I sighed as I climbed down the stairs to the Nightmare Night party already in full swing below. Equestria was full of so many amazing, scary creatures and awe inspiring legends, but almost half of the mares’ costumes seemed to be straight out of “Power Ponies,” and more than one stallion was jumping the gap to dress that way too. Apparently sending dancers with invitations for random ponies meant they’d thought they had the day off to spend at the comic convention last week. I made my way past one gaudy outfit after another, smiling and refusing to roll my eyes as I schmoozed my way through the crowd to make sure everypony was having a good time. I was relieved to see that none of my regulars in attendance seemed bothered by the colorful “armor” and costumes adorning more of my dancers than I cared to admit. Honestly, I felt like the only pony in all of Manehattan who had no use for comic books. At least the decorations were nice, traditional Nightmare Night things.

Pirouette had already seen to it that my costume was discarded. I’d planned on a little fun, and had found a half decent looking dragon costume to wear. Common? Sure. But not everypony could puff smoke out of theirs on command. I’d figured it was an opportunity to get away with using the smoke in the open, but I’d only been halfway through explaining the idea to Day Planner when Pirouette bit my ear and dragged me through the door to my apartment for a scolding. I nodded to some pretty mare whose costume was actually doing a fair bit of justice to Celestia and settled in at the bar for a cider to start the evening. In hindsight, Pirouette’s face had been worth the loss of my costume, though the business collar and tie I’d ended up in were far from fun.

I pulled slowly at my cider as pony after pony turned up for the evening, and comic characters thinned out a bit as new arrivals showed a little less fandom and a little more variety, if not too much creativity. A naughty looking Nightmare Moon, a rather fetching nurse with a pink mane and nice blue eyes, and Deep Tissue, using her pale, cool colors to really make a windigo costume work. Strawberry Frosting was off for the night, like the rest of my employees, but was getting more attention than she’d bargained for on one side of the room. Her own fault for insisting on staying in that maid uniform around young stallions, but nonetheless, I gave Bruises a meaningful look and a nod, and she left the party game she was losing to gently remind my guests that even pretty maids need room to breathe. Okay, so she picked one up and set him down three feet away. The effect was achieved, and the laughs and light applause assured me no feelings were hurt. Apart from my plans for fun, the party was going just as well as I could hope.

I nodded with satisfaction and raised my mug for another pull, only to have some oaf trying to ogle that Nightmare Moon back into my leg, splashing the drink all over me and my tie. My mouth opened to curse, but I clamped it shut before I said anything that might ruin the mood.

The offending stallion spun quickly, his cape snaring my hoof, and sending the unspilled portion of my drink into my face. Snickers and laughs spread through the room as ponies turned to the source of the sputtering they heard—me—but quickly died as the dancers and some of my regulars realized it was their host wearing his drink, and guests picked up on the sudden hush. For his part, the cause of the problem at least managed to grab a bar towel and start trying to save a little face. I forced myself to calm down and gestured him away. I was mad, but he couldn’t fix that, and I’d save face myself by playing the gracious, unflappable host—and break the awful silence.

As he bashfully walked away, another Power Pony laughed, “Way to be in character!” and clapped the cape wearer on the back, earning laughs all around. I finally took a closer look. Black mask, red cape, gloves… Dum Dum? Was that it? And did he actually come to the party with that bucket on one hoof? Aside from the bucket, the costume was actually amazingly well made, at least in terms of quality. Not like I knew of it was actually right at all.

The laughter, with the bucket’s help, was contagious. I cracked a smile despite still dripping and called out, “No hard feelings. Mind yourself backing up, and enjoy the party. If you’ll all excuse me, I suddenly need a shower and a change. If it’s not my window getting smashed lately, it’s my dashing image.” I left the glass for Jade—who was off duty as well, but insisted on working—and headed back toward the stairs I’d only just come down, followed by better natured laughter and a cheer or two. And a coughed “horseapples!” from a certain manager, if I wasn’t mistaken.

I shook my head and headed up, letting the noise of the party fade behind me as I entered my office. The night wasn’t ruined, and I’d scored a few points with guests and employees alike, but the odds of having any fun myself seemed to be slipping. I didn’t have to have a mare for a fun night—as many as the last several months had brought my way, I could handle a break. Being surrounded by comic book characters, though, and having my drink spilled all over me, and having my costume unceremoniously seized… but then again, Pirouette’s face! Alright, the last part wasn’t a total loss.

Alone in my apartment, I muttered anyway and tossed my cider stained businesswear aside before slipping into the shower. I didn’t need a mare for the night, but it wouldn’t hurt, either. I made it quick, and dried as fast as I could. Taking time to enjoy the hot water was being a bad host. I trotted from the shower to my closet, pushed hangers around looking for anything appropriate, and muttered far more loudly than before. My only remaining outfit was my tuxedo—meant only for nights dealing with high society. This didn’t qualify, but wandering around with nothing seemed worse. Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling nearly as forgiving of Dum Dum down there. I gave up and grabbed the hanger.

Dressed in my very best, I headed back to the party, tossing my fedora on the office hat rack as I passed. I’d told myself in the mirror that it looked fine with a tux. I’d lied. At the top of the stairs, I nudged my mane into something more orderly and sighed again. The variety I’d been glad to see earlier had been partly sabotaged while I was changing. More ponies from the comic convention, no doubt. More ridiculous outfits, more garish colors, more shimmering, long trains on evening gowns. I blinked.

The unicorn in the green, sequined gown had to be some sort of comic character herself. A dress that exaggerated wasn’t evening wear; it was a costume. And I could’ve sworn it slithered behind her! Comic or not, this mare worked her monster or villain or whatever the way Deep Tissue had been working the windigo. What could’ve been gaudy and tasteless was the most eye catching thing in the room. I watched her the whole way down the stairs, along with half the other stallions in the room. I was amused that she didn’t seem to notice, until she smiled at one of my less adventurous dancers and scored an instant blush. Then, I was impressed—it wasn’t that she didn’t know the whole room was watching her. It was that she was right at home with that.

Or so I thought, until she scooted to a table and grabbed a waiting drink before any of the three stallions closing in on her could make it. Bold or nervous? She didn’t seem to know any better than I did. I scanned the room for Pirouette, and found her cheerfully chatting with a grown mare in a ballerina outfit. I couldn’t have asked for a better distraction. There was going to be a mare in my near future after all. And my bed.

I trotted through the hall, smiling and nodding at an employee or two as they greeted me and joked with a regular customer about the dancer he was chatting up turning into a pumpkin at midnight, but my goal was the table with the mare in sparkling green. As close as I was, I could see detail in her dress that I couldn’t make out from the stairs—every sequin was not only shining, not only layered perfectly, but shaped! The dress was an artificial snake skin, and the only flaw I could see was that no real snake skin would shine like that when shed. The club owner in me groaned in shame—I was paying thousands of bits every year for the best costumes The Tall Tail could afford, and not one had ever come close to this one night a year costume dress! She’d even managed to bundle the thing around her hind legs, keeping it from tripping anypony and making herself look coiled. The effect was amazing.

The dress wasn’t the only thing I noticed, though the way it shined, it was the first. The iridescent “scales” of her dress seemed blue at certain angles, matching either of the two shades of blue in her mane as I approached, making it hard to tell where one began and the other ended in the club’s dim light. With green leggings separated from the dress itself, and her own coat green to boot, she looked every inch a giant snake-pony fusion of some kind. I was back to being impressed—very impressed. If this look was from a comic of some kind, she’d done what nopony else had, and carried it from “doesn’t belong in reality” all the way to “I hope I never meet one of those in a dark alley.” Her face, on the other hoof, was pretty enough I’d be fairly happy to see it anywhere. Her slightly thin horn was the imperfection that improved the whole. Never especially interested in horns, I was surprised my eyes lingered there at all.

I seated myself across from her with a smile and asked the obligatory host question. “Enjoying yourself?”

The mare’s smile didn’t falter, but for just a hearbeat as I sat, she looked away nervously. It was out of place in that snake outfit of hers, but cute nonetheless. That lasted only a blink of an eye though, and another blink or two while she looked me over before she turned that seductive smile on me. I handled it a bit better than my shy dancer had. “So far, so far…” She wasn’t hissing her Ses, but there was a hint of a lisp on them that implied a hiss without going over the top. I was as amused, but even more curious about this strange party guest.

“Glad to hear it. I was afraid I’d drown in a sea of Power Ponies tonight. Didn’t even get to wear the costume I bought.”

The mare’s expression sat halfway between a frown and a pout. “Those Power Ponies are a constant nuisance…” She trailed off as she appraised me more openly, but seemed to have a heartbeat’s hesitation again before her gaze came back to my eyes. And it might’ve been my imagination, but I could swear the seductive smile had slipped a bit into a more excited, happy look. She wore seductive well, but this seemed more natural.

I took the slight pause as an opportunity to scan the room for any trouble that might be starting. It was a bit rude, and I hated to split my attention, but I was hosting everypony. That slight lisp on her Ses hooked my attention again, tough, yanking my eyes back to hers well before I finished looking around. “It seems your costume was no great loss… I’d say the look of importance suits you nicely.” I liked her. She clearly had good taste. As much as I enjoyed the compliment, I felt a bit out of place in something so formal. The wacky, colorful superheroes milling around made matters even worse.

“Thanks. It’s a bit awkward, though. It’s a costume party, and this is basically my home. Apartment upstairs and everything. Awfully formal for that.” As I spoke, I lay my forelegs on the table, relaxing a bit. The mare was a bit odd, but she didn’t seem to be frosty at all.

When I mentioned my apartment though, her eyes widened, and the seductive look vanished entirely. Her reaction was practically a gasp. “You’re the own—ah!” Just like that, the practiced look was back, along with the faint lisp. “This is all yours?” She replaced her question with a version sporting more Ses, and I caught on. She was trying to stay in character! I savored an imaginary taunt at Pirouette for all the times she’d called me slow.

If she wanted to play, I was game. I put on a broad smile and acted a little more casual, as if attractive mares with snake tails were completely ordinary. Not as if I were bored, but as if I had no reason to be excited, as if anything in the building were mine if I wanted it. Precisely the way Pirouette would hound me over if she were to see. “That’s right. I’ve run The Tall Tail for a decade now. We have a few parties like this each year. I want happy employees. The girls who work for me are worth every bit.” I gestured at a couple of my prettier dancers who were cheerfully trying to pin a tail on a rather poorly drawn donkey. I hoped I’d managed to sound generous instead of smug.

When I looked back at the green mare across the table, the seductive smile seemed to be battling with an excited expression, and her eyes were positively shining. I must’ve gotten something right. I noticed my guest had finished her drink and rose to my hooves, smiling wider than before. “Can I get you anything? No charge for anypony tonight, of course.” It was true: I determined the number of ponies to invite each year by what I could afford in the way of free drinks. With the recent expenses, this was actually only half the usual party, but Ms. Snake didn’t know that, and her eyes widened a bit—again, only for a heartbeat.

“So generous to those who serve you… I’m a little envious.” It wasn’t just the lisp; her habit of trailing sentences off sold the snake vibe just as much. How she was pulling it off without it standing out was beyond me. Rather than accept my offer, though, the mare rose with me.

“With your consent… I would rather dance. Is there music?” She held out a hoof to me, waiting for me to play gentlecolt, and I obliged, thoroughly relieved I’d sprung for a string quartet for the night. I gestured to Bright Jade with my free hoof, who came rushing over immediately.

Jade was her usual eager self, at my side in a hearbeat. “Sir?”

“This young lady and I would like to dance. Do me a favor and tell the musicians there’s an extra twenty bits for each of them if they start now.” Unlike my staff, the quartet was here to work. Twenty bits each to start twenty minutes early seemed more than fair.

Jade rushed off again, with my dance partner glancing at her from the corner of her eyes as she spoke to me. “So serious… well trained indeed.”

I bit back a laugh. If this mare had any idea what a mouthful she’d just said… Jade stuck her head out from the door behind the bar where the musicians were waiting and nodded energetically. As the violinist walked past her to take his place on the stage, I slanted my head toward the center of the floor. “Shall we?”

The mare took back her hoof to walk, and looked like she was on cloud nine. “We shall… I do hope you can lead.”

I didn’t answer as ponies parted to make way on either side for the host and his apparent date. Could I lead? As if a dancer like Pirouette would ever have taken work with me if I couldn’t. I was a bit concerned about doing it with my partner’s train, longer than she was, unwinding and slithering behind her again, though.

In the center of the room, I raised my voice, and was pleased at how quickly attention fell on me. “Mares and gentlecolts, thank you for attending, and I hope you’re having as much fun tonight as I am. By special request, we’ll be beginning the dancing a bit early tonight. Find a partner, and don’t worry if you need to sit this out—my girls are here to enjoy themselves tonight, but they’ve all agreed to make the rounds. Nopony will be alone the whole time, I promise.” The cheers from a few of the… less dignified looking comic fans made me wince a little. Nopony should be so hard up that a single dance with a pretty mare feels like a luxury.

I nodded toward the string quartet now assembled on stage, and the music began. A waltz, rhythmically simple, but as elegant as music comes. And heavy on opportunities for tripping over a certain mare’s gown. I’d manage.

My partner and I began to step, centered in the hall as various heroes, villains, and monsters found their matches for the first dance and began moving with us. I was more and more concerned with each step, just waiting for somepony to step on the long train and tear it or trip, but kept my eyes on hers. It was difficult not to, as intently as she was looking into mine. I was so focused on her face that I never even noticed as she stepped just inside of the traditional spacing, until the reason became obvious: her train wasn’t being stepped on, because she was lifting it to wrap around the two of us! I hadn’t even noticed her horn glow! Held high enough not to trip us as we moved, I could only smile, impressed again. The glow of her horn was so faint, and I had been so pre-occupied with her eyes that I’d never noticed magic was in play—and she’d never glanced at what she was doing. A perfect snake tail, moving as naturally as you please, kept us dancing just the slightest bit closer than normal. It seemed everything this unicorn did was carefully orchestrated, and I was torn between wanting to see her next trick, and wanting to impress her again.

My dancing may have, actually. She looked like she was having a fantastic time, at least, which was all I wanted—for the moment. After our third dance, though, some Power Pony or another politely tapped my partner’s shoulder, and asked to cut in, nodding at me. Another instant-long break in character later, the mare of the evening sighed and acted put upon. “I suppose it would be indecorous for me to refuse… very well. For now.”

I was surprised at how disappointed I was when when that long, shimmering “tail” unwound itself from us and slithered away behind its owner. I danced at every party I threw, and only rarely got hooked on one partner, but that night, dancing with anypony else was manners and good form, nothing more.

Halfway through the the dance with the mare in purple who’d cut in, I broke down and asked. “So, just what character was she playing? I’m not really a comic reader myself.”

Unsurprisingly, my new partner wasn’t delighted with the question, and spun it her own way as we moved to a more sensual tango than I really felt fit that mare. “Oh, that? That’s Madame Lamia.” Her tone told me precisely what she thought of that particular character. “She’s a long running villain, a total thorn in the side for my character, Radiance. Radiance is all about beauty and perfection. Lamia is too, I guess, but so creepy! Like, extra strength creepy. She’s always trying to get the attention of the wealthiest hero in the series, the Sterling Stallion—well, he used to be called that when he was a hero. He switched sides though, when Lamia captured Radiance and did something to her head for him. Made her do… well. Let’s just say they didn’t draw all of it, and that issue still caused a fuss!” My Radiance sighed, more annoyed than anypony should be over some comic. “I mean, Radiance got away, and the Sterling—I mean, Silver Slicer now, only Lamia still uses his old name—won’t ever be trusted again, but still! They should’ve had Mistress Mare-velous turn him into the Golden Gelding, if you ask me!” My partner laughed at her witticism while I winced at the thought of gelding harem guards in ancient Saddle Arabia. I was more than a little relieved when a new song began, and before I could find a partner, I felt sequins brush my neck.

The new song was a minuet, though, and I frowned a bit—I knew how to handle it, and my dancers would thanks to Pirouette, but nopony did minuets anymore. I saw my dancers quickly trying to instruct their partners while in motion, and “Madame Lamia’s” face turned uncertain. I hoped she was a quick study. Shoulder to shoulder, we advanced down the line, with me giving instructions under my breath, and the unicorn in the green gown struggling to keep pace. The song was drawing to a close. I warned her, “At the end, split, opposite directions. Meet me by the stairs.” As we came to the end of the line, I was relieved she’d only stumbled twice, and we parted ways. I politely declined one of my dancers with a promise of first dance at our next party, and moved for the nurse with the pink mane and white coat who’d caught my eye earlier, as quickly as I could without being obvious. Radiance had given me a headache, but also a plan.

The nurse had just parted with her last partner as a foxtrot started. Not perfect, but we’d be stepping with each other the whole time. I extended my hoof with a smile, and was rewarded with a nod and smile in return as we joined the ponies in motion on the floor.

“That’s a very authentic cap, miss. I’m glad you joined us tonight, and offered a little variety in all these heroes.” A little small talk got the ball rolling, and I inched a hair closer.

The nurse laughed. “It’s authentic because it’s real! I was in town for a seminar, and volunteered a bit this afternoon, when an invitation turned up out of the blue! It seemed like a fun way to pass the evening. My name’s Redheart.”

I nodded, pleased she wasn’t as uptight as her bun implied. Perhaps it was an on-duty thing. “Done Deal. And has it been?”

The mare nodded as we closed our legs on the quick steps. “A little tamer than I expected from a Manehattan party though. We hear so much about the big city back home!”

I bit back a laugh. She couldn’t have offered a better set up. Leaning forward and nearly cheek to cheek despite the dance, I whispered. “We could liven it up a bit.” Smoke slipped from my cheek into her ear, a gap maybe half an inch, and basically unnoticeable. Redheart slowed, unable to keep up as the smoke took effect, and I eased to a stop, looking for all the world like a gentlecolt sharing a secret with his dance partner. The smoke was as thick as I could gather so quickly, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Redheart’s nearly close.

Still whispering too low to be heard more than inches away over the music, I said, “It’s Nightmare Night, wild fun and games. There’s nothing wrong with going too far. On this one night, anything goes, and everything is forgiven.” Redheart nodded slowly, to my relief. I definitely didn’t have time for reinforcing anything in the middle of the dance floor. “When the mare in the long green dress speaks to you, you won’t be able to resist playing along—because it’s Nightmare Night, and kinky costumed fun is just what you’re looking for.”

Redheart nodded again, and I released the smoke, stepping back to a more normal distance. We picked up the dance again quickly, and Redheart offered an embarrassed apology for losing the rhythm.

Offering her a reassuring smile, I said, “Nothing to worry about. You just focus on having fun tonight.”

Redheart smiled back. “Thanks.”

Again, the music changed, but instead of looking for another dance partner, I headed for the stairs, where a curious looking unicorn was waiting for me, tail unfurled again.

I kept my voice low, speaking only when I was close. “So, Madame Lamia… how far would you like to take tonight’s fun?”

Lamia’s ears perked and her eyes widened when I used her character’s name, but again she slipped back into her role quickly. “That depends… are there limits?”

I assumed the question was as much out of character as in, but as close as her face suddenly was to mine, and with that seductive tone of voice, it was hard to be sure. I took advantage of that closeness and the darkness around the stairs where nopony but staff belonged, and wound a stream of smoke into Lamia’s ear. “You can be completely, one hundred percent Madame Lamia tonight. The mare I was dancing with, the nurse—she’ll play along just as much. Live it all tonight.”

I let the smoke go, and after just a second, Lamia’s demeanor shifted. Still seductive, still in character—but a line she wasn’t crossing before was gone. With a hoof placed gently on my chest, she leaned in and whispered, “Sterling, sweetheart… let me show you how serious I am. If you’ll wait upstairs… I’ll bring you something nice.”

It was getting harder and harder all the time for mares to get me to blush. Side effect of my “good fortune” with them lately. Lamia, however, made it look easy. Her tone, seductive before, was dripping with lust now, and her expression sold it completely. I’d never read the comics. I had no idea how her fantasy villain was supposed to act. Blushing and naive wasn’t it, though, I was sure. “Alright, Lamia. Show me what you can do for me.” I did my best to sound like a stern villain offering an opportunity.

It must’ve been close enough. Lamia smiled and licked my lips. “See you soon…” With that, she worked her way through the dancers as they hunted for partners again, declining a stallion or two on her way to Redheart. I hiked up the stairs more quickly than I meant to—getting hard in front of everypony was an embarrassment I didn’t want. The cider bath had been plenty.

In my moonlit office, I paced, trying to be every bit the impatient superior. Moments later, the door opened again, and in stepped Nurse Redheart, her expression impressively blank—she was playing along beautifully. Lamia followed close behind, her tail completely unfurled and shimmering. When it was most of the way through the door, it moved on its own—rather, Lamia pulled it so naturally you’d never have guessed—and she gently closed the door behind her.

I looked from Lamia to Redheart, standing expressionless in the middle of my office. “Pretty.” Couldn’t offer too much praise too early Lamia was supposed to be after me.

Lamia only looked proud, completely confident in herself. She came to stand beside Redheart, tail slithering around her “catch” with only the very faintest glow around her horn to give it away. The tip caressed Redheart’s cheek, but Lamia looked only at me. “Isn’t she lovely, Sterling? I can give her to you. Any beauty you like, if you’ll just accept me!”

Stepping forward quickly, Lamia again lay a hoof on my chest. “Let me serve you, sweetheart! Those Power Ponies will never offer forgiveness… but you simply bide your time! You’re worthy of so much more! Worthy of power. Of perfection. Of me! Rise to your place, Sterling, and let me serve you! Whatever you want is yours. I swear it!”

It seemed like this Madame Lamia character had one amazingly unhealthy fixation on the Sterling Stallion. Though, if she had offered anything like this in the comics, I could understand the hero switching sides! I felt the smoke beginning to swirl in anticipation. I was excited, and the mock villainy of the situation stirred the smoke as much as it aroused me. Lamia leaned in for a kiss. I didn’t reject it, but she did the kissing. “Why, Lamia? I’ve made my bed. You’ve got power of your own. Why serve anypony?”

Lamia stroked my cheek. “You, sweetheart. You were always worthy. Always perfect. Always so, so distant. But now, we can be together! For that, I’ll serve you!” Lamia looked toward Redheart. “And so will any mare you desire! Slave! Please Sterling!”

Redheart didn’t so much as blink. “Yes, Madame.” She raised a hoof to my muzzle and pulled it to hers, kissing with far more passion than her mock-trance suggested she’d use. I started stiffening down below, and pulled Redheart’s mane out of its bun. “Sterling” was sold.

Lamia smiled and patted Redheart’s neck. “You see, sweetheart? Anything you desire. Anypony you desire. All I ask is to serve you, to see you rise as you deserve… and your love.”

Lamia pushed Redheart’s head aside with her tail, and kissed me herself, not pausing at all before she slipped her tongue between my lips. I relaxed and returned the kiss. It was acceptance, and what Lamia had been waiting for. She pulled me into an embrace, her expression delighted. I closed my eyes and let her have her moment.

“Wh-what’s happening? Where am I?” My eyes snapped open and saw Nurse Redheart looking around in confusion. The smoke had never left anypony with a reaction like that. It was still a game.

Lamia’s eyes opened too, and she turned on Redheart, acting annoyed at the interruption. More quickly than I’d have imagined possible in that long dress, she was between Redheart and the door. “You’re right where you belong, dear. And you’re going to do whatever you’re told.” Lamia pulled herself up using the hat rack, appearing to be supported by her tail, and nearly as tall as Bruises—except for the giveaway of her forelegs rather obviously holding her up. Can’t ad lib everything a snake can do, I suppose. Much more believable was the train of her dress. What wasn’t directly underneath Lamia was being pulled magically again, this time coiling around Redheart’s throat, reeling her in, and when close enough, pulling her up. Redheart stood on her hind legs, playing along beautifully. My swirling smoke was quickly getting out of hoof at the show, however corny it was. I calmed it as best I could.

“No! Help!” Redheart’s cries would’ve been a real problem if she hadn’t been trying to make herself sound strangled. Nopony downstairs would hear.

“I was pressed for time before… but now you will stay subservient!” Lamia had pulled Redheart muzzle to muzzle, and if I focused on their faces, and not Lamia supporting herself with a hat rack, or Redheart wobbling on her hind legs, the effect was perfectly menacing. Both mares were completely in character, Lamia staring wide-eyed, Redheart looking panicked. “Stare, little one. Stare into my gaze, and serve your Madame!”

Redheart couldn’t look away, not with the dress around her neck, and looked right at Lamia’s eyes as if she couldn’t help it. “No! I won’t! I… I…” Redheart’s ears lay back, and her eyelids sagged. I was developing a fairly horrible erection watching it, even if it was a little cheesy.

Lamia smiled. “You will serve, little one. Obedience is your purpose! I, Madame Lamia command it!”

I’ll admit to choking down a laugh. Redheart, however, showed no sign that it wasn’t real. The fear that she’d shown a moment before was gone, with no expression taking its place. “Yes, Madame. I obey.”

Lamia patted Redheart’s mane. “I know you do. Now, come. Prove my worth to Sterling!”

“Yes, Madame.” Lamia let herself down from the hat rack, and both mares crossed back to stand in front of me. Moonlight from outside played on the sequins of the long gown as it snaked back through the air and around me.

“I do believe you might make an interesting minion after all!” Just as I was wondering if the word ‘minion’ was being too absurd, I was interrupted by the pleasure of a tongue on my hard shaft. Redheart was moving way faster than expected! Lamia seized on the distraction to kiss me deeply. I wobbled backwards, my rear stopped by my desk.

“Shh, sweetheart. Let me serve you. Love me, and I’ll obey as eagerly as she does. Nopony else deserves you. I’ll place you on the seat of power, and rest at your side!” The cloth tail pulled me back into another kiss, tightly. I ran a hoof through Lamia’s blue mane and finally kissed back, encouraging Lamia to tighten her dress around us both. Redheart’s tongue circled my flare before she sank my eager cock as far down her throat as she could manage. Thrusting a bit into Redheart’s mouth, I broke the kiss, and panted with excitement. Lamia’s giggle was surprisingly girlish to still be so sexy.

“This is only a start, Sterling! Give me your heart, and any mare you choose will serve! We’ll rule Maretropolis, surrounded by all the most beautiful objets d’art, artifacts, and servants!” My breath came in ragged gasps, and it was all I could do not to smoke both mares and take them where they stood. Not since Bruises had I been so close to losing control. The mock villainy was insanely exciting.

Without so much as a glance, I addressed Redheart. “You. Faster.” She sped up below me, the wet sounds echoing in my office as I pulled Lamia into a kiss myself, and she threw both forelegs around me. Her horn glowed a bit brighter to spin her tail around the pair of us completely, tightly enough that I couldn’t possibly move without damaging the dress. In Lamia’s double embrace, with Nurse Redheart bobbing on my shaft, I saw no reason to try.

“At last… at last, sweetheart!” Lamia’s tongue glided along my neck, sending shivers down my spine as Redheart’s tongue sent them up. I staggered under the pressure of the pleasure, and Lamia giggled again. Her smile was still seductive, but as soon as I’d pulled her in, it became joyous. Whether Lamia or the mare playing her was the truly happy one, I didn’t know, but the smile suited her face perfectly. She saw me wobble and pulled away, loosening her tail.

“Not yet, sweetheart, not yet! There are more suitable ways, and you can savor her mouth whenever you wish! Slave! Cease!” Redheart stopped sucking my stallionhood and stepped away obediently, but her cheeks were flushed with excitement too. Lamia hoisted herself onto my desk, reclined on her side, and parted her hind legs just enough for a muzzle, keeping them closed at the ankle to do as little harm to the snake image as possible. The train of her dress looped once around blank-faced Redheart’s neck, pulling her muzzle to Lamia’s soaking lips. The remaining length gently guided me to stand behind Redheart. The implication was obvious.

“Serve me, little one… Your lips aren’t worthy of my Sterling sweetheart! Your most precious place is his!” Lamia smiled at me over Redheart’s back, and pulled me closer. I mounted the nurse, smoke thrashing inside as Redheart flipped her tail up for me.

“Yes, Madame,” Redheart intoned, and she began to lap at Lamia. I slid my shaft into the very wet mare beneath me and nearly whimpered—she was incredibly ready. Not just wet and slick, but so hot inside it was almost unbearable. I reached to the very end of her, with Lamia’s magically controlled dress pulling me forward.

Lamia looked down at Redheart between us and stared wide-eyed again. Redheart’s licking slowed, and she locked eyes with the unicorn. “Savor this, little one. This is your nirvana. Pleasing both master and Madame. There is no greater honor, no greater pleasure. Give yourself to us!” Lamia used a hoof to bury Redheart’s muzzle in her pussy, and pulled me so my tip rubbed against Redheart’s depths. The nurse moaned into Lamia, and the twitching around my cock was unmistakable. With just this, she’d climaxed.

Smiling, Lamia looked up at me. “Enjoy the first of many, sweetheart. Claim me when we sleep.”

I didn’t need to be told twice. The dress raised from my hindquarters, where it had held me in our “victim,” to my shoulders. Freed up, I pulled out and shoved myself back in, roughly. With smoke raging inside me and my own excitement through the roof, I couldn’t have held back any more if I wanted to. I slammed Redheart’s hindquarters, driving her muzzle against Lamia’s gash, over and over. There was no art, no tenderness. I was overcome with lust, and I fucked Redheart for all I was worth. She began twitching again and wobbled slightly before I was done, but I didn’t have much left either. With a blinding rush of pleasure, I poured myself into the pretty white mare, smoke bringing me to fill her entirely in just seconds. As it began to pour down Redheart’s legs, I forced myself to calm down the sliver I could, and the torrent of cum slowed. I staggered and fell to the office floor, taking Redheart with me. Our mess spilled onto the hardwood floor of the office, but I was relieved to see that I’d gotten it under better control than I thought.

Lamia scowled on my desk and used her tail to pull Redheart’s head to face her. “Celebrate, little one. I’m unsatisfied, but sweet Sterling seems pleased… Clean yourself and the floor, and join us. Earn forgiveness.”

Redheart, still panting beside me, nodded emotionlessly at the command. “Yes, Madame.” Without another word, the dignified nurse rolled backwards, lowering her nethers over her mouth to lick them clean, and leave me stunned. Nopony had suggested that! What other talents did that mare have?

Before I could stop staring, Lamia stepped down from my desk and walked around me, wrapping me gently once more as she crouched to whisper in my ear. “Sterling, my love, only you can truly satisfy me… haven’t I done well? Don’t I deserve you?” For the first time, Lamia’s expression wasn’t seductive at all. It was pleading. I could only guess at the content of the issue that the Radiance from before had mentioned.

Comics aside, though, this mare had more than earned it, and I had wanted to give it to her from the start. I opened my mouth, remembering at the very last second that I had a role to play too. I did my best to look authoritative with a shrinking dick dangling. “You have. Come to bed, and you can serve me yourself—and be rewarded.” I couldn’t help but feel ridiculous. Really, how do ponies read comics? Lamia smiled even more broadly than before, though. That was what counted.

“My sweet Sterling… Put the past behind you, and look to our glorious future!” I could swear there were tears in Lamia’s eyes, sparkling in the moonlight. Just how into this could she get?

I silently opened the door to my apartment. Lamia passed me, stroking my cheek with that magically lifted gown of hers, and headed up the stairs. I followed, careful not to step on the train and ruin the effect. At the top, I kissed her, a pause before leading her to my bedroom. With the bed in sight, she gestured me to it, smiling… benevolently, of all things. I followed her lead, and she followed me.

On the bed, she pressed her lips to mine, far more gently than she had before, and writhed her way underneath me on her back, lifting her hips to allow her gown to coil around us again, from hips to chest. Pressed belly to belly, it wrapped several times, pulling me onto her. Ensnared again, she wrapped her forelegs around me as well, pulling my muzzle to her neck. I kissed up and down, from her jaw to her chest and back, her gown tightening around us as she murmured happily. Though I’d gone soft downstairs, kissing her was warming me up again, and to be honest, so was being so wrapped up.

That wasn’t fast enough for her, though. As Redheart walked into the room, tracking our noises, Lamia looked over my shoulder. “At last… warm him up, slave. I shall wait no more!”

I couldn’t look, coiled as I was, but Redheart’s flat, “Yes, Madame,” told me all I needed to know about her state. I twisted just a bit to kiss lower on Lamia’s chest, and was rewarded with long, slow licks at my ear. When I felt Redheart’s tongue on my balls seconds later, I wasn’t sure it was even necessary, but I wasn’t interested in stopping her. I gasped into Lamia’s neck when Redheart licked a particularly sensitive spot, and she pressed my muzzle against her throat, holding me there as if my panting breath were somehow enjoyable itself.

“He’s hard, Madame.” Redheart’s emotionless tone was out of place in the bedroom’s growing heat, but somehow raised it anyway. I gently bit at Lamia’s neck, and she cooed happily. Suddenly, I saw the faint glow of light from Lamia’s horn,and felt my stallionhood being pulled into position. The coiled gown loosened, our hips pulled apart for just a moment, and Lamia slid me into her with the most contented sigh you could ask of a villain.

No sooner was my tip in than the gown tightened swiftly, pulling me in to the balls as Lamia cried out happily. I could hardly move, but that seemed to be precisely what she wanted. She tilted her head up to look me in the eye, and there were those tears again, sparkling in the moonlight filtering through my bedroom window. “Sweetheart, ever since I became… this… nopony has trusted me. My tail has terrified, but you kiss me in its embrace! Surely no stallion but you will ever understand… my cold blood, ponies’ cold hearts… please, Sterling, fill me with your warmth!”

I still couldn’t move, but it wasn’t needed. Lamia spoke again. “Slave! Please him! I will not have him pull out tonight! Not when he’s at last in my coils!”

Redheart offered another obedient “Yes, Madame,” and set to work lapping at my balls while Lamia squeezed and teased my cock inside of her. Motionlessly, my pleasure rose farther and farther, but slowly. Without thrusting, I seemed to teeter on the edge, never tipping over, until at last Lamia leaned up again and and placed her lips on mine, twirling our tongues and brushing our lips against each other, her hot breath always so close, but beyond me in my tight wrap. It was the missing push. Though the smoke had dwindled after Redheart, it was still swirling. I overflowed Lamia’s depths, the seed alone bringing her to a gentle climax below me. As we came down and enjoyed the afterglow, I kissed away the tears on Lamia’s cheeks. No fall from grace could rob a hero of that much.

* * * * *

I woke to the smell of breakfast wafting into the bedroom, but the first to wake was Redheart. I blinked at strands of pink in my eyes, turning my head to track them to the nurse, propped on elbows and smiling down at us. “You weren’t kidding about livening things up, were you?” She blushed a bit. “You were right that this was what I was looking for! I feel five years younger, and I doubt very much if anypony back home would believe me if I told them what I was up to last night! It certainly was fun, though! Perhaps, in the future, I won’t have to play the damsel in distress…” Redheart’s tone seemed to be holding something out for me. I bit.

“You’re guaranteed an invitation next year. And consider yourself welcome at The Tall Tail anytime, Redheart. You’re great fun.” I tried to roll and blinked as a squeak came from under me. Bleary-eyed and groggy, I’d noticed Redheart’s mane, but not the mare I was still trapped with—and inside!

“Lamia—I mean… actually, I don’t know your name, but let me get off of you!” I tried to move again, but the sparkling dress just tightened further.

“Hm-mm.” The mare below me slowly opened her eyes and stretched her forelegs, dropping them onto my back. “This is nice.” Her reply was mumbled and drowsy. Not really awake yet. Well, if she was happy, it could wait.

Redheart laughed beside me. “’Madame Lamia’ seems to have gotten her stallion in the end!” She turned to get up and saw the clock on the wall—and bounced to her hooves in a flash. “I’ll never get to the hotel in time to shower and catch my train! I’ll have to skip breakfast! Oh, ponyfeathers! I let it all hang out one night, and look what happens!”

I called after her as she started to run from the bedroom. “Shower’s down the hall, on the left; tell the maid I said to give you my breakfast!”

Redheart stopped and sighed with relief. “You just saved me a huge headache. See you next year. Maybe before!”

Unable to wave, I nodded a farewell and looked back down at “Lamia.” That name really wasn’t going to do. There was only one thing I could manage: I rubbed at her face with mine. “Hey. Wake up, really. This is kind of nice, but I’m stiff!”

Still groggy, she replied in the most unladylike way imaginable. “No you’re not. You’re squishy now.” At last, though, her eyes opened wider, and she saw the face inches from hers. “Oh my Celestia! It wasn’t a dream! you’re real! Oh my Celestia!” I laughed. It was progress.

“Can you let me go, miss? Last night was a lot of fun, but I really am stiff, and my masseuse will pout if she has to massage me while I’m still inside you.”

That did it. The mare below blushed horribly and lit her horn, unwrapping us so suddenly that I was rolled right off of her without trying. She looked all around, wide-eyed and shocked. I just lay on my side, making no effort to rush or to calm her. That could start when she was ready to listen.

“Oh. My. Celestia!” The gaps between words were unusually long. Probably making up for the total lack of pause as she began to ramble so fast I could barely understand. “ That was just like the Unbelievable Power Ponies Hearts and Hooves Day Heartbreak Special Issue! I can’t believe I stayed in character through all tha—” Suddenly, she cut off and renewed the pink in her cheeks. “I… um. I mean… that was just like a comic book I read once, and… oh Celestia.” The unicorn’s ears drooped. “Um. Sorry. I get carried away, and…” She pulled a sheet we’d ignored last night over her head.

I stifled a laugh. “Relax, it’s cute. And besides, I had more fun last night than in the last month. Maybe more.” Definitely more. “Why don’t you start with your name? I can’t call you Lamia forever.”

My bedmate peeked back out, ears returning to normal. She looked more than a little relieved, but that changed to excitement again as she spoke faster and faster. “Shimmering Scales. Sorry, it’s just… oh, why even hide it? We’re in bed! Last night was a dream come true! I was my favorite villain, catching my favorite hero—ex-hero, I mean, and the wild…” Shimmering Scales coughed. “It was wonderful. Like living a comic. And oh, what a great villain you were! Let me work for you!”

I stared in disbelief. One night of comic themed sex, and she wanted to work for me? “Shimmering, I’m not really a villain! And I don’t even know what you do!”

I hadn’t actually asked, but Shimmering Scales was on a roll. “I work in effects for theaters! Props, costumes, makeup, you name it! I made my tail—I mean, dress! And I’m sure you are! Or you could be! So commanding at the party! And so calm in the office, even with two mares! You’d be great!”

I rolled onto my back and laughed. “I’ll bite. Why would I of all ponies make a great villain? I’m working to clean up an old theater in the bad part of town, and running a nightclub, not flying around and knocking over buildings!”

Shimmering laughed. “That’s just what the crazy ones do, nopony is really like that! But you’ve got all these mares working for you, right? And a super classy club with a private office. And if you’re renovating the Celestia’s Light theater, you’ve got to be in good with the Trotties!”

I sat up far too quickly and coughed up a lung. Struggling for air as a startled Shimmering Scales patted my back, I bluffed. “What in Equestria makes you say that?”

“Mr. Deal, everypony who studied theater knows about the Celestia’s Light theater! Celestia herself visited three times, before gangs ruined it! At least a half dozen of the most famous stage actors and actresses of all time started there, but nopony’s even tried to fix it, because it’s right in the middle of gangland! No way could you fix it if they weren’t on your side!”

I could swear the temperature in my bedroom was rising insanely fast. “I… didn’t name the theater.”

Shimmering Scales smiled. “You wouldn’t say that if I weren’t right. I’ll do anything you need! I could really help your shows! And when you’re ready to start the real work, I know just how to make you look like a pony nopony wants to cross! Or like somepony too squeaky clean to worry about! Think how much help that would be!”

I rubbed at my eyes. I’d really blown it. Shimmering didn’t have anything solid, but I certainly didn’t want anypony knowing about the Trotties. I’d had to tell every contractor I spoke with that I’d be hiring security, to avoid admitting they were in on the deal! Now this, all because this mare knew her theater history. She’d be less risk in than out. And that dress was perfect. None of our costumes held a candle to it. Plus props and makeup? “There really is a… respect problem.”

I forced myself to look at her. “Say I hire you. You’re not going to run around calling me a villain are you? If Pirouette hears that, she’ll call it proof, not to mention if somepony not in the know hears. I need you doing what you’re told, and making my shows shine. We can worry about… image issues later. Can you do that?”

Shimmering Scales bounced to all four hooves on the bed. “I will! And so much more, Mr. Deal! I’m sure you’ll be rising in no time!”

I made a snap decision. If this sometimes excitable, sometimes mousy mare could turn herself into that sultry snakepony just for fun, she could do me even more good if she were in the know about all of it. That sultry snakepony… “Close your eyes, Shimmer.”

Shimmer obeyed without a moment’s hesitation. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’d just hired her in part to cut risks, and now I was about to tack on a new one. I pulled up smoke, lots of it, and wrapped it around her body like I had Pirouette. Like I had with Peach Pit, I did my best to imagine what I wanted… and began. Shimmering Scales gasped and flopped onto the bed, eyes wide, thrashing and moaning with pleasure she’d never imagined as the smoke sank in. Shimmer’s body didn’t bulge or twist, though. That wasn’t the idea.

The thrashing slowed and stopped, and Shimmering Scales opened her eyes, looking at me hungrily. Without a word, she crawled over me, her dress still trailing behind, and kissed me right back against my pillow. My cock, half hard from watching Shimmer thrash, started to rise further, but I lifted a hoof to stop her, and she broke the kiss reluctantly.

“Take off the dress, Shimmer.” Confusion was written all over her face, but she slipped the chest loose—and froze wide-eyed as she saw her own coat. A snake scale pattern mottled her fur now, and it shone as brightly as the dress had moments before. Outside of looks, the coat was exactly the same as before, but from a few feet away, Shimmering Scales’ name had new meaning, at least below the neck.

I knew I should’ve been worrying far, far more than I was, even then… but that had stopped while I watched Shimmer writhing on the bed. Right that moment, all I felt was cocky. “You’ll need to wear dresses from now on I suppose… but that seemed like a nice signing bonus for a new minion. Why don’t you show me how eager you are to serve?”

Shimmer’s smile was the same joyous, seductive mix it had been last night, when “Sterling” accepted “Madame Lamia.” I only saw it for a moment, though. An instant later, Shimmer’s muzzle was buried in my balls, with her tongue doing the slithering.

Author's Note

Congratulations to Fable_Wright for Shimmering Scales win at the polls! Employment at The Tall Tail was never part of the contest. I can't offer a permanent place in the story based on a vote--a character that doesn't fit could win. But Shimmering Scales' talents make her a perfect fit, not only for the cabaret, but for Done's future aspirations. Who better to manage your image than a pony who's made her living making viewers believe the actors they're watching are who they portray?