The freshmen boys of Asher College have obsessed for weeks in anticipation of Phi Lambda Phi’s annual ‘Harvest Moon Panty Raid’ but Nick Wilder has other plans. He’s got his eye on one Phi Lamb in particular and he’s not about to screw it up by being like everyone else. But plans change and so must Nick if he’s going to get the girl of his dreams.

Chapter 8

A large group shouted outside the house, each of them wearing dark clothing and carrying a torch. Bare feet stumbled through grass as Nick’s belly pain increased. In the distance he could see the safety of a nearby forest and the chase continued through withered fields as the hooded throng followed close behind high heels. A chorus of laughter sounded as Nick dove into the woods, the bright lights in its shadows causing him to stumble through the crowd. A bloody trail followed his steps while hated jeers left palpable marks on his skin.

One girl asked, “Why are you naked?”

Nick lurched forward in bed, heart pounding in his chest. A dream. A bad dream. Every part of his body hurt but at least the chill was gone. A look in the darkened mirror showed he continued to wear the wig but wore nothing else. A hand on his chest confirmed a pounding heart. Nick took deep breaths until the pounding began to subside.

“A dream. Just a dream.” he told himself.

Similar dreams had haunted him for years but tonight felt like he’d jumped into the demon’s lair.

“Some would call that an accurate description though I deem it unfair.”

Nick jumped at the sound of his inner voice, almost falling out of the bed in the process. “Ouch … goddamn it.”

“Hahahahahahahahahaha… made you jump.” The high pitched laugh sounded more like a cackle.

Nick placed hands over his ears to make it stop. “Am I losing my mind?”

“No more than usual.”

Nick looked around the room. “What’s going on?”

“You did well. I thought I’d end the show with a bang.”

“I don’t understand.”

“We scared them. They need a scare from time to time.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you need a demonstration too? Put your hands on your chest.”

Nick pressed his hand on his chest, finding the two doughy pectoral muscles he’d lived with his whole life.

“How long have you imagined what it might feel like to have breasts? Not flabby imitations of your imagination, but the real thing.”

Nick's heart pounded as the strange warmth in his belly moved into his chest, concentrating in two distinct spots. The sensation was unlike anything he had ever experienced, a tingling both exhilarating and slightly uncomfortable.

A look down showed a subtle effect, barely noticeable at first as Nick’s hands tried to restrain the force pushing out against his skin. The flesh was tender, almost sore, as it stretched.

“What are you doing?”

“This will be our tiny secret … one between you and me.”

“How can I possibly hide this?” Lumps under both nipples caused them to protrude while a slight puffiness affected the area all around. A shirt could hide this but guys living in dorms don’t always wear shirts. “Everyone will see me in the shower.”

“Hmmmpfff…” The voice grunted, “Such ingratitude. You’ve thought of little else for years and yet you complain when I give you a gift.

“I’m not complaining…” Nick said.

“Fear is your greatest enemy. The time has come to force you from your shell. Come see me downstairs when you’ve come to your senses.”

“Downstairs?” Nick asked, his chest growing hot. “What do you mean downstairs?”

Silence.

Nick shouted in the darkness, “Hello?”

A voice answered from the hallway. “Is everything okay in there?”

Nick scrambled under the covers before the light switch flipped on. When his vision cleared he saw a cute brunette standing in the middle of the room.

She asked “Did I scare you?”

“No … uhh …” Nick said, while pulling the covers over his body. It was a dream. Just another dream.

The brunette held out her hand in a casual manner. “I’m Zoey, Gwen’s big sis. You’re in my bed.”

Nick carefully took her hand. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

“You’re ok. You aren’t the first guest I’ve had in my bed.” Zoey smiled. “And you needed the rest.”

Nick tried to put together the pieces of his fragmented mind. “What happened on stage?”

“Gwennie didn’t tell you? That’s odd.” Zoey looked up at the ceiling. “I’m sure she had a good reason.”

“She told me to rest.”

“Rest … yes … you needed rest after what happened.” Zoey nodded. “I’m sure she didn’t want to worry you.”

“Worry me?” If this girl only knew. The last thing he remembered was standing on stage and everything getting hot. “Why should I worry?”

Zoey bit her lip, “I’m not sure what I’m allowed to tell you. Everyone says I can’t keep a secret.” She moved closer, placed a hand on Nick’s forehead. “You’re burning up.”

Nick pulled the covers higher. “What happened on stage? Please tell me.”

“I’m here to watch you.” Zoey said, looking at the door. “But it can’t hurt to say you gave us quite a scare.”

“What happened?” Nick said, trying to hide his discomfort. “Please, Zoey, I’m great with secrets.” He’d kept secrets for eighteen years.

“Well…” Zoey looked at the ceiling. “Your folding thing was great … I’m terrible at folding clothes.” Zoey bit her lip. “My roommate says it's because …”

Nick interrupted. “Zoey… don’t change the subject.”

“I’m not.” Zoey looked at the ceiling. “You were on stage doing your act and … you got all quiet … then started pulling energy from everyone and cast a spell.”

Nick interrupted. “I what???”

“Ooops.” Zoey said, scrunching her nose. “Did I share too much?”

Nick asked, “What do you mean – I cast a spell???”

“Can you forget I said that part?” Zoey bit her lip.

Nick shook his head. “I cast a magic spell?”

Zoey nodded, her eyes full of worry. “Yeah.”

“A magic spell?” Nick pulled his knees as the heat built in his chest, “Magic? Magic isn’t real.”

“I can prove it.” Zoey sat on the bed. “Pull on your wig.”

“What will that prove?” Nick saids as he yanked on his wig. “Ouch …”

“See? You cast a spell.”

Nick’s body grew hot. “How does that prove I cast a spell?”

Zoey ignored hime, holding up a hairbrush then pulling it through Nick’s hair. “We think you pulled energy from the crowd and cast a binding spell.”

“No part of that sentence makes sense. I can’t cast spells.”

“That’s what we thought too.”

Nick gave another tug on his wig, “Ouch!”

“Your spell turned the wig into real hair.” Zoey nodded. “The seniors had a meeting to discuss what it means.” Zoey looked at the door. “Have you been hearing voices?”

“Why?”

“Forget I asked.”

“Zoey…” Nick sighed. “You can’t say something like that and then say ‘forget I asked.’”

“Then answer the question.” Zoey said, “Have you heard a voice?”

Nick nodded. “Yeah.”

“Interesting.” Zoey said, trying to hide her smile. “That’s not supposed to happen for someone like you.”

“What does that mean? Someone like me…”

“I can’t…I’ve told you too much already” Zoey shook her head. “We’re not supposed to help.”

“I think something else might have happened.” Nick whispered through gritted teeth. “It’s something I don’t want to tell and I’m afraid to look.”

“Ohhh???” The offer of information drew Zoey’s attention.

Nick pulled down the covers to reveal his chest, but instead of the breasts buds Nick covered when Zoey entered the room, he saw they’d tripled in size. The warmth in Nick’s chest rushed up his throat. “Oh god, I think I’m going to be sick.”

Zoey continued to stare as she rushed to grab a wastepaper basket. “It’s not uncommon to feel nauseous after a spell. I’ve thrown up lots of times in magic class.”

Nick made several dry heaves into the basket but didn’t get sick. “Breasts sprout on my chest and that’s your comment?”

Zoey’s eyes drifted downward. “They look great.”

“Seriously Zoey? You think I care how they look? I can’t go to class like this.” A thousand thoughts hit Nick at once. “My roommates. The shower. All those guys … I can’t …” Nick tossed off his covers, the chill of the autumn air resulting in predictable results. “I’ve got tits!”

“I don’t know what to say.” Zoey looked up at the ceiling. “Gwennie only told me about the hair.”

Nick clasped both hands to his breast to be sure this wasn’t another dream. “What am I going to do?”

Zoey gave Nick’s chest an appreciative stare. “I suggest a good supportive bra.”

Nick took a deep breath and did his best not to explode. “I’m not worried about the bra, Zoey.” Nick put his head in his hands. “How am I going to face my roommates?”

Zoey’s face brightened. “I’m sure Gwennie has a plan. She’s really smart. She told me to send you downstairs as soon as you are able.” Zoey paused. “Can you stand?”

Nick tried to stand, making it on his second attempt. Long red hair fell past his shoulders, its length hiding the new additions to his chest. “I can’t go downstairs like this.”

“Of course.” Zoey said. “You need clothing. Do you think I’d send you downstairs naked?”

“With this crazy place I never know what’s going to happen next.” Nick had barely finished his words when he saw Zoey had removed her shirt.

“What are you doing?” Nick found himself staring at Zoey’s tits.

“I thought so. We could be boobie twins.”

“I … don’t…” The ability to form words escaped from Nick’s brain. At the start of the night it seemed a pipedream if he’d ever see a girl’s breasts. Now, he’d seen his second pair in two hours, and not just any breasts but Phi Lamb breasts. On the flip side, Zoey apparently thought so little of his male prowess she was now treating him like one of the girls.

Zoey said, “I’ve got the perfect bra for you.”

Nick called out, “I told you, Zoey. I don’t want a...” It was too late. Zoey was already in the closet.

She returned a minute later holding a huge purple brassiere, much too large for most girls, and yet in Nick’s experience, it looked like he’d need every scrap of cloth.

Nick said, “I think the voice did this.”

Zoey nodded, “That would make more sense. You've shown no ability to cast spells until tonight.”

Nick tried to prop himself up, the flesh more than his hands could handle. “I can’t believe she made them this big.”

Zoey bit her lip before speaking. “Did you piss her off?”

Nick nodded. “I think so.”

Zoey looked at the door before whispering. “You should count yourself as lucky. She’s done worse to other guys. Much worse.”
Nick didn’t bother pressing the matter as he stared in the mirror.

Zoey asked, “What are you thinking?”

“I think I’m going to cry.”

Zoey said, “I get it.”

“No Zoey … you don’t understand. You can’t.”

“I understand more than you think.” Zoey closed her eyes before starting to speak, “I prayed for years my boobs would come in. My chest hurt for a long time but nothing happened so I prayed harder and then boom. Next thing I know I’m the biggest girl in school.” Zoey paused for a moment. “I got what I wanted but I found boys can be so mean. They teased me so much. I cried every day after school.”

“I’m sorry, Zoey.” Nick remembered being one of those boys. “Boys suck.”

Zoey nodded, “Yeah they do.”

A look at the clock showed 12 o’clock midnight. Nick said, “So you understand why I can’t go to class like this. How could I face my roommates looking like this?”

“It’s not so bad.”

“What do you mean?”

“It gets better. With that hair and those…” Zoey appeared to be searching for a word.

Nick sighed. “Boobs.”

“Yeah.” Zoey smiled. “With that hair and those boobs. You could live as a girl. You would pass easily. Isn’t that what you want?”

“I’m not a girl.”

Zoey asked, “Are you sure? Why did you stay when we opened the gates? Why did you go on stage dressed in girl’s clothing?”

Nick wanted to give an answer but found it hard to put into words. “I don’t know.”

Zoey smiled. “You know what I do when I’m confused?”

Nick shook his head.

Zoey smiled. “Makeover.”

“How is a makeover going to fix anything?”

Zoey grinned, “Makeovers fix everything.”

“You’re stalling.”

Nick shook his head. “Zoey?”

“Yeah?”

Nick said, “I think I’m going crazy.”

“How so?” Zoey continued to apply makeup to Nick’s face.

Nick lowered his pitch until he spoke in a whisper. “The voice won’t shut up.”

“You won’t shut up.”

“I think Goody likes you.” Zoey said.

Nick asked, “What’s a Goody?”

Zoey said, “Oh shoot. I wasn’t supposed to say that.”

“You can’t take it back.”

Zoey looked at the ceiling before deciding to speak. “Goody lives in the house and gets real chatty around Harvest Moon time. Gwen told me she thought Goody helped you cast the spell on stage. The seniors are worried about what it means.” Zoey bit her lip. “Oh, darn it. I shared too much. Can we keep that between us?”

“I barely understood half of what you said.”

“Thanks.” Zoey said smiling.

“Do you really think I could pass as a girl?

Zoey turned the chair around. “I know you can.”

Nick stared in the mirror. He figured he’d look ridiculous when Zoey said she wanted to give him a makeover but the mirror didn’t lie. The girl had magic in her brushes. The person staring back didn’t need a darkened sky to live as a girl.

“You made me look like one of you.”

“I told you.” Zoey said, kissing Nick’s cheek. “You could live your dream, Nikki.”

“No more stalling.”

Nick shivered as the voice sent a cold chill down his spine. “I should get downstairs.”

“Of course.” Zoey waited until Nick had almost reached the door before adding. “Lots of us are rooting for you, Nikki. It’s been a long time since an outsider won Goody’s favor.”

“Goody’s favor?” Nick turned. “What’s that?”

“Ooopsie.” Zoey said, biting her lip as a grin grew on her face. “Can you forget I said that?”

Nick smiled at Zoey realizing this girl was not the airhead she seemed. “My lips are sealed.”

Chapter 9

Phi Lambs ran in every direction as Nick made his way down the stairs but none paid him any mind. He found Gwen on the ground floor, rinsing out a sponge into a bucket.

Nick looked around at the buzz of activity, “What the hell is going on around here?”

“You look nice.” Gwen said, her eyes drifting down to Nick’s chest. “But the pageant is over.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“I’’m not.” Gwen said, “I’m trying to figure out what to say.”

Nick said “The truth would be a good start. You’ve been hiding a lot from me.”

“Yes... ” Gwen nodded, motioning for Nick to join her in a side room. “I have my reasons.” She paused, “What did Zoey tell you?”

Nick shrugged, “She told me magic is real. She told me the seniors think I cast a spell.”

Gwen nodded, “Most people dismiss Zoey but I love her. That girl doesn’t have a single duplicitous bone in her body. I thought it might be easier to hear the truth from her.”

“What truth?”

Gwen looked around to make sure no one was listening. “Everyone assumed someone like you would never get this far.”

Nick nodded, “Zoey said the same thing. What does that mean?”

“My pledge sisters laughed when I picked you. You never showed any sign of ability. You don’t know our world.” Gwen looked Nick in the eye. ”But some in Phi Lambda Phi have been watching you for a long time. Do you remember coming to campus last fall?”

“Of course. I saw the brochure and decided to visit.” He knew he had to attend Asher the moment he stepped on campus.

“How many other schools did you apply to?”

“The State school and the local Community College.” Nick said, “Why are you asking? Your investigators gave you my whole life story.”

“They did.” Gwen said, “I know everything, including your GPA.”

“I’ve never claimed to be a good student.”

Gwen asked, “Why would you leave your Mom and everything you’ve known to move to a tiny school three hundred miles away?”
Nick shrugged, “I don’t know. The scholarship offer was too good to pass up.”

“A scholarship to someone with your GPA? Curious…” Gwen smiled, “\When you visited, you tested off the charts for a normie.”

“A normie?”

Gwen explained, “Someone who has shown no signs of magical ability and has no ties to our world.”

“What does that mean?”

Gwen took Nick by the hands, “It means I need you to trust me. I chose you when no one else would and you need to trust me there are things I can’t tell you right now.”

Nick wasn’t sure if he believed the words but said them anyway. “I trust you.”

“I’m in the dark about a lot of stuff too.” Gwen pointed to a clock. “You notice the time? It’s been 12:00 midnight for a couple of hours now and I have no idea how that works. We’ve been told it’s some sort of magical pocket dimension but that concept is well beyond my ‘History of Magic 101’ class.”

“You take magic classes?”

“It’s why so many of the best witches come to Asher.” Gwen said, her eyes betraying no hint of deception. “This place has some of the best instructors on the East Coast. You can take a half dozen courses at Asher that can give you the basics of time spells if you’re interested.”

“Is everyone at Asher a witch?”

“Hardly. Witches have found it best to hide in plain sight. We live amongst normies while reserving certain places and certain organizations exclusively for us.”

“Like the Phi Lambs.”

“Exactly.” Gwen did a quick check to see if anyone was listening, “A normie isn’t supposed to get this far. We aren’t supposed to tell our secrets to normies but after the wig incident… the leadership isn’t sure what to do about you.”

“About that…”

Gwen asked, “What did you do?”

Nick pulled down his sweatshirt. “This...” Despite its large size, the bra strained to hold back all the flesh.

Gwen grabbed Nick’s sweatshirt and pulled it back into place. “Has anyone else seen this?”

“Zoey. And I guess she’s shit at keeping secrets.”

“Zoey has a gift for gathering information. She told you what you needed to know.” Gwen appeared to be lost in thought. “But she won’t tell anyone else. She knows what’s at stake.”

“What’s at stake?”

“Do you trust me?”

“I do.” Nick nodded, believing the words this time.

“I think you’re ready to see what’s really going on.” Gwen handed Nick a scrub brush and bucket. “But before we go outside, there’s something I need to tell you about the Phi Lambs.”

“What’s that?”

“We’re sex witches.”

Chapter 10

“What the hell?” Nick said while chasing after Gwen.

Gwen didn’t respond as she moved through the courtyard, past dozens of motionless freshmen lined up in rows.

“Gwen? Will you stop? What’s going on?”

Gwen turned, allowing him to get close. “Don’t make a scene. This is another test.”

Nick closed his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. “Are they dead?”

Gwen gave a cryptic smile, “No, they aren’t dead.”

Nick asked, “Where are my friends?”

“Your friends are fine. I checked on them right before you came downstairs.”

“I need to see them.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She pointed at a guy on the ground with a smile on his face and a hand on his private parts.

“Ewww…”

Gwen tossed Nick a pair of gloves. “You’re going to want these. It’s rather messy out here.”

“What about my friends?”

Gwen pointed towards the far side of the courtyard. “They’re in final processing.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Nick insisted, “Final processing? What the fuck does that mean? I want to see them.”

“Your friends are being drained.”

“Drained? Of what?”

“Sexual essence.” Gwen said, as if the idea was something witches dealt with every day. She pointed around the courtyard. “The Phi Lambs have been doing this far longer than either of us have been alive. Every person has sexual essence inside them and there are two ways to extract it – the fun way and this way.”

Nick asked, “Why are you extracting sexual essence from these guys?”

“It’s a valuable resource.” Gwen’s tone made it sound like her response was the obvious answer. “Tonight’s extractions could fuel this sorority’s magic for the next year but honestly, we don’t need it. This campus has a neverending supply of men with overactive hormones.”

“Ewww. So why do this?”

Gwen smiled, “Do you know how much money an older witch will pay for potions enriched with the sexual essence of an 18-year-old? That money pays for this house, our food, our clothing, our team of private investigators. It pays for our scholarships.”

“Scholarships?”

Gwen ignored him, “I’m sure our methods are shocking to a normie but the process is very practical.” She pointed out at the crowd. “Think about how many of these guys are virgins. They’ve been building up sex energies their whole lives without a true release. So we bring them to our house with the promise of ill-gotten gains, then fill their heads full of naughty images until they’re nice and horny. After that they go to final processing where they’re drained by one of our members.”

Nick thought he might get sick. “Do I want to know how you drain them?”

“We don’t give them blowjobs if that’s what you’re thinking … We aren't a bunch of bimbos. Phi Lambda Phi is sex positive institution. We don’t take anything unless it is freely offered. And these guys came here.” Gwen smiled to herself at her little joke.

“How does it work?” Nick asked, almost certain he didn’t want to know the answer.

“Well … when a guy is about to … you know.” Gwen smiled, looking more embarrassed than Nick expected from someone who just told him they were a sex witch. “We put them into a waking dream and send them to final processing. After that it’s only a matter of time until nature takes its course.”

“You watch?”

“No…” Gwen blushed. “We don’t watch. A trained sex witch can pull sexual energy from a distance. We can even pull it through a bathroom door.” Gwen’s discomfort turned into a grin.

“Wait a minute …” It was Nick’s turn for his face to grow red. “Are you saying you did that … to me … in the bathroom?”

Gwen’s smile turned downright wicked. “A witch never tells.”

Nick put his hand down as if to protect his crotch. “You took advantage of me.”

“Seriously?” Gwen said, “I did nothing other than offer lube. If you’re worried, the sexual essence of a healthy 18-year old restores itself over the course of a week. It’s not like you were using it.”

“Hey!”

“So let me repeat the question…” Gwen’s face broke into a grin. “Do you want to watch your friends in final processing?”

Nick shook his head. “I need another shower.”

“You’ll really need a shower soon enough.” She held up a bucket. “Ready to start helping with clean up duty?”

Nick looked around the courtyard. “No way.“

“It’s either that or you can join them.” She pointed to the guys in the courtyard. “To stay in the game you have to play the game. If you don’t, you’ll wake up tomorrow with no memory of tonight, only sweet dreams and a lot of questions. Your body will be returned to its state before you walked through our gates and our friendship will never be the same.”

“Seriously?” Nick asked, trying to determine if Gwen was telling the truth.

“I wasn’t lying when I said to be a part of this place you’d need to rid yourself of your inhibitions.”

Nick sighed. “You didn’t tell me you were sex witches.”

Gwen sighed. “It’s not as bad as it sounds. I know you don’t have any experience with magic, or with sex for that matter…”

Nick looked around the courtyard. Every guy had a smile on his face, “You’ve tricked me ever since I got here.”

“I told you what I thought you’d be able to handle when you were able to handle it.”

“It’s still a lie.”

‘That’s fair.” Gwen leaned forward and gave Nick a soft kiss on the cheek. “Can you ever forgive me?”

Nick blushed, his embarrassment forcing his eyes to look down. In the chaos he’d completely forgotten.

“Rejoice in the feeling of making yourself whole. Will you let fear stop you?”

A look around the courtyard showed row after row of his classmates. He’d never been like them. How many of them would delight in the changes he’d experienced so far. How many of them would run when given a choice to flee?

Nick picked up the bucket and grabbed the brush. “Where do we start?”

After hours of scrubbing, and more dry heaves than Nick cared to remember, Gwen led him to a strange looking gazebo near the back of the property. The structure looked old, with weathered wood panels sheltering twelve small stones in a circle. Carved grooves led from each stone on the weathered floor to a pedestal that held a large stone in the center. The stone appeared to glow from the light of the moonlit sky.

Gwen said, “You work on the inside. I’ll take the outside.”

Nick felt the building’s energy with every step. The feeling was similar to how he felt on stage but this was more raw, more potent. His body went limp after one step on the stone structure. The bucket and brush fell to the floor. Nick barely managed to put his hands out before hitting the ground.

“Feed on my power, Nikki.”

Nick tried to call for help but no words would come out. He tried to move but crackles of energy pinned him to the stone. Then as soon as it started, the feeling went away.

“I have given you what you need to make the journey. Touch the stone on the pedestal if you seek my truth.”

Nick pulled himself up, the stone drawing him forward. He crawled on hand and knee until he sat within arm’s length. The stone on the pedestal shone with an iridescent glow, though its worn surface had none of the elaborate carvings seen on its supports below.

Nick reached out with his right hand nearly touching the surface until he felt crackles of electricity tickling his outstretched palm.

“I have felt your pain. Touch the stone and you will know mine.”

Tears fell from Nick’s eyes as disappointments of a lifetime filled his thoughts, and reaching forward with both hands he felt the cold darkness of the stone’s smooth surface. The outside world disappeared in a swirl of colors as a thousand points of light pressed hard against Nick’s skin.

“How dare you refuse me?”

Nick opened his eyes, seeing himself nearly naked, and tried to cover himself but his body would not answer. A ruddy looking man sat on the other side of the room with an annoyed look on his face.

Nick spoke in an unfamiliar voice. “Holy scripture says we must wait for the bonds of marriage…”

“You think you can lecture me about God?”

The tall man stood, his face reddening with anger. “Does not the Bible say ‘… if I have faith I can move mountains but without love I am nothing?’ How many times must I say I love you? Isn’t that not enough?”

Nick’s mouth spoke again. “I must pray on it.”

The tall man’s voice softened, “Don’t pray too long. My time is precious with many others demanding my attention.”

Nick didn’t say a word as the man stood and walked out of the barn, leaving him all alone.