A Marked Deck Ch. 01 - Diamonds

What was going on here? Nothing good, it seemed to me. I decided the best thing to do would be to leave at once. But that would mean abandoning Ellie, who was so obviously intent on staying I didn't even bother to suggest we should go. And if Alexander had some hold over her, then it was my duty to stay and make sure she was ok. At least that was how I rationalised it. In reality I wasn't sure I wanted to leave. And why, if I was suspicious of him, was I thinking of this stage magician by his first name, just as he had told me to?

I reached a decision. I would stay and see that Ellie got home safely, but no more cooperating with this Sharp character. If he thought I was going to be part of his show, he was very much mistaken. On that point I was determined.

*****

Like his earlier magic act, the first part of Sharp's hypnosis performance was slickly and professionally done but, in as far as I understood these things, pretty conventional. His skill at patter was on display again and there was a good deal of humour which, I have to admit, was genuinely funny. Volunteers from the audience were called up on stage, allegedly put into a "hypnotic trance" by Sharp and then we were treated to demonstrations of apparent amnesia, mood alteration and hallucinations, but without anything too scary or unsettling happening and essentially played for laughs.

Although it was quite enjoyable, my scientific scepticism was going fully blast, especially as I was determined not to start liking Sharp again. I greatly doubted that there was any real altered state of consciousness involved at all. The behaviour of the participants was more likely to be from some combination of psychological factors such as compliance, response to suggestion or just a wish to show off. That is if it wasn't simply deception and the 'volunteers' weren't just plants like the guys at the bar had thought Ellie and I were.

Finally the round of people trying to break dance, sing like Adele, forgetting their names and being menaced by non-existent giant spiders came to an end. It seemed Sharp had reached the climax of his show. Taking the microphone in hand he announced to the audience:

"As you may know, I am someone who likes to use the extraordinary powers I have just demonstrated in the service of mankind. I find people who have particular problems and I help to fix them. Four such in each city I perform in, but they have to be special people, chosen by the cards of destiny. Last week I found the first, a young lady named Ellie. She was having the most terrible problems with a bullying boss at work. It was making her constantly stressed, ruining her life. She was on the brink of resigning her job even though she needed it and had no other to go to. Ellie is in the audience tonight and I invite her up on stage to tell us what has happened since I promised to help her. Ellie, please come forward and join me. Ladies and gentlemen, a big hand for Ellie."

My friend leapt to her feet and hastened to the stage, weaving through the tables. She drew polite applause but also admiring glances from many of the men in the audience, who appreciated her long red hair, pretty face and that too short, too tight, skirt.

"Ha, told you she was a plant," I heard from two tables down. It was the guys from the bar.

"Hello again Ellie," said Sharp holding the mic toward her, "tell us how things have gone for you in the last two days. Has the problem at work got any better?"

My friend laughed, "It hasn't got better Alexander; it's gone completely! My boss has been fired. She's been bullying juniors at work for years but she always got away with it because she was very good at creeping to the big bosses. Suddenly on Friday she goes into the regional manager's office and starts screaming abuse at him. That might have got her suspended but she went further and actually hit him. Well, they called that gross misconduct and she got sacked that day."

"Amazing! So you're happier now?" Sharp asked.

"The whole office is; everybody hated her. I've got an acting manager now while they sort out the vacancy and he's a really nice bloke. I don't what you did but I can't thank you enough."

"It is all down to the power of positive thought, Ellie," Sharp said. Total nonsense, I mused; 'positive thought' can't make someone else go and punch their manager. It had to be a coincidence, although admittedly, an odd one. Sharp whispered something to Ellie clearly meant for her alone and then brought the mic up again and said, "A round of applause for Ellie please."

As my friend returned to our table Sharp was speaking again: "Ellie told me about a friend of hers that she hoped I might be able to help. I asked her to bring that friend tonight and earlier I put her to the test of the cards, as you may recall. Sure enough she drew the Queen of Diamonds - Diamonds is the suite that represents money and in this case financial problems, just as Clubs represents labour and work and so Ellie drew the Queen of Clubs. Therefore I now invite Rachel to come up on stage; a big hand for Rachel please."

This was it. There was no way I was taking part in this charade. My mind was made up. I was staying put at this table. I looked over at the stage defiantly, with set determination. Alexander Sharp smiled at me, with that curious gentle smile. I was aware of my body reacting; under my clothes I felt my nipples hardening and my pussy getting wet. I gave a sudden intake of breath as a thrill of excitement tingled through my being and it seemed my subconscious mind agreed. I slowly got up and started to walk toward the stage. It was only the conscious part of my brain that wondered what the hell I was doing.

I walked onto the stage and Alexander greeted me and asked me to sit on a stool, while he took another. I had already seen this part of the act several times tonight. It was the routine when he was going to hypnotise someone. Well, this was going to be my new line in the sand. I would not permit him to do it to me. I knew for a fact that no one can be hypnotised if they don't want to be. I was certain of that.

Alexander looked deeply into my eyes. I looked back. As before, but more strongly as we were closer, I sensed, almost as a physical feeling, his will penetrate me, overwhelming mine. He was stronger than me, more worthy, more deserving of respect, adoration even and yet for some reason he cared for me, little unimportant me, and would help and protect me. All I had to do was submit, obey, be a willing slave and I would be loved and fulfilled and safe forever. Where these strange thoughts came from I don't know; he had not yet said a single word.

"Rachel, I want you to relax and feel comfortable. I am here to help you. Let go of your conscious mind. Place yourself under my control so that you can freely tell me of your troubles and begin the process of healing them ..." Alexander was speaking in a soft voice, gentle to my ears yet still clearly audible to the audience over the microphone. "Are you willing to tell me your problem?" he concluded.

"Yes," I said calmly and proceeded to do so, outlining my debts, my desperate need for a job, even the break-up with my boyfriend. Even as I poured it all out, I wondered what I was doing. This was deeply personal stuff and I was relating it to a club full of people, most of whom I didn't know.

I finished and Alexander was speaking again. "Thank you for sharing, Rachel. You will find that your mind will be clearer now and your problem will no longer trouble you. You need only think positively and tomorrow I promise that a solution will present itself. I would like you to come back in two night's time and we will see if I am correct."

Then he dropped the mic down to his side and spoke privately to me. The part of my mind that was still my own realised that must be why he used an old fashioned hand-held microphone instead of the typical head worn one most performers used. It allowed him these private moments.

"Rachel, you are my slave and you will obey me in all things. In private you will only call me Master. Come to my dressing room after the show; I will have instructions for you. In a moment I'll pretend to release you from my control. You must play along with this but remember, Queen of Diamonds, you are now mine. Do you understand?"

"Yes Master," I whispered back.

My Master then did as he had said and went through a routine of snapping his fingers to wake me, thanking me publically and asked for the traditional round of applause. I took little of this in and returned in a daze to the table where Ellie awaited me. She spoke eagerly as I sat down.

"Are you the Master's slave now, like me?"

"Yes," I replied dully, certain of it, although I had no idea what it meant.

"Ohhh!!! That's wonderful! My best friend and our wonderful Master; what fun we'll have together. It's so perfect. What did he tell you to do?"

"I'm to go to his dressing room after the show."

"That's good, so am I. We can go together. I'll show you the way."

Without my new Master present, a little of my mind was my own again. I turned to Ellie and asked: "Did you know this would happen?"

"Well, I couldn't be sure he would choose you, but I really hoped so", my friend replied happily.

"Weren't you ... worried about it?" I said, finding it hard to articulate what I meant.

"Of course not, this is the best thing that could happen to you. You'll see over the next day or two. I'm so happy for you - and for me."

Whatever I might have said in reply - and I was far from sure what to say - was lost because our Master's performance with me had been the culmination of his act and he had left the stage. The club customers were starting to move, some heading for the exit, more for the bar. It was time Ellie and I obeyed our orders and found our Master's dressing room.

Getting back stage proved easier than I had expected. It seemed Alexander Sharp had left word with the club stewards that he was expecting two ladies and we were admitted to the less plush and more functional back-stage part of the club without difficulty and pointed to where to find the room we sought. Ellie knocked on the door and our Master opened it. I felt instantly faint and almost trembled to be in his presence.

"Ah Ellie and Rachel, my beautiful Queens; you are good girls for being so prompt," he said and smiled. Oh my god - a tingle of excitement shot through me at being praised. I would have done anything for him at that moment. He knew it as well; that enigmatic smile had a hint of arrogant satisfaction to it. Somehow that just made it sexier. "Ellie, wait here until I summon you. Rachel, come in and I'll give you your orders."

The dressing room was not large and crowded with clothes and equipment from the act. There was only one chair. My Master sat in it, then seeing me standing wondering what to do said, "Come, Rachel, kneel at my feet." Without giving the slightest thought to the effect of the dusty floor on my nice trousers, I did so, going down on my knees and gazing up at him. It felt intensely right. I was his servant after all and shouldn't be higher than him. Where else should an obedient slave-girl be but on her knees?

He considered me for a moment and then got down to business, as if it were normal to have a girl he had only met that night kneeling at his feet. "Firstly, your money problem; do you have a number of job applications open at the moment? Or if not, ones you would like to apply for?"

"I have open applications, Master, where I'm waiting to hear if I have got an interview."

"And is there one which pays more than the others or which you particularly want to get?"

"Yes Master, there is one which meets both of those."

"In that case, when you get home tonight, email me all the details." He pulled a small square of card from his pocket. I realised it was one of those calling card type of things which performers sometimes used as a quick way of advertising their act and contact details. He picked a pen off the dressing table and wrote something on the back of the card then handed it down to me.

The printed side said "Alexander Sharp: Man of Mystery. Magician and Mesmerist" followed by the contact details of his agent. Turning it over, I found he had written an email address, together with the name of a nearby hotel and a room number.

"Next thing, I can't have you dressed like that. You are a beautiful, desirable woman and I want the world to know it. Tomorrow you will go shopping and buy a wardrobe of sexy lingerie and revealing but tasteful clothing. Then in the evening, at 7.30 p.m. precisely, you will come to the hotel I am staying at - I have written the address on the card - dressed to please your Master."

"Yes .. yes, of course, Master, but ..." I began, desperate to do as ordered and yet thinking of my maxed out credit card and feeble bank balance.

He obviously realised what the problem was, speaking as much to himself as me: "Oh yes, I forgot, you are a Queen of Diamonds." He turned and fished in a drawer under the dressing table and pulled out an envelope. On it was written: 'For the Queen of Diamonds'.

"Here," my Master said, handing me the envelope. "Inside is a debit card with a £1,000 limit. The whole amount is yours to keep. Use it to pay off any really pressing debts, but I want you to spend at least £300 to £400 on clothes, as I have ordered."

"Thank you Master," I said in awe. Then, greatly daring, I added, "Let me thank you properly, Master." The truth was that while I had tried to keep my eyes on his deep brown ones, my kneeling position meant my head was about at the level of his crotch and I was acutely aware of that proximity. Thoughts kept playing through my mind of unbuckling his belt and unzipping his trousers to find out what lay inside. I imagined a perfect dick - I would stroke it and tease it, licking his balls before I took his cock head into my mouth and ran my tongue around, then ...

My daydream was interrupted. It seemed Master had guessed my thoughts. "No," he said firmly. "We both have to earn that; me by solving your problem, you by obedience to my instructions. Get up now and begin your tasks. Take a taxi home - use the debit card to pay if you need to - but Ellie will not be accompanying you. Tonight the Queen of Clubs will be undertaking the sort of duties you are imagining, so send her in on your way out. Your chance will come tomorrow - if your performance is adequate."

I left, a little discomforted by the abrupt dismissal. Ellie's huge grin of delight as she entered the dressing room didn't help either. But I took a taxi home and once there I stayed up until I had emailed my Master the job application, the original advert and copies of all correspondence with my preferred company, Larsen Biotech. After that I felt better, went to bed and had the soundest sleep I had had in months, untroubled by my usual worries.

*****

The following day I used the debit card to pay off my own credit card balance in full. I then took both cards with me on a shopping expedition, just as ordered. I was not normally the sort of girl who gets over-excited about that kind of thing, but this was different. Trying to guess what would most please my Master and at the same time look good on me proved an unexpected pleasure. It was also surprisingly erotic and I found myself getting more and more aroused as I pondered impractically lacy and see-though bras, panties, basques and suspender belts and all sorts of other things I would never normally have considered buying - and that was before I got to skirts, tops, dresses, boots and high-heels.

By mid-afternoon I had brought enough and, hampered by a profusion of bags, treated myself to another taxi home. It was while I was in the taxi that I checked my phone to discover that while I had been busy I had been bombarded by messages from Larsen Biotech asking me to phone them at once. Hands trembling slightly, I did so.

"Hi, this is Rachel Dixon. You left a message for me to call you?"

"Ah yes, Miss Dixon, I'll put you through to Mr Khan, who is handling the recruitment."

There was a pause and then Mr Khan spoke. He sounded enthusiastic. "Miss Dixon, I'm so pleased to speak to you. It's about your application. I have good news."

"Oh, have I got an interview? Let me know the date and time and ..."

"No, no, we've cancelled the interviews, there's no need for them. Your application was wonderful. Your background and experience is exactly what we're looking for." (What experience I wondered; I didn't really have any). "I want to offer you the role. Can you start on Monday?"

"Umm ... err ... what?" I gasped. This was not how the job market worked, it couldn't be real. Mr Khan seemed to mistake my confusion for hesitancy.

"Rachel - can I call you Rachel? - I can understand you probably have lots of offers, but we really are very keen to get you. That starting salary is normally £24,000 per annum, as it's a trainee role, but I am authorised to offer you an immediate salary of £32,000 if you sign at once. Is that's acceptable?"

"Err ... umm ... yes!" I squeaked. Then more calmly, "Yes, of course. Send me all the papers through and I'll sign anything I need to. I'd be happy to start Monday."

"Brilliant," enthused Mr Khan, "Welcome to Larsen Biotech, Rachel. I'm looking forward to working with you."

Once the call was ended, I sat back in a state of shock. Suddenly I had a salary that, if it wasn't going to make me instantly rich, at least meant that I could manage my expenses with something to spare. Better yet, I had a foot on the ladder of promotion and I wasn't even starting at the bottom. There was only one possible explanation. Alexander Sharp had arranged it, although I had no idea how. My Master had delivered his side of the bargain he had promised. Now I needed to deliver mine - my unswerving obedience, loyalty and submission to his will; and the bonus was that the thought turned me on like crazy.

*****

When I got home I was tempted to contact Ellie, but there wasn't time, not even for an exchange of texts. I needed to get ready for the evening and everything must be perfect. I ate, bathed, carefully selected what to wear and spent ages on my make-up and perfume- the last points being something I rarely bothered overly much with. When I was finally ready I took yet another taxi to the hotel. This was becoming a habit, but with my new job I would finally be able to afford driving lessons and a car. A whole new future beckoned.

Walking through the lobby at the hotel I was conscious of male eyes on me, far more than was normal. I was wearing a long dark blue dress which when I stood still was conservative enough, but when I walked, as now, it revealed a slit in the skirt that went up to my thighs. That in turn showed with each step that under the dress I was wearing black stockings held up by a suspender belt. I also had on stiletto heeled shoes that click-clacked on the tiled floor of the lobby and made my hips sway provocatively. I felt sexy and the male attention was turning me on.

It took a lift up to the correct floor and walked along a corridor looking for the room whose number my Master had shared. Finding it, I knocked on the door, feeling nervous. Alexander Sharp opened it; for a moment his eyes ran the length of my body from my hair down to my feet, then he smiled, seeming pleased with what he saw. I went weak at the knees.

"Rachel, you look much better than last night, utterly gorgeous in fact. Come in."

He turned and went into the room and I followed, letting the door close behind me. My Master was wearing a dressing gown, tied up in front so I was unsure what he was wearing underneath, although I could see his legs and feet were bare. On a shelf fixed to a wall under a mirror was an open bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two glasses. He filled both and handed one to me.