**********March 5th**********
============================================================
From: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
To: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
Subject: Hypnosis study
Date: Wed 3/5/14 12:51 PM

Dr. Larkin, I apologize for the lateness in my reply. I'm sure our correspondence up to this point has been akin to phone tag, busy people trying to see when the other is free. But I did want to give some time and attention to your request. 

Honestly it's not often I'm approached outside of my field and I'd like to make sure I give the right impression to someone genuinely interested. If you are willing to this week, I can send you a few things and help answer your questions as they come, instead of having to wait for weeks at a time. If that's agreeable to you, please let me know.

Look forward to hearing from you,

Dr. Cecelia Mathis.
============================================================

============================================================
From: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
To: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
Subject: Re:Hypnosis study
Date: Wed 3/5/14 3:12 PM

Dr. Mathis, it's not a problem. As you said, we're both busy people. It feels like my semester is winding down here rather peacefully, and I hope it's the same at Central Mass. I appreciate you getting back to me at all about this. It feels like finally having the time and courage to pursue this interest, or at least satiate my curiosity about it, and I very much appreciate having a guide as renowned as you. 

This week is very manageable for me, so I'm ready to receive whatever you have to send.

Thank you again, and look forward to your introduction into hypnosis.
============================================================

============================================================
From: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
To: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
Subject: Re:Hypnosis study
Date: Wed 3/5/14 7:34 PM

Dr. Larkin, very refreshing to have same-day email replies. I certainly hope this will become a trend. 

I hope you don't mind that the overall introduction starts with a very casual kind of study, almost not even a study by academic standards, but I consider it very effective for helping one to understand the phenomena known as hypnosis. Though some would be remiss to call it phenomena, like it's some inexplicable occurrence spread around, it is actually a constant part of our lives, and literally goes unnoticed by the masses most of the time, often misinterpreted. 

Most people think the proper, the only way to be hypnotized is via the classic methods. You expect it if you see a pocket watch, a spinning spiral, perhaps a metronome in the absence of a musical instrument. The very casual study I conduct is determining whether people that day, or the day before, have gone into trance. I never tell them upfront, but so far, every case, out of hundreds by now, show that people go into trance at least once a day. These are not practitioners or students of the discipline, mind you, but everyday samaritans who never thought the subject of hypnosis would be on their minds until I approached them. As an educated guess, I would think you could be added to the results as further proof if I were to gauge you.

I'm sure the most pressing question on your mind is how there can be 100% yielding of people finding themselves hypnotized, and how can I be sure you'd qualify within the last 24 hours or so. My explanation is the following - name something today you've focused that took precedence over anything else surrounding you. Focus, particularly intense focus is a cornerstone effect of hypnosis, unconsciously able to block out other potential distractions and giving all your attention to a singular point. Everyone has moments like that; really just a part of our everyday lives. 

What might you have focused on today Dr. Larkin? Staring into space at a cup of coffee or a piece of stationary? Watching a droplet of rain trail downward against a window pane? Perhaps finding one particular star to stare at in tonight's cloudless sky? Those times when it takes you a few seconds or longer to realize that a phone was ringing in the background, when someone was trying to get your attention, where you intended to do something minutes before, yet found yourself easily side-tracked. Sometimes these things are intentional, and often they're unintentional.

As a small homework assignment for yourself, I'd like to you think about your day today, something you lost yourself in. It can be something even as innocuous as thoughts of TGIF, after-work activities, while staring at something you never intended to fixate on, as is a popular Friday tradition amongst my students. In your reply to me, tell me something you've fixated on, and how it felt. Maybe listless, hazy? And if it felt good to experience that loss of awareness.

Apologies for the wall of text, but I hope this is an intriguing, comprehensible start for you.

Looking forward to your reply,

Dr. Cecelia Mathis. 
============================================================

From behind, Dave felt warm breath against the back of his neck. Patty had snuck up behind him, more effortlessly than he was used to. He was used to being reminded from the doorway that she was going to bed, and he acknowledged saying that he'd be joining her soon. He kept that promise maybe half the time, depending on whom defined "soon." Even as engrossing as Dr. Mathis' message was, a pair of lips pressed against neck briefly, a peck accompanied by a reminder.

"Don't forget you have a bed to sleep in."

The tone of voice carried more sarcasm than allure to it, and yet the kiss seemed to belie her tone. He couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten a kiss to the neck like that, which reflected badly on him since Patty wasn't a stranger to showing intimacy. But not seeing it coming and being graced with the affectionate warmth, Dave's reaction showed how much he liked it.

"That feels good," he uttered unthinkingly.

Patty's breathing stilled for a moment, and then fuller lips pressed deeper and longer against the surface of his skin, making him close his eyes and soak in the heat.

He expected her to say something else, but instead he heard her feet clearly sounding on the staircase. There was more than enough implication in that kiss. Sitting in that chair to consider his options, he could take a few notes while they were still fresh in his head, or shut things down immediately and respond to what was hopefully an invitation. He leaned toward note-taking right away, knowing that 'just a few more minutes' was always a gross underestimation. It was his habit to indulge the extra minutes, or hour spent in the office, but a small voice in him suggested otherwise.

"Don't kill the mood."

It plainly laid the circumstances out for him, more than his usual introspection. Realizing there was a mood to kill, he found himself shutting down his email and PC within seconds. He couldn't live up to being the "eternal student" Patty considered him all the time. 

**********March 6th**********
Dave thought his Thursday would be pretty busy mid-day, checking a few thesis' and running errands, but he hadn't expected to run into Dr. Mathis in late afternoon. He had no idea she frequented one of his favorite grills, or would happen to be in the area; it was quite fortuitous. She must've looked up his profile pic on the Sheldon-Yearnly staff directory, to know what he looks like; he never remembered telling her sending a pic, and he never showed his face on any social media. She wouldn't have recognized him any other way. 

They sat, exchanged pleasantries, and talked a little about his interest in recreational hypnosis, and if he'd done his homework yet. He told her he hadn't gotten the chance to yet, and tried to think of a point during the day when he might have emulated what she described in her last email. As he thought about it, outside of the cafe they sat in, his eyes rested on a seemingly new addition to a nearby building, a billboard-sized LED clock. Frequenting the cafe at least once a week, he wondered when it was put up, or if it evaded is awareness for a long time.

Cecelia asks what caught his eye, looking over her shoulder to see the huge clock.

"Is that new?" she asked.

"I think it is," was Dave's response, addressing Cecelia briefly eye-to-eye, before looking back up at the clock. 

"I guess it would have an interesting draw, the longer you look, the more it makes you wonder about it." The last topic of discussion seemed lost to both of them as she casually droned on about the clock, how unusual it seemed to her, while he couldn't take his eyes off of it. He kept a count with the passing seconds for several minutes, counting out loud, and then in his own head. He had no idea why it was so easy to do so, but there was a sense that everything, even Cecelia herself was encouraging it, so he continued until he felt a strange shift nearby. Something physical behind him got up, and he blinked repeatedly as his vision changed.

It finally occurred to him that he was laying down, staring at his tilt-motion LED clock, eyes open but waking from sleep. 5:29 stared back at him, in Thursday's am instead of pm like his dreaming mind told him it was. Dave lazily reached over to silence the radio set for 5:30. 

Looking over his shoulder, he saw Patty had left to use the bathroom, likely just minutes ago. With the half-dream still fresh on his mind, he got up to put on a robe, and went downstairs to get an early pot of coffee started; it served as a good excuse while he prepared to get his thoughts down in a draft for Mr. Mathis.

===========================================================
From: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
To: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
Subject: Re:Hypnosis study
Date: Thu 3/6/14 7:25 AM

Dr. Mathis, 

At this point I'm unsure I've completed the assignment you've given. I woke up this morning to the sight of my alarm clock, but my eyes were open and I swore it was really the afternoon and I was looking up at huge clock, the kind you'd expect to see in Times Square and not a small section of the college town I work in, while talking to you. 

Most of what I remember is staring at the clock while you talked about it. I wouldn't have brought this up except for the fact that the transition from dreaming to waking up seemed seamless, like nothing had changed, except for the world around me. And the world around me changing seemed paltry to the focus I had on the clock. 

Strange feeling, and I feel like this could've been worth mentioning. If not, I'm sure I'll have at least another moment like that soon. 

I hope this was worth bringing up.
===========================================================

===========================================================
From: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
To: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
Subject: Re:Hypnosis study
Date: Thu 3/6/14 10:55 AM

Good morning Dr. Larkin

Let me first say your waking dream was a nice piece of reading to wake up to. I'm very happy you told me about it, and it most certainly counts as a completed homework assignment. Thank you for being so descriptive about your experience, as you've preempted questions I would have asked you. It seems like your subconscious, a very important entity in the practice of hypnosis, is already eager to delve deep into things, as eager as you consciously are. 

Your dream sounds very reminiscent to inductions I've used in public, sometimes with someone familiar with my techniques, sometimes a random stranger, in the right circumstances. Though many factors can make a difference in its effectiveness, especially with those who realize what is happening to them, like you, so many people on some intrinsic level are always ready and waiting to experience hypnosis. 

Unfortunately, my schedule today seems deceptively busier than I expected it to. I would like to tell you about a public subject I've worked with, but I am unsure the next time I'll be able to go into detail. I will make sure it is as soon as I'm able to.

Until then, have a good day Dr. Larkin.

P.S. Keep your eye on the clock if it's really good, so time doesn't pass you by. Or maybe it will. 
P.P.S. Sorry, I sometimes can't resist cheeky little notes like that.
========================================================================================================================

Dave chuckled at the post scripts as much as he imagined Cecelia was when she typed it. His eyes strayed to the bottom-right corner of the screen, eyeing the display clock. Much smaller than his alarm clock, but still held a draw as he continued to muse over it and Cecelia's words. It was a few minutes longer before he realized time had gone over his head. He quickly replied to Cecelia's email before expecting students for his early office hour.

============================================================
From: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
To: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
Subject: Re:Hypnosis study
Date: Thu 3/6/14 11:19 AM

Looking forward to it,

Thank you.
===========================================================

**********March 7th**********
===========================================================
From: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
To: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
Subject: Re:Hypnosis study
Date: Fri 3/7/14 10:47 AM

Happy TGIF to you Dr Larkin, and apologies for a much later-than-expected reply. I hope I haven't kept you in suspense for very long, but now I get to relay to you one of my more recent public inductions, part of another study of mine.

Picture, if you will, a library. On-campus, deep in the stacks, for someone doing research. You might find them leaning against the shelves of the corridor, half-concentrating on the material, half-concentrating on keeping themselves awake. It's very much the reason they're standing amongst the books and not reading at a table nearby, lest the book becomes an extemporary pillow. They are unsure how much time has passed if any since they started, but eventually they realize they are not alone, that I am nearby.

They look up to greet me with a cordial smile, and I extend one in return. My eyes notice the book they're reading, and I begin to make small talk about having read that book myself, and jokingly asking them if they had as much trouble staying awake while reading it as I had. We both laugh at that; I even add a bit of a conspiracy theory claiming the book was intentionally made to make its readers sleepy, for whatever reason. The book's current reader says they believe it. I ask them what page or chapter they've reached. Once they tell me, if it sounds familiar, I will tell them I remember that particular passage, and also tell them of a tactic I've used to help keep myself awake. Of course, their interest peaks at my words.

The experimental study begins as I tell them to continue reading as they were before, but to see things a little differently. The text on the page can easily change for the benefit of the reader, as they imagine their words, or my words at the time, as what's really being read. The boring text of a possibly even more boring subject fades momentarily as they read encouraging words of how easy it is to read what's on the page now, how there's no need at all to do anything but relax and take the words in. What they're looking for is the wrong kind of sleep, there's a certain type of sleep, the kind educators and students alike know of, but haven't a collective word for. It allows them to leave their body perfectly still, still enough so that nothing will keep them from reading the words they see now, words they want to see. 

They might hesitate about what they're feeling, how strange yet pleasant it is. They require a bit of calming, and I guide their vision to help take in my words to assist them. One after the next, every word spoken from me becomes the freshly-inked word on the page, winding themselves down into a state of tranquil fixation. My words become exactly what they want, what they need to read, to hear, to take in. Soon, it could be hard to differentiate the words they would've formed from my words, so my words would inevitably come from, or be in their minds. 

The effects of it would seem quite captivating, how a person becomes utterly statuesque in posture, unwilling to move from where they are rooted, everything they know centered on my words. I look at such a state as a form of purity, positive purity. Purged of any tension, worry, or fear. The consensus for those in such a state is 'absolute bliss,' and it shows in many. Those in a position to continue reading could feel so loose that bodily indications of excitement can get away from them. The worry of such an occurrence is invalid, as it's perfectly natural in a state of purity. It can be due to the sublime condition of the body, or an obscure liking to what they're feeling, hoping such a state never ends. I wouldn't even have to see such a state; they feel it, and we're both aware of it. And I find myself unwilling to deny a person such pleasure. 

But I do remind them that this kind of pleasure is only appropriate for, and more so best enjoyed in a place of solitude. I inform them that in my presence, it is alright to feel so excited, besides feeling wonderful and fixated, but the excitement should be saved and savored for when someone is alone, can enjoy feeling it to the fullest. And as I leave them, they can feel empowered, able to read what they need to and assimilate the information easily and completely, whether it be from a struggling author or myself. And if it helps, or pleases them to, they can always feel my words guiding them even after I'm gone. So, I take my leave from the library, or wherever else I would engage someone, and leave them feeling good. 

I sincerely hope my rambling has been somewhat coherent, and the recorded study of interest engaging in this form. I hope to hear your thoughts on this when you have some free time. I hope your Friday will in some way be exciting, at least as exciting as our students feel when they can finally get away.

Thank you,

Dr. Cecelia Mathis.
===========================================================

Excitement was surely felt by Dave as he read it after returning from a class. Coming from a rather unenthused class, it felt like a breath of fresh air, to feel like a student engaged by a highly-motivated teacher, one that literally put him in the exact position she described. He wished more of the history department could teach in this way, for all the perspective it could give.

For all intended purposes, he was the student dozing off with a text book in-hand, until Cecelia came along and literally gave him a new technique to use for studying. He could almost hear her words come off the screen as he read them, feeling everything to do with being there with her. Deep into the message did come as a shock to him, how people could get like that. He wondered with a half-smile if that's what caused his morning stiffness. 

He closed the email after a few minutes, putting aside how he would respond, as he began reading submitted papers from earlier. It was easy to employ what he imagined Cecelia's voice to sound like onto papers that seemed soulless, helping him point out things that needed to be corrected. It crossed his mind that some of what she'd described was NSFW, but this wasn't the first time he'd heard or seen that kind of reaction. It certainly wasn't the kind Dave minded; he felt fortunate that any bodily excitement he felt faded before any student came to greet him.

Throughout the day, he'd come back to the email as he had time, re-immersing himself like the first time. He made sure to be alone so his excitement could grow freely. Before Dave could reach the ending of his 5th or 6th reading, he felt hands gently grasping his face, leaning it up to the ceiling, and then a kiss placed on his forehead.

"Hi Patty," he smiled at his wife who'd surprised him from behind in their kitchen.

"Hi yourself, stranger." She smiled back. "Didn't hear me calling?"

"Oh sorry, got caught up in..."

"...a wall of text?" She looked at his laptop screen.

"Yeah, a study someone sent me."

"Not to worry honey; I'd probably space out on that too."

Patti Larkin hugged him from behind, feeling him soak up the warmth of the embrace, leaning in to the kisses she applied to his neck. 

"I know hip couples like us are supposed to be hitting the town on Friday nights," she joked, "but maybe we can enjoy some of the benefits of staying in tonight?"

Dave opened his eyes, reaching over to shut off the computer with one hand, holding her arm with his free hand. Once the shutdown sequence initiated, he'd stood up and held Patty in his own embrace. Excitement from the reading endured, and amplified as Patty noticed it, and closed the distance with her front. She said nothing but let them enjoy the closeness, making both question how long their clothes would stay on. Taking initiative he hadn't in years, he grasped her rear end and lifted her up in his hands. Neither was sure if aging or inexperience would have made his assertion a risk, but his strength and motivation easily held her weight. She gratefully wrapped her arms around his shoulders and cooed sexy nothings in his ear, as they went up stairs and had more fun than their students were having all night.

**********March 8th**********
============================================================
From: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
To: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
Subject: Re:Hypnosis study
Date: Sat 3/8/14 6:52 AM

Dr. Mathis,

I apologize for taking a day to get back to you. That study you shared was absolutely amazing. I never imagined any random person close by in the stacks to have such a profound effect on someone. Kind of lost myself in it to the point where I'd thought it had, or really was happening to me, like being reminded of something amazing I'd forgotten. 

I was unsure about public examples of recreational hypnosis, but that sounded like a fun exercise that I wouldn't mind engaging in in public. The thrill of feeling blissed out while looking innocuous or just sleepy to the public eye is, as you said, quite exciting. 

I'm looking forward to our next communication, but I hope you have a wonderful weekend in the meantime. 

Thank you,

Dr. Larkin.
============================================================

Dave sat in his office chair, surprised to be up so early from the night he and Patty had. If it wasn't for the need to promptly reply to Dr. Mathis, he would've stayed in bed. He was surprised to see she got out early as well. She'd left a note on the dresser saying she'd be out for a while, and how much she loved last night, and couldn't wait for more. The last line gave him a charge, but the rest of his body longed for time to recover, so more than the spirit would be willing. Apparently even after their wildest night in quite a while, she still had energy to burn, or still errands to run. 

Opening his robe a bit, he looked down and gave his professor's flab a good slap to watch it shake a little. He wasn't completely out of shape, but was on approach. Instead of returning to bed to get an extra hour of sleep, he decided to put off the promise of getting in workout and just doing it, as much as he could, in a futile effort to prepare him for his next workout with Patty.

It was close to noon when Dave found himself looking up Dr. Mathis online. He made sure his workout at least lasted a half hour, and that he was up-to-date with his emails, including making sure important ones didn't end up in spam, before indulging his curiosity. Dave’s first inquiry amounted to a basic Google search, checking her credentials, and background. Outside of university pages about her, his new search uncovered an introductory voice over for a website about her field. Clicking on it, Dave was immediately introduced to a velvety, mollifying voice. There was a quality in her voice, something in both her pitch and intonation, and the fluidity of it all that put him at ease, yet made him want to lean closer to the speakers to hear more of her voice. It wasn't a long clip, just under 15 seconds, but he'd pushed F5 a few times to take in the quality of the voice over and over. 

It was funny to him how it differed from her profile pic which showed a bright, cheerful face. Even his own imagination underestimated how hypnotic she could really sound. He wondered if he should joke in the future about how her voice would be perfect for a smooth jazz radio announcer. Dave pulled up the last study she'd sent. Having a voice to apply to the words, his imagination went to work in setting the tone of the scene more accurately. As the voice permeated his subconscious ears, he found he couldn't imagine the person who could resist the course of her study. 

The front door loudly opening shook him out of Dave's reverie, as he happily heard Patty roaming the hallway with what sounded like shopping bags. She glided right to the kitchen, where he met her a few minutes later.

"Hey sweetie," Patty greeted Dave across the counter with a kiss. He saw two shopping bags next to her workout bag. 

"Good day so far?" he asked, happy to see her a little more lively than usual.

"It's reportedly a small world today. Guess who I ran into?"

"Who?"

"Woman named Cecelia. Says she's been in-touch with you about academic matters."

"Really?"

"Yes, we ended up talking and shopping together."

"Who ran into who?" was the question Dave nearly asked. He remembered asking it five years ago, jokingly, like he would've this time, but just that question sparked a rough patch in the marriage. Dave thought Patty believed he was seeing other women, and checked up on women he worked closely with. Open accusations and yelling eventually followed. 

That old part of him that highly valued trust and loathed being spied on rose to the surface, only to be met with a roadblock reminding him not to spoil the mood. Upon reflection, things were looking up for the both of them, and it only took one wrong sentence from him to ruin it.

"What'd you two end up buying?" he said, peeking into one of her shopping bags. 

"Ah ah, one is a surprise. No peeking."

Wasn't much of a surprise to Dave as he'd already gotten a peek of what was there before she could cover it - a small Victoria's Secret bag amongst a few other things. The broad smile that crossed his face nearly reflected the lewd thoughts he had about his wife. Looking back at Dave, she could tell his thought process was as naked and bare as she was in his burgeoning fantasies.

They embraced each other passionately, acting out the first few seconds of his fantasy, but Dave pulled back for a moment, confusing his wife. 

"Not that I'm not enjoying the moment, but how would you feel about a night on the town? Make up for missing that Friday night 'outdoor' action?"

The coy smile on Patty's face was his answer, and he gave her another deep kiss before grabbing their coats and whisking them out the door spontaneously.

**********March 9th**********
Dave had brought his laptop in the kitchen, thinking of would be good for brunch in bed for both of them while checking emails. Saturday was quite the excursion for them both. Dave drove aimlessly around the college town they lived close to, and further away toward the big shopping malls, where Patty and Cecelia had run into each other. They window-shopped together, saw a few well-reviewed movies, and dined at the fanciest restaurant that would've allowed their casual attire. They had trouble not wanting to begin to disrobe when they got back in the car. He forgot who had to persuade who to not descend to the backseat and wait till they got back home, but it was a hard drive back home for them both, mostly for Dave though. The blur of sex that followed was blinding to both of them; an erotic barrage of caresses, stroking, kissing, and roughly making love. They only hoped the neighbors couldn't hear everything.

Slightly sparse fridge and cupboard proved to him that he probably should've included a trip to the supermarket the day before. He considered his options, trying to make due with what was there, or slipping out to get something. Perusing his emails while thinking about it, he realized he missed an email from Cecelia the day before.

===========================================================
From: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
To: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
Subject: Re:Hypnosis study
Date: Sat 3/8/14 8:05 PM

Dr. Larkin, or Dave, as your wife insists I call you.

You're very welcome. Writing about that account was almost as fun as experiencing it as it happened. I think both hypnotist and subject can attest to that.

I do wish my weekend thus far was as interesting, but not so far. We'll see if Sunday brings any excitement to the table, and I hope your weekend has been very exciting, besides our emails.

I will most likely get back to you soon,

Cecelia.

P.S. Please tell Patty it was a joy running into her today.
===========================================================

Dave let the memory of yesterday wash over his body, making him quiver. He hadn't quivered from sex with Patty since he was at least a decade younger with her. That was the one shocking thing that he hadn't realized yet - his love live had regressed to when he was in his 20s. "Regressed" was a poor description, so Dave mentally coined it as regaining his sex drive, getting his mojo back.

Checking spam again before he shut down, he sighed as a colleague's mail still ended up there. He checked it and moved it to a folder, reminding himself not to procrastinate and let the university know about it.

Getting the paper from outside, he set it down on the dresser, and lost momentarily lost his train of thought. He'd meant to do something, but it escaped him, whatever it was. He heard the shower being used upstairs, and figured he'd forgo surprising her and asking her what she would like to eat, or what she might be hungry for. 

Entering the bedroom, he saw her silhouette in the shower. It looked like most of the soap had already been rinsed from her body, and she was enjoying the hot water. It surprised him how strong the compulsion was to just stare at her form and grow erect instead of moving to join her. Another strong haze filled with the sensations of last night came over him, and Dave just let himself enjoy it all. 

Somewhere along the line he'd lost himself and partially came back to find himself kneeling next to the bed, with Patty standing above him. His eyes only seemed to take in her lopsided grin, and a hand toying with the towel wrapped around her waist. Dave knew he was being teased with, wanting to beg for what was implied, but couldn't find the words. Fingers inched over the knot holding the towel together, until giving a small tug to dismiss it. Her womanhood stood hairless, bare, and slick. As dry as her thighs were, he knew she wasn't wet from water. A hapless grin crossed his face as a hand pushed the back of his head forward.

He took a deep breath before he pressed himself into her, licking freverently, arms absently rising to pull her closer. She arched her back and stretched her arm to rest on the bed. A collection of moans filled the room, mostly hers as they echoed and overlapped over his muffled ones. He remembered being doused in her juices at least once, and yet still physically urged to continue. 

Dave wished he could feel more, but something allowed his core experience to be just the sensations of his tongue, taste buds, and how good his body felt from pleasing her. And in an instant, everything went away, something deep in his mind telling him something.

"Wake up," was what he heard, and he came back to sitting in the kitchen, past noon, laptop and email open, still undecided on food. 

"Holy shit," he gasped, realizing he may have just had another waking dream, one he wasn't sure he could tell Cecelia about. Tented sweats strained against the fabric, the friction only making him harder, though he was already incredibly hard. For as much blood as he had to work with, a bout of decisiveness hit him. Dave moved to return upstairs with restaurant menus of places that delivered. Eventually they'd eat, but he hoped they wouldn't have to leave bed all Sunday. 

Before reaching the staircase, he realized that he never got the paper, but was more shocked that the front door had been left unlocked. Safe neighborhood or not, he couldn't believe he had, or they had forgotten to take care of that last night.

**********March 10th**********
===========================================================
From: Dr. Cecelia Mathis <cecemath45@cma.edu>
To: Dr. Dave Larkin <drdlarkin@syu.edu>
Subject: Re:Hypnosis study
Date: Mon 3/10/14 9:12 AM

Hello Dave.

Back to the mundane for us busy professors, I guess. My weekend was the sort that makes me yearn for a three-day weekend. An unoriginal thought, I'm sure, but I have a proposal for you. Instead of telling you of a third study, I would ask if you'd be willing to become a small study of mine, based on the simple premise of Mondays.

"A bad case of the Mondays," the phrase is coined. That infamous illness nearly everyone on Earth suffers from, and few ever find a suitable cure for it. And you might think me mad for saying I've found a cure, but as it happens, I have.  The medicinal ingredients happen to be something you already believe in - hypnosis, which is verily approved as a recreational, doctor-approved drug. Side effects may include lassitude, bliss, calm dispositions, periods of deep fixation, and varying levels of incalculable pleasure. (Please consult your PhD for further details.)

I hope you can trust someone with a doctorate in hypnotherapy on matters such as these, or rather I hope our interaction thus far has grown to a level of trust where you can freely accept my words and suggestions that you feel comfortable with. For example, "Monday isn't so bad; it can be quite stimulating, given the right perspective." "How?" you might ask. It helps if you have something to look forward to. As a teacher, maybe there's a special lesson plan you can't wait to see your students energized by. Perhaps you have one or several students in a class that can make all the difference in giving feedback and learning. And if none of those things easily come to mind, you can simply think of hypnosis, a concept you've eagerly experienced several times already, and find yourself understanding it more and more. Monday's monotony and tediousness could be offset by just a word. I think the perfect word to use is a word I've attached to this email, in a sound file with my voice speaking it.

You may listen to it now, or after reading the email, but either way, I hope the word "excitement" starts to gain significant meaning for you. You can imagine me saying "excitement" to you, at times when you wish it was the day before, or two days ago, and you could feel a burst of happiness spring from within you. Excitement is a lovely word, promising heightened spirits, re-energized efforts, and body whose only request is more of that good feeling. You love being excited, you love exciting others, letting others feel your positivity. You especially love being vulnerable, excitable, sensitive to any reason to feel good.

You hear my voice say "excitement," or any variation, and that's all you need to brighten your day, leaving you open to only more excitement and pleasure. You can trust my voice to let you build a foundation for a happy Monday, a happy any-day-of-the-week. All you need to do is listen, accept, and comply, and reap all the benefits of following Cecelia's simple instructions.

Did you ever think that recreational hypnosis could be so exciting, Dave? I'm very excited to hear your reply to this, telling me if you've started to become as excitable as I hoped, telling me your Monday has been ailed. 

I excitedly await for your next email,

Cecelia

P.S. Please tell Patty to have a joyous day.
===========================================================

Dave had done as she asked in the middle of reading her email. Wearing headphones, he heard Cecelia's voice utter "excitement" in the sexiest way he'd ever heard it spoken. There was definitely a 'come-hither' like bedroom attribute to it, drawn out enticingly. But the word stirred his thoughts more than the rest of his body, as he read the email, hearing Cecelia's voice narrate and clearly express the many times she typed it out.

He enjoyed a borderline medium trance for the better part of an hour, but willed his head clear to prepare for his first Monday lecture. Thanks to Cecelia's voice, he was able to summon her triggering voice at will, throughout his lecture and beyond. Anyone in his presence seemed to notice a brighter, happier Dr. Larkin, and it was infectious among his classes.

Getting home earlier than usual, he and Patty shared coy smiles the moment their gazes met inside. They shared a deep kiss in the middle of the hallway, pressing their bodies firmly together. Dave gently pinned her against the wall, and Patty let her hands roam and tease his torso, loving how his muscles reacted to her soft touch.

"Feels like someone's excitable today," she moaned in his ear.

Dave paused for a few seconds as that word washed over him, almost as strongly as when Cecelia said it.

"Before I forget, Cecelia told me to tell you to have a joyous day."

His wife blinked a few times in surprise, then brought their lips back together in a much stronger embrace. They were both glad there was leftover takeout to heat up - more time for other fun activities that Monday.

**********March 11th**********
Tuesdays were typically Dave's errand days as he only had one class to instruct, and he wondered how much time he would have to breath. Sprinkled around the class was bill-paying, getting a replacement house key made for Patty, an oil change he couldn't put off any longer, and a meeting with the head of his department about future functions. Tedious responsibilities, but ones that needed to get done. 

When he could, replaying Cecelia's suggestion in his head kept him upbeat as he tried making everything running smoothly. He wondered about the email he received from her earlier in the day. He viewed her latest message on his smart phone, and had trouble making most of it out. The coding seemed to make most of everything he saw look like technical gibberish. Dave could decipher a few things clearly in the time he had to see it, something about "break up the monotony, and try something exciting." He took the excitement suggestion to heart, but decided to wait until he could get to his laptop at home to figure out the rest.

By the time he got home, he had just enough time to take care of the bills for March, and get them to the post office before it closed. At his age, Dave thought he'd never get his bills paid electronically, still not having warmed up to relying totally on technology with his money like everyone else. He wondered if even Cecelia could change that, not that he'd ask her to. He got back a few minutes before Patty did, rechecking the email to find it in the same jumble it was on his phone. On a bigger screen, some of what she said made more sense. The text read as if another story was being told, about a clearly marked path to a place of valuables, or so he theorized. He got so caught up in trying to piece it together, he didn't notice Patty come in until he felt familiar lips at the back of his neck. 

Dave jolted away from her, happy that his head didn't jerk and collide with hers. His shock went away and a kiss was placed on the apple of her cheek.

"Hey Pat."

"Hey Stranger."

"Might I borrow that for a minute? I need to check on something someone sent me."

"Sure thing."

Quickly logging out, he let her sit in the office chair while he left the room.

"Thanks for keeping the seat warm," he heard as he left the room.

Dave's cell phone rang and he answered to a slightly panicked voice. A TA he worked closely with thought she'd made a big mistake. He went into the living room with some school documents and spent thirty minutes walking her through her errors and what needed to be fixed, and another ten calming her rattled nerves. "The hazard of having perfectionist assistants," he said after hanging up, laughing off the possibility of getting her in touch with Cecelia.

Before he left the living room, he saw his wedding portrait in the living room, covered by one of his neckties. He winced at the thought, wondering if it was significant that he was covered up by the tie. Before grabbing it to take it back upstairs so Patty couldn't chew him out about it, Dave saw another necktie hanging off the railing leading upstairs. It was green, a Christmas present from Patty, and one he remembered properly putting up two days ago after wearing it. The confusion of why it was out was only matched by now his ties never absentmindedly never ended up on the railing before. 

It suddenly hit Dave that Patty had placed them there, slipping by him when he was on the phone, giving him a breadcrumb trail to follow. Looking around as he climbed the stairs, the next crumb was tied to their bedroom door, his black silk tie. He entered to see Patty sitting on the futon, reading, looking up at him and smiling. He smiled back, thinking she was playing innocent for a moment, but noticed the folding closet door had another tie, and the door was ajar. One of Patty's big pet peeves in their house was an ajar door that didn't have to be. He made sure to accede to her wishes early in the marriage, and he never saw her do it until today. Turning the light on, he checked the already-open safe behind his clothes, to see if everything was still there. Nothing seemed to be missing, so he breathed easy, though much easier than he expected.

"Patty?" he called to his wife. Dave didn't even look in her direction until she was right behind him. 

"Yes?"

"Did you leave some of my ties downstairs?"

"Yes. I think it was something Cecelia asked me to try."

"Cecelia?"

"Yeah, a 'trust exercise' she put in an email I read earlier. Something like 'what could you entrust me with, besides your mind?'"

"She sent you an e-wait. She's hypnotizing you?"

"Hypnotizing you 'too,' I think you mean. When were you going to tell me about your little interest, dearest?"

"I...honestly I didn't know how to bring it up with you. Wasn't sure how you'd react. I ended up being a lot more fascinated with it than I expected."

"You're not alone; it's quite the experience. And Cecelia is quite the mesmerist."

Dave couldn't argue with that. He wondered how well she took to hypnosis, or even when Cecelia had begun trancing Patty. "Maybe when they met and shopped together," he figured.

"What was the email about? Some kind of story?"

"Actually, yes. I didn't understand it all, but I found myself compelled to make a trail in the house like she described."

"All the way to the valuables..." he concluded.

"I guess so," she agreed. 

Dave felt on some level that the suggestion they were given felt like a very improper invasion of privacy, even a violation. And yet, there was no anger to be had; he couldn't even muster enough of the emotion against Cecelia, because he did trust her, on a very deep level, stronger than the trust a family friend would gain after many years. It really wasn't so different from freely entrusting her with his mind, a part of him reasoned. The pleasant smile across Patty's face told him she was having similar thoughts.

"I'm guessing you got the same email," Patty assumed.

"How did you know?"

"Because you left the door to the valuables opened, and didn't touch the ties leading here, did you?."

Dave looked at her, ready to counter her suggestion, but stared away into space as he realized she was right. He chuckled a little bit at the thought, and so did she. No alarms went off in their heads; worrying didn't cloud their clear heads. To them, following Cecelia's instructions amounted to taking part in a fun exercise. It helped that taking from them was no great heist, as they were still building up their savings into something a thief would consider substantial. In both their minds though, there was a little thrill of giving someone access to that. 'A little more power for Cecelia,' both of them individually thought.

Just for the sake of testing the bounds of the exercise, Dave moved close to the safe, to push it closed. Patty watched him take slow steps toward it, interested to see if he would be able to do what had never occurred to her. As he moved closer, more parts of the badly coded message popped up in his head. There was something about "can" and "resist" there, but his subconscious knew the true meaning was "can't." He shook his head in amazement as he stopped a foot away from the safe, the dwindling defiance in his head settling to where the rest of him was - he couldn't resist Cecelia's suggestions, and found no good reason to.

"I wonder which one of us would let her in, or leave a house door open. Was that in the email?"

Dave thought to himself if he missed an instruction, as he thought of the most obvious barrier. Then something...clicked in his mind. Patty saw a flicker of realization come over him. She began to worry as he put the pieces together, hoping the puzzle didn't turn into something ugly.

"I..." Dave began, "I went to get a key for the house made. I thought it was for you, but I forgot to give it to you. I think...I mailed it off to Cecelia." It became very easy to imagine how he got all the bills paid, and absently put a key wrapped in folded blank paper, and sent it to her in a mailbox on the way to work. It wasn't even farfetched to imagine the paper wasn't blank, and gave her something else she might've asked for, like the code to the alarm system. 

The wheels began to turn in both their heads.

"Feels pretty exciting, doesn't it?" Patty asked her husband.

"I'm about as excited as you look joyous," Dave replied in turn.

Their words set them off and Patty leapt into Dave's arms, deeply French-kissing him. Previous thoughts suddenly gone from his mind, he carried them both to the bed where they quickly disrobed and gave in to their sudden familiar surge of arousal based on one subconscious fact - they obeyed Cecelia. 

**********March 13th**********

Dave pulled up to the parking lot of his alma mater, trying to keep high spirits. It was a two-hour drive from home, and he would've much preferred to spend that time in his wife's company for the night, but he did make himself attend at least one alumni meeting every few months. Patty seem half receptive to the idea of coming along, and Dave admitted she'd only be there to keep him from being bored to tears. What neither said was the lewd acts they could get away with somewhere on campus. If she had been free that night, she might've taken him up on his offer. 

"Another time," they unspokenly reasoned.

Walking through the interior to the meeting hall, he already got the sense that attendance was light, so he hoped that would mean a short meeting, and politely turning down getting drinks afterwards.

They'd chosen a small hall to meet in, and he saw a few people seated near the front with someone speaking at the podium. The door creaked unceremoniously, and all heads turned back to him. Dave looked around in confusion as he didn't recognize a single face.

"I'm...sorry. Wrong roo-"

"Where are you supposed to be?" the podium speaker asked him.

"Sheldon-Yearnly College," Dave said unbidden. Everyone noticed his triple-take as he realized he never attended such that college.

"You're in the right place. Please come in." the voice praised him. He put it together that he did recognize at least one of the occupants. He focused more on the speaker to clearly see Cecelia for the first time, ushering him to enter with an outstretched hand. The sound of her suggestion was a stronger gesture that got him to approach. There were only five other people present, and one of them offered the seat next to her in the front row.

"Glad you could make it sweetie," Patty greeted him with a smile. His eyes remained wide in surprise, but still did as he was bid.

"So," Cecelia regarded her audience. "Now that everyone is here, I'd like to welcome you all to our latest alumni meeting. And I think we should give a warm welcome to our newest additions, Patty and Dave Larkin."

Small, yet enthusiastic applause was given to the couple. Patty rose from her chair to give thanks for both of them, as her husband still looked bewildered.

"As you've arrived a little later than expected Dave, I hope you don't mind, but we've already gotten started with Patty giving us an self-introduction. Now I'd like you to give yours."

Confusion was still plastered all over his face as he took his place at the podium while Cecelia rested in a comfortable seat close by. The hypnotist took up most of her newest subs attention as he stood. She was about Patty's figure, short layered hair, an expression that made the few wrinkles on her face even more attractive somehow. She wore a dark grey pantsuit and white shoes to match the blouse, arms and crossed legs draping off the cushioned chair, one hand under her chin. Her posture exuded nothing but confidence and casual sensuality; he could feel it just by being near her; feeling her eyes and mind inspect the breadth of him, appraising her work. Dave literally didn't know where to start, so Cecelia broke the silence again.

"I imagine your mind is primarily filled with questions at this point, yes?"

He nodded in affirmation.

"I imagine piecing together Patty's introduction isn't so hard."

"You...met her last Saturday, and you've been trancing her ever since."

"Truthfully," Cecelia smiled, "It's been a little longer than that, but your wife is a remarkable subject, one of the best I've ever had the pleasure, or joy, of introducing to hypnosis."

Out of the corner of his eye, Dave saw Patty close her eyes and succumb to the effect of the word.

"You're no slouch either when it comes being subjected to inductions. Your whole interest in recreation hypnosis started around the time we really met. Though not as responsive, there was genuine interest in what you felt, enough to lead you this far. It was always tempting for me to assert myself with you further, but I still took you both slowly, incrementally. Gradual reaps more benefits in my experience; the slow path is often the savored path."

Dave looked down at his subduer the way he imagined he'd look at a unicorn. A normal yet intriguing creature, possessing one or a few attributes that makes him question whether Cecelia was real or the stuff of legends. All of his acquired knowledge and life lessons told him it was up to him to do as he wished, to move unrestricted and leave with Patty in-hand and cut off contact with the bewitching Dr. Mathis forever, to prove her hold inadequate. But he was surely being schooled in the one discipline that changed his world, watching it be reshaped and sculpted from the outside in.

"As much as I like self-introductions, interview-style is a fine way to get to know someone. Did you have any expectations at the beginning of our correspondence over hypnosis?"

"N...no. I was just curious about it, and looking forward to learning."

"And you've enjoyed your education thus far?"

"I never expect I would like this. I never expected any of this."

"Enlightenment isn't always expected, Dave."

A low moan sounded in the auditorium, not loud enough to echo, but still keeping everyone's attention.

"I'm sorry Shelley, slipped my mind that that is your word. But it is nice to feel enlightened, isn't it?"

"Yes, Cecelia," the brunette with a long ponytail responded through another moan.

The hypnotist smiled in her direction before looking back at Dave, seeing a hint of worry to go with his confusion. 

"Yes, Dave?"

"Not Mistress Cecelia?"

"I have friends who are similarly into recreational mind control and domination. You'd be using 'Mistress' with them if you'd met them. Whether or not there are commonly established guidelines for a dominant like me, I favor my own path, my own set of rules to follow and imbue into those of my choosing. Whips and chains aren't my style, but words and states of mind are. Very much so. My subs don't need to be naked, but I do require your minds bare and open to me. The 'mistress' title is a nice gesture, but doesn't hold a candle to empowering one's own name in the minds of those who serve you. Can you think of a name with more power behind it than mine in your everyday life?"

Patty, the names of his friends and parents, even fictional characters he loved, all of them paled in comparison to Cecelia. There was something palpable in even mentioning her name in his head, swimming in waves of submissive pleasure reminding him who held dominion there.

"No," he answered plainly. Cecelia took even more satisfaction in how he really did give it some though.

"Just hearing my name in your head feels like a mental caress, doesn't it?"

"Yes, Cecelia." His low whisper, caused by saying her name, was only audible to her, which pleased her even more.

"How long have we been in contact, Dave?"

"I can't remember before the 5th, but it's been up to the 10th or 11th."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure."

"You might be surprised how fragile that surety is. We've had a lot of correspondence yesterday as well, and I asked any trace of it to slip from your awareness until I mentioned it, and so it did slip away, didn't it?"

Dave didn't answer, but instead pulled out his phone to check his email account. He checked it everyday, yet couldn't understand how six messages from Cecelia went unnoticed or ignored earlier in the day, until that moment. 

"That's not the only thing that could slip if I willed it. Your name would slip away if I asked your mind to lose track of it, wouldn't it?"

"No, it's...."

His voice and brain stalled to find an answer that wasn't coming. 

"The compulsion to check your phone or wallet for said information also slips away, in case you thought otherwise," Cecelia preempted Dave reaching for either lifeline to his identity. Patty knew his name, but a glance in her direction told him she was purely content to watch the show and not interfere with the trick being played. He stood for several minutes, trying to fight her suggestion and remember, no closer than when he started.

"Ok, you gave a good effort, and I think you enjoy a little reward for trying so hard. Do me a favor and check your CM folder, Dave."

He did as she asked, happy to have his name back, but filled with more surprised to see a string of emails from an account he knew Cecelia owned, all in a folder he never remembered creating until now. Checked a few to find each message no longer than one or two sentences, all phrased as commands, supplementary subliminals that went further back than a week, commands that filled in several gaps in his behavior.

"You're so passionate about recreational hypnosis, inexplicably, and Cecelia Mathis is your authority."

"So easy to envision yourself in all I describe, so easy to fall deeper with every word."

"You can always re-read my emails, solidifying my control more and more."

"The more you interact with me, the more active your libido becomes. A stronger concupiscence fuels your desire to assimilate my words deeper into your psyche."

"You want to better yourself under my control. A better educator, better husband, better hypnotic subject. A better man, under women."

"Your front door will be accessible, unlocked and alarm inactive, on Sunday morning. You'll be consciously unaware of it."

"Communication between us on the 12th remains in your subconscious and only there, only felt and obeyed."

At some point, these messages always arrived in spam, but were read, absorbed, moved to the CM folder, and their existence consciously ignored as they helped to supplement the effects of her normal emails.

"Cecelia giveth, and Cecelia taketh away, Dave. Not to self-proclaim being a Goddess, but I like having a touch of divinity to me. Mine is the kind where worshipping and adoring comes easily, where what's taketh away is unimportant, easily forgotten, and nonexistent because I say so. What I giveth becomes your world."

At some point, her legs uncrossed and spread to make a wide-enough gap. A hand reached down between that gap to caress the suit material covering her sex. Her index finger traced the entrance; Dave and everyone else present followed it, grateful for the gift of fixation and inspired arousal.

"Does this excite you, Dave?"

He panted a yes to her, struck by his trigger.

"As exciting as the first time you got a taste of me? Just thinking about it makes you even more excitable, I'm sure."

The straining within his pants and the stirring within his brain kept him from latching on to a single thought that had nothing to do with Cecelia. Sunday morning flashed into his mind again, but from a third-person perspective where Cecelia was clearly above him enjoying his tongue while Patty laid naked across the bed, stroked and fingered to ecstasy.

"Such a strong eros you have, you and Patty. I find that to be the perfect gift, the most natural consequence of giving in. You two have done literally everything I've asked of you, and now you're back to copulating like newly-weds, unless you've reached a new plateau of love-making, which makes me even more happy. You, all of you, have given me access to your minds, your houses, your lives, and have been bestowed my blessings."

Cecelia moaned as her fingers inadvertently pressed deeper into herself as she narrated what they already knew, gently riding the power trip her alumni meetings gave her.

"I never thought this would still be so hot at my age."

She whispered that to herself, but Dave still caught on to it, and the curiosity was still visible on his face when Cecelia glanced in his direction.

"58, dear," she admitted openly. "And I don't think anyone is more surprised than me. I guess you're never too old to lust for power, nor are you ever too old to enjoy the lust power affords."

"I can't think of a better power than hypnosis. So enlightening, so scintillating and immersive. A sparkling, joyous excitement you can't find anywhere else."

Six sets of moans, one after the other, filled the room amongst their hypnotist's contented purring.

Cecelia eventually ended Dave's introduction, letting everyone mingle and talk save for the rotation of mind-controlled individuals called to please faithfully in whatever way she saw fit. Dave had ceased questioning things and settled into accepting his part in her collective, finally. Watching him laugh amongst the older members while she stroked Patty's hair, eager lips graced her vaginal lips, the hypnotist smiled heartily, recalling the first time she met her new inductees.

**********December 31st, 2013**********

Dr. Larkin had felt himself fading during a discussion with Dr. Mathis, and for the life of him couldn't figure out why. A new year's eve gathering, Dr. Mathis asked to give a hypnosis demonstration, the result of that demonstration leaving Patty with her eyes closed, left arm levitated, and whispering a mantra about how much she liked hypnosis; he should've been much more animated than he felt, and yet simply conversing with the fascinating university professor effected him like Patty had been affected.

Both Dr. Larkin and his wife had certainly been animated earlier, quietly arguing over something earlier in the party. They thought they'd been careful enough, but he got the feeling someone might've overheard, possibly Dr. Mathis. 

She talked about the relationship she had with her late husband, how loving it was, how they were able to keep the marriage going for so long (something Dr. Larkin was very interested in), and how receptive Patty, and to a degree Dave, seemed to be with hypnosis. 

He politely listened to everything she said, but lost track of when he started sincerely agreeing with the words. He was most conscious when Dr. Mathis pointedly reminded him that a good husband never misses the chance to kiss his wife to usher in the new year. Her statement was clear, and he fully agreed. A minute before the countdown into 2014 started, Dr. Mathis handed him her card.

"I hope we can keep in-touch."