Curiosity gets the better of you.

You can't stop thinking about Cindi's invitation. It's such an obvious trap, going to her room alone in the dead of night where you will be all alone and completely at her mercy, and you are pretty sure she is merciless personified.

But...

She did invite you at the vvtiching hour, the time when circadian rhythms in vvitches put them at the peak of their power. You suspect the peak of your power barely meets the ice elemental's lower threshold, so maybe it's just a little honey for the trap.

But...

She could crush you at anytime she wanted. Alone, or with her squad of supernatural simps. She certainly doesn't have to avoid witnesses. You brush up on school policy in between memorizing spells in class and find out that 'nonconsensual' **** of a classmate results in a 'three strikes and you're warned' punishment. Besides, as hot as the ice cold stunner is, you aren't sure you wouldn't willingly let you **** you if she asked nicely.

But...

She is so pristine and pretty and perfect. You can't help but put her on a pedestal, even if it crushes you. That's why you have to visit her, because you know that can't be true. There is a real person behind her flawless facade, and despite seeing more red flags than a Chinese military parade, you are willing to risk everything to find out who she really is.

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought her back, and so you find yourself at Cindi's dorm room, decked out in an oversized Hela U sweater that slides off your left shoulder, a tennis skirt, and thigh high stockings that you bought at the campus bookstore in case Cindi has a way to dispel conjured clothes. You knock and wait for what feels like an eternity, and is probably only a minute tops before the door opens and a vision of loveliness stands before you.

Cindi has ditched the cheer uniform for a short silk kimono that is tied loosely at the waist, letting her perfectly plump breasts hang almost entirely free and showing off her shredded abs. You try not to stare, but it's like trying to look away from the Aurora Borealis. She is so luminescent, lithe, and lovely that it literally hurts to look at her. She seems fully aware of her effect on you, almost as if she expects to be worshipped as her birthright. It would offend you if you didn't inwardly agree. After letting you ogle her, she steps back and invited you inside with a casual, "Come in," that is both coy and forward at the same time.

"I figured out how you wrote the note!" You blurt out a little too excitedly. You told yourself you would wait patiently until she asked to reveal you knew all about the Thread of Tantalus, a fiber that allows anyone wearing it to telepathically communicate to others wearing something cut from the same spool. You had hoped to sound wise and worldly instead of like the nervous nerd that went to the library after class to research enchanted items, but you are having trouble keeping your cool around the ice maiden.

"Huh? Oh...yeah. I kind of forgot that note as soon as I wrote it. I'm sure that's not what actually had you so curious you came here alone in the middle of the night." Cindi says dismissively and alluringly at the same time. She has you reeling from rejection and drooling with desire with every breath. You do your best to maintain your composure but it's hard to do when she is lounging sideways on a divan like some louche lothario. You try to stop tracing her comely curves with your eager eyes, but she has you hypnotized more thoroughly than any Octo girl ever could.

You decide to do something stupid, figuring at least that comes naturally to you. You stop trying to act cool and instead come clean, "Sorry, I have no idea why I am trying to act cool. I am a nerdy little pervert with a bad habit of worshipping beautiful women like yourself. I can't stop staring, or stumbling over my tongue...which is probably hanging out of my mouth like a cartoon wolf, and worst of all, I really do want to get to know you as an actual person, but it's hard to do when I feel like I am watching a constellation come to life and give me a come hither stare. So if you want me to leave, or jump in the lake of fire to cool off, of just bury myself in the deepest hole so you aren't bothered by my nerdiness, just say the word."

Cindi looks somewhere between astounded and amused by your outburst. Still, you clearly haven't bored her. She sits up straight, making a show of slowly crossing her legs so that your own go weak and wobbly. When she decides you've suffered long enough she declares, "My...my, I have always wanted to be a star, but even I am to humble to consider myself a constellation. Well...almost too humble. You know, you remind me a lot of a girl I knew in high school. We had a nasty break up, but she taught me to let people into my heart...but not blindly. So if you are going to dig around in there, I want to see yours first. Offer me your heart so I can take a good gander at it. Go on...I'll show me yours if you'll show me mine."

You can't believe that Cindi is offering to do tradesies on hearts. If she is telling the truth, all she has to do is politely decline and your heart will return safe and sound.

But...

If this is the trap it most certainly appears to be, you will be enslaved for all time by a cruel, cold mistress, and there is probably a downside to that you haven't thought of.