Samantha flopped down on the couch next to Hannah, a wide smile on her face and a gleam of enthusiasm in her deep brown eyes. “So, what do you say, sis?” she asked, opening her fist to let a crystal pendant dangle from her outstretched fingers. “You up for a rematch? I know your record this week is 0-5, but I really think you can break the streak with a good show tonight. You’re tough, you’re strong, you’ve got what it takes to resist me!”

Hannah had to snicker at that, even if her pride was a little stung by her sister’s implications. “First, it’s only two o’clock. That’s kind of early for shenanigans, don’t you think?” Hannah knew full well that the answer was ‘no’, especially on a Saturday afternoon, but there was always something about her that loved the way Samantha took Hannah’s firm resolve to steer clear of sexual hypnosis and slowly dissolved it in a sea of temptation. It was insanely hot, hot enough to make Hannah stretch the definition of ‘firm’ well beyond what the dictionary would allow simply to give Samantha something to work with.

But she wasn’t about to let Samantha get away with overconfidence. “And second,” she said, before Samantha could distract her with any arguments about when it was early enough for sex, “I absolutely do have what it takes to resist you. I’m not some kind of, of weak-willed pushover who crumbles at the first sight of a… a pendulum.” Hannah felt suddenly, uncomfortably aware that the rose quartz crystal that dangled from Samantha’s fingers was swaying from side to side in a slow, measured, and incredibly eye-catching swing.

Hannah forced herself to look away, locking her gaze onto Samantha’s glittering eyes just in time to remember that it wouldn’t be much of an improvement. “I’m very strong-willed. I’m extremely determined. I’m incredibly disciplined. And I could resist any time I wanted to. Absolutely any time,” she said firmly, forcing herself to enunciate each syllable clearly and carefully to avoid slurring her words. “You only win because I let you win.” It sounded like a dare, even to her.

But Samantha didn’t rise to it. “Oh, honey, of course I do,” she purred, her voice lightly oiled with condescension until it slid easily through Hannah’s distracted brain. “That’s just how hypnosis works. I provide your conscious mind with something to focus on, and I offer your subconscious something that it already wants… like, say, complete relaxation. Or freedom from responsibility for a little while. Or deep, powerful sexual pleasure.”

Samantha rested her hand on Hannah’s leg and began to lightly stroke her fingernails against Hannah’s ivory skin. “All things you already want, all things you enjoy. Your deep self wants to give in and relax. Your subconscious mind wants all that dreamy, drowsy bliss that you know is waiting for you every time you slip into an obedient trance for me. And like you said, you’re very strong-willed. You’re very determined. Once your u*********s has made the decision to accept all the delicious, sensual pleasure that my pretty pink pendant promises you… then that determination will lead you right into a deep hypnotic trance for me.”