Uncertainty free porn video

UNCERTAINTY By Ingrid Halb The room was dark. It was the middle of the night and the blinds were drawn, but that did not explain the atmosphere. There was darkness here that went beyond the normal pall of night. It was a darkness that subdued the LED clocks and computer power indicators that stood out like beacons during the afterhours of any normal office building. This was a very normal office in a very normal building. There was however, a rather unusual ceremony under way. Steven Alexander muttered as he lit the candles at the cardinal points of the room. At each candle, he paused to acknowledge a small, carved stone figure, worn smooth with age, placed on the floor in the middle of the room. Reaching his starting point, he took a dove out of small cage and using a small silver knife, stabbed it to the heart. The bird gave a brief flurry of wings, before it died. Alexander presented the body of the bird over the carving, and spoke through the candles to the corners of the universe as the blood dripped and sank into the surface of the carving. "Lamashtu!" Alexander called. Something answered him. Something that laughed. *** Kyle woke up wearing women's panties. He found this odd. He did not own a pair of panties, nor would he have been inclined to wear them if he did. Kyle had a comfortable confidence in his masculinity, but the idea of wearing feminine clothing tweaked a latent homophobic streak in him. He winced and looked around to make sure no one could see him dressed this way. Sitting up, he swung his feet out of bed to the floor, and fought back a wave of uncertainty of what to do next. Regaining his bearings, he looked down at the foreign garment he wore. They seemed harmless enough. The panties were a bright emerald green with dark green shamrocks stitched across the band. Definitely odd. It occurred to him that he might have gotten lucky the night before, and that he was now wearing the underwear of his conquest. However, the idea rang hollow and the bed bore no sign of a tryst. There was also no memory of any girl. More accurately, he had a vague memory, quite ill defined, about red hair, but there was no other person in his memory. His head was foggy enough that he wondered if someone had not snuck him a roofie the night before. That would explain a lot. What had he done yesterday? He remembered little, other than going out to celebrate something with his best friend, Zach. Zach the Wild Man. Zach had not changed much since college. Tall, and dark haired, he was always the chick magnet of the two of them. It would have been just like Zach to get them both hooked up with a couple of loose women of questionable character. What was it they had been celebrating? Ah, yes! The marketing scheme they had pitched to the board. He and Zach had shown how they could double market share if they bundled product on their website to the search history of their clients. Well, maybe not double, and they had not figured out exactly how to adjust their supply chain to accommodate, but they had shown it was possible. They had proved it enough that the board voted them a sizable chunk of the marketing budget. He smiled thinking of the look on Alexander's face. The old man should have known better than to tangle with a couple of young Turks like Zach and him. Kyle spent the rest of his morning ritual in a very good mood. It was a good mood tinged with a sense of anxiety. He and Zach had stuck their necks out on that proposal, and now they were going to have to prove themselves. It was exciting and scary. He was only 25 years old and here he was fighting for a place with the big boys. He and Zach should probably try to make nice with Alexander, though. They were bound to spend a lot of time together, now that the board had blessed off on their project. Kyle was still in a good mood when he got to work. He did have to fight down a certain sense of giddiness that was uncharacteristic of him, but he attributed that to the excitement of the previous day. "Kyle! Kyle, over here!" Kyle looked up to see Zach, waving furiously at him from across the office. Kyle waved back, before both men rushed excitedly to each other, briefly clasping hands and grinning like schoolchildren. "Can you believe we actually did it!" Zach said. "I know!" Kyle said. "Isn't it exciting!" "Totally! We're going to meet all kinds of new people!" Zach grinned mischievously, scrunching his nose as he did. "This is totally going to be fun! It'll be just like back in school!" Kyle was almost bouncing in place as he spoke. "This will be better!" Zach said, staring off in the distance with a look of anticipation. "We'll be in charge, and people will have to listen to us for a change!" Kyle had to agree that that sounded awesome. Both men grinned silly grins, holding back the urge to squeal with delight. The mood broke with the arrival of Steven Alexander. "Well, good morning," he said in his usual gruff and unfriendly voice. "If it isn't our two newest worker bees." "Good morning, Mr. Alexander," Zach said, recovering quickly from the interruption. "Good morning, Mr. Alexander," Kyle said, a moment later. He stood nervously, unsure how Alexander was going to react after yesterday's board meeting. Alexander frowned slightly as he looked the two men over head to foot. "How are you feeling then?" he asked in a serious tone. "Fine, Mr. Alexander," Zach said. "Fine, sir," Kyle said. He got the impression that Mr. Alexander actually wanted to know. "Notice any 'changes' since yesterday?" Alexander asked. Zach and Kyle nodded no. "Well, get to work then!" Alexander snapped, and then turned away angrily. "Yes, sir!" Kyle and Zach said in unison, and then stared at each other in amazement as Alexander retreated to his private office. "Come on!" Zach said to Kyle, grabbing him by the arm to lead him quickly into the bathroom. "Oh...My...God!" Zach said, once the two men were alone together in the bathroom. "What was that all about?" "I know!" Kyle said. "Did you see the way he was looking at us? Creepy." "Totally," Zach agreed, as he studied himself in the mirror. "Maybe he just liked what he saw." "Eew! Gross!" Kyle said. "What? He's not that old," Zach said, as he started primping his hair. "It's not that! It's just that..." Kyle's voice trailed off as he joined Zach at the sinks. Everything seemed weird. He felt like he was rushing forward urgently to something. "It's not that," he said, finishing lamely. Zach shrugged and started checking his eyes, cheeks, and lips in the mirror. *** Alexander slammed the door on his office. It didn't work! All that preparation, all that power at his fingertips, and it didn't work! They were still the same two snots they had been yesterday. He ground his teeth in his frustration and fought down the urge to throw the furniture around. Alexander's eyes fell to the small, carved statue that had figured prominently in the ceremony he had performed the night before. Anger grew in him to think of the sweat, blood, and treasure he had spent to obtain the idol. He snatched it up with one hand and held it in front of his face. "It didn't fucking work!" he yelled, loud enough for those outside his office to hear. Alexander quieted as the familiar feel of the idol's power reached out and calmed the edges of his temper. It whispered to him and made promises of great things. He reached out with yearning to those promises, only to feel them slip and slide away from him. It laughed at him, but consoled at the same time. Patience, it seemed to say. Great things will come your way, if you but wait. Alexander slammed the idol down hard back on the shelf with frustration. He felt cheated and violated, but he was willing to wait, for now. *** Kyle rearranged the items on his desk for the twelfth time. He did not know what else to do. The excitement of his first few days on the job had dissipated into a general sense that he should be doing something. But what? He sharpened his pencils, again, and surveyed his desk. He thought of it as his desk. At least, no one had tried to claim it from him. It was in the main area of the open office, off to one side, near the private offices. He had hoped for a private office, but when none was forthcoming, had settled to this desk as a place to keep his belongings. His desk. It was convenient. You actually had to walk by it to get to Mr. Alexander's office. Therefore, he got to see Mr. Alexander a lot. Kyle sighed, puffing out his cheeks as he exhaled. What happened? He and Zach were supposed to have all kinds of fun at this job. They were supposed to meet people and do stuff. Instead, he was stuck at this desk, doing little more than answering the phone. "Hiya, Kyle!" Zach said as he glided into the room. "Zach?" Kyle said in astonishment. "In the flesh. What do you think?" Zach twirled in place to show off his outfit. He was wearing a bright red, sleeveless silk shirt and ultra-tight white pants. "It's uh... good, you look good," Kyle said, stuttering slightly over the words. "Thanks, love. Is Stevie in?" "Yeah, you want me to buzz him and let him know you're here?" "That's okay, sweetie. I'll just surprise him." With that, Zach pulled out a small compact mirror and checked his face, before flouncing off into Alexander's office with a little kick in his step. Kyle was astounded. Zach looked amazing. He was thin as a whip, and those clothes looked... well, totally hot! He had the kind of casual, yet sexy look that was not really office clothes, but so good! Kyle sighed, wishing he could get away with wearing something like that. Not in those colors, he was more of a green and earth tones kind of person. That outfit worked for Zach because of his blond dye job, and that skinny body. Kyle looked at the bag holding his lunch and frowned. Maybe he should have a salad today, instead. If he ever wanted to look as good as Zach did, he had better start dieting now. The sound of laughter and giggling filtered out of Alexander's office. Whatever Zach and Mr. Alexander were doing in there, they sure seemed to be having fun. Kyle sighed again, looking at his lunch. *** By the time Thursday's departmental staff meeting came around, Kyle was even more confused about his role in the department. He sat at the boardroom table not even knowing why he was there, nervously picking at his clothes. Lately, nothing fit right anymore. Even the new pants he bought seemed too tight. He stared hungrily at the donuts on the table, his stomach gurgled in response. Alexander entered confidently, Zach close at his side. The two had obviously just shared a joke, with Zach now unsuccessfully trying to suppress a giggle. Kyle felt a stab of jealousy. It seemed that Mr. Alexander was showering all his attention on Zach lately. Kyle tried to look like he did not care, but secretly studied his friend, Zach. It was not fair. Zach had that natural grace, long blond hair, and those long shapely legs. He also had a curious flare to his hips that seemed to accentuate his narrow waist. He could wear just about anything and look good in it. Right now, Zach was dressed in a pink knit top and grey cotton pants. He looked great, of course. Kyle felt dumpy, and fidgeted some more with his clothes. "Good morning, everyone," Alexander said. "Good morning, Mr. Alexander," Kyle said, along with the rest of the room. "Don't you all look nice, today," Alexander said, looking around the room, but winking in Kyle's direction. Kyle blushed and looked down. He had been blushing a lot lately. "We're going to try something different, today," Alexander said, his voice switching over to a commanding all-business tone. "Karen, I want you to take the minutes. Zoe, get some refreshments for everyone." "Yes sir, Mr. Alexander," Zach said, before heading off to get the refreshments. It took Kyle a moment to realize that Alexander had been talking to him. He quickly got out a notebook and pen, and readied himself to take the minutes. It felt good to have a purpose at last. Alexander smiled a crooked smile, his eyes burning with an inner fire. He looked like a man who had things going his way. *** Kyle had to admit it, as he stood naked in front of the full-length mirror; his diet was working. He could not remember ever looking this slim before. Of course, there were still some problem areas. His thighs seemed thick, which made him look a little hippy, and there was puffiness on his chest. He attributed that to a lack of exercise, which also seemed to explain why his biceps had nearly disappeared. Some more time in the gym would probably do him good, and help to tighten up his butt. Overall, he thought he looked good. Skin tone was nice, except for those darn freckles on his nose. Kyle did not care for that. He was not happy with his hair, either. He brushed the hair away from his face and tried to hold it up behind his head with both hands. He let it fall down again in disgust. It barely reached his jaw line. He could not do a thing with this. He also did not have time. Zach would be by soon and he needed to get dressed. The two were going to go out and party together. They had no reason other than it was Friday night, and both of them wanted to cut loose a little after a stressful first few weeks at their new jobs. Kyle, in particular was hoping for reconciliation with Zach. He had always thought of Zach as his best friend, but lately it seemed like they were competing at work rather than cooperating. Kyle was looking at tonight as a chance to rekindle their friendship. For that, he wanted to be dressed just right. Kyle grabbed a pair of white briefs and started to pull them up into place. As he did so, he felt that familiar sense of urgency and uncertainty he had been feeling lately. The material of his underwear seemed to slip and shrink in his hands as he pulled the panties up in place on his hips. The urgency was still on him as he took out a pair of socks and sat on the edge of his bed to put them on. Kyle pointed a toe and pulled the sock over his foot. Amazingly, the sock thinned and kept stretching as he pulled it up his calf and over his knee. It stretched all the way to the top of his thigh before stopping with a wide elastic strip that held it in place. His breath caught in his throat, but he could not stop himself from repeating the action with the other sock. Kyle ran his hand down his legs, straightening the pattern in his nylons without thinking. Nylons were unusual for him, but they went wonderfully with his black panties. They were super sheer and slightly shimmery, with a pattern of thin dark stripes that ran up his legs, accentuating their curves. Kyle loved them! He delayed covering his legs, and concentrated on finding the right shirt to wear. He first tried a short-sleeve polo shirt, but that was not right. He then tried an orange t-shirt, with a sweatshirt over top. That too was wrong, but had an element that intrigued him. Starting over, he chose a white wife-beater t-shirt then put on a yellow t-shirt over that. He was not sure why he was wearing two t-shirts, but he liked the way the white shoulder straps of the wife-beater poked out from under the yellow shirt. He finished the look off with a pastel green shirt with three-quarter length sleeves that he did not remember owning. Kyle was admiring the combination when he was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Damn, he's here," Kyle said. "Just a minute!" Kyle rushed to find some pants, but hated the idea of covering up his nylons. He grabbed what he thought was a pair of black shorts, wrestling with them for a while. The knock at the door repeated. "Coming!" Kyle called. He finally realized that the problem with the 'shorts' was that there was only one leg hole. He managed to pull the tube up over his hips and zip it up in the back, before hurrying off to answer the door. "Hiya! You ready to go?" Zach asked when Kyle opened the door. "Whoa! Look at you!" Kyle said. Zach was wearing a shiny ivory mini- dress with a high collar and an open back. And heels! Zach was wearing a strappy pair of high heel shoes. "You look terrific!" Kyle said, his heart sinking with jealousy. "Thanks!" Zach said. "You look pretty hot, yourself. You ready?" "Almost," Kyle said. "Let me just grab my shoes and purse." "Well come on then," Zach said. "I want to start dancing!" *** The club was the type of meat market that Zach usually found for the two of them. The music was pulsing and the dance floor was thick with young thrusting bodies. The drinks were expensive but not too watered down. Everyone there seemed to be on the prowl for a hookup. Everything was exactly as it usually was. Only this time, Kyle thought it felt different. His feet hurt a lot more than usual, for one thing. It was enough to make him regret wearing heels, even if they did show off his legs. Kyle sat out more and more dances as the night wore on. Not that it seemed to bother Zach. Zach was unstoppable, shaking his bootie up on the dance floor and constantly getting hit on, while Kyle watched their purses and rested his feet. That was the other thing. The social dynamic seemed different. Sure, between the two of them, Zach was getting most of the action. That was to be expected and he was used to that. However, it was odd the way that Zach was getting action. He was obviously being aggressive, but it seemed... passive in a way. He had always thought of Zach, and to a lesser extent himself, as hunters on the prowl. Now it seemed the strategy was to set the bait and see who came sniffing around. Zach was good at it. Kyle marveled at how easily Zach found new dance partners with just a smile and a turn of the leg. Kyle could not do that. It seemed improper somehow. "Heya, Karen," Zach said, bouncing up between songs to snag his purse. "I'm going home with Gary. See you at work on Monday." "Huh?" Kyle said. "But we came here together! You can't leave me here alone." "Oh, don't be so high school," Zach said, rolling his eyes. "You know why we came here. Zoe needs it tonight." "I don't... I mean, I thought...." Kyle was growing more confused by the moment. "That's just it, you think too much," Zach said, not giving him a chance to gather his thoughts. "You'd have a lot more fun if you just let go." "But..." "No buts, I'll see you on Monday," Zach said, slinging his purse over his shoulder. "Do yourself a favor. Find someone tall, dark, and naked. You'll feel better." With that, Zach turned and left. Kyle's last look of him was Zach leaving, the arm of a tall, muscular looking man, wrapped around him, his hand on Zach's ass. Kyle was stunned. He felt abandoned and betrayed, and he wanted to cry. This was not going at all the way he had hoped it would. It was all wrong. He was so upset that he failed to notice the man sit at the next table over until he spoke directly to Kyle. "Hey there, why so glum?" the man asked. "What? Oh... uh, it's nothing," Kyle said. "It must be something," the man said. "Otherwise you wouldn't be crying." "I'm not crying," Kyle said, quickly dabbing a tear with a napkin. "I'm just upset." The man smiled sympathetically and waited for Kyle to compose himself. Kyle thought he had a nice smile. "Well, it couldn't be over a broken heart," the man said. "Nobody would be fool enough to do that to someone as beautiful as you." Kyle grinned and turned away to hide the blush that was coming to his face. No one had ever called him beautiful before! While his head was turned, Kyle caught a glimpse in the mirror of a redheaded woman in a green shirt, sitting next to the stranger. When he turned back, she was gone. It was just him and the stranger. "My names Michael," the man said. "Karen," Kyle said, feeling that wave of uncertainty again. "Nice to meet you, Karen," Michael said. "Would you like to dance?" *** Kyle woke up Monday morning in very good mood, filled with confidence, and determined to make a solid impact at the office. He might be only an administrative assistant, but that did not mean he was unimportant. He performed a vital job. People relied on him. It was amazing how much difference a weekend made. Kyle smiled, thinking of Friday night. Sure, Zoe had been a total bitch, but if she had not dumped him, he never would have met Michael. Kyle glowed, as he sat at his vanity and brushed out his hair. He got a warm feeling deep in his belly thinking of Michael and a shiver up his spine remembering the feeling of those strong arms and rough hands. He even had another date tonight! Monday! Can you believe it? Kyle giggled thinking about his date tonight. He should wear something really sexy. For work now, though, he should wear something totally professional. Real office clothes, the kind a real secretary would wear. Maybe a pantsuit and some low heels, with like a dressy jacket. He could wear his hair back and those green sparkly earrings. He wondered if he had time to paint his nails. When Kyle walked into the office that morning, he was walking on a cloud. He chatted with the other secretaries, flirted a little with the guy who brought the mail, and just generally felt at ease with the world. A big happy smile played on his face as he sat at his desk and readied himself for the first challenge of the workday. "Karen, would you come in here please. I need you to take a memo," the intercom on his desk buzzed. "Right away, sir," he said, taking his notepad and pen with him. Kyle entered the office to find Mr. Alexander sitting on the edge of his desk, hiding something from view. There was a dark smile on his face. Kyle shuddered involuntarily. He hoped that this would be over soon so that he could return to his desk where at least he felt comfortable. "Have a seat," Alexander said. "No, over here." Kyle had started to sit in the chair near the desk, but Alexander was indicating the couch seat by the coffee table. Kyle sat down cautiously, somewhat mystified by the odd seating arrangement. He would not be able to see the desk from here. "Now, I want you to listen very carefully to what I'm going to say." Alexander proceeded to place a small stone carving on the table in front of Kyle. Kyle shifted uncomfortably and bit his lower lip in uncertainty. This was very strange. "This is important, so listen carefully," Alexander said, in a way meant to be reassuring but had the opposite effect on Kyle. "I want you to think about your life. About who you are. About how you got here," Alexander lit a candle in one corner of the room as he spoke, then walked around out of Kyle's line of sight as he continued speaking. "Think about your schooling, who your friends were, who your lovers were. Remember your first kiss." Kyle heard these words far off in the distance, almost as an echo. His attention was fixated on the stone carving. It was carved out of a dark grey stone, and looked old. It was vaguely human in shape, except that it lacked detail. More precisely, it looked like details had once existed but had been rubbed off over the years. "Remember your adolescence, your coming of age. And your childhood before that." Kyle could barely hear these words anymore. The idol filled his awareness and seemed to be whispering on its own. A sound that reverberated in his head, but stayed just below audibility. "Remember being small, how your mother held you in her arms. Remember even before that, how warm and safe you were when the womb was your world." Kyle heard nothing but the whispering from the idol. It told him how he had grown, and tales of happy times, of being loved, and sharing. It spoke softly and gently of texture, color, and fabrics he had known. It filled his head with friends, family, holiday presents, and childhood games. It told him things that could not be put into words. It told him things and laughed. Karen's head snapped up in surprise. She must have fallen asleep. How embarrassing, right in Mr. Alexander's office and all. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, Mr. Alexander. I didn't hear what you just said," she said. "That's quite all right, my dear," Alexander said. "It wasn't anything you need concern yourself over." Karen smiled thankfully. Mr. Alexander was so nice. She was lucky to be working for him. It did not hurt that he was good looking, too. He was maybe a little old for her, but the salt and pepper hair just made him more distinguished looking. Definitely handsome; she always did have a thing for a man in a nice suit. *** Karen and Michael were at Michael's place, watching a movie that Karen had picked out. It was a romantic comedy. Michael was a little bored, but he was enjoying the feeling of Karen leaning on him, his arm around her shoulder, and his hand on her hip. The two had been dating for some weeks now, and although their relationship still had that glow of newness to it, they had reached that relaxed stage where they enjoyed spending casual time together. Both were dressed comfortably in blue jeans. Michael wore an old t-shirt, while Karen was wearing a sports jersey she had borrowed from Michael's closet. "This is stupid," Michael said, gesturing at the television. "Shut up, it's good," Karen said, gently slapping Michael on the chest to make her point. "No, really. No guy would do that," Michael said. "Sure they would, it's romantic," she said. "If you say so, babe" he said, looking down at her, a big grin on his face. "You're impossible," Karen said, shaking her head but still smiling. "Next time you pick the movie." "I thought you liked making decisions," he said, still teasing. "I do! Sure... I guess... I mean, if that's okay?" Karen said, not sure what Michael was referring to and worried she had said something wrong. "If we do it together. What do you think?" "See, that's your problem. You let other people tell you what to think," Michael said. "I do not! You think so?" she said. "There it is again," he said. "That's why you're having troubles at work. You let that Zoe girl walk all over you." Karen pulled away from him, with a frown on her face. She did not like being reminded of her problems at work. Lately, it was all one big competition for attention, which she usually lost. Of course, how was she supposed to compete with Miss Perfect, Zoe. Zoe, the one with the perfect blond hair and that to-die-for figure. How was anyone supposed to compete with that? "You know what you should do," Michael said, moving in on Karen, "you should walk right up to her and tell her off, right in front of your boss. Then if she starts to complain, you tell them she sexually assaulted you." Karen giggled in spite of herself. Michael was such a goof. He was just angling the conversation around to his pet fantasy again. "Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you," she said. "Yes, I would," said Michael, very close to Karen now. "I would like that very much. Then when your boss sees what a forceful, independent woman you are, he'll give you a promotion and fire Zoe. She'll have to strip for quarters on the street corner." "You're an idiot," she said, but let Michel kiss her gently and passionately. She gave a muffled yelp when Michael cupped her breast, but let him have his way. It felt good. "You know what I would like?" Karen asked. "I'd like to finish watching the movie." She wriggled out from under Michael, and pretended to keep watching the television. She left her hand on Michael's thigh, feigning innocence. Michael grabbed her from behind and tickled her in a spot he knew. Karen shrieked, and both started wrestling and laughing. Karen wound up sitting atop Michael, her knees on either side of him, Michael grabbing her firmly by the wrists. The two locked eyes, breathing heavily. Michael pulled Karen to him, and they kissed deeply. Karen broke off the kiss, and straightened up, removing her jersey as she did. She was not wearing a bra. She was not big enough to absolutely need one. Michael did not seem to mind. She loved that about him; the way he made her feel desirable. God, I think I'm falling for this guy, she thought. *** Being in a relationship had a positive effect on Karen. Even her coworkers commented on it. She had a sunnier disposition, she laughed more, she took more care with her personal appearance. She just seemed happy. Even Zoe did not bother her as much. Well, maybe almost as much. She just could not understand how her friend could turn into such a slut. Not that Mr. Alexander was unattractive, but why did she have to be such a bimbo around him? All she did was come in late, spend a lot of time alone with Mr. Alexander, then leave early. Karen did all the real work around the office. Thank god, for Michael. He was always there, letting her vent, telling her bad advice, and just being wonderful. He made it possible to come to work every day. He even had her half convinced that she should ask for a promotion, or at least a raise. She did all the work; she should at least get the credit. "Karen, come in here," Alexander said, from the door of his office. "Yes, sir," Karen said, standing up and grabbing her notepad. "That won't be necessary," Alexander said, indicating the notepad. Karen was mystified but put the notepad down and followed Alexander back into his office. "Have a seat," he said, indicating the couch seat. Karen sat down warily. She never did like this chair. It bothered her for some reason. Mr. Alexander always acted weird around it, kind of like he was doing now. He even had that creepy little carving out on the coffee table. Karen hated that thing. "I've enjoyed our time together," Alexander said, "you and your friend." Karen nodded, not sure how to respond. "No, really," Alexander said. "You have no idea how much I've enjoyed watching you become the perfect little secretary. Priceless!" Karen smiled in confusion. Was this a good thing that Mr. Alexander was saying? "But now, I'm afraid, things have gotten a little stale," he said. "And to stir things up, I'm making Zoe my personal secretary. You'll be working for her from now on." Karen's jaw dropped open in shock. "But... but why?" she said. "All Zoe does is... I mean... Is it because of the... things you and her do?" Karen hung her head and blushed in shame and anger at the unfairness of it all. Alexander just smiled for a moment before answering. "I do admit to taking pleasure in instructing her in the physical aspects of her new role," he said. "But this is really more about you than Zoe." "Me?" she said. "You're too happy," Alexander said. "You see, I didn't make you my secretary just to see you settle down and live happily ever after." "No!" he said. "I made you my secretary to put you in your place! You were so arrogant, you and your friend. Well I fixed that! I fixed you both! And then you went and ruined it." Karen was confused, Mr. Alexander seemed almost angry. "I don't understand," she said, growing frightened by Alexander's tone. "Ah, but you will!" he said. "I can guarantee you that. Touch the statue." "What?" "I said... TOUCH...THE...STATUE!" Karen flinched, and started to reach halfway towards the carving on the coffee table in front of her. She was afraid to touch it, but even more afraid of Mr. Alexander. He was talking like a crazy man! Karen was convinced he was prepared to do her harm. She looked around desperately for a way out, but Mr. Alexander was right there, looming over her with that horrible sneer on his face. Karen reached out and touched the statue. It laughed at her. Kyle jerked his hand away. He must have fallen asleep... with his arm stretched out... an arm that looked funny... with painted nails... and smooth skin. His legs looked funny too; smooth, hairless, curvy, all the way down to his pointy little shoes? This was all wrong. Why was he wearing shorts at the office? No... not shorts, a skirt! And... a blouse? A memory of the bra he was wearing flashed into his mind, which made him think of his panties. The blood ran from his face. He knew what he was wearing. From his carefully made up face and jade hoop earrings down to his three-inch heels and painted toenails, he knew what he was wearing. He knew because he remembered getting dressed this morning. He also remembered the body underneath these clothes, which fit these clothes, these very feminine clothes. "What's the matter, Karen?" Alexander said, in a very innocent tone of voice. "You look like you lost something." *** "Karen, I need last week's minutes by lunchtime, so Stevie and I can go over them before the meeting this afternoon," Zoe said as she walked out of Alexander's office and up to Karen's desk. Kyle's head snapped around with a jerk. "I... what?" he said. His eyes followed the buxom girl's figure. He was having a hard time reconciling the memory of his old friend Zach with the vision of this big-breasted blonde girl in a tight dress before him. This was especially true after the gasps and moans he had heard coming from Alexander's office moments ago. "The minutes? For the meeting this afternoon? Honestly, you're such a space case lately." Zoe said, as she pulled out a lipstick and small mirror, and proceeded to reapply a layer of color to her lips. "I'll have them ready," he said in a small wooden voice. He was trying not to think about why Zach needed to reapply lipstick. "You look like hell. Are you feeling alright?" Zoe said, leaning forward with both hands on Karen's desk, giving Kyle a full look at her cleavage. Kyle looked away, uncomfortably. "I'm fine," he said. "No, seriously," Zoe said, flipping her hair back as she straightened. "You're totally letting yourself go. Your hair is a mess. You've worn pants all week, and I never see you in makeup anymore." Kyle smiled wanly. All of what Zoe had said was true. For the last two weeks, Kyle had been stumbling through the day, going through the motions of living life as Karen. It had not been easy. Zoe looked concerned. "Listen, I may be your boss now, but I'm still your friend," she said. "And I worry about you. You haven't been the same lately, and I want the old Karen back." "That's right! I'm not the same," Kyle said, a needy tone in his voice. "Things are very different now! You see that, don't you? How you and I are different today then we were before?" Kyle looked up at Zach, his eyes pleading for Zach to say that he saw it, too. Praying for some glimpse, that Zach remembered who they had been. Zoe looked puzzled, then frowned. "You need to get a grip," she said. "Go out and go shopping, get your hair done, maybe a makeover. You'll feel like a new girl." "Yeah, I'll do that," Kyle said, crestfallen. "Thanks." "Okay, then," Zoe said, smoothing her dress out. "I'm going out for a bit on an errand. Have those minutes ready when I get back. Later, girl." "Bye," Kyle said half heartedly, and started looking for his notes from last week's meeting. It did not take him long to finish typing up the minutes. He was good at typing, better than he remembered. He was better at lots of things, like walking in heels, and putting on a bra. Memories like that had eaten away at his confidence these past two weeks. Maybe he really was a girl. Maybe he had hit his head, and somehow forgotten who he really was and made up some story about how he was supposed to be a man named Kyle. Why else would he know that he wore size 7 ? shoes and a 32 B cup bra? It made more sense to think he was deluded than thinking that the rest of the world was wrong. After all, he was physically female. Zoe's advice rang hollow in his head. Was that all he had left? Just be a girl for the weekend and he would feel better? "I'll try it," he said, looking down at his small dainty hands and modest bust line. "What have I got to lose?" *** "You look nice," Michael said, smiling warmly. "Thanks," Kyle said, fidgeting with the skirt of his dress under the table. Kyle and Michael were ostensibly on a date at what was Karen's favorite restaurant. Kyle had to admit it was nice and Michael was trying hard to be charming and funny. "I mean it," Michael said. "And not just because you're beautiful. I just missed seeing you; being with you. So, you look nice... here now." "Well, thanks. You look... nice, too," Kyle said, blushing deeply. He gave up on the skirt, and gulped at his wine. Kyle had been trying hard to be a girl for the entire weekend. Part of that involved actually talking to Michael, instead of letting his persistent calls roll to voicemail. Somehow, that had resulted in his having dinner with Michael at Karen's favorite restaurant. "Do you remember the first time we came here?" Michael asked. Kyle smiled and nodded. He had no idea. "We told them it was our anniversary, and we got a free dessert," Michael said. "Yeah, that was awesome," said Kyle, pretending to remember, nervously playing with his hair. This was not so bad. It was just two people out on the town, having dinner. Not unlike numerous dates he had been on before. Except, this time he was wearing the dress. Kyle shivered involuntarily. "Are you alright? You're not cold, are you?" Michael asked. "No, I'm fine. I just... I'm fine," said Kyle, taking another big gulp of wine. The warmth spread, a little lower than he anticipated. He squirmed a little in place, but tried not to make it obvious. He wanted this evening to go right. Kyle had invested a great deal of effort into getting ready for this date and did not want to blow it now. He had shaved his legs and washed his hair. He had spent a lot of time making sure his makeup was just right, and had tried on six different outfits before deciding on the dress he had on. He was the girl, and he was determined to be the girl. Only he could not stop with the nervous giggling and silly smiling. What is wrong with me, he thought. Michael probably thought he was a total ditz or something. "Would you excuse me?" Kyle said, swallowing the last of his wine down and rising. "I'll be right back." "Sure, babe," Michael said. "I'll get the check." Kyle was feeling a warm flush across his chest and face, as he made his way to the ladies' room. He blamed the wine. He did not really need to use the bathroom, he just needed a moment to gather his wits and catch his breath. What had he been thinking? This was a stupid idea. What was he supposed to do now, have sex with Michael? Who would even think of that? Michael may be a very attractive and charming guy, but sex? Kyle felt his ears burning, and his heart thumping. What did Michael even see in Karen, anyway? Kyle took stock of his reflection. He saw a short redheaded girl, with freckles. Thank goodness, for the shoes that bumped him up to 5'8". His hair was nice enough, he guessed. It was a rich, copper red color and hung down past his shoulders. He tried to picture the brown hair he remembered, but it would not line up with the face he saw. The freckles were painfully obvious to him, even through the heavy concealer he had used. His legs were probably his best feature. His shoulders seemed soft and weak, and he clearly had very small breasts. Kyle tried to picture himself with a set of breasts as large as Zoe's were and wondered what Michael would think. He checked that thought. He had a very good idea of what Michael would think. It was what all men think. Kyle puffed his chest up and looked sideways at himself in the mirror. If he had to wake up one day and be a woman, why did he have to have only a B cup? A small B, at that. They barely made a bump on his chest. Not like Zoe, she had to have at least a set of D's. Of course, she was blond and tall, while he was a redheaded stick with freckles. Still, Michael was not on a date with Zoe. He was there on a date with him, when he could easily be dating someone who looked like Zoe. That thought made Kyle smile. Maybe he could let Michael have a goodnight kiss for that. Something chaste and friendly; it would be the polite thing to do. Kyle owed him at least that much. Kyle felt that flush again, and steadied himself against the sink. Yes, a kiss would be nice. *** Kyle was very self-conscious when he went back to work on Monday. He had purposely worn a moderately sexy skirt, so that no one would think anything had happened over the weekend. Frumpy would have looked suspicious, while too sexy would have just been slutty. This way it did not look like he was hiding anything. He was convinced that everyone knew he had been with a man. Kyle shivered a little at the memory of Michael's strong hands caressing his sides and pushing at the small of his back, those deep burning kisses and the feel of Michael's lips on his breasts. It had to have been the wine. Besides, he had not really slept with a man. They had just... it was more like... well they had not done THAT! Without 'that', there was no actual sex. He and Michael had just done things that went a little too far. What was too far, anyway? He was a woman, Michael was a man. It was normal. Kyle was sure everyone could tell. The flowers on his desk did not help. "Ooo! Flowers!" Zoe said, when she came in at 10:30. "Let me smell! Who are they from?" "Uh, no one," Kyle said. "No one? Oh, come on," Zoe said. "They have to be from someone. Let me see." "No!" Kyle said, reaching for the card, which Zoe managed to snag first. "Dearest Karen," she read. "Thank you for coming back into my life. My love always, Michael." "Oooo-ooo, Miii-chaaaell!" Zoe said in a lilting voice. "Did someone rock his world, this weekend?" "It... it wasn't like that," Kyle said, looking down in embarrassment. "I'm sure it wasn't," Zoe said. "Did you see him naked?" Kyle hung his head even further, turning a bright red. "I knew it!" Zoe shouted. "You got laid this weekend!" "I... no... I mean... I... I didn't..." "Oh, hush," Zoe said. "About time you spread those legs. I was beginning to think you weren't human. So talk, did he curl your toes?" Kyle collapsed even further on himself, and could only manage a strangled 'eep' noise. He had curled his toes, twice. "Fine, be that way," Zoe said. "Just don't expect me to talk about my hookups. Oh, that reminds me. Stevie and I are going to be in a private meeting all morning. He wants to go over some figures, starting with mine!" With that, Zoe headed into Alexander's office, leaving a mortified Kyle in her wake. "How's our friend out there doing?" Alexander said, glancing up from his computer screen as Zoe entered. "Having a personal freak out!" Zoe said, strutting across the carpet to lean sexily on the edge of Alexander's desk. "Good!" Alexander said, leering as he ran his palm along Zoe's exposed thigh, as she shivered with pleasure. "Yeah!" Zoe said. "She's almost hiding under her desk, all because her boyfriend fucked her over the weekend, and sent her flowers!" Alexander stopped his caress, and leaned back in his chair, a scowl on his face. "I don't like that," he said. "I don't want her happy." "Now, don't be grumpy, Stevie," Zoe said, sliding over to sit on his lap. "Don't get all worked up over skanky old Karen. She's totally miserable, out there." Alexander frowned deeper. Zoe started to play with Alexander's hair, and blow on his ear as she spoke. "She got all slutty with her boyfriend, who fucked her silly," she said in a silky voice, between light sensual kisses. "She probably screamed out his name, then sucked him dry. Now she can't look anyone in the eye, because she thinks she's a total slut. But next weekend... she'll do him again." Alexander smiled slightly, as he thought of Karen degrading herself. Zoe kept her hands busy, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. "Besides," she said. "I'm still your dirty girl. I'll do whatever you want. Make me your girl. Make me your dirty girl. Do me now, Stevie. Do you want me to beg? I'll get on my knees for you. Do you want me on my knees?" By now, Zoe had his shirt open and was starting on his pants as she sunk to her knees in front of him. Alexander relaxed and let Zoe free his penis. There was a smug grin on his face as he watched the blond girl's head buried at his crotch. Zoe was becoming a talented little cocksucker. She had turned out very well indeed. At least one of his transformees had worked out well. That just left Karen. Now what was he to make with her? *** "EEEEEEEK!" Kyle screamed, and buried his face against Michael's shoulder. "Why did you pick a scary movie if you're not going to watch it?" Michael asked chuckling with his arm around Kyle. "I didn't think it would be this scary!" "Okay, I'll turn it off." "No, just tell me when it's safe to look." "Not yet," Michael said. "Okay, now." "Thank goodness," Kyle said. "Honestly, I don't think I could have... GAAAAAAHH!" "You said it was safe! You said it was safe!" Kyle said, punching Michael and burying his face once again. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Michael said, trying to deflect Kyle's blows. "I didn't know that would happen! Look, I'm turning it off! I'm turning it off!" Kyle snuck a look at the television to confirm that it was off, before raising his head from off of Michael's shoulder. He was however, inclined to continue holding tightly to Michael. His heart was pounding and his hands would have been shaking if he let go. "You better be sorry," he said, throwing another punch at Michael's shoulder. "Ow," Michael said, laughing. He threw a bear hug around Kyle in self- defense, holding him too close for Kyle to get leverage. "So what do you want to do, if you don't want to watch TV?" Michael asked. Kyle considered his position. He was held firm, his chest pressed up against Michael's side. Kyle relaxed and let his hand rest, palm down on Michael's chest. He looked up at Michael's smiling face and warm brown eyes, and suddenly had this powerful urge to kiss him. That feeling caught Kyle off guard. He had kissed Michael before, but intentionally, in a conscious effort to behave like a girl. That was it, except for that one time two weeks ago, when he had had too much wine. Kyle felt a warmth growing in his hips, thinking of that night. They were kissing before Kyle realized what he was doing. Kyle's heart was pounding, and it had nothing to do with the movie. Could he do this? It felt a lot like admitting he was a woman. Of course, his nipples were doing a pretty good job of that, anyway. Oh, what the heck, he thought, mentally counting the number of days since his last period. He could always blame it on the wine. *** Kyle was on top of the world, when he went in to work, and looked it. This was not his shortest skirt, but it was the shortest one he had ever worn to work. He had nylons on, too, as well as a pair of power heels. And a pushup bra! He felt sexy. How silly he had been, to go around thinking he was really a man. He was definitely all woman. Michael had proved that to him. He was still sore, but did not care. Kyle reveled in the feeling. Sex, sex, sexy sex, sex! He finally felt like he was starting to adapt to being female. Sure, being a woman could be inconvenient. It took longer to get dressed, and being physically smaller was intimidating at times. Going to the bathroom was more of a chore, and periods were definitely icky. Plus, sex had a lot more consequences to it. He could see why he had created the fantasy that he was really a man. Being a man had many advantages. Still, one did not get to choose one's gender, and there were perquisites to being female. He was a girl, and that was all right. He could finally relax and feel comfortable in his own skin. He could do this. "You're in a good mood, this morning," Zoe told him. "I guess I am," he admitted, smiling wickedly. "I had a good evening." "Oh? Did it have anything to do with Michael?" "Maybe." "Oh, my. Did we get nasty, then?" Kyle did not say anything. His grin however, gave him away. "You did!" Zoe said, and then leaned over to talk in a more conspiratorial tone. "Talk! What happened? Tell me everything!" Kyle was blushing. Talking about this was harder than he thought. It felt more like an admission, than bragging. "Well... you know. It was kind of... we were talking, and... you know," Kyle felt his ears, neck, and cheeks burning. "He smelled good... and we... you know, did it." "Uh huh," Zoe said, putting one knuckle up to her lips in a thoughtful pose. "Girl, you tell the worst stories. Was he at least any good?" "He was wonderful," Kyle said rapturously. "Oh, you meant... I thought... he... I mean, we...." "Relax, don't strain yourself," Zoe said. "Let's just stick with 'he was wonderful'. I'm happy for you. You've been in a funky mood these last few months, it's good to see you get back up on that horse. Or however big Michael really is, you'd know better than me." "I what?" Kyle said. "Oh, that reminds me," Zoe said. "Better put up the 'do not disturb' sign. Stevie and I have a lot of dictation to work through. And you know how he hates to be disturbed, when I'm taking his dic-tation." Zoe scrunched her nose and waved her fingers at Kyle. Kyle waved back as Zoe let herself into Alexander's office. That had been more awkward than Kyle thought it would be. He had gotten tongue-tied taking about sex. He was a woman, wasn't he? He should have been able to participate in a little risqu? girl talk. Clearly, he needed more work on his feminine identity. But how did one talk about sexual conquest, when one was the conquest? Zach did not seem to have a problem with it. Zoe, he thought, chiding himself. Zach was a figment of his imagination. Zoe was Zoe, just as he was Karen; two secretaries trying to make it in the corporate world. Kyle sighed. Being a woman was hard. He just had to buckle down and keep at it. It had to get easier some time. The noise from Mr. Alexander's office was getting loud again. Kyle tried to ignore it. It was just Zoe's way. Only this time the noises seemed different. It almost sounded like an argument, a one-sided argument, with Mr. Alexander doing most of the yelling. The door to the office flew open, and Zoe ran out. It was obvious that she was crying. "Zoe?" Kyle said, half rising. Zoe looked once at him, then turned and ran down the hall, the sound of a few sobs escaping her as she ran. Kyle watched her go, his mouth hanging open in surprise. He turned to look back at the office, only to see Mr. Alexander glaring at him from the doorway. "This is all your fault!" Alexander yelled at him. "You and that boyfriend of yours!" "Wha...?" Kyle said, falling back down into his seat. He was too taken aback to say anything above a sputter. "This isn't over!" Alexander walked up and kept yelling as he pointed his finger in Kyle's face. "Not by a long shot, Kyle!" Alexander turned and stormed back into his office, slamming the door behind him. Kyle looked around in embarrassment at the stares from his co-workers in the office. All eyes were on him. Slowly, people turned and went about their business, casting only furtive glances back at him. It slowly dawned on Kyle what Mr. Alexander had said. He had called him Kyle. Nobody called him Kyle. No one knew that name. It was part of his fantasy about being a man. He had convinced himself it was not real and had told no one. The only way that Mr. Alexander would know about that name was if he somehow knew about Kyle thinking he was really a man. However, the only way he could know that, was if that name were somehow real. Moreover, if it was a real name, then that would mean that he was really... "Son of a BITCH! I freaking knew it!" he yelled, not caring that once again all eyes turned towards him. *** The room was dark. It was however, an ordinary dark. The LED clocks and computer power indicators lit the room in a ghostly blue green light, just bright enough for Kyle to make out rough details of Alexander's office. He took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the subdued light. The answer was here. He knew it. He was sure enough to risk sneaking in after hours. He had however, no idea what he was looking for. Kyle's heart was thumping rapidly as he sorted through the contents of the drawers on Alexander's desk. He was very careful to leave everything exactly as he found it. He was not sure what Alexander would do if he caught him here and did not want to find out. He had already turned Zach and him into girls without the rest of the world noticing any difference. He felt particularly bad for Zach. Zach's mind was obviously gone. He was now nothing more than the office bimbo, just Alexander's little slut. Would Alexander do that to him? Could Alexander do that to him? A shiver ran down Kyle's back that had nothing to do with the temperature. He wanted to run. He wanted to run away and have nothing to do with this office anymore. Of course, if he did that, he would give up any hope of ever turning back. He would be stuck as Karen for the rest of his life. He would also be leaving Zach stuck as Zoe, stuck having sex with that monster and no memory of ever being male. Kyle got up the nerve to keep looking. He finished with the desk and started going through the filing cabinet. Everything seemed so normal. There was nothing here that even hinted of the unusual. Kyle was tempted to turn on the computer and check Alexander's electronic files, but worried that someone would notice the light from the monitor. He wished Michael were there. He would have felt safer just having him in the room. He could have been the lookout, or just stood there. Kyle would have felt safer. He thought about running again. He closed the file drawer a little too quickly and pinched his finger painfully. "Ow! Damn!" he said, sticking his finger in his mouth. He could taste blood. A sound, like laughter, caught his attention and he froze in place. It had been a short sound, not repeated, and Kyle was not sure he had heard it. He did get the distinct impression that he was being watched, and that feeling seemed to be coming from the bookcase. Kyle made his way cautiously across the room, wishing that he had taken the time to go home and change into something less revealing. What had felt sexy and feminine this morning, just felt exposed in the closed darkness of Alexander's office. At first, he could not tell from where the feeling was coming. It was here, he was close. Then he saw it. It was that ugly carving that Mr. Alexander had. Kyle winced. He hated that thing. It creeped him out. He reached out to move the figure, wondering if there might be a camera behind it. As soon as she picked up the statue, Karen could feel a hand reach up her skirt, caress her thighs, and reach up to her crotch. There was another one across her breasts. A feeling like an impossibly long prehensile tongue was running up her leg, wrapping around her waist, exploring her midriff up to between her breasts. There was another tongue trying to force its way into her mouth. She could feel kisses and nibbling bites caress her shoulders and neck, as her knees started to buckle. Her nipples were painfully hard, and her crotch was slick and feeling oh so empty. There were many invisible hands on her now, all grasping and tweaking her flesh. Karen gasped, as her clothes were ripped from her body. Naked, she was desperate now for something hard, somehow, anyhow, just anywhere deep inside her. Kyle thrust the figure away from him in revulsion. It rolled and spun on the bookshelf. Kyle looked down at himself, shocked to see there were no hands, no tongues, and that he was still wearing the skirt and blouse he had walked in wearing. He looked up at statue. It laughed at him. Kyle stumbled out of the office and ran as fast as his heels would allow. Loud laughter chased after him from the darkness. *** Against his better judgment, Kyle returned to the office the next morning. He would not have, except that he had spent the night in anguish over his reactions. He had run. He had met the source of his transformation, and he had run. To top it off, he had run to Michael, his boyfriend no less. Could he be any more of a girl than that? He told himself that he just needed reassurance, that wanting to be held and comforted was a normal human reaction, but it felt like surrender. Was it too late? Was he so far down this road, that even if he did change back, he would still be more woman than man? No. He could not think like that. He was here to reclaim his manhood. He was going to step up and take charge of the situation. He had a plan. Not much of a plan; show up early, before anyone else, and then scoop the thing into his purse with a hairbrush. But it was a plan. He was afraid, almost near panic. He had however, steeled himself to confront whatever it was inside Alexander's office. "Hello, Karen." "Ack! Oh... Mr. Alexander, I... I didn't know you were in," Kyle said. "You gave me such a start." Alexander did not say anything. He just sat there in the couch seat, smiling. "I mean, I didn't see you there in the dark," Kyle said. "I didn't think you were here. Not that you shouldn't be here. I mean, this is your office, after all, but it was dark." Alexander remained quiet. "Not that I make a habit of going in your office when you're not here," Kyle said, with a nervous laugh. "I was just looking... to see if I... left something, I mean I heard something that..." "Sit down, Karen." Kyle sat down meekly in the hard backed padded armchair facing the couch seat. Maybe this was not so bad. Mr. Alexander seemed calm. Maybe he did not realize that Kyle was on to him. "I know why you're here," Alexander said. "You came here for Lamashtu." Alexander placed the carving on the table in front of him. Kyle's breath caught in his throat. The figure seemed to be staring straight at him. "No... I... I heard something..." he said. "Enough games!" Alexander shouted, looming up from his seat briefly, before calming himself and sitting back once again. "It's very old, you know," Alexander said. Kyle was not sure how to react. Alexander did not seem very stable; he needed to get out before something bad happened. "Should I go back to work now, Mr. Alexander?" he asked. "No," Alexander said, shaking his head and chuckling. "No, you will not be going back, to work or otherwise. Not after yesterday. You see, you touched Lamashtu with blood on your hand. She has a taste for you now. I have no choice." "We... always... have a choice," Kyle said, nervously. "No, no choice. Why do you think I keep calling you Karen?" "Because that's my name?" "Your name's Kyle, and you came here to reclaim your manhood." "I... you know my name?" "Of course I know. I'm the one who turned you into a woman," Alexander seemed almost bemused. "Well, Lamashtu did. But I requested it." "You requested this?" Kyle said, clearly appalled at what he was hearing. "You had it coming, you and your friend." Alexander was sneering now. "Walking in here, disrespecting your betters. Not so cocky now, are you, bitch? Well, you're Karen now, and Karen you'll stay!" "You did this to me, and Zach? You turned me into your secretary, and Zach into your... your... your...." Kyle could not bring himself to spit out the words. "Zach seems to be adjusting," Alexander said with a smile and a shrug. "He makes an excellent Zoe, one that appeals to my baser instincts. The question is what sort of Karen do I make out of you, now? How about matronly Karen? Give you a few years, bad eyes, droopy breasts. We could throw you a retirement party." Kyle sat there, his mouth hanging open. He had no idea how real the threat was. He suspected it was very real. "Knock, knock," Zoe said as she walked in the door, uncharacteristically early. "Hiya Karen! Hiya Stevie! Have you started without me?" Zoe walked over to where Alexander was sitting and passionately kissed him with half-open mouth. She ran her hand across his chest and smoothed his lapels. "Zach, don't!" Kyle started to say. "I mean, Zoe... stop. You don't know what you're doing! You're not... Look, this will sound crazy, but you and I are not really women. We are men... I mean, we were men. And he changed us! You need to fight him!" Zoe looked puzzled, then turned questioningly at Alexander, before turning back to Kyle and giggling. "Oh, Kyle," she said. "You're such a silly! No wonder Stevie turned you into just a plain Jane secretary. You need to relax and have fun. Maybe then Stevie will make you a sexy bitch like me!" "Wait, you knew? But... how? When?" "Simple," Alexander said. "I told her, almost right off the bat. I wanted a slut, Zoe here proved willing and, after a few modifications, fully able to fill that role." "You brainwashed her!" Kyle shouted. "Not at all," Anderson said, calmly running his hand along Zoe's hip, sliding it back to her ass. "Zoe chose this life. Her modifications were purely physical." "Oh, don't look at me like that," Zoe said to Kyle's incredulous stare. "You've spread your legs for that boyfriend of yours." "Ah, yes. The boyfriend," Alexander said. "I must remember to thank him personally. Something... permanent." "See!" Kyle shouted. "That right there! He's evil!" Zoe laughed. "He's not evil. He's powerful," she said. "And I'm fucking that power! Look at what he did to us. Think about what he can do. Face it, sweetie. We lost. We tried to play with the big boys, and wound up girls. Well, if I have to be a bitch, I want to be the top dog's bitch!" Kyle was speechless. "You see?" Alexander said. "Zoe is one with Lamashtu, and by joining willingly, she has gained power among women. She will be young and sexually powerful as long as she stays loyal. And all it costs is a little blood." Kyle watched in growing horror as Alexander took out a small silver knife and drew a narrow gash in his own left hand. The room seemed to grow darker, but with an ethereal light to the statue that lit up Alexander, Kyle, and Zoe. To Kyle it seemed like the universe had shrunk to include only the three of them. There was a whisper, somewhere in the background, just out of range of understanding. "Now, what about you?" Alexander said, looking directly at Kyle, as he reached out and took hold of the statue with his bloody hand. "What will Karen be?" Kyle felt a cold chill up his spine. The whispering grew louder. "I tell you what," Alexander said. "I'll make you the same deal I offered Zoe. Submit willingly to Lamashtu, and stand beside Zoe as my consort, your memories intact." "Wha... what would I have to do?" Kyle asked, his voice sounding small even to him. "Whatever I tell you," Alexander said. "And you shall be a priestess of the sensual arts." "Kinky threesomes," Zoe said, with a smile and a scrunching of her nose. "You'll love it!" "What if I say no?" he asked. "Then Kyle will be gone," Alexander said. "And Lamashtu will create a new Karen of my choosing." Kyle slumped in his chair. What choice did he have? The whispering in his head was growing louder. Submit, it said. Sex, it promised. Youth, beauty, men at your feet, all this would be yours, it said, if you but submit. "Your choice," Alexander said, placing