“Comfortable?”

“Mm… yes, very,” you replied softly. The answer seemed somewhat inadequate; blissful would have been a more accurate descriptor. The grand wing chair seemed to fit your proportions perfectly, no part of your weight awkwardly supported. The finely aged leather hit the perfect midpoint between pliable and firm, deforming just enough to spread the comfort evenly all along your neck, back, rear and thighs. The room around you was cool, but quickly warming with the merrily crackling fire which had just been ignited in the grate in front of you. It was the only source of light save for the faint glimmer of moonlight trickling through the high, arched window of the drawing room.

Gabriel turned, his head looming out from the wing of his own chair. He reached out and cupped your cheek gently; he was smiling, but his chestnut eyes were round with concern. “One last check, then; are you sure about this? Once it’s implanted, I don’t plan on removing it unless it is truly necessary.”

An electric jolt shot down your spine, one of apprehension or exhilaration, you couldn’t tell. “I’m really sure,” you said, quietly yet purposefully. A whisper of a coy smirk tugged at the corner of your mouth. “Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet, Mr. Fancy Evil Hypnotist?”

A chuckle resonated from deep within Gabriel’s chest, making your cheek tingle where his skin shook. His slender thumb pressed slightly against your lips, making you kiss it in revenge for your dry comment. “If you must use my noble title, that’s My Lord Fancy Evil Hypnotist to you, my dear,” he shot back smoothly, settling back into his chair and out of your sight. “But Gabriel will do quite well, I think. I’d hate to impose some archaic honorific on you. Now then,” he continued, his voice already beginning to shift into that warm, comforting bass rumble which sent yet more electric sparks down your spine, “would you be so good as to look into the flames for me?”

Settling back into your cozy chair, you did as you were told and focused your attention on the flickering fire before you. Though it had only been burning for a few minutes, the flames had already reached a respectable height, curling and rippling against the bundle of blackening logs like silk in a gale. The warmth brought a rosy tint to your cheeks as it banished the cool of the night far into a distant memory.

“Excellent,” Gabriel intoned; you wondered if he could see you, but you suppressed the instinct to scan your peripheral vision for his enthralling gaze. “Just like that, watching the winding, whispering flames, swirling and twirling, fluttering and flickering, radiating that sweet, gentle warmth which seeps into your skin. The night is dark and cold, but you are safe here, bathing in the mellow orange glow of the flames which fill your attention. Like a moth, your eyes are pulled away from the darkness, slipping out of the shadows, your focus drawn to the light, the warmth, the comfort and safety of the flames. It’s quite easy to devote your full attention to that light, to allow yourself to see little else but the flames, dancing, flickering, shining, shimmering, rising and falling before you.”

You felt the familiar tug in the back of your mind within seconds, softly but inexorably drawing your attention to the fireplace. Your peripheral vision was already beginning to fade, your gaze tunnelling towards the fire, noticing each and every plume of flame curling up and around the logs, your ears attentive to every hiss and spit of the fire as Gabriel’s words formed a soft, sweet accompaniment.

“And it would be so nice, it would feel so good, to imagine your thoughts twisting and turning and rising out of your grasp like the plumes of heat rising before you. Not to worry. Your thoughts will rise and shift and fade soon enough, but first… I’d like you to do something for me. Nothing difficult, nothing intensive, nothing which takes more than your sweet, precious, fading little mind can take. In a moment, I will begin to give you a series of prompts, one by one, and I’d like you to repeat them for me. A series of affirmations, a series of ideas, a series of truths for you to repeat, for you to inscribe deep within your mind, not just with my voice, but with your own. A set of words, a set of thoughts for you to pull yourself ever deeper with. Are you ready?”

It took a moment for you to respond; that pleasant buzz was already beginning to fill your thoughts, even after just a couple minutes. “Mmm… yes,” you whispered in reply, surprised at how soft and sweet your voice had already become.

“I will repeat these words.”

“I… will repeat these words.”

“I will repeat everything you say.”

“I will repeat everything you say.”

“It feels natural to repeat these words.”

“It feels natural to repeat these words.”

“Every time I repeat, it becomes a little easier.”

“Every time I repeat, it becomes a little easier.”

“Every time I repeat, I sink a little deeper.”

“Every time I repeat, I sink a little deeper.”

“Every time I repeat, the words feel a little better.”

“Every time I repeat, the words feel a little better.”

“The flames hold my attention.”

“The flames hold my attention.”

“The words hold my attention.”

“The words… hold my attention.”

“I can hear my own voice speaking.”

“I can hear my own voice speaking.”

“I can feel my own voice beginning to pull me into trance.”

“I can feel my own voice beginning to… to pull me into trance.”

“My voice is getting quieter.”

“Mmmy… my voice is getting quieter.”

“My mind is getting quieter.”

“My mind is… getting quieter.”

“It feels so natural to repeat.”

“It feels… so… nnnnnatural to repeat…”

“It feels so natural to sink.”

“Feels… so natural to sink…”

“It feels so natural to obey.”

“Feels so natural to… to obey…”

“It feels so good to repeat.”

“Mmmmph… it… it feels so good to repeat…”

“It feels so good to sink.”

“It… hnnngh… feels so good… to sssssink…”

“And most of all…”

“Mmmost… of all…”

“It feels so very, very good to obey.”

“Feels so… very good to… obey… mmmmph…”

The heat of the fire seemed to have percolated into every pore of your body. Every one of your muscles felt… warm, loose, relaxed. You vaguely, blearily wondered if you could still move them, but… somehow, you didn’t feel the need to try. It just felt so much nicer to sink into this warmth, to allow your body to loosen, slacken, slump as your lips moved as instructed. With each repetition, it was feeling less and less like you were actively repeating, more and more like your lips were moving on instinct, forming loose, slack shapes with little conscious control. But you didn’t mind. It was like your thoughts were cushioned on a soft, downy mattress, warmed, loosened, slowed down by the heat of the flames. You could still try to think clearly, of course, but… you didn’t feel the need to try. It was so much easier to simply drift on this feeling… dropping… repeating… obeying…

“My body is warm and relaxed.”

“Body… warm, an’… an’ relaxed…”

“My mind is blank and empty.”

“Mind is… blank… an’ empty…”

“My mouth is moving automatically.”

“Mouth is… movin’… autmatkly…”

“My conscious mind is asleep.”

“Conscious mind… is asleep…”

“My conscious mind is unaware.”

“Conscious mind… ‘s unaware…”

“But my subconscious understands.”

“My subconscious… understands…”

“My subconscious knows to repeat.”

“My subconscious… knows... to repeat…”

“Every word that I say…”

“Ev’ry word… I say…”

“Every truth I speak…”

“Every truth… I speak…”

“My subconscious accepts it.”

“M… my subconscious… accepts it…”

“Very good, now you can stop repeating for a moment.”

“V-very good, n-now…” Your brain took a moment to catch up, your lips moving automatically before your mind was able to process the instruction to stop. What little fragments of thoughts you had left were moving sluggishly, barely managing to inch forward through the molasses of your blank, obedient mind.

Gabriel chuckled warmly at your mumbled words before continuing. “Now that your mind is wonderfully deep, blank and empty, the only thoughts you have left are ones of obedience. Your conscious has been stripped away, melted in the heat of the fire, leaving nothing behind but your sweet subconscious, nothing but your basic functions, your basic needs. And your subconscious takes care of those needs so wonderfully; regulating your need to breathe, your need to eat, your need to sleep. Basic functions, yes, but so very necessary. And your subconscious takes care of you tirelessly, always keeping you safe, always keeping you sane. It’s such a wonderfully powerful part of your mind.”

“But there’s another need that your subconscious wants to fill. Another need, a primal itch, a basic, almost animal desire… to obey. When you are with me, or with someone who you trust and trusts you… you are almost overwhelmed by that desire, that need, that craving… to obey. So long as it is safe, and I can allow it, you will feel that inexorable pull towards obedience. Feeling amenable. Feeling pliable. Feeling safe, obeying me, under my care. Accepting my words as truth, trusting me, knowing that I would never do anything to harm you. Knowing that every time you obey, you make me happy, and you scratch that insatiable itch to serve. Your obedience compels you to serve me well, to care for me as I care for you. And when you serve, you bring pleasure, not just to me, but to yourself as well. That warm, submissive glow that percolates through every part of your body whenever you serve me well. It feels so good, so warm, so right. And it stokes the fire of your obedience yet higher and higher, hotter and hotter, your need to obey getting ever stronger and stronger.”

You were barely aware of it, but your body was sighing in enjoyment. You could feel that itch, that tingle to follow Gabriel’s words, to obey his instructions, to serve and care for him as he cared for you. It felt so… good, so right, so wonderful. It was like being given a cup of cool water after weeks in the desert, an overwhelming thirst, an itch for obedience, finally being sated.

“Three concepts. Obedience. Service. Pleasure. Three deep, primal needs that your subconscious pulls you towards inexorably. And to help you fulfil those needs, I’m going to give you a gift. A mantra, of sorts, for you to repeat, over and over again, to help remind you of that hunger, that desire to obey, to serve, to feel pleasure. Once I give it to you, it will become deeply ingrained into your subconscious, summing up your basic, primal cravings in one simple, beautiful set of rules. A system for you to follow, a code for you to uphold. And once you start repeating it, you’ll barely be able to stop… not that you’ll want to, anyway. Even if you’re busy with other things, the mantra will still whisper in your ear, growing ever deeper, ever stronger into your subconscious. In a moment, I’ll ask you to begin repeating once again, and I will give you that mantra. That code you will live by. The cravings you will need to sate. Are you ready?”

You nodded, a bolt of pleasure accompanying the simple movement.

“Obedience compels me to serve.”

“Ob… oh… uh…” Your mouth felt slack and loose; you had fallen so completely into trance, you had forgotten so completely about your body, that it suddenly felt strange to move even such a tiny part of yourself.

“Obedience…”

“Ob… obed… ience…”

“…compels me…”

“…comp… compels me…”

“…to serve.”

“To… to serve.”

“Once again, now. Obedience compels me to serve.” There was no hint of reproach or frustration in Gabriel’s voice, just a warm, sweet patience.

“Obedience… compels me… to serve…” A rush of satisfaction at being able to obey the calm, clear instruction.

“Service brings me pleasure.”

“Ss… service… brings me… p-pleasure…” A bolt of pleasure, yet stronger than the first.

“Pleasure helps me to obey.”

“Pleasure helps me to… obey… nnnnggguhhh…” You couldn’t stop yourself from moaning. The need, the desire, the craving to obey was almost too much. You needed to… you needed to…

“Obedience compels me to serve.”

“Obedience… compels me to serve…”

“Service brings me pleasure.”

“Service brings me… pleasure… hhhahhh… huh…”

“Pleasure helps me to obey.”

“Pleasure… hhhah… helps me to obey… nnngh… hhhhh…”

“Obedience compels me to serve.”

“Obedience compels me to serve…”

“Service brings me pleasure.”

“Service brings me pleasure…”

“Pleasure helps me to obey.”

“Pleasure helps me to obey…”

“Very good, you’re doing a wonderful job. I’d like you to continue repeating that mantra, over and over, again and again and again. It’s not just an instruction; it’s a need, a deep, primal craving worming its way into your subconscious, a code you must uphold. Obedience. Service. Pleasure. Repeat.”

“Obedience… compels me to serve… service brings me pleasure… pleasure helps me to obey…”

“Good. Again.”

“Obedience compels me to serve… service brings me pleasure… pleasure helps me to obey…”

“Again.”

“Obedience compels me to serve… service brings me pleasure… pleasure helps me to obey…”

“Again. Feel the code burrowing deeper into your thoughts…

“Obedience compels me to serve…”

“Feel that mantra burning into your subconscious…”

“Service brings me pleasure…”

“Feel this truth becoming an integral part of your mind…”

“Pleasure helps me to obey…”

“Again, my dear. You’re doing so well.”

“Obedience compels me to serve… service brings me pleasure… pleasure helps me to obey…”

“So very good. So very deep for me. Tell me, what does obedience mean?”

“Obedience… compels me to serve…”

“And what does service bring?”

“Service… brings me pleasure…”

“And what does pleasure do?”

“Pleasure… helps me to obey.”

“Wonderful. I’m so glad that you’re internalising this truth. Again.”

“Obedience compels me to serve… service brings me pleasure… pleasure helps me to obey…”

“Again.”

“Obedience compels me to serve… service brings me pleasure… pleasure helps me to obey…”

“Again…”