Vox Dominus Pt. 11

The doors dinged open and the two girls stepped inside, the soft music of the lobby replaced by a quiet hum as the elevator rose. Sophia watched weather reports flit by on the control panel screen, dark clouds of doubt shrouding her head. Maybe she should've been more assertive in her texts with Chelsea. Maybe she should've asked for more details before agreeing to show up. Maybe this was a bad idea but...

No, this invitation was still a good thing, Sophia reminded herself. Meeting other people, making more friends: that was what Sophia wanted when she came to Diepner. Her relationship with Seb might still be at an impasse, but she could still forge new paths. All she had to do was keep cool, and enjoy the night. Like a normal college girl should.

The elevator chimed again, signaling their arrival. A hallway of delicately patterned carpet and tasteful wall art greeted them, leading past dark, numbered doors and tables laden with bonsai trees.

"Impressed?" Chelsea smirked, apparently noting Sophia's awed expression.

"Yeah. Kinda," she admitted. "When you said to meet at your place, I thought you meant like, the sorority house or a dorm, not...this. Is this how Delta Sigma girls live?"

"Not all of them." Chelsea explained, her eyebrows rising with amusement. "It's mandatory for most sisters to spend their first two years in the house. But given our families' history with the organization, we're allowed certain privileges. Oh, speaking of which," she added, spinning on a dime in front of Sophia. "I told the girls your father runs an agricultural machine company in Melvindale. Not that they'll ask, but, just in case they do..."

"Wait wait wait, you told them what?" Sophia exclaimed. "Why?"

Chelsea frowned. "It might be hard for you to understand, but friendship in our world is...complicated. There are dozens of would-be scam artists and leeches willing to play the part of best friend, just so they can take advantage of our families. So we've all been raised to be extremely suspicious of people trying to get on our good side. If I didn't spruce up your background a little, the girls would never allow you to join us without some serious vetting."

"That's...intense." Sophia shifted awkwardly. "So...I'm just supposed to spend the whole night lying?"

Chelsea smiled and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Relax," the blonde said. "They won't pry into your business, and none of them have ever been to Melvindale. My little story was just pretext for inviting you in—once they learn to like you, they'll stop caring about where you're from or what your family does. Just be yourself." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "But don't mention you-know-who or how we met. Understand?"

Sophia instinctively flinched. She had never seen a pair of pupils go so cold so quickly. "S-sure," she stammered. "Th-though you coulda told me all this before I showed up."

"I was occupied with other matters," Chelsea replied airily, before turning her charming smile back on. "Now let's stop worrying about the past and make some new memories, shall we?"

_______________________________________________

Veronica was just putting the finishing touches on Maddi's vodka soda when the door to the vanity lounge opened.

"Hey girls, look who I brought," Chelsea beamed as she entered with their new guest, the mysterious (and rather shy looking) Sophia.

Maddi was up in an instant, bounding past the makeup stations and embracing the diminutive Latina. "Heeeey! Welcome to the parrttyy!" the half-naked red-head exclaimed, pressing her toned, naked torso and against her startled victim. "C'mon c'mon, sit down, have a drink. That top your wearing is sexy as fuck, by the way, damn!"

"Th-th-thanks," Sophia stammered, wobbling free from Maddi's grasp.

"You'll have to excuse Maddi," Veronica said with as friendly a smile as she could muster. "She has a loose sense of boundaries. And that was before she started drinking."

"I'm just being a good host!" Maddi shot back, dropping in front of the mirrors again to pick up where she left off. "It's like I always say: never hurts to be too friendly, right?"

"Indeed," Chelsea purred with a smug smile as she sat in the neighboring spot. "Our gorgeous bartender is Veronica, by the way. Veronica, meet Sophia."

"Hi." Sophia turned to meet Veronica's gaze and then nervously glanced away. "Um. So. How did all of you meet?"

"Chelsea and I go way back," Veronica answered, bringing the finished drink over to Maddi, who gratefully gulped it down. "We met this wild child through the Sorority and thought she was fun enough to keep around. Even if she has a habit of assaulting our guests."

"Aw, lay off." Maddi snorted. "Sophia didn't mind. Right, Sophia?"

"Uh, no. It's all good." The busty girl shifted awkwardly, her large brown eyes seeming to have trouble deciding where to look.

Veronica could sympathize, to a certain degree—even without their resident amazon holding court, the lounge was a dazzling space. It was originally an extra bedroom, but the three residents had decided to turn it into their dedicated party-prep headquarters. Racks of clothing were pushed against the walls, serving as extra closet space for their overflowing wardrobes. Couches and armchairs were arrayed in a circle on one end, while the other played host to a row of hair and makeup stations, complete with lit mirrors and a vast array of beauty products. Then there was the bar, Veronica's domain, always stocked with everything she needed to get the party started. Or easily impress an overwhelmed newcomer, in this case.

"So what'll you have?" Veronica asked, flashing her best beguiling smile.

Sophia blinked, as though the question caught her off guard. "Oh, uh, I dunno if..."

"No need to be shy," Chelsea chimed in. "Vern, why don't you make one of your specials? Trust me, Sophia, this is one opportunity you don't want to pass up."

"Uh, sure," Sophia finally demurred, shooting an inquisitive glance at Veronica.

"It's just a variation on a Sex on the Beach," she explained. "Here, why don't you go sit with the others while I get it started?"

"Great. Thanks," Sophia nodded before scurrying over to Chelsea, like a kid running back to hide behind her mother's skirt.

Veronica turned her attention to her task, but kept an eye on the cluster of girls, their chatter bubbling across the room as Maddi and Chelsea tried to make Sophia feel welcome. It was a routine they were well rehearsed in, though this time Veronica's mind wasn't on making the perfect drink for their guest...

...It was trying to determine if she really was who Chelsea claimed.

It was obvious Sophia wasn't part of the normal Delta Sigma crowd. She didn't carry herself like an important heiress or a would-be celeb—she sat with her body in a nervous bunch, her top clinging to her soft belly and enormous tits. Granted, that alone didn't rule out the possibility that she was still the daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur: Maddi was proof enough that cash and class weren't always a package deal. Ordinarily, Veronica would just chalk up Sophia's behavior and clothing to a similarly unrefined upbringing.

But Chelsea had been acting odd recently. No, not just odd: secretive. Distracted.

And horny.

Years of unrequited affection had a way of sharpening one's senses towards their obsession. And Veronica was no exception. She recognized the faraway look in Chelsea's face when she fantasized, the way the blonde crossed her thighs and unconsciously parted her lips, pent-up heat wafting from her gorgeous body. How many times had Veronica hoped that she could be the subject of those hungry gazes? How long had she wished that Chelsea's budding same-sex curiosity would blossom on Veronica's lips? Or between her legs?

Which begged the question: was such a turn finally happening? And was it Sophia who was now reaping the rewards?

An unfamiliar laugh caused Veronica to almost drop the glass she was holding. She cast a glance over to see Sophia giggling at some compliment Chelsea had paid her. The Latina twisted in her chair, self-consciously smoothing her dark hair with both hands, her arms pressing her breasts together, a picture unintentional, unaware sensuality.

Dammit.

She was cute.

Unlike Maddi, whose was more of a feral forest nymph than a girl-next-door, Sophia compensated for a lack of grace with an almost painful innocence. Her large eyes were guileless; her full lips always curved in a thoughtful frown or shy smile. She was so alluring, so inviting, yet simultaneously so sweet. It was enough to make Veronica sick.

The would-be bartender turned her attention away from the group, covertly adding another shot of vodka to the "special" drink she was brewing. One way or another, Veronica was going to get to the bottom of this interloper's game. And, if necessary, she would beat her at it.

_______________________________________________

Greenleaf Ct. was a small street off the main thoroughfare of Powelltown. It wound through the eastern edge of the suburb, eventually ending at a forested grove. At least, that's what the map on Seb's phone told him. But as he followed its directions past the darkened houses, he soon found that the device was no longer necessary. Even at this distance, laughter and cheers crackled across the night's sky, guiding him along the leaf-strewn sidewalks to the source.

And "block party" didn't even begin to cover it.

Three frat houses burned bright in an isolated cul de sac, each story and balcony filled with dancing, shouting, drinking revelers. Tiki torches and Christmas lights were strung liberally through the chaos, blazing through the shadows of the forest looming behind the three properties. A speaker system and student DJ were set up on the central balcony, creating an impromptu dancefloor out of the already cup-strewn yard. A massive slip-and-slide had been erected on the neighboring rooftop, and Seb watched in amazement as a bikini-clad girl rocketed down the improvised luge, screaming in delight as she crashed through the stack of empty cans erected at the bottom. On the patio, a cluster of students took a break from admiring a cock-shaped ice sculpture to cheer.

It was an overwhelming display of reckless, joyous hedonism. For a moment, Seb briefly considered turning back, retreating to his dorm and reconsidering his solo venture into the wild. But that wasn't really an option.

He needed this.

The Vox needed this.

_______________________________________

"Heeeeyyy look who it is," a smug voice chortled behind Chelsea. She didn't even need to turn to know who it was: Michael Braxton, king shithead of the Chi House.

"How are you, Michael?" Chelsea asked with a terse smile. It was just like him to corner her in the kitchen as soon as she started filling her beer. Did boys like him have a sixth sense for women trapped by circumstance? It would explain a lot.

"I'm good, I'm good," the oafish man nodded, tugging at the collar of his Gucci tank-top. "Been a while though, huh? Haven't seen you around much this year."

"I've been busy," she replied, silently cursing the nearly-empty keg for not pouring faster. She cast a glance across the hall towards the stair banister, hoping Maddi and Veronica would notice her predicament. But there were too many people between them: if it wasn't for the bright red top of Maddi's hair, Chelsea wouldn't even have been sure they were still there.

"Yeah, I've been real busy too." Michael nodded, pushing back his already over-gel'd hair. "It's my last year here, so I figure I gotta make the most of it. Hittin' the books. Hittin' the gym. That kinda thing. You get it," he added, stretching in a manner Chelsea interpreted as a flex. "You're a strong, confident, woman. You know how it is."

"Uh huh." Chelsea turned the other direction and double-checked that Sophia hadn't moved on either. Sure enough, she was still in the den, reclined on the couch. Technically, Chelsea had promised this drink to her, but maybe the drunk Latina would understand if Chelsea threw it on this jerk-off instead.

"That's what I like about you, Chels," Michael blundered on. "You don't take shit, you just—"

"Good seeing you," Chelsea uttered, snapping the keg nozzle closed and pivoting away the moment the cup was full.

"Uh, yeah, you too!" came the reply to her back.

This was what was so frustrating about social events nowadays. In the past, Michael's connections and family would have made him at least worth toying with; but now with her heart set on Master, boys like him were just another obstacle in her way, a buried relic of her past she kept tripping over. Half of the party so far had been spent on a mini-reunion tour of neglected acquaintances, a process shepherded by the ever-vigilant Veronica. Chelsea knew her friend meant well, but she was inadvertently getting in the way of the night's true purpose.

Fortunately, it seemed that endeavor was about to bear fruit.

"Sorry about the wait," Chelsea said with a sweet smile, sliding onto the sofa and handing Sophia her cup.

"Mm," Sophia nodded, taking a grateful drink. "'S fine, I was just..." she gestured vaguely to their surroundings, "people watching."

"Anything interesting?" Chelsea asked, crossing her legs and leaning closer to her quarry.

Sophia squinted. "Kinda? 'S weird. Never seen people look so trashy and so bougie at the same time. Oh, sorry, no offense," she added quickly.

Chelsea laughed. "None taken." In fact, she was delighted: now that Sophia was well-lubricated and loosening up, it was time for Chelsea to make her move. "Actually, I should be the one apologizing to you."

"Hm?" Sophia hummed through a mouthful of beer.

"About what I...said I would talk to Seb about," Chelsea explained, twirling her hair around her finger in a way she hoped read as anxious. "I've been trying to find a good time to bring it up with him, but it's been surprisingly hard. It's...not exactly something I can bring up in casual conversation."

Sophia swallowed and looked away, clearly disappointed but trying to hide it. "That's okay. I get it."

Chelsea paused, putting a finger to her lip. "Can I ask you something?"

"Uh, sure."

"Did something...happen between you and Seb in high school?"

Bingo. Sophia's eyes went wide. "Wh-what do you mean?"

Chelsea frowned thoughtfully. "I don't want to pry past what you're comfortable with but...honestly, it was pretty obvious something was bugging you when we talked about him. Did he...hurt you?"

"Huh?" Sophia recoiled. "No. No no no, it wasn't anything like that."

"But...there was something, right?"

Sophia's eyes flashed with panic and, for a moment, Chelsea worried she had pressed to hard. But then the busty Latina's shoulders slumped, and she fell back into the couch with a sigh, her tits almost jiggling free from her top. "Yeah, there was...something," she mumbled, tugging the fabric back into place. "But...I'm not sure how to explain."

"Try me," Chelsea offered.

Sophia took a moment to drain the remnants of her cup, then began stumbling her way through the tale. It wasn't a perfectly coherent recounting, but from what Chelsea could tell, what had started as a convoluted scheme to set Master up with another girl had spiraled out of control when Master had hypnotized Sophia, revealing lot of feelings neither of them were prepared to deal with. In a way, Chelsea could relate: her initial encounter with Master had evoked a similarly startling effect. Of course, in that case it was Master who had ended up panicking and running away. Maybe he and Sophia had more in common than they realized.

"That must've been hard," Chelsea murmured when the story had concluded.

"I haven't even told you the weirdest part," the Latina continued, going to take another drink before belatedly realizing her cup was empty. "And, um, it's kinda crazy, so...like, don't, y'know tell anyone or..."

"My lips are sealed," Chelsea promised, offering her own cup of Powelltown Punch.

Sophia took the drink and exhaled. "So...when Seb and I had that fight on my porch...we were yelling back 'n forth at each other, and suddenly he...he just shouts out 'leave me alone' and...it was like, something about the way he said it or, the way it sounded or, I dunno, it was weird. But..."

Sophia paused to take a drink, leaving Chelsea to hold her breath until she felt like she might burst. "But..?"

"But..." Sophia fidgeted. "Something about those words stuck with me. Like, in a way nothing else has. Every time I wanted to text him or call him, or try to talk with him again, those words would just, like, hit my brain again, and I'd freeze up like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis. "Even when I was deciding on colleges, the thought of having a class with him or even just running into him on campus would...feel wrong somehow. I couldn't fight it, no matter how hard I tried."

"Y-you got over it though, right?" Chelsea asked, not daring to believe the conclusions her mind was already racing to. "I mean, you seem to be fine hanging around him now."

"Sorta," Sophia nodded glumly. "That feeling was real strong at first, but it got weaker over time. Now it just comes up whenever I spend too much time alone with him. Or thinking about him." She groaned. "So it still happens a lot, honestly."

"Is that why...you want him to hypnotize you again?" Chelsea asked, keeping her voice low so Sophia wouldn't hear it tremble.

Sophia laughed humorlessly. "God, am I that obvious? It's not the only reason, but...I dunno," she said, resting her cheek in her hand. "I just figure...maybe there's a way he can make me forget about those words, or...'disarm' them or something. That way...maybe..."

"You could be together again," Chelsea finished.

Again, that barking, rueful laugh. "Assuming he even wants me. I dunno why he would when he's got someone like you."

Chelsea blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Oh. Shit." Sophia pinched her eyes. "Sorry. I'm drunk. I didn't mean..."

"Hey Chels," Veronica's words cut into the conversation. "We need to talk."

Chelsea looked up to see her best friend hovering over the couch, a barely-concealed scowl on her face. A flash of frustration rushed through Chelsea's veins, but she managed to keep her expression neutral. "Now? What's up?"

"I'd prefer if we could discuss it one-on-one," Veronica replied, her eyes darting to Sophia.

Before Chelsea could protest, the startled Latina was already on her feet. "Oh, okay. Uh, n-no problem," she sputtered. "I gotta...go to the bathroom anyway so..." She backed away and stumbled into the crowd, drifting out of sight as Veronica closed in.

"Can we go somewhere...less visible?" Veronica asked, resting a gentle hand on Chelsea's shoulder.

"Of course," Chelsea answered, barely able to conceal her annoyance. She knew Veronica wouldn't interrupt her if it wasn't important, but there was no way whatever she had to say would be more pressing than what Chelsea had just learned.

Namely, that Chelsea hadn't been the first to experience the Vox.

It had been Sophia.

_______________________________________

Seb had arrived at the party like a man on a mission; now he felt like a lost kid at a grocery store.

The frat houses were a constant whirl of chaos, crowds, and cacophony. Even after three loose tours of the madness, Seb was no closer to discerning any sort of rhyme or reason to the ebb and flow of its denizens. Rooms that had only held a handful of people would transform into impromptu dance floors; an isolated game of beer pong would suddenly grow into the world's loudest sporting event as spectators started throwing bets down, only to disperse just as quickly once the winnings were collected. Even if Seb spotted a girl that seemed promising, getting to her before the tide of the party swept her away was almost impossible.