Beads of sweat formed on Lumina’s brow as she concentrated on an intense challenge that would decide her fate. Getting distracted now wasn't an option, as the cost of losing would be far too steep for her. Her breaths were short and shallow, her heart thumped against her chest as if it were abze, and her mind was sharp enough to slice through a boulder like it was butter. There was absolutely nothing that would be able to stop her when she was this focused.

  Lumina heard the notification for one of her viewers giving her a donation, but she didn't even flinch. It was a negligible amount of money being donated, and even though the sound clip she had chosen was obnoxiously loud, she'd so gotten used to it that it wasn't enough to take her head out of the game. Unfortunately, Lumina viewers were quite creative when it came to pranking her, and a few of them knew exactly where to poke if they wanted to snap Mia out of her flow state.

  After the notification for the donation died down, an automated voice began to read the donator's message. Lumina suspected that it would be a cringeworthy copypasta to throw her off bance, but she was ready for it.

  "Hey Lumina, this is an official member of Punch staff speaking. Our team has been monitoring your stream for quite a while now, and we're very sorry to notify you about this in such a crude manner. We couldn't seem to reach you through any other method."

  Lumina was only partly listening, but the mention of the staff being unable to reach her caught her attention. She did have quite a backlog of emails from Twitch staff that she'd never bothered to open, which made the donation message sway her slightly more than it should have.

  "Within the next few weeks, if you do not comply with the following policies, we're afraid we will have to terminate your Punch channel."

  Hearing that, Lumina froze up. The mere thought of having her channel get banned sent chills down her spine. This was her calling, the only pce she could be without feeling anxious or paranoid. To her, stopping streaming would be the same as death.

  Needless to say, the shock made Lumina drop the 489× perfect combo on the osu! map she was pying. She had made a bet with her chat that she'd give out 100 gifted subs if she didn't manage to full combo the map, but something like that felt so small compared to the risk of losing her livelihood and passion.

  "The policies you must abide by are as follows:"

  "1. Being a kissless virgin will no be longer tolerated. All Punch streamers must prove that–"

  Realizing that she'd been pranked, Lumina instantly turned off the donator's message and then let out a heavy sigh.

  "GOD FUCKING DAMNIT, CHAT!" Lumina screeched at the top of her lungs. She smmed her desk, shaking her monitor and causing her tablet to fall ft on its back. "You can't just do that to someone, you know!? What if I really did get banned, huh? Then the subs you shitfaces are about to get wouldn't even be worth anything!"

  There was an influx of all sorts of ughing emojis and jeering comments in Lumina's chat making fun of her for falling for the prank. After a short while, Mia herself joined in, ughing at herself at how silly she'd been while gifting the subs to her viewers. It stung a little that she had to give that much money away, but she couldn't go back on her word when thousands of people were watching her. Besides, whoever thought up that prank had done a great job at fooling her into believing she was actually about to get banned.

  "Yeah, yeah ugh it up, morons." Lumina rolled her eyes. "You win this time, but just know that something like this won't work next time, and then you guys are gonna owe me big time."

  She gave an exaggerated wave with both her arms at her webcam, just like she always did. "Thanks for tuning into the stream, everyone!" Lumina beamed. "It's getting te, and I wanna eat my pizza before it gets too cold. Goodnight!"

  And with a single click of the mouse, the stream went offline, and 'Lumina' stopped existing.

  Mia let out an exasperated sigh, carefully taking off the blonde wig and pcing it on the mannequin head right next to her monitor. She ran her fingers through her scruffy brown hair now that it wasn't being squished. The wig was the first thing Mia had thought of when she crafted the online persona of Lumina, and it was the only thing that had stayed the same throughout the year and a half she'd been streaming on Punch. Since then, a lot had happened, and even though she liked the life she was leading now, there was no doubt that it was an exhausting way to live.

  Even though Mia took up streaming as 'Lumina' to deal with her social anxiety, she'd made very little progress in doing that. It was simply because 'Mia Anderson' and 'Lumina' were two completely different people. Lumina was a sassy, confident, and extravagant young woman, but behind the gmour and lights, Mia was still the same, awkward girl who could barely talk to a barista without stuttering.

  Before heading to her kitchen to eat her oven pizza, Mia stepped into her bathroom to wash off her makeup. It was nothing fancy, just enough of a mask to hide the freckles on her nose and cheeks, as well as helping to make her skin appear a little smoother. It was one of the skills she'd honed ever since she started streaming. After she'd washed off her makeup, Mia stared at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a thin, button-up blouse that was opened up so that it could show just enough skin to expose the slightest bit of her admittedly unimpressive cleavage; the st remnants of 'Lumina'.

  When Mia had first started, she had opted to wear a much tamer outfit while streaming: a hoodie and sweatpants. It was simple, but it was the kind of clothing she was most comfortable with. However, as the image of 'Lumina' evolved, Mia felt like she had to make some 'adjustments' to how she presented herself online. She had to further the gap between her real self and the fa?ade of 'Lumina'. The first time she tried to pull off an outfit that exposed her skin, her viewers all jeered at her and poked fun at not only how awkward she was, but also her woeful ck of skill when it came to funting what little assets she had. She eventually decided to buy herself a push-up bra to make it for all of her viewers to ogle at her, an idea that she was far from comfortable with, but had to live with all the same.

  Sighing once more, Mia took off the blouse and bra, tossing them onto her bed. As she exited her room, she grabbed a shirt out of her hamper, and then put it on. It was a bit smelly, but it was about to get stained with pizza sauce anyway, so she didn't particurly care. She grabbed her phone off her desk and began making her way towards the kitchen, where her scrumptious, and most definitely well-rounded dinner awaited her.

  Pizza was the kind of food that could get Mia in a good mood, no matter what had just happened. Even though she was eating cheap, grocery-store oven pizza, she loved its greasy texture and slightly too sweet taste. It didn't exactly melt in her mouth thanks to the thick crust, but she enjoyed it all the same. As she indulged in her dinner, Mia opened her phone, scrolling through social media for a while before remembering the backlog of emails that she had from Punch staff.

  Mia had just opened her email when she heard a knock on her apartment door. She nearly choked on a piece of crust she'd been nibbling on, but quickly found the sense to straighten herself up, at least as much as possible with a dirty shirt and a pair of spats. Mia didn't remember ordering anything recently, and she certainly wasn't the type to have friends randomly show up. That could only mean...

  Mia's entire body tensed up. Had she been too loud and disturbed her neighbors? She usually made sure to keep her voice at an acceptable level, but tonight she had screamed so loudly when she lost the bet with her viewers that she wasn't sure if she'd accidentally woken some of her neighbors up. Mia gnced at the clock on her oven. It was 1:33 AM. Apologizing to a worked-up person was one of the st things Mia wanted to do at such an odd hour, especially considering it was early on a Monday morning.

  Oh no, I've gone and done it now, haven't I? Mia internally whimpered, too scared to move a muscle. I didn't mean to be so loud... Maybe if I pretend to be asleep they'll just–

  The knocking on the door intensified, causing Mia to let out a hushed yelp.

  "I-I'm sorry for d-disturbing you..." Mia weakly stuttered. She wasn't even sure if her voice reached beyond her apartment door. "I p-promise th-that I won't make any more noise... I'll try to be quieter d-during my strea-"

  "It's quite alright, Ms. Anderson." A woman's gentle voice assured her from the other side of the door. "I know you had quite the eventful stream tonight, I am a big fan of yours after all."

  Even though the woman's words were meant to be comforting, Mia was absolutely mortified. She was almost certain that no one in her apartment complex watched her streams, but then again, the st time she'd held a proper conversation with any of her neighbors was the day she'd moved in. Since then the most interaction she had with any of them was just a simple wave and a muttered greeting. Even if there was someone in her apartment complex who knew about her streams, they wouldn't choose now of all times to confront her about it.

  "Oh dear, I hope I didn't startle you too much." The woman remarked. "My name's Katrina Oswald. I'm one of the heads of moderation at Punch Interactive. If you could take a look through your door's peephole, I can show you my ID card." The entire time Katrina spoke, her voice retained a soft, calm tone. The words rolled off her tongue with a confidence that Mia envied, and even in her panicked state, she couldn't help but feel a bit rexed upon hearing Katrina speak. It was certainly better than hearing the voice of a disgruntled middle-aged man chewing her out for being too noisy.

  Swallowing nervously, Mia got up and walked over to the door, taking a look through the peephole to see if Katrina was who she said she was. What she saw on the other side was the rather blurry sight of a very official-looking ID with Punch Interactive's official logo. It read the name "Katrina Oswald", but the peephole was too dirty for Mia to see the small picture that was next to the name.

  "Did you see it?" Katrina asked. "That should clear things up nicely, right?"

  Mia nodded meekly, but quickly realized Katrina couldn't see her from the other side of the door and pathetically stuttered out a response. "Y-yes, Ma'am!"

  Katrina let out an amused scoff. "Contrary to your fiery online persona, you seem to be quite the well-mannered young dy, Ms. Anderson." She teased. "What an endearing trait."

  Mia's cheeks flushed a light shade of pink at the comment, she had never been any good at handling compliments. "Th-thank you, Ma'am." She finally managed to squeak.

  "Well, Ms. Anderson, would you mind letting me inside?" Katrina asked. "It's quite chilly out here, and I'd only like a few moments of your time. I've some important things to discuss with you."

  Something about this entire situation felt wrong to Mia. She didn't know much about the policies Punch Interactive's staff followed, but she was pretty sure that if they were going to visit a streamer at their own home, they wouldn't arrive at such a peculiar time. If anything Mia should have been given some sort of notice of when she was going to be visited.

  Fuck... Mia thought back to her stack of unread emails. As slim as it was, there was a chance that Katrina's seemingly sudden arrival had been mentioned in one of those discarded mail. The st thing she wanted was for Katrina to bring up her failure to simply read a few emails now and again, so she yielded, unlocking the door with trembling hands. She took in a deep breath, hoping that the paranoid thoughts gnawing at the back of her mind were nothing more than superstitions.

  Mia didn't know what she was supposed to expect when she opened the door, but whatever subconscious presumptions she'd made about Katrina were blown away the moment her bewitching yellow eyes met with Mia's shy, hazel gaze. Katrina's long, jet-bck hair flowed in the wind like an elegant mane, and it contrasted wonderfully with her delicate, pale skin. Even though it was pitch bck outside, her face seemed to glow within all that darkness, like a ray of light at the end of a winding tunnel. Mia couldn't help but take a moment to process the sheer beauty of the woman who stood before her. She would only begin to notice that she was staring when the cool air finally brushed against her warm cheeks, causing her to snap out of it.

  "C-come on in, Ms. Oswald," Mia muttered, painfully conscious of the uncouth state of her apartment. "s-sorry about the mess, I was just eating... y-you can sit on the couch if you'd like..." She couldn't bear to look Katrina in the eyes. Partly because she was worried she'd end up staring again, but mostly because of how embarrassed she was about being seen in such a sorry state, especially by someone who knew about her online identity as Lumina.

  Katrina gave Mia a warm smile despite the tter's gaze being transfixed on the ground, then stepped into the apartment. She took a quick look around the girl's home, with the pizza on the kitchen counter catching her eye.

  "Ah, were you having a te-night snack?" Katrina inquired, pointing at the unfinished pizza. "In that case, pardon my interruption, you can keep on eating if you'd like. This won't take too long."

  "N-no! It's fine Ma- I-I mean Ms. Oswald!" Mia replied, hastily closing the door behind Katrina. "If it's something reted to my channel, I wouldn't want to be r-rude."

  Another amused scoff escaped Katrina's lips. "Loosen up a little bit, hon." She said. "You're not in trouble or anything, in fact, I'm here to congratute you. It's been a year since you became officially partnered with us, you know? Since then, you've become a bit of a rising sensation on the Punch streaming site."

  The shock of hearing Katrina's statement made Mia freeze up. Her cheeks grew pink as she realized that all the emails she'd been ghosting were likely just Punch staff trying to reach out to her to congratute her for the monumental achievement. While her brain was stuck coming up with a response that wouldn't come off as pitiful, Katrina took a seat on Mia's couch. Right next to her, she pced down a briefcase that Mia had failed to notice before now.

  "I... ah... I'm s-so sorry that I made you come all the way out here, Ms. Oswald!" Mia burst out, furiously bowing her head in apology. "I-I should have responded to your emails! I-I shouldn't have put them off for so long! I d-didn't mean to be rude! I just couldn't-" Mia's words were cut off as she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She'd been too busy apologizing to notice that Katrina had stood up again. With her being this close, the height difference between the two women was all the more apparent. Katrina was at least a head taller than Mia, and having her gaze cast downward only made her seem shorter than usual. Not only that, but Mia could smell something pleasant; it was sweet, floral, and almost certainly expensive. It helped calm Mia down a little bit, but an inkling of her still felt panicked to be this close to someone else. All the while, Katrina gently smiled down at Mia.

  "You're far more emotional than I thought, Ms. Anderson..." Katrina whispered, "But that's exactly why you're my favorite little star."

  "H-huh?" Mia nearly coughed at Katrina's words. She slowly lifted her head to face the other woman, and while that sweet smile was still pstered on Katrina's lips, the kind, gentle look in her eyes was quickly fading. Mia gulped nervously. "M-Ms. Oswald, what are you talking about?"

  "Ah, such charming naivete... you truly are as perfect as I anticipated." Katrina cooed. Her expression was one of twisted infatuation. She gripped onto Mia's shoulder even tighter, causing her to wince in pain. "An innocent, unblemished angel, finally within my grasp... I can hardly contain my joy!"

  At this point, Mia knew that she had to get away as soon as possible. The once tiny voice in her head now screamed at her to push Katrina off of her and run as far away as she could and never stop to look back, but the moment she moved even an inch away from Katrina's grip, the woman's other arm coiled around Mia's waist, pulling her entire body into hers. Katrina was the stronger woman of the two by a good margin, and even though Mia was struggling as hard as she could, it was all in vain. "Ms. Oswald, w-what are you-" She began to stammer out in a panic, but Katrina let out a jovial screech to interrupt her.

  "Such a divine sound!" She excimed. "You're scared, aren't you? Terrified of what will happen to you? That's exactly what I want from you! More, give me MORE!"

  Hearing such unhinged words, Mia couldn't help but feel all the more intimidated by Katrina's sudden shift in personality. Her panicked mind didn't know what to make of what was happening. Was the woman before her merely impersonating a Punch Interactive employee? If that was the case, what was Katrina's true identity? The only thing her panicked mind could deduce was that Katrina was actually a deranged fan of hers who had begun to stalk her and was just now taking the initiative. Tears welled up in Mia's eyes as she came to the sorrowful conclusion. Katrina was exactly right, she was terrified of what would happen, and in turn, fueling whatever sick joy the other woman was gaining from this scenario.

  "P-please... let me go..." Mia squeezed her eyes shut and quietly sobbed. She had little hope that begging would work in her favor, but it was essentially the only thing left for her to do.

  To Mia's surprise, Katrina's grip loosened slightly in response to her sobbing, but it was still too firm for her to break free. She heard a gasp, then felt the hand that was just tightly squeezing her shoulder glide up her neck, then gently cup her cheek. Puzzled at what was going on, Mia hesitantly opened her eyes, only for them to meet with Katrina's intense gaze. What shocked Mia the most was not how dangerously close her face was to the other woman's but the fact that tears were streaking down Katrina's own cheeks, and in far greater volume than the ones Mia shed. Even odder was the earnest smile on Katrina's lips as she stared deeply into Mia's eyes.

  "Ah, I've made you sad now, haven't I?" Katrina uttered softly. She wiped away some of the tears pouring down Mia's cheeks with her thumb. "But don't worry... even this ugly, bitter sorrow is proof enough."

  "P-proof?" Mia choked on a sob, completely perplexed at what was transpiring before her eyes. She was terrified beyond belief, but even her anxiety couldn't stop the next words from leaving her. "P-proof of wh-what?"

  Katrina chuckled and shook her head. She didn't bother answering Mia's question with her words. Instead, Katrina closed what little distance remained between the two women's faces, stealing Mia's bated breath away with a firm yet impassioned kiss.

  At first, the shock of it all made Mia's senses shut off, but then they returned to her all at once, threatening to overwhelm her. She could feel the forceful passion of Katrina's lips pressing against her own, holding her close and ciming her against her will. She could taste Katrina's lipstick and saliva mix with her own; it made her gag reflex kick in, but Katrina wouldn't let her go. She could smell Katrina's expensive vender perfume, its scent threatening to suffocate her completely. She could hear Katrina's rapid, shallow breaths, and the rapid beating of her own heart in her chest. She could see nothing, because if she were to open her eyes, Katrina would surely be the only thing in her field of vision. Katrina's embrace was all-encompassing, and it had the sole intent of devouring Mia whole.

  After what felt like a torturous eternity, Mia could finally feel Katrina's kiss subside, though she couldn't even lie and tell herself that it brought her any relief. At st, the taller woman pulled away completely, though a single strand of saliva continued to connect the two women's lips for a few moments before it inevitably snapped. Katrina let out a satisfied sigh and let the hand on Mia's cheek rest on her waist instead. Both of their bodies were pressed up against one another with little to no breathing room, but Katrina wouldn't have it any other way. Mia, on the other hand, coughed violently as soon as she was free from the kiss, trying and failing to get the taste of it out of her mouth. She was mortified at just how fulfilled Katrina looked after the viotion that had just occurred.

  "Ah, the warmth of love..." Katrina breathed. "How long I've yearned for this... you feel it too, don't you, my love?"

  Mia didn't know how to respond. There was no doubt in her mind that she felt absolutely no love for the woman who held her so intimately. If anything she felt an intense hatred directed towards Katrina, but an even stronger feeling of fear overpowered that hatred. She could feel her entire body quivering. Her mouth opened to speak, but her voice refused to form even a single coherent word. She bbbered panicked, unintelligible gibberish for a few seconds before Katrina brought a finger to her lips, shushing her.

  "You're frightened," Katrina stated. She began to stroke Mia's hair as she spoke, "but fear, along with all other feelings, are just different ways of expressing one's love."

  Mia desperately wanted to deny all that Katrina was saying. She wanted to say that she was wrong. She wanted to shake her head in disagreement, but her body refused to obey her. She was petrified. All she could do was look at Katrina with her eyes widened in horror.

  "Your eyes belie your doubts in my words," Katrina said, "it's obvious that you don't understand the workings of a love as intimate and fated as our own, but in time you will see as I do, my love."

  "C-c-cops..." Mia finally managed to blurt out. "I'll c-call the c-cops on y-you!" Her chest tightened as soon as she finished speaking. Despite her anxiety and fear, she had to gather as much willpower as she could muster and fight back against the domineering woman before her.

  Katrina tilted her head slightly and gave Mia a pensive look as if she was trying to figure out whether or not what she had just said was serious. An amused glint washed over her yellow eyes as she realized that Mia had meant what she said.

  "I'm sure you think you'll be doing that, but you seem to have a misunderstanding here," Katrina smirked wickedly, then leaned in until her lips were right next to Mia's ear. "If you ever betray this love we have, I'll personally see to it that the name 'Lumina' disappears from the public's eye. Permanently." There was a conviction in the words Katrina whispered that made it clear that she was completely serious.

  A familiar chill ran down Mia's spine once Katrina finished. She'd experienced the same feeling earlier that night when one of her viewers had pranked her, but this time it was incalcubly worse. Now, she had no doubts that the woman who had just forced herself on her was indeed a member of Punch Interactive's staff. The idea that someone like her could put an end to the life that Mia had invested so much time and effort into made her feel all the more perilous regarding her situation. Her streaming as Lumina was not only the main drive in Mia's life, but also the only thing that allowed her to live the rexed, idealized life she currently had. Now, it seemed Katrina intended to make her choose between her personal dignity, or her livelihood and passion.

  Katrina stood upright again and gave Mia a smile. "I hope we've reached a suitable understanding now, my love." She beamed. "While your fear adds more fvor to our romance, I would want you to experience the pleasantries of love the same way I do."

  It was the way Katrina said such things in a casual tone that made Mia even more scared of what she was capable of. Mia couldn't fathom a world where she could bring herself to love such a person, not even regarding the fact that she wasn't and had never been interested in other women. Even now, she was making an effort to move her body away from Katrina's, but it was no use. She felt so vulnerable in her current position, especially considering how little she had on in terms of clothing. Her face was being pressed up against Katrina's voluptuous chest, and she could hear just how fast the woman's heart was beating. For a moment, it made Mia realize that Katrina, in a twisted way, truly did feel some form of love for her, but she quickly shook the idea away, refusing to humanize her after what she had just done.

  "Why is it that you're still struggling?" Katrina asked, her voice ced with a curious tone. "You should be happy that your destined soulmate has finally sought you out. Is there something about my appearance that displeases you?"

  Mia was in disbelief at Katrina's words. She didn't believe that there were people who were completely unaware of the wrongness of their own actions like this yet here she was. It was clear that Katrina was looking for a genuine answer from Mia, but at the same time, she couldn't very well recount what had just happened in the past few minutes. That would be the equivalent of spitting in the face of the woman who accosted her. Nonetheless, Mia needed to come up with a response quickly, or else she felt like something unpleasant would befall her.

  "I-I... I'm n-not interested in g-girls." She managed to stammer. "I o-only like g-guys."

  This time, it was Katrina's turn to give Mia a shocked look. She looked absolutely fbbergasted upon hearing that Mia's sexuality was not in line with hers.

  "What? B-but when you streamed, you always talked about how attractive you found the female characters in your games, and how you wished you could marry them." Katrina mumbled. For a moment, that avid glint in her eye faded, repced by something that could only be described as despondent. She shook her head, her brows furrowing in frustration. She stopped stroking Mia's hair, her hand clenching into a fist. "No, that can't be true! I don't believe you!"

  Mia shuddered at Katrina's sudden outburst, silently whimpering and bracing herself as much as she could. "J-j-jokes!" She yelped. "I w-was just joking around! I d-didn't really mean it, I'm s-sorry!"

  "I said NO!" Katrina sneered. She grabbed Mia by the wrist and squeezed tightly. "I won't stand for you telling such btant lies!"

  Pain jolted through Mia's entire arm as soon as Katrina grabbed hold of her. She let out a pained cry, unable to contain it in the face of such unbearable pain. All she wanted now was for the pain to stop. In the moment, she didn't care what she had to do or say, no matter how much she'd come to regret it ter.

  "I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean that! P-please let go of me!" Mia pleaded desperately, but her words didn't seem to get through to Katrina "I didn't mean it! I... I l-love you... I love you!"

  In the next instant, the agony ended. Mia gasped, realizing what she had just said in the midst of her desperation. She had a sinking feeling that she would never be able to take back the three words she just spoken. Hesitantly, she looked up at Katrina, vainly hoping that she didn't hear her and had stopped crushing her wrist due to some other reason, but the expression she wore hinted otherwise. At first, she was ecstatic to hear those tantalizing words in Mia's voice, but as she observed Mia's appearance more, it became clear that Katrina was dissatisfied.

  "Your delivery of those words... it cks a certain... devotion." Katrina bluntly said. Her tone made her disappointment apparent. "If your love for me is as conditional as that, then you do not truly know the importance of those words." She sighed, then began caressing Mia's cheek, wiping away more tears. "Don't cry, my love. I am gd you found the courage to finally profess your love to me, but tonight, I will show you a type of love only I can provide you. Only then will you learn how important those sacred words are."

  "H-huh?" Mia sniffled, utterly confused. Katrina's fanatical way of speaking made it hard for her to understand what was being implied, but she wouldn't have to wonder for much longer.

  Without warning, Katrina pushed Mia away from her, sending her stumbling towards the couch. She nded on the couch safely, finally being given a moment to be free of Katrina's oppressive embrace, though she didn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet. There was a distinct clicking sound that Mia recognized as her door being locked, sealing off her only possible escape route. By the time she'd regained her bearings, Katrina was towering over her, looking at her as if she were an adorable stray cat on the side of the road. Her gaze didn't waver as she reached over to grab the briefcase she'd previously pced on the couch, and for some reason, Mia felt like her body was frozen the entire time. At this angle, she finally had the chance to get a good look at Katrina's entire outfit. She wore a dark grey sport coat with a white, button-up undershirt along with a pair of nice-looking dress pants. It was quite the respectable attire, and she certainly didn't seem like the type of woman anyone would suspect to be as deranged as she was.

  Katrina quickly unlocked her briefcase, opened it up, and then set it back down beside Mia on the couch. One peek inside was enough to make her flinch in terror. A pair of steel handcuffs, an uncomfortable-looking blindfold, a ball gag, and all sorts of other perverted tools that Mia didn't even want to look at had been stuffed inside the bag. There was no doubt in Mia's mind that Katrina intended to use these on her, whether she wanted it or not. The thought of it made her feel like crying again even though her tears had nearly run dry. Meanwhile, Katrina was not only relishing in Mia's fear, but she was also shivering with excitement as she fantasized about all the depraved things she would subject her unprepared lover to.

  Katrina let out a manic giggle. "Never before have I been so excited to cim such a fair maiden as my own." She gushed, taking a step towards Mia. The smaller woman let out a yelp and curled up into a fetal position, but she knew it wouldn't help. "Such exquisite fear, such unparalleled beauty, such unadulterated love..." Katrina swooned dreamily. "You truly are the perfect love of my life, Mia Anderson."

  Mia felt Katrina grab the same wrist she had nearly crushed moments ago, and her dread intensified. It served as a reminder of just how powerless she was against her self-procimed lover. She squeezed her eyes shut as she heard the jangling sound of the handcuffs leaving Katrina's briefcase, silently praying that all that was happening to her was nothing more than a bad dream, a disturbingly lucid nightmare that she'd soon awake from... but the feeling of cold steel tightening around her wrists was too real to be a figment of her imagination. She felt Katrina let go of her arm now that her hands had been securely cuffed behind her back.

  "Are they too tight, my love?" Katrina questioned. "You can always let me know if you want me to loosen them."

  "L-let... l-let me go..." Mia mewled. Her eyes were still squeezed shut, and her tears had run completely dry. "I don't... I d-don't want this..."

  Katrina smiled softly and shook her head. "In the foolishness of your youth, you're still unaware of what it is that you truly want, my love." She began to stroke Mia's hair again. "But all that matters so little now. We are united now, and I will never lead you astray."

  The comforting intent behind those words was lost on Mia. She couldn't bring herself to feel anything other than terror, but that only served to stoke the fmes of Katrina's delusions of love. Mia felt something press against her eyelids. For a moment, she had no idea what was going on, but then she realized what was happening: Katrina was fastening the blindfold around her head. Its material felt rough and prickly against her skin, and the more Katrina tightened it, the more she felt like a vise was squeezing her head. She already had her eyes squeezed shut, but the idea of having one of her senses locked away against her own will sparked a new type of fear within her.

  "N-no!" Mia cried out desperately. "D-don't do this! I won't- mph!" Her words became muffled as Katrina's hand csped over her mouth.

  "Shh... weren't you so worried about being loud earlier?" Katrina purred. "I'm sure you wouldn't want your neighbors to get mad at you, right? Besides, I'm sure you know what'll happen to your life if you try to call for help."

  Again, Mia's body tensed once she was reminded of the cards Katrina held. She meekly nodded her head, begrudgingly complying with her captor's demands.

  "Much better, my love." Katrina praised. "Now hold still for me."

  Mia felt Katrina let go of her mouth, but she expected that it wouldn't be free for too much longer given the gag she'd spotted in her briefcase. However, Katrina took the opportunity to lift Mia's shirt and take a look at her figure. She had expected to see some pin-looking underwear covering up Mia's body, but her heart leaped out of her chest when she realized that, aside from a pair of spats, Mia was completely nude underneath her shirt. Mia whimpered as she felt her body get exposed to the cool air, but she didn't dare to make any more noise than that knowing what was on the line.

  "Ah, your body is far more sublime than I could have ever imagined." Katrina expressed. She'd started unconsciously drooling at the mere sight of Mia's body. "No other figure could ever beguile me the same way yours does, my love. I will ensure that every fiber of your being feels the profound depths of my love for you."

  Even though most people would consider Mia's body to be unimpressive, Katrina was completely enamored by the subtle curves and intricacies in her skin. She adored Mia's pert breasts, her freckle-covered shoulders, her slender waist, her dainty arms, her weak, finicky legs, and her small, firm butt. There wasn't a part of Mia's figure that Katrina didn't love with every fiber of her being. Seeing it all id bare before her made her feel like she was experiencing heaven on earth. While Katrina took in the sight, Mia was scared for her life. She knew that her inevitable viotion was growing closer by the second.

  Mia let out a surprised yelp as she felt herself get lifted off of the couch by Katrina. She struggled and squirmed, but with her hands cuffed, all she could do was kick her legs wildly while Katrina carried her in her arms.

  "Settle down, my love." Katrina sighed. "I would rather not resort to zip-tying your ankles. They are much more uncomfortable than cuffs."

  That was enough to get Mia to stop with her kicking. She already felt vulnerable enough with how restricted her movement was, and having her movements restricted even further was certainly one of the st things she wanted right now, not that what she wanted even mattered with Katrina in control of the entire scenario. Mia suddenly felt the familiar warmth of her bed beneath her, but it brought her no soce, in fact, it only amplified her dread, as she was well aware of what awaited her.

  "P-please... s-spare me..." Mia begged. "I'm s-sorry for lying... I d-didn't mean to upset y-you..." She heard a dull thunk as Katrina's suitcase nded on her bedroom floor, and then she felt something round get pressed against her quivering lips.

  "You don't need to apologize, my love, I understand," Katrina said. "You've never experienced such a level of intimacy before, but I promise, I'll be gentle with you. After all, you're the only one for me."

  Mia couldn't manage to put up any more resistance, and so her lips gave way to the gag Katrina was forcing into her mouth. She couldn't hope to force it out, and even if she tried, Katrina had already fastened the gag's buckle around the back of her head. Mia whimpered and wailed, vainly hoping that she could somehow loosen the gag enough for her to make a sound that wasn't a muffled mess of incoherent noise, but it was clear that wasn't happening.

  Now, Mia was unable to see or speak, and her capability to resist had been drastically limited. She was at Katrina's complete mercy. Now more than ever. All she could do was squirm uselessly and hear Katrina's unhinged procmations.

  "The time is finally upon us, my love." Katrina enthused. Mia could feel her shirt get flipped up, exposing her torso once more. She felt Katrina get on the bed, the rger woman straddling around her waist. "Please, accept this love of mine. This love that I have reserved for you, and you alone... I pray that you will soon come to understand it."

  Mia furiously shook her head and let out a muffled shriek, as that was the only way she could express herself in her current state. It didn't matter though, as Katrina would descend upon her regardless, her strong arms taking hold of Mia's shoulders and peppering her face with kisses. Each kiss was a symbol of Katrina's unyielding love, leaving smears of her lipstick all over Mia's fair skin. Katrina could not bring herself to stop or slow down in the face of her lover's struggle, too infatuated with Mia's resistance to even consider letting her go. Her lips gradually made their way down Mia's body, leaving a trail of kisses on her neck, shoulders, and even her messy shirt. Unsatisfied with how little unblemished skin there was to smother with her affection, Katrina ventured lower on the restrained brunette's body. She began to focus on Mia's exposed chest, circling one of her pert bosoms with a rosy ring of kisses before finally bringing her lips to her perky nipples.

  Katrina was overjoyed when she heard muffled screams erupt from Mia when she began to lick and suckle on one of her nipples. She absolutely adored the young woman's visceral reactions despite how much discomfort she was causing her. Not wanting to spare her unwilling lover's other nipple from the torment, Katrina brought one of her hands to Mia's chest, then firmly pinched her other nipple between. Mia's muted cries doubled their intensity, but they did nothing to sway Katrina's advances. She roughly yanked at one of Mia's nipples and pyfully bit down on the other, forcing the excruciating pain onto such a tender part of Mia's previously untouched body. Katrina savored the experience of robbing the once-pure maiden of her innocence.

  Each moment seemed to stretch on eternally for Mia. She couldn't be sure how much time had passed since Katrina had begun to smother her helpless body with affection, but she knew that she detested every second of it. She wished that her body could go numb, or that the shock of everything would knock her unconscious, but such a fortunate thing could never happen in the nightmare she was living out. She had screamed into the gag so much that she was almost sure that she had lost her voice by now, but even in the absence of her vocal reactions, Katrina still ravenously cimed every inch of her body with a shower of kisses. The only sound Mia could make in response were weak, muffled groans. She didn't even have it in her to squirm away from Katrina's touch; the most she could manage to do was twitch whenever a new sensation presented itself.

  At long st, Katrina pulled herself away from Mia's body, only partly satisfied at what she had managed to do so far. The girl's body was coated with Katrina's lipstick, and her erect nipples were like hairs standing on their end, throbbing painfully from all that Katrina had subjected them to.

  "Magnificent... absolutely wonderful!" Katrina panted and then sighed longingly. "But even now, I still have love for you that I have yet to express. This is but one of the countless forms of love you can receive. Your fear, your pain, your discomfort, your sadness, your disgust, your rage... all of these ugly, terrible feelings... " She rambled on with a crazed look in her eyes, then leaned in close again, holding Mia's weak body close as she whispered her next words. "They are undeniable proof of our love."

  Mia knew that Katrina was far from sane, but hearing that entire procmation of 'love' still sent a chill down her spine. She had no strength left to deny what Katrina said, not even with a simple shaking of her head, and that alone was enough to make Katrina feel eted. She let out a jubint squeal and then pulled Mia in for a hug, snuggling the brunette's face into her breasts as she did so.

  "Mia, you truly are the only love of my life..." Katrina cooed. One of her hands started to glide down Mia's back, stopping at her ass to give it a firm squeeze. "Now, as we hold on to those ugly feelings, let us engage in the more... pleasurable intimacies of our love."

  The words caused to Mia let out a distressed moan. She had used up what little strength she had to struggle against Katrina already, so she couldn't even will herself to squirm against the older woman's hands when she felt them slip into her spats. Mia couldn't shed any more tears, but she cried all the same. Her raspy, strained voice wailed into the gag despite the futility of it all. She could feel Katrina's fingers caress her bare buttocks with the tenderness and care of a lover, but none of it was reciprocated. She gasped in horror as that same hand went even further, a single finger circling her bia, carefully teasing Mia's virgin pussy.

  "You've never been touched here before, have you?" Katrina purred, her finger still circling Mia's sex. "Not by anyone, not even yourself. This precious, sacred pce of yours has been reserved just for me. It is the doorway to pleasures that you've only ever dreamt of... but you need not dream any longer, because I am here with you, my love."

  Katrina carefully slipped a finger into Mia's pussy, and for an instant, there was a sharp, tearing pain as she felt her hymen being stretched open for the first time. Though her voice was already strained more than it had ever been before, Mia screamed into her gag at the brief but intense sensation. Her crotch felt like it was on fire despite how gentle Katrina was when inserting her finger. However, after that initial agony, all Mia could feel was the electrifying experience of having her vaginal walls caressed for the first time in her life, causing the young woman's hips to buck involuntarily. She moaned into her gag, her inexperience in sensual interactions causing her body to betray her. The st thing she wanted to feel it this moment was pleasure, but as Katrina's finger delved deeper into Mia's unexplored orifice, it became harder for her to feel anything other than that.

  "Such a soothing sound," Katrina smirked. "I agree, my love. I too prefer the more beautiful feelings reted to love. You shouldn't be ashamed of yourself." Her fingers rubbed against Mia's inner walls as she spoke, eliciting more perverted sounds from the bound girl. Mia couldn't help it, she had never felt something like this before. It felt wrong, filthy even, but the way Katrina kept whispering into her ear about how it was all a part of 'love' made her doubt herself. She wasn't knowledgeable about most of the basics of social interaction, let alone intimate feelings. She was sure that what Katrina was spouting on and on about couldn't be called 'love'... but Katrina's words were like venom seeping into her mind, sowing seeds of doubt and confusion within her, even if she didn't realize it yet.

  Katrina slipped another finger into Mia, but this time she had a completely different reaction. It was like a jolt of pure, undiluted pleasure zipped through her entire body, but just as quickly as it came, it passed. She could feel her crotch beginning to moisten, and her shame grew to a level she'd never experienced before. Katrina, on the other hand, was grinning as though she'd just won the lottery.

  "Ah, it seems like I've finally found your 'key'." Katrina giggled. "Now, I can give you a true taste of the pleasures that await-" Her words were interrupted by the sound of an arm beeping. Mia didn't recognize it, so it had to belong to Katrina. She could hear Katrina curse under her breath, then felt the woman's fingers slip out of her crotch. Mia let out a muffled grunt, a small part of her conscious mind curious as to why Katrina had suddenly stopped, but the majority of her thankful that she wouldn't be subjected to any more of the crazed woman's 'love'.

  She felt Katrina get off of her bed, and then the blindfold that had been tightened around her head began to loosen up. When it was finally unfastened and taken off, Mia came face to face with Katrina once again. Katrina's face was red, and she was still breathing heavily from all the passion she'd shown Mia throughout the night, but she had a look of disappointment on her face, though for some reason Mia could tell that the feeling wasn't directed towards her specifically.

  "My time here has regrettably come to an end, my love." Katrina pouted. "Although our time together has been short, I'm sure you now have a firm grasp of the depths of my love for you. I hope that I get the opportunity to teach you more about the depths of the love in your heart soon." She reached into her briefcase and produced a pair of keys, then unlocked the cuffs around Mia's wrists. The indentations they left behind on her skin burned, but it was better than having them rub against her skin constantly. Although her hands were free, Mia didn't try to push Katrina away anymore. She wasn't sure if she was too tired to move a muscle, or if her body itself was submitting to Katrina's dominance. The st thing to come off was the drool-covered gag in Mia's mouth. Even if she wanted to scream for help now, her voice would be too hoarse to make any sound louder than a pathetic croaking.

  Mia stayed in the exact same spot on her bed as Katrina packed up her belongings. Her abused, once-chaste body was covered in lipstick smears, spit, sweat, and tears. Her nipples ached, and even the feeling of air brushing against the tender flesh caused her to wince slightly. The sacred pce between her legs was moist with her own blood along with a hint of the cum she'd shamefully let out when Katrina's finger brushed against her clitoris. She once more wished that this was all some sort of terribly vivid nightmare... but everything she felt was too real. As much as she wished she couldn't, Mia was able to recall every moment of her torment, and if Katrina had anything to say about it, this would only be the beginning for her.

  Without her even realizing she had been gone, Katrina reentered Mia's field of view looking completely presentable now, with the exception of a few wrinkles in her shirt. She'd somehow managed to reapply all of her makeup and clean up the stains on her shirt without leaving any notable trace of what she'd just done. She gave Mia a little wave, then sat down beside her.

  "I must be on my way now, my love," Katrina spoke in a somber tone. She took hold of Mia's hand and gave it a little squeeze. "My schedule is usually rather packed, but I cleared as much of it as I could now that I can finally be with you. In fact..." She reached into her briefcase, pulling out a notepad and a pen, and then quickly jotting something down. "I've pnned out a whole first date just for the two of us! It'll be so romantic... I can hardly wait!" She leaned over and gave Mia a smooch on the cheek, leaving some of her freshly applied rose gold lipstick behind when she pulled away.

  Standing up, Katrina ripped out the page she'd written on and pced it on Mia's desk. "And so, I must bid you a temporary farewell, my love." She sighed. "I insist that you be punctual to our date this Wednesday. I'll have to buy you a proper set of outing clothes, and I'd like it if both of us could decide on what outfit would make you look the most adorable." She slowly made her way to Mia's bedroom door as she spoke, her hands lingering on the doorknob for a few moments. "From the very bottom of my heart, Mia... I love you. I hope one day, you'll come to realize your love for me too." Katrina closed Mia's bedroom door, and Mia could hear the door to her apartment swing open and then shut in the distance.

  She didn't know how much time passed before she felt like she could move again. Mia's entire body was drained, and her already fragile will had been shattered by Katrina's viotion of her. So much had happened to her in such a short amount of time, and she couldn't think about anything other than the way Katrina's made all those grand procmations of love while putting her through such a hellish experience. She found the strength to sit up straight, but when she tried to stand, her legs trembled, then plopped her back down onto her bed. The only mirror Mia had was in her bathroom, but she could see a blurry reflection of herself through her unpowered monitor across her room. Her face was covered in dried-up lipstick and tears, as were her neck and shoulders. She didn't even want to take a look at her torso, but she knew she would have to sooner or ter.

  Mia gnced at her clock. It read 4:01 AM. At 4:15, she had enough strength in her legs to stand up and slowly make her way to the bathroom, using her surroundings to help keep her on her feet. She didn't look at her reflection. Instead, she stripped off her clothes, got into the shower, and turned on the tap. Cool water rained down upon her making her flinch, but she still managed to stay on her feet. Finally, she tilted her head down, looking at her defiled body for the first time. The sight of her sore nipples, the lipstick smears Katrina left behind, and the droplets of blood leaking out of her pussy pushed her over, and she began to cry fresh tears. She curled up into a fetal position in the shower and sobbed as the water washed her tears and the aftermath of Katrina's 'love' away from her.

  The ideal life that Mia once lived had come to a heartbreaking end. All that awaited her now was a life twisted by Katrina's deranged love.