As I watched him light the candle, I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. He was certainly clear about his need to practice, but somehow… I felt he was open to more... He blew on the match and smiled at me. I had so many naughty thoughts swimming in my mind. I could almost feel how moist my crotch was getting.

 

"Well…" I said as I bowed my head just a little. "Since this is all about you honing your skills… We should really decide what you get. Especially if you get skillful enough to prevent me from discovering what the trigger is."

 

"Oh really?" he asked intrigued.

 

"Really…" I said as I bit my lip.

 

I was getting aroused just thinking of what I was about to offer him. Somehow, I felt like I had no control over my actions. As if my inner sinful self had taken control of and was making me say things. Making me think about erotic things I would love him to do to me… 

 

"If you can implant something in my mind… A trigger or behavior or whatever…" I said as my finger traced the armrest of my chair. "And I can't discover what it is by the time we meet up again for another session..."

 

"Yes?" he said as he noticed my change in demeanor.

 

"If that happens… I'll let you implant an additional trigger… Or post hypnotic suggestion… Whatever you want…"

 

I couldn't believe I was flirting so much! And we didn't even know if he could hypnotize me yet! As I looked at him, I clearly saw how intrigued he was by my proposal. And was I dreaming? Or did his eyes wander down my body? 

 

"Anything?"

 

"Anything you want…" I confirmed. "Would that motivate you to succeed?"

 

"Oh I think it will…"

 

God this was making me horny! I hoped that the look he was giving me was a good indication that he was thinking about sexual stuff. I sure was!

 

"But…" he said. "What if you succeed? It hardly seems fair otherwise. You need to be as motivated as me if this test is to mean anything."

 

"Right…" I said. "Since you'll be trying to make me do things… Presumably anyway… Why don't I get the right to ask a truth or dare question? And I choose whichever one I wish. If I choose truth, you need to be honest and answer ANYTHING I ask. And if I feel like making you do a dare… You can't refuse the task I ask of you. Does that seem fair to you?"

 

"I do believe it does!" he said. "Ok then… Seems we have a deal… Are you ready to begin?"

 

Oh god… YES!

 

"Go for it. Let's see if you can get me under."

 

"Ok. I want you to put your glass down and get up."

 

"What?"

 

"Just trust me…" he said and I did as he asked. "You need to relax and break all this energy you are feeling."

 

Fat chance of that happening…

 

"Close your eyes." I did. "Now take in a long slow breath… Very good… Now I want you to stretch yourself as if you just woke up."

 

"What?" I asked.

 

I didn't know why he was making me do this. All the videos I had seen about hypnosis never had this bit. They just went to the induction part. Where was he going with this? But I did like he asked anyway. I stretched myself and felt the familiar heat along my muscles. It was pleasant… Comforting…

 

"Excellent… Now take as many long slow breaths as you need and just relax…" he said in a soft voice.

 

And I did. I breathed in slowly and held it for a few seconds before letting out. I did it a few times and even stretched a few more times. I didn't hear him move, but I felt his hand on my shoulder as he spoke.

 

"Very good Myra… Without opening your eyes, I want you to sit back down… You can trust me… I'll make sure you sit down nice and comfortably on the lazy chair behind you…"

 

I felt his hand gently guide me back and sat down on the chair again, right where I needed to be.

 

"There… Perfect… Now Myra… I want you to keep breathing and relaxing like you are doing… Just let your body sink in the soft cushions… In and out… Let the air fill your lungs and chase away all the energy as you push it out of yourself…" he said.

 

His voice was smooth… Soft… He had certainly mastered that part of trying to induce a trance. I felt his hand leave my shoulder and I registered that he was moving around the room, but I pushed it out of my mind as I concentrated on what he wanted me to do.

 

God I wanted this to work! What if it didn't? I was starting to worry and my breathing accelerated. No… I needed to breathe slowly if I wanted it to work. Like he suggested, I breathed in and imagined that all my excess energy and anxious anticipation was going back out as I exhaled. Just calm yourself Myra… Don't fuck it up by thinking you'll fuck it up!

 

Just let it happen…

 

So I concentrated on my breathing. In and out… I didn't count them or anything, but I could smell the sweet aroma from the candle as it filled the room. It certainly was pleasant… I tried to push everything out. All except that aroma and my breathing…

 

"There we are… Very good Myra… Just breathe in and out… Relax… Everything will be perfect… You are doing marvelously…"

 

I cracked a smile, but I immediately stopped myself. Even if I felt good about his comments, I knew I had to ignore them. Just relax Myra…

 

"Relax as you breathe in and out… This part is very important, but it isn't the actual induction yet… So you can't do anything wrong… So just relax…"

 

Oh good… I thought… It was like he could feel how eager or stressed I was about being hypnotized. How observant of him…

 

"While we are doing this easy part, I want you to prepare yourself for the actual induction… I want you to keep breathing… Slowly… And as you do… I want you to try and picture a place… Any place… Just somewhere you can easily recall… Or even imagine…"

 

He was speaking slowly… Yet purposefully… I like the sound of his voice… He was well suited to be a hypnotist. Imagine a guy with a raspy unpleasant voice, that would never do… But Josh had a soft and deep voice. I imagined it held some kind of hidden power to relax me.

 

So far… It was certainly working. I was so anxious and horny a few moments ago. I mean… I still was! But he managed to break the mood and make me relax. He was good.

 

"Take all the time you need. The goal is to just relax… Like you are sunbathing… Or sipping wine in front of a warm fire… Just imagine anything you wish… Think of many places… Don't be shy and just imagine a few until you find one you like…"

 

His suggestions were easy to picture. A large stone fireplace with a roaring fire… Me wrapped in a warm blanket with a glass of wine… Certainly relaxing… I thought of a creek I used to visit back home… It cascaded down a bunch of rocks as it made its way through a forest… I always went there when I wanted to be alone…

 

"Take all the time you need… Breath in… Breath out… Once you have found a special place… One you can picture in your mind… I want you to open your eyes… But only once you have that place firmly in your mind… Breath in… Breath out… Just relax and think about it… Take all the time you need… The candle will be right in front of you… Ready for you…"

 

The candle! I almost forgot about it… The smell of it still filled my nostrils as I took each long breath.

 

"Breath in…" he said softly, and I did.

 

I thought about a tropical beach. Lying beneath a palm tree… Listening to the waves gently crash on the sand…

 

"Breath out…"

 

I felt the smooth breeze on my skin, cooling me down… It was pleasant. I almost smiled as I thought about what he was making me do. I had read so many stories that used this technique. Picturing yourself in a calm place… They sometimes told the subject what it was, as a way to direct their thoughts… Josh was using method 2, making me imagine my perfect space… Not bad…

 

"Breath in…"

 

I thought back to the fireplace… It was warm… Cozy… Relaxing… I imagined myself looking out the window, watching enormous snowflakes cover the wilderness…

 

"Breath out…"

 

The fire crackled and hissed, making me look into it again. I imagine I could smell the wood cabin around me…

 

"Breath in…"

 

I changed my mind and thought of the creek again. I imagined myself sitting near the water's edge. Listening to the forest around me. Hearing the breeze as it made the trees sway and crack… The sound of the water cascading on the rocks…

 

"Breath out…"

 

It was certainly a peaceful place… I remember I took long naps there as a child… I always felt so safe… 

 

"Breath in…"

 

Yes… So safe… So peaceful… I could hear the birds chirping… There was nothing for miles… I was alone… Not a care in the world…

 

"Breath out…"

 

I slowly opened my eyes and was immediately greeted by the only source of light in the room… I vaguely thought that he must have closed all the other ones while I relaxed.

 

"Breath in…" he said. "Picture yourself in that peaceful place… A safe place… Breath out… You can do this? See yourself in that space? You just have to nod… No need to speak… Breath in…"

 

I nodded. It was so clear in my mind. 

 

"Breath out… Good… Very good… Now I want you to look into the flames and try to imagine as much detail as you can about the space… Breath in… Look at the dancing flame… It is real… Yet not real… Like your special place… Breath out…"

 

He was right… The flame was there… But it wasn't… I watched it flicker and thought of the long strands of grass that got caught up in the creek. The water made them dance… Just like the flame… I remember playing with them… The feel of their wet length in my hands…

 

"Breath in…"

 

The leaves… They danced too… The breeze made them move… I remember lying under a large maple tree and watching as the wind blew them around. I remember thinking it was cool to see that… The way the light played on each leaf… The wind making them dance… While I was safe near the creek… Like the wind couldn't reach me… Couldn't hurt me…

 

"Breath out…"

 

I remembered the warm rocks… I lay on them as I relaxed… The sun shone in the clearing just long enough for them to gather the heat… It was so comfortable… I remembered the smell of the moss around me as it dried under the sun's rays…

 

"Breath in…"

 

I almost felt sad… Why hadn't I gone back to that place? It was so peaceful…

 

"Breath out…" he said softly. "As you imagine every little detail… I want you to imagine you can travel there… As if by magic… This candle is the key… Breath in…"

 

It would be so wonderful to go back there…

 

"The longer you stare in the flame… The clearer you can picture your special space… Breath out…"

 

It was true… I was remembering more and more…

 

"This flame can take you there… To that special place… Breath in…" he said. "I know this because I'm here to guide you… Only a person you trust can do this… And I am happy to help you… Breath out…" he said as I vaguely felt his hand take mine.

 

I almost looked down to see, but I needed to keep looking at the flame. As if each flicker gave me new memories of the creek… There was only the flame… There was only darkness around me… And his warm hand… He was so gentle… Caring… I truly trusted him.

 

"Breath in… Just relax… There is no hurry… Let the flame help you picture your safe space… Breath out… As you picture it more and more… You will find that you can see yourself there… Breath in… But you aren't there yet… I know you want to be there… To reach that calm and safe place… Breath out… And I'm here to guide you… Help you get there… As you picture yourself in that space… The flame is soaking up all your thoughts… Burning them away… Breath in… Like a gateway… Sending all your thoughts to that special place… Building it for you… Breath out…"

 

I imagined I was sending all my memories to the flame… Like the reason it was dancing was… Was because it was hard at work… Recreating the creek… The trees… The water…

 

"Breath in… This gateway will work for you… But only if you can picture your space perfectly… With every detail… Breath out… Just relax and send all your thoughts to the flame… It will do all the work… Breath in… It is building your perfect space… Anything you can think of… It will build it… Breath out… And once you are ready… Ready to travel to that place… Breath in… Just squeeze my hand… I'll guide you… Show you the way… Breath in…"

 

I was so clear in my mind… I knew every rock… Every tree… Every bush… So peaceful… I wanted to be there so much…

 

"Breath out… Just relax… No rush… No hurry… Breath in…"

 

I could see it. I could see myself. Almost like I was already there… I was ready. I gently squeezed his hand.

 

"Breath out… Very good Myra… You are ready… Relax and let me guide you… Breath in… The candle will take you there… To your special place… You need to be completely relaxed to travel there… Breathe out… So easy now… Just let your body relax… Let it sink in the chair… Breath in… Feel how heavy it is… You can't bring it to your place… You'll just leave it here… Completely safe in my care… Breath out… Let all your thoughts exhale out of you with each breath… Making you light… So light… Breath in… You are almost ready… Count down in your mind with me… 10… Breath out… You feel so relaxed… Your body feels so comfortable… Breath in… So safe… You can leave it behind without any worries… 9… Breath out…"

 

I counted with him... 10… 9… I was going to be there… For real… He was going to take me there…

 

"Breath in… You are starting to leave your body behind… Feel how numb it is… 8… Breath out… You are leaving it behind… Getting ready to travel… Breath in… The flame is gathering you up… Getting ready to send you to that special place… 7… Breath out… More and more you feel your body is excess luggage… Useless in your special space… Breath in… You can't feel the floor beneath your feet… That part of yourself is already in the flame… Ready to leave… 6… Breath out…"

 

He was right… I was in the flame now… So happy to leave my body behind… It was so easy…

 

"Breathe in… Now you can't feel your body in the chair… You only feel my hand in yours… More and more you are gathered up by the flame… 5… Breath out… With each breath, you transfer yourself to the flame… Giving yourself to it… Breath in… Letting it prepare you… Letting it take you to your special place… 4… Breath out… You can't feel my hand anymore… You are almost completely transferred into the flame… Breath in… You can feel it now… The flame is so warm… Comforting… It's welcoming you… Gathering you… 3… Breath out…"

 

I could feel it… The flame all around me… So warm… So nice…

 

"Breath in… You are completely in the flame now… Your body is far behind… You are ready… 2… Breath out… You feel the warmth of the flame… Breath in… The power of it… Able to be real… Able to manifest… Able to carry you… 1… Breath out… You feel it grow… Preparing to take you away… Breath in… Take you to your safe place… So clear in your mind… So peaceful… Breath out… Feel it take you there now!" he said as he blew out the candle.

 

And I was there. It was so unreal… So peaceful… I looked around and it was exactly like I had pictured it. Every detail… The only thing I felt was different was the warmth of the air around me. But I knew what it was, it was the same heat I felt moments ago, when I was in the flame.

 

I felt so… Good… 

 

Happy…

 

I went to the rock I liked to lie on and sat down. That's when I noticed I was naked! I was about to look around, to see if I was alone, but I somehow knew I was. No one else was here except me… I laid down on the warm rock and it felt… Delicious… I had always done it with my clothes on, but this was so much better! I felt my skin soak up the dull heat from the hard rock.

 

No… The rock didn't feel that hard… In fact… I could only feel the heat… The gentle pressure that kept me up… But nothing else… So comfortable… I looked up at the leaves and listened to the stream as it danced in the rocks below me.

 

I breathed in the air and it was crisp… Fresh… Healthy… I could still smell the sweet aroma from the candle… It was everywhere here… I couldn't help but smile. I hadn't felt so good in ages… I relaxed and let the scenery soak in. 

 

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I felt the presence of Josh… Or his voice… I couldn't really hear him… Just a dull notion that he was somehow here with me… Guiding me… I was alone... Yet… I wasn't… It made me feel so safe… So relaxed…

 

It was like time meant nothing here. The sun always stayed in the perfect spot just over the tree line. I didn't get cold… Or too warm… It was… Perfect…

 

I smiled contentedly as I let myself doze off…

 

I floated in pure comfort for an eternity… Until I heard Josh speak to me.

 

"And awake!" he said.

 

I opened my eyes and I was back in my living room. My first instinct was to complain, but I felt so refreshed… I didn't feel drowsy at all! I looked at Josh and he was sitting across from me on the other sofa. I looked at the candle and it wasn't lit. I looked back up at him.

 

"So? How do you feel?"

 

"Good… I feel really good…" I said as I looked down at myself.

 

I still had my clothes. In fact… It looked like no time had passed at all! Did he just…

 

"Did it work??" I said.

 

"Depends… What do you remember?"

 

"I… Well you made me breathe a lot… Then I was thrown back to a creek I used to visit when I was young. Huh… Then I was back here."

 

"Seems it did work!"

 

"WHAT? Do you mean that was it? I was in a trance?"

 

"Most definitely!"

 

"I don't… I… I mean…" I started to say. 

 

"I know… It didn't feel like you expected it did?"

 

"How? I mean… The guiding part was fun… Worked better than I thought it would… But the induction was so short!"

 

"Tell me Myra… When do you think the induction started?"

 

"With the candle." I said instantly.

 

"Hahaha… You would be wrong… The fact of the matter is that it started when you were still standing."

 

"What…" I said, trailing off.

 

"The goal was to start without you noticing it had started. Since you seemed so excited… I decided to be a little sneaky!"

 

"Right… So it worked?"

 

"It did… Otherwise, you would remember our conversation."

 

"Conversation… I don't!" I said. "Wow… What did we talk about?"

 

"Plenty of things…" he said with a smile. "But mostly, I got to know your subconscious a little better. So you really don't remember our conversation at all?"

 

"No! Nothing!" I said.

 

Oh wow… He really did it… Or did he? He could be bullshitting me…

 

"I can see you doubt it a little… Well lucky for you, I prepared a little test. I'll say a trigger word, and you have to figure out what you are supposed to do. I wrote it in my pad here so I'm not cheating. If you do as the pad says, then the post hypnotic suggestion worked."

 

"Ok… What is it?"

 

"Blueberry onion." he said.

 

I looked at him and I almost laughed. Why did he have to choose that combination of words? I couldn't deduce what I was supposed to do just from the words at least… And that combination wouldn't come up in regular conversation… So what was I supposed to do?

 

"WOW!" he said, clearly impressed. "I'm actually surprised… I have to say, you are a really good hypnotic subject."

 

"What?" I said, almost blushing. "Why would you say that?"

 

"Because…" he said as he flipped his note book so I could read.

 

"Blueberry Onion = Myra lifts her arm above her head, but doesn't notice she did it." I said as I read.

 

I looked up and sure enough, I saw I had my right hand lifted like I wanted to ask a question. I looked at it in disbelief. Oh god this was so arousing… He… He actually made me do that! I didn't realize it at all! I had to force myself NOT to bite my lip. I slowly let my arm fall back in my lap and I looked at him.

 

"Incredible… I couldn't ask for a better subject!"

 

"Really?" I said, unable to hide my growing arousal.

 

"Yes." he said as he flipped the notebook back to him. "Now that made a very good session."

 

"What? Is it… Over?" I asked.

 

"Well yes!" he said with a smile. "Look at the time…"

 

I grabbed my phone. 

 

"Woah… You… We… 2 hours???" I finally said.

 

"Yep!"

 

"But… You JUST used the candle! Like… A few minutes ago!"

 

"No…" he said as he started to pack his things. "That was 2 hours ago. Wow… You really are a great subject! I guess that means I might win the game after all…"

 

His smile sent heat between my legs. Oh god… If I was such a good subject… Would he… Would he put something erotic as a reward? I almost didn't want to discover what his hidden trigger was!

 

"No you won't! I'll find it out! I'm pretty sharp, you know!"

 

"Oh I know…" he said as he went for the door.

 

"Say.. Huh… It's getting pretty late… You can crash here if you want." I said as I got up to follow him to the door.

 

"Thanks for that, but I have an early thing in the morning. I'll consider it for the next session."

 

"Oh… Ok…" I said disappointed.

 

"Good luck Myra! See you in a few days!" he said as I closed the door behind him.

 

FUCK  I was horny… It worked… I… I was in a trance! He could have implanted anything! I… I was at his mercy! What did he implant? I wondered… My hand crept down and my fingers found my panties. They were soaked! He didn't make me remove them… I pouted… He could have… 

 

In fact… My mind started to fantasize about what really happened during those 2 hours…

 

 

 

Oh god… Fuck that made me hot… My fingers were a blur as I pleasured myself in the doorway… DAMN! I had to take a cold shower! I couldn't make myself cum here! I had to calm down… Fantasizing about having sex with Josh wasn't going to tell me what he implanted in my head.

 

Or was THAT what he implanted? That I would fantasize about him? No… That would be pretty bold of him as a first trigger…

 

I had to figure it out!

 

I went and had a long cold shower to keep my mind clear. But as I went to bed, I couldn't help but remember his slow induction. Breath in… Breath out… Damn it was so relaxing… I smiled. He was good! I was still trying to figure out when he would start when he already had.

 

I started to replay it all back in my mind. It felt so good to let go… Just like I hoped it would… I breathed in and out… In and out… I fell asleep still trying to replay the night in my mind. I slept like a baby!

 

Over the next few days, I realized I was being distracted by my own actions. I kept thinking… Is THIS what he implanted? Like when I sipped my coffee, I almost always liked it with 2 creams and one sugar, but it seemed I wanted 2 sugars now… Was that it? Or that fact that I seemed to want to keep wearing sexy underwear? Even at work? I'll admit that I was feeling EXTRA sexy and horny ever since our session, but I couldn't help it! I kept going back to his induction… 

 

Every time I saw a candle, I had to really concentrate if I wanted to stop looking at it! I kept hearing his soft words… Guiding me towards my special place…

 

Even my computer seemed to be against me. I came back from my lunch break on Monday to find a screen saver. I had one of those random ones. It chose a different one from it's memory every time it went to sleep. The one that waited for me was one of a creek…

 

Everything seemed to be a trigger! Or reminded me of our session! We were set to meet the next day. He had accepted my invitation for dinner before we got to our session, but he told me he couldn't stay the night. He was confident that our session wouldn't be as long this time around.

 

I smiled as I hoped it would be even longer… 

 

As I prepared to leave work on Tuesday, my boss flagged me down and commented on how good a job I was doing this week. He told me to keep it up if I wanted part of the bonus that was tied to our latest account. I was so happy!

 

But as I made my way home, I couldn't help but think… Was that it?

 

My roast was ready when Josh arrived. He looked exhausted, but happy. I poured him a glass of wine as he sat down in the kitchen.

 

"Thanks…" he said as he sipped. "It's been a long… But a productive day!"

 

"Really? Found your space yet?" I asked.

 

"No, but I heard from the guy I told you about. The one with the amazing spot. He is open to negotiate!"

 

"Wow! That's great news!"

 

"It is!" he said as I prepared his plate.

 

I served him and he thanked me. We talked about a few things while we ate. He told me about how Charlene called him for another date. He dismissed her, saying he was through with her. He told me she hadn't taken it too well. But then again… That bitch deserved it!

 

After our plates were done, he offered to help with the dishes, but I was too excited to start our session so I told him I would take care of it the next day. We moved to the living room and I filled his glass.

 

"So?" he finally said. "Did you figure out what I implanted in your head?"

 

His smile was so cocky! Like he knew something I didn't. Which I guess he did.

 

"Maybe… But since this is the first time, could I ask a few questions?"

 

"I guess that would be ok… Shoot!"

 

"Is the trigger tied to a word?" I asked.

 

"No."

 

"Ok… Is the suggestion tied to my behavior?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Is it something I would notice?"

 

"Maybe… Hopefully you didn't!" he said with an even bigger smile.

 

"Right…" I said with a smile. "Is it something… Sensual?"

 

"Sensual?" he said with an unreadable face. "I'm not sure why you are asking that… But I won't answer. I can't give you too many clues!"

 

"Ok…" I said musing about my options.

 

Did I even want to figure it out? I watched his cocky smile and I suddenly did want to get it right. But what was it? It seemed I was suspicious of every one of my actions!