Jenna’s mission was clear: she had to get that collar charged. She felt like an idiot for not even thinking about the battery life on the collar, but then she didn’t realize it was even affecting Jenna until last night. By the time she accepted the collar worked she was horny and drunk and enjoying Trish’s obedience to the fullest. How could she have known it would all wear off overnight?
    But at least she knew it worked now. It meant that Jenna had a cure for the bitchy Trish who’d made a comeback. Once she charged the collar Trish would return to being all smiles and hugs, and total obedience. Not that Jenna would abuse it this time. She just needed the better Trish around to survive the summer break.
    The biggest obstacle to her mission was getting the collar in the first place. Trish would be totally suspicious about why Jenna wanted it, only to return it a few hours later with the green gem now glowing brightly. There was no way this bitchy version of Trish would trust that. It was a miracle she’d worn it in the first place.
    The only thing Jenna could do for now was try to get back on her good side. So Jenna retrieved Trish’s car from the bar where she left it, even picking up bagels on the way back. She smiled along as her stepmom barked a few more chores for Jenna to do, which was not the kind of fun barking she wanted from Trish. But Jenna forced herself to do them all, anything to get back on Trish’s good side. If only to get close enough to get that collar off of her.
    “I finished wiping down the kitchen counters,” Jenna said cheerfully, wanting to sound like a perfect unsuspicious stepdaughter. Trish was lounging on the couch watching her shows, not even turning to look at her.
    “Don’t forget to clean the shower next.”
    “Right,” Jenna replied, frowning deeply. She had to play along, but even she needed a break. Her shoulders were getting sore from all the scrubbing and dusting. Suddenly Jenna lit up with an idea. “Hey Trish, you look a little tense.”
    Trish shot her a dark look, and Jenna flinched.
    “I-I just meant you look sore from your workout. Would you like me to rub your shoulders?”
    Trish frowned, but scooted forward on the couch and brushed her ponytail over her shoulder. “Alright,” she said, suspicious but willing to go along with it. Jenna did her best to keep a neutral smile as she slid behind Trish. She was just a normal stepdaughter giving her stepmom a totally normal shoulder massage. And it let Jenna get her hands on the collar.
    “Let’s just get this out of the way,” she said, her fingers fumbling with the latch on the dog collar.
    Suddenly Trish jumped up, the collar literally slipping through Jenna’s fingers. Trish turned and glared at Jenna. “I know what you’re doing.”
    Jenna gulped. “What do you mean?”
    “It’s no use trying to get on my good side. You’re not going to get out of being punished.”
    A nerve twitched on Jenna’s face. “I’m just trying to help,” she said, voice strained.
    “You have been totally out of control, and its time I taught you some discipline. Now get back to cleaning.”
    Jenna told herself she needed to stay on Trish’s good side. That she needed Trish to have her guard down to snatch the collar back from her. So she suppressed the indignant insult she wanted to yell at Trish, and forced herself to smile instead.
    “That’s too bad. I was going to suggest we go play some tennis again today.”
    Trish’s cold expression softened. Tennis was definitely the ex-athlete’s weakness. Surely she wouldn’t say no to that. And that would put them in a locker room where Trish would take the collar off. Things went missing in locker rooms all the time.
    Only Trish still wasn’t buying it. Obviously she knew Jenna was just trying to weasel out of her punishment. But then Trish suddenly grinned. As if she had a wicked idea herself.
    “Actually, perhaps some tennis is exactly what we need.”
    Jenna found herself wilting under Trish’s smile. Which one of them was supposed to be scheming here?

~ ~ ~

Jenna lunged for the ball and swung, but her racket completely missed. She stumbled a few more steps, sweat dripping from what felt like everywhere as she struggled to regain her balance.
    “Looks like I win again,” Trish declared cheerfully. “Go get the ball and we’ll try again. Maybe you’ll get lucky.”
    “You absolute bitch,” Jenna muttered under her breath as she limped her way down the court. The torturous tennis match had been going on for maybe twenty minutes, but it felt like hours. Trish was dominating her, which was to be expected from a pro, but it was the absolutely devious way she was messing with Jenna that infuriated her. Trish could have easily sent the ball sailing to the edges of the court, where Jenna would never stand a chance of reaching. She could win without breaking a sweat, and so that Jenna wouldn’t break a sweat either.
    Instead, Trish kept aiming the ball to fly right past Jenna, close enough for her to swing for it but always just out of reach. That or she sent the tennis balls hurtling directly towards Jenna, leaving her scrambling away from the lime green projectiles.
    It had left Jenna completely exhausted and demoralized, with Trish gloating and taunting her the whole time. Is this what Trish was like when she was serious? Just a total and unrelenting bitch?
    As the match dragged on, Jenna grew less and less guilty about turning Trish into her dog. And once she got that collar around Trish’s neck charged back up, it was all too tempting to turn her back into a mindless horny pet for some payback.
    But as Jenna scooped up the tennis ball she remembered the last time she played tennis with Trish. When she’d been happy and cheering Jenna on. The way Trish had confessed her worries and opened up, even promising to be a better stepmom to her. That memory stalled Jenna’s desire for revenge. Once she got the collar she would make Trish happy again, but not cross that line into dominating her. She would be good for that Trish’s sake.
    “Are you done already?” Trish’s icy voice called from across the court. “I didn’t think you were this out of shape, Jenna. You really should start exercising more.”
    Jenna gripped the tennis ball tight, nearly popping it. It’s not her, she tried to remind herself. Except that it was. This was the real Trish, while her Trish was just a fantasy. But it was a fantasy she could still bring to life.
    So Jenna sighed and unclenched the ball in her hand. She put on a bashful smile and turned to Trish, ignoring the aches in her sore body. “I am feeling pretty beat. How about we hit the shower and head home?”
    It would all be worth it to have Trish take the collar off.
    But to her dismay Trish scoffed. “You can shower up. I didn’t work up that much of a sweat.”
    “That bitch,” Jenna hissed, and this time the tennis ball did pop when she crushed it.
    All this torture and not even a chance at getting the collar. What a waste! Now they’d go back home and she’d be stuck being punished even more. Jenna racked her brain as she dragged herself into the locker room. There had to be something else they could do first. Something Trish would enjoy enough to let her guard down, and give Jenna a shot at getting the collar off of her.
    It was as she was getting dressed into her usual baggy clothes that Jenna stopped and groaned. She knew it would work, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t suck.
    
~ ~ ~

“You should try this on next. It’s much more ladylike,” Trish said, holding out a white and pink sweater. Jenna grit her teeth but took it, just like she’d taken every mortifying piece of clothing Trish suggested since they’d arrived at the store. Everything was feminine and conservative, the exact opposite of her style. Not to mention they were always just a size too small, as if Trish was trying to make her feel like crap on purpose. Which she probably was, the absolute bitch.
    The old Trish had been nagging, but nowhere near this bad. Was it like an anger hangover from the collar shutting off? Trish swinging too far in the opposite direction from a happy, stupid pet to a nasty, controlling stepmom? Jenna wriggled and forced herself into the ugly sweater, doing her best to recall Trish’s original personality. But the thing was that Jenna had actively avoided spending time with Trish. All their conversations had been arguments in passing. Maybe she’d dodged a bullet by hiding in her room and staying away from Trish.
    The more she thought about it, the more Jenna felt like it really had been for the best that she’d accidentally brainwashed Trish. A dog-brained Trish had certainly been better than dealing with this, Jenna thought as she turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She was stuffed into the white and pink sweater, with an unflattering skirt that barely fit around her ample ass. Jenna knew she was hot, but this outfit had been practically designed to smother her confidence.
    But this was all part of the plan, so she had to grin and bear it. Jenna stepped out of the dressing room, hoping that even Trish would see how bad the clothes were. Instead Trish grinned and clapped her hands together.
    “Oh that’s so cute on you. We should definitely get it too.”
    Jenna bit down on the insults she wanted to hurl at Trish. Her lips cracked into a thin smile as she said, “It’s a little hard to move. Maybe I should try something else?”
    “That’s no problem, Jenna. You could stand to lose some weight anyway.”
    “Is that so,” Jenna hissed, hands clenching as she stomped past Trish. Her stepmom wore the smuggest expression ever, and Jenna wished for nothing more than to wipe it right off her face. Suddenly she noticed a miniskirt on a nearby rack.
    She imagined ordering Trish to put on the trashy skirt. Her obedient pet scampering into the dressing room, emerging in the too short skirt and some skimpy top to match. Jenna ordering her to crawl, and Trish happily falling to all fours to follow her around the store. Jenna could lead Trish through the aisles for everyone to see. Trish panting like a stupid dog, too dumb to realize everyone could see her dripping pussy. And Jenna could even tell her to roll over, which Trish would do without hesitation, lifting her legs up into the air for all to see.
    That’s what that bitch deserves, Jenna thought with a grim smile.
    But then the Trish in her fantasy barks up at her. Her face radiant with love and devotion, just like she’d been on that special night. Wanting only to please her Owner like a good pet.
    Jenna sighed and let the sadistic fantasy pass. The Trish sitting with a pile of ugly clothes meant to humiliate Jenna might deserve that kind of punishment, but that wasn’t the Trish that Jenna wanted. She wanted the happy Trish who would smother her with a huge hug every time she walked into the room. She wanted the Trish who would sit in her lap and gush about her day. Who would really listen to her and be a friend.
    That’s why she needed the collar working again more than anything.
    Jenna went past the miniskirt and instead reached for a pale blue blouse with a high collar. The trendy blouse would look great on Trish. And more importantly, she’d have to take her dog collar off to wear it.
    “What do you think about this, Trish?”
    When Trish saw the blouse even her bitchy attitude cracked, with genuine interest seeping through. “Hmm, that does look nice.” Then she caught herself and frowned. “I guess I’ll try it.”
    “I’m sure it’ll look great on you,” Jenna said, heaping on the encouragement. Then, just as Trish was slipping into the dressing room she added, “Though it might clash with your necklace.”
    Trish stopped in place. A hand reached up to caress the leather grooves of the collar. She only had to take it off for a moment to put the blouse on, but Jenna would gush so hard about how great she looked that Trish would surely wear it out of the store. And Jenna would offer to hold onto the necklace for her. Then she’d be able to charge it and get her sweet puppy Trish back.
    Except Trish suddenly scoffed. “It’s fine. I think this necklace could go with just about anything.”
    And sure enough Trish emerged in the pale blue blouse looking fabulous, with the black collar still proudly clasped around her neck.
    What the hell was it going to take to get that collar off of her? Surely without it manipulating her brain Trish must see how ugly it looked. Why was she even still wearing the gaudy thing everywhere?
    “Ready to check out, Jenna?”
    Jenna stared at the pile of unflattering clothes Trish had picked out for her, complete with the lack of the collar back in her hands. She sighed in defeat. “Sure, Trish.”
    “This was a great suggestion,” Trish said as she sauntered past, patting Jenna on the head. “We should come back and get you some more proper clothes soon.”
    “I’ve got to get that collar,” Jenna whispered to herself, desperation creeping in.

~ ~ ~

But in the end, Jenna retreated to her room and hid for the rest of the day. It was just like her first two weeks with Trish, the two of them speaking only in scattered shouts through her shut door. Trish would yell at her to do chores, and Jenna would yell back her indignation at getting ordered around. Tennis had been a bust, and her suggestion to go shopping had been an even worse disaster. All Jenna had left was the risky plan of breaking into Trish’s room at night. Surely she wasn’t wearing the damn thing to bed, although now Jenna was having her doubts about that.
    Then a terrible miracle happened that would give her another chance: her father was in town.
    “What?” Jenna shouted, certain she’d misheard Trish through the door.
    “I said your father is taking me out to dinner for my birthday as a surprise. So I want you to be sure to clean the kitchen and mop the floors while I’m gone. And no ordering delivery for dinner. I left you some healthy leftovers in the fridge.”
    “Wait, hold on.” Jenna shook her head. “My dad’s back in town? Why didn’t he tell me?”
    The quiet on the other side of the door was damning. “I’m afraid he could only layover for a short time between flights, so he won’t be able to come back and see you.”
    Of course, that was her good old dad. Always away on business trips instead of wanting to see his daughter. At least he was willing to swing through to fuck his trophy wife.
    Jenna didn’t want to think about that, or the weird jealousy gnawing at her. As though she thought Trish belonged to her now. Trish was wearing her collar, after all.
    Then it struck her: if Trish was dressing up fancy for a dinner with her dad, then that meant she’d leave the collar behind. And with the house to herself Jenna would have all the time she needed to grab it, charge it, and put it back without Trish being any the wiser.
    And then Trish would be her pet again, just like she should.
    No, Jenna had to keep a clear head about this. She wanted Trish to stop being a bitchy stepmom, and that was it. She’d be firm and resist any temptation to make Trish into a sex pet again.
    At least she mostly believed that.
    “Jenna?” Trish’s voice came through the door, with what sounded like actual concern. “Are you alright? I know you haven’t seen your father in a while. Maybe I could-”
    “It’s alright,” Jenna assured her. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck as a third wheel between Trish and her dad. “You have fun with my dad. You like him more than me anyway. I’ll be fine here on my own.”
    “If you say so.” Jenna heard the footsteps retreat from her room, and silently thanked her asshole father for coming through for once. Still, even if he was stopping by for a booty call with Trish, he could have at least texted her and said hi. But her dad disappointing her was nothing new. What Jenna needed to focus on now was her mission of charging the collar.
    It took about twenty minutes before she heard the front door shut. Jenna peered through the window and caught a glimpse of Trish heading to her car. The gorgeous athlete was poured into her red dress, wearing her hair down instead of in her usual ponytail. But the best thing of all was when Trish got into her car, offering a clear, unobstructed view of her neck, with no sign of the black collar.
    “Fucking finally,” Jenna muttered as she raced downstairs. Then she skidded to a stop, wondering if Trish might show back up if she forgot something. Jenna forced herself to stand and wait for a few minutes, the seconds creeping past interminably. She even almost considered starting her chores, just to have something to do. But she’d clean later, once the collar was charging back in her room.
    Finally Jenna’s patience wore out and she snuck into Trish’s room. She’d be well on her way to dinner by now. Probably to some fancy restaurant. Or maybe her dad just told Trish to come to a hotel room. She wouldn’t put it past him. When Trish was nothing but a bitch to her, Jenna always told herself that she really deserved to be married to her piece of shit father.
    But now Jenna couldn’t help but imagine the new Trish being stuck with her dad. The happy, obedient Trish who should belong to Jenna alone. Maybe it was a blessing that the collar shut off when it did. At the very least her dad wouldn’t be able to exploit what the collar could do to her. That was her pet, after all.
    All these mixed up feelings were so confusing. Jenna did her best to put them aside and focus on her search. She checked Trish’s desk and found plenty of expensive jewelry, but no sign of the ugly black collar. She searched Trish’s drawers, wondering if maybe she hid it in there. Though why would Trish hide it? It should have just been a stupid necklace from her spoiled stepdaughter, which meant that Trish would toss it aside without a care. And yet Jenna had searched through the whole room and couldn’t find it anywhere.
    “Where the fuck is it?”
    Jenna surveyed the room, realizing that this was not the discrete search she’d been planning on. Her goal was to leave no sign she’d been in there so that Trish wouldn’t get suspicious. But as the search got more frustrating Jenna had forgotten to be cautious. Drawers were left open, clothes strewn about the floor, and everything had been moved or knocked over.
    Dammit. Not only did she not get the collar back, but now she had to remember where everything went before Trish got home. At least it had only been twenty minutes or so. She had plenty of time before Trish got back.
    Or so Jenna thought, until she heard the door open behind her. She spun around and saw Trish standing there aghast. Her mascara had streaked down her cheeks as if she’d been crying, and there was no denying the anger on her face. But what really caught Jenna’s attention was the stupid collar, back snugly around her throat.
    Jenna knew for a fact that Trish wasn’t wearing it when she left. And she was so distracted trying to work that out she was left with no excuse when Trish shouted her name.
    “Jenna! What are you doing?”
    “I- uh-” Jenna gulped. “What are you doing back so early?”
    “Your father’s plane was delayed, so he had to cancel.”
    Jenna groaned. Of course her dad would cancel, even on a smoking hot woman like Trish. That was just the kind of asshole he was, and Jenna cursed herself for actually counting on him to come through.
    “Now I’ll ask you again, what are you doing in my room?” Trish stomped towards her and actually grabbed Jenna by the front of her t-shirt. She looked ready to hit her, and Jenna couldn’t blame her with how bad this looked. “Were you looking for money? Were you trying to steal from me?”
    “No!” Jenna cried, which was technically a lie. At most she was only looking to borrow the collar. “You weren’t supposed to know.”
    “Know what? What horrible thing are you up to now?”
    Jenna hit her breaking point. “I was trying to get that stupid necklace back from you!” she shouted.
    To her surprise, all the anger washed away from Trish’s face. She let go of Jenna and backed away, clutching the collar around her neck. “You what?”
    “I thought you left it home, so I was trying to take it from your room so you wouldn’t notice.” 
    Trish’s voice hitched. “Why did you want to steal it from me?”
    She expected Trish to be pissed at her, but why did she look so scared? It was almost like…
    Like Trish actually valued the necklace.
    All at once it clicked into place. Trish’s refusal to take the collar off all day long. The way she clung to it now, as if she were terrified at the thought of losing it. Jenna assumed that Trish only wore it out of obligation because it had been a gift, and then because of the brainwashing, but maybe it meant a lot more to Trish than she thought.
    So Jenna forced herself to relax and try a new strategy. “I- I wanted to wrap it up for you. So I could give it to you on your birthday tomorrow like a proper present. I was trying to get it off of you all day, but you kept-” Being such a bitch was what she wanted to say. Instead Jenna switched to, “You kept not going for it. And when I saw you leave without it I thought this was my chance. So when I couldn’t find it anywhere…” Jenna waved a hand lamely at the trashed bedroom. “I’m sorry I made a mess. I promise I’ll clean it up.”
    Trish stared at her harshly, or maybe it just looked so serious because of the smoky mess of her mascara under her eyes. Then Trish sighed and sat on her bed.
    “I didn’t realize that’s what you were doing. So offering to play tennis and go shopping? You were trying to get the necklace?”
    “Yes,” Jenna admitted.
    “And I treated you like…” Trish sniffed, and suddenly tears were welling up in her eyes. Jenna hastily snatched up some tissues and handed them to her. “I’m sorry, today was just such a disaster.”
    “It was…” She wanted to comfort Trish, but it was hard lying about how miserable the day had been for her. Especially since it was Trish’s fault.
    Trish was full on crying. “I was so mean to you, and acting like a… like a…” Trish’s voice hitched.
    “A bitch?” Jenna suggested, pushing her luck.
    “Yes! I was a bitch to you and I’m sorry.”
    All day Jenna’s anger had been stewing, but seeing Trish so miserable made it hard to hold a grudge. She put an arm around Trish’s shoulders as she sobbed.
    “I thought I had to be mean and push you away.”
    “Why were you trying to push me away?”
    “Because we-” Trish looked up at Jenna sadly, and the answer was obvious. Because Jenna had manipulated Trish into hooking up with her. Except Trish didn’t know it was the collar making her do everything Jenna had said while she was drunk and horny. So she’d put it all down to her fault, and that guilt must have put her bitchy stepmother act into overdrive.
    “So you were acting like a mega bitch because you were trying to make me not interested in you?”
    “Watch your language,” Trish sniffled, but laughed. “It was such a stupid thing to do. It was my fault what happened. I shouldn’t have-”
    “No, Trish, it was my fault. You were being so nice to me all week, and I just… couldn’t help myself. I was the one who ruined things.”
    “I don’t know what happened. It had been so wonderful being friends with you, and then I woke up feeling miserable. Like I couldn’t remember how to be happy.” Then Trish said the words that made Jenna’s heart race. “I wish I could feel that way again.”
    “M-maybe you can. Tell you what. Tomorrow’s your birthday, so we’ll do whatever you want.”
    Trish blew her nose, but at least the tears had stopped. She even managed a smile as she said, “I’d probably just do what we did today. Play tennis, go shopping, watch TV.” Then a fresh wave of despair washed over her. “Today should have been a nice day for us and I ruined it.”
    “No, it was my fault,” Jenna told her, cutting her off before she could blame herself again. “I shouldn’t have kissed you, or done… all that stuff with you. You’re right, it was inappropriate. And I promise I won’t do it again. I’ll be good.”
    And Jenna meant it. Maybe it was wrong to recharge the collar and have it brainwash Trish into being happy again, but Jenna promised that she wouldn’t abuse it this time. No more making Trish into a sex pet. She’d just enjoy having a bubbly, cheerful Trish to live with.
    “Thank you, Jenna,” Trish replied with a smile, before wrapping Jenna up in a tight hug. Immediately Jenna became all too aware of Trish’s chest pressed against hers, the warmth of her muscular body. Even the scent of her strawberry shampoo was intoxicating. Jenna drank it in, and her libido roared to life.
    Jenna pried herself away from Trish’s arms quickly, smiling nervously as she tried to shove down the horny thoughts before they could start. She’d be good this time. She meant it.
    “Why don’t you give me the c- the necklace, and you can get cleaned up and we’ll watch a movie?”
    “That sounds great,” Trish said, sounding genuinely grateful. She reached up to unclasp the collar, but still hesitated a moment before removing it. Was it really that she was attached to a gift from Jenna, or was this just an effect of the collar on her? Jenna didn’t want to puzzle that over just yet. She took the collar, gave Trish a quick chaste hug, then dashed off up to her room.
    She had the charger sitting on her desk, waiting all day to be used. Her hands shook as she fumbled with the cable, taking three tries before she plugged it in. Gradually the crystal on the collar began to glow, on and off in a steady beat.
    Satisfied, Jenna threw herself on the bed and plunged a hand into her shorts. She just needed to get off on last time to the fantasy, since she would be sure to stick to her promise. She’d be good with Trish, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t imagine her perfect sex pet back in her head.
    In the fantasy Trish was naked, panting happily up at her owner. Jenna ordered her to roll over, flashing her tits and soaked pussy. She made Trish chase after balls and bite on squeaky chew toys. She imagined Trish wriggling in her lap, chest free for groping. And she imagined Trish crawling in between her legs, eating her owner out so lovingly.
    “Trish,” Jenna moaned, fingering herself desperately. Her eyes were focused on the charging collar, that green glow rising and falling so regularly. Jenna stared at it and dreamed of Trish being her dumb, happy pet forever. She’d never need to be mean again. Or sad, for that matter. Jenna would protect Trish and keep her safe. She’d be such a good owner for Trish. The Owner she deserved.
    And Trish could be all hers. No other men or women would have her, especially not her asshole father. Trish should belong only to Jenna.
    It was a totally wrong fantasy and yet Jenna couldn’t help it as she came to it. That jealous and protective feeling twisting with the pleasure of the orgasm.
    When she finally came down Jenna sighed. “And I’ll be good with Trish. No more horny fucking around. No more pet tricks. I’ll be good starting now,” she promised. She looked to the collar for reassurance, but it only kept blinking and charging itself, getting ready for its purpose of brainwashing Trish. As if it knew what Jenna really wanted to do.