"So, tomorrow morning, we've got like, this first shoot with Vespian Magazine," Grace was saying. "And we've got a deal worked out for you to wear clothes by some Greek designer. Then they want an interview, too - nothing major, just, like, a few quotes - and I got them to send over a question list, so we can rehearse later. Then for... uh... yeah, Tuesday, I've set up an interview with this website. It's pretty small, but it's like really, really trendy, so if you talk to them, it's gonna be big with all the right people. And then-"
Grace paused.
"Dani?" she said, reaching out to wave a hand in front of her employer's face. "You still with me, babe?"
Dani blinked. "Uh... yeah! Yeah, of course." She sighed apologetically. "OK. No. Not really."
Grace nodded sympathetically. "That's totally cool. We can go over it later."
"Thanks."
They were in Dani's bedroom; Dani was perched on the bed, while Grace stood in front of her and read out her itinerary. It was getting busier by the day, and that was nothing but good news. Her flagging career was back on track. Her decisions to come out and change her whole look were paying off harder than she possibly could have imagined, although largely that was due to Grace's hard work. Her personal assistant seemed to have thousands of friends and contacts, situated all across Hollywood, high and low, and she was sparing no effort hitting up all of them as she attempted to get Dani more gigs and more attention. Every day, Dani was freshly amazed to have someone so industrious working for her. It was shocking that Grace hadn't been snapped up by a major celebrity years ago.
In spite of all of that, though, Dani wasn't happy.
She was happier, sure. In some ways, happier than she could have imagined. She was in love with her new self. To her, it still felt like she'd been missing something, some essential part of herself, for her entire life - until now. Now, confidence flowed out from her like a fountain, and it was helping her to discover such wonderful, indescribable pleasures. She should have been completely, perfectly content.
Instead, she couldn't stop thinking about Cameron.
His vague threat about her regretting her new lifestyle had yet to manifest, but that wasn't the only thing on Dani's mind. In a word, she was lonely. She didn't miss Cameron - she really didn't miss Cameron - but it was hard not to dwell on the fact that, a week ago, she'd had a fiancé. She'd been looking forward to a wedding, a husband, and beyond that, perhaps even a family. Now, she was all alone. She had no one.
Well, that wasn't exactly true. She had Grace, and they were all over each other. Dani couldn't bring herself to regret that their relationship had turned sexual. It was unprofessional, unflattering, and a huge risk. Dani didn't like the idea of being the kind of celebrity who slept with her employees, and if Grace called her out for abusing their power dynamic, it would all be over. But, fuck, the sex was just so good. And fortunately for her, Grace never seemed anything but eager. She made a wonderful... whatever she was. She and Dani hadn't really discussed an official name for their new relationship dynamic.
It wasn't romantic, anyway. And it probably wasn't going to last forever, so it didn't go very far to addressing Dani's angst. What was she supposed to do now? Get a girlfriend? She wouldn't know where to begin.
"Oh, babe," Grace cooed, frowning. "We gotta get your mind off that loser."
Dani blushed. "How did you-"
She broke off mid-sentence when she realized what she'd been doing: staring at her hand, idly rubbing her thumb over her engagement ring. It was fairly plain and easy to hide amongst the rest of her jewelry, and Dani had taken that as an excuse not to get rid of it. She just couldn't bring herself to, even though she knew it did nothing but take her thoughts to unpleasant places.
"Yeah," she sighed. "We do. But that's easier said than done, right? You can't rush getting over a breakup."
"Maybe not," Grace replied, "but, like, that doesn't mean nothing can help. And babe, I got just the thing."
Dani smiled ruefully. "Another sex toy? I'm not sure that'll cut it, as good as my strap is."
Grace giggled. "Better. Way better. Have I ever let you down?"
"No," Dani admitted. She couldn't stop smiling, not with Grace in the room. "OK, what's the idea?"
"So like," Grace began, grinning, "did I ever tell you I used to work in a piercing shop?"
Dani blinked. "No, I don't think so. But my ears are already pierced."
"I know that, duh." Grace rolled her eyes. "I was thinking of something a little more... adventurous."
"I don't think that's such a good idea," Dani told her, shaking her head hesitantly.
"No, no, it totally is!" Grace said excitedly. "Just, like, think of it as a new part of your ongoing makeover! It's just what you need: to make a change, to do something a little wild."
Dani couldn't deny the allure of that, but she was still shaking her head. "Maybe... but you don't get it. The problem is, I'm bad with needles. Like... really bad. Like, 'I passed out getting my ears pierced' bad. And don't even talk to me about vaccines. I guess a piercing could go with my new look, but I just can't even think about it."
"Oh. That's a shame." Grace didn't sound very disappointed. "Because, like, I really think you should get your nose pierced."
Dani rolled her eyes. More of Grace's pushiness. She was getting used to it by now - or at least, she thought she was. As an employer, she always had the final say, but whenever Grace really tried to sell her on something, she always ended up feeling fuzzy and weak in the knees.
"I already said 'no', Grace," Dani said wearily.
"And I totally heard you, babe," Grace replied, putting up her hands in a show of pacification. "Just, like, listen to something for me? I bet it'll change your mind."
"Listen?" Dani didn't understand, and laughed when Grace whipped out her phone and a pair of earbuds. "You mean, to some music or something? I'm not sure getting me in the mood is going to help your case."
"Just try it? For me?"
Grace pouted, and Dani couldn't resist that.
"Fine," she sighed, taking the earbuds out of Grace's hands. "But this song better be good."
Dani fit the earbuds into her ears, watched Grace hit 'play' on her phone, and then felt her mind shut off.
She already knew how relaxing Grace's voice could be, when she wanted it to be. When it seemed to be coming from everywhere at once, the effect was simply irresistible. Barely-audible whispers pulsed into her ears, forming echoes of themselves, again and again, until she was surrounded by the sound. Dani's lips parted, ready to say 'this isn't music'. But she remained silent, because she found herself unsure. Maybe this was music. There was an undeniable lyrical quality to Grace's voice, and a rhythm, too, that caught all of Dani's focus and would have had her swaying and tapping her feet if it hadn't drained all the strength out of her body.
Within moments, the faint confusion and panic Dani had felt when she'd first heard Grace's hypnosis track was already fading. Resistance was the last thing on her mind. There was no deep, inner voice, pleading with her to stay strong and fight the hypnosis. She was long past that. After weeks of being firmly under Grace's spell, her mind accepted the trance as easily and effortlessly as Dani might have sunk into a soft, warm bed after a hard day's work.
After just a few seconds of listening to Grace's voice, Dani was gone. Every second after that merely took her deeper.
Grace was happy to watch her sink, for a little while. She enjoyed her craft very, very much, and just as much as the sex, she took pleasure in the hypnosis. A satisfied smirk grew on her face little by little as she drank in the sight of Dani's little micro-expressions; the droop of her eyelids, the slackness of her jaw, the way the corners of her mouth drifted down. Grace was like a connoisseur, enjoying a work of fine art. Dani, though, was oblivious. She saw everything but comprehended nothing. Her mind was perfectly empty, and nothing but Grace's words could fill it.
Once she was sure Dani was deep enough, Grace removed the earbuds. Dani didn't need them to stay in a trance. She could still hear Grace's mantras and affirmations. And she was ready for more.
"OK," Grace mused. "Let's see... this is gonna be fun."
Dani's eyes were too relaxed to track her movements as the assistant reached into her purse and pulled out a needle. It was hollow, beveled at one end, and razor-sharp, and it was in a clear, plastic, disposable packet that guaranteed it was clean and sterilized. Graced ripped open the packet and held the needle up before Dani's eyes, letting the light glinting off its surface catch the hypnotized celebrity's attention.
