Chapter 1 - After the Dig

Oli and Esme sat at a table under the canopy of a beachside bar, toes in the sand, watching the tide come in. Their neon blue tropical drinks sweated in the heat. Both students were nicely bronzed thanks to their long days outside on the dig.

"Your turn tonight, or mine?" Oli said idly, running a hand through his longish, sun-bleached hair. He played with a slice of pineapple on the rim of his glass.

"It's mine," Esme said, fingering her crystal necklace. "Anything in particular you want?"

Oli leaned across the table, taking Esme's hand in his and bringing it to his lips. "Just you, love," he said, kissing her fingers. "You can do whatever you like to–"

"You two!" A voice rang out behind them. "I bloody knew it!"

Oli and Esme looked up, squinting through their sunglasses. Professor Laura Cross stood at their table, backlit by the midday sun, a triumphant look on her face. She had a sarong tied around her waist, a white cotton wrap over her shoulders. Her large, tanned breasts strained against a black bikini top.

"Professor Cross?" Esme said.

"It's Laura, please. We're off the clock." She threw her long chestnut braid over one shoulder and pulled out a chair. "Mind if I join you?" she asked, and sat down without waiting for an answer.

"I mean, sure," Oli said. "Go on then."

Laura looked back and forth between the two. "Bloody knew it," she said again, smirking to herself. "Andreas owes me a hundred quid."

"Professor Cross?" Oli said. He and Esme exchanged a look. Esme raised her eyebrows. "Honestly, we have no idea what you're talking about."

Laura barked a laugh. "Seriously? Come on now. Oliver Spencer. Esme Bonnaire. You two were the talk of the camp. How you'd sneak out of your tents into the jungle when you thought people weren't looking." She leaned forward. "But I? I saw. I was looking. I knew you two were up to something."

"Professor Cross–" Esme began.

"Laura," the professor corrected, tapping her index finger on the table with each syllable. "Lau. Ra."

"Right. Laura," Esme said. "Are you, I mean, no offence intended, but are you alright? You seem a little off."

"Just had a few drinks with the crew at breakfast, love. Come on, we're celebrating! We found the Medallion of the Vainar!" She pounded the table. "Speaking of celebrating," she said, grabbing Oli's drink. "What is this supposed to be?"

"It's called a Coravian Typhoon," Oli said. "It's a local thing."

Laura took a sip, then pulled a face. "Vile, is what it is. That won't do. You there! Bar… guy!" She caught the attention of a server, who hurried over.

"Ma'am?"

"You lot know how to make a bloody mary?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Three of those, then. Biggest you got."

"Right away, ma'am."

"Good man. So," Laura said, turning back to Oli and Esme. "This. Your whole thing. What's that all about?"

"Oli, darling?" said Esme. "Care to explain?"

"Esme, love?" said Oli. "It is your turn."

"That's not how it… you know what? Fine. I'll do this one."

"Love you, Ez."

Esme sighed. "Love you, prick. Alright, so. Short version. We've known each other since primary school. Grew up in the northwest, Oli's dad was a builder, mine ran a chip shop, so neither of us had a lot of money. We both got picked on a lot at school, a Maori girl and a total dork–"

"Hey!"

Esme patted Oli's hand. "Hush now. You've come a long way, babe. So we'd hide out in the library, keeping our heads down, swapping books. We grew up, but we always stuck together. Same interests, all that. Once our hormones kicked in, it just seemed like a natural thing. Again, same interests, so were together like that as well. Then we went off to uni together, ended up on your dig, bing bang boom, here we are. We thought it best not to make it a big deal when we were on site."

The server returned with their drinks.

"Cheers!" Laura said, raising her glass. "To… to archaeology!"

"Archaeology!" They toasted.

"So. Next question," Laura said, leaning forward. As she did, Oli and Esme tried to avoid staring at her massive cleavage. They failed.

"Yes?" Esme said.

"These, what did you call them, when you started hooking up. 'Same interests'. I'm curious, what exactly do you mean by that?"

Oli and Esme traded another glance.

"Ez? A favor?"

"Oli?"

"Tag team it?"

"Okay," Esme said. "But it's still my turn."

"I can work with that. So."

"So."

"So Esme and I, we grew up, and when we got older, we found out we like the same things. The same… people. Not really bi, just…"

"Open?" Esme offered. "Flexible? Adaptable?"

Oli shook his head. "Not quite. Call it whatever. There really isn't a name for it. But there was something else we had, too, something more…"

"Specific," Esme finished. "Niche. Fetish-y."

"Ooh, a fetish," Laura said. "Now we're getting to it. Such as?"

Esme and Oli looked at one another, then nodded. "Hypnosis," they said together.

Laura laughed, nearly choking on her drink. "Hypnosis? Come off it! That's a load of bollocks."

Oli's face grew stern. "It's not, Professor. It's really not. Have you ever tried it?"

"I told you, it's Laura. And no. No, I haven't, I…" Her eyes lost focus. "I have never been hypnotised."

"Well now. That's interesting," Esme said.

"Right?" Oli said. "You think we should…?"

"Can't think of a reason not to. Hey, Laura?" Esme said. She poked the older woman in the shoulder. "Prof? You still with us?"

"Yeah. Yes, I'm good," Laura said after a moment. "Got lost for a minute there. Alright, hypnosis. Convince me."

Oli took Esme's hand. "Ez and I, we're at uni together," he said. "First week, they have all these get-to-know you things. We're going to all of it. Mixers, improv."

"Discos," Esme continued. "Trivia nights."

"And the last night, a hypnosis show. The Unbelievable Reginald, or some rubbish like that."

"Rutherford," Esme said. "Not a great turnout, maybe twenty, thirty people in total. Lights go down, the guy starts his act. Couple volunteers on stage, basic stuff, swinging pocketwatches and all that."

"Then," Oli said, "I look over, this one here, she's nodded off. This hypnotist tells the volunteers to raise their arms, and Ez does the same thing. The hypnotist, he notices, tells her to come up on stage."

"I… I had to," Esme mumbled. "I'd had this… fantasy, I guess? Since I was a kid. Before I even knew what sex was. All these cartoons, people getting hypnotised. It all seemed… so nice. Just letting go, being helpless, not having to think…" She drifted.

"Ez?" Oli squeezed her hand. "Come on back, love. Finish your story."

"Yes, right. Sorry. So. I'm up on stage, he has me hypnotised. He made me tell him everything, all my fantasies. And it's like… I have to do whatever he says."

"Has you… hypnotised," Laura repeated, lost in Esme's story. "Whatever he says."

"He whispers something in my ear, sends me back to my seat, next thing I know the show's over. Oli and I start collecting our things, and then–"

*             *             *

Esme froze in the empty theatre, standing with a vacant expression on her face.

"Ez?" Oli said. "Helloooo?"

"I must… I need to go backstage," Esme said, and started to leave.

"Esme? Hey! Are you okay? What are you–" Oli grabbed Esme's arm, but she pulled away and continued walking, oblivious. Oli followed her, unsure of what else to do.

They arrived at a nondescript door in the back of the theatre. Esme knocked twice.

The door swung open, and there stood the hypnotist. "Ah, good, Esme, wasn't it?"

"Yes, sir. I am here, as you commanded."

"And you've brought your friend! We can work with that. Come in, the both of you, and take a seat."

Oli and Esme sat down on a worn-out sofa. Rutherford took a chair from his dressing table and sat opposite them, crossing his legs.

"So," the hypnotist said. "The cute couple. What brings you both here to me?"

"We're not a–" Oli began.

"I am here to serve, my master," Esme said.

"Wait, what?! Ez, no! What have you done to her?!" Oli said.

"Oh, nothing much. Nothing that she doesn't want. She's a natural." The hypnotist pulled a gold pocketwatch from his vest and began to swing it in a slow, lazy arc. "Isn't that right, pet?"

"Yesss…" Esme said, her eyes locked on the swinging watch. "Yes, master. I want to be hypnotised. I want to obey you."

"No, you can't do this to… to… " Oli said, his eyes also tracking the watch. "To her. I won't let you… let you…"

"Poor boy," said the hypnotist, chuckling. "Follow the watch. I bet you don't even remember being on stage with little Esme here, do you?"

Oli shook his head, eyes going back and forth.

"I hypnotised you, too. You were so easy. I saw how much you wanted it. How hard it made you, seeing your friend fall under my power. How hard you are now."

"Under your power." Oli ran his hand down his own trouser leg, grasping his hard cock. "So hard."

"That's right. It turns you on being hypnotised, doesn't it?"

"Yes… hypnotised… turns me on."

"Yes. And you, my dear Esme, it turns you on too, doesn't it?"

"Yessss," Esme said. "It turns me on. I want to submit. I want to obey."

"Good," Rutherford said, tucking the watch back in his pocket. "You are both excellent subjects. Submit. Obey. I want the both of you to keep repeating that."

"Submit," they said in unison. "Obey. Submit. Obey…"

"Stop," Rutherford said after several minutes. "God, you're completely mindless now, aren't you?"

"Yes. Completely mindless," Oli and Esme echoed.

"You love being hypnotised."

"Love being hypnotised."

"You want to hypnotise each other, don't you?"

"Want to hypnotise Esme," Oli said. "Want to make her do what I say."

"I want to hypnotise Oli," Esme said. "I want him to be my slave."

"Oli, Esme, I'm going to give you a gift. Listen to me. Submit and obey."

"Submit. Obey."

"Good slaves. Now, I can see that you're into each other. Bloody obvious, really. Have you ever hooked up?"

Oli shook his head. "No, master," Esme sighed, frowning slightly.

"No matter, we're going to change all that. Oli, Esme, listen and obey. You love hypnotising each other. You want to practise on each other."

"Listen and obey. We love hypnotising each other. Want to practise on each other."

"Oli, you will hypnotise Esme to serve you. To fuck you."

"Esme. Hypnotise… her. Serve me. Fuck me."

"Esme, you will hypnotise Oli to be your slave. You want to fuck him."

"Hypnotise… Oli. Slave… want to fuck him."

"You two are something else," said the hypnotist. "Now, I'm about to snap my fingers. When you leave here, you will have no memory of this encounter, but you will remember everything I have told you. Understand?"

"I understand," Oli droned.

"Yes, master," Esme said. "Remember everything you told us."

SNAP

Oli and Esme stood in the entryway, shivering in their coats.

"Well that was weird, " Oli said. "Fuck me, it's gotten cold. Can't believe it's this late. Almost half eleven. It's like it just flew by."

"Too right. I liked it, but I barely remember any of it," Esme said. "Like, did I go up on stage?"

"Maybe…? I'm a bit iffy on all of it, to be honest. So what now? Pub?"

"I was thinking we could go back to mine, hang out for a bit," Esme said. "I have something I want to try."

"You read my mind," Oli said. "So do I. Lay on."

*             *             *

"Professor?" Esme snapped her fingers in front of the professor's face. "Laura!"

Laura started. "Apologies, I must have drifted off. That's an oddly sweet story. Do you two still… do all that?"

"You mean hypnotise each other?" Oli said.

Laura nodded.

"All the time," Esme said. "And fuck each other. We take turns."

"Still think it's a load of bollocks," Laura said. "It's all just roleplay, right? It has to be."

"Oh, no," Oli said. "It's very real. Master/slave stuff, trance triggers, orgasm denial, et cetera. And we've gotten very good at all of it. Both of us have. Here, I'll show you. Esme?"

"Hm?"

"Can I?"

Esme nodded and steadied herself, gripping the edge of the table. "Let's go then."

"Esme. Alcachofa."

Esme came. Her knuckles turned white, her knees pressing together under the table as she suppressed a cry.

"Flippin' nora," Laura said.

"Told you," said Oli, watching his girlfriend catch her breath. "Triggers. She usually needs a minute after that."

Laura finished her drink, then put a hand on her forehead, as though exhausted.

"I think…" Esme said, panting. "I think Professor Cross needs more convincing."

Oli fished a large gold coin from his breast pocket, and held it up. "Want me to…?"

"No," Esme said airily. She unfastened her necklace, bringing the crystal pendant up from where it had been nestled between her breasts. "Put that away. It's my turn, remember?"

"Professor Cross."

"L-Laura. Call me Laura."

"Fuck me, you're a stubborn one," Esme said, swinging her necklace. "Fine. Laura it is. Follow the pendant."

"Follow… the pendant."

"Yes, Laura, follow it with your eyes. You can't look away from it."

"Can't… look away."

"That's right. And as you follow it, you feel all your thoughts drifting away."

"Yesss… thoughts… drifting."

"Now Laura, I want you to think back, back to your past. Has anyone hypnotised you before?"

"No, I–" Laura furrowed her brow, then her eyes grew distant. "I have never been hypnotised before," she said in a hushed monotone.

Esme and Oli shared a glance.

"Well that's a yes," Oli whispered. Esme nodded, then turned back to her professor.

"It's all okay, Laura, just relax, you don't need to think, just let your mind go. I can think for you."

"Let my mind… go. Think for me…"

"That's it, Laura. Listen to my voice. You trust me. You trust Esme."

"Listen… trust you…"

"And if you trust me, that means you want to obey me, right?"

"Trust you… obey you," Laura said.

"Obey you…" Oli echoed.

Esme looked at her boyfriend. He'd taken on the same far-off stare as Laura. She tousled his hair. "My lovely boyo," she murmured. "You always go down so easily."

Oli nodded.

"It's alright," Esme said. "You can follow along. Now Laura, if you obey me, that means you'll do what I say, correct?"

"C-correct. Do what you say."

"So in a moment, I'm going to wake you up." Esme swapped Laura's empty glass for her own full one. "Oli and I are going to leave. You're going to stay here and finish your drink. "In," she checked her phone, "in half an hour, you're going to leave the bar. You won't know why, but you'll have an irresistible urge come up to the hotel and knock on our door. Room three-oh-three. Repeat that."

"Finish my drink. Twenty minutes. Irresistible urge. Room three-oh-three."

"Perfect." Esme stroked Laura's face. Laura mewled. "You are such a good subject. When we let you into the room, you'll come out of your trance and await further orders. Got all of that?"

"I've got all of that," Laura said.

"Oh, and Laura? Call me mistress when you're like this."

"Yes, mistress. You are my mistress."

"Beautiful. One second." Esme gave Oli a light slap. "Wake up, love."

Oli ran a hand over his face. "Did I…?"

"A little," Esme said. "It's actually kind of good. Now I have a surprise for you."

"Can I guess what it is?"

"No, love. That's why it's called a surprise. I need to finish up. Now, Laura?"

"Yes, mistress?"

"I want you to count to a hundred in your head. When you wake, you're going to stay in a light trance and then obey all the instructions I've given you."

"Yes, mistress. I will obey."

"Excellent. We'll see you in a bit."

Esme looped her arm through Oli's and led him away from the bar.

"So, Professor Cross? Is she the surprise?" Oli asked.

"She's a part of it."

"So what, you think I'm not enough for you?"

"Oh, no, you're all I need," she whispered, "master. But sometimes we just need a little more."

Oli looked up at the gathering stormclouds. "We should hurry it up. Looks like rain."

"Looks like," Esme said. "Well? Lay on." She kissed him. "Dork."

The hotel was a luxury that Professor Cross had insisted on, a pink stucco monstrosity overlooking the Pacific. After a month toiling on a dig in a ruined jungle temple, Laura had decided to treat her archaeology students to a week at a beachfront resort, all expenses paid. Oli and Esme, trying to keep their relationship a secret, had taken rooms several doors apart. Apart from a brief, curious peek, they hadn't even set foot into Esme's room.

"Really coming down out there," Oli said, once they were safely back inside. "So, for this surprise? Clothes on or off?"

"Definitely off," Esme said, pulling her peasant blouse over her head and unsnapping her bra. "Fuck me, that feels good. I'm going to need you to give these some love later," she said, cupping her dusky breasts.

"Whatever you want… mistress," Oli said, taking down his pants. "Now, how long 'til company gets here?"

Esme checked the bedside clock. "Another ten minutes or so."

Oli jumped her, pulling her onto the bed, both of them naked. Esme squealed.

"I can think of a few ways to keep us occupied until then," Oli said. "You?"

"One or two," she said, as he started kissing her nipples. He played with her clit. "One or… ohhh! Or two."

Esme and Oli were lazing when the first knock came.

"You want to get that?" Oli said. "I think it's your surprise."

"It's your turn now," Esme said. "You get it. Besides, you just made me cum, so I need a minute."

Esme grinned, watching Oli's naked backside flex as he went to the door.

"Professor Cross."

"Laura," said Laura. She was dripping with rainwater, her shoulder wrap gone transparent. Her nipples pressed against her bikini top. "I… I don't…" she said, eyeing Oli's bare cock. "I'm not sure why… why I'm here, and Oliver, you don't have any clothes on, and, and I…"

Oli stepped back and ushered her into the room.

"E-Esme," Laura said, noticing the dark-skinned girl reclining on the bed. Esme's large breasts were pressed together, and she was lazily stroking her bare pussy. "Y-you're naked too. What… what is…"

"Shhhshhhshhh," said Esme, standing and unfastening her necklace. She put an extra swing in her hips as she walked, her bare tits swaying.  She hung the crystal before her professor's eyes and set it spinning. "Laura. It's fine that I'm naked. It's fine that Oli is naked. It's all fine."

"I-it's all fine," Laura said, dazed, eyes already following the pendant. "Fine that you're naked."

"You can't stop looking at my body. That's okay. It's perfectly natural to be naked. I love my body. You love my body, don't you, Laura?"

"Yes," Laura said, falling deeper into trance. "I love your body… mistress."

"And I love yours, too. It makes me so wet. Speaking of, you're soaking. Take it all off. Let me see you."

"I– yes, mistress." Laura stripped off her top and her sun-kissed breasts fell free, firm and huge, speckled with rain. Her nipples were dark pink, hardened from cold and arousal. Her breasts dangled as she pulled her bikini bottoms down, and Esme reached out, testing their weight with her palms. Laura gasped.

"Liked that?" Esme said.

"Yes, m-mistress. I'm v-very… very sensitive."

"Laura. You're so hypnotised now, aren't you? So turned on. I want you to listen to me and obey."

"So hypnotised. Listen. Obey."

"You're going to go into the bathroom and take a shower, get warm, get cleaned up. You may play with yourself, but you may not cum."

"Shower… play with myself… can't cum… mistress…"

"That's right. When you finish, you will come out here, naked. Oli is going to hypnotise you. You want him to hypnotise you. You'll beg him to. You will obey him as you obey me."

"Yes, mistress… naked… want to be hypnotised… obey him… obey you…"

"Go. Now."

Laura turned without a word and walked to the bathroom.

"You're letting me take over?" Oli said.

Esme shrugged. "Still your turn."

"You and your bloody rules," Oli said, bringing Esme close.

Laura Cross, still damp from her shower, stood in a light trance, watching Oli and Esme as they lay entwined, kissing and caressing each other. Laura had undone her braid, and her dark hair hung down her back. She shivered in the air conditioning, her arms crossed under her breasts, waiting to be told what to do.

"Oliver," Laura began. "I… I want…"

"Yes?" Oli said languidly, pulling away from Esme and raising his head. "What is it you want?"

"I want… I need you to hypnotise me. Please."

"And why would you want that?"

"It feels," Laura said, moaning softly, "feels so good. I want to be hypnotised. Don't want to think."

"Esme, love," Oli said.

"Hmmm?"

"Should we indulge the lady?"

"Whatever you want, my dear. It is your turn."

"True enough." Oli reached for his discarded shirt and pulled the coin from its pocket. He held it up to the light and it sparkled, glittering in Laura's dark eyes. She let out a slow breath.

"Esme?" Oli said. "Why don't you stand behind Professor Cross, give her some encouragement."

"Yes, master," Esme said, her voice heavy with sarcasm. She came up behind Laura and began playing with her professor's body.

"Now Laura?"

"Yessss…"

"I want you to look at the coin closely. Watch how it shines. Look at the patterns. What can you tell me about it?"

"Aztec… late thirteenth century," Laura said without emotion. "Some kind of religious symbols."

"Good. That's very good. May I show you a trick?" Oli placed the coin on his knuckles and rippled them, making the coin dance across his fingers. "That's right, Laura, watch it dance. This was a trick the shamans learned. They couldn't explain it, but the motion of the coin could take someone's mind. Put them into a trance. You feel it now, don't you?"

"Yes… take my mind… into a trance…" Laura said.

"I… I feel it," Esme said, looking over Laura's shoulder, lost in the movement of the coin. Her hand, which had been fingering Laura's pussy, grew still. "Trance…"

Oli smiled. "Esme, my love, you are too easy sometimes. That's what I love about you. Just watch the coin, keep playing with the professor."

"Watch… play… I will obey." Her hand started moving, and Laura moaned as she came on Esme's fingers.

"Now Laura? I'm going to put the coin away, but you're going to stay in this deep, obedient trance."

"Yes."

"And when you're in this trance, because you're so deep and so obedient, you'll do whatever I tell you, won't you? And you'll call me your master."

"Yes… master, whatever you tell me," Laura said. Esme, watching the coin, repeated Laura's words.

Oli put the coin away. Esme blinked back to life and pulled back from the still-entranced Laura.

"Fuckin' hell," Esme said. "I went under, didn't I?"

"Only slightly. I told you you were easy. I wanted you awake for this part. You can keep playing with her if you want."

"What part?" Esme said, her fingers toying with the professor's nipples.

"We're going to play detective. Watch. Laura Cross, have you ever been hypnotised?"

"I… I have never been hypnotised before, master." Laura said, her voice empty but firm.

"This again. Laura, I want you to listen carefully to me. I am your master, and you must tell me the truth. Repeat that."

"You are my… my master. I must tell you the truth."

"Good slave. Every time you tell me the truth, you will cum. If you lie to me, you will come to the edge of the best orgasm you've ever had, but you will not be able to cum. Instead, you will feel pain."

"Tell you the truth. I will cum." Some emotion had broken through, and Laura's eyes were wide and pleading. "Please, my master, I don't want to lie to you!"

"Shh. Time for a test. We'll start with an easy one. Tell me your name."

"My name is Professor Laura C-Cross, m-master. Ohh!" Laura's knees went weak as she came, and Esme caught her by the waist, propping her up.

"Laura, how big are your breasts?"

"I am a thirty s-six effffffffff!" She came again.

Esme smiled, hefting Laura's tits. "Can confirm."

"Now, Laura?"

"Master?"

"I need you to be honest with me: have you ever been hypnotised?"

The spark left Laura's eyes, and her voice went flat. "I have never been hypnotised before. Nnnn!" Her face contorted in pain. "Please, master! Please don't make me–"

"Again. Laura Cross, have you ever been hypnotised?"

"Master, please, I… I have never been h-hypnotised before. Aaggh!!"

"Oli," Esme said, "maybe leave it?"

"I think we're almost there, my love. Professor Cross. Laura. Once more. Have you ever been hypnotised before?"

"I can't, I… ungh… I have never… ngh… never been…" Agony wracked Laura's body. She hung her head, on the verge of tears. "I… yes, I have been hypnotised before," she said in a small, defeated voice. "I've been hypnotised before, master." A small orgasm shook her as the truth passed her lips.

"Ez," Oli said. "Help me put her on the bed? She's been through a lot."

"What do we do now?" Esme asked. Their professor was splayed on the bed in front of them, naked, hypnotised, staring at the ceiling, her tits heaving with each breath.

Oli sat on the bed and smoothed Laura's hair. "Now we try to help."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Maybe she's repressing some serious shit from her past, I don't know if we should–"

"Esme, dear," Oli said gently, dismissively, "it's still my turn. Esclave."

"No, you can't… I… uhn… yes." Hearing her trigger, Esme's look of concern vanished, her eyes growing dull as she fell into a trance. "Yes, master."

"You know what to do. Now Laura," Oli said, stroking the entranced professor's body as Esme knelt before him. 

"Yes, master," Laura said.

"You will stay in this trance, but I need you to tell me the truth. Tell me everything you remember about being hypnotised. You, you m–" Oli stumbled over his words as Esme swallowed his cock. "You must tell me the truth. You must obey me. You feel pleasure when you obey me. You are my… ohfuckthatsgood, Ez… my slave."

"I'm your s-slave, m-master," Laura said. Oli's fingers found her slick pussy and slid inside. His thumb rubbed her clit. Her back arched. "Pleasure when I obey you. I must tell the truth. I must obey."

"Now, Professor Cross. Laura," Oli said, as Esme moaned on his cock. "Tell me everything."