Maida woke painfully. Her muscles ached from competing signals between her own mind and the demon that had taken control of her. She slid out of bed and slowly dressed, wincing. She knew the demon would be back, but there had to be some way to prepare for him. She headed for the library. On the way, she passed Tyrmo, who gave her an odd look.

Maida brushed past him, blushing fiercely, struggling not to cry. He knows! she thought. The enormity of what had happened to her suddenly struck her full force: a demon had possessed her. She hadn’t offered a sacrifice in months; that must be how she became vulnerable: everybody knew a good person could not be taken by the demons. She had to find out how to cleanse herself, and then she would give sacrifices every week.

Tyrmo, as soon as Maida passed, headed for his room, barely able to contain his laughter. Maida clearly blamed herself for the previous night, leaving Tyrmo in the clear. Plus, her inability to face him finally gave him some power over her. But he couldn’t let her do too much research, or she might figure out a way to escape, or, worse still, catch him. So, he opened the drawer in which he'd carefully hidden her hairs and sat down, re-establishing the link. He was happy to see that, as expected, his curse remained totally intact, just its link to the outside broken. It took only a moment to reconnect, but Tyrmo waited a little while before reassuming control.

Maida grabbed an index off a shelf and sat at the reading table, pulling out her notebook. She flipped through it, looking for books that might help her. As soon as she found one, she dipped her pen and started to write. Unfortunately, what appeared on the page was not what she intended.

“Good morning, Maida,” it said.

“Karnath,” she hissed. “Go away!”

Her left hand, out of her control, slipped under the waistband of her skirt. She shivered as it slipped between her legs. She was already wet.

“Are you certain you wish me to leave, human? You seemed to enjoy yourself last night,” her right hand wrote.

“No,” she said, not very convincingly. The fingers of her left hand were teasing the skin around her pussy, never quite touching it. “I want control of my body back!”

“You like being controlled.” Maida’s skirt was pressing into her wrist, cutting off her circulation, and her fingers were starting to tingle. “So, human, I will leave as soon as you admit you want me to control you.”

“No! I don’t want this.” Maida bit her lower lip, struggling not to moan as her fingers finally brushed over her pussy. “Go away!”

In his bedroom, Tyrmo frowned. This wasn’t working right. She was supposed to cave in, so that he could start her real humiliation. Maybe he should try something else – but what?

He grinned evilly as an idea came to him. He released his control of Maida, but continued to watch as she pulled her hand out of her skirt, shook it and grimaced.

Maida straightened her clothing and stood. For the first time since last night, hope flashed through her. She drove the demon away! Maybe there was still time to fight this. Somebody at the temple would be able to help.

Tyrmo grinned and watched through the link as she left Vilnus' house. Let the bitch think she was free. She was about to learn real humiliation, like he had suffered for years at her hands.

Maida ran to the temple as fast as she could, stopping just outside the entrance to catch her breath and straighten her clothes. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the temple.

A young acolyte was cleaning the entryway. Through a door at the far end, Maida could see the altar where sacrifices were made. The symbols of the gods were carved into its base, and the sight of them gave Maida hope.

“Can I help you, miss?” the acolyte asked.

Maida burst into tears and flung herself at his feet. “Please,” she sobbed. “I’m so afraid. A demon…”

“Don’t worry,” the acolyte said. “The temple is powerfully warded. The only evil which can enter here is that in the hearts of those who worship, which we cleanse.”

Maida nodded and sniffled. “Please,” she said, looking up at him. She raised her hand to his crotch and felt him through his robes. The acolyte stared at her in shock, then stumbled backwards.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

Maida stood and smiled, pulling off her tunic to reveal her pert young breasts. She cupped them in her hands, and smiled again at the acolyte. What am I doing? she thought. Is this Karnath? It can’t be, I’m in the temple. Is it… me?

The acolyte stared at her wide-eyed, backing into the wall. Maida took a step toward him, then grasped the hem of her skirt and pulled it down to the ground swiftly, stepping out of it. She stood before the acolyte naked, one hip cocked, and beckoned. “You’re not possessed!” the acolyte cried. "You’re mad!” He shoved her backwards toward the temple’s main door. “Get out of here, before you sully this holy place!”

Maida nearly fell, then caught herself, and ran out the door. Back at Vilnus’ house, Tyrmo cursed. He’d been laughing so hard at Maida he’d let his control slip! He was lucky she was so embarrassed she forgot to take her clothes, let alone check for magical influences – she might have caught him then and there. Now he needed to concentrate and find her again.

There she was, sneaking through the alley between the inn and the town walls. There was a hole in the wall that led into the baron’s fields, through which she might be able to slip unseen into Vilnus’ large house, which was between the baron’s field and the common field. Tyrmo reestablished the link, but didn’t take control just yet. He wanted to see what she would do.

Maida paused to catch her breath, putting one hand against the wall for support. The acolyte was bound to tell someone about her behavior, and her grandfather would find out as soon as he returned. She would have to tell him she was possessed, and hope he believed her. She couldn’t imagine the shame she would face if he, like the acolyte, thought she was mad.

Maida bit her lower lip. What if the acolyte was right? Karnath couldn’t have been controlling her in the temple; it was sacred ground. She didn’t think she wanted to seduce the acolyte, but maybe she was just that crazy. She shivered – it was a little cold here in the alley. She had to keep moving – the shame awaiting her on Vilnus’ return was nothing compared to what she’d face if someone found her naked in an alley.

Tyrmo decided he was tired of waiting, and had Maida lean back against the wall. “No,” she cried, “not here, please!” as he sent her fingers in a teasing dance down her thighs. Maida groaned, determined not to respond. If someone saw her naked in an alley like this, she would never be able to show her face again. She imagined someone catching her, looking at her in horror, and felt a flush spreading across her cheeks and breast. Her breath quickened excitedly. Gods, I am mad! she thought despairingly, but there was no denying it: the thought of being caught excited her unbearably. She ran two fingers up into herself, not knowing or caring whether she or Karnath guided her hand, and gasped in pleasure.

She pumped herself desperately, her weak knees barely able to prop her against the wall. Her eyes shut tightly, and she gasped in rhythm with the thrusts of her fingers, while her other hand rubbed and pinched her nipples. Tyrmo watched in delight: he’d just had to get her started, and here she was, doing it herself.

“Well,” said a voice in the alley, “this is interesting.”

Maida froze and opened her eyes. Two scruffy young men stood at the entrance to the alley, smiling lazily. She recognized them as brothers, Banik and Shif, who worked in the fields on occasion, but mostly just drank and stole. Both wore simple pants and tunics of undyed wool, and leers. Banick, the taller and darker of the two, was trying very hard to cover his surprise and look bored-but-amused, while Shif was practically drooling.

“Think she wants company, Ban?” Shif asked.

Maida wanted to scream, except for the part that wanted to keep rubbing herself, but the force controlling her wasn’t about to allow either. She felt herself smile coyly while her hand, acting seemingly of its own volition, left her pussy to beckon.

Back home, Tyrmo frowned. He doubted he had sufficient control to make her talk; animals lacked the necessary equipment, so he’d never been able to practice. Hopefully he’d be able to get the message across anyway.

Banik stepped forward quickly, grabbed Maida’s hand, and pulled her toward him. He wrapped his other hand around her waist. She felt like she wanted to be sick from the beery stench of his breath and the hardness pressing into her belly, but her body was not hers to control. She shifted her body sensuously against his, and he grinned, jamming his lips against hers and shoving his tongue down her throat. Maida whimpered against his mouth, but could do nothing to stop him.

He broke the kiss and released her hand, and Maida felt herself smile at him again, then kneel, sliding her hands down the front of his tunic as she went. She pulled his pants down to the ground, then looked up to see his erection right in front of her face. Please, she said silently, not knowing if she was talking to Karnath or herself, don’t make me do this! But even as she thought that, her stomach was churning with excitement.

Placing her hands on his thighs, she leaned forward to kiss his tip. Until that moment, Maida had never realized something could smell male, but that was the only word for the odor filling her nostrils and her mind. Banick's shaft was hot and hard as she licked it, and he wasted no time forcing himself between her lips. Grabbing the back of her head, he shoved himself down her throat, and she gagged. Unable to struggle, she had to learn quickly how to coat him in a layer of saliva so that he slid more easily back into her throat. Maida moaned in helpless despair.

Banik grinned. "Sounds like she likes it, Shif!"

Shif grunted in answer and knelt behind Maida. She felt hands stroking up her ribcage to squeeze and stroke her youthful breasts, and trembled. He didn't know how to touch her as well as Karnath had with her own hands, but the simple fact that they were someone else's hands, bigger and rougher, sent little rivulets of pleasure sparkling along her nerves, radiating out from her nipples and cascading down between her thighs. She moaned again, and this time there really was an undercurrent of pleasure mixed in with the horror.

How can I like any of this? she asked herself. What does that make me?

Watching, Tyrmo grinned. He didn't know what Maida was thinking, and he didn't care. He was just enjoying the show. He made her pull back on Banik's shaft and reposition herself on her knees, with her beautiful ass in the air and her back parallel to the ground. He had her place one hand to support herself on the ground, while the other reached between her legs to play with herself. Once she was in position, he returned her mouth to Banik.

Maida wanted to screw her eyes up tight, but she couldn't. Helpless to control her own body, she took Banik's bulb in her mouth, sucking on it as she ran her tongue around it. Her fingers found her clit, and she trembled and gasped with pleasure while Shif's calloused hands ran over her hips and the smooth caramel skin of her ass.

"Well, I figger it's my turn," said Shif, his simple pants rustling as they fell to the ground. "How's about a take a peak at your back door, girlie? You like that?"

Maida felt something hot and hard poke at the skin of her ass, and trembled with fear. She knew a little of what was about to happen from her studies as a healer, and she was afraid. But her fingers moved with a sudden burst of speed on her clit, and Shif reached a hand between her legs to feel her wet opening, and she could only moan.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Shif as he rubbed her juices on his member. "Here it comes, little slut!"

Maida moaned in anticipation, not sure whether it was the pleasure or the pain she anticipated. Her eyes widened in shock as Shif began slowly pushing his way into her ass. That wasn't where the books said he was supposed to go! It was so tight, so big, it was going to rip her apart! She wanted to scream, and she couldn't. Good thing she couldn't, or the whole town would see her, to all appearances happily servicing a pair of peasant lads. Or was it a good thing? Did she want the town to see her?

She was so full, so full, and her fingers were dancing on her clit as Shif began to pump, and Banik was grunting and clutching her hair as he thrust into her face, and gods save her it felt good. That same force she had first discovered the previous night was building in her, twisting her tightly, and she wanted release. She was out of control, her body carried on a tide of rising tension that at any moment would crest and crash down in pleasure, and she loved it. She wanted more! She didn't care if it was a demon manipulating her or the onset of madness. She didn't care anymore who saw or heard or what they thought. In that moment, she just wanted to be fucked.

Watching, Tyrmo loosened his magical grip on Maida just a little. She kept bobbing her head on Banik's cock and ramming herself back onto Shif's. Tyrmo laughed and let go control, continuing to watch while he quickly undid his own pants.

Part of Maida was aware she was controlling her actions now, but she didn't care. She wanted the whole town to see her, use her, do whatever they wanted with her as long as she could just reach the release that was hanging, tantalizing, out of reach. Gods, what am I? she thought. What kind of person lets herself be used this easily? But her body answered her own question for her as a pre-orgasmic spasm of pleasure ran through her, and she moaned in pleasure.

With a groan, Banik pulled himself out of her mouth, spurting white gooey ropes across her face and hair. The shock of being marked, of carrying a stain of what she'd done, pushed Maida over the edge. She screamed with release, her whole body tensing and releasing, spasming in pure bliss. Her writhing triggered a sharp cry from Shif, and then he too came, warm stickiness flowing up into her ass.

Shif slowly pulled out, and then Maida collapsed to the ground, curling tightly into a ball. She moaned as the enormity of what had just happened sunk in. Karnath had definitely not been controlling her at the end, and couldn't possibly have been controlling her in the temple, which meant all of it, the nakedness, the invitation to the peasants, the violation, and worst of all the pleasure -- all of it had been her choice.

Banik knelt next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Well, little slut, that was fun, but now I think it's time you gave us a chance at that last hole of yours." His hand stroked down her side, toward her hip, as a sob shook her.

"No!" she screamed, rolling away and getting shakily to her feet. "I'm sorry," she told them, not knowing who she was apologizing to, struggling to ignore the tingling between her thighs that wanted to know what being filled felt like. "I'm sorry," she sobbed, "I'm so sorry!" Turning, she fled down the alley and into the fields, where the tall wheat would hide her nakedness and her filth until she could reach her grandfather's house.

Hide from the eyes of other people, anyway. She could feel the eyes of the gods beating down on her, and the eyes of Karnath watching her, even if she could barely see through her tears. Only one thought pounded through her head with the rhythm of her running feet: What have I become?