I glanced at myself in the mirror adjusting my hair one last time. I was nervous, no doubt. Once again I would be appearing before a small audience, and there was definitely a different feel when you were up close and personal. The eye candy feeling of being on stage became something a little nearer to the knuckle. Less anonymous. But I every time Matt called  I couldn't say no. It was definitely addictive. The glamour, the attention, the outfits. The thrill of the tricks. The thrill of the sensations they caused. The magic business was gaining clients all the time and the calls seemed to be becoming more frequent.

I took a deep breath and one last look. Matt had me wear an elegant black dress, . Short sleeves, just above the knee in length and a low front, it wrapped around and was tied with a belt. Underneath I was wearing a lacy black thong and matching bra. Black heels ,restrained make up and my hair up completed the look, which was elegantly sexy . But I already knew the dress wouldn't last long.The one instruction I did have. Aside from the fact that we were "helping out" at a gathering for some high rolling business types at a casino themed evening. 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please say hi to my helper for this evening, Quinn..!

On cue i walked out from the back room I had been getting ready in. I took a deep breath, but somehow knowing I looked a million dollars helped my nerves a little. The view from the penthouse venue was amazing. The room quieted as the 40 or so people paused their conversations. The men wore expensively cut suits, the women expensive dresses. I steeled myself a little. Very shortly I would not be blending in anywhere near as well. 

I spent twenty minutes or so mingling, sipping at some champagne, asking some questions. All polite, innocent. How did I get into this line of work. One older lady even asked if my mother knew. I wondered if this wasn't her first Matt show. I just smiled and said of coourse. What I meant was hell no, no one knows, I lead a double life. Respected reporter by day, sexy magician's assistant by night. 

I was rescued from the chit chat by the first trick being pushed out . As Matt explained a few of its features I gave it a good look. It wasn't unfamiliar. Alot like a light spiker illusion. I shivered and understood why my lovely dress wasn't going to be ideal. Matt span the prop around making sure everyone got a good look. Of course being Matt it wasn't actually the usual trick you would see on tv once you looked. One end was made from clear plexi glass or the like. On it was a thin outline of a person ( me no doubt ) legs apart arms out stretched. There were indeed a series of holes on this panel. But as Matt explained unlike the usual version there were not loads of holes to distract the eye. Indeed there were three holes in the outline of each arm. Wrist, forearm and bicep. Similarly each leg had three perforations, calves below the knee and thighs. More ominously there were a row of three holes across the hips of the figure, with another hole  just below. Two in the belly area, one for each breast and two through the circle designating the head.  The rest of the trick was another plexi glass upright  fitted with a set of two foot long spikes, each maybe an inch across and finished with a wicked point. 

I did my best to look assured and in control as Matt allowed people to check the clear walls, the spikes. There seemed to be no trick, none of the spikes were fake and there were none set to miss the outline to act as a distraction. Each spike would count.

"Now folks if you would all like to make a little space we can see what this baby can do. Step back a little, we don't want to hurt anyone.." Matt winked. 

As I moved forward another feature of this show dawned on me. As there was no designated performance area the onlookers were free to wander all around as they wished. 

"Quinn?" 

I was prepared for this part at least. I put down my champagne on the nearest table and strode confidently towards my fate like a cat walk model. About half way to the machine i pulled at the belt and wriggled, slipping out of it with practiced sexyness without breaking stride.My barely ther lingerie seemed to meet with approval! I was so glad I had been able to practice that bit. I reached up and pulled the pin from my hair shaking out my brunette locks. My timing was perfect and as I reached the trick I kicked off my shoes with one stride to go. Matt was clearly pleased, giving me a knowing wink as i stepped between the spikes and the wall.

"Now as you can see Quinn's costume can't provide much protection, or hide any tricky spikes. So lets get her in place.." 

I was on my own know, the part I had rehearsed was over. I have to confess the spikes did look pretty scary up close. They were clearly sharp but I was a bit shocked just how wide they were. I had a feeling this was going to be intense. Following Matt's direction I was facing the hole ridden plastic. I shuffled my feet apart until I could peek my toes through a pair of cut outs at floor level, until my shins were against the wall. I reached up and out and Matt cuffed my wrists in place, my hands would be just outside the wall. He checked I was looking straight ahead and then stepped back and let everyone get a good look at me spread eagled against the clear side of the trick. Then with no further ado he pressed a big green button and there was a loud hum. I knew without looking the points would be drawing closer. No sudden thud it seemed, more a smooth crawl.

There was silence in the room aside from the electric whir of the motor. I concentrated on looking straight ahead, wondering however long it was going to take for the spikes to arrive. It seemed like hours. 

They hit my butt first. The row of three, and the singleton beneath. I bit my lip, closed my eyes. My fists clenched. Still it was slow. The pressed in. I could tell the skin hadn't broken, the pillowy flesh of my ass absorbing the initial pressure . I gasped as I felt them sink in, feeling my flesh part around them. By that time most the other spikes had made contact. Shoulder blades, thighs and most alarmingly the back of my head. Its a bizarre feeling. Without magic there would no doubt be blood, and crunching of bones. Instead it feels like the spikes are parting me like a knife into a cake. There is an initial hit of discomfort, which soon blurs to waves of sensation which live right on the border of pleasure and pain. 

I look around . the audience is rapt. Moving closer, looking away. Impressed, disbelieving, trying to explain what they can see. Finally I can feel the spikes are getting close to their exit points. That point I was worried about feels like it has set my most sensitive parts on fire as it emerges from the wispy black thong. Points appear all over , arms, legs, taut tummy. I fight the urge to cough and open my mouth to let a spike slide out over my lips just as my nipples explode too. Movement makes me glance up and there is a spike which must be projecting from my forehead. The spikes carry on, gradually sticking out further. I feel the other clear wall against my butt... starting to squeeze. For a second I wonder if Matt plans to crush me too. But just when the pressure is mounting, when I am cleared sandwiched between the two clear panels, it stops. I take a breath. It feels like I haven't done that for a while . Then another then do my best to smile around the intruder poking from my mouth. I wave my hands, wiggle my toes. Doing my best to show that not only am I alive, I am happy and unconcerned by being skewered by a myriad of spikes and displayed almost naked for the amusement of strangers. 

As Matt slowly rotates the trick I realise that I am unconcerned.

"Ladies and gentleman thank you but I think it's Quinn that deserves the credit. Please, take a moment fill your glasses and go check her out. I want each and every one of you to be sure that this is not a trick. But be careful please. Those spikes are sharp!"

For the next few minutes I was inspected from every angle. A young woman asked if it was ok to touch. I was unable to manage more than a gurgle but gave a thumbs up and wonky smile. Tentatively she reached in to the side of the trick and touched my hip, my face then the side of my chest, which was flattened against the front of the trick. My gaze was fixed more or less forward but it seemed that before long most people had checked that at least some bits of me were real. I could see the first woman whispering to her husband. Or given the age difference and her dress, maybe her lover. 

"OK folks, time to reverse the spikes and show you another trick ." 

"Excuse me, if this is magic was real does it mean it would work on someone who was not your assistant? " It was the old guy I had noticed in the huddle

"Of course, but it's not for everyone ... "Matt indicated over to me.." as you can see"

"Could you do it on her ? " He nodded to the young woman

"Indeed, but only if she wants me to?" 

All eyes turned to the poor woman. She was about my age, with a curvy figure set off nicely by a red trouser suit . An expensive looking necklace twinkled against her black skin. 

"I would love to" she said thoughtfully. "If you are sure you can do without me for a few minutes Carl ? "

The older guy nodded over the laughter. 

"OK Miss, whats your name?" 

"Alex"

"OK Alex, if you are sure. Now the next trick Quinn was going to help with won't really work with your suit. If you would like to head over there my team will fix that while I get ready". 

And so I found myself shoved to one side of the room. Matt reappeared with another magic box, a rectangle on four legs, with holes  along the join clearly for arms neck  and waist. Alex returned shortly . Her wardrobe issue had been "fixed " by her stripping off her suit jacket and blouse by the looks of it, leaving her in a red bra and thong set, and red heels.

She looked surprisingly confident as she backed carefully into the  open  prop.. The front closed so she was covered by the box from a fraction above her thong to her neck. Her arms came out the side. Matt guided her hands to the top of each side of the box where he used a leather strap to hold them up in place. She smiled a little weakly, I guessed nerves were setting in. 

Matt smiled and reached for a a blade. It made a heavy thud which made Alex flinch. He then moved closer and lined the blade up with the base of the box and without any hesitation gave it a shove. Alex squealed and there was a thud as the blade went home. Ignoring the applause and Alex's shocked face he picked up a smaller blade which he pushed through the top of the box by her neck just as easily. 

"How do you feel Alex? "

"Ok ... I think..."

Matt opened the front panel of the box to show her torso, red bra and all. He rotated the trick on its platform for everyone to see. Then he closed the door and tapped the box 

"And now ?" 

Alex blinked " Strange. Very strange. What's happened ?" 

Matt fumbled with a clip and pulled the whole front of the box away. There were applause, and Quinn realised the box was now empty. He turned Alex around and removed the back panel too. Quite quite empty. 

"What? " Alex looked down, but I guess she couldn't see past the top of the frame. 

Ever helpful Matt just smiled and wheeled Alex and the trick over to by me. Her torso was definitely gone. It was left to her companion to take a picture on his phone so Alex could see what had happened. For a few moments Alex was quite rightly the centre of attention. While people checked in with her, and indeed checked her out, Matt reversed the spikes. The biggest relief was getting rid of the one out of my mouth. I took a small bow to the minority of the guests who were not investigation Alex's predicament and pulled off the tattered bra and thong. I found this worryingly easy, something to ponder later. 

For now Matt had another trick . One I didn't recognise at all. On this wheeled platform were a set of four shiny metal legs. They curved over at the top meeting at a small metal ring supported by the legs horizontally at about waist height. 

"Quinn?" 

I took another bow and approached the trick through the guests who had moved away from Alex to see what was going to happen. 

" i need you in there please" 

I looked at the strange contraption for a second and then nodded. I had to squat down under the central ring and put my arms up then stood up so i was standing in the centre of the small ring, which wasn't much bigger than my waist. Matt tapped my ankles and I looked down then nodded, spreading my feet a little so he could shackle them to the base. This trick seemed a bit heavier. I felt more than a little exposed and I noticed that the shackles were sealed with a padlock, the keys for which were put on a tray in clear site. My heart was racing, wondering where this was going. 

Things got no clearer. Matt had produced a metal bar with three Us in it. I realised it was a spreader bar. My bondage was set to increase. Sure enough moments later the cold metal bar had been locked around my neck and wrists, holding my arms out at shoulder height. I wriggled a little adjusting to it's weight. The final touch was a large red ball gag. I smiled and nodded as Matt held it up, as if to be bound gagged and naked was the most natural thing in the world, and opened wide. 

"I expect you are wondering what happens next? " Matt smiled

I sure was. He held up a pair of discs and then i guessed. I wasn't wrong. I shivered as the first blade was pushed into the top of the ring around my waist. It was an exact fit. The second  followed, giving a softer buzz as it entered me. Matt grabbed one of the legs and used it to rotate the platform slowly all the way around so everyone could see the blades appeared to have vanished inside me. I caught Alex's eye and smiled, she was still across the room with no middle. 

"But the clever bit is THIS..."

With that Matt grasped my metal clad wrist and and walked slowly around the table. With my arm held rigid it made a good handle I guess. And sure enough I spun around , or at least my top half did! He walked right around me slowly. My top half spun with him, giving an all round view of my naked torso. But my lower half remained still. I was amazed. It felt so odd. I could tell I wasn't moving even as i was rotated.

Once he had done a complete lap slowly both ways Matt gave my hand a big shove and I spun around and around. It seemed to be frictionles, I had to close my eyes to avoid feeling dizzy and it took an age for me to slow. After that he backed away once again inviting the paying guests to inspect me. The turned me both ways , spun me, caught a spin and checked I was still real with genuine enthusiasm. All I could do was smile around the gag , nod , thumbs up and try and put on a show. 

When Matt returned he was followed by two porters carrying something heavy round and wooden. With a hole in the middle. I soon guessed it was a table top, making sense of the design of the trick. Indeed it opened up across its diameter. It was only as they turned it flat to fit it around me that I could see the other side had a load of red and black numbered partitions and a track around the outside I realised what Matt really had planned.... 

"Ladies and gentlemen I hope you all had fun with the magic. Time for me to go and leave you to enjoy your casino evening. Remember it's all for a great cause. Thank you and goodnight.." 

As he took a bow he used my arm as a spinner again, this time it was accompanied by the clatter of a ball jumping along!

Facing sideways I couldn't really see Matt to give him a questioning look. I could see Alex who had been moved to the end of a table. The gap in her middle had been filled with champagne bottles. She smiled weakly. Matt came into view, holding one of those pretty Venetian masks. I looked puzzled as he pulled it other my head. It was only then I realised it was a pretty blindfold. 

He patted my arm and whispered " So you don't get dizzy"  adjusted the mask and left.