One Night 01 - Ten to Midnight

I didn't know the origins of my strange power. It had been a part of me for as long as I could remember. A subtle sensation ruffling around the edges of my mind like a soft breeze rustling the leaves of a tree, an occasional tugging sensation in my gut.

I was lucky I never told anyone. Even as a child I was cautious, curious, and I knew that the grown-ups might not like the fact that I could sense their emotions, read their thoughts.

It worked better with the people I was closest with. My mother was always the clearest. I could pick up on her love and devotion to me, her worry when I was hurt and her happiness when I was delighted by some new and exciting event or toy. My father was harder, more distant, but I could tell he was proud as I grew, occasionally furious when I stepped out of line but always rock steady.

When I turned 18, without my realizing it my abilities expanded. I realized that tits and ass were awesome, and I started to experiment. That was when I discovered I could do far more than simply pick up on thoughts and emotions... I could change them.

I never stopped being cautious. But then again, I also never stopped being curious. I think you can figure out which one of the two eventually got me into the most dangerous situation of my life...

10:00 PM

The bar was crowded, an overload of sensory input that gave me a rush of adrenaline. The flickering lights from the dance floor washed across Mark's face as I turned to face my pupil. "You ready?" I asked.

Mark looked nervous. "Why was the cover $50?" he asked. "I'm getting light on cash and haven't even talked to one woman yet..."

I recognized the wheedling tone. Mark was trying to distract me with his complaints, to prevent me from forcing him to do what we'd come here to do. Still, it was an important lesson, one I needed to explain. "Because exclusivity is powerful," I told him calmly. "Higher barrier to entry filters out low quality people. You need to learn to raise your standards if you want to raise your success."

"If you say so, Jason..." he trailed off, eyes wandering off my face over to the heaving mass of humanity on the dance floor, jumping up and down to an intense EDM beat.

"You're ready," I told him confidently, looking him up and down.

As ready as I can make you, anyway,

I thought.

Mark was dressed in a dark blue jacket and slacks that he probably wouldn't have been caught dead in 12 hours before. His hair was freshly cut, he wore a ring with a skull on his middle finger and I had tried and failed to get him a tattoo. Why?

Because in order to get what you want, you need to become a different person. The kind of person who gets what you want.

It was a principle I firmly believed, and one I taught to each and every one of my clients.

I scanned the bar looking for a target. I kept in mind Mark's preferences, skimming over several likely women before spotting the perfect match across the way.

In this club the bar was set up with the bartenders in the middle and four bars making a square around them and their pillar of alcohol. Shelves behind the bustling attendants supported all manner of beers, wines, liquors and booze, everything a man or woman could hope to obtain. This open concept also made it easy for me to spot the short blonde across the way, her large tits straining to be escape a tiny halter top as she giggled with a couple girlfriends.

"There," I told Mark, tapping his arm and pointing with my chin. I saw his jaw drop and I could practically sense him salivating. "Stay calm," I told him, clapping him on the shoulder. "Remember what I've been teaching you. I know it's absorbing. You've been one of my best students."

I told all of them that, but confidence is the most important attribute you can have when approaching women. That was why they came to me — Jason Quinn, the City's premiere dating and life coach. They came to learn confidence.

Mark took a deep breath as he stared into my eyes.

I gave him a look that was half stern and half brotherly. "You got this bro," I told him.

He nodded once, abruptly, straightened his lapel, and stood. Confidence seemed to radiate off of him in waves as he calmly made his way around the bar.

Maybe my lessons had an impact after all

, I thought as he closed the distance between himself and his prize.

The blonde glanced over as he sidled up beside her group at the bar, then dismissed him as though he wasn't worth her time. At least, she appeared to. After spending the entire day with me talking game, Mark knew that this was a test to see whether he would respond. A little game she was playing to check whether he was the type of confident man worth her time.

Mark didn't respond, instead ordering a drink and ignoring her back for a moment before turning and hip bumping her lightly with a playful grin on his face.

I couldn't hear what he was saying from across the bar, but he said it with a smooth, easy confidence and the blonde laughed, turning to face him more fully. Her heavy breasts were now pointing directly at his chest, inviting him to glance down into her valley of cleavage.

Mark resisted, captivating her blue eyes with his brown ones and deepening their rapport. Just like I'd taught him.

Hell,

I thought.

Well done, dude.

For what Mark was paying me, it was nice to see that he was getting results.

Then, suddenly, Mark glanced my way and I saw a slight furrow appear on his forehead. A crack in his mask.

No...

I thought.

Don't do it dude. Don't break on me now.

The blonde followed his gaze and saw me watching them intently. I saw the wheels turning in her mind, though I quickly made sure to act as if I was gazing off into space and not actually watching their interaction.

Mark's wall of confidence teetered, and I could tell that the hot blonde was beginning to question him and his approach, so I did what any good teacher would do for his pupil. I cheated.

I closed my eyes and fixed an image of the blonde in my mind. Then, I let my mind go blank and reached out beyond my senses. Expanding beyond the borders of my brain, my mind sent out tendrils of thought through the space between us and tapped into the blonde's psyche. I was immediately assaulted by a whirlwind of emotions, thoughts, worries and confusions. I felt her attraction to Mark and the fact that she was impressed by his approach, but also her concern about his suave demeanor and the question about whether he might be trying to play her.

Sorry

, I thought softly, and then I changed her mind. I brushed aside the worries and concerns she was having and instead drilled straight into her emotions. Her tiny spark of attraction to Mark I blew on and transformed into a roaring fire in seconds. Her admiration for his sense of style —

Thank you very much —

I led into a desire to imagine what he looked like without the suit on. Then, for good measure, I zinged a bolt of pleasure down her body and straight into her clit.

I opened my eyes in time to see the blonde's stunned face as she processed the chain reaction of thoughts and emotions I'd just manipulated inside of her body. Then, she flung her arms around Mark's neck and kissed him furiously. Her mouth opened and I could see her tongue darting out to explore Mark's mouth as he parted his lips to receive it. Her big breasts mashed up against Mark's chest, her nipples tight and excited and pressing into his skin. I saw her hands reach inside of his jacket and trail down his sides, and I didn't have to be a mind reader to know she was hoping that Mark would take her out of here ASAP and fuck her brains out.

Another win for Jason Quinn,

I thought contentedly. To be quite frank, most of my first one-on-one sessions ended up like this — with me utilizing my unique skills to win over a beautiful woman on behalf of my trainee.

I took a sip of my neat whiskey and sighed through my teeth. It was all a confidence thing. Not a one of my clients had needed my help more than once. Why? Because after the first time they knew what was possible. And their confidence, the number one weapon in their arsenal, was primed and ready for operation.

I let my attention drift off of Mark and his blonde, scanning the bar with nothing in particular in mind. That was when I saw her.

Holy fuck...

I thought.

Goddess alert.

I'd been a dating and life coach for 6 years. In that time, my own game had progressed to a level where I had to reinvent my personal standards. Most men looked at women through the lens of a simple one through ten scale. I didn't even

see

a woman who was less than a ten. My scale ran from ten to goddess. And this woman sitting at right angles to me, showing me the perfect three-quarter profile of her gorgeous face?

Well, as I'd said... Goddess alert.

I hadn't noticed her before because I'd been filtering through Mark's preferences instead of my own. This woman wasn't blonde — one of Mark's requirements — her hair was dark brown, almost black, and fell in waves over her slim shoulders. Her skin was a rich tan, not pale, a trait I could distinguish even in the blue and red club lights, and she looked like she could have been Spanish or Italian.

The woman looked vaguely familiar, but there were so many celebrities in the City that I wasn't going to waste time trying to place her. She could have been the mayor's daughter, the younger sister of a senator, a minor movie star or celebrity... All that mattered was that I knew in that moment I was going to be going home with this girl tonight.

I had picked up my drink off the bar and was halfway around the corner towards her before I noticed that the men sitting on either side of her weren't just there trying to pick her up. In fact, they radiated an air of menace so palpable that I didn't even need to glimpse their minds to tell they were bodyguards. Rather than being deterred, I was intrigued. The forbidden fruit and all that, I supposed.

Probing out ahead of me, I sent a thought that both men, large hulking brutes squeezed into expensive suits who looked like they could pulverize my skull in their two hands, suddenly had the exquisitely painful urge to go to the bathroom. I almost grinned as the two looked at each other in unison, then at their charge. Their will power was admirable. One of them grunted at the other to go, and then spent at least thirty seconds sitting in his chair as sweat began to bead on his brow and his body tried to release the contents of his bladder on the inside of his slacks.

Finally, he groaned, "Fuck!" loud enough for me to hear a dozen feet away, and got up, hobbling swiftly after his comrade.

I probably had 10 minutes before they returned, the crowd was thick between here and the men's room, so I sidled up slowly and took one of their vacated seats.

The young woman turned to look at me in shock, registering that for probably the first time that night she was seeing a new face. "Hello..." she said cautiously, glancing up and down.

I tried not to read her thoughts, but I sensed she liked what she saw. It was always a challenge for me not to abuse my ability, but I knew that it would be rewarding down the road. The more rapport we built up initially, the easier it would be for me later to tap into her thoughts, emotions and senses.

"Hey there," I replied warmly, a smile spreading genuinely across my face. "Must be nice to see a friendly face." I nodded after the retreating figure of her suited companion.

She smiled wearily in response, evidently too relieved by the disappearance of her chaperones to be overly anxious about my own sudden appearance.

"Bodyguards not your idea?" I asked teasingly. "Is there an extremely jealous boyfriend I should be worried about?"

The young woman laughed. "Overprotective father, actually," she replied, relaxing.

I liked the sound of her laugh. It was soft and musical, resonating in my chest and forcing my smile wider.

"I'm Jason," I told her, offering her my hand.

She hesitated only a moment before reaching out with her own. "Maria," she answered, a foreign accent coloring her voice as she said the name. Her palm was cool as it clasped mine, the skin of her hand smooth and silky.

I nodded at the cocktail next to her on the bar. "If you're old enough to be drinking that, you should be old enough to take care of yourself," I commented. Then I gave her an obvious up and down. "

Are

you old enough to be drinking that?" I asked teasingly.

Maria blushed cutely and rolled her eyes at my banter, brushing a stray curl behind her ear. "I'm 22 next month," the woman told me, staring into my face as if to gauge my reaction to her age.

My features gave nothing away, but inside I could feel the heat of my desire ratcheting up. Something about this young woman had me raring to go in a way that I hadn't felt in a long time. In fact, as she took a sip of her drink I couldn't help but run my eyes once more over her ravishing figure.

Her formfitting red dress elegantly hugged the generous swell of her breasts and her slim figure, then accommodated the roundness of her ass and long legs. Just with a cursory glance, I could tell that Maria spent plenty of time taking care of herself. The dress itself was extremely stylish, probably European. In fact, the entire outfit would have looked more appropriate at a state dinner than at an exclusive dance club.

"So why are you here tonight?" I asked, meeting Maria's eyes and sinking into their depths as she looked back at my face.

"I came to meet some friends," the beautiful woman responded, and by the way her eyes drifted wistfully over toward the dance floor I could tell that that was where her friends had gone. Her bodyguards must not have wanted her mingling with a drunk, potentially high, crowd. To be fair, if I were protecting such an exquisite woman, I wouldn't want her going near there either. Though my reasons would have been much more selfish.

Maria turned back, her eyes scanning my face. "Why did you come here?" she asked searchingly, as though realizing suddenly that my appearance directly after the disappearance of her guards was probably not accidental.

I didn't falter. "I came to meet you," I told her simply, and I realized as I said it that it was the truth. My voice conveyed the sincereness of my words, and I was surprised. Usually there are three or four layers of innuendo between even my most banal of statements.

The woman's eyes bored into mine and I could see her body tighten as she felt the tension that was suddenly rising between us.

I held her eye contact, knowing that every second I did her insides were clenching deliciously and her internal thermometer was ratcheting up another degree. Finally, she glanced down and away, and I grinned inwardly.

You're mine,

I thought, and felt a tingle of anticipation rush down my spine. "Hey," I reached out and touched her elbow lightly, drawing her attention. I let my inner excitement bubble to the surface in a carefree smile. "While Grumpy One and Grumpy Two are occupied, what do you say we take a walk?"

Maria glanced around. I could see the wheels turning in her mind, weighing her options. She was cautious, and rightfully so, but she'd come out tonight to have a good time, and I was a good-looking guy — who didn't seem to be a serial killer — who was very obviously promising one. Luckily for me, Grumpies One and Two were not very appealing competition.

She turned back to me and grinned in response. The smile flashed across her face and lit it up like a sunbeam, white teeth and full, parted lips that I couldn't wait to explore with my own. "Let's go," she said, her excitement palpable. Evidently, she was exhilarated to be playing the rebel.

I was more than willing to be her fellow member of the resistance. We rose at the same time, and I playfully offered her my elbow. "M'lady," I said in a mock dignified tone. "Shall we?"

She linked her arm elegantly through mine and smirked back.

God those lips...

"My dear sir," she responded. "Lead on."

11:00 PM

We walked and walked, and as we walked I realized that I'd never met a more charming woman.

We wandered without course, my sense of direction hopelessly off as I found myself enthralled by my beautiful companion. The moonlight struck her body and highlighted her every slinking curve as she moved beside me, leaning up against me for warmth even though the night was hardly a cold one. I enjoyed the closeness of her body, the light perfume I could scent and the smell of shampoo in her thick, shining hair.

Eventually, my feet led us to the place they knew I subconsciously wanted to go.

We stopped for a moment and stared up in awe. Palace One, one of the most gorgeous luxury hotels in the City. As part of my "job" I kept a room in the Palace One every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.

"Want to come up with me?" I asked gently, not wanting to force this gorgeous woman. At this point, though, my emotions were running wild inside of me. I was not only entranced but filled with lust. I could feel the heat of it rushing through my body, the tension in my muscles as they contracted whenever her body brushed against mine and the straining of my growing cock against the fabric of my slacks.

Maria looked up at me with her dark eyes. They were slightly glazed, and I realized that I had unintentionally been broadcasting my own sensations onto her through an invisible connection, amplifying her own feelings.

"Yes..." she murmured, and then her arms were around my neck and her mouth was coming closer as she pulled me down into a kiss.

I closed my eyes as she moaned and melted into me, her lips full and perfect against my mouth, meeting my searing kiss with enthusiasm. I couldn't help myself as I let my hands stray down her back and grasp a round hemisphere of ass in each one, massaging the firm flesh with my fingers.

Maria groaned and ground against me, mashing her full tits against my chest and making me want to growl with lust.

Fuck...

I thought, and forced myself to pull back from the kiss.

I gave her a winning smirk. "Let's take this upstairs," I murmured, and she nodded. "Good girl..." I murmured, and grabbed her by the hand as I pulled her through the lobby doors. The doorman recognized me, but said nothing, a faint smile that creased his lips the only note of recognition. I would remember to tip him later.

What a pro

, I thought giddily.

We crossed the marble floor of the lobby at a barely constrained pace, but luckily there was no one but the concierge to judge us. I checked my watch. It was barely 11 o'clock. No one was back yet from their evening out. In fact, many people probably hadn't left yet. I wondered, for a moment, about the people we'd left behind at the club.

I'd left Mark, but I assumed he would probably be okay without me for the rest of the night. My real concern was for Maria's bodyguards. If she really did have an overprotective father... I pushed the thought from my mind. She could get back to him later. For now, she was mine.

The elevator doors closed with a

ding

and I pressed the button for the 69th floor.

Maria snorted with laughter, her hand squeezing mine as I turned to face her. "You're such a kid," she murmured, staring at me through long lashes.

"Guilty," I whispered back, bending low. Then, I surged forward, my hands pinning her wrists above her head and my hips pressing her back against the wall of the elevator.

Her breath caught and I could practically hear her heartbeat double against her ribcage as I captured her mouth with mine. She ground back against me, feeling my throbbing hardness against her flat stomach through the thin layers of cloth separating us.