned her gaze to Jennifer now that she saw where the man-hate originated.

Jennifer continued. "The group therapy and Katherine's support helped me greatly, which increased when I moved here and joined the coven. You've all been such a tremendous help, and I love you for it."

She looked sad. "I now know I'm far from healed from my attack as my rage returned when I learned that everyone was under the control of a man, a stranger. That triggered me, and I let it get under my skin and take over my personality. My rage prevented me from seeing you as James Bailey, a decent man, and I'm so very sorry for the pain I caused you and the others with my words and actions."

James saw the cause of her acting out against him more clearly now. It wasn't him she was reacting to, but the older, unresolved pain.

He caught some shifting expressions from the other ladies as they looked at him like some kind of answer for her.

"Before anyone says anything, I won't use the curse to blank out Jennifer's memories of her ordeal, as that would do more harm than good. I'm not a psychiatrist, but I know suppressed or missing memories are bad for the mind. Coming to terms and finding her own way to move forward is Jennifer's greatest opportunity to heal. We will support her emotionally as best we can." He scanned the ladies and saw them acknowledging this truth. He turned his eyes back to Jennifer. "I'm terribly sorry you had such a traumatic experience. Please know you can ask for my help, and I'll do whatever I can to support you and your healing."

He smiled at her kindly. "I forgive your actions and words against me as I now understand their true source. Thank you for sharing that. Your acknowledgment of my innocence is also greatly appreciated."

Jennifer gasped out a breath and reached forward timidly to hug him. He opened his arms and let her set the pace. He didn't squeeze her tight in case that triggered her.

When she pulled back, they smiled at each other.

Dawn grinned at them. "Let's see if it worked. Command her to pick her nose!" she called out and Jennifer gasped in surprise as the others giggled.

James smiled as Jennifer looked back at him nervously.

"Jennifer, I command you... to snap your fingers."

The group watched nervously as she lifted a hand... and flipped him the bird.

James laughed in relief, and she pulled him into another hug.

"You're free," he said quietly into her ear and felt her tremble against him.

She smiled up at him when they parted.

Julie spoke up again. "So, the only two left are Kevin and Charles."

James shook his head as he raised his hands in surrender, then stood. "My brain is done for the night. There is no imminent need to deal with them now, nor would it be practical to do so." He looked at Dawn. "Can I get a lift back to my dorm?"

Naya stood to stand before him and pouted. "But we didn't finish our date!"

He looked at her in surprise. "Uh, we missed the rest of the movie."

She smiled at him hungrily. "It was the after-movie activities I was talking about."

"The after—OH!" he exclaimed as he suddenly clued in.

"Unless you don't like me that way," she said as she looked into his eyes.

"I did—I do!" he exclaimed quickly. "I-I-I just wasn't expecting it to be so soon after you broke up with your ex!"

"What was I telling you about your pace?" Julie reminded him with a wide grin and winked at Naya.

"On that note, I close our meeting for this evening. James, you are welcome to join us for all future events. I won't be acting as the High Priestess from this point forward—" The ladies burst into protests and pleading again.

James looked into Katherine's eyes. "Is that what Wicca is all about? Not being allowed to be a human who makes mistakes? That seems pretty damn unforgiving for a belief system that is nature based. I think you'll find nature is filled with imperfections."

Katherine blinked in surprise at James.

"Haven't you confessed your crimes and received forgiveness? What more does this faith demand?" he asked.

Katherine's face was red as she struggled to respond.

"Or are you holding yourself to a higher standard than your faith requires of its main focus, nature? My grandma taught me to be wary of setting impossible standards. We can all be guilty of that as we're our worst critics. Perhaps you can find it in yourself to forgive yourself for the human frailty you experienced during your time of extreme duress. But that's just my opinion as an outside observer." He finished with a little smile and opened his arms.

Katherine walked into his embrace and began to cry.

Soon, she was surrounded by the arms of her coven members and more tears were shed by all.

When they finally regained control and stepped back to smile at each other, James looked at Naya.

"Would it be possible to reschedule the conclusion of our date? I'm feeling a little emotionally drained," he asked.

She gave him a little nod and then locked eyes with him. "As long as I get your next available night."

What followed was a burst of me nexts!

James looked at Katherine in dismay.

"Too much of a good thing?" she teased.

"Far more than I expected or deserve," he agreed.

"Now, who's being too critical of themself?" she fired back with a raised eyebrow, but there was genuine affection in her smile.

He couldn't help but smile in return and acknowledge her point.

James looked into the eyes of the women around him and realized loneliness would no longer be a problem.

Chapter 27

James sighed happily as he pulled into the driveway of his home. It was far more modest in appearance than the McMansions being built in the expansive and heavily wooded new development, but it was homey and had plenty of extra bedrooms. Certainly, it was larger than the farmhouse he'd grown up in.

Shortly after graduating, he'd returned to his hometown to visit his grandparents, and they'd been so pleased to see how happy his life had become. He'd been surprised by how much they seemed to have aged during his absence but their joy for life and each other hadn't diminished.

He'd brought them up to speed on most of his life's wonderful changes, and they'd been so happy for him. He played his grandma's favorite song for her on the guitar, and she'd cried joyful tears. It was a wonderful memory for him.

While they'd passed away the following year within hours of each other, James believed in his heart they were still together, very much in love.

He also missed his college years, but his special circumstances eased that nostalgia.

James smiled as he admired the home. He and some friends bought the least desirable lot on the far edge of a new executive development that backed onto protected forest land. It had the largest plot, almost twice the size of the others, but there was a marsh in the corner bordering the parkland with a creek flowing through it. In their eyes, it was perfect and just what they wanted. That didn't stop Katherine from haggling with the developer to get him to knock twenty-three percent off the final price.

They did their best to keep as many mature trees intact as possible and built a wonderful homestead amongst them. They'd incorporated as many natural elements into its design and construction as possible to make it blend with the natural setting of the forested property.

Inside, it had all the modern comforts and amenities.

Three years had passed since he graduated with distinction in his Electrical Engineering program at Dane. He'd been living a very good life ever since. He'd landed an excellent job with a construction company as the assistant to their Principal Electrical Engineer and earned a generous paycheck with benefits. His fluency in many languages made him a great asset for their team as he could speak with their international clients.

James parked in the garage and entered the interior door to kick off his boots and hang up his jacket. He washed his hands in the small bathroom next to the mud room, then walked down the hall into the kitchen. He was a little late in getting home tonight, so he saw Min Yue, Elke, and Katherine's smiling faces as they put their finishing touches on dinner. While the two younger women had good jobs with large companies in the nearby city, Katherine's antique shop was now a hobby and only open by appointment. It was more of a tax write-off these days. She'd found something more fulfilling to do with her time. It involved the High Priestesses of many other covens, but that's all he knew so far.

Dawn was sitting at the breakfast bar before her laptop, talking quietly on her cell. He smiled as she preferred to work remotely from the house, but she'd be heading back to California tomorrow to attend a critical meeting for her satellite telecommunications company. She was acquiring one of her competitors as they owned some patents she was interested in.

After some soul searching, she'd toppled her father's business empire by releasing the recordings she'd made of him covering up the rape of his daughter. The true death blow came when she handed the FBI many decades's worth of documentation proving tax evasion, money laundering, extortion, fraud, and other heinous behavior. Quite a few top executives were visited by federal agents the following morning. A few significant government officials were also implicated.

Dawn cherry-picked the best workers from the affected businesses and found them positions in her company. This protected them and their families while increasing the development capacity of her firm.

She'd ensured she was financially distinct from the family business and watched with delight as her ex-family members melted down. Some would be following their parents to prison, but the others would sink or swim on their own. They soon discovered that being terrible people meant no one was willing to protect them or take them in. Their friends showed their true colors and vanished overnight.

All James knew was that Dawn was no longer carrying the pain of her parent's cruelty.

She was free.

Rose rushed into the kitchen from the hallway and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She slipped her damp hands under his shirt and dried them against his firm belly. He yelped quietly in surprise, causing her to giggle mischievously.

"Almost late for dinner again, you two!" Katherine said with a smile.

"Apologies," James said as Rose grinned sheepishly. He gently pushed Rose toward the sink to wash her hands again as he moved to begin setting the table. She assisted him once she was done.

Rose also assisted James with maintaining his fitness. They ran almost every morning, which kept him in shape. That and sparring with the twins.

Today, Phoenix and Phoebe were in Athens, Greece, at a Judo tournament. They were still each other's biggest competition, though they claimed sparring with James pushed them the extra little bit they'd needed to achieve their ninth-dan black belts. They were diligently working towards the tenth dan and remained highly dedicated to the sport.

The dojo they built was quickly gaining a reputation as one of the most sought after in the country and was only twenty minutes down the road.

Julie visited when she could while she traveled the world. After she left college, she joined a firm in New York City that designed executive travel packages. Her dynamic personality, excellent interpersonal skills, and business savvy made her their top performer within eighteen months. The company was headquartered in New York City, but she made the effort to spend her vacation time with James.

Mary-Anne and Clarisa also lived in New York City, giving Julie a place to have her mail delivered and lay her head on a pillow during the short periods she was expected to work from the head office.

The couple enjoyed Julie's visits but also managed to visit the homestead for a weekend every couple of months.

Naya didn't keep in touch with any great frequency. She'd moved to Berkeley, California, married a college professor, and started a family. Dawn saw her from time to time and reported Naya seemed truly happy.

James was still concerned that the curse might still be present, affecting the women who remained close to him. As he had no means to determine if the magic that originally linked them was still present in some way, he wondered if Naya was proof of some kind. They'd never shared intimacy. Their date remained incomplete. Naya had a change of heart, which was fine.

Jennifer was another special case. While they remained friends, there'd been no physical relationship between them. He couldn't cure her and wouldn't mess with her mind in any way. Her therapy was going well, and the patience and compassion of her friends was excellent medicine.

The woman was healing at her own pace.

She even visited occasionally and would be here after dinner tonight.

A big relief was discovering neither Kevin nor Charles suffered from the withdrawal Katherine and the ladies had. While James didn't know why, he was truly grateful for it.

Richard was incarcerated in a state mental hospital and wouldn't be getting out... ever. Whatever physical damage had been done when the police shot him, his mind snapped as well.

The end result was that he was out of their lives permanently, which was the best James could ask for.

Katherine got everyone seated at the big dining room table, and they joined hands. She asked for the Goddess' Blessings and said their daily affirmations.

The meal was delicious, and James recalled the tasteless food his college meal plan offered. He was eating much better now!

"We are going to my favorite Chinese food restaurant tomorrow night," Min Yue stated as she held James' eyes. Tomorrow was their date night.

He smiled and nodded. "No spicy soup for me," he teased gently, and she grinned with a nod.

"Father will be there," Min Yue said, all eyes turning to her.

Dawn was the first to speak. "Is he still adamant that James marry you?"

Min Yue, who got her citizenship shortly after she graduated, smiled and nodded. "But he would be willing to settle for a grandchild."

James choked on his last bite but quickly got control and looked at the woman with raised eyebrows.

She blushed and looked down at her lap. "I know I was saying my career came first, but I have a secure position at work, and I've been dreaming of this. It feels like the right time."

James set his cutlery down and faced her. "You want to start a family?"

Min Yue glanced at the others and saw them trying to hide their nervousness. "I don't want to change anything about our arrangements for living here! I do not need to be married." Her eyes returned to James nervously. "But... having a child would be very nice."

He saw the others relax at her confession, and his concern about the source of their need for him resurfaced once more. He wondered if he'd ever shake it.

He pushed that aside as Min Yue needed an answer.

He'd been thinking about this very thing for some time as well. For him, it felt overdue.

"I think it would be wonderful to hear the laughter of a child in our home as well," he said, and Min Yue's expression became a wide, teary smile. "We'll have some good news for your father tomorrow," he said with a smile.

The small woman left her chair and rushed to his as he pushed back from the table. She was immediately on his lap, kissing him as he wrapped his arms around her.

Once her emotions calmed, she moved back to her chair with a sweet smile for him.

They finished their meal, and as they did, the conversation revolved around preparing the home for a child. James heard them discussing adding extra bedrooms to the house to meet their growing needs. Luckily, the home was designed for this.

For the immediate future, once the child was born, the crib would be in Min Yue's room, but they'd expand the home to include an additional bedroom and maybe a big playroom! The property they bought was large enough for a house three times its current footprint. James now grasped the importance of this. He gave Min Yue a loving smile as she returned it.

His mind flashed back to his childhood as he recalled his youngest years living on the farm. Then, his biggest concerns were completing his chores and lessons so he'd have time to read. It was a much simpler time in his life.

When James stepped out of his comfort zone and ventured into an unfamiliar world, he never expected the changes he'd experience would be so life-altering.

As the ladies smiled back at him, he held in his incredulous but joyful laugh.

A life filled with so much love was pure magic!