The Dazzling Lady's Harem - Suzanne

Gliding through the pool of her private club, Suzanne Nelson continued to do laps, pushing herself to reach another personal best in speed and in grace. Considered to be a deceptively-fair, but truly-ruthless hedge fund manager, Suzanne always did her strongest laps around the time of a big professional deal, or a large sum of money was on the cusp of being made. Her direct efforts would rake in the biggest single monetary amount ever in the company, to the benefit of her firm, but to the horror of many, many others. It wasn't the first time she'd made a controversial move that made enemies, but it might set the record for not only how many dollars she makes, but enemies as well. A hungry megaladon of a business woman, such victories always brought her back to the water to celebrate her favorite way of staying fit and healthy, just for the next opportunity to seize the next opportunity.

About to finish her personal best, she swam hard in the last lap towards the end of the pool, reaching the edge to emerge and grab at her waterproof phone keeping tracking of her timing. Her finger reached over to record her best time, only to be beaten by a big toe that touched her phone first, attached to a foot close to her face, happy to greet her from the water. The foot looked fresh from a pedicure, soft, feminine and toes slowly flexing, drawing attention to the gold toe ring shining off the water. Behind the foot was its owner, a beautiful woman looking to be her age with long brown hair green eyes that matched her long, flowing dress, smiling down at Suzanne. Helpfully, the woman reached down to take the towel Suzanne was too stunned to reach for, and handed to the woman.

With a face full of contempt that said enough, just as her eyes said plenty, looking back and forth between the intruder and the absent protection that should've prevented intrusion. Silently exiting the pool, she began drying herself off, looking perturbed and away from the mysterious woman in green.

"Whoever you are, get out before I call security."

Unfazed by the wealthy woman's anger and threatening gaze, the green-clad figure bent down from her chair to pick up Suzanne's phone, and stood up to hand it to Suzanne, more than daring, but silently urging the emergency call to be made. Quickly engaging the emergency number to contact her missing personal bodyguard, the dial tone lasted a few seconds before the call was answered. The beginnings of a fuming tone was met with an even, unemotional one.

"A Dazzling Lady has me swayed,

A Dazzling Lady must be obeyed."

Suzanne paused, horrified at the words that were spoken, noticing a figure near the clear door of the pool's entrance, leaning against it all of a sudden.

"A Dazzling Lady has me swayed,

A Dazzling Lady must be obeyed."

Looking back to the calm, standing lady, seeing her humble, knowing smile, the words, the mantra spoken over the phone seemed to grow in reverence and highlighting this woman's unique power play.

"A Dazzling Lady has me swayed,

A Dazzling Lady must be obeyed."

"Mind putting that on speaker? I love the sound of a good, honest advertisement," she spoke for the first time since she let her presence be known. Laced with an assertive, compelling charm, it hinted at what could've driven her suddenly-overpriced security to the converted condition that still repeated itself over her phone until she ended the call.

Not willing to give the satisfaction of fear or panic Suzanne was sure this move was meant to inspire, she opted to remain as calm as the woman obviously waiting for a formal introduction.

"I take it you're this supposed Dazzling Lady."

"As I take it you're the infamous Suzanne Nelson. And you can call me Dazzling."

"And what makes me so infamous?"

"Well, one might think it's your multiple ivy league finance degrees, cause unfortunately few men aren't intimidated by smart women. Or it could be the how the intimidated men of Wall Street have been fit to dub you with several unflattering titles, my favorite amongst them being 'Jaws with tits,'" the hypnotist smiled even more as she saw evidence of Suzanne's approval of that title as the corners of her mouth nearly curled into a smile. "But maybe the infamous part is more of a forecast, a financial forecast that you're rumored to being very close to pulling off."

Already hawkish eyes narrowed, not bothering to directly feign denial. "Assuming I would know what you're talking about, is this some half-ass bid at blackmail?"

"Blackmail isn't my style, Suzanne. Consider this more an interview."

"And what position do you think I'm offering?"

"Well, certainly one that can find holes in your security for one." Beneath the scoop-neck material of her dress emerged a shimmering amethyst crystal hanging from a thin chain around her neck; taking it off, she hung it at an angle that let multiple light sources in the low-lit room flash off its colorful facets. "It took sooo little time for this little beauty to subvert his duties, and his allegiances. As with most people, every dollar on his paycheck paled in value compared to every second he was allowed to stare."

Suzanne stared at it with fixed skepticism, darting between the amethyst, its holder, and the shaded figure under Dazzling's control now, trying to imagine exactly how long it took for him to go under. Putting the pendant away moments later, Dazzling quietly let Suzanne put it together that she was a hypnotist-for-hire, and a pretty efficient one.

"And here I thought hypnotism was just a stupid parlor trick or scam," the hedge fund manager proclaimed as she took a seat in a chair near Dazzling's, Suzanne's way of proclaiming a good impression was had. "But I don't see what practical use I'd have for one."

"Well, assuming this...probably fictitious deal goes through, a woman in your position attracts a lot of attention, most of it unwanted I'm sure. An embarrassment of riches upon the wealth you've already accumulated means more security, more threats, more safeguards, more investigations, and maybe more elements that you can't see coming until they've caught you in a truly vulnerable position."

"Speaking from experience?" Suzanne joked evenly.

"I'm surely the most benign surprise to come for you going forward, a specialized consultant with a unique set of skills that can 'negotiate' with any that come after me. Plugging holes in multiple aspects of security, dissuading angered investors from turning their fury towards you, perhaps even convincing three-letter organizations that none of the blame should come to you for your genius endeavors."

"This all sounds very generous, and a very well thought-out proposal. But I have to wonder at what cost do your services come?"

"I'm sure there's a fair level of compensation that can be reached, per service of course."

"And if I find your services unnecessary at this time?"

"I wouldn't necessarily fault you there, not every premium service is a needed one," Dazzling spoke honestly, toying with the chain, enjoying the way the pool lighting created waves of light. "But to be completely honest, it might be better to think of my offering as an insurance policy as opposed to a luxury."

"How so?"

"You've underestimated the practice of hypnosis, and the abilities of one exemplary hypnotist; I would love to claim none are as good as me, but I'm sure there are some exceptions roaming around, some that would love to have a chance to subvert how. Another could just as easily find a way to get to you, before you'd even realize it." Toying with the chain of the amethyst resting in her lap, Dazzling didn't even have to look at Suzanne to know where her gaze rested.

"If one were to get at you, imagine how lucky you might feel to have your own mental faculties guarded, insulated with suggestions of protection, of keeping yourself conscious and quick-witted."

"You'd be surprised how strong-willed I am; if I even smell manipulation from anyone, that Jaws moniker becomes true, Dazzling," she spoke proudly, pronouncing the hypnotist's name in a way that resembled a veiled threat.

"I don't doubt that at all, Suzanne," Dazzling's tone switched to a slightly defensive one, trying to placate her potential employer. "But in the many bodies of water in the world, it's best to assume that you're not the only shark out there. Dangerous and solitary animals sharks are, they do have their unique traits that make them lethal, but maybe even vulnerable depending on one's perspective. For example, everyone knows that sharks are attracted to the scent of blood, and a shark is nigh focused on anything else when there is blood in the water. But sharks hold attraction to more than that, like the active, natural sounds of the ocean, or bright, shiny lights. Instinct drives a shark to seek out these things, regardless what else surrounds it."

Throughout her descriptive narrative of the nature of sharks, Dazzling had turned away from Suzanne to the pool, seemingly enchanted by the mere sight of it, speaking with almost a hushed reverence about sharks, their habits, and their shimmering habitat.

"Sharks must look so determined, swimming towards what they want, but they must look so majestic when they reach it. Swimming toward a pool of bright lights, the water lustrous and iridescent, once they reach it, once surrounded by it, they slow down for no other reason than to enjoy what surrounds them, beholden and basking in the lights. Shimmering shades of blue and light fascinate, drawing the eyes closer deeper, bathing their instincts in fixation, allowing other senses to operate without thought, allowing ears to listen to natural surroundings, listening naturally to a sound, a voice, a siren's song that surrounds with the light, enhancing your experience."

The brunette hypnotist didn't need to turn her head to know Suzanne was fixed on the pretty liquid lights like she was, matching her breathing and interests, until Dazzling turned and let her lips rest even closer to Suzanne's ears.

"Surrounded by hypnotic light, beguiled by the mesmeric sound of my voice, you couldn't even call it swimming anymore, but floating, drifting, sinking into what surrounds you, your habitat, your home, your paradise, where you belong. And there is a way to sink deeper into where you belong, and you can search for it those lights. The shades of blue and white are powerful, but a shift in shade could take you even deeper, even more powerful, further into this sinking state."

Suzanne wasn't aware of how much she leaned forward to take in more of the lights she'd only been recently doing laps in, until something temporarily obscured her vision. Something in the form of Dazzling Lady's amethyst pendant. The obscurement didn't last long as the amethyst spun on its chain, and became an enhancement to the light, the alluring shade Suzanne was praying would appear, and she sighed gratefully as her glassy-eyed prayers were answered.

"That's right, very good Suzanne. Focus now on the amethyst now, the deep shimmer, taking you deeper, showing you the power of hypnosis. You are floating in the depths of my crystal now, the purple pool of pleasure, sinking into its waters, but still noticing drops of water dripping down across your skin. With every drip dropping deep, so your thoughts fall with it. With every spinning facet of my amethyst, so does your mind become attached to my voice. With every word my voice speaks, so do you find yourself in the care and control of a Dazzling Lady. It's so powerful, so pleasurable, so sleep-inducing, so very arousing..."

A finger traced a line from the crown of Suzanne's forehead, down her cheek, throat, and clavicle, down to the cleft of her breasts; both Dazzling and Suzanne enjoyed the feel of her wet skin, smiling at how wet the hypnotist might begin to find her growing if that finger traveled any further.

"I think it is time to sleep, to fall into a trance for me. I think this because you can't think, because you want me to think for you, it feels too good to do otherwise. Pleasure occurs when commands are obeyed. Don't you agree?"

Lips that hadn't moved in an eternity mouthed an inaudible "yes."

"Feel a surge of arousing pleasure as you answer again with more enthusiasm, because pleasure occurs when commands are obeyed. Don't you agree?"

"Yess..ohhh, mmmm...yesss...."

"Good little sharkie, good little Susie for me," Dazzling praised her new slave. "You are so drowsy now, that a mere countdown could put you to sleep. It could simply being a matter of the next ten drops falling down your body take you down with them into deep, sweet, wet sleep. I will count each of those falling drops, and you'll say some words that slow become words you believe, deep inside your mind and heart." Suzanne's back arched as warm breath whispered the rather believable words she had to repeat.

"Starting from 10."

"A Dazzling Lady...has me...swayed."

"9."

"A...Dazzling Lady....must...be....obeyed."

"8."

"A Dazzling Lady has me...swayed."

"7."

"A Dazzling Lady must...be obeyed."

"6."

"A Dazzling Lady has me swayed."

"5."

"A Dazzling Lady must be obeyed."

"4."

"A Dazzling Lady has me swayed."

"3."

"A Dazzling Lady must be obeyed."

"2."

"A Dazzling Lady has me swayed."

"1."

"A Dazzling Lady must be obeyed."

"And 0, wide awake now Susie Wide awake."

Drowsy, impossibly dreary eyes opened to find herself resting on the couch on her condo, dressed like she'd just arrived home from the office in her suit. Suzanne sighed a big sigh of relief, thinking she'd swam one lap too many and tired herself out to the point of having strange dreams. Still in a fairy hazy, dreary, but pleasant fog, she laughed to herself, until she realized she couldn't lift herself from the cushions, and that she wasn't the only one laughing. Sitting at the other end of the couch was the Dazzling Lady from her dreams, still wearing her green dress, rocking a barefoot from a crossed over leg with glee. Laughing from different directions alerted her to the presence of others, including a small group of observers, looking all to excited to be present for what Dazzling had in-store.

"Somebody's been a very, very bad girl," Dazzling uttered, her intonation as sweet as it was threatening.

"But someone feels much better being a very, very, very good girl, doesn't she?"

There was little energy to refute what Suzanne didn't want to openly admit. Barely functioning thoughts could latch on to little besides the dreamy haze of trance returning from the sight and sound of the hypnotist, the urge to touch her own body for how good the pleasure was, and to see Dazzling with clearer eyes. A pathway in Suzanne's mind opened her up to more rational thinking from one of the observer's faces - Karin French's face. A lawyer tied to a family that invested in Suzanne's endeavors, Karin and her family's financial position would've been demolished if Suzanne secretly had her way.

"I see you recognize one of our few audience members, Susie Which leads me to apologize about my little interview at the pool. You see, before I saw fit to have an audience with you, I had an audience with her. She seemed so distraught when she came to see me, something very unusual for a hypnotist-for-hire to find with contractual employment from a lawyer, just as it was refreshing to be given quite the moral reason to take this job and meet the infamous Suzanne Nelson before she caused some heinous damage to too many lives. And of course, learn what it's like to be the vulnerable one for once..."

The loss of control the hedge fund manager felt put a deep smile over Karin's face, and a cold shiver down Suzanne's spine; never mind profiting at the expense of hundreds, maybe thousands of others, what would Suzanne's position be before the hypnotic torture was all over.

Senses started to clear enough for the immobilized woman to notice the amethyst pendant in one hand, and the contents of Suzanne's wallet in another. Panic from nearby laughter prompted a small surge of adrenaline, reminding her that more people were around, forced limp hands to try to reach for it. Dazzling put the pendant in-between them.

"Remember those lights, Susie Remember and follow," the amethyst twisted on it's chain, any surrounding light taking her back to the memory of the pool, and the surrounding light she sank further under into. "Following because you have to. Following because I want you to. Following, because I say so," Dazzling allowed herself a wicked smile, before taking steps back. Suzanne was determined to retrieve her things, but couldn't look away from the purple, flashing lights. And with every step forward, Dazzling took a step back, and tossed another item towards the observers. A few hundred dollar bills at a time, each exclusive credit or membership card at a time, important business cards with, and her driver's license.

"Still focusing on Dazzling light, still following obediently." Redoubled efforts to reach for the items, to care about them, required monumental awareness that continued sinking under the lights into a dark abyss. Watching the sum of her life fall into a public crowd felt an odd violation, odd especially because there was never a time before now when Suzanne cared so little. All of the contents of her wallet, and the wallet itself disappeared into the crowd that took each item, until both women were at the end of the living room area, and Dazzling stopped everything except amethyst spinning and smiling.

"You...bitch...." reaching with a weak lunge, Suzanne lost her balance and ended up on her hands and knees, landing softened by a mink rug.

"You might have that backwards Susie, as it's you whom are the bitch. MY bitch, really. And speaking of bitches and backwards, perhaps that should be your trajectory. You've already lost proof of your old identity, imagine what you'll be like without any memory of it. Very easy to imagine, isn't it? Easier with every second spent staring at my amethyst, or staring at my pretty feet..."

Suzanne tried physically harder than she ever remembered doing for anything to turn her head away, to wrestle her gaze away from the suggested downwards, or in any other direction. But with her eyes stuck to hypnotist's foot, the only choice she had to protect her eyes and mind was retreating, wobbly legs moving backwards, even trying to simply obscure the vision with distance.

"It's so truly hard to look away, just like it's hard to back away. Those expensive clothes must carry their worth in weight, weighing you down, and my gorgeous feet continues draw you closer, step-by-step."

Desperately taking the subtle hint, shoes and clothes were hastily removed with every step. Gasps and cheers from the small crowd weren't as strong as her need to get away, making minuscule strides crawling away with a removed blouse, skirt, thigh highs, bra and panties, until she was naked and futilely trying not to stare. The healthy skin and shiny toe ring gave ample chase, easily keeping up with the strained and strangely-muted expression. On every other approaching step, Dazzling lifted a foot to make contact with her body, but knowing the contact might drive her crazy with pleasure, and push Suzanne's need to worship them. Dazzling eventually stopped as Suzanne backed herself against a wall, babbling weak protests with a tempting foot hovering over her head, torso, and legs, humiliated with loud applause in the background. Stacy felt the watch closing in on her forehead, and she finally surrendered to the end, wanting her mind to go away, to not be conscious of the wild events that just unfolded. Closing her eyes, she wordlessly awaited oblivion.

*SNAP*

A loud, crisp snap from Dazzling's fingers, and Suzanne was jolted awake, more conscious, lucid, and energized than she'd been since swimming. She looked at the standing hypnotist, and then to the loud crowd, some of the chanting "encore," unable to get enough. All of her discarded clothes were out of reach, also distributed to the those closest to their stage as souvenirs. Too embarrassed to lash out, and with the option of withering and dying not quick enough, she ran to the nearest empty room in her condo, closing the door in the lit room, hoping to find privacy so she could rage and cry.