In a flash of fire I appeared, completely naked, inside a pentagram in a room of brown stonework and tall peaked windows showing a sky with two crescent moons. Quite disconcerting, as I’d just been at a cast party in Queens being held partly in honor of yours truly, William Charles Roberts, star of the stage and of the admittedly smaller screens. Also, I’d thought that magic, other than movie magic, was less real than an agent’s promises. Still, as an actor I was rather used to strange situations, so I resolved to face this one squarely. The pentagram had a foul-smelling candle at each point, and it had been drawn using a white powder with silvery flecks. I reached forward to touch it, and a numbing shock jolted my arm. As I recoiled in pain, a woman laughed. I turned to meet her gaze. Raven-haired and imposing of figure, she wore a simple white robe, and a glimpse through the loose front showed she was nude underneath. On her head was a circlet made of a red-berried vine, and she held a wand in one hand and a ritual dagger in the other. Her charms were certainly rather… impressive, but I prefer the light, willowy types myself. Also, there was something off about her, something unearthly, that gave me the cold chills down below. Suddenly, she dropped her tools and jumped in the air, cheering and laughing and giving me another interesting view from within her robe. “Hah! Just wait until I bring you to the next Coven circle. Oh, won’t they be eating their words! ‘Dearie, you seem to have [i]so much trouble[/i] with men; why not just [i]summon one[/i] from another dimension?’ And they’d all snicker like it was clever. They never dreamed that I would really go and [i]do it![/i]” She paused, and ran an appreciative eye up and down my anatomy. “And [i]I[/i] never dreamed that I’d land such a beauty! Whoof!” I usually had this effect on women, but It was time to scotch this, if I was to have a hope of getting her to send me home, where there were blonder and slimmer ladies who also wished to claim my person. “Dear lady,” I said, “I fear that we’ve not been properly introduced. May I ask the name of my hostess?” She grinned slyly. “Indeed, sir, you may ask. But as you doubtless know, when those who wield magic know your name, it gives them extra power over you. I’d be foolish to simply tell you.” I’d acted enough supernatural roles to recognize that rule. But I was also skilled in gently dismissing ardent admirers who didn’t meet my standards. “Well,” I said, “I’d hoped that I could simply appeal to your better nature, and ask you to excuse me, for I am quite an important personage where I come from, with many duties that require my personal attention.” She winked. “But I also require your [i]personal[/i] attention, sir. Surely a gentleman would oblige a lady?” “Under ordinary circumstances, of course. But [i]‘Loved I not honor more’[/i] and all that; I’m sure you understand?” She arched an eyebrow of mock non-comprehension, and I sighed. “Or, perhaps, if can guess your name, I could compel you to send me home?” “Perhaps, sir. Or maybe I’ll guess [i]yours[/i] first, eh? Then you’ll be allll mine, for as long as I want.” Well, this was a start, at least. The longer I could keep her talking, the more chance I’d have to cajole her. “I hope exact pronunciation doesn’t matter,” I said. “I suppose not. But [i]‘sauce for the goose,’[/i] and all that.” “Fair enough. Let me see… You look like a Marcia, a beautiful lady who I hope is not [i]sans[/i] Mercy.” I gave her a sparkle-eyed wink. She shook her head. “Nope! How about I call you Bill? Short for Bill-zebub?” I felt a chill of horror when she first spoke, for many friends called me Bill. I still might have been okay, but I foolishly had to follow that train of thought to its end. William Charles Roberts. Bill C. Bob? And as if I was being clapped into literal manacles, I felt her power close around me while her wild eyes lit up in lustful delight. She scuffed the pentacle open with her bare foot and drew me helplessly forth into her embrace as her robe slipped open… Maybe I wouldn’t be able to [i]charm[/i] my way out of this one.