The fog crept in like a living shroud, its tendrils curling around the streetlights and clinging to the windows of the bus. Ethan Majors gripped the wheel, his knuckles pale against the worn leather. The heater hummed a steady rhythm, but it did little to chase the chill from his bones. He had always liked the night shifts—the quiet, the solitude, the way the world faded into silence. But tonight, the stillness was oppressive and heavy as if something terrible was about to happen.
He glanced in the rearview mirror, the reflection of his own face staring back. Dark hair, a little too long, framed eyes that seemed to hold more shadows than light. He looked tired, the lines around his mouth deeper than he remembered. The past week had been relentless, the dreams clawing their way back into his life like some predatory animal. He had thought he’d buried that part of himself, locked it away with the childish fears and half-remembered terrors of his youth. But the visions had returned, sharper, more vivid, and with them, the presence of *her*.
Mistress Silver.
The name whispered itself in his mind, smooth as silk and cold as steel. He had seen her in his sleep, tall and seductive, her form ever shifting like smoke carried by the wind. She was both Beauty and the Beast, impossible to contain. The most unsettling thing about her were her eyes—deep, endless pools that seemed to see right through him, to the raw, trembling core he kept hidden from the world. She had spoken to him, her voice a low, melodic purr that sent shivers down his spine. You’ve been hiding, little one, she had said, her lips curling into a smile that was both inviting and terrifying. But I always find what’s mine.
Ethan’s breath hitched as the memory washed over him and he forced himself to focus on the road ahead. The bus was almost empty save for a handful of passengers scattered in the back. He could hear the faint hum of someone’s phone, the muffled cough of another. Normal sounds, grounding him in the mundane. But the weight of her presence lingered, a looming shadow in the corner of his mind.
The bus hit a pothole, jolting him back to reality. He muttered a soft curse under his breath. “Keep it together,” he told himself, but the knot in his stomach didn’t unravel. 
He had always been sensitive to things others couldn’t see, a trait he had learned to suppress, to ignore. It was easier that way. Safer. But now, with the dreams and the visions and the creeping sense of dread, he couldn’t shake off the sensation that he was standing on the edge of something vast and dark, staring into an abyss that stared right back.
The bus rumbled on, the fog growing thicker with every mile. Ethan’s hands were slick with sweat. He could feel her presence now, a cold, electric tingle at the base of his spine. She was close. He knew it. And when she came for him, he wouldn’t be able to hide.
The bus slowed as it approached the next stop. Ethan checked the mirror again, his pulse quickening as he saw a figure standing just beyond the reach of the streetlight. Tall, with liquid skin that seemed to shimmer like moonlight on water. He gulped as their eyes met—hers silver and piercing, and his own, wide with fear.
And then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone.
The doors hissed open with a mechanical groan. No one got on. Ethan let out a shaky breath and eased the bus forward, the fog swallowing it whole once more. He told himself it was just a trick of the light, a hallucination born of exhaustion and stress. But deep down, he knew better. She was real. And she was coming for him.

* * *

“No, she’s not!” Mark Higgins said. “Come on, Ethan, you’re being paranoid! It’s just a fucking dream.”
The glow of the bar’s neon signs reflected on Mark’s face, making his smirk seem more like a sneer. There were too many people indoors that Saturday night, most of them watching the hockey game and betting on which team would come out victorious. Ethan nursed his drink, his fingers trembling as he clutched the glass. 
“Paranoid?” Ethan’s voice rose, drawing a sidelong glance from the bartender, who quickly looked away. “You didn’t see what I saw. She’s… she’s not human. Her eyes—God, those eyes! —they saw right through me. And that skin, it shimmered like… like the surface of a lake at night. She’s real, Mark. I’m telling you, she’s real.”
Mark leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. His smirk never wavered, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes — either amusement, or disbelief. “Oh, sure, Ethan! A shimmering, silver-skinned woman is out to get you. And let me guess, she’s got some kind of dark, ancient power, right? Perhaps she’s a vampire or a witch or something. Come on, man, you’ve been watching too many horror movies!”
Ethan tightened his grip on the glass, threatening to break it. “This isn’t a movie, Mark. You think I’m making this up? Why the fuck would I do that? You know me better than that!”
Mark shrugged. “I don’t know, man. Maybe you’re stressed out from work. You’ve been driving that bus non-stop for months. Maybe you’re just… cracking a little. Happens to the best of us, right?”
“Cracking?” Ethan’s voice dropped to a whisper, but the intensity behind it made Mark sit up straight. “So now, you saying I’m losing my mind… Fuck off! I saw her, Mark! And I’m telling you, she’s coming for me.”
The bar was quiet for a moment, the only sound the clinking of glasses and the muted hum of the jukebox. Then Mark laughed—a loud, booming sound that made a few heads turn. “Oh, Ethan, you’re such a drama queen. ‘She’s coming for me.’ Give me a break. You need to relax, man. Take a vacation. Get out of the city for a while. It will do you good.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed to slits, a storm brewing within their depths. “You don’t believe me. You never do. But I know I’m right!” His voice trembled with a mix of frustration and certainty. “What if she’s out there right now, lurking in the shadows, her gaze fixed on me, waiting for the perfect moment?”
Mark frowned. “Oh, sure, Ethan. The mysterious, shimmering woman is right outside the bar, waiting for you to leave so she can pounce. Boo-hoo! You’re such a baby.”
Ethan’s face twisted in frustration. “This isn’t a joke. And if you don’t start taking me seriously, you’re going to be sorry.”
Mark leaned forward, his smirk fading. “Oh, I’m sorry, Ethan. Sorry that you’re so caught up in this delusional fantasy. Sorry that you’re letting your imagination run wild. But you know what? I’m not buying it. You need to snap out of this, man. The sooner the better.”
“I wish I could but it’s impossible. The end is nigh, Mark. She’s coming to destroy my world.”
Mark sighed, shaking his head. “Yeah, sure, Ethan. Whatever you say. Calm down, okay? Let’s forget about this for now and talk about something else. How’s the love life treating you these days? Are you still doing that speed dating thing or did you quit already?”
Ethan stared at him, his expression unreadable. Then he stood up. “You know what, Mark? Forget it. Forget I even said anything. Some friend you are! It’s obvious you don’t understand what I’m going through.”
Mark shrugged. “Fine, whatever. But hey, man, if you’re that scared, you should go to the cops. Tell them about this mysterious supernatural woman who’s out to get you. I’m sure they’ll be real interested.”
Ethan turned and walked away, leaving Mark alone at the table. The jukebox changed songs, and the bar filled with the sound of some old rock ballad. Mark shook his head, muttering under his breath. “Fucking drama queen!”
He sat there, drinking, but a feeling of unease persisted. Maybe it was the way Ethan had looked at him, his eyes wild and desperate. Perhaps it was how the shadows in the bar’s corner appeared to shift, as if being watched.
Mark shivered, despite the warmth of the bar. “Yeah, right,” he said to himself. “Now, I’m the one imagining things.”
However, deep down, he wasn’t so sure.

* * *

Ethan trudged along the damp sidewalks, the crisp night air biting at his cheeks as he tried to quell the turmoil that churned inside him. The streets of Seattle lay under a blanket of subdued silence, broken only by the distant rumble of late-night traffic and the occasional echo of footsteps. As he turned onto his street, the soft, amber glow of his porch light flickered against the dark, inviting him with its warm familiarity. Yet, as he neared his apartment, an unexpected shiver crept up his spine. The atmosphere was dense and unsettling, as if the very air around his building had become heavier.
He pushed open the front door and climbed the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the narrow hallway. When he reached his apartment, he hesitated. The door was ajar. He was certain he’d closed it before leaving. A knot formed in his stomach as he pushed it open.
“Ethan,” a voice called out, smooth and familiar, yet laced with something that made his blood run cold. He froze in the doorway. There, sitting on his couch in the living room, was Tawnya Clay.
She looked… almost the same. Her sharp jawline, her piercing green eyes, her long, fiery red hair cascading over her shoulders… But there was something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Her smile was enticing, wide and confident, yet it seemed too perfect, too calculated. She was wearing a sleek black latex dress that hugged her frame, and her legs were crossed, one stiletto heel bobbing in the air. She looked like she belonged there, like she’d never left. But she had left. Two years ago, without so much as a backward glance.
“Hey, baby,” she said, her voice dripping with familiarity. “Long time no see.”
Ethan’s heart pounded as he stepped inside, his mind in complete disarray. How was she here? How did she even know where he lived? He hadn’t seen or heard from her since the breakup, and now, out of nowhere, she was sitting in his living room like she owned the place. It was unnerving. And yet, despite the shock, there was something about her presence that seemed… inevitable.
Tawnya uncrossed her legs and stood, her movements fluid, almost predacious. She stepped closer, her eyes locked on him, and Ethan felt a familiar weight settle over him. She possessed a unique ability to diminish him, a power she wielded with a single glance. His legs shook.
“You’re looking good, Ethan,” she said, her voice low and sultry. “A little rough around the edges, but I always liked that about you.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened as he composed himself. “What are you doing here, Tawnya?”
She chuckled. “Oh, come on. Aren’t you happy to see me? Not even a little? I am.”
“You don’t know how to be happy,” he said before he could stop himself. “Or care about others, for that matter.”
She stepped closer, her eyes glinting with amusement. “You were always quick with the tongue, Ethan. That’s something I missed.”
“Missed?” he repeated, incredulous. His eyebrows shot up, and he shook his head. “You missed me? You? After everything you did, after the way you turned your back and walked out?”
She shrugged and ran her right index finger down her tight dress. “Yes, I did. Or perhaps I’m just bored. Either way, here I am.”
Ethan took a step back, his instincts screaming at him to get away from her. This wasn’t right. Her smile was too bright, her laughter too sharp. He already had too much going on in his life and didn’t need her toxic energy sapping his strength away.
“Please leave,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
She tilted her head, her smile never faltering. “Oh, Ethan. Don’t be like that. I just got here. Besides,” she said, taking another step closer, “you owe me.”
“I owe you?” he laughed. “You’re the one who owes me. For everything you put me through, for the way you—”
“Don’t,” she said, her voice sharp, cutting him off. “Don’t pretend like you’re some kind of victim. You loved every second, Ethan. Admit it. You loved the way I pushed you and brought you to heel. You’d still be a sniveling mess if it weren’t for me.”
He clenched his fists, the familiar sting of her words hitting him square in the chest. “I was dumb,” he said through gritted teeth. “I didn’t know better.”
She rolled her eyes. “Spare me the sob story. You knew exactly what you were getting into. And you loved it. Don’t lie to yourself now.”
Ethan’s breath came in short, sharp bursts as he struggled to keep his cool. She’d always had a way of getting under his skin, of pushing his buttons until he snapped. But he wasn’t that person anymore. He wasn’t the weak, desperate man who’d fallen for her charms. He was better now. Stronger. Or at least, he told himself he was.
“Tawnya,” he bit his lip, forcing the words out. “I want you to get the fuck out of my house. Now!”
She laughed again, the sound echoing in the small room. “Oh, Ethan. You’re still so predictable. Do you think it’s that easy? Do you believe you can live without me?”
“Yes,” he said, meeting her gaze head-on. “I’ve doing fine without you. Better than fine.”
She smirked. “Sure you have. That’s why you’re living in this tiny, pathetic apartment. That’s why you’re still working that dead-end job. You’re not better, Ethan. You’re just… less. Without me, you’re nothing.”
Each word she hurled at him was like a sharp jab, but he clenched his jaw and focused on the steady rhythm of his breathing. Her voice was a relentless tide, rising and crashing, aiming to unsettle him as she had so many times before, but he held his ground, staring past her with unwavering resolve. He was determined not to give her the satisfaction of seeing him flinch.
“I mean it, Tawnya,” he said, stepping toward the door. “Leave. Now.”
She raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed over her chest. A smirk played on her lips as she leaned forward. “Or what? You’ll call the cops?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “You’ll throw me out?” Her eyes narrowed, challenging him. “We both know you won’t do that, Ethan,” she continued, her tone softening into a knowing whisper. “You need me.”
He swallowed hard, his throat dry. “I don’t need you, Tawnya. I don’t want you. Just leave.”
She laughed again, the sound sharp and mocking. “Oh, Ethan. You’ve always needed me. You just don’t want to admit it. You’re scared of what you really want, aren’t you? Scared of how much you still crave my control.”
She took another step closer, her heels clicking against the floor. The sound sent a shiver down his spine. “You used to love the way I dressed for you,” she said, her hands sliding over her hips, the latex gleaming under the dim light. “You used to beg me to wear this for you. Do you remember?”
Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Yrs, but that was a long time ago.”
“Was it?” she purred, her fingers skimming the neckline of her dress. “I don’t think so. I think you’re still the same Ethan you’ve always been. Weak. Hungry. Desperate for something you’re too afraid to take.”
She turned, and the dress shimmered as it caught the light, highlighting the graceful curves of her body with a delicate allure. Ethan’s breath caught in his throat, and his pulse raced. The fabric was so tight that he could make out the faint silhouette of her skin beneath the thin, stretchy material, revealing the tantalizing truth that she wore nothing underneath. This realization struck him with the force of a sudden, visceral impact, leaving him breathless.
“Look at you,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement. “You can’t even look away. You’re still mine, Ethan. You’ll always be mine.”
She reached out, her fingers brushing against his chest. He flinched but didn’t move. “You want me to stay,” she said, her voice soft but laced with a dangerous edge. “You want me to remind you of what you’ve been missing. Of what you can’t live without.”
Ethan’s heart pounded in his chest. The familiar pull of her words was back, as well as the way she twisted his thoughts and made him doubt himself. But he knew he couldn’t give in. He couldn’t let her win again.
“Tawnya—” he started, but she cut him off.
“Don’t lie to yourself, Ethan. Don’t lie to me. You belong under me. You always have. And deep down, you know it.”
Her lips brushed against his ear. “You want to lick me clean, don’t you? You want to crawl on your hands and knees and beg for the chance to please me. Just like you used to.”
The familiar weight of her dominance pressed down on him. He tried to resist; he told himself he would resist, but his body betrayed him. His hands moved of their own accord, sliding up her thighs, the fabric of her dress smooth under his fingertips. She guided him higher, her hands covering his, and he felt the curve of her ass beneath his palms. The touch sent a jolt of desire through him, mixed with a deep, gnawing shame.
“Kneel,” she whispered, her voice low and commanding. Ethan’s legs buckled as if pulled down by an invisible force. He sank to the floor, the cold wood pressing against his knees.
“Lick me,” she commanded, her voice unwavering and firm, like a stone set in place. Ethan’s heart raced, hammering against his chest as if trying to escape, while his pulse drummed in his ears, drowning out all other sounds. Despite the self-loathing that gnawed at him, he was powerless to resist the pull. Leaning forward, he allowed the taste of her to envelop him. It was a flavor both familiar and foreign, like a cherished memory blurred by the passage of time. As his tongue moved against her, a peculiar tingling sensation began to spread through his fingers where they contacted her skin. What started as a faint whisper of sensation soon intensified, growing stronger.
And then he saw it—a ripple, like the surface of water disturbed by a stone. Her skin shifted, the smooth, unblemished surface wavering for just a moment. Ethan froze, his breath catching in his throat. He pulled back, his eyes narrowing as he stared up at her. She was still but he could see it now, the faint, almost imperceptible shimmer of her skin, like moonlight reflecting on dark water.
“Who are you?” he whispered, his voice trembling. She didn’t answer but reached down and tangled her long fingers in his hair, pulling him back to her legs and pussy. As he licked her again, the ripples grew more pronounced, her form shifting like shadows moving in the dark.
She wasn’t Tawnya. She couldn’t be Tawnya. Tawnya was gone, lost to the past, and this—this thing in front of him was something else. But even as the realization hit him, Ethan couldn’t stop. He was consumed by desire and dread, his body responding to her commands even as his mind begged him to run away.
She moaned, the sound low and guttural, and Ethan’s blood ran cold. He tried to pull away, but her grip on his hair tightened, holding him in place.
“You’re Mistress Silver…” he muttered.
She inclined her head, a small, mocking smile playing on her lips. “Well done, bitch boy. You’re finally seeing the truth,” she hissed.
Her grip loosened and he staggered back, scrambling to his feet, his lips burning. “I knew you were real! What do you want from me?”
“I want what you can be,” she replied, tilting her head. “There’s so much potential in you, so much power waiting to awaken.”
“Potential? Power?” he repeated, his thoughts clouded by uncertainty and fear.
“You’re a psychic, Ethan. A powerful one. More powerful than you could ever imagine. That’s why you’ve been dreaming about me. When I sensed your power across the ether, I knew I had to find you.”
He shook his head, trying to process what she was saying. “No. That’s not possible. I’m… normal.”
Mistress Silver laughed, the sound echoing through the small apartment. “Normal? Oh, Ethan. You’ve never been normal. What you are is… untrained. Untapped. But I can change that. I can show you what you’re capable of and make you stronger than you ever thought possible.”
“And why would you do that? What’s in it for you?”
“Once you’re strong enough and you reach your full potential… you’ll belong to me. Completely. And I’ll make sure you never forget it.”
“You’re talking about enslaving me.”
She shrugged, her expression nonchalant. “If you want to call it that. But I prefer to think of it as… a mutually beneficial arrangement. We’ll both gain power beyond our wildest dreams, and what could be better than that?”
“And if I say no?”
Mistress Silver’s smile widened, revealing sharp, pearly whites. “You don’t have a choice, Ethan. You never did. We’re connected now, and I’m not letting you go.”
Ethan swallowed hard. He looked into her piercing eyes, searching for a way out, but all he saw was his own reflection staring back at him. Mistress Silver waved her right hand, and a slithering tentacle sprouted from her back to produce a small, ornate box.
“This,” she said, “is the beginning of our partnership.” She opened the box, revealing a bracelet that lay nestled in a bed of black satin. It was made of a metallic alloy Ethan didn’t recognize—something sleek and silver with intricate patterns woven into its surface. It pulsed with a faint, otherworldly glow, and Ethan could feel its power emanating from it, a strange, magnetic pull that drew him in despite his growing unease.
She reached out and took his wrist, her touch cold. Ethan tensed, but he didn’t pull away as though he were under some irresistible compulsion. She fastened the bracelet around his wrist with a small, metallic click, and as soon as it closed, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Mistress Silver murmured. “More than just a simple trinket. This is a bond, Ethan. A bond between us.”
Ethan looked down at the bracelet, his wrist throbbing as though the metal had come alive. The symbols etched into its surface were ever changing, fading in and out of existence. He could feel its power coursing through him, a strange, intoxicating energy that both thrilled and terrified him. It was as though the bracelet had unlocked a door in his mind, and on the other side was a flood of potential, a vast, uncharted ocean of ability that stretched out before him like an endless horizon.
“What does it do?” he asked. 
“It does many things,” she replied. “But most importantly, it ensures that you’ll never be able to hide from me. You can try, of course. You can run, you can fight, but in the end, this will always bring you back to me. And as for your power…” She paused, her gaze intensifying. “This will help you harness it. Control it. Together, we’ll unlock the full extent of your abilities. And when we do…” She smiled again, that sharp, predatory smile. “Oh, Ethan. The things you’ll do for me…”
The weight of her words hung in the air like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown at his feet. Ethan felt the cool metal pressing against his skin, a constant reminder of the invisible chain that now bound him to her. He tried to step back, to create some distance between them, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot. The power coursing through him was intoxicating. But beneath the exhilaration, there was fear again—a cold, creeping dread that seeped into his bones and refused to let go.
“See you soon, pet,” she declared.
The room grew colder as Mistress Silver raised her hands, her long, slender fingers splayed as if conducting an unseen symphony. The air around her shimmered, like the surface of water struck by moonlight, and then, in the space of a single breath, a pool of silver erupted on the floor. It spread outward, a glowing, liquid expanse that rippled and pulsed with a soft, ethereal hum. The edges of the pool trembled, and from its center rose a faint mist that curled and twisted into shapes that seemed almost, but not quite, like words.
She stepped closer to the pool, her silhouette framed by the shimmering silver glow. Then, without a word, she touched the surface and vanished, her voice lingering in the air long after she was gone. 
Ethan stood there, the bracelet’s cool metal a constant reminder of her control. The power it unleashed was intoxicating, like a storm raging beneath his skin, eager to be unleashed but dangerous to harness. He was alone again, but not quite.
Days passed, and each one of them was a struggle. Ethan’s strength grew, but so did his awareness of her watchful eye. He could feel her presence in the whispers of the wind, the flicker of a flame, or a fleeting thought that wasn’t his own. He was a puppet on strings, dancing to her tune.
The days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months. Ethan tried to run, to lose himself in the crowded streets of the city, to bury himself in work and routine and the mundane details of everyday life. But no matter how far he went or how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was watching him, waiting for him, her presence a constant, unspoken threat that lingered just beyond the edge of his perception.
And then there were the dreams—oh, those relentless nightmares! They invaded his nights, dark and twisted, brimming with chilling images that froze his blood. In the throes of these nocturnal visions, he saw her, her eyes blazing with an ominous power, her smile razor-sharp and predatory. 
He was there too, standing at her side, his hands smeared with horrors he dared not contemplate. The dreams were vivid, so real that he jolted awake, drenched in sweat, his heart hammering against his ribs and his sheets soaked through with fear. 
Ethan tried to convince himself they were mere figments of his imagination, meaningless phantoms of sleep, but deep down, an insidious truth gnawed at him. The bracelet was revealing a sinister reality, or perhaps it was showing him a future he was terrified to confront.
He struggled against it, trying to resist the magnetic pull of the power that surged through his veins. He endeavored to rise above it, aspiring to harness the burgeoning abilities within him for the greater good, to aid others and create meaningful change. Yet, the journey was fraught with difficulty. The power was alluring, a siren’s call, enticing him with its tantalizing promises of unparalleled strength and dominance. It murmured to him in the stillness of night, coaxing him to relinquish control, to surrender, to embrace the shadowy depths within. In those moments when the burden of the world was too heavy, he found himself teetering on the brink of yielding to its call.
Almost.
But then he would see her face in his mind, and he would remember the way she had looked and spoken to him. He would remember the fear that had gripped him, the helplessness that had threatened to consume him. And he would steel himself, digging deep to find the strength to keep going, to keep fighting. Because he knew that if he gave in, if he let the power take over, he would lose himself forever. And he couldn’t let that happen. Never!
The bracelet tightened around his wrist, a subtle reminder of her leash over his thoughts. Ethan clenched his jaw and forced himself to breathe, to focus on the present moment. There was no changing the past or directing the future. All that was left for him to do was keep going, one step at a time, and hope that someday, somehow, he would find a way to break free from her grasp and shatter the chains that bound him to her will.
He was ensnared in this relentless cycle of terror and dominance, of blinding light and suffocating darkness, of burning hope and crushing despair. She would come for him only when he was powerful enough, when he was primed to fulfill the ominous promise that the bracelet had engraved into his soul. He needed to wait, and hope, and pray with every fiber of his being that when the moment arrived, he would summon the strength to defy her, to seize back the reins of his own fate.
But until then, the silver band clung to him like a shackle, an unyielding, omnipresent reminder of the inescapable truth: he had been branded to be her property. And there was nothing he could do to change that.

THE END