Blank nothing. Then. Images, images cluttering my brain like pictures flashing one to the next. Beautiful black lips, amber hair like fire. A black dress. Drinking a beer at a bar. My beer turned blue, blue lights glowing in my mug. The sounds of a guitar, piano, a fiddle, music. Walking with her, following her. A horned moon. Blank again.
I woke again, my mouth dry. Still couldn't see. Tried to rub my eyes. Couldn't. My arms wouldn't respond. My eyes were open but the room was dark. Dark like pure black. Struggle. Legs, arms feel as if heavy weights are pinning them down. Turn to the right to look at my arm. Can't. The same heavy weight is holding my head fast. Scream.
"Hush, hush, my little pet," came a soft seductive female voice. "Must we make such noise?"
Too dark, can't move to see who was speaking. Try to smack spit.
"Who's... who's there?" I ask, my mouth so dry, my voice raspy.
"Come now! Don't you remember me?" pouted the voice in the darkness. A fingernail traced my chest. I'm naked, I realize. The fingernail trailed circles.
"We met last night. You were so cute with your attempts to seduce me. Males these days." The fingernail slid towards my nipple, joined a thumb, then bit together and twisted. Hard.
I squealed. Then blushed, furious and embarrassed.
"Let me go! This is kidnapping! Torture!"
A caramel laugh, coated with scorn.
"Torture, my pet? Oh no, you have no idea. I haven't even done anything worthwhile. Just... a little... twist."
As she spoke, she slowly twisted my nipple, then gave a final jerk. My body jolted against the bonds. My helpless yelp gave no relief.
"Please, whatever you want, I'll... Look, I've, I'll, Then remembered I had no silver. I'm a... I'm... a..."
I searched my memory for what I was, but nothing except a blue drink returned.
"I'm a ranch hand with Buckhorn Ranch! They'll be looking for me! I'll give you silver coins" I had none but I had to try.
I tried to sound confident, but my breathing refused to cooperate. My words came out desperate. Silence was her only reply. I listened, trying to hear where she was moving. Nothing. She was as quiet as the room was dark.
A flick shocked my right thigh, evincing a wince. Another. Another. Just as I was about to yell out, a pinch caught my voice, twisting words into another yelp.
"Coins..." came the voice. "Every male seems to think I want..." twist, "their coin..." twist, "it is really rather..." twist, "amusing. Besides you have none, my pathetic little pet, don't you remember, I had told me to buy you a pint because you spent all you had."
At that, her whole hand slapped the inside of my thigh. I could feel the bonds against my wrists, my ankles, my head, my chest. They felt like an impassable point, not like straps at all.
"What," I said, panting, "What do you want? I'll give you anything, just, please... let me go. I have friends," blank, " just let me..."
A soft hand clasped my mouth.
"Shhhh, little boy," came the voice, slithering into my ear. "You'll know what I want soon. Very soon. When you do, you will beg to give it to me. But that's not important right now. What is important right now is, you don't even have anything holding you down right now. There's simply nothing..." she poked my wrists exactly where I felt a bond, "there." She poked again at my throat.
"This is insane... What are you trying to say? What are you doing to me?" I thought desperately for a solution, "Did you use mesmerism on me?"
Playful, impish laughter.
"Mesmerism? My goodness, you think I would be so crude as to resort to using parlor tricks? Hmm, yes, possibly I did? Do you truly remember nothing of our night together? How I swayed towards you at the tavern? How my body slid against yours as we danced? How my lips loved yours with such grace that you hardly dared to breathe lest you broke the magic? To say nothing of our tongues dancing, how yours followed mine! Goodness, what a forgetful pet you are."
Before I could reply, a warm breath cradled my face. Her scent filled me. Lips met mine, and instinctively, automatically, my body relaxed like a kitten picked up by the scruff. Her lips lifted from mine, but not before leaving a gentle bite, and I strained forwards towards the emptiness she left. Whatever bonds held me, held still.
"What have you done to me?" I whispered, barely able to coax the words into sound. Her soft lips kissed my chin, my cheek, my ear. Relaxation soaked into my muscles, and at each kiss, the bonds grew more and more faint.
"Why, my good little boy, I haven't done a thing. You just don't want to leave. Isn't that right?"