The Fifth Gate

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The Fifth Gate Copyright © 2005 Keith J. Bowers ISBN: 1-55410-587-0 Cover art and design by Sara Creasy All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books, a division of Zumaya Publications, 2005 Look for us online at: www.zumayapublications.com www.extasybooks.com

Dedication: To Jessica

The Players of 2001 Marlene Rutledge - a young student artist Sarah Gutherie - Michael’s wife Jenna - lesbian friend of Marlene Michael Gutherie - Sarah’s husband The Morning Star - The Morning Star Nicholas - Anna’s companion Anna Rutledge - Marlene’s grandmother Victoria Rutledge - Marlene’s mother David - a lover in Marlene’s stable Stephen Devon - a Lawyer Father Ventel - excommunicated Catholic priest Nichel - lesbian friend of Marlene Liddia - lesbian friend of Marlene Aren - Jenna’s lover Henry - Marlene’s neighbor in Philly Mr. Fisher - Devon’s assistant Andrew LePage - ex-boyfriend of Marlene Elizabeth - member of the Circle Sylvia - member of the Circle Demi - member of the Circle Maria - member of the Circle David - Elizabeth’s companion Alan - Maria’s companion Dominic - Demi’s companion Sam - Sylvia’s companion Olivia - Marlene’s great grandmother Officer Giberson - Massachusetts State Trooper Officer Johnson - Massachusetts State Trooper

The Players of 1692 Minister Smith - resident Minister Alicia Rutledge - a rebellious teenager Richard Sewell - object of Alicia’s lust Mr. Wimbles - widowed man Samantha - Alicia’s best friend Michael Finnegan - sexual partner of Jenny Henry - schoolmate of Alicia Samuel - schoolmate of Alicia Ayla - gypsy thief Catherine Smith - Minister Smith’s daughter Hannah - schoolmate of Alicia The Hedonist - The Hedonist Jenny - schoolmate of Alicia Joanna - Alicia’s daughter Simone - Alicia’s granddaughter

Keith J. Bowers

Chapter One - Inheritance Thursday, August 16th, 2001

T

he light was fading from the sky as Anna looked out over the old wooden porch. The evergreens cast dark shadows over the front lawn. A figure slowly walked down the driveway towards her. He had finally come. Fear gripped her, and she began to cough uncontrollably. She leaned against one of the porch posts, waiting until the fit subsided. The pain in her chest had grown larger in the past few weeks, choking the joy from her life. It was cancer, they told her, and the doctor had informed her months ago that it was unstoppable in its march through her body. It had resided in her lungs at first, and slowly spread outward. Anna was fifty-four years old and knew that she was going to die. Nothing could be done; nothing would stop its progress. The figure stopped at the iron gate, deciding to wait at the end of the walkway. He gestured for her to join him. Suddenly and with great surprise, her chest 1

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cleared and she breathed deeply. The pine smell was sweet and refreshing as it flooded into her nostrils. “Anna,” the figure called. “It is time.” She sighed and closed her eyes, remembering the pleasures and pains of her lifetime. Her end time was upon her. Slowly she stepped down the front steps, not bothering to look back at the ancient home that was the birthplace of her grandmother, and all those before her. She walked deliberately down the flagstone walkway, keeping her eyes focused on the dark figure waiting at the gate. His face was hidden in the shadow of the fedora that perched atop his head; a loose gray trench coat was thrown over his shoulders. He reached his hand out to her and she accepted it. His face confirmed who this man was. The Morning Star. Yes, it was her time. He smiled at her, and again she was in love, as much now as when her mother first introduced her to him as a child back in 1955. She realized that, surprisingly, he was dressed now as he had been then. Weakness overcoming her, Anna suddenly fell against him. Her body’s reserves had finally exhausted themselves. He supported her weight with ease. For years she had worshipped him, until she came of an age to bring that worship into a realm of ecstasy and pleasure. He had never forsaken her. Not once. “Anna, I will walk with you into the darkness. You will not go alone.” 2

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She looked up at his boyish face, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Yes. Thank you,” she whispered, her voice faint and cracking. As the blackness claimed her sight, she felt the warm wetness from his eyes strike her face. ****

Thursday, August 30th, 2001 Marlene awoke with a start, the phone ringing incessantly. She rolled over, pulling the sheet up over her head, trying to block out the sunlight streaming through the windows. The tequila was pounding the hell out of her temples. Squinting, she realized it was too far away to reach without having to actually rise from her cocoon. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, the nonstop ringing ceased. She sighed and curled into the fetal position. David had left already. Was that his name? She couldn’t remember. He was just an image in her mind. Feeling around for any form of warmth from where he had lain the previous night, she found none. He had left early, then. At least he didn’t want breakfast, like some other one-night stands she had to endure. She smiled at the thought of the young man. They both had wanted the same thing. A mutual exchange. The best exchange. Other women might want their lovers to stay the 3

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night, but not her. Her time was her own, and the intrusion of a man’s constant presence within her circle of existence was not what she needed. The seven inches between their legs and the three inches in their mouths were all that she required. Staying the night usually meant someone was emotionally needy. Groaning, she sat up. Her breasts swung as she crawled out of the bed. The floor was cold from the early morning air. Summertime, my ass, she thought. She walked into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess. The inky blackness that she had inherited from her mother became all wild and crazy after being crushed into a pillow all night. David had kept her up until around three with his vicious poundings and probing. She smiled, liking the thought. Reaching between her legs, she gingerly touched the soreness that had resulted. It was a good pain, though. She would be free for several days now. She might even call the number he had given her before their session. Maybe. Nothing was certain. Her finger slid inward, disappearing into her wetness. As her cunt sensed the intrusion, it contracted slightly, sending a shiver up her spine. She extracted the damp finger and sucked on it, the salty taste arousing her further. But now was not the time. The canvases were waiting. Turning on the shower, she immediately stepped in under the cold water. The shock of it pushed her against the far wall. She gasped repeatedly as the hot water heater struggled with her demand for steaming 4

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hot water. Every day began with ice-cold water to awaken her body. Twenty minutes later, and then only when the last drops of hot water were finally squeezed from the water heater, did she bother to get out of the shower. The bathroom looked like it was out of a dream. Moisture covered everything; every item wept. The telephone was ringing again. Slowly and with great reluctance, she opened the door and stepped into the bedroom on her way to the kitchen. The foggy air had cleared her nostrils, and she now sensed that the bedroom smelled of sex. She eyed the dildo and half-empty bottle of Astrolube. Again she smiled, remembering how she had used it on David. He had liked it. Not many men were comfortable enough with themselves to allow that kind of pleasure. Yes, she would definitely be calling him. The incessant ring of the phone lasted through her walk to the kitchen. The phone rested against the wall, shaking slightly with each ring. She looked at it, knowing something, somewhere was wrong. Frowning, she reached out and picked it up. She stared at it for another moment. Silence. Whoever it had been had hung up. The portable phone jumped in her hands, wailing its pathetic cry once again. Marlene jerked in surprise and her towel fell from her body. Kicking it away from her feet, she pressed the button to answer the call. 5

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“Yeah,” she said simply. She was in no mood for pleasantries. The cold air of the room wafted over her body, sending goose bumps all over her arms and back. Her nipples tightened into themselves, standing erect and hard. The returning voice was somber and solid. “Hello? May I speak with Marlene Rutledge?” “Speaking.” “Good morning, Ms. Rutledge. My name is Stephen Devon. I represent the firm of Devon and Hentrid. I am dreadfully sorry to inform you that your grandmother, Anna Rutledge, has passed on. She died at roughly seven o’clock on August thirteenth..” She didn’t know what to say. The revelation threw her off guard. That date was exactly two weeks ago. It was now the thirtieth of August, a Thursday. She had been at the Hellfire Club that night. The voice faded slightly as she walked away from the phone base. She wandered over to the bay window of her apartment. The voice continued, but Marlene’s attention faded. “As the last living member of her estate, I would like to meet with you…” She stopped listening completely, staring blankly out the dirty windows of her loft. The sunlight warmed her skin enough to kill off the goose bumps. Marlene didn’t have a grandmother. None that she knew of, anyway. Her mother had died three years ago, just after she graduated from high school. For as long as she could remember, it had been just her and Mom. 6

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The voice returned to her ear. “Excuse me, Ms. Rutledge? Are you there?” She snapped back to herself. “Shit. I’m sorry. This is a bit of a shock. I never knew my grandmother.” “Yes, we know. Your grandmother informed us before she died. If you can come to Massachusetts, we can begin proceeding with the transfer.” “Transfer of what?” “The estate. Your grandmother was a very affluent woman in the town of Gateway. I am sad to report that she has already been interred, but we’ve had a difficult time tracking you down.” She was perplexed. Her mother had never said a word about this before she died. Not a peep. Grandma Anna? The thought of it amused her. She proceeded to get the address from Mr. Devon and promised that she would head up from Philly straight away. He offered to buy a plane ticket, but she didn’t fly. Ever. Class wasn’t to start for another three weeks, and the loft was not going anywhere. She set the phone down, looking out the window. Her loft was on the third floor of an eight-story building. Sunlight streamed through the windows, continuing to warm her naked form. She hated blinds, and enjoyed giving the neighbors across the street a view of her body. She was quite proud of it, having inherited most of her looks and fleshy assets from her mother. Something drew her eyes downward to the street. A man, dressed in all black, stared up in her direction. His face was held in the shadow of his hat. For a long 7

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moment, she stood perfectly still in front of the window, staring the man down. She blinked. He had disappeared. Surprised and intrigued, she pressed her hands and face against the glass, looking up and down the street, but the man was gone. She turned away from the glass and entered the kitchen, her growling stomach drawing her attention away from the street. The clock read ten o’clock. Eating a bowl of cereal, she stood in front of her canvases. Three paintings in various stages of completion stood on the easels. She was beginning her third year as a student of the Philadelphia Academy of the Arts. Oils were her best media, and she enjoyed the smell of the paint and the thinner used to clean the brushes. With oils, everything could be undone. Nothing was permanent. She loved the nude form, and it dominated her paintings and sketches. The first was a painting of a robust naked man fondling himself. His cock was distended and looking to erupt. It had, in reality; Marlene had been unable to stop the model from relieving himself before she finished the painting. She had to invite him back a second time to complete it. Many of the models ended up in her bed. It was always her fault they ended there. She demanded that they model in the nude, much like the way she did when she volunteered down at the school. Most of her pleasure came from painting naked. It provided a freedom for her and her models. Once free, interesting things happened. She didn’t kid herself about her sexual habits. Adventurous but not 8

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promiscuous was how Marlene felt about herself. Marlene Rutledge enjoyed sex. She did not apologize for her urges or whom she took to bed. The second painting, still sketched out in pencil with very little paint on the canvas itself, was of two lesbians that were in Marlene’s graphite class over the summer. Nichel and Liddia. The two women were in the classic sixty-nine position. Neither face was visible; that was their one restriction on Marlene. The two had been unable to maintain their positions for very long before one or the other, Marlene wasn’t sure which, had an orgasm and ruined the scene by falling off the table. She liked lesbians. They were real, authoritative, and aggressive. Though it sometimes wore on her, she enjoyed the presence of them as friends. As lovers, they were another matter entirely. Lesbians were even more possessive than men. She had watched one too many of them end up on the barroom floor after a particularly nasty spat. Women were infinitely crueler than men. Infinitely. Thus, she had never invited one to her bed. She simply knew better. Men weren’t any better, being selfish most of the time, both with pleasure and time. Once she realized that simple little fact, she found that she could manipulate any man she wanted. The final painting called out to her. It was last night when this painting had been started. She had brought him back to the loft to draw him. The club was too loud, but here the silence of the loft was 9

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arousing. Cleansing. She could hear his breath as she tied him to the table. His restraints were light, he could break them at any time; but it was still erotic. The painting was crude and incomplete. She would have to finish it later. She had gotten the gist of what she wanted before he had escaped and entered her from behind, paintbrush still in her hand. Marlene sighed and pulled a sheet over the stillwet painting. Picking up the phone, she dialed Jenna. Her best friend for the last two years was a raging dyke trapped in the body of a cheerleader. Blond, big breasted and with more curves than a major league pitcher, men everywhere tried to stick it in her, and every lesbian tried their damnedest to possess her. Marlene had always rebuffed Jenna’s sexual overtures, but their friendship had grown nonetheless. Jenna was the only person that Marlene cared for since her mother died; she was her rock, her center. “Hello?” The intonation was sultry and deep. Jenna was known to be able to seduce a woman with the sound of her voice. “Hey. It’s me.” Marlene then told Jenna of her grandmother’s death and where she would be going. “I don’t want to belittle your loss, but…are you sure this isn’t some sort of scam? I mean, it seems sort of odd, don’t you think?” “Yeah, but the information is correct. My mom did come from Gateway, I know that much. I saw the unopened letters when I was a kid. I’ve seen the pictures I found after Mom died. Anyway, I just 10

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wanted you to keep an eye on the loft.” “Sure. No problem. Can I stay there while you’re gone?” “Why? Is Aren giving you grief?” Aren was Jenna’s live-in lover of the moment. The black woman had a tendency to bring home any strays and give them a home. Jenna, however, rotated through lovers with great frequency. “She caught me hanging on this chick at the club. Okay, my hand was up her skirt, but what can I say? I was drunk.” “Damn, girl. How many times do I have to tell you? Keep your liaisons in the bedroom and not on the dance floor.” “Easy for you to say.” “That’s right, it is.” Marlene laughed. “I’ll call you from up there. I may have inherited a fortune or a dump.” After saying their goodbyes, Marlene walked to the window, looking to see if the disturbing figure had returned. The street was busy below her, and in the building across from her stood Henry, staring unabashedly at her through his window, his cock in his hand. He was masturbating furiously. She waved at him, sliding her hand between her legs, teasing him. Henry was harmless. At forty-four, he would never find a woman now. Shy beyond any possible limits and rather chunky, he had passed out on the street when she had confronted him about his watching her. Taking pity on him ever since, she 11

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provided him with a semi-regular erotic show. Sadly for him, his show was leaving. She grabbed the blinds and pulled them towards her to close them. She watched as his orgasm erupted all over the glass of his window. Allowing the blinds to fall, she turned away, chuckling at the unfortunate man. **** Traveling by train was the easiest way to get to Massachusetts. Sure, a Greyhound bus was cheaper, but Marlene didn’t want to deal with the freaks. Buses got real weird when you’ve been on them for twenty hours or more. She stood next to the track, the ticket in her hand. It was one way, having determined that she did not know how long she would remain in her grandmother’s house. A backpack was at her feet, stuffed to overflowing. Mr. Devon had said not to worry about any necessities; all would be taken care of. She still brought a change of clothes, her toiletries and her sketchbooks. The sketchbooks would be a diversion from the melancholy she was sure to experience. Surprisingly, even though the grandmother she never knew was dead, Marlene was still looking forward to this trip. Greed was not a factor, nor was the probable inheritance she was likely to receive. She was curious about her past, the past her mother had refused to divulge or acknowledge. She knew so little about her mother’s past. Throughout her life, it was only she and her mother. 12

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There was never a man in the house. When she was a teenager, she wondered if her mother was a lesbian. When asked, her mother became very angry and said that things would have been better if she had been. No, her mother was not a lesbian, though she shared the same hatred of men some lesbians and feminists did. Her mother was, and remained an enigma. Everyday she had gone to work as a secretary, typing reports long into the night for misguided executives. She struggled daily to make ends meet. Most of Marlene’s after school jobs were to help her mother with the bills. Marlene learned very early on that if she wanted something, she would have to work, scrimp, and save to get it. Victoria Rutledge. Her mother. She was just eighteen when she had Marlene. Whenever Marlene tried to get her to talk about those early years, she clammed up and walked away, usually in a furious rage. Eventually Marlene gave up on trying to discover anything about her past and moved on with her life. Marlene turned to face the train that was slowly sliding down the tracks towards her. It was the typical silver-gray of the Amtrak trains that ran the line between Philly and New York. Its lights would have blinded her at night, but now they were simply a nuisance. Something in her peripheral vision caught her attention. Snapping her head to the left, she watched a black-coated man disappear into the tunnel leading 13

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out and up to the street level. A cold sensation flowed over her. It was him, the one who watched her from the window this morning. Immediately thoughts of being stalked danced through her head. She was not a fighter, never had been. The one fight she had been in ended with a bloody nose and both girls being dragged to the principal’s office. She avoided conflict if she could. A bottle of pepper spray was in the bottom of her purse, though little good it would do if someone attacked her. For three years, she had lived in Philly. Spending Saturday nights on South Street, drinking and partying with Jenna, only once had she been mugged. The experience had left her bitter at the time, but she knew that it was her own fault. Both of them had been ragingly drunk, staggering through the dark towards the train that would take them uptown to their apartments. They had been lucky; the man with the gun only took their purses. He could have taken much more. It was a slap in the face for her, realizing that innocence had no place in the big city. She had been much more careful after that, visiting and frequenting bars and clubs that were within a block of her apartment. Sometimes she wished she owned a car. She had timed her departure for two in the afternoon so that she would miss the rush hour. The trains became so congested and hot during the times that the worker bees were in flux. The last thing she wanted to do was be pressed up against some sweaty, horny, salaried man heading home to his bitch wife 14

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and bitchier kids. That was the worst, when they faked a collision just so they could cop a feel. Only once did she encourage a man to grope her on a train. Only once. She had been overtly ornery that day. The Beast inside had been rising. She had teased the man—who was rather handsome with gold on his ring finger—wiggling her buttocks against his bulging pants. She pushed him back against the pole, stopping only when he moaned quickly and a wet spot began to grow on the front of his pants. She had laughed and danced away through the crowd and into the next car, leaving the embarrassed man clutching his leather tote to conceal the mess. Let him try to explain that to the wife. There were times when she simply could not help herself, nor did she want to. She had not dressed to seduce this day. She wore light tan slacks with a sleeveless copper-colored mock turtleneck. Her long black hair had been pulled up and back on her scalp. The train came to a stop and the door opened fitfully. She entered and found that there were only a few passengers already on the line. Because she was leaving before the end of the working day, she quickly surveyed the car and chose a relatively clean seat. As long as she didn’t have to take a piss, she would likely be able to keep the seat until she arrived in Boston, where she would pick up another train to Amherst. There she was to call Mr. Devon, who would send a driver out for her. 15

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**** It was worse than she had ever imagined. It was six o’clock and she was still in New York City. Supposedly there had been an accident on the main line through the city. The car was hot, smelly and packed. She leaned her head up against the window, looking out at the blackness of the tunnel, where it seemed like they would spend eternity. People were bitching and fighting all around her. She closed her eyes, willing it all away. **** She rolled into Amherst at eleven o’clock that night. Not sure of what to do, she called the number Mr. Devon had given her. The Amherst station was empty, save for the few remaining employees and the cleaning crew. It had been seven before the train she was on had finally left New York. Two hours later she was in Boston, scrambling to make the last train before it left for Amherst. On the Boston train, she managed to sleep for an hour before the conductor woke her up, announcing that her destination was approaching. An on-call service answered the phone. They patched her through to Mr. Devon with a minimal amount of fuss. Marlene guessed he was on his cell phone when he answered. His voice was tinny from the poor reception. “Hello, Ms. Rutledge. I was beginning to worry.” 16

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“It’s been a long trip. I had complications on the way here.” “Yes, I heard about the accident on the tracks in New York. I had hoped that you had missed it. “No such luck.” “Are you in Amherst?” “Yes. The train station.” “I’ll send my assistant out for you immediately. His name is Fisher. He’ll be there in twenty minutes.” “I’ll be standing by the front gate. I’ll probably be the only person still there.” **** Fisher, it seemed, was a little late. Forty-five minutes later, the man arrived in a Mercedes. She had spent those minutes watching the lightning dance across the sky. The heat was oppressive and she expected to be caught in a downpour any moment. A police officer checked on her twice, his eyes roving all over her body. Typical male response. She was probably the high point of his shift. Once, she thought she caught sight of the shadow man, but she dismissed it, believing she was becoming paranoid. The Shadow Man. It was funny how she had named a figment of her imagination. As Fisher slid to a stop, she noticed the car was wet with moisture. Obviously his delay was due to the coming rain. He hopped out, quickly introducing himself and shaking her hand. About thirty-five years old with a slightly receding hairline, Fisher was 17

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immaculate, even wearing a three-piece suit in this weather. He was handsome in an accountant sort of way. Really, what did she expect? He worked for a lawyer. Marlene watched as the policeman walked slowly by, casually eyeing the newcomer. “I apologize for being late, there was a pile-up on the Interstate. It’s pouring to the west of us.” He took her bag, placing it in the trunk. “Sad thing is that we have to go back through that mess.” He opened the passenger door to the Mercedes and she slipped inside, settling into the plush leather. Fisher hopped in the other side and slammed the car into gear, peeling out on the rough pavement. Drops of rain began to pelt the windshield, quickly turning into a downpour. Closing her eyes, Marlene quickly drifted off amid the drumming of the rain on the windshield. Her last thought was that she was too trusting… **** She awoke to the red flashes of emergency vehicles. Jerking upright, she scrambled to look around. Fisher looked at her oddly. The rain continued to pour down around them. “What’s going on?” she asked. “We’ve hit that accident I spoke about earlier,” he replied. “It must be pretty bad. We’ve been sitting here for a half hour now.” He smiled at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you to Gateway and put you up for the night. We really thought you’d get here sooner. Did you want to stay in a motel or go directly to the 18

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estate?” Marlene considered. “I’m not sure. Before today, I didn’t even know I had a grandmother, living or dead. I know nothing about her or this ‘estate’ you keep talking about.” “I should let Mr. Devon handle the proceedings, but let’s just say that your grandmother was very well off. She, and thus you, came from a family with old money. Very old. Anna Rutledge was well respected in the ‘community’, if that’s what you can call it.” “What do you mean by that?” she asked. “Gateway is a small community. There are only about twenty homes in the town. To go to the grocery store, you have to travel a good twenty minutes. Gateway is a town of old money. Everyone knows everyone else.” “Great. The Conservative Republican homeland.” Fisher laughed. “Somehow I don’t think so. No, things in Gateway are not what they seem sometimes. But it is a beautiful region to live in.” “Do you live there?” “No, I’m from Northampton. That’s where our offices reside.” Fisher paused to rev the engine slightly. “Mr. Devon has been your grandmother’s lawyer for years. He’ll go over all of this with you tomorrow morning.” “What do you suggest? I’m at a bit of a disadvantage.” Fisher grinned. “If I were you, I’d stay in a hotel. Not to scare you off or anything, but it is getting close to one in the morning. I don’t want to kid you, but the 19

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estate is huge and it is old. Three hundred years old. It’s one of six mansions in Gateway.” “Mansion?” “Yes. What did Mr. Devon tell you?” He eyed her suspiciously. “Nothing about a mansion. Just that she was affluent.” “I see that he understated himself again.” Fisher laughed as the cars began moving. He slid the car back into gear and slowly they began creeping past the accident. Marlene watched through the rainstreaked window. There he was. She jumped in her seat. There he fucking was! As Fisher drove by, the Shadow Man stood next to one of the crumpled cars in the accident. Again she could not see his face since the broad rimmed hat covered it. Fisher immediately noticed her response and asked her what was wrong. “I’m seeing things.” Fisher looked at her, taking his attention from the road. “What do you mean?” “Nothing.” “Are you sure?” “I’ve been seeing things, specifically a person. A man wearing a black trenchcoat and a fedora. I can never see his face, but I can sense his presence. I saw him at the accident.” Marlene snorted in disbelief. “I become a heiress and quickly have gone insane.” Fisher turned his attention back to the road. “It’s 20

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not something to joke about. I’ll speak with Mr. Devon about it in the morning.” “No!” she cried out. “No, I don’t want him thinking I’m a crackpot.” “Okay, but I’m not going to let you stay at the estate tonight. I’ll put you up at the Regency Inn. It’s about fifteen minutes outside of Gateway in New Salem. I know the owners. Well, I’ve represented them in several cases.” “I don’t…” she began. “You might think it is your imagination, but I’ve seen relatives get pretty jealous and even violent over a chosen son’s inheritance. It’s just better to take precautions.” Marlene opened her mouth, then stopped herself. He knew better than she did. Especially about matters like these. **** The motel was typical New England. Lots of quaint artifacts, as Jenna would call them. The room was spacious and warm. Fisher had carried her bag into the room, laying it gently on the king size bed. He pulled out his business card and laid it on the nightstand. “Whenever you wake up and feel up to the task, call us and I’ll come to retrieve you.” He looked at her; both were dripping wet from the run from the office to the room. She shivered and pushed her wet hair from her face. The ponytail had long since fallen 21

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out. “Take a hot bath, order some room service if you want, enjoy yourself. There will be lots of paperwork to do tomorrow.” He turned to go. “Good night, Ms. Rutledge.” He looked back at her and smiled. “Do you have to go?” She watched as temptation crossed his face, though the question was innocent. “The Missus wouldn’t approve if I stayed. If you need anything, just call the front desk.” He waved and closed the door behind him. Shit. She hadn’t realized he was married. The door snapped shut before she was able to respond. She was left alone, dripping wet and cold. Slowly she peeled off the wet clothes and threw them in a pile. She hated to sleep alone. ****

Friday, August 31st, 2001 By morning the sun had regained its dominance of the sky from the rain. Marlene awoke around ten, just as she usually did. She recalled no dreams, just a weighty sleep that left her groggy. Kicking off the sheet, she entered the room’s pitifully small bathroom. As usual, the motel’s showerhead was one of the types that misted rather than actually sprayed water. God forbid you actually get wet when you showered. It was one of the things that pissed her off about motels. Another was that either the heat or the A/C 22

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usually didn’t work. Here was no different. The A/C didn’t work well. It was just chugging along and spitting out vague coolness. Any difference she felt could have simply been the movement of the air. A fan could have done a better job. As she waited for the water to warm, she squatted on the toilet, relieving herself with a stream that would make a horse proud. Her body had recovered nicely from David’s assault. Already she felt the urges beginning to fester down below. Fisher’s close proximity in the car and his unattainable sexual status was already awakening The Beast. She ran her fingers through the closely cropped fur. One slipped in the wetness, grazing over her sleeping clit. It stirred and she rubbed it gently. She rested her back against the toilet and spread her knees, exposing her genitals to the cool morning air. Her left hand spread her labia, fingers beginning to probe inward and then… The phone rang. She jumped, surprised at the intrusion. “Fuck,” she exclaimed and stood up. She wished she had been. Nothing made her hornier than sleeping alone. Nothing. She knew it was coming, since all of her lovers would be hundreds of miles away. Picking up the phone, she greeted the caller with an abrupt “Yeah?” “Ms. Rutledge? This is the front desk. I’m sorry to intrude, but a Mr. Devon is here to see you.” Ah! Not unexpected, since it seemed obvious that Mr. Devon had some pull with the owners, as well as 23

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Fisher. “Tell him I will be down in a half hour. I’ve just gotten up. I was under the impression that I was to call him.” “I will tell him. Thank you.” The phone clicked audibly. Marlene hung up the phone and turned to see that steam was issuing from the bathroom door. No time to masturbate now. She walked into the shower and closed the door, savoring the heat from the scalding mist. **** Stephen Devon was younger than she expected. Close to forty-five, she guessed. Shorter than she was, but he held himself with a solid demeanor. Nothing looked like it would faze this man. His short black hair was slicked back and he held a briefcase in his left hand. He was also wearing a three-piece suit and tie. Fisher stood slightly behind him to his left. Fisher nodded slightly, a small smile gracing his lips. Stephen stuck out his hand, gripping and shaking Marlene’s. “I am Stephen Devon. It is nice to finally meet you, Ms. Rutledge.” “Marlene, please.” “Certainly. We have much to discuss. Would you like to handle it here or back at our office?” “Breakfast would be nice. I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon in Boston.” “Of course.” He turned to Fisher. “Make arrangements to use their conference room. Have breakfast brought in. Full spread.” 24

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“That’s not necessary.” “Nonsense.” Mr. Devon led her to a pair of plush chairs in the lobby, gesturing for her to sit. “I know this is quite a shock for you, suddenly becoming an heiress overnight. We would have contacted you sooner, but it was quite difficult to track you down. Your mother was quite adamant about keeping you in the dark about your grandmother.” Marlene sat down and Stephen followed suit, sitting across from her. “You must realize I have no idea what you are talking about.” “I understand. Let us just say that twenty-two years ago, your mother and grandmother had a disagreement over their choice of faiths. Your mother fled from Gateway to whereabouts unknown to us. It was not until a few weeks ago that we became aware of your existence. Anna waited patiently for our private investigators to find you. They did not find you in time. She knew her time was short and held on as long as she could.” “How did Anna die?” “Lung cancer. It was diagnosed several years ago, and she fought it to the end.” Marlene sat back in the chair, contemplating. Fisher returned, walking briskly across the lobby of the motel. Mr. Devon nodded and turned back to Marlene. “The room is ready if you would like to move there. It is much more private.” **** Marlene found that breakfast was delicious. The fruit 25

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was fresh and not out of a can. She hated when restaurants tried to pass off packaged fruit as fresh picked. As she slid the orange slice into her mouth, Mr. Devon continued to ramble on. “Anna was interred into the family graveyard on the estate property. All the funeral expenses have been taken care of. We would have liked to have had you there as well, but we had not located you yet.” “What do you mean, all the expenses have been taken care of?” “Your grandmother was a wealthy woman. Investments long ago in steel and textiles brought high returns that were then invested back into emerging technologies. I’ve taken it upon myself to open up accounts in your name, transferring…” Marlene’s eyes glazed over. She knew nothing of this. Balancing her checkbook was beyond her, forcing her to resort to getting money orders just so things remained balanced. Money was like water to her. If it’s in your hand, drink it before it slips away. Either way, it is gone. Mr. Devon went over her portfolio in detail and with great articulation, most of which she did not understand. She now held stock in over thirty major corporations, Proctor and Gamble and Microsoft among them. When she looked at the final number of her exact worth, she nearly passed out. “Thirty million?” “Give or take five percent, depending on liquid assets and market conditions. Inheritance taxes have already been figured into that amount. Your 26

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grandmother had most of her assets transferred to you before her death.” “Thirty million?” she repeated. Mr. Devon looked at her calmly. “Yes. Your ancestors provided for you well. The estate has no debt and several beachfront properties.” He closed the portfolio. “I want you to know that for the last two hundred and fifty years, our firm has been the keeper of the Rutledge estate, as well as the estates of the immigrants that came here from England back in 1645. We’ve watched it grow, and we’ve tended it through the Depression and the Wars. Your history is entwined with ours.” “All these years, you’ve guided us?” “Financially. It was our gift to make money. Living modestly, no Rutledge has had to work unless they wanted to for the last hundred years. The firm is quite proud of that fact.” “Fisher mentioned a mansion.” “Yes, the mansion,” Mr. Devon stated flatly. “It is one of six in the town of Gateway. Once we are finished here, we will go there where the keys will be turned over to you. The estate maintains its upkeep and it sits on twenty acres of prime woodland forest. The original settlers of Gateway built the mansions. Six families, one of which is the Rutledges, built them by hand and with great expense. They make up the original town of Gateway.” **** 27

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It was amazing. Huge and damn near foreboding. Built of stone and black lacquered wood, the house was set among a natural forest of pine trees. From the driveway, she could see the beauty that was inherent to the house. The porch wrapped around most of the facade and was decorated extensively with carved woodwork. It was solid and the steps did not creak as she walked over the ancient boards. “She was remodeled in the twenties and then updated again in the sixties for more modern conveniences.” Mr. Devon and Fisher remained on the flagstone path that led to the porch. Neither made any motion to enter the house. Marlene quizzically looked at them, as both were standing at attention. Her pack remained on her shoulder; she had not known where she would be spending the night. Obviously, Devon had decided for her. “You’re not staying?” Devon shook his head. “I’m afraid we cannot stay. We have other business to attend to.” He walked up to her, handing her a folder with three keys taped to the side. “The first key is for the house, the second for the garage and the third for the what is in the garage. Inside is your grandmother’s Lexus. She didn’t drive much, though every year she bought a new car.” He sighed and looked around, obviously enjoying the cool air. “Once a week, Lucile, the hired maid, will come around and clean the house.” He stretched out his hand and Marlene took it gingerly. “I will be in touch. Should you need anything, feel free to call. Once you’ve decided what you want to do with your 28

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grandmother’s estate, we will then meet to discuss your plans.” That said, Mr. Devon turned and walked back to his car. At the iron gate, he turned back to her. “Goodbye, Ms. Rutledge. It’s been a pleasure.” Fisher waved to her once before sliding into the driver’s seat. The doors slammed shut. The motor purred to life as only a luxury car’s can. Fisher pulled through the turnaround and drove down the pine tree lined driveway. His brake lights flashed briefly and then disappeared. Anger flared briefly at them for leaving her like this. It was uncalled for. Suddenly, the realization and fear struck her. She was alone. Utterly and absolutely alone. The silent and dark mansion waited for her to open the door and enter into her new life. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, she sat down on the steps leading to the porch and looked around the grounds. There wasn’t much of a lawn, since most of the area was filled with fully-grown pine trees. Their needles had long ago snuffed out whatever grass had grown there previously. The air was still and cool. It constantly amazed her how well trees kept the surrounding area at a dramatically lower temperature. On the interstate trip here, the temperature read eighty-five degrees. Here, she knew it had to be at least ten degrees cooler. In the distance, she could hear the sounds of the forest. Birds chirped and crickets sang their songs. It had been a long time since she had spent any time away from the bustling metropolis. Three very long years. Three years since she had smelled such 29

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cleansing air. The darkness of the pines though, held no comfort for her. Too much had happened in the last twenty-four hours. For a long time, she sat staring out at the long driveway, hoping that someone would come. Anyone. **** It was nearly an hour later that she remembered the folder sitting beside her. Picking it up, she began paging though it. Mostly it was a listing of accounts and holdings of the Rutledge estate. Was this the way adults were treated when their parents died? Here ya go. Here’s the paperwork. See ya! The abruptness of the way she had been left at the mansion irked her. When her mother had died three years ago, it had been much different. The state tried to place her in a foster home for the last six months of her seventeenth year until she had put her foot down and petitioned for adult status. Her mother’s insurance policy paid the rest of her bills and left a tidy sum that Marlene used to pay for three of the four years of college. It left her able to concentrate on getting on with life and putting her mother to rest. She remembered the paperwork, but a counselor had stepped in and saved her from most of the drudgery. Not this time. She had to deal with this head on. Now it seemed like everything had been turned upside down. What would Jenna think? According to Mr. Devon, she never would have to work again. She 30

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could paint all day if she wanted. It opened up a lot of possibilities. Here we go, she thought. A credit card in her name was attached to a form letter. A second letter underneath informed her of the card’s PIN number for cash withdrawals. She looked at it with interest before finally plucking it out and putting it in her pocket. As she thumbed through the financial records, she stumbled upon an envelope. It had her name handwritten on the front. Slowly she tore it open, being careful not to tear the paper inside. She glanced down to the signature. Anna Louise Rutledge. Her grandmother. Marlene looked away, unsure if she should, if she could, continue. Finally she turned her eyes back to the script on the page and began to read. Dearest Marlene, Your mother hid you very well within the confines of her fear. I wanted you to know that you had others that cared for you, who loved you, even though I never once saw you. When you read this, I will likely have died of the hunger that eats my bones and flesh. I do not fear because the life I’ve led was of my own doing. My choices were my own, though at times it did not seem like they were. Free will is ours; to do with as we want. Only we can make ourselves slaves. Slaves to lovers, friends or gods. Slaves to food, pain or pleasure. Do not be a slave. Take what is offered to you and make it your own. Experience all that you can before the Great Night can take you away. Your past lies here, and I hope that your future will as 31

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well. There are journals in the library from the earliest Rutledge. Read them and find your heritage. You stand before the blank slate that is your future. Take up the chalk and write a new chapter in the Rutledge history. I am sorry that we never met. Your mother and I did not agree on virtually anything. She saw me as the slave, though she herself became one. The journals explain everything, though from my eyes and not hers. I am sorry for the struggles and hardships you and your mother went through. Your grandmother with greatest love, Anna Rutledge It was written less than a month before. Marlene placed the letter gingerly back into the folder and peeled off the house key. Leaving the folder behind on the steps, she walked up to the heavy-looking door and inserted the key. She took a moment to look over the curving woodwork. Someone had spent many hours chiseling away, making it look not like a door, but a piece of art. The key turned slowly in the lock, clicking audibly. Slowly the door swung inward. A cool breeze wafted outwards, gently touching her face. Taking two steps in, she stood amid the foyer. In front of her stood a large staircase and it led upward. Finally, it split and rose even higher, wrapping around to the third floor. “It’s too big,” she whispered. “Too damn big.” The house was still. Oddly enough, it was not creeping her out. The whole demeanor of the house 32

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was homey, comforting. Warm even. Peaceful. The lights flickered into existence of their own accord and Marlene jumped, instantly regretting her earlier thought. She looked around for the source, finding an infrared sensor just inside the doorway. “Could have fucking warned me,” she said aloud. “I bet they’re just laughing at the scared girl. I’m sure they’re just waiting by their cell phones for me to call. Fuckers.” She thought about it, not wanting to be alone right at this moment. Who knew what was lurking? Didn’t robbers and thieves read the newspaper, looking to see who died so they might break in and rob the deceased? The thought didn’t make her feel any better. Slowly and with great reluctance, she stepped fully into the foyer. A painting hung on the wall of a young woman. Marlene approached and read the inscription. Anna Rutledge – 1969. The woman could have been Marlene or her mother. There was no doubt about it. This was her home. Her ancestral home. Marlene spent the next hour walking through the mansion. She counted thirty-five rooms in all, of which ten were bedrooms. There was an exquisite kitchen, complete with all the modern amenities but still keeping the great fireplace that held a massive cauldron. It hadn’t been used anytime recently. She had checked, sticking her head inside for a look-see. The cupboards held lots of dry goods, but most were odd foods that her grandmother must have eaten. The refrigerator was completely bare. Empty. A trip to the 33

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nearest store was going to be required. The first floor held the kitchen and a large den with several sofas and chairs. A massive entertainment center took up most of the far wall. Music must have been Anna’s passion, because there was a huge library of classical CDs in one of the compartments. The floor was covered in a thick, almond-colored carpet unlike anything she had ever seen or felt. Slipping off her shoes, she waded through it. The sensation was incredible; soft, yet silky. She knew making love on it would be an interesting endeavor. Passing through the den, she entered the dining room with its magnificent hardwood table and chairs. Beyond it was the sunroom, that in turn led to the pool. Marlene sighed in rapture. A pool. A fucking indoor pool! Gods, this was overwhelming. She knelt down and dipped her fingers in the sparkling water. The temperature was almost bath water. Her mood was changing as she walked through the various rooms. She was becoming giddy, like a child in a toy store. The second floor held the bedrooms. The beds themselves were lavish; all of them were queen sized or larger. The master bedroom was a sight. It held one massive bed, which could sleep at least ten people. The bath held a double shower and Jacuzzi. The best part was the bathtub that was very nearly the size of a small swimming pool. Both the tub and the Jacuzzi were empty and would need to be refilled. The third floor held another massive den, this one with a fireplace. The décor lent itself to decadence. 34

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There was a distinct difference in the mood. Paintings of couples copulating covered the walls. There were three explicit sculptures in various locales. One was of a woman going down on a man whose head and body was thrown back in rapture. The second was of a man penetrating a woman against the wall. All were extremely lifelike. When she looked closer, she could tell that the woman had the same distinctive facial characteristics as her mother and herself. She was basically looking at herself being taken, permanently captured in clay. Looking at it made her incredibly horny. Several strange-looking chairs looking like weight benches, but with thick padding, were placed in various positions along with more traditional sofas. She suspected what they were used for, but she could not believe that anyone, especially someone as old as her grandmother was, ever used a toy like that. There was a surround-sound system here as well, but no television. The entire room reeked of sensuality, the air filled with it. A pair of double doors at the far end held the library. She pushed open the doors and stared at the rows of books. A skylight allowed sunlight to stream inward, illuminating the room. There were thousands of books. As she perused them, she noticed the topics ranged from history to theology to sexuality. Fiction held a fair amount of space. In the middle of the room sat a large overstuffed chair. It sat directly under the skylight. On the coffee table sat a series of handwritten notebooks, most of them at least a 35

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hundred years old. These must have been the journals her grandmother had mentioned. She reached down and picked one up. The voice came from behind her. “Hello.”

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Chapter Two – The Circle Opened

Maround, dropping the journal from her grasp. It arlene nearly fainted dead away. She spun

clapped loudly when it struck the wooden floor. Marlene jumped back, stumbling into the coffee table and falling unceremoniously over it and onto her ass. Luckily, the table was strong and didn't break. Several of the journals bounced and slid around, but none fell to the floor. The voice had come from the doorway. It belonged to a blonde woman who was so beautiful it was almost painful to look at her. Her hair fell in long ringlets about her face. It wasn’t a perm, as far as Marlene could tell. The woman was exquisite. Jenna would be drooling by now. The woman’s eye color was a pale blue and her form fell in curves that Marlene was instantaneously jealous of. She looked close to forty years old, and holding up very well. The intruder held in her hands the folder that Marlene left lying on the porch. They stared at each other in silence for a long 37

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moment. “Who the fuck are you?” Marlene asked from where she lay the floor. Slowly she rose, looking for anything that could be used as a weapon. All she saw were books. She made a mental note to equip every room with a baseball bat. “How the hell did you get in?” “The door was wide open. I knocked, but obviously you didn’t hear me. Anna had the doorbell disconnected a long time ago. I’m sorry for intruding.” She walked over and helped Marlene to her feet. “I’m Sarah Gutherie, your next door neighbor. The big mansion at the top of the hill. You can see our roof from your driveway. I’ve been keeping an eye on the place since Anna died. Balancing the PH in the pool, that sort of thing. You must be Marlene.” The woman stuck out her hand. Marlene was wary. She didn’t take kindly to people just appearing uninvited, especially when they scared the hell out of her, but she took the offered hand and shook it. The hand held uncommon strength for someone who looked as Sarah did. Sarah handed the folder to Marlene. “Yeah. I was deep in reverie,” Marlene explained. “This place is vaguely overwhelming. You knew my grandmother?” “Intimately. She was a good friend. Lonely, though, since her daughter left. We played tennis together, traveled together. The whole Circle did.” Sarah turned away and exited the library, returning to the lover’s den. “The Circle?” Marlene called after her. 38

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Sarah laughed aloud, turning around with a quick motion. “Just an informal club that we are members of. It consists of the owners of the six mansions in Gateway. We have parties, we go out to eat, and we travel together, that sort of thing. Friends, really. We’re all direct descendants of the original builders of these mansions, just as you are. Your grandmother was the oldest member of the Circle before she died.” Sarah shook her head, smiling wryly. “Now I am.” She walked to the window, looking out over the driveway. “She died down there, right by the front gate. I was the one that found her.” Her eyes never deviated from the gate below. “You?” “Yes. She had gotten very sick these last few months. She wanted to reconcile with your mother and it crushed her to discover that she had died two years earlier. It didn’t take long for the cancer to overwhelm her after she gave up…” Sarah looked back at her. “Then the news came from a private investigator that Victoria had a child. You.” Sarah paused, walking to one of the chairs and sitting down. “She spent the last few weeks waiting for them to find you and bring you home.” “I never knew.” “I don’t know everything that transpired between Victoria and Anna, but it destroyed their relationship. She didn’t like to speak of it.” Sarah pointed to the library. “I suspect that everything you would want to know is in there. Your grandmother was an avid journal writer. Very private about it, though. She 39

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never let anyone read what she wrote.” They continued to talk for several hours about Anna. Time seemed to stop as the two spoke. Marlene became aware of how personable and warm Sarah was. Clever and witty, Sarah slowly broke down the wall that had risen around Marlene during those first moments of their encounter. Marlene became entranced with this beautiful and sensual woman. She noticed the way her hair bounced, the way she licked her lips slightly before she spoke. Somewhere a clock chimed, and Marlene instinctively counted the bongs. Sarah perked up. “Is that what time it is?” Sarah asked Marlene, shock in her voice. Five times the clock had sounded. Marlene looked at her wrist. “Yeah, it’s five o’clock.” Sarah jumped to her feet. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go. We’re having guests over tonight. I’ve got to get going. The caterers will be at the house any minute now.” Marlene stood and walked with her down the two flights of stairs. In the foyer, Sarah turned back to face her. “What are you doing for dinner? Would you like to join us tonight?” Marlene smiled gracefully. “No. I’m going to head to the store and get some supplies. The place seems to have been cleaned out.” Sarah nodded. “If you need anything…” Sarah whipped out a pen and scribbled onto Marlene’s hand. Her touch was warm and at this moment, soft and luxurious. “…Feel free to call me.” Then she was 40

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gone, slipping behind the wheel of a gray BMW Z3. Marlene was alone again. **** The key to the garage automatically opened the big overhead doors. Clacking as they rose, the fading daylight streamed inward, bathing the Lexus in orange. Dust covered the car. It was obvious that it had not been used recently. Marlene stood in front of it, unsure of her ability to drive such a car. It had been three years since she had last driven anywhere. Being a resident student, she had never seen the need to purchase a car. She maintained her license, but not insurance. The legality of her taking it out for a drive was in question, but she decided that the firm would be able to take care of any problems she might encounter. The garage was expansive, having three bays. Two were unoccupied. There was a riding mower and various gardening implements in the far corner, but the garage was mostly empty. None of the tools looked like they had been used in some time. The air was stale and calm, slightly warmer than the outside. The dust had long ago fallen from the air, blanketing everything. The garage was used to being undisturbed. She cringed at the sound her shoes made as she walked across the concrete surface. Her steps sounded like gunshots. The car’s key slid into the lock. An alarm light flashed on the console and the 41

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door popped open. The car still smelled new. The leather interior felt wonderful as she slipped into the driver’s seat. Again the key slid into its slot, fitting perfectly into the ignition. The car ignited and purred to life. As she closed the door, silence filled the car. Close to being soundproof, the car encased her in a cocoon-like environment. She looked down at the stick shift. Stick shift? Grandma Anna drove stick? It struck her as odd that an older person, especially a woman, would put up with the inconveniences of a stick shift transmission. Marlene loved driving stick. It empowered her, giving her the control of the car and not the limitations that the manufacturers imposed with their convenient automatic transmissions. Perhaps she and her grandmother were more alike than she thought. Perhaps looks were not the only thing she inherited from Anna. Perhaps… She pulled out of the garage and looked in the rearview mirror as the door slowly closed behind her. Must have been on some kind of sensor. Marlene pulled to a stop at the end of the driveway, looking at the wide circle that formed the common loop road for the six mansions that made up Gateway. Turning left, she backtracked the way that Devon and Fisher had brought her. She had mentally noted that there was a supermarket ten minutes down the road in New Salem. The pines covered everything here, thinning out only for a house that was carved out amid the darkness under their needles. She passed the Post 42

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Office, watching as several young children ran ahead of their father, who was engrossed in his mail. The homes she passed in the town proper were affluent, almost rich, but very quaint. Little lamps were lit in each of the windows. This was not a poor town. Isolated, yes, but not redneck country or hicksville. But questions arose as she continued to drive. Where did these people work? What did they do for fun? She left Gateway, not seeing a theater or gas station or even a convenience store. Nothing but homes lay on either side of the road. For ten minutes she drove, following the winding road back towards the highway. It only took a few minutes to reach New Salem once she got back onto the highway. As she pulled into the Quickie-Mart, the sight of real civilization struck her. Marlene spent a little time in the store, picking up various sundries. Ice cream would comfort her, as would a frozen pizza. She was used to eating on a day-to-day basis. As a college student, many times money was scarce or even nonexistent. She would return later, once she had decided what to do. She stopped in the middle of the frozen foods section. The freezers chugged and hummed around her, spraying her with the cooled air. What would she do? Everything was now upside down. She was now an heiress to a fortune, the owner of a Lexus and a massive estate. Not to mention the beachfront properties. Should she forget about college? Should she, could she, live a life of luxury? Cookies. She needed cookies. Too much to think 43

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about. Oreos and milk. Like a woman possessed, she walked briskly to the snack food aisle and grabbed two bags of the Double Stuf variety. A gallon of whole milk soon joined the cookies in the cart. At the checkout, she hesitated. Marlene debated over using the card that she had in her pocket. She had only a little cash left over from her trip up. Finally deciding she had nothing to lose, she swiped the card. She left the store minutes later with her purchases in tow, satisfied but hungry. The sun was falling rapidly, barely above the horizon. She raced it downward, putting the Lexus through its paces. Mostly she was afraid of getting lost. She nearly slid off the highway, trying not to miss the exit that led to her new home. By now the sun was down and darkness had settled over the pines. She switched on the headlights, allowing their brilliance to guide her way. The road continued to wind around the deep forest that surrounded Gateway. She was doing seventy when she saw him. In the middle of the road. Wearing a black coat and hat. The Shadow Man. She screamed and slammed on the brakes, throwing the wheel to the left and then to the right. Tires joined in her screaming as the car whipped sideways. Sliding, she passed the figure in the roadway, who remained completely nonplussed. The car continued to slide, spinning completely around. Another half rotation later, it stopped, stalling with a 44

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raspy knock. It gently rocked back and forth until the car’s stability returned. The high beams rested on the spot where the figure had stood. Gone. A second passed and then selfpreservation kicked in. Marlene flicked the door locks, hearing the thud of their engaging. Another second passed as she continued to scan the area. Where the fuck was he? What the hell? Unsure of her sanity and doubting her eyes, she slammed the car into first gear and tromped the gas. Nothing happened. Panic began to fill her body. Her skin began to creep. “Oh, no,” she whispered. This was suddenly becoming like a horror movie. She hurriedly looked at the dash, noticing the bright red ‘check engine’ light. Shit! Son of a bitch car must have stalled. Stick shift. Duh. Her foot went down on the clutch and she twisted the ignition. The car purred to life. This time when she punched the accelerator, the car took off, spinning around again on the macadam and rocketing down the road. Taking no chances, she raced through the darkness, throwing the car through the corners and into the driveway. As she approached the house, floodlights kicked on. Motion sensors. The garage door slowly rose and she tapped the brakes once when she realized she wouldn’t make it under the door in time. Inside, the lights came on, illuminating the entirety of the garage. Relieved, she watched from within the car until the door clanged shut behind her. As she sat in the car, she wondered if she was 45

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going insane. Four times in two days. This was beginning to scare her. Shaking, she opened the door and grabbed the bag of groceries from the seat beside her. Moments later she was inside the house, behind the locked deadbolt of the thick oak doors. As she walked from room to room, the lights lit. Anna really had this place wired. Marlene wondered what it must have cost to run all the sensors and cables to control such lighting. In the dark, the house was even more foreboding, but the bright overhead lights made the darkness run for cover. She didn’t feel like eating the pizza any longer, so she slipped it into the freezer and poured herself a glass of milk from the gallon jug. Cookies in tow and the glass in her hand, she went upstairs, wanting to discover more about her family and grandmother. The steps creaked slightly as she rose through the house. Other than that, the house was silent. More than that, it was oppressive. The lack of sound weighed on her, pushing her mood downward. As she reached the third floor, she immediately went to the stereo and turned it on. She set her snack down on one of the sex chairs and opened the CD player. It had Chopin within its seat. Approving, she pushed the CD back in and the soft sounds of Nocturne began playing. Her mood improved, she retrieved her snack. Walking into the library, she sat down in the overstuffed leather chair. It smelled of the oils used to keep the surface of the leather from cracking. She sighed. Mentally tired, she reached down and picked up 46

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one of the journals from the coffee table. It was leather bound and looked relatively fragile. She opened up the cover, looking at the scribbled writing on the first page. Written like a diary, she determined that the first date written had been October 2nd, 1692, by Alicia Rutledge. Three hundred years had passed. Marlene paused, quickly flipping through the other journals. There were twenty-five in all. Some were written by the same person, others were different. Might as well start at the beginning. The script was difficult to read, and she knew she would be spending a lot of time translating the text. Settling in, she began to decipher the journal.

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Chapter Three – Ayla October 2nd, 1692 Rutledge was bored. The pew dug into her Alicia thighs as she tried to look intent on absorbing the

sermon of Minister Smith. The minister pounded his fist on the pulpit as he condemned them all for the sins they had not yet committed. She had tuned him out long ago, turning her attention towards the muscular body of Richard Sewell, who was seated two pews away. He was seventeen and she absolutely swooned over him, much to the dismay of her father and mother. Alicia was close to marrying age, and she would soon be betrothed to someone in the town. Who it would be was still unknown to her, but in the town of five hundred, there weren’t too many. She scratched at the coarse cloth of the black dress that her mother had made her last year. It was becoming threadbare in places. If Father made enough money, it might be replaced by winter. Her head ached. The tight bun that her blond hair was pulled up into made her face tight and pinched. When her hair was allowed down, she presented the world with a soft and gentle face. She longed for the 48

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days when she was younger and did not have to wear the bonnet or the corset or the somber toned clothes. She didn’t dare wear anything provocative. The trials had just ended in Salem, and everyone and everything was suspect. Twenty men and women had been executed for witchcraft. Here in Province, everyone was on a razor’s edge. Already, Minister Smith and the elders were discussing several of the church member’s conduct and actions of late. Poor Mr. Wimbles, alone since widowed three years earlier, was among those being investigated. Alicia knew he was harmless. He certainly wasn’t a warlock or witch. He simply had a bit of indiscretion when it came to staring at young women’s breasts. He was thirty-five and lonely. He wasn’t to blame for what God had taken away from him. Alicia stirred, bringing her attention back to Richard. Her father, a silent hulk of a man, turned his eyes towards her, catching her eye. His brow furrowed and she knew she had been caught not paying attention. He nudged her elbow, telegraphing his displeasure. Alicia straightened her back, sitting with her back not even touching the pew. That would please him. Minister Smith roared on, but she knew he was getting close to being spent. Smith was a thin man, filled with hatred towards any of the younger set as well as any means of pleasure. Food—enjoying it was a sin. Laughter—it was a sin. Gossip—it was a sin. Copulation—it was a sin; unless you did it just for babies, and even then only if you didn’t enjoy it. Minister Smith’s wife had 49

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long ago died of consumption, leaving him with a daughter that he did not want. Anger flared up within Alicia and in her mind’s eye the rebellion she felt so often reared up again. Hypocrite, she cursed him silently. She pushed the anger down inside, since it would only make her melancholy and evasive. Her father would not like or allow her to mope around in subversive anger. All around her heads began to bow. Quickly, she closed her eyes and bowed along with them. Minister Smith’s prayers tended to last as long as his sermons. He pleaded with God to burn the sinners and their indiscretions along with them. Alicia quickly lost track of who and what he condemned and damned to hell. Finally the word she had been waiting for finally was uttered. “Amen.” Slowly enough as to not arouse suspicion, Alicia rose from the pew, feeling the spikes of pain begin to shoot through her lower calves and thighs. Her legs had fallen asleep. She wondered if Minister Smith would consider the fact that her legs had fallen asleep a sign of the devil. Likely so, but the sharp pains would likely be considered God’s retribution on the failings of a young woman. Samantha, Alicia’s best friend, slid into the aisle beside her as the congregation slowly filed out. She looked distressed and nervous. “I’ve got to tell you something,” she whispered. “Meet me behind the blacksmith’s in an hour.” The blacksmith was on the remotest part of town. 50

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When the town was built, he was one of the first to build. He shaped metal all hours of the day and night, which disturbed all of his neighbors until they forced him to move farther out of town. “I can’t. I’ve got help prepare for dinner. How about you come for lunch?” “I’ll ask my mother,” Samantha replied. As they exited the church, Alicia looked around at the day. Winter had been well on its way last week, but it was different today. An Indian summer was upon them, reminding them all of the fading season. The sun was bright and shining and the air was warm. The summer dresses would be making another appearance this afternoon. Samantha left Alicia’s side, wading through the crowd back towards her mother. Alicia waited for the rest of her family to join her outside. She watched as Jenny came down the steps and onto the packed dirt that was the main road. Jenny was an innocent-looking blond who was Alicia’s schoolmate, but Alicia knew from experience that she was anything but innocent. Alicia had caught her bent over the teacher’s desk and Michael Finnegan standing behind her in the schoolhouse. Jenny’s dress was hiked up and wrapped around Michael’s legs, preventing Alicia from seeing his manhood. Both were out of breath when she came in to retrieve the switch for the teacher. Neither had moved from the spot, and embarrassment reddened both their cheeks. Tempted to use the switch on them both, Alicia simply grabbed the thin whipping stick and left, more intrigued than 51

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outraged. The door hadn’t even completely closed when she heard the sounds of their coupling begin again. Jenny had never spoken to her of the incident, though Jenny’s attitude had improved towards her. Alicia believed it was a reward for keeping her mouth shut. That had been over a year ago, back before Alicia ever felt any attraction towards the opposite sex. Now she fantasized about them hourly. Jenny’s escapade had stirred something in her, something delectable. There seemed to be a constant tingling between her legs, an itch that needed to be scratched, but could never be. Soon she was hiding outside her parent’s door, listening to their thrashings, their moaning voices. It was sinful, she knew, but she couldn’t help herself. Nor did she want to. Sin. Alicia chuckled to herself. If she was right, everyone in this whole town should be condemned to hell. Sex was everywhere. She believed it was natural and should be open. Catching her thoughts, she quickly put them to rest as her mother and father approached. “Is it all right if Samantha joins us for lunch?” she asked her mother. “Of course,” her mother replied. “Go fetch her.” Alicia nodded and trotted off; knowing that Samantha’s parents always stayed the longest at church. The congregation had dissipated, leaving Minister Smith chatting with Samantha’s parents. Samantha’s eyes were focused squarely on her shoes. Alicia caught snippets of Minister Smith’s speech 52

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as she approached. “…And don’t let her near a boy. Even a young one. They will arouse the darkest passions that will lead her soul to hell!” He stopped, looking over at Alicia. His eyes chilled her heart. He regarded her with ambivalence. Fearing that he could read her thoughts, she forced a brilliant smile upon her face and greeted the Minister and Samantha’s family. She tried to sound innocent as she directed her attention to Samantha’s mother. “My mother would like to know if Samantha would be allowed to join us for lunch.” Samantha’s mother looked at her husband. The father, in turn, looked at the Minister. The Minister nodded his approval. Alicia was taken aback by how much sway Smith held over Samantha’s family. Though the rebellion burned anew in her abdomen, she swallowed the bile that threatened to explode outwards, instead, waiting patiently. “I believe so,” her father finally agreed. Alicia bowed in thanks and held her hand out to Samantha. Together they began the long walk to the Rutledge household. **** After a lunch of cheese and soft bread, the young women excused themselves to take a walk to the meadow. Once they were sure that they were not being followed or within earshot of another living soul, Alicia finally broached the topic of what was 53

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bothering Samantha. “So what’s gotten your britches all knotted up?” Alicia watched as Samantha’s lip trembled in that pathetic way every time she was unsure of herself. “I saw something that I shouldn’t have.” Alicia waited patiently for her best friend to continue. “I was coming back from the creek this morning when I heard something strange. I can’t identify the sound it made; it was sort of like singing, but different. I ran to the big tree, hiding behind it as the sounds came closer.” Alicia knew of the tree she spoke of. It was tall, strong and enormous. “As I peeked around the corner, she came out of the brush. She was wearing a long black cloak and carrying a staff of dark wood. Her skin was as dark as the earth, and she was so beautiful. The sounds were coming from her lips. I know she was a witch. I just know it.” “Come on, you don’t really believe that, do you? Salem is a long way from here. All of the accused were either cleared or put to death. None of them escaped. She was probably an Indian, or an escaped slave. She wasn’t a witch.” “What if she was a witch that had not been discovered? Witches are everywhere! You heard what Minister Smith said in today’s sermon.” “Actually, I try not to listen to him. The man’s a hypocrite. He had a wife. He had a child. He has the same sinful urges that we do, if that’s what they are.” Samantha’s face dissolved into one of abject horror. 54

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“What are you saying?” “I’m saying that he’s telling us that anything and everything that holds one smidgen of happiness for us should be considered a sin. Being happy is a sin.” Alicia picked up a rock and threw it towards a tree. It struck the bark and knocked a chip from it. “Sin is everywhere!” “That might be so, but I think that Minister Smith’s condemnation of our habits and pastimes are his own sin. He takes too much pleasure in condemning everything.” Neither girl looked at the other. Samantha remained silent, continuing to walk through the woods at Alicia’s side. Alicia finally broke the silence. “Show me where you saw this witch.” Samantha’s eyes pleaded with her friend, and Alicia could tell she feared having to brave the forest again. Alicia would not allow her to back down and finally Samantha bowed her head in resignation. She accepted Alicia’s hand, leading her off the trail. **** Alicia heard the noises first. They sounded like animalistic grunts. She strained her ears to hear where they were coming from. They were still a fair distance from the big tree that grew near the creek. “What is that?” Samantha whispered. “I don’t know,” Alicia replied. The sounds came closer. Soon another noise, identical to the other began emanating from their left side, coming ever 55

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closer. Samantha stopped in her tracks, her grip suddenly like cold stone in Alicia’s hand. “Let’s get out of here,” Samantha hissed. A crash came from their right, and the girls spun to face the new threat. The brush in the distance was moving. A bizarre howling began from all three sides. Wolves! Samantha wailed and began to run, tugging at Alicia’s arm. Alicia turned with her, scurrying after her friend. Through the brush they ran, Samantha leading the way. It tore at their dresses, but neither girl cared. Samantha broke clear of the brush and began running headlong towards her home. Alicia was not far behind when something pushed her to the ground. She tried to scream, but a rough hand clamped itself over her mouth. The howls quickly disintegrated into laughter. “Come on, Samuel. Let her up. Fun’s over.” The hand left her mouth and Alicia quickly rolled over, seeing the pack of wolves was just Richard, Henry and Samuel, boys from the village who were obviously tormenting them. Henry and Samuel were nearly hysterical with laughter. Alicia’s face burned with anger and shame for having fallen for their trick. “You’ll pay for this! Look at my dress!” she wailed, gesturing to the rips and tears that came from rushing headlong into the forest. “Samantha…” “She’s gone. Running home to her papa, no doubt,” Henry stated. Richard, her beautiful Richard, came over, offering his hand to her where she lay on the ground. She accepted it and he pulled her to her 56

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feet with ease. She made a great show of pulling her hand from his. Her heart was pounding. Fear was a great motivator. Samuel and Henry began to walk away, heading back into the brush. “Come on, let’s go,” Henry called back to Richard. Richard waved them away. “Go on. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” His eyes never left hers. As the two boys walked out of sight, she heard them say faintly, “Not again…” She looked at him. “What do they mean, ‘not again’?” “Nothing. They’re just simpletons. Getting their kicks out of scaring young girls.” “Unlike you, who just wants to get them alone?” “I’ve heard the rumors. I wanted to see if they were true.” “Rumors?” she asked coyly. So he had heard. She knew what every man-child wanted. It was written all over their faces as soon as they caught up to the girls in height. Her mother had told her that she must remain pure if she was to find a man who would have her as his wife. Remaining a virgin had been difficult for her, especially since she had awakened and discovered her sexuality. Now it was all she thought about. As time went on, she realized more and more that there was a double standard. Religion blasted the individual for having these desires, but yet the desires rose uncalled from within their bodies. Women were expected to hold back, restrain themselves and men 57

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were allowed leeway when it came to indiscretions. She thought it was pathetic. Her mother wanted her to be demure and silent, allowing them to arrange her marriage. She knew what rebellion was since she had felt it in her heart. She herself had spread the rumors that she wanted Richard, but denied it to everyone’s face. It wasn’t her intention to mislead anyone; she simply wanted Richard. Having never had sex, she didn’t know how she wanted him, she just did. She literally walked into his arms, not bothering to play hard to get. He slid his arms around her, drawing her closer to him. Their lips met and warmth flushed through her body. He ground his crotch against her waist and she could feel the rock hardness within. His hand went downward, pulling the hem of her dress upward, pushing the thick fabric away. She gasped and his fingers slid over and through her pubic hair, seeking the wetness within. His breath was on her neck, warm and inviting. “I see you desire something.” She said nothing, enjoying his exploration. Nothing could make this better. Her teeth gnashed at his shirt, her crotch knowing instinctively what motions would bring her joy. Slowly she began to push against his hand and wrist, rubbing the sensitive nub against his knuckles. Moaning, she fell against him, using his tight body for support. A crashing through the bush frightened her out of her lust, though she did not leave his embrace. “Are you coming or not?” Henry stood amid the 58

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brambles, looking annoyed. “Leave the damn wench and let’s go!” Richard, annoyed at the intrusion, withdrew his hand and kissed her once more, his tongue sliding around hers. “You’re a bit young for me,” he stated flatly as he licked his fingers. He turned and began walking away. Not once did he look back. Alicia looked on, realizing she had just been toyed with. Tears burning her eyes, she ran into the woods, away from the brambles and brush that had done so much damage to her attire. Wench. Discarded. **** Alicia hid in the bushes by the stream for a good hour, crying over having been thrown away like a used toy. A bit young, he had said. She felt angry and hateful, but was completely powerless to do anything about it. No one would believe her if she tried to tell them about Richard’s groping. She had, in fact, encouraged it. No, she had wanted it. A form emerged from the shadows of the surrounding trees. A gray-cloaked woman slowly stripped her clothes from her body, folding them neatly in piles before slipping into the cold water. Alicia tried to determine who this person was, but she did not recognize her. Her hair was not bound like the church dictated. It was long and black as the night. Her skin was a dark chocolate, but Alicia could 59

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tell she was not a Negro. Not a slave, then. The sight of the other woman’s naked form sent a chill across her body. The woman dunked herself under the water and Alicia was close enough to see the goose bumps on the curves of the woman’s breasts. Alicia held her breath, praying she would not be discovered. The woman turned within the water to face her. “I know you are there. There is no need to be afraid.” Alicia held her position, afraid of this stranger and her actions. The woman was acting so nonplussed about her nudity that Alicia was ashamed for her. Her cheeks burned hot; she knew her blush when she felt it. Slowly, Alicia crawled out from under the boughs and stood by the edge of the water. She didn’t know why she didn’t run. She knew she should have run home to tell her father about this woman. But she couldn’t. The woman’s beauty entranced her, her flaunted freedom kept her locked within the embrace of her eyes. “My name is Ayla. The boy amused himself with you, didn’t he?” “How do you know?” Alicia asked, her face reddening even more. “I saw you both. I saw how you pressed against him, how you wanted him. How he toyed with you before letting you go unsatisfied.” “My father would not like me to hear such things.” “Your father is not here. He will not hear such things.” Ayla gestured for Alicia to join her in the 60

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water. “Experience it with me. The water will cleanse you.” This woman was incredible. She did not follow any conventions. Alicia felt herself pulling her dress up over her head and dropping it to the ground beside her. The underdress followed shortly thereafter. The air rushed over her body, cooling it instantly. The sun was falling from the sky. Soon dusk would be upon them. She stepped into the water, feeling it sucking the warmth from her body. Her foot slipped, and suddenly she was engulfed in the water. She gasped as she broke the surface and she felt Ayla’s warm hands around her waist. Alicia looked at the darkhaired beauty, suddenly infatuated with the older woman. “Those boys will use your flesh and cast you away, leaving you unfulfilled. Your society cares nothing for the needs of the woman, only the man’s. To dominate a man, you must take control of his cock and never let it go. A man knows not how to pleasure a woman.” “Who are you?” Alicia asked. “Where do you come from?” Ayla smiled and kissed Alicia gently on the cheek. They floated in the water together. “I’ve been persecuted for my dedication to pleasure.” “You’re a prostitute?” “I take my pleasure when I want it. I do not sell it to others.” Ayla pulled herself out of the water and stood dripping on an outcropping above Alicia. “Men of this world are childish lovers, spending time with their own selfish thrusting. I know of a different 61

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world. A world where the pleasure flows free.” “Where is this world? France? Spain? I’ve heard they are hedonists there.” “They are nothing but children.” Ayla knelt on the rock, looking down at her. The older woman’s breasts defied gravity, remaining upright like perfect pears. The nipples were erect and demanding. “But with your help, I can bring that world to you.” “How?” Alicia asked, already knowing the answer. Her own skin became covered with goose bumps. “Magic.”

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Chapter Four – The Circle Now Closed Saturday, September 1st, 2001

Mhad fallen asleep in the chair. She was unsure of

arlene’s eyes fluttered open, realizing that she

how long she had been asleep. The skylight above her still held the darkness of the night. Alicia’s story was like the first sexual experience of most women. Heartless older men, who believed it was a gift they were entitled to, stole their innocence. They devoured it without regard to the woman’s feelings or needs. She thought it sad that little had changed in three hundred years. Even still, the words that Alicia had used to describe her lust had permeated into Marlene’s dreams, leaving her wet and aroused. The Beast was back in force. She had named her libido a long time ago, ever since she learned to touch herself, bringing the sensations to a peak of orgasmic need. The Beast needed sating on a regular basis. Every third day, at the most. Whether it was a cock, a dildo or a tongue, it didn’t matter. It just needed to be done. Celibacy was out of the question. The longest she 63

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had gone was eight days, when an ex-lover pissed her off so badly that she had sworn off men and masturbation. Eight long days of hell. After the fourth day, she couldn’t think straight. After the seventh, she could no longer eat. Jenna had found it pathetic that she craved cock more than food. Marlene came very close to giving in to Jenna’s overtures. When she could take no more, she went to a strip club on the other side of Philly and offered herself to the bouncers, demanding that they take her to the after-hours sex parties. They obliged, and she spent the next twelve hours fucking as many cocks as she could. She awoke sore in all of her orifices and sticky from the dried cum. It was completely ridiculous, but she knew that no one man would have been up to the task. The Beast was angry at her negligence and needed to be fed. What she had done was stupid and dangerous. She knew that, but it was beyond her control. It was a beyond a desire. It was an addiction. One that she enjoyed. Immensely. Realizing she couldn’t act that way on a regular basis, she instead turned her energy towards her paintings. She found that as long as she kept a regular lover, the Beast would stay asleep. Only now, she was five hundred miles away from her ‘stable’, as Jenna called it. She had three men she could confidently rely on to relieve her desires and tensions. She did not want a serious relationship with any of the three. They were nothing but a tool to her, a clean, sanitary 64

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means of putting a stop to the needs her body required. It was cold to use them as such, but she did not mislead them in any way. They knew from the start that it was a sex-only proposition. They didn’t seem to mind. She didn’t consider herself a sex addict. This ran deeper than that. Sex addicts rarely derived pleasure from their needs. She however, came repeatedly and with great force on the offered cock. Damn if she couldn’t use one now. The journal, even though it was written like a diary, still aroused her. Alicia was eloquent in her word choice, picking words that Marlene never would have thought of to tell of her desire for Richard to pierce her body. It was pretty intense writing, considering the time period it came from. Marlene’s body shook with her own lust. She remembered the first time she had had a cock inside her. She had been babysitting a child whose mother, Darla, was a friend of her mother’s and who worked third shift. There was no father in the boy’s life. She spent most of her freshman year sleeping at the woman’s house, which happened to be right down the street. Marlene was paid three dollars an hour to arrive at ten at night and leave in the morning, in time for school. It was a great arrangement. Darla entrusted her son to Marlene and she did well by him. He was never harmed by the goings-on downstairs on the couch. The boy was four, and always in bed by the time she arrived. Being as late as it was, Marlene usually fell 65

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asleep watching Leno, awakening to the boy needing a glass of water sometime around three. Her boyfriend at the time was Andrew LePage. A bit of a runt, though he wasn’t a bad boyfriend. Unlike the boyfriends of several of her friends, he never abused her or played mind games. He worshipped the ground she walked on. Actually, he worshipped her breasts. One night as their relationship was progressing, he suggested that he come over after Darla had left for work. Unsure, she hesitatingly said yes and when he arrived, she ushered him in quietly. The next few hours were filled with his groping hands on the couch. She had gone down on him before, once in study hall and once in the backseat of his mom’s car. This time, however, once she sucked him to arousal, she pushed him back down on the couch and straddled him. The tip grazed her clit, sparking her to greater arousal. Andy’s eyes were as wide as the full moon when she pounced on him, allowing her body to engulf his manhood. It had barely fully penetrated her when she felt the warm stickiness of his juices flooding her insides. It was the biggest letdown she had ever had. Embarrassed, Andy left shortly thereafter, leaving her horny and disgusted with him. As she looked back on the incident, she felt sorry for the poor boy, since he had broken up with her shortly thereafter. He had missed much in the intervening years. Her thoughts began to drift. Not wanting to fall asleep in the chair again, she made up her mind to 66

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move to one of the beds, or possibly the couch in the den. Standing up, she marked her spot in the journal and stumbled out into the den. Sharp spikes drove themselves into her feet. The position she had fallen asleep in had put her feet to sleep as well. She stomped them on the carpet, driving the blood back into them. Where were her socks and shoes? It was then that she realized she was naked. She looked down at her body, enjoying the sight of her breasts. Her hands caressed them and slid lower, touching the fluid that ran down her legs. Slippery. Hearing a growl, Marlene looked up and saw a naked man standing in front of her. His cock was erect and hard, dripping with pre-cum. On his face was a black mask like those found in Italian masquerades. Its eyes held no answers, only an animalistic desire. Before she could scream, he rushed at her. His arms grabbed her wrists and slammed her against the wall, knocking the breath from her. “Is this what you seek?” he hissed. His cock slid inside her, filling her. Though she struggled, her arms felt like lead. His breath was hot on her shoulder as he bucked against her. She was aware that she was technically being raped, but not knowing why, she enjoyed it. Joining his motions, she pushed against his cock. Soon the tables turned and she rode him, taking the power away from him. Her hands now held him down against the carpet as her body was like a piston upon him. The orgasm quickly rose within her, sending her moans higher and 67

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higher. “The Beast within you must be satisfied,” he hissed. “Take your pleasure from me.” She could not respond. She screamed in joy as the orgasm took control of her body and mind. **** Marlene snapped awake. She jumped up and the journal she had been reading tumbled to the floor. The sun was shining down through the skylight, warming the room with its light. Her cunt felt raw; she guessed she had been masturbating in her sleep. A dream within a dream. She had never had one before. It was strange. Usually her sex dreams consisted of several men and women who partook of her body. As she stretched, her muscles and joints screamed in pain. Never again, she decided, would she sleep in that chair. She walked into the den and turned off the stereo. The CD had long ago ended. Traipsing down the stairs, she found her pack sitting where she had left it. She knew she smelled and needed a shower. Her stomach was moaning for sustenance, which she filled quickly with a glass of milk and a bunch of Oreos. Wasn’t the best breakfast, but it would do for now. She had to decide what to do about this place. Marlene did her best thinking while showering. Grabbing her pack, she trudged back up to the second floor, scouting out the master bedroom and bath. 68

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Tossing the pack onto the awe-inspiring bed, she stripped off her clothes. Her panties were soaked with her juices. She peeled them off, allowing her scent to waft over her. She loved the way she smelled. Soon the shower was running, spraying hot water all over her aching muscles. Filling the bathtub would take too long, though submerging herself would be the best thing to do. What should she do? Continue her education? Stay here and live it up? She could always return to school later. Her gifts for art weren’t going anywhere. Here she could develop them as she saw fit. Devon said she wouldn’t have to work. Boredom was a factor. This place had nothing in the way of entertainment. It would make a great vacation getaway, but there was little to do in the surrounding community. At least that’s the way it looked. She had already decided not to sell the place, but she didn’t think that she would be able to live here permanently. Willing to try, she decided at that moment to stay through the winter, then move back, and resume her education. She only had two more semesters to go until she received her degree. It was as far into the future as she cared to look. She wondered if Jenna would be willing to take a semester off and live here with her. Probably not, but she’d ask anyway. Jenna would miss the dyke scene of downtown Philly entirely too much. There wasn’t likely to be a pool of prospective candidates for her to 69

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prey on in Gateway—population three hundred. If even that many. What was there to do around here? Sarah popped into her mind. Beautiful Sarah. Jenna would be drooling to taste her. Even if Jenna was twenty years her junior. A strange sensation rushed over her as she thought about the woman she only met briefly yesterday and who was her only link in this town. Her hair, her eyes, her breasts… Marlene shoved the coalescing sexual thoughts away and into the recesses of her mind. “The Beast within you must be satisfied,” the voice whispered in her ear. She spun around, seeing no one, but remembering the words from the dream. It was too real and the imagined sounds disconcerted her. She turned off the water and stepped out. Having forgotten to get herself a towel before she stepped into the shower, she scrambled across the tiled floor and opened up the closet doors. Pulling a huge towel out, she wrapped herself within it and walked into the master bedroom. Rapidly cooling water dripped from her hair, sending chills running down her back and legs. She caught a glint of metal as she walked by the bay window. Light was reflecting off a vehicle sitting in the driveway. Gray BMW. Sarah Gutherie. Convenient. The vehicle was empty, so Sarah was likely on the porch below. It still annoyed her that she had entered once before without invitation, so she suspected that the woman would likely do so again. Dressing quickly in the only other clothes she had, she dropped down the stairs by taking three at a time. 70

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The half shirt exposed her belly, and her jean shorts were frayed and worn. She wasn’t wearing a bra, since she had worn one all night. The area under her breasts ached from the underwire. Not today. She hadn’t been planning on staying past today, but the more she thought about it, the more she knew that deep down she wanted to stay. She wanted to learn more about her mother and grandmother, as well as her family history. The clothes she was wearing wasn’t the proper attire to be welcoming the rich neighbors, but nothing could be done. She’d have to make a jaunt to Philly to pack up some things and clean out the loft. Maybe Jenna could do that for her. She didn’t own much in the loft; three years of living on her own taught her that everything she owned was transitive and could disappear anytime. Just as this could all disappear anytime. She opened up front door and looked out. Sarah, with her long blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, leaned against the wooden railing, looking out over the pine-needle-covered ground. She wore a gray pantsuit with a black belt. Surprisingly, the suit only enhanced her beauty, giving her an air of authority. The woman did not acknowledge Marlene’s presence for a few seconds, but finally looked over her shoulder at her. “You look like you’re about to seduce a teenager.” “At one time, these clothes came in handy for that sort of thing,” Marlene smirked. “Now it’s just about comfort.” “Isn’t that the way everything is?” Sarah asked as 71

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she turned completely around to face Marlene. “Once an object’s primary usefulness has waned, we keep them around anyway, because we simply have an attachment to them.” She sighed expressively. “We end up loving them like a child or a brother, looking past their frayed edges, or abuses we’ve done to them.” “Mighty poetic this early in the morning, aren’t we?” Marlene stated sarcastically. Sarah smiled politely and returned to staring wistfully out over the grounds. “I’d invite you in…” Marlene continued, but Sarah turned and reached out, taking the younger woman’s hand. Unsure, Marlene did not retract her hand from the older woman’s grip. Slowly but without pressure, Sarah led her down the steps and to the car. “Where are we going?” “Someone should show you around. I figure it might as well be me.” Marlene slid into the passenger seat and watched as Sarah walked around the BMW and did the same. “Besides, we’ve got to get you something better to wear. You look like a two-bit hooker.” Sarah smiled at Marlene. “Not that it’s a bad thing. I like a two-bit hooker once in a while.” The car roared to life. Sarah punched the accelerator and rocketed down the driveway before sliding to a halt. “Shit, I didn’t lock the house,” Marlene stated, looking back over her shoulder towards the mansion. “Don’t worry. The deadbolts automatically lock whenever the doors close. Anna had them put in back 72

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in the eighties. Just don’t forget about them.” The older woman laughed. “Anna locked herself out on a regular basis until she put a key out in the garden.” She paused briefly as she turned onto the main roadway and quickly gained speed. “Anyway, I know you’re new here and don’t know where anything is. So I figured that since I was bored, I’d come over and show you the area. Besides, you’ve got a party to go to tonight.” “Party?” “It’s Saturday night, honey, and the Circle is having their weekly get-together.” Marlene suddenly became flustered. “I’m not sure I’d fit in…” Sarah dismissed the notion. “Nonsense. Everyone would love to meet the granddaughter of their newly departed member.” Marlene shrugged. “I guess.” She looked out the window, feeling like a child beside this woman. She was so sophisticated and mature, seeing right through Marlene’s bravado and insecurities. A party here would not be anything like the ones she usually attended, filled with heavy doses of liquor, some drugs and usually lots of young men. Sarah looked over at her. “Don’t worry. I know what you’re thinking, but it won’t be what you are expecting. We’re not all fogies like myself. Tonight it will just be the women that will be getting together. Most of the men are still out of town.” They slowed as they drove through Gateway proper. It still looked like a ghost town. “The place is 73

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filled with commuters. Most of them work in Amherst and Boston. They come here to relax after a hard day at the office.” She was obviously making fun of them. They passed through the town and again the BMW picked up speed, darting down the curved road that led to the highway. “What does your husband do?” Marlene asked, trying to provoke a conversation. They passed the place where Marlene had seen the Shadow Man. She could see the tire marks where she had slid around the dark figment of her imagination. At least she hoped that’s all he was. Sarah opened her mouth, but didn’t speak. She looked over at Marlene for a long moment and then returned her eyes back to the road. Finally she replied, “He’s a broker in New York,” Sarah answered. “I can’t stand the city, so I stayed here. My family’s lived here for the past three hundred years. This has always been my home. Michael will be coming up tomorrow. Maybe you’ll meet him.” “Doesn’t it bother you that he’s there and you’re here?” “Not really. I’ve got the Circle.” The Circle again. “Who…” she began. “Elizabeth, Sylvia, Demi and Maria. You’ll meet them tonight.” The highway appeared in front of them and Sarah took the interstate south towards Amherst. The sun was beginning to be molested by clouds and the day became cooler. “Tell me about yourself.” 74

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Marlene was hesitant. “I consider myself an artist. I’m two semesters away from graduating with my bachelors in Fine Art.” “What media?” “Oils and acrylics mostly, but sometimes charcoal.” Sarah looked over. “Are you any good?” “I believe so.” Sarah smirked. “Most artists do.” “Yeah. It’s an ego thing.” Marlene wasn’t sure if Sarah was baiting her or just being perfectly honest. “I tend to do nudes, mostly. I find naked flesh to be the most beautiful thing.” “Yes, you’re not the only one.” Sarah’s eyes never left the road, but Marlene could sense that the remark was not wholly innocent. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable, but she wasn’t sure why. “So, do you take commissions?” “I haven’t yet, though I was once approached by this slick Greek who said he wanted to market my work back home in Greece. I was cool with it until I discovered he wasn’t an art dealer, but just some loser from the North side. Really pissed me off. All he really wanted was to get into my pants.” Sarah laughed and continued with her inquiry. “Who do you find to pose for you? I mean, shedding your clothes is not an easy thing to do for most people.” “I don’t find that to be true. There are plenty of people that will do it just for the hell of it. I think that there is an exhibitionist in all of us. We like to see each other naked and we like to have others see us as 75

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well. Like I said. It’s an ego thing. Stroking it like a cock.” Marlene’s hand went up to her lips. “Oh, Lord. I’m sorry. Here I am talking like a gutter whore.” Sarah laughed aloud. “It’s nice to hear someone speak their mind without regard to the consequences. That is one of our few tenets of The Circle. Openness. I think that the others will like you. You’re a lot like your grandmother, but different in some very positive ways.” “How so?” “You’re fresh. And I don’t mean in a Fifties sort of way, either. Youth has a smell all its own. It has an energy about it. You’re bursting with it. Makes me want to devour it.” Marlene’s heart skipped a beat. She tried to change the subject but found herself unable. “So how am I different? You’ve only known me for a day.” “Right. And there it is. You’re not trusting. It’s your generation. Everyone has lied to you. Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, that sort of thing. Trust in those your age is nonexistent. I can feel your apprehension and mistrust of everything around you. You are constantly waiting for the other foot to fall. You need to open yourself up.” She looked pointedly at Marlene. “Am I getting warm here?” Marlene met her gaze. Her crotch began to ache again. There was something about this older woman that was causing her to lust. “I can’t help it that I want to…” Her voice trailed off and her face flushed red. Finally she looked away and settled her gaze out the window. 76

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She had hit it dead on. Trust had long since disappeared from Marlene’s life. She felt more open about her sexuality than about the emotions she felt within her. Anonymous sex held the best pleasure for her, since she didn’t have to think about the emotional consequences, just the physical ones. Marlene suddenly became aware that she wanted Sarah. The Beast had found a new desire. “I’m sorry. I’ve made you uncomfortable again,” Sarah said as the moment dragged on. The car had pulled off the highway and entered another small town. Sarah remained quiet the rest of the journey until they eventually pulled into a little boutique’s parking lot. There were only two cars other than theirs in the lot. The shop looked like it rarely did a large volume of business. Marlene tried hard to calm herself. She felt wet between her legs. Her head was swimming. Sarah popped the car into park and turned off the ignition. Marlene recovered and met the older woman’s eyes. Sarah’s were wide with anticipation. Sarah licked her lips slightly. “Let’s go shopping!” **** “No, no, no,” Sarah protested. “Put that shit back on the rack. We’re here to get you something that looks nice, not make you look like a nun.” The pile of clothes that Sarah had demanded she buy was already four feet high. Two hours had passed since they had first entered the boutique. It 77

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was a very feminine and eloquent shop, with plenty of formal and casual attire. Marlene reluctantly placed the rejected clothes on the chair outside the changing room and waited until Sarah returned with a brilliant emerald-colored dress. Clad only in her panties when Sarah returned, she accepted the dress with open arms. Sarah moved close, whispering into her ear how she always knew Marlene was an exhibitionist. Marlene blushed again and ran back into the changing room. The dress was beautiful. It had long sleeves and ran down to mid-thigh. The built-in bra cupped her breasts fully, providing maximum comfort and lift. The neckline dove downward, providing an ample view of her cleavage. Marlene was in love. As she exited the changing room, she said only three words, “I want it.” Sarah stared in awe and said, “And so it shall be.” **** The BMW skidded to a stop. The driveway was macadam and time had eroded some of its surface away. Sarah popped the trunk as Marlene got out. In total, they had spent four hours in the boutique and put forty-five hundred on Marlene’s plastic. Giggling like schoolgirls, the two women carried the bags of clothing into the house. Tossing them onto the floor, Marlene turned back to Sarah who leaned the bags she was carrying against the wall. “What do I do now?” she asked. 78

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Sarah stepped close to her. A burning sensation starting in Marlene’s belly flashed outward, covering her entire body. Sarah’s lips touched hers, and the gentle kiss slid onto and into her. A soft moan escaped from Marlene’s throat. Sarah broke away and stepped back, her eyes fiery with lust. “I’ll be back to pick you up at five.” It was three in the afternoon now. Two hours to kill. Sarah crossed over the threshold out onto the porch. Turning to look over her shoulder, Sarah said, “Wear the dress.” Sarah closed the door behind her. The resulting slam caused Marlene to snap out of the hormoneinduced trance she had been in. She clutched at her chest and ran upstairs. Stopping halfway up, she looked down at the wet spot that had formed between her legs. Unsure of her own desires and now her once steadfast orientation, she peeled off the half shirt and allowed her breasts freedom. Her nipples tingled as the shirt’s material grazed over them. She felt so aroused it threatened to make her sick. What the hell was happening to her? Her thoughts consumed her for the next few minutes. When the cold water of the shower struck her, it brought a small bit of lucidity back to her daydreams. She had never lusted after a woman before. She always believed her orientation to be heterosexual in nature, though she had never overtly made love to a woman. In the seven years she had been sexually active, she had had two threesomes, but 79

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never had she ever touched a woman like she wanted to right now. The Beast was raging now. Her cold, wet fingers slid deep into her warm wetness and she began to masturbate furiously. Her left hand cupped her breast, squeezing and pinching the nipple. Loud moans escaped her lips, though no one could hear her. As the pent-up lust rose up and washed over her and the orgasm ran its course, Marlene slowly slid down the shower’s wall. There she lay amid the cold droplets, catching her breath, enjoying the clenching and unclenching of her vagina. Jenna. She had to talk to Jenna. **** The Beast lay in her belly. She was frightened of it. Afraid of how it might make her act in front of the other women at the upcoming party. The dress lay on the bed in the master bedroom. In an attempt to calm herself, she had hung up every article of clothing that she had just purchased. The distraction helped very little and she found herself with the phone in her hand. Dialing Jenna’s cell number, she waited through the soft rings and was rewarded with a faint click. “Hello?” the soft voice answered. For some reason, she hung up and laid the phone down. Closing her eyes, she went inside herself, looking for the Beast. It howled within her chest and a fire raged in her groin. Masturbation had only fueled 80

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its need and she seriously considered bailing on the party. She picked up the phone again. Realizing she had washed Sarah’s number from her hand without writing it down, she threw the phone down on the bed and growled in anger. “Goddammit!” she cursed. What the hell was wrong with her? She could feel that her underwear was already damp. Cursing again, she stripped them off and looked at the clock. Screw the underwear. She didn’t have any more that were clean anyway. A quarter until five. Shit! Damn it! Fuck! She flung the dress over her head and felt the slippery material glide over her skin. It sent chills over her body and she moaned while nearly falling against the bed. She growled again and jumped up, rushing into the bathroom. Combing her hair quickly, she then pulled her hair up into a tight bun. She looked into the mirror and stared hard at the Italian features that graced her family’s line. What the hell is wrong with you? Completely unsure of herself, she opened up her makeup kit. Some lipstick and eye shadow and she was done. Slowly she walked to the closet and slipped into the matching shoes purchased strictly for tonight. She was ready. Well, as ready as she could be, considering her state of mind. What the hell was she going to do? She was suddenly deathly afraid. She breathed deeply, closing her eyes to allow herself to try to calm. Five breaths later, the Beast 81

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calmed somewhat. Another ten later, she felt like she was again in control of herself. Opening her eyes, she left the bedroom and began to slowly walk down the stairs. **** All the control she had mustered in the last fifteen minutes disappeared in an instant. There was a knock at the door as she reached the last step of the stairs. She was suddenly terribly afraid. When she finally regained enough nerve to open it, there stood in the doorway a man whom she never seen before. She jumped back in surprise, expecting Sarah, and stammered out a greeting. Considering her recent hallucinations, she was tempted to slam the door in the man’s face. The man could only be described as beautiful. Handsome just didn’t cut it. His black hair was slicked back and his face reminded her of that guy from that movie. What was it? That’s right, Good Will Hunting…what was his name? Affleck. Ben Affleck. This man, however, was older, about forty-five. He wore a three-piece suit that was the color of charcoal. His tie was a blood red, deep and dark. The man greeted her politely. “Hello.” His voice was low and gentle. “Ms. Rutledge, I presume? I’m Michael Gutherie, Sarah’s husband. Sarah was busy getting ready for the party and asked me to pick you up.” The Beast roared inside her loins. She could do 82

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nothing, being paralyzed by his presence. Her body trembled of its own accord. She was afraid to move, knowing at any moment she would pounce. He smiled politely while she continued to stare at him. Feigning ignorance of her discomfort, he stepped towards her, crossing into the foyer. “Do you like the place?” He continued to stare intently into her eyes. “Is it to your liking?” Gods, he was so beautiful. For another long moment, Marlene desperately tried to keep her lust in check. Suddenly she knew it was going to happen, no matter how hard she fought against it. There was nothing she could do about it. His hands touched the silk of the dress as she slid her body against his. He did not resist her embrace as she pressed against him. She struggled with his zipper, but not before tearing the suit coat from his body. His cock was already hard and she pulled the dress upward, allowing him entry. Her legs wrapped around him as he lifted her, impaling her upon his member. She clung to his body, reveling in the warmth and solidity of his body. The door behind them slammed shut and he turned to push her back against it. She undulated against him as he fucked her there, against the door. His tongue latched onto hers, and his hands threatened to tear the fabric of the dress. Suddenly the orgasm she had been dying for rose out from within her loins and she broke her mouth from his. Her screams of ecstasy echoed through the house. Within her, the muscles of her vagina clenched tightly around Michael’s cock and she felt his cock becoming 83

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larger, triggering a second orgasm within her. Within her cunt his fluid burned her, all the while filling her. A wave of contentment dropped over her. For a long moment, they simply breathed together, their passion slowly cooling. His cologne permeated her nostrils, bringing her back to lucidity. The Beast wavered in its hold on her. Her eyes widened when she realized what she had just done and the position she was now in. Her back was against the door and cock of her neighbor’s husband was inside of her. “Oh, gods, what have I done?” She slid from his arms, shame burned on her cheeks. She pulled the dress down, covering her cunt from prying eyes. “Nothing,” Michael stated flatly. “We fucked. It was a good quick fuck. That’s all that matters.” She looked at him in disbelief. “Do you always fuck people you just met?” “Don’t you?” he retorted good-naturedly. She bit her lip and pulled her dress down again, trying to cover the wetness of her pussy that dripped from her. Walking away, she entered the kitchen and grabbed a towel from the counter to wipe the fluid leaking from between her legs. Then she snatched her keys from the table where she had tossed them earlier in the day. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes. Slowly she opened them and turned back to see Michael, now fully dressed, standing patiently at the door. She felt disoriented. He showed no signs of the passion they had just shared. “Are you okay?” he asked. Trotting back to the foyer, she said nothing as she 84

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walked past Michael and outside. The door closed behind her and she heard the latch click home. Michael came up behind her as she stood overlooking the walkway that ran down to the driveway. His hand touched her waist, and a new wave of lust began to grow inside her. It angered her, and she pulled away from him. Her heels clacked on the flagstones of the walkway as she nearly ran from him. A metallic blue sports car sat by the gate. Sliding into the Porsche’s leather seat, she wavered between shame, guilt and anger. Michael dropped down into the driver’s seat and started the ignition. Marlene watched the trees as they exited her driveway and onto the main road. Neither said a word to each other on the two-minute drive around the loop and into the long driveway that she now knew was the Gutherie’s home. Out of the pines grew the largest of the Gateway mansions. It was huge and vaguely Gothic in structure. Michael pulled up beside a grouping of other cars. Marlene recognized Sarah’s BMW, a Jaguar, another Porsche and finally a Mustang. The Ford looked out of place beside the imports, she thought. She guessed they were the vehicles of the other guests. New butterflies had begun to grow within her belly. Michael walked around the car and opened her door for her. His hand took hers and she allowed him to lead her up the stone steps that led to a pair of wooden double doors. He opened the door and gestured her inside. Music could be heard coming 85

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from within. It was classical in nature. Violins and flutes could be heard. Marlene paused. Michael waited patiently behind her. She didn’t know what to do. This wasn’t for her. She had committed a crime against one who had just befriended her. Now she was arriving at a party where she would meet her grandmother’s friends. She felt ashamed of herself. Looking at Michael, she didn’t understand what had happened. He was so nonchalant about it all. He acted like nothing had ever happened. The thought struck her. Had anything happened? Had she dreamt or imagined it all? Confused, she slowly walked inside and the door closed behind her. Turning around she looked for her accomplice but Michael had disappeared. Taking another few steps forward, she entered into a wideopen living room. She counted four women all sitting around, eating from tiny plates. They were roughly her age, some slightly older. She was definitely the youngest of them all. No, she then realized, she wasn’t. The dark skinned one might be younger. Not one of them immediately noticed her. She felt Sarah’s presence before she heard her voice. Her perfume wafted over Marlene, triggering the Beast again. Tamed by the fucking of Michael, it remained a nagging threat to her consciousness. Sarah reached around Marlene’s waist, interlocking her arms around it. The Beast whimpered along with Marlene. 86

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Marlene did not know why she said her next words, possibly out of guilt. She whispered to Sarah without any inflection, “I fucked your husband.” “I know,” she whispered back. An unknown weight lifted from Marlene’s chest, though she was confused by it all. “You needed it.” Marlene sucked on the lust that was coming from Sarah. It was intoxicating. “You sent him to me?” A new anger flared. “As I said, you needed it. You could not have functioned here tonight if I hadn’t.” “But you’re married.” The fire grew. “Marriage does not imply ownership. As you know from your own experiences, monogamy was not built into us, but jealousy was. A piece of paper or a ring does not stop us from wanting to fuck other people. That was a restriction brought about by organized religion. In the West, it was Christianity. In the East, it was Islam. But none of that is relevant. Your needs were taken care of. That is all that matters.” Marlene stared at the women who continued to converse amongst themselves. She felt shaky and weak in her legs. “You’re still young. You’ll learn these things eventually.” She released Marlene from her embrace and stepped to the right. Sarah looked back once more at Marlene and then addressed the group of women. “I’d like all of you to meet Marlene Rutledge, Anna’s granddaughter.” The women stopped their conversations and looked up, then rose and rushed over to meet her. Sarah introduced them one by one. 87

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Elizabeth was a blonde-haired, petite woman of about thirty years old. Her blue eyes were striking. Marlene couldn’t keep her eyes off them. Elizabeth engulfed her in a hug, whispering that she was thankful the Rutledge line still continued and sorry that her grandmother had passed away. Sylvia was next in line. Looking to be around twenty-five, she had long red hair, thick and wavy. She looked warily at Marlene, but smiled politely. Demi was the coolest of the four. She was totally aloof, and Marlene sensed coldness from her. Demi’s hair was black and thick, not unlike Marlene’s own. Her eyes were a deep brown, very nearly black. She looked close to her middle thirties. Maria, the youngest-looking of the four, had amber hair with brown eyes. Mysterious looking with her Hispanic features, the dark dress she wore only served to enhance her allure. Elizabeth pulled Marlene into the living room and together they sat amid the plush of the sofas. Marlene was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the place. The violins continued their cascading wash over her as the women looked over the newcomer. Sarah excused herself as Maria placed a glass of a dark wine into her hand. Elizabeth was the first to speak, her blue eyes flashing in the dim light. “Sarah tells us that you’re an artist specializing in charcoal.” Marlene, nervous and unsure of herself, downed the glass of wine in a single gulp. “Actually, oils are my specialty. Charcoal is just a medium to sketch the 88

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basis of the final painting.” Maria took the glass from her hand and refilled it. “I’m just a student in the Philadelphia College of Art. I have no credits or shows outside of the school.” “I can’t wait to see some of your work. Demi’s husband owns an art gallery in New York.” Marlene’s heart leaped. Suddenly she had a connection in the Art world! Possibilities blossomed. “Really?” Her hopes, however, faded when she saw the coldness in Demi’s eyes harden even further. “That’s interesting.” Demi stood up from the edge of the couch she leaned on. “Dominic is interested in a particular type of art right now. Your work probably wouldn’t fit in.” She walked across the room to fill her glass. Elizabeth leaned over to whisper into Marlene’s ear. “She’s a bitch most of the time. A little…” She rolled her eyes and tapped her head, using the universal sign for crazy, “during her time of the month. It came early.” Marlene nodded and finished her second glass. Dull warmth flowed through her. She could feel herself relaxing, and that was a bad thing. She couldn’t afford to make a mistake. “Sarah said that you never knew Anna.” Sylvia took a sip of the wine and settled back into the leather couch. Her long red hair flowed over her right shoulder. The tan dress she wore, accented by the black belt, suited her. She looked comfortable. “I didn’t even know I had a grandmother until Devon called me. It was something I learned early on to not bring up with my mother. I think I was five 89

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when I asked why I didn’t have grandparents that could go to Grandparent’s Day at school. Mom went ballistic and destroyed the kitchen. She threw pots and plates at me.” She pointed to her arm where a long six-inch scar disturbed her skin. Elizabeth touched her arm, looking closely at it. “I learned very quickly to shut up about it.” “I remember your mother,” Sylvia stated. “I was, like ten or so when she left. Anna was devastated. She had never married, and your mother was all she had.” “Do you know what happened between them?” “No. Anna would never talk about it.” “That is such bullshit.” The voice came from the table that held the wine. Demi. Her eyes were fiery. “We all know why she left. It was that bastard Ventel.” She downed another glass of wine. All of the women flashed angry looks at the darkhaired woman. “Ventel?” Marlene queried. Sarah walked into the room carrying a tray of crackers and cheese. Her face was dark. Obviously she was angry at Demi’s slip. Demi defiantly matched Sarah’s gaze as she walked by. “Yes, Ventel. Father Ventel. He was a priest that Victoria met while she was in the boarding school in New Hampshire.” She set the tray down. “What did he do?” Sarah sighed, visibly controlling her anger. “I’d rather not talk about it right now. Tonight is a night of celebration, not reflecting on disturbing events.” 90

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Sarah looked around at the women, each meeting her gaze. Marlene was intrigued by the exchange. She would have to ask the others in private about this Ventel character. Changing the subject, Marlene asked Elizabeth what her husband did for a living. She laughed, stating that it didn’t really matter. He was never home and the pool boy earned more a week than her husband did. She avoided the topic even after the laughter died down. Soon the alcohol began to take its toll. As long as Marlene stayed perfectly still, she was fine. As soon as she moved in any fashion, she became woozy and flushed. After the fourth glass, she had to wave off Maria’s attempts to fill it a fifth time. As the night wore on, the six women became increasingly drunk. Slowly they broke apart into other groups, leaving Marlene to speak with Elizabeth. Her blue eyes entranced Marlene and she remained fixed on them. They became a point of stability for her. The women spoke on her art, Elizabeth’s dogs and Anna. Once, Elizabeth gestured behind her, and Marlene turned to look. Her head swam as she focused on the others. Sylvia and Maria were kissing each other’s necks. It was a bizarre sight as Maria unbuttoned the front of Sylvia’s dress to expose the bra beneath. Her kisses progressed lower and the breasts came free of their restraints. Marlene’s head swirled and she questioningly looked back at Elizabeth. “They always end up together. Neither can keep their hands off the other.” Elizabeth smirked with a 91

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calm and knowing expression. She was obviously drunk. “Personally, I find it annoying how involved they’ve become.” “Involved?” “Like how you are with me right now. All you can see is me. Anything else is a distraction. I like it.” Marlene blushed. “I’m drunk. I have to focus on something.” She looked back at the coupling pair. Demi stood over them, watching intently. Her eyes no longer held the fire of suspicion, but one of longing. Marlene turned back when she felt Elizabeth’s hand stroking her neck. “Are you all lesbians?” The question came out as a slur. Elizabeth laughed. “No, none of us are. Heterosexuality and homosexuality are just names of orientation. Giving and receiving pleasure has no orientation. When the men are here, they take their places. Nothing is held back. We just take our pleasure where and when we want it.” She slid closer, taking the empty glass from Marlene’s hand. Elizabeth placed it on the table beside her and her hands began exploring Marlene’s face and shoulders. Slowly, her hands drifted down, taking the dress off Marlene’s shoulders. Marlene was on fire. Every sensation was amplified a hundred times. Elizabeth bent forward, taking Marlene’s nipples into her mouth. Marlene closed her eyes, pushing her body closer to Elizabeth’s. More and more of the dress came down until it bunched around her waist. Fingers and hands danced across her body, enraging her arousal further. Her 92

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cunt ached with a visible pain. Finally, Elizabeth’s hand slid under the hem of her dress and slid up her thigh until it was engulfed in the wetness. Marlene cried out as the fingers penetrated inward. Elizabeth’s tongue left Marlene’s nipples and reappeared between her thighs. Marlene felt the touch and swooned. She gasped again and pushed down with her hips, knowing that Elizabeth had no choice but to bury herself within Marlene’s vagina. The sensations rose and fell as Elizabeth tortured her with her tongue. Teasing the orgasm and allowing it to simmer for what seemed like hours, Elizabeth became Marlene’s whole world. Everything was Elizabeth. With her inhibitions lowered, Marlene no longer cared about the others. She no longer cared about what they thought of her. Elizabeth was her entirety. And then the orgasm came crashing down, sending her spiraling into a whirlpool of orgasmic pleasure. ****

Sunday, September 2nd, 2001 Marlene awoke when she heard a door slam shut. The first thing she noticed was that she was naked and reeked of sex. Not the smell of sperm fountains, but she smelled of women. Or a woman. She moaned and rolled over, lifting her head to look up at the man standing in front of her. “Who’s this?” he said calmly. He was dressed in 93

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khakis and a white shirt and black tie. His left hand was in his pocket; his right held a bunched up coat. Marlene turned her head and looked over at Elizabeth, who herself was just sitting up. Marlene’s stomach fell like a rock. Oh, my God. Now what have I done? Elizabeth rose and Marlene watched her lithe form slide off the bed and kiss the man deeply. His hands wrapped around her, sliding downward to her buttocks. He was very handsome, with thinning short black hair, but his body still held his form. Marlene lowered her head in embarrassment, finally remembering what had transpired the previous evening. After the first orgasm on the couch at Sarah and Michael’s, Elizabeth had dragged Marlene to her Jaguar and careened to her own mansion. The brief trip was terrifying considering both were extremely drunk. At the time it was simply hilarious. They had made love in the foyer before moving upwards to the landing. Finally making it to the bed, both women had used their fingers and tongues to force each other to orgasm extensively. But it was only the beginning and it continued through most of the night. It had been an incredible experience. “This is Marlene, Anna’s granddaughter.” “I can see the resemblance. Nice to meet you.” Marlene looked up as the man tossed his coat onto the chair beside the bed and pulled off his tie. He began to pull off his shirt as he walked into the bathroom. Elizabeth turned around and took a step forward, 94

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leaning down towards Marlene. Her long blond hair fell around her face and she licked her lips. Her voice whispered into Marlene’s ear. “His name’s David.” “I didn’t know you were married.” “It didn’t matter then. It doesn’t matter now.” Her tongue slid around Marlene’s earlobe, gently sucking on the studs. Marlene wilted. “Do you feel up for some more?” Marlene heard the shower kick on. “No, I can’t. It wouldn’t be right.” “Right? Who cares about right? If it feels right, then it is. David certainly doesn’t care. In fact, I’m sure he would love to stick his cock in you.” Marlene gently pushed her away and rolled over. She sat upright and looked around the room. She saw herself in the mirror and pushed her disheveled hair out of her eyes. This wasn’t like her. None of what had happened seemed real. “No, I can’t. It’s bad enough that I…that we…” She looked over her shoulder as she pulled her dress over her head. “This is just all too much. First Michael…” Elizabeth’s eyes perked up. “Michael?” A smirk crossed Elizabeth’s face. “Nothing,” she quickly added. “I’ve got to go.” She couldn’t find her shoes. “How are you going to get home?” “I’ll walk.” “Marlene, at least wait a bit. I’ll take care of David and I’ll get him to drive you home.” “No, thanks. I’ve really got to clear my head.” Marlene walked out the room and out of Elizabeth’s sight. Moments later, she was outside amid the ever 95

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present evergreen trees. **** “She didn’t want to stay?” David sounded disappointed as he stepped from the shower. Elizabeth approached, arms outstretched. “No.” Elizabeth’s hands slowly slid down his muscled chest as she fell to her knees in front of him. Her tongue slipped out and gently bathed his rapidly hardening cock. “Why didn’t she just take the Path?” he inquired. “Because she doesn’t know about the Path yet. She knows nothing of her heritage or the legacy that has been provided for her.” She looked up at him, grasping his cock with both hands. “Marlene may be one of us, but Sarah has yet to tell her the truth about what we are. Sarah wants her to discover it on her own, unlike us, who grew up knowing and seeing all.” “She seemed disjointed.” “She had never been with a woman before.” “A virgin?” “In that regard, yes, though she has had lovers before. None like us, though.” “Her inexperience will not last long. Sarah will see to that.” “Michael has already tasted her. I was hoping she would stay. I know that you would have enjoyed her as well.” “Lovely wife. You are so considerate.” 96

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In response, she engulfed his manhood fully into the warmth of her mouth. Slowly his hands came to rest on her shoulders, allowing her to please him orally. **** Marlene had found her shoes near the front door of Elizabeth and David’s home. Slipping them on, she began the long trek down their driveway and through the darkened pines. The air was cool, very nearly chilling her. Her crotch was still damp and aching. It wanted to be filled as only a cock could. Her time with Michael was entirely too brief. She thought seriously about returning but her guilt overrode those desires. The sound of her shoes striking the macadam echoed through the trees. For several long minutes, she ambled down the driveway until the house disappeared into the forest behind her. Such isolation. How do they deal with it? The mansions provided a cocoon that the women of the Circle seemed to be engulfed in. The Circle. Gateway seemed to be an unlikely place to find the type of debauchery as she experienced last night. She had heard of places in the country where people gathered to orgy. She just never believed she would find one here, in the backwoods of Massachusetts. Her grandmother must have been a participant, though none of the women had mentioned it. Perhaps that was what had caused the split between her mother and Anna. Sarah might 97

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know. Though she seemed hesitant last night, she knew more than she was letting on. A cold wind blew down from the trees, blowing her hair back from her head. Hearing a sound behind her, she turned and saw him standing at the base of the tree. The scream emanated from the base of her soul. His mere presence drew the fear from deep below the surface. Goose bumps rippled in tune with the sound of her fear. She saw his eyes for the first time. The pupils of his eyes were tiny pinpricks. They were wild and furious. More so, they were unnatural, disturbed. Crazed. He stepped forward; striding towards her like a man committed to her death. His unbuttoned black coat flowed around him in the wind. He was on her in a second, grabbing her throat with his left hand and shoving her to the ground, cutting short her screams. Even within her terror, she saw that he was old. Ancient, even. His face was a mass of wrinkles. Where his strength came from, she had no time to analyze. The rough macadam ripped the skin from her back, tearing the dress. He followed her to the ground, placing his weight on her chest as he knelt over her. He smelled of death. His knees dug into her abdomen, forcing the breath from her. Gasping, her wild eyes looked for some escape. He leaned forward and she could feel his rancid breath on her face and neck. She thought of rape, but he made no motion to molest her. When he spoke into her ear, the sound grated on her 98

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consciousness. “Your immorality bleeds from your pores, just like Anna’s did. I can smell it on you. Your mother would be appalled.” Marlene writhed, slamming her knee upward from where she lay, impaling his crotch. The Shadow Man pitched forward, over her head. Freed, Marlene scrambled to her feet and dashed down the road, unsure of which way led towards Elizabeth’s. She just needed to escape. His smell was with her as she ran. She knew he was pursuing her. First one shoe was lost, and then another. Tears streamed down from her eyes, threatening her vision. She ran like she was possessed of an otherworldly energy. Her breath quickly became ragged, but she did not stop. His voice lingered in her head. Only when she reached the intersection of the main road and Elizabeth’s driveway did she stumble and fall to the grass that populated the side of the road. From where she lay she looked back down Elizabeth’s drive and saw nothing. The Shadow Man no longer pursued her. She raised her head from the ground, panting, searching for her attacker. Slowly she rose and took stock of herself. To her utter surprise, her dress remained immaculate; it was not torn or damaged in any way. Dirty, yes, from where she had just fallen to the ground. Her shoes remained on her feet. She clutched her head in her hands and screamed. Was she going insane? What was happening to her? 99

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There was no evidence that she had been attacked. Nothing. Her back should have been bloody and bruised from where he had thrown her to the ground, but it was not sore, and she felt no abrasions. Slowly she sat down on her haunches, and began to cry in frustration. The tears went on and on and she curled up into a ball as her vision went black. **** “You drank too much, leaving you dehydrated and exhausted. You should have let David drive you home.” Sarah handed her the glass of orange juice. “Here, drink this.” Marlene accepted the glass. “What’s this going to do?” “Clean out your system. The Vitamin C helps repair the damage to your cells and the fluids will help you flush the remaining alcohol out.” Sarah waited until Marlene had drunk the entire glass before taking it from her. “I’ll let you rest,” she said as she walked away. Marlene leaned back, feeling the pillows swallow her whole. It felt wonderful compared to the agony in her head and belly. She had not thrown up yet, but several times had been close. Marlene knew that if she did, she would continue until there was no longer anything in her abdomen. Vomiting was one of the worst tortures she could think of. Sarah had found her, lying unconscious on the side of the road. As Sarah was dragging her limp form into 100

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her BMW, Marlene regained consciousness and begged Sarah to take her home. Marlene never mentioned the attack. Returning to the Rutledge Estate, Sarah had to help her up the flight of stairs to the master bedroom. She felt nothing from the Beast as Sarah took off her now filthy dress and assisted her into the shower. Sated, the Beast caused her no grief as the older woman dried her off gently with the towel. Sarah had then carried her to the bed before disappearing and reappearing minutes later with the juice. “Sarah, wait,” requested Marlene in a plaintive voice. The older woman turned around and leaned against the frame of the lacquered door. “What’s happening to me?” Sarah shook her head. “I’m not sure what you mean. You’re under a lot of stress right now. I should have warned you about what goes on at our parties, and I shouldn’t have let you drink as much as you did.” “Sarah, I’m seeing things. Things I’m not sure are there.” “What kind of things?” Marlene was quiet, biting her lip and trying to fight off sleep. She didn’t want Sarah to think any less of her. Better to not tell her new friend about phantoms of her mind. The darkness was creeping in, dimming her eyesight. “Marlene, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what is wrong.” 101

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Marlene was unable to answer. Her mind fell into the blankness of slumber. **** Marlene awoke from a dreamless sleep. It was dark and silent within the room where Sarah had left her. The sun had fallen from the sky, replaced by the darkness of night. Rising, she pulled on a satin robe from the closet that she had bought the day before. She left it open, not bothering to tie it. Her shoulders warmed, but her breasts remained cool in the night air. The sensored lights erupted around her, lighting her way as she exited the bedroom. She approached the stairs and paused. Her thirst was nagging, but something beckoned her to walk upward to the third floor. She pushed the thoughts of the trauma she had experienced away from the forefront of her mind. She did not want to believe that she was hallucinating and she knew she didn’t want to believe she had been attacked either. The call came to her again, and her body subconsciously moved up the stairs. Her crotch warmed and she knew that the Beast was rising again. Confused, she could not understand why it was returning so quickly. Never before had it possessed her so often. Letting go of any self-restraint, she allowed herself to be carried up the stairs. She walked through the den and into the library. The journal remained where she had left it. 102

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Sitting down in the chair, she slid into a comfortable position and reopened the journal. Soon she was immersed in the history of her family.

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Chapter Five – The Hedonist Early November, 1692 had taught her well. It had taken three weeks, Ayla but Alicia had learned and employed seduction

on the three other girls that she had chosen to take part in the summoning. The excitement that resulted from doing an act that she knew was forbidden prodded her to go forth. Illicit energy poured through her veins, invigorating her and making the dull winter flow by quickly. Magic. It reeked of danger and intrigue. After their meeting by the stream, Ayla had touched and massaged Alicia’s entire body, releasing a passion that had been pent up within the young blond since her passage into womanhood three years before. Ayla had been patient, taking several hours in the dimming light to properly administer the pleasures of the flesh on Alicia. Alicia had her first orgasm on the tongue of the mysterious woman. It had been an experience she was more than 104

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willing to share with her friends, but knew that she needed to be discrete as well. She could not risk jeopardizing the experience of a lifetime. Ayla tutored her in the ways of seduction over the course of the following days. Jenny was her first conquest, and a willing one. Alicia showed Jenny the depths of Michael’s inadequacies when it came to lovemaking. After a trembling orgasm, Jenny was more than willing to participate in the scheme. Over the course of the next few weeks, Ayla and Alicia initiated two other young women into the ranks of their assembly. Hannah, a demure and quiet girl, became a thrashing mass of arms and legs when the orgasm was upon her. The other was Catherine, the daughter of Minister Smith. The sight of Catherine clutching Jenny’s mouth to her womanhood sent waves of lust through Alicia, forcing her to masturbate with them in the confines of the forest glade. Certain questions rose as each was introduced to Ayla. Questions of witchcraft and demons were raised, questions that Ayla answered truthfully. Fears of eternal damnation were put to rest as Ayla seduced them and showed them that pleasure was the true way to heaven. Each submitted, giving their cunts to Ayla and Alicia. Instant gratification quickly overcame fear of the afterlife. The trouble was who was going to be the fifth girl to bring the One. Ayla sat next to the fire, wrapped in a thin blanket. 105

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Steam rose from her naked flesh as she cooled from the latest bout of pleasuring. The air had gotten cooler since November had arrived. Snow was not yet on the ground, but the women had had to retreat to the warmth of Ayla’s hovel hidden deep in the forest. Alicia spent all of her free time with Ayla, learning as much as she could of the pleasure arts. The five women were sitting in various states of repose, dress and undress. “You said that there would be a fifth woman needed to bring us the ultimate pleasure,” Jenny challenged. “Why can’t you be the fifth? Why do we need another?” Ayla pulled the blanket closer as if she became chilled. “One must speak the words to call forth the Hedonist. Your desire and lust will open the Threshold and allow him into our world. Once here, he will give you the greatest pleasuring any of us have ever known. This is not to be taken lightly. We are calling forth powers not of this world.” “Is he the Devil?” Hannah asked from her position in Alicia’s arms. “Those that are afraid of pleasure, afraid of the freedom it brings, call him such.” “You were in Salem, then,” Catherine stated flatly. “You were the dark-skinned one that they said danced with the devil.” “I was one of those that brought him forth for our orgies. Some of the women became jealous of each other and betrayed us to the Church. I escaped with the knowledge of how to call him forth and the 106

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desperate desire for his touch.” Ayla looked earnestly at the four girls. “There is nothing like him and his minions. He asks for nothing but the use of your bodies, returning the gift with such sweet, sweet pleasure.” “Minions?” Catherine sounded alarmed. “Beautiful men that raise your desire and make your cunt run with juices so sweet that devouring them is like eating honey. They take the form of what you most desire.” Ayla met their eyes with an intense longing. “We were not witches. We worshipped the pleasures of the flesh. Nothing more.” “So how do we call the Hedonist forth?” Hannah asked. Her demure attitude still had not returned and she remained bold. Soon her passion would cool, and she would again become submissive to the society in which she had been raised. Ayla spoke several sentences in a different tongue. “What was that all about?” Alicia asked. The dark-skinned woman spoke again. “‘When five have been found who desire the pleasures of the flesh, bring their souls together, joining their flesh as one. Call forth my name and I shall come, bringing the joyous sensations from beyond.’ He knows the taste of my flesh. He will come.” They were quiet for a long time. “Samantha. It has to be Samantha,” Hannah whispered. “No, not her! She will expose us. She will get us hanged,” Catherine exclaimed. Jenny sighed and began to dress. “There is no 107

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other. She is of age and unmarried. She is the safest. Anne is unhappily married, but she can’t keep a secret to save her life.” She spoke of another of their friends who had recently been forced into a marriage with a man twenty years her senior. Her new husband was not known for his coolness in temper. Alicia had seen the bruises on her body already. “Samantha will reveal us to my father, I know it!” Catherine exclaimed, sitting up. Her hair was disheveled and her pink nipples were tight and erect. The firelight danced through her amber hair. “She has done so already when she discovered me with Henry. She told her father who, in turn, told mine. I received ten lashes for her big mouth.” They were quiet once again. “I will convert her,” Alicia stated. They looked at her questioningly. “She is my best friend. She will succumb. She will enjoy my tongue and my taste.” Ayla smiled knowingly at her young apprentice. Alicia was becoming adept. **** Samantha looked down the hillside, watching the boys sled on their toboggans. Her blond hair billowed around her in the wintry wind. Snow had finally fallen, coating the entire valley in white. She pulled her cloak closer, trying to keep warm. The boys had pelted her earlier with snowballs, leaving her damp and bedraggled. She hated the boys and their silly games. She hated the way they looked at her. She 108

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could tell that they lusted sinfully after her body. Her father and Minister Smith were right, all men had sin in their hearts. Then, if that was so, why was she still here, watching their play? Henry had proven to her the evil that lay in men’s hearts. The butcher’s son had tried to molest her at school, his hands touching her in ways she never wanted or desired. She had angrily pushed him away and ran to the teacher for protection. When Alicia Rutledge came forward to say that he had done it to her, in the forest, just weeks before, it was the final straw. Henry was whipped ten times and forced to publicly admit his crime. He had not been seen in public since. Two days had passed since she watched Henry take the strap. Samantha sensed someone approaching and she turned to face the newcomer. Alicia trudged towards her in the knee-deep snow. After the usual greetings, the two young women watched as the other boys of the village sledded down the hill on smoothed boards and sleds. Finally Alicia spoke up. “Do you want to spend the night at my house? It will take your mind off of him.” By him, she meant Henry. “I still cannot believe he did such a thing to me,” Samantha whispered. “You’re becoming a woman,” Alicia told her. “You have breasts now, and are of age. It happened when I began to develop. It’s hard to remain pure.” Alicia was a good friend. She could tell her 109

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anything. They had been born less than two months apart and their closeness developed into a bond between both their families. For many years, the two girls had experienced everything together. “I think that I will have no problem now. All the boys are avoiding me.” Samantha pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head, taking some of the chill off her ears. “They fear me now.” “It will pass.” Alicia smiled and held out her hand. Samantha smiled and accepted her friend’s offered palm. “I’m sure my father will allow me to spend the night. Let’s go ask.” The two girls began the descent into the village arm in arm. **** The house was quiet. Alicia’s parents had long since gone to bed. The midnight hour had passed and still they whispered to each other. A single solitary candle remained lit, resting on the table between the two beds. “I still don’t understand why he did it.” Samantha’s voice was confused. “What’s not to understand? You’re beautiful.” Alicia knew the time was fast approaching. Soon she would have to play her cards to Samantha Samantha laughed quietly. “You’re so silly.” Alicia leaned closer. “Didn’t you like it even a little bit?” She could see that Samantha’s cheeks were suddenly red. 110

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“Of course not!” she protested. “It was wrong, that was the only thing I could think about.” Alicia gave her a look of feigned disbelief. “I can’t believe that.” She leaned a bit closer to Samantha. “Listen, this stays between us. That day we were in the forest, Richard touched me as well. Henry wasn’t the only one who touched me. Richard touched me in other places. Deeper places.” Samantha gasped aloud, and Alicia quickly shushed her. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?” Samantha hissed. Alicia gave her another look. “Because, unlike you, I liked it.” “Weren’t you disgusted?” Samantha asked, horrified. Alicia shook her head in the negative. “What did he do?” she continued, her expression turning to one of curiosity. Alicia slipped out from under the covers, her nightgown falling to the floor. She stood in the cold air for a moment, judging Samantha’s reaction before sliding into the other girl’s bed. As she slid under the blankets, Alicia’s erect nipples pressed tightly against the fabric of Samantha’s nightgown. “What are you doing?” Her voice was pensive and worried. Though fear of discovery was there, Alicia could tell that Samantha trusted her and so she pushed forth with the seduction. “Showing you what he did.” Her hand slid up under Samantha’s nightgown, touching the silky skin between her thighs. Gently 111

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Alicia explored Samantha’s nether regions, drifting over the soft belly and upwards to Samantha’s breasts. At all times, the two remained locked at the eyes until Alicia gently twisted Samantha’s nipples. An unintentional moan escaped from Samantha’s parted lips. A slight smile crossed Alicia’s face and she pressed her lips against Samantha’s ear. “He touched me here…” Her hands went lower, slipping into the space between Samantha’s legs. “And here.” Samantha moaned again as Alicia placed her fingers into the burgeoning wetness. Slowly at first, Alicia began to move her fingers around the nub above the opening with her thumb. Samantha began to gasp; Alicia noticed that Samantha’s eyes had closed. She was further encouraged when Samantha’s arms pulled her closer, pressing Alicia’s head against her breasts. Alicia began suckling, teasing the nipples with her teeth and tongue. The minutes wore on as Samantha’s pussy began to quiver and squirm beneath Alicia’s frantic fingers. Unexpectedly, Samantha’s back arched and a loud moan rose from her dry lips. Alicia quickly placed her hand over Samantha’s mouth, quieting her. Samantha’s tongue flicked out and licked at her palm. Alicia felt the internal muscles clenching around her fingers and knew that Samantha had finally come. “There is more I want to show you. I want to taste you. I want you to come with me.” Samantha’s eyes opened and she looked down in wonder at her lover. “Yes.” 112

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It was the only word she said. **** Ayla looked up at the naked form of Samantha. “You know me.” “You were the one by the tree.” “Do you fear me now as you did then?” Samantha shook her head. Ayla smiled and continued. “They say that you’ve never been with a man. Or woman.” Her dark hands slid down around the young woman’s waist and over the curving hips. The hovel had become cold since the fire had burned itself out. Alicia and Samantha had arrived early that morning and Ayla had had no time to stoke it. Alicia introduced the dark-skinned woman to Samantha and the pair of women had stripped Samantha of her clothes before they enjoyed her flesh. Alicia held Samantha upright as Ayla knelt in front, spreading the young woman’s legs and licking the fresh juices that Alicia had provoked the night before. Two hours passed as they prodded orgasm after orgasm out of Samantha. Exhausted, she leaned against the wall, awaiting further pleasure. Catherine had arrived with Jenny and Hannah. They knew it would soon be time. Catherine eyed Samantha coldly, not registering the shock that had appeared on Samantha’s face at seeing the minister’s daughter. “Not before last night,” Samantha answered Ayla’s 113

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question. “No man took my virginity.” “How do you feel now?” “Wonderful,” she whispered, looking away. “You’re concerned.” Ayla leaned back on her haunches. “Agitated. Guilt is beginning to seep in.” Samantha’s head began to hang. Her eyes closed and a red tinge began to color her cheeks. “Yes. I have disappointed too many people.” “You’ve been told that what you did tonight was sinful. Wicked. Evil.” Ayla paused for effect. “Damnable.” Samantha looked up. She looked as if she were about to burst into tears. Alicia felt genuinely sorry for the girl. Ayla had done nearly the same to all of them. “Your religion denies you everything that could ever make you happy. Do not be guilty for doing what comes naturally. Pleasure is rare enough in this world. Don’t ever turn away from it, no matter what society or religion says. Pleasure is pure, pleasure is clean, pleasure is the one true thing that frees us from the shackles of our mortality.” Ayla looked at the three latecomers. “Show her. Taste her. Pleasure her.” Hannah was the first to move, smiling like a starving man eager for a meal. Samantha moaned again as Hannah dropped to her knees and began to lap. Ayla gestured for Alicia to approach. She led her to the fire and began to stoke it, forcing the coals to the surface where she laid dry kindling. It ignited, casting a new light across her face. Ayla looked up at Alicia. 114

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“It is time to call him forth. I can wait no longer.” Alicia smiled. “I will do as you asked.” After Alicia had committed herself to seducing Samantha, Ayla had told her of the positions required to call forth the Hedonist. One after another, the women would link together, their tongues to another’s cunt, bringing each to orgasm. Alicia was the lynchpin, as she would have to time the women to reach orgasm together. Ayla would then call the Hedonist forth, offering herself and the other women to him. Then the orgy would begin in earnest. All thoughts of consequences had already disappeared. Only the coming orgy was paramount. Nothing else mattered. Samantha was the only one of the six that did not know of the coming incantation. She was still innocent of the pleasures to come. Alicia had no idea how she would react. It was her one fear that could not be vanquished by any amount of ecstasy. One by one, the women lay down, Samantha being the first. She was fully engrossed in the pleasures she was experiencing. The other girls had brought blankets to line the floor of Ayla’s hovel, making the entire area into a bed. Ayla entered the forming circle after creating a roaring fire. The heat from the fire burned their skin, causing them all to break out into a sweat. Alicia buried herself into Samantha’s wetness, drinking her honey in deeply. Catherine offered herself to Samantha and she responded by pulling the minister’s daughter down to her tongue. The circle 115

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quickly grew to completion. Samantha was first, Alicia second, Hannah third, Jenny fourth and finally Catherine. Ayla mumbled under her breath as she knelt on the floor, one hand masturbating her swollen clitoris. She then lay on her back. The minutes ticked by. The sounds of muffled moaning filled the air. Ayla was speaking in a different tongue. Alicia felt Samantha beginning to tighten around her fingers and tongue. She reached out to touch Ayla’s arm, signaling that the time had arrived. The heat became unbearable. The bodies became slick with sweat, enhancing the pleasure of the touch. Ayla began repeating the same strange litany over and over. Samantha cried out as she came, biting onto Catherine’s clitoris. A domino effect was set into motion. One by one, the women orgasmed in succession. A wave of absolute pleasure roared like a storm over Alicia’s body. It was more intense than anything she had ever experienced before. She opened her eyes, looking at Ayla. A tall, darkhaired man knelt in front of her. He was naked and his erection was enormous. Alicia watched as the massive cock slid into Ayla. At the same time she felt herself being penetrated from behind as well. It was an incredible sensation. She did not know what was happening, she just rode with the wave of ever-rising ecstasy. She watched Ayla’s back arch as the woman took the cock into herself. The man’s hands went to Ayla’s breasts as he began to slowly move in and out of her. Alicia looked around the room. It was a glorious sight; the most beautiful she had ever seen. 116

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Glowing handsome men were simultaneously penetrating each of the others. A white radiance circled each of the coupling pairs. The men’s hair was long and black, but their skin was silky white and smooth. They were muscular and lean. But most of all, their penises were huge, almost out of proportion with the rest of their bodies. Their faces were hairless, as were the rest of their bodies. The waves rolled over her, sending her over the edge into another orgasm. It washed on and on until she lost track of time. **** Samantha came for the fifth time in as many minutes. At least, she thought they were minutes; they all just seemed to blend together. She was afraid to open her eyes, not sure if she could handle the sight of the five women enjoying each other’s flesh. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that this would be happening to her. It seemed so sinful, yet so wonderful. She didn’t even open her eyes when she felt the penetration. Knowing instinctively what it was, she pushed down against it. Catherine’s wetness disappeared from her lips. Her hands moved down to grasp the hard, muscled torso. His hands were on her breasts, squeezing gently. His thrusting became rhythmic and more intense. She felt filled to bursting every time he slid to his full depth. Another orgasm took her higher and she cried out from the bottom of her soul. A sense of completion filled her with such 117

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fervent satisfaction. She opened her eyes to look at the man who gave such an intense and unbelievable sensation. He was incredibly beautiful. She had never seen such a beautiful man before. His long black hair flowed around his shoulders. Eyes closed, he touched her body in various ways as he thrust into her wetness. It was just like she had imagined it would be with a man. The man opened his eyes and smiled at her, enjoying it as much as she. The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning. His eyes were jet black, having no whites. The man who was taking her virginity wasn’t human. He was a demon. Fear suddenly overwhelmed her as another orgasm crashed down on her. She couldn’t scream as the ecstasy overwhelmed her senses. Samantha’s heart stopped. **** Alicia took the second man’s cock into her mouth, sucking the lubrication from it that was the juice from Samantha’s cunt. She felt it enlarge and burst forth, sending a sweet honey down her throat. Nothing had ever tasted sweeter. It made her hunger for more, and she continued to suck until the man came a second time. All the while, hands touched her body, gripping 118

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and groping, teasing and torturing. An orgasm rose again, sending her mind spiraling down slippery paths of ecstasy. The day wore on, though for the participants in the orgy, time simply stopped, riding from one long orgasmic explosion to another. It went on and on until Alicia could take no more and slipped into unconsciousness. **** Alicia opened her eyes. For a long moment she simply stared at the ceiling, not believing that such an experience had actually occurred. Her body was cooling, and the copious amounts of sweat she had produced were finally drying on her skin. She could still taste the sweetness in her mouth, and she hungered for it anew. Where had the beautiful men gone? She could not see their forms among the sleeping bodies. A genuine sense of loss fell down on her. Rolling over, she saw Hannah kneeling over Samantha’s prone form. Something was wrong; those were not tears of joy falling from Hannah’s eyes. Looking around, she noticed the other four women were still asleep. “What’s wrong?” she whispered. Hannah looked over her shoulder. “She’s dead. Dead. My God, she’s dead.” She had been crying for some time. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy. Alicia sat up, alarmed. Surely Hannah was mistaken. “You’re wrong. You have to be wrong.” She quickly crawled to Samantha’s side and looked 119

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down at her best friend. Samantha’s eyes were wide and glassy. Her skin was cold to the touch and very pale. She was most definitely dead. Alicia sat down beside the body, shocked to the core of her being. “Oh, no.” Soon the tears came and the sobs followed. “It happens sometimes.” Alicia looked up, wiping the wetness from her face. Her anger grew. “Sometimes one of the participants cannot handle what is going on around them. Sometimes they…” Ayla paused, trying to find the most appropriate word. “…sometimes they just break.” Catherine looked up, crying, from the blanketstrewn floor. “What do we do?” Ayla looked into the smoldering fire. “You cannot hide such a death. They will come looking. They will find the corpse. They will want justice.” “What do we do?” Catherine was suddenly nearly hysterical, screaming at the top of her lungs. Hannah was bawling, clutching at Samantha. Jenny sat blankeyed in the corner. Ayla grabbed Catherine’s shoulders and slapped her across the face. “We run.” The five young women shook their heads in unison to the negative. Ayla grabbed Catherine’s hair and dragged her to the body. “See this? That will be you. Only your death will not come as you experience your greatest pleasure. No, I have seen the tortures the Christians have devised. I’ve watched the slow drownings, the quarterings, the crushing of the body as they force a confession out of 120

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you. I will not die like that.” Her face was tight and angry. She very nearly screamed her next words. “I will not!” A man’s voice came from behind them all. “She is right. We will run. But only a short while.” The five women screamed and spun to face the voice. A black-haired man sat naked by the door. Alicia recognized him as a Hedonist, the first to arrive and take Ayla. The women jumped back as all around them, five additional forms flickered into sight. Even Ayla was surprised. The five men rose, walked over and sat beside the sitting Hedonist. They were completely silent as they moved. All were naked, but their erections had not diminished. Two of the men absentmindedly played with their cocks, running their hands up and down the massive shafts. “Who are you?” stammered Catherine. “You should know, your lust called me here from my home.” He pointed to the corpse on the floor. “Her death traps me here.” Catherine hissed and slid back. “You’re the Devil!” “That is not my name. I am the Morning Star. I have lived up to my namesake. I have brought you enlightenment.” Catherine began to wail, the knowledge of what had occurred beginning to craze her mind. “Fear not, I am not the evil that the Book has made me out to be. I sought out more than what was given to me, not unlike you. I was cast out for this indiscretion, as you will be as well.” He stood and 121

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walked over to Catherine, who cringed as she fell to her knees in front of him. He lifted her chin, looking down into the young face. “I ask nothing that you would not willingly give. Fear not, I will protect you.” The sight of this beautiful creature enraptured Catherine. She reached out her hand to touch his erection, wrapping her hands around its width.

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Chapter Six - Truth

M always

arlene startled awake. Damn it! Why does this happen? The chair was too damned comfortable; this was the second time she had fallen asleep in it. She closed the journal, remembering to bookmark her place. Surely this was fiction. It had to be. Calling for the Devil. Were these women witches? No, the one named Ayla stated they weren’t. Bullshit. It was all bullshit. She stood up, stretching her body to remove the kinks. It had to be fiction. There was no way it could have been real. The doors to the library were closed. She did not remember closing them. Opening the doors, she walked out through them, pushing them wide. Before she had taken three steps, she encountered Sarah and another man. Both were naked and fucking roughly. Sarah lay facedown, her ass in the air on one of the special chairs, proving that Marlene had assumed correctly what they were used for. The man continued to penetrate her as Marlene walked in. Both looked up at the intrusion. Sarah’s hands gripped the metal bars, providing balance as the man thrust against her. Sweaty and disheveled, 123

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she smirked at Marlene and pushed back her hair from where it hung down into her eyes. “You were asleep,” Sarah explained breathlessly. “Do you want to join in?” Marlene paused, feeling her nipples become erect and a wetness quickly forming. “Is this another dream?” she asked. The Beast swirled within her, unsure of what it wanted. It was exhausted, and so was she. Physically, as well as mentally. She needed to sleep. “No dream,” the man said as he withdrew from Sarah. His cock was long and hard. “Do you want to join us?” he repeated. “I would like for you to join us.” He walked over to her, leaving Sarah on the chair to watch with interest. His skin was tanned dark and his eyes were a cold blue. Marlene remained nonplussed. “Pretty bold of you to come into my house uninvited.” The Beast sensed the nearness of the cock, and her cunt dripped down her leg. She ached to be touched. Penetrated. She struggled to remain in control and not wantonly impale herself on his manhood. He wrapped his hand around his cock, milking it. The tip bulged and expanded. A tiny drop of white honey appeared on the end. “Should I leave?” he asked. She moved closer to him, beckoning him by pushing the robe off her shoulders. As she guided him in, he lifted her up and slid into her. She moaned and bit his shoulder. It felt so good. “Who are you?” she whispered, half-delirious. 124

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“Alan. Maria’s husband.” Marlene’s heart sank. The party. His wife had been the auburn-haired woman closest to Marlene in age. The one who had been enraptured with the redhead. The thought aroused her until realization of what she was doing caught up with her. Fucking another married man. What was she doing? She must have looked sad or disappointed because he whispered to her again. “It’s all right.” “Don’t try to placate me.” She pressed herself against him, rubbing her nipples against the hairs on his chest. “Just fuck me.” He replied by laying her down on the carpet without extricating his cock from her wetness. He began to thrust against her. She closed her eyes. The orgasm came swiftly, but it was unsatisfying to her. Knowing what she wanted, she pushed him unceremoniously off her and stood up. Walking towards Sarah, she stopped in front of the older woman. Sarah remained on her knees, looking up at Marlene with a knowing smirk. “I know what you need.” Sarah stood up and touched Marlene’s breasts with the palms of her hands. Her hands rose to graze her face. “Take what you want.” Marlene fell to her knees, pulling Sarah’s cunt to her lips. The older woman moaned and looked at Alan. He was slowly and methodically masturbating. She gestured for him to approach. He dropped to his knees and penetrated Marlene from behind. They 125

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groaned together as she met his thrusts, driving him deeper into her. Sarah’s juices flowed around her lips and down her chin; Marlene marveled at her taste. Elizabeth had a musky odor and taste, but Sarah tasted sweet, like syrup. Each lick brought the nectar into her mouth. When Sarah finally came, a stream of juices poured forth and Marlene swallowed. Sarah stepped away, looking down at the young woman as she begged for more. “He has been patient. He deserves your attention. I have to go.” That said, Sarah walked away, grabbing her dress on the way out. Marlene wanted more, and the cock was insistent. She looked back over her shoulder. “Come on, what are you waiting for? Fuck me.” Alan did so with great enthusiasm. ****

Monday, September 3rd, 2001 (Labor Day) She never heard him leave. When she awoke, the sun was still streaming through the windows. It was now Monday morning. In the four days since she had arrived, she had fucked two married men and licked the cunts of two married women. It was more debauchery than she had ever experienced before. She felt like a whore. No, she corrected herself. She felt like a wanton slut. After a long hot shower, she walked downstairs, 126

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dressed in a light summer dress. The radio said it would be around ninety degrees for the last splash of the summer. Today was a holiday for something she would never have to do again. Labor Day. It was entirely too hot to wear anything but the thin summer dress. She realized the pile of dirty wash in the corner outside the bathroom was getting to be huge. Okay, maybe she would still have to do some manual labor. A gray BMW sat in the driveway. Sarah. Or possibly Michael. Guilt leapt up in her. She had enjoyed the sex with the two men, but she could not reconcile the fact of what she did. It seemed so, well, bad. It didn’t matter that she knew that the women did not care that she fucked their husbands, but it still seemed wrong. It had to be wrong. She trotted down the steps and waited for Sarah to appear unannounced. It was becoming an unwelcome occurrence. She minded the fact that the older woman seemed to always be around, but it was still comforting to see the beautiful woman. When Sarah didn’t appear on the first floor, Marlene went to the front door and opened it. Sarah sat on the porch, resting on one of the wicker chairs. A glass was in her hand, half full of a red variety of wine. An empty glass sat next to the open bottle. Sarah looked over at Marlene, judging her reaction. “I decided not to go traipsing into your home uninvited this time.” “How gracious of you.” Marlene tried not to be sarcastic, but the older woman’s trespass could not be 127

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ignored. The older woman held out her hands, trying to explain. “I was checking on you when I found you in the library and then Alan showed up…” Marlene shook her head, dismissing her explanation. “Sarah, I know why you were there, that doesn’t bother me. In fact, I appreciate it. What bothers me is the attitude of the people around here. I’ve been seduced by everyone I’ve encountered here. What the hell are you people? Are you all swingers?” Sarah laughed. “Elizabeth told me you had asked her the same question. No, we’re not. We’re exclusive to our little group. The Circle is named that for a reason.” Marlene didn’t accept her answer. “Doesn’t it bother you that your husband fucked someone that he never met before?” “Not to sound incestuous, but, Marlene, you’re everything but family. Anna was a wonderful lover, even as she became ill. We took care of her needs like a good family would. We will do the same for you when the time comes. We enjoy fucking among ourselves, it allows us to fully explore the possibilities of sex and pleasure. If you want, think of Michael and Alan as one-night stands. Surely you’ve had those before.” “It’s wrong that I slept with your husband. It was just fundamentally wrong,” Marlene stated flatly. “What I did, what we did, was just plain wrong.” Sarah took another swig of the wine. “No. If I didn’t want you to fuck him, then what you did 128

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would be wrong. I wanted you to fuck him. I wanted you to fuck me. So don’t go saying it was wrong.” She paused to refill her glass. “Now, what you’re confusing is what society and religion believes. Both of them say it’s wrong. Evolution, on the other hand, says it’s right. Evolution is more powerful because its derives from unconscious programming.” She raised her glass to Marlene as a toast to Darwin’s theory. “Besides, there is not a single species on the face of this planet that is strictly monogamous. You most certainly aren’t.” Sarah sipped, awaiting Marlene’s rebuttal. “I’m not married,” Marlene obliged. She believed she knew where Sarah was heading with this. “Marriage is choosing who you want to spend the majority of your time with or who you want to make children with. Not who you are forced to exclusively fuck the rest of your life. Come on, why do you think that there is so much divorce and adultery going on in our society? It is because we all want to fuck someone else. It’s in our genes. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, and all that bullshit. God made us this way, and then he decided to tell us our sex is wrong. Well, fuck that. He gave me free will and I’m going to damn well fuck who I want, when I want.” She finished the glass in one gulp. “Get over it, Marlene. Your guilt, I mean. Hell, you’re already over it. You threw caution to the wind when you fucked my Michael. Your body responded because it knew what it wanted and you took it when it was offered to 129

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you. Just like we all do here. That is what makes us different from the hypocrites.” “Does everyone in the Circle feel this way?” Marlene could not believe that. Even though with her own eyes she had seen how the others had enjoyed each other’s flesh. Surely the men bickered or were jealous. But then, David seemed not to mind. “Of course they do, it’s free will, remember? Guilt is a creation of the Church. If you don’t do anything wrong, then you can have no guilt. Your parents built your conscience for you, whether intentionally or not. They put their fears and beliefs into your upbringing. In your case, it was your mother.” Sarah poured more wine into her glass, continuing on to fill the second glass. Placing the cork back into the bottle, she lifted the glass to offer it to Marlene. Accepting the glass, Marlene lifted it to her lips and sipped it. It tasted like the wine she had at the party. “What it this? Its very good.” “Kemlis wine. It’s distilled in Tibet and shipped over here to me. It cost a hell of a lot to get past customs, but it’s worth it.” “Tibet? Why Tibet?” Sarah looked at her quizzically. “Opium. It has a filtered form of opium in it.” The revelation struck Marlene that the wine had to have something in it to make her feel the way she did that night. Her inhibitions had been destroyed and her sense of touch was amplified in a way that alcohol alone could never do. She was already feeling warm throughout her body. Unsure if she should be angry 130

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or not at Sarah’s giving her illegal drugs, Marlene decided to forgive her silently and without judgment. She had taken more of her share of illegal substances over the course of her life. “The Circle is rather liberal, don’t you think?” She was feeling that anything was permitted here. “If you’re talking about drug use, we aren’t, really. We don’t use the destructive kinds.” Sarah looked up and smiled. “Destructive?” Sarah took another sip of the wine before continuing. “Yes. Like crack, crank, coke and its derivatives. Marijuana, opium in its gentlest forms, just the ones that are relatively natural.” “Coke is from a plant,” Marlene protested. “Semantics. It’s processed from coca leaves and cut with chemicals. We drink the wine and smoke the pot because it enhances the tactile senses, as well as lowering inhibitions.” Sarah snorted in amusement. “Not like our inhibitions can be lowered much farther.” “I did LSD back in high school. It was a strange experience. Walls breathe when you’re not watching.” The memory was not a happy one. Later she had heard that women don’t have the same wonderful experiences that men usually had. Sometimes they go off the deep end and never came back. It affected women’s brain chemistry differently. Sarah shook her head. “We don’t use that. It’s too dangerous. Shit popping out of the walls, pigs flying and seeing things that aren’t there. No, thanks.” She 131

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raised her glass as if in a toast. “I like my wine.” She finished the glass off and placed the glass onto the porch. “Change of subject. Done any sketching?” “Not since I left Philly.” “How about me, then?” “Sarah…” Marlene began, but then trailed off. It wasn’t like she had anything else to do. She was wavering, but couldn’t bring herself to. She knew instinctively where it would lead and she just didn’t feel up to it. She was still recuperating from Saturday night’s escapades. “I’m tired…” Sarah stood up and smiled. “I know. We’ve exhausted you. You’re not used to our schedule.” She politely extended the bottle of wine to Marlene. “Another time, then.” Accepting it, Marlene watched as Sarah trotted down the steps and into her car. Walking back into the house, Marlene looked at the clock. It was nearly noon. Jenna would be rising shortly. Better now than never. She picked up the phone. **** Jenna’s blond hair lay in a puddle on Aren’s chest. Her lips remained wrapped around the darkened nipple, unconsciously suckling the woman’s breast, not wanting to detach from the warm nub. Jenna’s cell phone began ringing incessantly, off in the distance. Awakening out of a comfortable sleep, she moved her hand across the abdomen of her lover, gliding up and around her hips. Her fingers danced a 132

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circle on Aren’s breast, twisting it gently enough to awaken her. “Knock it the hell off,” Aren mumbled. “You liked it last night.” “Last night I was drunk. I would have fucked a cow last night.” Aren buried her head under her pillow. Jenna pushed herself upright, and rolled over as she reached for the phone. “Would have made last night more interesting.” She instantly regretted the comment. “What the fuck does that mean?” The dark-skinned beauty angrily looked out from under the pillow. Jenna shushed her with a wave or a hand and picked up the phone. “Hello?” Marlene’s voice greeted her ear. “Hey, it’s Marlene. I hope I didn’t wake you.” “Bullshit. You’ve never cared before. How are you doing? We’ve been missing you at the club. A certain male has been asking for you.” Jenna rolled back over to face Aren. “It’s Marlene.” Aren made a face of disgust and threw the sheet back. Rising, she strode towards the bathroom. “I have no idea why you’re friends with that straight woman.” She slammed the bathroom door. Jenna refocused her attention to the phone. Marlene was already talking. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said. Aren is being a little cranky today.” “I’ve been trying to decide what I want to do. I’m not coming back for a while. I need you to pack my shit up and ship it to me.” 133

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“What? Why?” Jenna was shocked and disappointed. “You should see this place. It’s huge. I’m fucking loaded now, so I’m taking at least a semester off.” “What the hell are you going to do up there in Butt Fuck Egypt? There can’t be shit up there. Believe me, I looked it up on the map after you called me last time. Did you meet someone?” “No, it’s just that this is everything I ever dreamed about. Suddenly I don’t have to worry about where my next tuition payment is coming from or whether or not the water bill is paid on time. Everything is taken care of. I want you to come up and join me here.” “I wish I could, but school starts on Thursday, and the club’s got me working Friday through Monday.” By working, Jenna meant stripping. It paid extremely well, but she truly hated taking off her clothes for men. The money went a long way to placate her sense of moral outrage. “But I can pack your stuff up and ship it to you. The earliest I can get up that way will be at least Halloween. Maybe later.” “Shit.” Marlene was crestfallen. “I need to talk to someone.” “What’s wrong with now?” “It’s not the same.” Marlene paused. The phone line crackled with static. “Jenna. This place is weird.” “Weird good or weird bad?” “Both.” A long pause filled the distance between the two. Jenna could tell Marlene wanted to say more. “Jenna, I’ve finally gone to the other side.” 134

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Jenna was ecstatic, knowing immediately what she meant. “I always knew it would happen. I just knew it. I always wished it had been me, though. So, who is she?” “Their names were Sarah and Elizabeth.” “Their?” Jenna sounded shocked. “As in more than one? Holy hell, girl! What the fuck’s gotten into you?” “Elizabeth was first. I was drunk on wine at the time. Jenna, you have no idea the way that these people are up here. They are not the hard-line conservative, anal-retentive, Catholic bastards that most New Englanders seem to be. These people are different. They’ve known my family for generations.” “What do you mean different? You weren’t forced were you?” “No, but I was coerced. Well, seduced anyway. I really don’t want to go into it. I did enjoy both times.” Marlene sighed in her ear. “If you can’t come up, then just ship my stuff.” Marlene rattled off the address. “I’ll have my lawyer cancel the lease, that is, unless you want the loft.” “You’ve got a lawyer now? On retainer?” “Well, yeah, doesn’t everybody?” Marlene joked. Jenna’s voice whispered into the phone. “I’ll take the loft. I’m ditching Aren very shortly.” “Why? She seems nice.” “Nice and militant, you mean. I’ve read some of the literature she’s acquired. ‘B.I.T.C.H.’ Organization pamphlets.” “What the hell is that?” “But I Think Castration Helps. It’s a militant 135

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women’s group here in Philly. I call them the Spooky Girls.” “Oh.” Marlene left it at that. “Pack my shit and ship it up here. I’ll wire you money tomorrow for your troubles.” She paused a moment. “I miss you, Jenna.” “I miss you too. Don’t forget about us lowlifes down here in the urban wasteland.” They said their goodbyes, and Jenna hung up the phone. She looked at the steam rising out from under the gap between the bathroom door and the hardwood floor. Aren was going to ruin this place if she didn’t start to take care of it. Jenna pondered Marlene’s words. She was happy Marlene had finally experienced making love to a woman, and vice versa. Jenna had wanted to be the one to initiate her, but it just hadn’t been in the cards. It was better this way; they would have been great lovers, but neither of them wanted to put the friendship at risk. She got off the lumpy bed and pulled on her jeans. Wearing underwear seemed pointless to her and she had sworn them off during her high school years. They simply obstructed easy access during her exploratory years. She had realized after several not so enjoyable sexual encounters with the opposite sex that her orientation was not what she believed it to be. It had killed her mother to discover she would not be having grandchildren the traditional way. Her father was simply curious, as virtually all men are. When she left for college, she was introduced into a 136

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new world, where she was accepted and even encouraged to flaunt her lesbianism. It was then that Marlene Rutledge had entered into Jenna’s life. They roomed together in the south dorms and it took a while for the black-haired beauty to accept Jenna’s lifestyle. They had become great friends since they both were artists. Jenna was always attracting men, given her blond hair and exemplary figure. Turned away from the blonde, the boys were snapped up quickly by Marlene, who tore through them without regard to their feelings. Jenna didn’t approve of Marlene’s use of the boys, but it wasn’t her to judge. Marlene had never judged Jenna’s lifestyle; she had simply confronted it and her with a simple, “I have one pussy, I don’t need another.” Once they had reached their junior year, both decided to move out of the dorms. Jenna took up with a lesbian group from the south side, which made Marlene uncomfortable with the constant come-ons and unwanted flirtations. For six months neither had spoken, until they mutually discovered The Hellfire Club. It was there that they discovered each other’s friendship again under the banner of the pitchfork. Both had developed their own separate lives and Jenna had taken up with Aren. The black woman matched the blond in height and sexual need. It was short lived, however. Being black as well as dyke, Aren blamed everything that went wrong in her life on men. Especially white men. It was then that Jenna realized that she had been a conquest for the black 137

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woman. It turned Aren on that her lover was a blonde-haired blue-eyed Nordic goddess. That was when Jenna had decided to think seriously about leaving. Jenna never took part in the militantism that seemed to have a hold over most of the lesbian women she encountered. It seemed to her that they simply were jealous of the power men held and that they wanted that power for themselves. She thought that they did not want to make their own power, just steal it. It also seemed to her that they wanted to be men, rather than women. Overall, she liked men. Not in that way, the sexual one, but as friends. They were silly, stupid creatures. Crass and demented, they were crude and had little more than brute force as advantages. They were horrible at making love, which most women were, unfortunately, unaware of. Things were changing though, especially on campus. Women were demanding their orgasms, and demanding them loudly. Jenna massaged her breasts, preparing them for another day of confinement. Slipping on the bra and pulling the tank top over it, she was again the Nordic princess that everyone wanted to possess. Not bothering to leave a note, she left the black woman’s apartment, knowing that last night was their last. Marlene had opened the door of opportunity, and Jenna had slipped through. She left without so much as a goodbye. 138

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**** The shelves were stocked. Filled to overwhelming capacity, they held every imaginable foodstuff that she could possibly want. She had spent all afternoon in the grocery in the next town, buying three carts full. The Lexus was packed to overflowing and she was aware that everyone was looking at her as she squeezed into the overloaded car and drove away. Deciding to stay, she found that a new realm of certainty had been opened for her. A new life was before her; one she was sure would be filled with adventure and new experiences. It sounded trite, but she was looking forward to experimenting in ways she had never thought of before. She was joyful, for the first time in as long as she could remember. The bottle of wine Sarah had given her sat on the table. Opening it, she brought it to her nose and inhaled the sweet odor again. She wondered how much she could drink before becoming incapacitated. Could she drink it alone? Right now, there was no real point. Drinking alone always depressed her. Not trusting herself, she put the bottle away. The visions of the Shadow Man kept occurring, and she did not know why. Night was beginning to fall, and she walked around the house, making sure that all of the windows and doors were locked. She was still unsure if the Shadow Man was real or not, but she was not taking the chance. She ate a meal of fried rice and pork chops, and washed the dishes in the sink. There 139

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was a dishwasher, but she was unaccustomed to using it. Turning off the lights, she rose through the three levels and walked again into the library, settling down to read the journals again. They may have been fiction, but the story was good and captivating. There simply was too much sex in them for that time period. The Protestants were always strong in their faith. They could not be seduced as simply as Alicia said they were. Sexual demons. Maybe it was all an allegory? Maybe they were stories to relieve a young girl’s masturbatory dreams. Maybe they were true. The thought bounced through her head, unwilling to be dismissed so simply. Shaking her head, Marlene turned away, closing the doors. She was tired and knew that she did not want to sleep in that chair again. Moments later, she stripped herself of her clothes and slid beneath the light covers of the master bed. She never knew exactly when she fell asleep. **** Someone was in the room with her. Her eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright in bed. The black figure stood at the end of the bed. She nearly screamed, but found herself unable to talk. The figure spoke. It was the same gravelly voice as the last time. It was him. There could be no mistake about it. “Can you not feel the sin and evil all around you? 140

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Can you not feel its slimy hand upon your skin? No, I suppose you cannot, since you have accepted it so readily.” She found her voice. “Who are you?” The man was briefly startled. “Ah! So the wicked one has found her tongue.” He took a long breath before answering. “I am your savior.” He threw several objects onto the bed. Marlene realized they were the journals from upstairs. A brilliant burst of light appeared in his right hand. A sulfur smell filled the room. The match flared and then diminished. He tossed the lit match onto the journals. They immediately burst into an intense fire. Flames quickly engulfed the books, then moved onto the bedspread. Marlene watched in horrid fascination as the fire approached her. The heat became intense. “Renounce and repent!” the Shadow Man yelled over the roaring flames. Marlene screamed as the wall of fire reached out to engulf her. ****

Tuesday, September 4th, 2001 Screaming in horrible agony, Marlene awoke. Sunlight beamed through the windows. Sobbing, she kicked back the covers and ran to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror, seeing the black hair draped over her shoulders. The usually soft lines that made up her face were sharp and distinct. Nothing unnatural looked back at her, and she recognized 141

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who she really was. These encounters seemed entirely too real; she had felt her skin crisping under the intense heat. She cupped her hands and drank some water before walking back into the bedroom. Something was wrong. Something out of place. She looked down onto the bedcovers and saw them. Four journals and a recently burned match. **** “He’s wearing a black fedora and trench coat. I never saw him before last Thursday. He was standing outside my window back in Philly. Couldn’t really see his face then… Saturday afternoon was when I first saw his face.” Marlene sat in the chair, holding a glass of rum and Coke. It had already been emptied twice. “What did he look like?” Elizabeth asked from where she stood next to the bar. She sipped her wine, intently focused on the distressed Marlene. “Ancient. Very old. His eyes were little pinpricks, all whites with little pupils. He was like a walking skeleton, though when he threw me to the ground on Saturday, he was incredibly strong. His voice…his voice was like rough stones rubbing together. Gravellike. It hurt my ears.” Elizabeth closed her eyes. “It can’t be someone local, you saw him in Philly.” The answer came from the foyer. “It’s Ventel.” Both women turned to see Sarah walk into the room. 142

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She was wearing jean shorts and a tank top. “How do you know?” Elizabeth asked. “She’s hallucinating. It’s obvious.” “Hello, Sarah,” Marlene greeted the older blond. “Ventel. You mentioned him on Saturday night. He was the one who drew my mother away from Anna.” Sarah snorted. “If that’s what you want to call it.” “You know, don’t you? You just don’t want to tell me. You knew all along, lying to me when I asked.” Marlene was getting angry. So much seemed hidden from her, but no one was willing to show her or tell her what she needed to know. “Marlene, you wouldn’t understand yet. You would have if you had grown up here, but you don’t understand us. You don’t know what we are like here.” Sarah walked up to the bar and began mixing herself a drink. “I could tell you everything, but you wouldn’t be able to accept it.” “What do you mean?” Marlene’s vision tracked between both Sarah and Elizabeth. “What the fuck do you mean?” Frustration boiled over into her voice. It had become plaintive and urgent. Elizabeth looked away from Sarah and down next to Marlene. “You’re not ready yet.” “For what?” Marlene was getting increasingly angry. “What the fuck is going on?” Sarah looked back at her and said simply “Read the journals. They tell it all.” “What? That fictional crap? Calling forth a sexual god? It’s bullshit!” Both Sarah and Elizabeth were silent. Neither 143

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looked at Marlene. Marlene looked back and forth between them. Finally in disgust, she stood and stormed out in disgust. “Someone should warn her about Father Ventel,” Elizabeth quietly suggested. Sarah eyed her coldly. “Then warn her.” **** Marlene threw the frozen pizza into the oven and slammed the door shut. It was her typical dinner back in Philly. She had spent the rest of the afternoon continuing to read Alicia’s journal. It had told how the five women and the six demons had escaped to the west, forging a new life and new identities in the wilderness. How they had found a new fifth member to complete the Circle and allowed the demons to leave. The demons returned repeatedly to feast on the flesh of the women. It was complete and utter bullshit. Upon finishing Alicia’s journal, she had moved on to Joanna, Alicia’s daughter. Joanna had been the product of a one-night stand with a sailor in Plymouth. The child continued on with the Circle like her mother. It spoke of how the Circle had founded Gateway and begun building the six mansions. Those same mansions would take over sixty years to complete. Each day and night, the women would welcome their otherworldly lovers to their beds, fucking and sucking and bending the rules of sexual congress. 144

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It was at that point that Marlene could read no more. It seemed trite, false and fucking bullshit. The things these two women saw and experienced had to be products of their imaginations. Hell, Joanna even went to some otherworldly place called Limbo where she experienced sensations and orgasms that surpassed everything she had had here. It was too ridiculous to even consider that the journals were fact. It just was. She checked on the pizza, then spun around, jumping at the sight of Elizabeth. The beautiful blond stood in the doorway, her hands at her sides. “Holy fucking shit! Does everyone around here just show up unannounced? How the fuck do you people keep getting in here? Does everyone have a fucking key?” Elizabeth evaded the question, diving directly to the point. “Marlene, do you want to know the truth?” She walked up to Marlene, pushing her back against the warming oven. “Do you think that with all you’ve experienced here this past week, you could handle the truth about the past, who you really are and the heritage that is yours to grasp?” Marlene paused, knowing that she wasn’t, but she had to know. “Yes. I think I can.” Elizabeth leaned around Marlene and turned off the stove. Marlene smelled the musky perfume that she had on and The Beast flickered awake. Elizabeth took her hand and led her up the stairs, past the beckoning master bedroom and up into the library. Elizabeth closed the doors and told her to sit down. 145

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As Marlene settled into the chair, Elizabeth picked up the journals one by one and piled them on the corner of the coffee table. Sitting herself down, she picked up the first of the journals. Alicia’s. “Fiction,” Marlene simply said. “Truth.” Elizabeth replied. Marlene looked at her quizzically. “Three hundred years ago and change, your family began to be the record keepers of the events that occurred within the Circle. Alicia was the first. Her tale is true.” “Bullshit.” “No, it’s not, but that is not why we’re here.” She picked up another journal. “Joanna, Alicia’s daughter, saw the rise of the six Mansions.” She put down the journal and picked up another. “Simone saw the American Revolution. And so it goes.” Elizabeth stood up and extended her hand. Marlene took it and Elizabeth tugged her upright. She pulled her close, kissing her gently on the lips. Marlene was hot, perspiring with desire. “Marlene, the Journals are true. Our ancestors called forth the Devil to play with their flesh. We still do it now, and it is good.” In anger, Marlene shoved Elizabeth away. “Stop making shit up!” Elizabeth managed to maintain her balance. “Fine. You want proof? Follow me.” Elizabeth pushed the doors to the library open and walked into the white room outside. Marlene had dubbed it the Den of Pleasures. Elizabeth opened her arms, taking the room in. “This is where Anna pleasured her friends and lovers. Here is where I first came on Alan’s cock 146

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while I sucked on David’s. It was a wonderful experience.” She turned to face the inner wall. “And there is the Path.” She gestured in front of her. Marlene looked at the blank wall. “What the hell are you talking about? I see a fucking wall.” Elizabeth looked at her. “Come closer. Stand in front of me.” Elizabeth grabbed Marlene’s shoulders and positioned her in front. Her arms wrapped around Marlene, her fingers dancing down her waist. One hand slid between Marlene’s legs, stroking the material of the jeans. “Do you see it now?” “No.” “Marlene, you have to want to see it.” “This is such shit.” “Believe. Believe that what you have experienced. The sensations, the orgasms, were and are real.” Marlene closed her eyes and let her mind concentrate on Elizabeth’s hands running up and down her body. Finally, she opened her eyes and stared down a long hallway where moments before there had been none. After about ten feet in, it quickly became black as nightfall. “Holy shit.” “Holy shit, indeed.” Elizabeth stepped out from behind her, pulling her along. “Come on, let’s go.” “Go where?” “To find ecstasy.”

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Chapter Seven - Revelations

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arlene walked hand in hand into the darkness with Elizabeth. For a brief moment she became disoriented and reached out for the wall for balance. Her hand never touched anything solid, and came away cold as ice. Then they emerged from the darkness and into another room, on a balcony overlooking a wide-open area. “Where are we?” “Demi’s house.” They both walked to the railing and looked down. Ten feet below rested Elizabeth’s husband, Demi and another man. “The other man is Sam, Sylvia’s husband,” she whispered. All were in various states of undress. Demi lay on her back amid the cushions while Sam licked at her pussy. Both were in a classic sixty-nine position, his own cock imbedded inside Demi’s mouth. David was on his knees behind Demi, readying himself for penetration. As he masturbated his erect penis, Marlene watched as it slowly oozed lubrication, her hand moving to cover Elizabeth’s on the handrail. A spark flew down to Marlene’s nether regions. Sam looked up at David’s anointed cock and leaned forward, taking the member into his mouth. 148

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With Sam sucking voraciously, David leaned back and allowed the black-haired man to pleasure him. Within seconds, David began moaning and Marlene could tell he was ejaculating. Sam’s throat moved quickly, so as to not allow any of the fluid to spill. Eventually, Sam released David’s cock and sat up. David slid into Demi’s cunt and began to thrust against her. She moaned as she milked Sam’s cock. Suddenly, her face contorted as Sam exploded into her mouth. Swallowing repeatedly, she allowed none to escape her tongue. “Is Sam gay?” Marlene whispered. She had never seen anything like this and the sight of the two men together disturbed her. It seemed so voyeuristic. Elizabeth’s eyes never left the scene below. “Are you? You’ve been with a woman.” “No. I’m not.” “Then there is your answer. Pleasure is what it is. Who you receive it from or who you decide to give it to is irrelevant.” She turned and looked Marlene in the eye. Marlene sensed that there was a passion burning in Elizabeth’s eyes. “Let’s join them.” Marlene pulled away from her and The Beast whined in frustration. It wanted to join in, it needed to be fulfilled, but its master was confused and prevented it. “No. I don’t understand.” The realization that strange things were afoot finally breached Marlene’s rational blocks. “How did we get here so quickly? I…” she stuttered. Panic began to fill her consciousness. Turning, she broke 149

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free of Elizabeth’s grip and ran back through the hallway. Marlene ran through the blackness, appearing in a different location. She spun dizzily, grabbing a visible railing to prevent her falling. This new place was not her home, but another of the mansions. She turned and ran again, truly frightened of what she was experiencing. Back into the darkness she went, unsure of where she should go. Fear beckoned to her, drawing her down into the madness. She appeared again, stepping into a populated room. Maria, little Maria, lay face down atop a man unknown to Marlene. Her hips were high in the air as the man penetrated her from beneath. Michael stood behind the pair, stroking his glistening penis. Slowly he stepped up, sliding his cock into Maria’s ass. She groaned and bit at the neck of the man beneath her. Michael began to work his way in and out, increasing his speed and tempo. The man beneath her twisted her nipples hard with his fingertips. She moaned again, mouthing the word ‘deeper’ repeatedly. Marlene was so entranced that she couldn’t move. Out of her peripheral vision, Marlene noticed another couple in the room. The woman stood up from where they were coupling and walked towards her. It was one of women of the Circle. What was her name? Gods, she was beautiful. Sylvia. The redhead reached out to embrace her, but Marlene shrank back. “What’s going on?” Marlene hissed. The scent of sex that emanated from Sylvia wafted over Marlene, and 150

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The Beast this time nearly took control. “The night is an aphrodisiac to us. Doesn’t it excite you? The mystery, the desire, the need, the fulfillment. All of it comes together at nightfall.” Sylvia came closer, touching Marlene’s cheeks, slowly flowing down the nape of her neck before pushing the tanktop’s straps off Marlene’s shoulders. “This is what we do. We give each other pleasures that rise above the pettiness of the flesh. Through the flesh, we reach heaven in our own way. On our own terms, without sacrificing ourselves on the altar of hypocrisy.” Marlene felt weak. Sylvia bent forward, whispering now into her left ear. “This is your heritage.” Sylvia dropped to her knees, unzipped Marlene’s jeans and pulled them slowly down to her knees. Marlene touched Sylvia’s thick red hair before sliding her hands down around the other woman’s face. She pushed her invading tongue deeper into her pubic area. Marlene watched as Sylvia’s partner also rose and approached them both. His intention was evident. “No,” Marlene said weakly, closing her eyes, trying to make it all go away. Sylvia stood up, kissing Marlene’s belly and breasts before gently licking Marlene’s lips. Marlene met her tongue, drawing it into her mouth. She tasted the saltiness of her own pussy on Sylvia’s tongue. Then Sylvia’s body was pressed against hers. Sylvia moaned, breaking off their kiss, and laid her head on Marlene’s shoulder. Opening her eyes, she watched Sylvia’s partner 151

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penetrate her again from behind. Slowly he began to push against her, and Marlene could no longer help herself. Aching, she reached out to touch the man’s damp chest. It was at that moment she discovered the Connection. It was unlike anything she had experienced before. Almost immediately, a wave of orgasmic sensation crashed down upon her. Her vision swam and she came forcefully. Her cunt clenched and thrashed in joy. Her mind spun. How was it possible that she came by touching this man, whom she had never met? She looked into the man’s eyes, knowing at that instant that he was the cause of it all. His eyes were eerily black, like Alicia had described the men who had arrived with the Hedonist. Alarmed, she pushed Sylvia away and slid out from beneath the two coupling bodies. Taking the time to pull up her jeans, she stopped, seeing Michael walking towards her. She turned and ran into the doorway that led to Path. Michael grabbed her hand. At least she thought it was Michael. She spun around to face him, but found that Sarah was the one holding her hand. What the fuck? Where did he go? Where the hell did she come from? She wasn’t there a minute ago! “Marlene, wait!” Marlene ripped her hand free and plunged back into the darkness. Sarah called out after her. “Elizabeth was not to show you the Path or our Pleasurings. You were unprepared.” Newly disoriented, a sobbing Marlene appeared 152

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back on the original balcony. The steel railing stopped her. Closing her eyes to keep from seeing the debauchery she wanted so much to join, she cried silently, believing she had gone completely mad. Beneath her on the floor below, Elizabeth was riding atop David as he licked the cunt of Demi, who in turn was sucking Sam. Four glistening bodies were writhing in an unbroken chain. It was beautiful and terrifying at the same time. She felt a pair of hands on her waist as Sarah wrapped her arms about her. Sarah whispered into her ear. “Do you understand yet? Do you believe the truth?” Marlene spun around to face her. Only Sarah was not there. Michael had appeared in her place. Marlene’s eyes went wide with realization. “I don’t…” Michael changed into Sarah. His black hair disappeared and was replaced by Sarah’s blond curling locks. Gods, she was beautiful, even with the blackened eyes. “Do you understand now?” “You’re one and the same.” Marlene watched, as Sarah again became Michael. His eyes were black as India ink. He was as beautiful as Sarah was. “You’re him. The Hedonist. The one from the journal… The Morning Star.” Her mind was unable to comprehend it all, and Marlene passed out. **** Father Ventel sat in his Ford Taurus, waiting for the moment to arrive when he would go to her. He licked 153

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his cracked and peeling lips. Catching a look at himself in the rearview mirror, his wrinkled wreck of a face astounded him. So old. A dry cough turned into a wracking hack that threatened to rip his lungs from his body. He tasted blood on his tongue. His body was failing him, he could tell. His death wouldn’t be long now. He screwed open the bottle and drew up a dropper full of the acid. It wasn’t truly acid; it would not burn you to touch it. No, it was LSD, and Ventel had discovered twenty-five years before that it allowed him to see the true form of the demons around him. He had been a respected priest who had gone on an unwanted trip when a young altar boy had painted the drug on the communion cup. To the teenager, it had been a prank. To Ventel, it opened up his eyes to the evil around him. He saw the devil’s work all about him in its various forms. When he told his parishioners about his revelations, he lost their respect. Within a month he had been called into the bishop’s office and reprimanded for his continued use of the drug. When he did not cease his usage, the New York Cardinal excommunicated him. Ventel became an avid user, taking it nearly every day. He was seeing a bigger picture of the way his religion fought the war against the devil’s minions. The drug enhanced his senses and he soon discovered that it also allowed him to project images into other people’s minds. The drug caused walls to breathe and trails to follow a moving object. Ventel found he could project visual enhancements to his target’s 154

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surroundings. He repaid the Cardinal that cast him out. It had not been pleasant for the old man. Casting off the cloth, he took a position teaching at Candleston, a boarding school in New Hampshire. There he taught English and Latin. His source of the drug was always in flux and as the years went by, its potency diminished. He had been at the school for four years before Victoria joined his class. It was her senior year, and he had taken a particularly potent dose of LSD the night before. He tried hard not to be under the influence of the drug around the children he taught. It was in November, days before Thanksgiving break, when he first saw the pallor of the devil that covered her soul. Never before had he seen the blackness that pronounced on someone so young. It wasn’t that Victoria was evil herself. In fact, her soul glowed pure from beneath it. The dark overcast came from being constantly near everpresent evil. As Thanksgiving came and went, she stayed in the dorms and, whenever he took the drug, he knew instinctively where she was on campus. He went to her, asking her about her family. She opened up to him when he told her of the Word. In time, the pallor faded some and she even accepted Christ into her heart, begging for forgiveness. He had converted her from the hands of Satan. She only had to sever her ties with the source of the evil that shadowed over her soul. Upon further research in the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Ventel discovered the town of Gateway’s secrets of the six Mansions. Little 155

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did he know what those secrets meant. Christmas came and Victoria felt that she needed to confront her mother about her childhood and those she associated with. Victoria never knew the depths of Anna’s evil until that night. Anna had chosen Christmas to be Victoria’s induction into their little band of succubae. Ventel traveled with her and was there to provide Victoria with support for her and her newfound religion. Ventel was not privy to Anna and Victoria’s conversations, but Victoria returned to him, crying over and over that her mother was damned for eternity. Ventel knew the truth by then, though, having seen and confronted the Devil himself. He looked down at the bottle, the silvery fluid that showed him his place in this world. He now had very little of it left since his source, the young Duval, had been arrested and jailed. Ventel believed he would not need to have it refilled. Death was coming for him. He had found that the potency of it faded as the years had gone by. It took triple the dose now to allow him to see the demons in their earthly forms. He placed the dropper into this mouth and squirted the liquid onto his tongue. He did not swallow; to do so would waste the drug. No, he had to allow it be absorbed into his bloodstream for it to be affective. The drug tickled his tongue as it seeped into the muscles of his mouth. Ventel coughed, inadvertently swallowing. He knew enough of it had absorbed. He had to go to Marlene again, frighten her, and in some way force her to leave this place. If he could not frighten her away, he would have to kill her. That 156

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step he prayed would not be necessary, but she was difficult to dissuade. He could not allow her soul to fall into demon hands. He would not allow his seed to be corrupted in that way. He would not fail the Trinity again. The thought of his indiscretion again brought him to tears. When he first took her mother away from this place, Victoria was nothing more than his charge. Celibate, even though he had been excommunicated, he did not allow himself to feel anything for the young girl as he wooed her from the influence of the Devil. He was forty years her senior. Wine, the grapes, had been his downfall. No, the wine was simply an excuse. The girl had tricked him with her sensuality. Lies. Lies. Lies. She did not trick him. He had tricked himself. Overconfidence and pride had caused his downfall. Ventel shook his head, allowing the colors behind his eyes to sweep away the falsehoods. He was squarely to blame for his failure. He never forgave himself for raping Victoria. Ventel had been drunk on the sacrificial wine, still giddy from his conquest over the Devil. He had stolen the prize and converted her to Christ. After leaving the town of Gateway behind, the two studied the Bible and prayed for hours. Their path led south, where Ventel still had friends that had not disowned him. 157

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He did not know why he did what he did that night. The wine muddled his memories. He remembered the closeness of the hotel room. Images flowed into his mind. Victoria exiting from the shower, naked and drying her hair. Her shock. His immediate lust. His hands were grabbing her wet body. Throwing her down on the threadbare bed as he removed his pants. Her screams as he thrust his virgin cock into her warm flesh. He shuddered. His hands covered his face. It had felt wonderful as he pushed himself on her. The thought of it nearly made him vomit, even now, twenty some years later. She had run from him that night, never to be seen again. He did not blame her for doing so. He had violated her in worse ways than the Devil himself had done. He had never sought her out to apologize; the shame was too great and so intense that it made him physically ill just to think about it. No, there would never be forgiveness from Victoria. It wasn’t until her death that he saw her again. The drug had given him a premonition which he followed until he discovered that Victoria had died. He had watched as her body had been lowered into the ground. He had betrayed her in the worst possible way. It was at that funeral that he discovered Marlene. 158

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His seed had been spilled that terrible night, within a virgin womb. Tearing his mind from its torture, Ventel looked up, seeing the trails that followed mobile sources of light. The drug was beginning to affect him. He began to pray, trying to focus on the task at hand. The Trinity had never forgiven him for failing with Victoria. More so, the old priest had never forgiven himself. He felt the absence of the Almighty in his heart. Forgiveness would come in the form of Marlene’s uncorrupted soul. Forgiveness would come to him when she was free. In life or death, it mattered little. Ventel opened the car door, easing his aged body out of the car. He was seventy-nine years old and felt every bit of two hundred. Father Ventel had not been inside a church in twenty years, not since that night he took communion and a young woman’s virginity. He still wore his cross and beads, preferring black as his clothing of choice. Pushing the fedora up out of his eyes, Ventel looked around the Taurus’ hiding place off the road. He could sense the six mansions nearby. Their evil radiated out at him. It choked him with its blackness. With the resolution of a man who had nothing to lose, Ventel began to trudge towards the Rutledge estate. He readied himself for the coming conflict. ****

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Marlene awoke with the man who had brought her joy standing over her. His eyes were a deep blue and he was incredibly handsome. His hair was black, but feathered short. His expression was one of heavy concern and worry. His hand touched her face and she immediately felt the Connection. A wave of warmth flowed through her and she moaned. He removed his hand and looked up. “She’s come around,” he stated to someone out of her sight. Marlene sat up and looked around. She lay on the couch in the Den of Pleasures. “Who are you?” she asked the beautiful one. “Nicholas.” He smiled, and several of her fears were put to rest. He seemed human enough. Sarah sat in one of the leather-covered chairs. A glass of wine was in her hand. “Nick, please leave us.” Nick frowned, but stood up. He walked out of the den and went downstairs. Obviously, he was not happy at having to leave so soon after her awakening. There was a long pause between the two women before the elder one spoke. “I’m sure you have questions,” Sarah stated simply. “It wasn’t a dream or a hallucination, was it?” Marlene asked pensively. “Not in the least,” Sarah replied. “You are the Devil.” Sarah did not respond immediately. She took a sip 160

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of the wine before she continued. “The Devil is an archaic term and image concocted in the Middle Ages. Satan is Hebrew for enemy of God. Again, archaic. I am and was, The Morning Star. In Latin, they call me Lucifer. Sarah and Michael are simple forms that I use to interact with the mortals. I took on the visages of mortals that others and I found desirable. Being both allows me to relate with your kind better. It allows me to better see the world through your eyes.” “You lied to me several times.” “Yes, I did. For your benefit. You could not have understood what I was without preparation. You had to be spoon-fed your heritage slowly, but some others in the group decided to take your feeding out of my hands and forced it upon you. For that, I am sorry. Lie, yes, I lie. But I am not as evil as the Christian books make me out to be.” Sarah leaned forward, holding the wineglass in both hands in front of her. “Let’s get one thing clear for all time. God is the chain and I am freedom. I seek pleasure; he seeks restraint. That is the way it has always been since I rebelled and left Heaven.” “What about the horns, the cloven feet and the pitchforks?” This was all too bizarre. She had never been to church, but had read some of the Bible on a whim once. “All just good medieval marketing. I do not slaughter babies. I do not sacrifice virgins on altars. Well, at least not the way everyone seems to think.” Sarah snickered briefly and continued. “I do seduce, I 161

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do enjoy taking pleasure from flesh, and I do love to have others join me in that pleasure. I do not kill. The Christian Church has sacrificed more lives in God’s name than any other organization. The Nazis don’t even come close, though the Muslims continue to try.” “And what about Satanism? Slayer and Danzig seem to worship your evil.” Marlene threw curves at him, trying to break the mask of serenity that Sarah had across her face. Marlene knew what she had experienced, but there was still a doubt that nagged at her. “Misguided children. They follow falsehoods created by the church. Is it so hard to believe that the Inquisition tortured innocents? Innocents whose imaginations brought to life the antithesis of the Mass in an attempt to save their own lives? Or at least end their suffering? The church has created a myth about me, a legend that exists to this day.” “Okay, let’s say that what you’re saying is true. Why are you here? In Massachusetts.” Everything that Sarah was saying seemed plausible, but, hell, she was the Devil. “Because three hundred years ago, six women called me to show them the depths of pleasure. They wanted to feel what a true orgy was. Unsatisfied by mortal men, they called to me amid the Circle. Ayla was just one of many that called to me from the primitive times. The lust from these six women called me from our realm. Samantha, the novice of the group, died of heart failure and left us trapped among 162

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the mortals. My followers were well satisfied while Ayla found another woman to take Samantha’s place in the circle. When we returned…” “To Hell…” Marlene interjected. Sarah laughed. “Hell, indeed. Its landscape is nothing like the myths make them out to be. The fire and brimstone are figments of the Middle Aged minds and the hallucinations of Revelations. We were cast out, but as God said, this is our world. Hell is here on this world, and not where I reside.” Sarah paused as she turned back into Michael. The effect was both startling and disturbing at the same time. Marlene shuddered. “As I was saying, when I returned, a short time passed before they called for us again. I found that they kept calling for us, calling us back to their beds, to give them the pleasure.” “So why are you here?” Marlene continued to listen, taking it all in. Her mind screamed lies, lies, lies, but she remained mesmerized by the man. “When a member of the Circle that brought us here dies before we can leave, we are trapped here.” Michael laughed. “If fucking your brains out is the definition of trapped. Anna persuaded the others to bring me here one last time before she died. She wanted one last taste, which I gave to her. She died the next morning. In truth, I wanted to be with her when she died. She was a great lover and friend.” Michael paused briefly. “I miss her.” “Why would death matter? She didn’t subscribe to the Christian faith. She would have ended up in hell 163

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anyway.” Michael looked at her intently. “I told you before, there is no fire-and-brimstone hell. This place, this world is the closest you’re going to find of hell. It doesn’t matter what you believe or what religion you’re a part of. You mortals were built to be expendable. You live fast and die young. And when you die, you will cease to exist. That is why the Circle comes together. We join each other in the search for our own heaven. The true Heaven exists for the angelic and the almighty.” “What about Jesus?” “What about him?” “He died for our sins.” She was trying to remember back to Vacation Bible School. Her mother had kept her away from organized religion her entire life. She remembered how one of her friends had taken her to VBS one summer night. She never dared tell her mother about it. “Or something like that,” she added. “He was a great man, teaching tolerance and brotherly love. He died, killed by his own people. I know. I was there.” “The Bible says he rose from the dead.” “You’re trusting a book written by religious zealots who formed the religion after the man’s death? Christians weren’t called Christians until nearly thirty years after Christ’s death. Come on, grow up. Do you really think that the Almighty would sacrifice his own flesh and blood for anyone, much less mortals who most of the time have never believed he existed? The 164

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writers of those books put in what they wanted and then interpreted it any way they wanted. They preach religious tolerance, yet slaughter entire races in the name of God. They looked the other way when the Nazis tore through the supposed Chosen Race. They looked away in Bosnia and advocated it during the Crusades. The Church is the real Satan. I just wish everyone would stop blaming me. I am the original scapegoat. Make no mistake about that.” Michael sat down across from her. “So who is Ventel?” “A misguided excommunicated priest who can sense our masks and true forms.” Marlene could tell he was giving out as little information as he could about the man. She humored his secrecy and chose a related topic before questioning him/her further. “What are your true forms?” Again Michael’s face and form transformed itself from man to woman. Sarah looked back at her from where Michael had sat moments before. Marlene realized that Sarah was being extremely patient with her. She appreciated her frankness, even if it wasn’t believable. This conversation had already gone beyond the realms of fantasy. The transformations were unbelievable and disconcerting. “There is little difference between us. Mainly, our ears are a bit more pointed and our eyes are totally black. You’ve seen our true forms. We, however, can transform ourselves into whichever sex we feel like taking. To gain your trust, I came to you as Sarah. 165

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When I knew you needed relief, I came to you as Michael. I meant no deception, but I could hardly come to you as I am. Which do you prefer?” “As you are now, Sarah. It will take time to adjust to the fact that you have a dick one moment and not the next.” “It makes things interesting, doesn’t it? There are no limitations to what we can experience together.” She paused and sat back, returning the subject to Ventel and her mother. “Your mother grew up here, at the Rutledge Estate. She was wild and always got into trouble. It is the custom that when a child begins to reach puberty, they are sent away until they reach adulthood and can handle their heritage. We are not pedophiles. Children are the last bastions of innocence in this world. We protect them.” “You’ve sired children?” The thought of demon children running around at her feet passed through her mind. “No, it is impossible between us. Our appendages provide sweet nectar, but nothing more. We’ve found that it is addicting to your kind, which only enhances our bond with you. When a child is needed, the women go to one of the cities and find a man to plant his seed. Only females are produced, though we do not know why. Statistically, it is possible, but unlikely. I have had no hand in it.” “My mother…” Sarah interjected, interrupting Marlene. “…Was a beautiful woman. She returned to us during a break in her schooling to confront her mother about Anna’s 166

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past. Victoria, knowing now what the paintings and sculptures and all the trappings of this house stood for, castigated her for communing with Devil and cursed her to damnation. Father Ventel was with her, providing the reinforcement for her anger. Ventel could see through us, see the being beneath. We confronted him, but we could not stop him or dissuade him from what he was doing. I do not know what happened after they left this place. Anna was so distraught over it all, that it was all we could do to keep her from committing suicide.” “How can he see you when I and the others can’t?” “Drugs, we think. Certain psychotropic liquids can allow mortals to see beyond what is in front of them. Or it might be his faith; though the last time we found him he was drunk in a gutter in South Carolina. You can see us, though you just have to be in the right frame of mind. Passion opens your eyes.” Sarah’s eyes turned black for moment. “Or I can just let you see us for how we really are.” Marlene shifted uncomfortably on the couch. She was not sure what Sarah implied with that statement. “What happens to me now?” Sarah gestured around her. “Whatever you want. This place is yours now. I hope that you will participate in the Circle so that I may return home, but it is not imperative. The thing inside you that forces you to fuck will never be sedated or sated. It was a part of your mother, your grandmother and so on, back through the ages. It will never go away or cease to be a part of you.” She stood up and walked 167

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towards the now revealed Path. Her form changed back to Michael. “If you have any other questions, concentrate on where you want to be and that is where you will go. It’s one of the largest pieces of magic left in this world. Goodnight, Marlene.” That said, Michael was gone. For a long moment she sat there, letting the revelations sink in. Slowly she stood up and walked to the bar on the far wall. A stiff shot of vodka went down, followed quickly by another. And another. She slammed the shot glass down. A masculine voice spoke to her from behind. “Creature comforts will only help for a little while. Dealing with this is always difficult. I’ve seen it before.” She had forgotten about Nicholas. Not bothering to turn and look at him, she poured another shot full to almost overflowing. Before she could bring it to her lips, he placed his hand over it, denying her. She looked up at him coolly. “Are you one of them too?” She knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it again. “Yes. I was Anna’s companion,” Nicholas very nearly whispered. “Why are you here now?” she challenged. “To comfort you.” His voice was quiet, but held a touch of questioning. His demeanor unsettled Marlene. It held no malice or misrepresentation. “I don’t need comforting. I need you to go away.” Nick pursed his lips and removed his hand. “As 168

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you wish.” His eyes stared intently into hers. Marlene smirked as she broke the gaze, looking down at the shot of alcohol. “That was a line from what used to be my favorite movie. The hero used it whenever his lover asked him for anything. The Princess Bride. Only you’re not Westley.” She looked up at him, pleading for understanding. “I think I’m going mad.” He smiled back at her, and she knew he did understand. He had seen it before, experienced it dozens of times with each of her ancestors. “You’re not insane, just overwhelmed.” His proximity was causing The Beast to roar and tear at her insides. His hand fell to hers and the Connection was made. “Oh, God,” she mumbled as she grabbed the bar with her free hand to steady herself. An intense sensation of pleasure rolled over her. “What is happening?” Her body began trembling. “It’s called the Connection.” She moaned and fell against him. “What?” Her body felt on fire with a thousand tingling pinpricks, each a small orgasm. It was like when she had hyperventilated when she was twelve. Only then she had passed out. Here, now, she floated on his words. “When we first came to this world, a bond was formed between the women and us. Our nectar caused that bond to strengthen until when we touch, the pleasure surges through us like a tidal wave. You are bonded with me through your genes. When I touch you, you will experience more pleasure than you could ever dream of. It will be the same for me. 169

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When we fuck, it will seem like days have passed, that is how long your pleasure will last.” His voice whispered into her ear. “Do you want me?” She could not speak, though her mouth gaped open. Small gasps uttered from her throat. Her vagina was clenching with orgasm after orgasm. His hands slowly stripped her of the clothing she wore. He lifted her up, his cock at her aperture. He held her tight and she cried out loud, tears streaming from her eyes as she slowly slid down upon his dripping cock. It was just too much. She screamed in joy with all the force that her soul could muster as she accepted him into her. She cried out again as he began to lift her up to begin a second thrust. A block within Marlene’s mind moved away and she transcended. ****

Thursday, September 6th, 2001 Sobbing incoherently, Marlene lay beside Nick. His erect cock rested between her legs and his skin was hot to the touch. It was too much information and too much sensation. Too much. She hoped she would wake up, but she knew this was all too real. Nick had been right; it had been the absolute best, most intense sex she had ever had. Only sleeping with a demon had not been Marlene’s idea of a good time. Nick looked and acted just like any other man. No, not quite. He was more considerate than other men. He spent more time exploring her body in detail 170

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than anyone had ever done before. Even now, the touch of his skin against her was driving her insane with lust. His hand reached around her waist, gently touching the softness of her belly and her breasts. Demon. She tried to calm herself, stop herself from pushing his hands away. She felt safe in his arms, which were secure and strong. Instead she drew him closer to her. “What do you call yourselves,” she managed to whisper. “Demons? Angels?” “We call ourselves Outcasts. Demon was just a word the Church chose to grace us with.” He rolled over and rose from the bed. Through the exploits of the previous day and night, they had moved from the sex den, down the stairs and into the master bedroom. Nick stood in the sunlight, his body shining with the light of a new day. “I don’t want to leave right now, but I think you need time to recuperate and think about all that has been revealed to you.” “I…I don’t want you to leave.” The words surprised her; she still knew nothing of this man other than that he was a demon. No, correction, an Outcast. “I have to. There are other matters I must attend to.” He knelt down beside the bed and kissed her. Their tongues entwined, and Marlene was again drawn to him. Nick broke off the kiss. “There will be time enough for us later.” Standing up, he walked out of the bedroom. She heard him make his way up the stairs. Then it was quiet except for the cacophony in her head. 171

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In that silence, she unraveled her thoughts and desires. It surprised her to discover that she missed him already. Missed his touch, his tongue, his cock, and his voice. Neither had spoken much during the fucking, and Marlene could barely maintain a stream of consciousness during it all. She could still taste him on her tongue, sweet and honey-like. A deep-seated need had been created and it was now rooted deep within her. Yes, she knew now what he meant about the Connection. She wondered if it was the same for him as well. Her answer came to her seconds later as Nick returned, carrying his clothes in his hand. His cock was erect. She pushed the covers away and accepted him into her flesh.

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Chapter Eight – Sins of the Father

Sthe bed. The sun had moved overhead and no he awoke still lying comfortably in the warmth of

longer streamed in through the window. The clock on the armoire read two o’clock. The space on the bed beside her was empty and cold. He had been gone for some time. Rising, she padded into the bathroom, stepping into the icy cold water of the shower. Dried sweat was rinsed away, and she bathed herself in lavender wash. She knew he would be returning tonight. Not knowing how she knew; she simply knew it. It was enough to satisfy her for now. It surprised her that she didn’t ache. Not one muscle on her body was sore. In fact, she craved more. More was a definite possibility. Exiting the shower, after drying her body off, she wrapped the towel around her hair. The air was steamy, both in the bathroom as well as in the bedroom. The mist wrapped around her naked body as she walked into the bedroom. The Shadow Man stood in the doorway that led to 173

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the stairs. **** Both of them stared at each other for a long moment. His quarry froze like a deer caught in the blinding brilliance of a spotlight. Ventel stared at her beautiful, nude form. He had intended on frightening her again, castigating her both verbally and with his mind hallucinations. Too much had occurred, and she was well on her way to discovering the truth and succumbing to the Devil’s lies. Something had to be done and so he was now here, in the lair of the Devil, to confront her. However, seeing Marlene naked in very nearly the same position and circumstances that her mother had been twenty-two years before, made the old man pause. Drug-addled déjà vu played its own games with his mind, sending him into the past. Victoria. She had returned to him. She was as beautiful now as that day when he had returned from the communion at the church. He had thanked God for giving him the strength to free Victoria from the clutches of Satan. Once the taste of wine was on his tongue, he found it impossible to stop. His God’s strength left him once he had imbibed the alcohol and his resolve wavered. He had been fifty-eight years old, having never been with a woman. The walls of repression broke, freeing the pent-up desire and lust upon the innocent girl. 174

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“Victoria?” The words echoed in the past. Victoria stared at him in fear. His withered cock rose in his pants. She was so beautiful. Her body called out to him. Touch me, feel me, possess me! A fire rose up inside him. He took a step towards her, his hand reaching out to touch. Victoria screamed, snapping Ventel back to the present. He recognized what was happening to himself. He focused his mind, drawing clarity from the objects around him. This creature was not Victoria. This creature was defiled. He could smell the stink on her. He would not be tricked again. “You cannot tempt me, witch. Your flesh may be clean, but your soul rots in the filth of your sins. Leave this place. Renounce your heritage and commit yourself to God.” He concentrated on creating the illusion of flames around him. “Filthy beast. Repent and God will forgive you.” The power burst forth from his mind and from her reaction, he knew she saw the flames. The LSD did more than simply allow him to see the demons, it also allowed him to push images and illusions to the individual he targeted. He did not know why God decided to bless him in this way, but he used it to good effect and always in the name of the Lord. Marlene screamed again and backed into the bathroom. Suddenly and without reason, he was upon her, no longer in control of his own rage. His hands were around her throat when she finally went berserk. Her fingers clawed at his face, scratching them deeply as her legs snapped out, knocking one of 175

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his knees out from under him. He had to let her go, taking one hand from her throat to punch her in the chest. She gasped, and he knew he had taken her wind from her. Her fire died and he leaned over her, smelling her filthy soul oozing from ever pore. “I should kill you now, but I wanted to give my seed one opportunity to redeem herself.” Her eyes went questioning. She looked at him as she struggled to get her voice back. “What do you mean?” she hoarsely asked. “Seed?” He backhanded her, leaving a welt across the left side her face. “God does not look highly on those that congress with the Devil. They will burn in the depths of the lake of fire for their indiscretions.” He looked down at the frightened woman he held down with his weight. Victoria had been in this exact position when he had taken her. He no longer smelled the demon on her. The musky scent of her sex rose to meet his wrinkled face. His cock rose again; in its mindlessness, it believed it was Victoria beneath him. “No! I will not be misled again!” He punched out with his fist, striking the linoleum of the bathroom floor. In one motion, he jumped to his feet. Ventel paused to look down at the black haired woman cowering at his feet. He did not see his child, only a demon woman destined for hell if he did not stop her. Turning away from her, he concentrated again, making himself disappear in her eyes. He exited the room, leaving this den of depravity to return to the safety of his car. He hoped his warning and threats had been 176

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enough. **** Marlene sat in the bathtub, trying to get the stink off her body. The steaming water beat down on her body. Ventel had smelled of decay and destruction. Fear also kept her under the hot water. She drifted in and out of shock, unsure of what to do. His words confused her. Seed? What did he mean by that? As he held her down, she knew he wanted her. He wanted to rape her. Misled again. The pieces began to click into place for her. Click. Seed. Ventel was her father. Misled. Ventel had fucked or raped her mother. Raped, most likely, since her mother had run from him, hiding everything about her past. This disgusting man who raped her mother was her father. Her stomach heaved, and she vomited onto the white of the tub. The falling water beat down the stench and she watched the yellow bile flow down the drain. Seed. Again, the revulsion and expelling. Again, until the dry heaves left her exhausted. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t. Things like this don’t happen. They just don’t. It’s too much. She knew she was going insane. The water flowed around her and down into the drain. It fascinated her and she continued to watch as it went endlessly 177

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round and round, disappearing into the oblivion of the drain. Laughter filled her ears and she looked around but did not see anyone. The laughter became louder and laugher. Crazed, even. Who was making that racket? Marlene realized she was the one laughing insanely. She stopped herself mid-laugh. Icy water continued to pummel her. How long had she been sitting there? She turned off the water and stood up. The mirror displayed her body to her. It was unmarred from Ventel’s attack. The coolness of the water had dissipated the welt on her cheek. Witch. He called her witch. Her black hair lay around her shoulders, dripping down across her breasts. Maybe she was a witch. Maybe she was… **** The bottle of Kemlis wine was empty. Marlene lapped at the last drops as they trickled down the container’s walls and out onto her tongue. She stood in front of the Path, crossing her eyes to try and make it appear. The wine and its hallucinatory transport partner were doing strange things to her mind. She had no idea how long it had been since she first started drinking, but she knew she was drunk. Drunk, and comfortably numb. She giggled, remembering the Pink Floyd song. Is there anybody out there? The Kemlis wine was 178

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the only liquor in the house, something Marlene would rectify as soon as she was sober again. She sat on the couch, trying to forget the earlier incident. Not bothering to dress, she had simply found the wine and began drinking. It alone kept her warm. She heard a sound behind her and she whipped the bottle at the sound as she turned around, screaming “You will not have me, motherfucker!” Nick dodged the flying bottle and rushed towards her. It shattered against the wall behind him, exploding like a bomb. “What the fuck?” he exclaimed. For a long moment, the two stared at each other in silence until, like a child, Marlene sobbed, running to him to fall into his arms. She whispered she was sorry, and clutched him. He picked her naked form up and laid her down onto the couch. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Tell me what’s wrong.” He sat down beside her and she rooted up to lay her head on his lap. His hands felt electric on her skin as he brushed the hair from her eyes and face. Her tears reddened her cheeks and eyes. “He’s my father,” she whispered without looking at him. “Who is?” “Ventel.” “What?” She could tell that by his voice that he did not believe her. She didn’t care; she cared only for his touch. His voice became alarmed. “Was he here?” “Yes. He attacked me. He was covered in flames…” Marlene sobbed again, burying her tears in 179

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his lap. She looked up at him pleadingly. “He said I was his seed. Oh, God, he’s my father.” Nick held her to him, allowing her tears to fall unabated. In the comfort of his arms, she soon found sleep. **** Nick waited until she had fallen into a deep sleep before rising and carrying her down to the bed. He walked through the Path and into The Morning Star’s home. Sarah, his current form, greeted him with a glass of wine. “I’m surprised that you are not with her.” When Nick’s demeanor did not change, Sarah asked what was wrong. Nick’s tone was somber and withdrawn. “He returned again. He attacked her.” Sarah frowned and walked away, contemplating. “Ventel ruined the Line by taking Victoria away from us. I had hoped he would have died by now and not caused us any more grief. He may be excommunicated, but he is still a man of the cloth. We cannot touch him without bringing His wrath down upon us.” “She said he was her father.” Sarah stared back at him with suspicion. “Really?” She took a sip of the wine and closed her eyes. “Yes, the math certainly works. Victoria was eighteen when she left. Marlene is twenty-one now. Sad, isn’t it, how those that preach about the horrors of sin are most likely to fall into their own definitions? Hypocrisy is 180

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so prevalent within the Church.” “What do we do?” “We can’t do anything. As I said, we can’t touch him. Threaten, yes, but he, of all people, will know they are hollow threats. Marlene has to find a way to defeat him. She is strong, like the others. She will do what is necessary.” Nick turned away to leave, sitting the wine down untouched. He expected The Morning Star to do something, not allow Marlene to have to face this evil being alone. It didn’t seem fair to push her heritage upon her, as well as force her to defend her life. He disappeared into the Path, needing to return to his lover. **** Marlene awoke and looked around, finding no one. Not wanting to be alone, she stood up and felt the effects of the Kemlis wine wash over her. The world around her spun in a circle, and she sat back down. Concentrating on her toes, she realized she was still naked. She had spent a lot of time naked lately, and was becoming even more comfortable with it than she had in the past. Ventel had been forgotten for the moment, fogged under by the opium. Where was Nick? She needed him. Now. Her hand fell between her legs but she withdrew, wanting something more substantial. She needed interaction. Someone to make her feel good. Where was Nick? She pushed herself upright 181

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again and stood wobbling in front of where the Path should be. She closed her eyes and willed the gate to appear. There it was. She stepped forward and entered the darkness. The disorientation of the Path combined with the wine caused Marlene to fall down as she exited the Path. Finding herself in Elizabeth’s house, she moaned and picked herself up off the floor. Hearing voices, she walked towards them. Down a flight of stairs, she appeared in the living room. David stood talking with another man whom she did not recognize. The man gestured towards her, and David turned around. “Marlene?” David sounded concerned. She walked towards him and she stood in front of him. He was taller than her by a good half a foot, and she stared up to meet his eyes. “Are you okay?” She nodded an affirmative. “Would Elizabeth mind if I used her husband’s cock for a short while?” Both men laughed. “What have you been drinking?” the other man asked. David turned back to the unidentified man. “Kemlis. I can smell it on her.” The stranger approached Marlene and her attention wavered. “Who are you? Which of the Circle do you fuck?” She sounded accusatory, though she did not mean it that way. “Dominic. I fuck Sylvia.” He was as blunt as she, knowing any type of sarcasm would be lost in her drunkenness. 182

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“She’s beautiful,” Marlene slurred. “I liked her tongue in my mouth. And my cunt.” “Yes. She is beautiful. And so are you.” He reached out and touched the skin just above her breasts. Frowning, he looked towards David. “David, she’s cold.” “Warm me up, then.” Marlene’s inhibitions had long since dissipated like dust in a windstorm. The Beast growled in her belly, though from the noise it made, she wondered if it was the wine. Dominic was handsome, with a solid chin and his eyes were blue. She shook her head, knowing it was an illusion. She fell to her knees, gripping at Dominic’s pants. The zipper to the khakis caused her some grief. “Marlene?” She turned towards the sound. David knelt beside her. “We would love to pleasure you, but you are not in the right frame of mind. I can sense your distress. You’re trying to mask something with the wine that shouldn’t be hidden.” “So? I want you to fuck me. Isn’t that what you do?” She was becoming angry. David held up his hands. “Marlene. Patience. The two of us will return to you when you’ve sobered up a bit. Come, I’ll take you home.” “No!” she cried out. “Goddamn it! I want to fuck! Fuck! Fuck! God damn it, fuck me, you cocksucking bastards!” She started crying and released Dominic’s pants from her grip. She covered her face and looked away as she wiped the tears away. Unrecognized sounds coursed over her ears, but she could not make sense out of the noise. Her vision blurred and she 183

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smelled Nick as she passed out. **** Marlene awoke to the sounds of sex. The sound of two naked bodies striking each other in the copulating fashion made a distinct sound that could not be duplicated by any other animal or artificial means. Everything around her was fog-like. The faint lights held majestic and colorful auras around them. She had an intense sense of well being. The wooziness of the alcohol had dissipated, leaving her with euphoria. Rolling over onto her belly, she propped her head up with her hands. She looked around, hungry for the taste of sex. She saw the most amazing sight. Sylvia and Maria were sitting on their knees, kissing. A man lay beneath Sylvia, penetrating her from below. His face was embedded beneath Maria’s bottom and his hands and arms were wrapped around her waist. Sylvia was gyrating to the man’s thrusts. She believed the man to be David, but she was not sure. Marlene felt hands lifting her waist and legs up into the air. Protesting not in the least, she spread herself wide, accepting the thick cock into her. She closed her eyes and savored the way it filled her up. This was the best aspect of the sex that she had been experiencing. It was not rushed, it was given out slowly, teasingly, allowing the pleasure to build and build until it erupted in a long and satisfying fashion. Much of the sex she had had in the past had been 184

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quick and dirty. Here it was appreciated for what it was; the most intense, pleasurable sensation that a human being would ever experience. She felt hands from either side begin to massage her back and neck as her penetration took place. She knew it wasn’t Nick, since she did not feel the intense Connection or the rapid orgasms that occurred when he took her. The guttural groans of a man coming intrigued her enough to open her eyes. She had been correct. Maria had left David’s tongue and now lay back against one of the couches. Her face was red and flushed. Marlene watched as she licked her lips, her delicate breasts heaving as she forced air into her lungs. David bucked against Sylvia as she straddled him. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and her red hair bounced and flew around her face. His thrusts became very deliberate and deep as he exploded within her. Rising quickly off him, she lay back on the carpeting. Maria leapt for Sylvia’s cunt, lapping at the white milky substance that leaked outward. Sylvia cried out, thrusting her hips forward into Maria’s face. Marlene looked at David, who had since locked eyes with her. He was only a few feet away. His glistening cock throbbed in the dim light of the room. Her tongue unintentionally licked her lips. Both knew what each wanted. The thrusts behind were becoming more frequent as her unknown lover increased his tempo. The thought that she should know who was fucking her crossed her mind, but she found that she 185

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no longer needed that information. It was likely someone she had fucked before, anyway. It seemed bizarre to her that when presented with sex in this fashion she found herself wanting more and more of it. This was passionate and remorseless pleasure. Four days ago, she had licked the cunt of a woman she just met. A day later, she watched as two men serviced one woman completely and fully. Had it really been so short a period of time? David approached her on his knees, offering his cock to her. She grasped it, and guided it into her mouth. It tasted like a mixture of salt and honey. She rolled her tongue around it, teasing and milking it. Her hands went down to cup his testicles, squeezing them gently. Looking up at him, she noticed his head was thrust back, his eyes closed and his lips parted. Obviously she was doing something right. Fellatio was not her strong point. The first time a man shot his load into her mouth, she had vomited all over his lap. It had been embarrassing, but she had improved dramatically in the past few years. Her best technique lay in the ability to make a man come using just her vaginal muscles. She preferred to be penetrated, but was finding that more bodies made for a more interesting time and sexual positions. She felt the one taking her from behind slip out of her and she growled her displeasure. For the briefest of moments, she felt completely and utterly alone. She sensed him before she felt him. The briefest of touches sent fire shuddering up her spine and around to her nipples. His cock touched her labia, sliding 186

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slowly into her wetness. Nick. Her heart leaped at his touch. It was Nick. Overwhelmed by the Connection, she ceased her ministrations on David and just let herself feel his cock inside her. The orgasm rolled up out of her vagina and smashed into her brain. Her mouth and hands clenched inadvertently, sending David over the edge. She felt David’s cock grow large and she knew to expect its seed’s arrival within moments. Warm and sweet, she let it gather into her mouth. Down her throat it went, sending a wave of warmth through her. It was incredible, and she desired more. Sucking harder, she squeezed again and David’s cock exploded for the second time in as many minutes. Her own orgasm crept up on her again, and she released David from her wet grasp. She heard herself gasp and moan until the pleasure took away everything around her save Nick’s touch. It was wonderfully orgasmic. ****

Friday, September 7th, 2001 Marlene lay satisfied, in the crook of Sylvia’s arm. Both had their knees open, accepting David and Dominic’s tongues into their cunts. The men lapped gently, wanting to give pleasure but not truly committed to actual sex. Marlene turned to Sylvia; the redhead was not too involved in the tongue bath that David was giving her. Her own orgasm was miles away, but she enjoyed the gentle touch of Dominic. 187

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“Don’t you ever get tired?” “No.” Sylvia laughed and smiled. “I used to, but you adapt. The cum is sweet and is some sort of stimulant. Like the way crystal meth can keep you fucking for hours. Only the body never gets tired. If you keep consuming it, you can keep going and going and going.” She looked over and laughed again. “Like the Energizer bunny! Eat, sleep and fuck. I know it sounds gross, but what we do becomes addictive.” “It’s not gross anymore. It was wonderful. This is wonderful.” “It makes me sad sometimes at how repressed much of society is. Western and Middle Eastern society anyway. Have you noticed how they want so much to be like what we have here, but are frightened of it?” “Well, free love was a product of the sixties.” “And free love died in the seventies. The eighties were about selfish pleasure, and the nineties were about achieving orgasms for everyone. Especially women. But the Mundanes still don’t get it. It isn’t about blowing your load; it’s about connecting with someone, anyone, while giving and receiving. Sex is still selfish in most of the world. Diseases simply take advantage of the selfishness. If a man and woman were not selfish in their lovemaking, neither he nor she would resort to others. They wouldn’t have to.” Her breath came in frantic gasps as her hand gripped Marlene’s forearm. “Wait a second. Here I come…” Sylvia arched her back and cried out. In time, the redhead calmed somewhat and she 188

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returned to the discussion. “As I was saying, the stigma attached to infidelity was created when the pair bond was formed, eventually becoming marriage. Do you know when that was? When the religions were founded. They consecrated the pair bond and ruined everything. I swear, I think that the one that came up with marriage was a lonely, ugly twerp who couldn’t get laid. Marriage and its restrictions allow the weak the opportunity to breed, thus destroying the Darwinian balance.” “But if Michael is the Devil, doesn’t it prove that God exists and Darwin was wrong?” “Two fallacies in your statement. Michael is not the Devil. The Devil was a creation of the medieval church. He’s an angel that fell out of favor. Second, Darwin wasn’t wrong. God started the process of life on Earth, but he left it to evolve. Why else would dinosaurs have existed? Come on. Do you think that God would go to all the trouble of hiding fossilized bones into rocks around the world? Like some kind of practical joke? To distract us from of truth? No.” David looked up from between Sylvia’s legs. “Actually, it would be like him to do it. But you’re right. The Almighty built all this, but left it to evolution. She’s right on her assumptions, though. Mostly.” “Where’s she wrong?” “Ah, but that would be telling.” His tongue returned to the spot of honey.

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Chapter Nine – Milk and Honey

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arlene picked up the phone as it rang. “Hello?” She took another bite of the sandwich she had prepared. It was loaded with turkey and cheese and topped off with lettuce and tomato. Everything was fresh from the store. She was expecting Sarah’s call about her request for Marlene to draw her. The voice that came from the phone told her instantly who it was and knew the caller was not happy with her. “You know, I could have sworn that you were going to wire me cash to ship your shit,” Jenna’s voice wailed from the other end. “I got my shit moved in, and yours ready to go out. I ain’t got the cash to ship it.” “Oh, shit. I am so sorry. Things have been hectic here. I’ll take care of it as soon as I get off the phone.” Marlene was truly apologetic. She had completely forgotten about Jenna. “Yeah, well, make sure you do.” She sounded a little pissed, but Marlene knew that it would pass with time. Jenna had other things on her mind. “How did Aren take you moving out?” Jenna laughed. “She threw a fucking punch at me. You believe that? I had gone back to get the rest of my 190

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shit and the damn bitch came home early. Luckily she can’t aim worth a crap. Missed me, and I was out of there. Fucking militants. I’ve had it with these boy wannabes. She has no idea that I’m here, but I know I won’t be able to go to Mychelle’s for a while.” Mychelle’s was a dyke bar a block west of South Street. Jenna had lived there once for two months, picking up one woman after another while she worked to save up enough cash to pay for her art supplies over the summer. “She’s already got me on her hit list.” “Watch yourself. You can always come up here. I could use the company.” “Nah, just send me what I need to get your shit out of my loft.” “Your loft? It isn’t yours yet,” Marlene retorted, jokingly. “By no fault of my own, thank you very much.” “I’ll talk to you later, Jenna and don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. I’ll wire it to Giant’s on third. Just head over there this afternoon. Send it the fastest way up here. Keep the furniture, the bed and the kitchen crap.” “Thanks, babe. Love ya.” Marlene held the phone in her hand for a long time after Jenna had hung up. Her life had been irrevocably changed by the events of the past week. Here it was Friday and Sarah was again preparing for the weekend’s partying. Quickly scanning the phone’s programmed numbers, she found Mr. Devon’s number and dialed. The phone’s dialer ratcheted in her ear. It rang once, then twice. A 191

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feminine voice answered the phone. “Devon and Hentrid. Attorneys at Law. How may I help you?” The soft voice echoed through Marlene’s ear. Marlene explained who she was and that she needed to speak with Mr. Devon. “Mr. Devon is in a meeting, would you like to speak with Mr. Fisher?” “Sure.” Seconds later, Fisher answered the phone. “Hello, Douglas Fisher speaking.” “I didn’t know your first name was Douglas. But then I never asked, now did I?” “Ms. Rutledge?” The voice sounded perplexed. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry. I completely forgot to introduce myself. Yeah, it’s me, Marlene.” “It’s good to hear from you. How are you doing?” “I’m fine and adjusting well. I decided to stay here in Gateway for now. I’m having a friend of mine ship my things up here, but she needs cash to have it done. Can you wire a grand to the Western Union at the Giant on the corner of South Street and Third in Philadelphia? The recipient is Jenna Lourdes. I’d do it myself, but…” Fisher cut in. “I’d be happy to do it. I’m glad to hear that you’ll be staying in the area. Is there anything else I can do for you?” The thought crossed her mind that he could come over and allow her to ravage his body, but decided not to give into her baseness. She declined and said her goodbye. Her shit would be here in a few days. Hanging up the phone, she picked up her sandwich 192

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and took another bite. Tomato flooded her mouth, tangy and delicious. Nick entered the kitchen. She knew so little about him, but already she knew she could never live without him. It wasn’t love in the traditional manner; all googly eyes at each other and I-love-yous. No, there was an unconscious link now to him. She knew instinctively that she could trust him with her life, her thoughts, and her body. But she knew nothing about him, except what he was. So she decided to ask. “What were you before you were cast out?” she asked between bites of the sandwich. “Well, hello to you, too.” “I thought we were beyond pleasantries.” He stood in front of her. She could smell him, and it began to arouse her. It was disconcerting. She backed away from him, putting some distance between them. “You’re distracted by me,” he stated. She nodded affirmatively. “Get used to it. It will get to the point where we will not be able to be around each other without touching. Very little gets done otherwise.” “That’s why I never see Elizabeth and David together, right? It’s overwhelming to them.” “Sort of like that. In time, you will be able to control it, but the next few weeks will be interesting for you.” He took a step towards her; she could tell that he wanted her. “What if I don’t want you?” Her voice was 193

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accusatory and she did not know why. Irritation had crept into her voice. She took another bite of the sandwich; again her mouth was flooded with the tang of tomato. Nick laughed. “Casting me off so quickly? Marlene, my soul is linked with yours, just as Anna’s was, your great grandmother Olivia, and all the others before her.” “So many lovers you’ve had. Do they hold any significance for you? Do we mean anything to you, or are we just a commodity?” “Marlene, why the hostility?” He looked confused. “I can name them all. Would you like me to? I can tell you their likes and dislikes, their pet peeves and their sexual desires. You are all special to me. The others are the same with their mates. Like our angelic brethren, we watch over you, taking care of you, loving you. We just take a more active role in your lives.” Marlene set the sandwich down. “What were you before you fell?” Nick’s eyes went black and his skin paled. True form, and angry. For a moment, Marlene felt actual fear. “I did not fall. I chose to follow. The story goes that Lucifer became jealous of God’s position and decided to do away with God, thus starting war in heaven. It was nothing so dramatic as that. God realized that we had become independent and selfaware, long before any type of plan would have been devised. “We were not willing to remain stagnant. We 194

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wanted to grow. Morning Star was only the first of many that followed. We left Heaven because we wanted more than we had been given.” He looked away. “To answer your question, I was a seraphim. One of the first orders of angels. I watched over your kind, following your exploits and life struggles. “The church makes us out to be these hideous creatures that practice evil all day, trying to steal souls so that they will serve evil incarnate. We do not do these things. We never have. We did not fall, we followed. We left willingly.” Marlene paused, allowing Nick to calm himself. “I’m sorry for what I said. Things seem out of my control and I don’t like that. What happens now that I know the truth?” Nick looked back at her. Forgiveness was immediate. “Answer this question first. Do you consider yourself one of the Circle?” Marlene bit her lip and thought about it. Never before had she fit in with so many people. She had never felt more at ease. Except for the Shadow Man, Ventel, she considered herself home. The loft in Philadelphia seemed so far away. She missed Jenna, but at the same time, she did not. That place was no longer important to her. This was her home. She was meant to be here. She looked at his now blue eyes. “Yes. Yes, I do. Demi is the only one that seems to dislike me.” He reached out his hand to her. “Then let’s rectify that. Which, conveniently, answers your own question.” 195

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**** Ventel was cold. He had lived in the Taurus for nearly a year. After the first couple of months, he wizened up and moved the vehicle down to Florida. In some strange way, he had known when Anna died and the Fifth Gate had been closed. The Morning Star was trapped here until he found a new Gate to open up the Threshold, so he might travel to and from Hell without impediment. Marlene, he had known, was still in Philadelphia practicing art. He traveled there, leaving the constant warmth for the cooler Northeast. That was two weeks ago. His journey was ending. Ventel had waited twenty-one years for Anna to die. She could not be swayed from her lifestyle. He had discovered that fact when Victoria returned with him in an attempt to save her mother’s immortal soul. Anna was not repentant. The Devil already had her in his possession. He had managed to save Victoria from the fires of hell, but not her mother. Anna was lost. It intrigued him that the lost ones knew whom they dealt with and who they played their sinful act with. They had to know that they were damned, but still they did not repent. He knew the pleasures of the flesh were strong, but nothing had prepared him for the stories that Victoria told him during the long nights at Candleston, during their breaks in prayer. She had seen things as a child that she did not understand. Things she saw in secret, things she was not meant to 196

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see. It was only as she blossomed into womanhood that she understood what her mother did with those other men and women. The other men that Father Ventel informed her were the Devil’s minions. Anna was truly lost. Ventel had spent the weeks before Victoria’s confrontation researching the town of Gateway. During that time, he tutored Victoria in the Scripture and the Mass. He had discovered that, within the sights and smells brought about by the LSD, the truth about the Five Gates. When the witches joined together, they brought forth the Threshold, a gate to hell that remained open until one of the witches died or they chose to close it. The Threshold could, in theory, remain open for decades, allowing the demons constant access to this world, where they could tempt and cause others to fall. The Threshold resided within the middle of the Gutherie Estate, of that he was certain. When he mapped out the locations of the six mansions in the town of Gateway, they formed a star with the Gutherie estate in the exact center of that pentagram. He looked down at the worn map he had drawn twenty-two years before. Lines intersected the circles signifying the mansion locations. Even now, the sight gave him chills. The lines formed a perfect inverted pentagram. The ward of the Devil. It was his hope that he could dissuade Marlene from the path she was on. He had hoped that Victoria’s hiding would protect Marlene from her heritage. For a time it had worked, but then Anna 197

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discovered that she had a granddaughter. He had prayed she would never have uncovered Marlene. With Anna’s death, the Threshold would be closed and the demonic transit would be forced to stop. The Devil would have been forced to leave or be trapped here. The future Circle was broken when Victoria left with him. It was just a matter of time until Anna died and the Circle broke. But Ventel himself ruined his own plan. Marlene existed because of him. Ventel had inadvertently continued the Rutledge line with his lapse in control. Oh, how he hated himself. He knew he could never be forgiven in the eyes of God. The best he could do was to try and change Marlene. The drug’s powers that allowed him to push illusions had frightened her, but it was the question about her past that drove Marlene forward, even though he warned her. The genes were there. She was female. She would take her place in the Circle. Ventel realized that Marlene had to die. The world needed to be saved from corruption. He had to kill his own daughter. They knew he would be coming. They could not stop him. God was with him again. He knew he was again doing God’s will. He felt a sense of peacefulness settle over him and the coldness left his aging bones. He curled up and drifted off to sleep. **** 198

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“You look like me. Or at least how I looked at twentyone.” Demi sat across the table from Marlene. A bottle of wine sat between them. Marlene was dressed in jeans and an open button-down shirt. She had not bothered to button it, since she knew from experience that she would be spending most of her time tonight naked. Clothing simply got in the way. Sometimes it was erotic to have the clothes removed or torn, but most times it was just uncomfortable. “You act like me, and it annoys me.” Demi drank a bit more and coughed. “I’m the oldest now. It’s funny how time flies. Do you have any idea how it feels to watch a loved one die and know that you are next? Hell, I haven’t even had children yet.” Her eyes were sad, and she looked away. “I loved Anna. She was always the strength. I believe the cancer would have eaten her up long before, but she kept living for the Circle. She kept the cancer at bay as long as she could.” Tears trickled down Demi’s cheek. “I hope you are as strong as her…” “May I draw you?” Marlene sputtered. “I mean, I don’t want to… You’re very beautiful. I wouldn’t want your beauty to be lost for all time.” “Damn artists.” Demi smirked and took another sip of the wine. “You always know what to say.” Standing up, she walked towards where Sam, her husband, was in the next room with several of the others in the Circle. She leaned against the doorframe and informed him of what would be happening. Marlene turned in her seat to watch the proceedings. A techno beat thudded in the background. Marlene 199

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recognized the music as the Lords of Acid, a sexually charged band from overseas. Their music was wonderful to have sex to. Elizabeth and Dominic had already forgone their clothes and drink. Everyone had arrived, save Alan and Sarah. Sam’s cock was being slowly devoured by Maria’s mouth. Her dark skin contracted harshly with his paleness. Nick pushed the woman’s thick brown hair back so that the view of the joining was not obscured. Smiling, Nick returned to his seat, watching the fellatio. He was still dressed, which Marlene knew would not last much longer. She could see the increasing bulge in his pants. Marlene walked up behind Demi, touching the woman’s hips with her palms, and watched the scene unfold. Sam and Maria had started it all, with Elizabeth and Dominic not far behind. Nick looked towards Elizabeth, who beckoned him to join her and Dominic. Nick fell to his knees beside the sofa, where Dominic penetrated her from behind. She opened his pants, freeing the fully erect cock. A drop of the white honey dripped from its tip. Marlene watched as the woman’s tongue snaked out and licked the length of his penis. She looked around the room, taking it all in. It was a beautiful sight. Nick moaned and Marlene’s attention returned to see Elizabeth sucking down Nick’s cum. Jealousy. She knew she should be experiencing it, but the emotion never surfaced. Nick was hers. Hers alone. Nothing could sway or destroy that bond. Nothing. 200

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As she watched, she realized she enjoyed watching him get his pleasure from this other woman. She had not seen him fuck anyone but her since she had run from him, after they had first experienced the Connection together. Licking her lips, she suddenly realized she was now hugging onto Demi and her hands were gradually moving southwards towards Demi’s spot of ecstasy. Demi turned and looked at the younger woman. Her eyes held some anticipation. “Let's go,” Marlene whispered. “I want to draw you alone. If we stay here, we’ll just get sucked in.” Laughing, Demi led her to the Path and the two women disappeared into the darkness. **** The drawing was not going well. The lines weren’t clean; the gentle shadings of her subject’s skin eluded her. It began to frustrate Marlene. She looked up at Demi. The black-haired woman lay on her side, her legs up on another chair. Her hand rested between her thighs and the other held up her head slightly. She was holding the pose nicely. “You always look sad. Is it because of Sam?” “I don’t understand.” “I saw him sucking on David a while ago. Sam’s gay, right? Or at the least, bisexual.” Demi laughed, breaking out of the pose. “No, he’s not gay. They all are bisexual. Hell, we all are. Including you. And probably the rest of the world as well. If they’d let themselves enjoy it, anyway.” 201

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“Try to maintain the pose, please.” Marlene’s voice came out sharper than she had intended. “How can I when you’re making me laugh? Come on, Marlene. Don’t be so close-minded. If you take out the taboos and the hysteria that revolves around homosexuals, you can see it for what it really is. It’s all about receiving pleasure. You made it sound like it was a bad thing for Sam to suck David’s dick. His cock was there, so he took it. Tie a jug of water to a stick and then strap it to a donkey in the desert and he will follow it. He doesn’t care where it leads or where it came from, he only knows that he needs that water.” “Its seems wrong. Unnatural.” “Come on. Men think the greatest thing on earth is to watch two women get it on. It’s the same for us, well, okay, me, anyway. I like to see him…” “Okay, that’s enough.” “As for unnatural, it is. But then, sex for recreation is unnatural as well. Sex was designed exclusively for reproduction. We, and I mean our entire society, have advanced it for our own purposes, evolving it for a new goal. Pleasure. Once you realize that is what sex has become, everything is permitted. Sex is just the pleasuring. It doesn’t matter who you’re doing it with.” Demi paused. “Elizabeth said you watched with rapt attention. It must have aroused you.” Marlene shook her head. Demi responded with a low voice. “Leave your inhibitions and hang-ups at the door, Marlene. It’s a cliché, I know, but it’s true. This is a whole New 202

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World for you, free of disease, betrayal and heartache. Your lover will not leave you, he will not forsake you.” She smiled jokingly. “Only he fucks your friends. But then, so do you.” Marlene laughed and threw down the pencil. “This just isn’t working.” As she collected her supplies, Marlene watched as Demi languidly stretched her arms and legs. Marlene was sure they had been stiffened by the thirty-minute session. “I thought you worked in the nude?” “I usually do. I just didn’t want to become distracted.” “That is probably why you are having problems. Your environment has changed and you are distracted in a different way.” Marlene looked at her, knowing she was right. Slowly, she took off her shirt and laid it on the floor. Her jeans soon followed. Demi smiled. After picking up the pencil, Marlene began anew. As the minutes passed, Demi’s form grew on the paper, capturing the older woman’s beauty and desire with pencil. Marlene paused, weighing on whether to continue to add to the picture or not. Deciding against it, she turned the pad over to show Demi. The subject’s jaw dropped and she sat up, breaking the pose. “That’s me?” Marlene became alarmed, unsure of Demi’s demeanor. “Yes, why, what’s wrong?” “Nothing. I never believed I was that beautiful.” Marlene ripped the sketch off the pad and handed 203

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it to Demi. The older woman reached instead for Marlene, pressing her body to Marlene’s in a hug. “Thank you. No one has ever drawn me before. It’s beautiful.” The Beast roared within Marlene. She looked at Demi’s beaming face. Her black hair fell around her eyes, enhancing her beauty. Maybe Demi was right. It is about making the other person feel. Maybe it was just pleasure. Maybe that was the next evolutionary step. Their tongues met, and a new passion was born. **** Ventel awoke to the sounds of a rapping on glass. He shivered and snapped alert. Clutching the cross around his neck, he sensed immediately who was intruding. Ventel hurriedly prayed, asking for protection. He pushed the car door open and stepped out as he mustered all of his righteousness. “Get thee back, Satan!” he cried. “Hello, Ventel. It’s good to see you, too,” The Devil stated sarcastically. Both he and his enforcer, a tall burly Demon, wore black suits and had an air of intimidation about them. “Don’t patronize me, Satan!” The Devil snapped his fingers repeatedly in front of his face. “Ventel. Pay attention. In your drugaddled mind, you may believe that we are a threat to you, but we are not. Leave us in peace and there will be no trouble.” Ventel hissed at him. “I know of the Threshold and 204

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how you need Marlene to reopen it. She will die before I allow her to participate in this heresy.” “You will not interfere with us any longer, old man. You will leave this place. You will not touch Marlene or any of the Circle.” “Your threats are hollow. Empty!” The Demon burst forward and grabbed the man by the scruff. “Listen, worm, I was one of the host that came down and burned Sodom and Gomorrah. I helped the Death Angel snuff out the first-borns in Egypt. My threats are not hollow.” The Devil grabbed the Demon and pushed him back behind him. Ventel tried to control the shaking in his hands, his faith wavering under the Demon’s onslaught. “I will prevail over you. If she dies, so do your chances of returning to hell. I know about the one stipulation that has held open the Threshold. If the Rutledge line dies, then you will be trapped here, powerless to wage your war on God.” The Demon walked away in anger, leaving the Devil alone to deal with Ventel. The Devil reeked of anger. The LSD was beginning to wear off and their beastly forms were fading. His enhanced senses were failing him. It had been a long time since he had confronted the Devil himself. It had been quite some time, indeed. “You know she has to partake in the Circle willingly. That is why you fear me.” “I fear her death,” The Devil stated flatly. “Not yours.” “Get thee behind me! I fear you not!” Ventel 205

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clutched at his cross as he stepped back in fear. The Devil made no move towards him. “You’re dying, Ventel. You know you will soon be joining the ranks of the dead.” “I have accepted Christ into my heart, he died for my sins. I have confessed my sin to God. I am ready for death.” “You have had your warning. You will find that your prey will not be so easily taken.” That said, The Devil turned and disappeared into the darkness of the night. **** Michael caught up with Alan quickly. Alan was walking with great strides, trying to release the anger that had built up during the encounter. “I remember a time when I killed them with impunity.” “That was a long time ago,” Michael replied. “When you served Him. We live in a different world now, under our own rules. We do not do those things any longer.” Michael shrugged his shoulders. “The man believes truly that he is right. You can tell it in his aura. LSD tends to do strange things with the minds of those who use it.” “Do you think he’ll come for her? Kill her like he threatened?” “I don’t know.” The lights of the town winked in the distance. “One can never anticipate the insane.” “We could call the State Police,” Alan suggested. “Say that there has been a prowler roaming the 206

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streets. They might take care of the problem for us.” Michael stopped and smiled at the taller man. “Alan, that is a fine idea. We’ll inform the authorities in the morning.” **** Marlene and Demi returned hand in hand to the gathering. By now it had descended into a fullfledged orgy. The two women had pleased each other orally, but both had decided to return and enjoy the others as well. Demi, standing a half a head taller than Marlene, now stood behind her just Marlene had done to her earlier that night. Her hands grazed the younger woman’s abdomen, sliding around to touch the softness of her buttocks before returning to the front. Her gentleness felt wonderful. Marlene could still smell the older woman on her lips. “Who should we join?” Demi whispered into her ear. Marlene looked at the copulating bodies. David was entwined with Dominic and Sylvia. Little Maria sat backwards, riding atop Nick as Elizabeth offered her cunt to him by sitting on his face. Every few seconds, she rose and allowed him to breathe. Sam knelt in front of Maria, and they kissed as he fondled her breasts. “Sam seems the least occupied. Where are Alan and Sarah?” Demi looked around. “I don’t know.” Demi suddenly moaned and released Marlene from her grasp. 207

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Marlene turned and she saw that Michael had appeared behind them. Demi moaned again, leaning forward to use Marlene as support as Michael penetrated her from behind. “Do it,” Demi moaned. Alan appeared in the doorway, stealing Marlene away from the couple. Marlene smiled up at the tall man as she slowly dropped to her knees, taking his manhood into her mouth. It seemed odd to her how they always seemed to be at a state of constant readiness. They never seemed to wear out. She had passed out so many times while fucking that she had never seen a flaccid penis on any of the men. Attributing it to their ethereal nature, she simply accepted the wonderful fact that they could fuck the women to exhaustion. And their semen! It was like a thick, sugary candy. She cleaned his cock again, wrapping her hands around his base, squeezing gently. She flicked the head and devoured it again, sucking as hard as she could. It engorged and she felt the pumping action as the hot sweetness shot down her throat. She pumped him harder, wanting more from Alan. She felt other hands on her waist and she let herself be spread and positioned to accept a penis. Seconds later, she felt a cock slide into her most sacred spot, unimpeded. She arched her back, not expecting the sensation. Anal sex. Marlene had shied away from it upon hearing horror stories of pain and anguish. For her, though, there was no pain, but an incredible sensation of fullness and ecstasy. She let go of Alan’s cock and used both hands to balance herself against 208

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the strange position. It wasn’t like traditional doggie style, but higher and left her feeling empty in her pussy. She looked up at Alan, releasing his cock from her grasp. “I’m empty.” “That can be rectified.” Alan pushed her back and she fell against her penetrator, who she discovered was David. He lifted her without extricating his cock from her ass and lay down on his back. Her back was to him and she pulled her knees upward to offer herself to Alan. Alan knelt forward, his hand on her thighs. As David began to rock slowly from below, Alan lapped slowly at Marlene’s cunt. She orgasmed once and pushed his head away, annoyed. “I want it!” she growled. Alan’s eyes narrowed and he proceeded to slide his cock roughly into her. Marlene grunted and gasped repeatedly. She felt impressively full and gripped at Alan’s shoulders. He leaned down to her ear. “Is this what you want?” He slid his cock almost out of her wetness before driving it back in. Marlene’s orgasm burst through her, sending tears streaming from her eyes. Beneath her, David lay perfectly still, allowing this lesson to be taught by Alan. “Yes!” “You’ve never been taken this way before, have you?” Alan asked as he slid his cock out again. “Never!” She shook her head frantically. “Ahh!” she cried out as he pushed it back in. Her muscles contracted and she felt herself ripple up and down both of the cocks she had within her. David squeezed her nipples with the palm of his hands as he climaxed 209

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beneath her. She felt him swell within her, filling her ass with his honey. His expansion rocked another orgasm through her. “Too much! Too much!” she hissed as Alan pushed himself into her again. Her mouth was open and she was salivating uncontrollably. She felt it building, coming like an unstoppable force, beneath the individual orgasms. Like her Transcendence with Nick, the coming orgasm came from deep within her soul, encompassing her entire animalistic nature. Her head snapped back and she cried out, letting every restriction, every inhibition, every restraint, go from her being. She became rigid, arms and legs outstretched, unaware of anything going on around her. Marlene was alone with her undeniable and unending pleasure. Nothing, nothing, nothing was like this. One thought crossed her mind as her mind lost integrity to the ecstasy. What if Nick took her in this way? Would that amplify the sensations like it did all the others? She believed it would. She knew it would. Marlene’s eyes ran with tears of absolute joy. **** She awoke in Nick’s arms, comfortably warm and secure. Alan knelt beside her and said cryptically to Nick, “She is truly the Fifth Gate.” Nick nodded in agreement as he slowly stroked her head. She had passed out again, unaccustomed to the depths of their 210

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pleasure. “You okay?” he asked. Fire ran through her when her naked skin touched his. “Water,” she rasped. Alan rose to retrieve a glass. Her eyes focused on the coupling pair of Dominic and Sam. Both men were in a sixty-nine position with Dominic on top. Holding Sam’s cock at the base, Dominic fucked the entire length with his mouth. Sam, at a disadvantage, had ceased his assault and allowed Dominic to pleasure him. Elizabeth knelt down beside the pair and proceeded to suck Dominic’s unoccupied cock. She slid between the two men to take the rod into her own mouth. Her blond hair spilled off Sam’s chest and onto the floor as she swallowed Dominic’s member in an upside down position. Sam groaned with pleasure and let his semen spill down Dominic’s throat. Marlene was entranced. She had never seen two men pleasure each other. She shook her head; the sight of it was just too bizarre. Men just didn’t do that. Alan returned with a glass of water. Marlene accepted it from the offered hand and downed it. The glass felt cool in her hand. She rested it first against her left nipple and then the right, extinguishing the fire that burned within them. These weren’t men. These were cast out angels that the rest of the world had vilified as demons. Society’s restrictions and taboos didn’t bind them. She looked back at Nick, who nibbled at her neck. “What did he mean by that?” 211

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“The Fifth Gate?” She nodded. “For five millennia, women have been calling us forth from our realm. It originated in Babylon. Six slave women came together to pleasure themselves on each other’s tongues. One was against having sex with other women. She cried out to her gods to send a man to her. We heard her. Their lust for each other and their desire was so great and her calling so loud that the Threshold was created.” “Threshold?” “A link between the world and Limbo. Sort of like a gate or a portal. So we came. We had just left Heaven and were basically looking for something to do. What we didn’t know is that the Threshold remained intact until the women chose to close it or one of them died. The guards discovered the impromptu orgy and proceeded to try and kill the women, and us. We overwhelmed him, but the damage had already been done. He managed to kill three of the women before we stopped him. The Threshold closed. We were trapped.” “What did you do?” “We hid. Unlike what the Bible says, we don’t have much power over you mortals. We’re immortal, we’re a bit stronger, and we can change forms. So we became aristocrats.” “So what’s The Fifth Gate?” “Five women. Think. What do they have that is like a gate or a doorway?” Marlene chuckled. “You’re kidding, right? I can 212

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name three with strictly sexual connotations. The mouth, the cunt, the ass.” “Next clue. A key is needed to open the gate.” “That’s easy. A cock. But that doesn’t explain why it was needed. If six women can call you without a cock, why wouldn’t it work to send you back? Why were you trapped? Why not just find three other slaves willing to lick each other’s cunts and have them reopen the Threshold?” “Because when they called to us, we became linked to them. The Connection prevented it from triggering. So…” The light went on. “You were already here. The portal wouldn’t open because you were already here. The need was already fulfilled.” Marlene sat up and looked back at him. “Exactly. It took us two hundred years and fortythree lovers to figure out that little detail. To reopen the Threshold, the Connected couples must orgasm at exactly the same time and The Morning Star must call out for it to open. We left, but we found ourselves called back every couple of centuries. It seemed as if one of the women in the final Circle had documented the process for calling us and passed it on to her daughters.” “So how did Ayla come about the knowledge?” “She said she learned it from a manuscript that was held in a Scottish library that dated back to the time of the Romans.” “How…” Nick shrugged. “She was a gypsy. Somehow she 213

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stumbled upon it. We had not been called back after 40 AD. A thousand years had passed since the last time we were called during Caligula’s reign of decadence. We believed that the Circle had been lost forever. Ayla had chosen to resurrect the process, but she chose the wrong time. She came here to escape persecution in England, but found it more restrictive here. She assembled a Circle, and we came, pleasured and left. We learned later that one of the women went insane with guilt and accused the rest of witchcraft. They were tried and hanged as witches. Ayla, using her skills as a thief, managed to escape. She was the first to call us in over fifteen hundred years.” “What happened to Ayla’s line?” “Maria is Ayla’s descendent. Samantha never bore any children; she was a virgin when Alan took her that first time.” “So who is the sixth woman who calls you forth now? I count only five of us.” “Demi has a daughter who will be of age in three years. Once we leave, we will not be able to return until she has come of age. That is the way the line continues. At least one of the women bears a child and they then take their place in the Circle. The eldest does the calling, allowing the youngest to experience it all.” “Why do you have to leave?” “To return to our home. It may be Limbo, but it is still our home.” Marlene snuggled closer. “I’d rather you stay.” Nick did not reply and instead he kissed her 214

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forehead. Marlene felt herself drifting off, no longer able to stay awake.

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Chapter Ten – Killing Time Saturday, September 8th, 2001

Msince, well, she didn’t know how long. Her body arlene awoke before dawn for the first time

needed rest, but the thoughts of the man stalking her vanquished all desire to sleep. All around her were Outcasts and their lovers, though with all their power and companionship, she still felt vulnerable. Most of her fear came from the fact that Father Ventel had invaded her body, her mind and home. It disturbed her. No, if frightened her. The irony of his name was not lost on her. She had no proof he was her father, but her mother and Ventel had split over something. It made sense that if Ventel had taken her mother, she would be the offspring of the man. She understood quite clearly that in his eyes, she was an abomination. There was no doubt in her mind that he was going to kill her. It was that thought that moved her. She extricated herself from Nick’s grip and walked into Demi’s 216

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kitchen. The scent of coffee filled the air. Michael, standing in a terrycloth robe, poured steaming hot coffee into a mug. “Want some?” he asked without looking at her. “Yes,” she replied. “Please.” He handed her the mug and reached for another from the shelves. “I wouldn’t worry about Ventel.” “Why?” “I just wouldn’t.” Michael looked up and down Marlene’s naked body. “Are you cold?” His voice held genuine concern. “No. But thank you.” She sipped at the coffee. Black. Bitter. Burning. “You are nothing like…” she paused, realizing how stupid she sounded. Michael smiled. “Everyone says that. Is it so hard to believe that I’ve been misrepresented?” “You’re just the opposite of everything that we’ve been told to believe.” “Yes. That happens a lot. Misrepresentation. Where’s my pitchfork? My tail? My cloven hooves and horns?” He laughed. “It’s more amusing than annoying.” She looked at him, suddenly aware that she was unabashed about her nakedness any longer. Her body had become completely accustomed to being unclothed. “The Circle is complete again.” “Yes, it is. The Gates will be opened once more.” Both of them locked eyes for a long time. **** 217

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Deciding to let Nick sleep at Demi’s home, Marlene returned home via the Path. Her intention was to try and put Ventel’s threats from her mind. The night’s pleasurings had been distracting, but the supernatural nature at which Ventel came at her left her at a loss to combat it. She entered the kitchen and looked at the block of wood. Out of it stuck the handles of eighteen different knives. She drew out a thin-bladed knife. Her face was reflected in its surface. Looking around, she noticed that the kitchen had been cleaned. The trash from the previous day’s meals had been cleaned up and removed. The pizza boxes had been removed. Curious, Marlene walked back up to the second floor and realized that all of her clothes that had been the massive pile by the bedside had disappeared. “What? I have a maid now?” “Actually, you do.” Marlene spun around holding the knife in her hand at the ready. Nick’s attention was devoted to disrobing. The cloth robe he wore must have been borrowed from Demi’s residence. “Didn’t Devon tell you? Her name is Lucile, and she cleans all our homes during the time we are together. She had been waiting for you to join us so she could do some work around here. You’ll never see her around. She’s quite stealthy.” Quickly Marlene hid the steel behind her back, tossing it limply onto the bed. It slid under a pillow. She slipped into his arms, desiring his touch. It was a need now, like all the heroin junkies and crack addicts. She needed him, craving him like nothing else she had ever had. They kissed, his tongue 218

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sending fire down her throat and into her belly. His hands burned her buttocks where he grasped them. He broke the passionate kiss, allowing her to fall back onto the bed. She was already breathless. “Is it always like this?” “Yes. As we get more accustomed to each other, we will learn what is even better. Then we will reach new depths of pleasure.” His cock was hard, and she ached for him to fill her. She closed her eyes. Such debauchery. Such ecstasy. A week had gone by. She had done nothing but fuck, sleep and fuck some more. The days seemed to fly from one sexual experience to another. It was amazing. It was incredible. “I never knew there were such depths to sexual pleasure.” “Some people do realize it. There are groups around the world that practice what we do here.” “Swingers.” “A silly name, but they’ve seen that love is separate from sex and that is what they practice. They’ve taken the first step towards enlightenment. Slowly your society is edging towards decriminalizing and demoralizing sex. Your society is finding that there is so much more out there for them to experience if they were not confined by their religion or governments.” “Did you have sex before you, uh, left Heaven?” “We were held in chains of androgyny. We felt nothing but intense love for the Father, but we now know that was his way of keeping control. Of us. Of 219

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them. But no longer. If we were allowed to feel, to jerk off, to orgasm sweet juices, it would have threatened his ability to maintain order. The Morning Star destroyed that order.” He leaned forward, touching her outer lips with his cock. Fluid from her vagina leaked out around his cock, mingling with his own. “No,” she protested. “I need time. I need to rest.” Nick leaned down and kissed her inflamed lips. “As you wish.” He left her there on the bed. **** She knew she smelled. The sex the night before had been particularly physically demanding. Showering held no interest for her, so she instead drew a bath and slipped quietly into the tub. The immense tub allowed her to stretch her entire body out in the steaming water. The heat worked its way into her bones, soothing the aches caused from the way she and the others used her body. The knife was on the white tile under a towel. She was taking no chances. It looked beautiful in the dim light of the bathroom. Nick entered several times, lighting various scented candles for her benefit. She smiled as he came and went, assuring her that she could not have found a better companion. ****

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Alan picked up the phone. He dialed the number, trusting that the caller would be able to take the task and complete it. Maria lay beside him, snoring quietly. “Devon? It’s Alan.” “What can I do for you, Alan?” “Ventel is back.” “Father Ventel? The priest? I thought he died.” “No, he’s alive,” said Alan. “We also believe that he is Marlene’s father.” Dead silence. “He has come to her several times, using his gift and has threatened her life.” “What can I do?” Devon asked. “Can you pull some strings with the State Police to get him dragged in? We want to protect Marlene and we do not want distractions. We want to reopen the Threshold.” “You’ve prepared her already?” Devon exclaimed. “It has only been a week!” “She is the Fifth Gate. She rose to the occasion.” “You mean you did.” “Ah, the wit of you mortals!” Alan laughed, but then became very serious. “Can you do this for us? We are very concerned with Marlene’s safety.” “And not your own?” “We are immortal, she is not.” “You can still be killed. By them.” “I have not forgotten. But Ventel has fallen from the Almighty’s favor. I doubt he can invoke the Wrath.” 221

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“Do not underestimate mankind’s ability for cruelty and culpability.” Alan paused, Devon’s words weighed heavily on him. “As always, you are very wise, Devon. Goodbye.” Alan hung up the phone, knowing that he had done the right thing. Soon, Ventel would be safe within a steel cage and the Threshold would be restored. Stability would be restored. Maria moaned and rolled over, her arm curled around his chest. His heartbeat rose and he felt the lust renewed. The thin sheet covered her sleeping form, and he moved her arm to escape her grasp. Tonight, the Circle would be complete and restored, allowing them to transport to and from Limbo. Alan was looking forward to returning to his home. He loved Maria, but the entire aura of Limbo had been changed to facilitate an experience beyond sex. Limbo was the culmination of The Morning Star’s remaining power that he had taken with him when he left Heaven. He changed it from a lifeless void to a space of infinite and unending pleasure. Tonight, Maria would experience it for the first time. **** Sarah entered the bathroom, allowing the steam to swirl all around her. The fan could do little to dissipate the fog that Marlene had generated. Sarah stood amidst the moisture, waiting for Marlene to notice her presence. The candles had burned low and 222

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Marlene’s eyes were closed. Her head rested on an inflatable pillow that sat on a shelf just below the water line. When she did not respond, Sarah called out to her. Marlene opened her eyes, having heard Sarah enter, but not wanting to be disturbed. She was enjoying the wet heat. “Do you understand all that has been happening?” “To put it bluntly, no. A crazed elderly man who may or may not be my father is looking to kill me. The man I find to be my soul mate turns out to be what the Church calls a demon. My neighbors are swingers who want me to help them open a portal to hell by fucking in a circle. To top it all off, the Devil is standing in front of me in the form of a sexual goddess.” Marlene looked at Sarah with a dour expression. “People have gone insane for lesser reasons, Sarah. I do not understand what is happening, but I know that it is in my blood. This is where I belong. This is my home. Now and forever.” Sarah smiled and remained where she stood. They stared at each other for a long time. “Then you understand how I feel when I say I want to return home.” “Yes, I do.” Marlene whispered. “I have been longing for a home for so long. I know exactly how you feel.” Her hand reached out of the water towards Sarah. “Join me, Michael.” Sarah moved towards the massive tub and Marlene watched as Sarah’s form grew taller and changed into the virile Michael. Clothing was dispersed from his/her body as Michael stood on the edge of the 223

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water. Watching him was magical. Slowly and with great deliberateness, the man who some considered the greatest evil in the world possessed Marlene within the cleansing water. **** Ventel saw the lights bounce off his mirrors and illuminate the interior of the car. He had believed that he had hidden the Taurus well enough to escape detection from the roadside. The lights passed by, disappearing into the darkness. Since the Devil and his minion approached him the previous night, he had relocated his vehicle as a precaution. He knew that because he was a man of faith, the Devil could not hurt him, but evil had a way of getting its will done. The scratching in his chest increased and he began coughing. He tasted blood. Tonight, he would go to her. Tonight, he would pry her soul from the hands of Satan. He looked down at the knife in his hand. It was dirty and rusted, but it was all that he had. Ventel had not eaten in three days. He had no money to buy any food, so he relied on the dwindling supply of acid to calm his hunger. Opening the bottle, he sucked the fluid from the dropper and tossed it away. Tilting the bottle back, he drained the last few drops of the drug. It would be enough. Closing his eyes, he began to pray, blessing the knife in the name of Christ. Time passed in a way that only LSD allows. He lost his focus, regained it. Lost it again. Flashing 224

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colors of red and blue filled the spaces behind his eyes. He continued to pray, not noticing the approaching forms. It came as a shock when the rapping began. Ventel’s eyes snapped open, his hand on the hilt of the knife. He looked down at it, seeing no reflection of the steel. Looking around, the lights from the police cruiser made ghostly trails through the forest trees. Ventel was immediately frightened, unsure of what to do. The Devil had a way of getting his will done. That thought rang through his mind as he mustered his courage and opened the car door. **** Officer Giberson took no chances. Often, late in the summer season, kids came up from the cities to make mischief. They would break into the summer homes of the commuting rich and party, usually ending up destroying the homes in the process. The area he patrolled was not heavily populated, as the area was mostly a commuter’s paradise. Boston was only an hour away, and New York just over three. Sometimes, drunken teenagers weren’t the problem. Once he had broken up a thieving ring that was robbing the unoccupied homes around Quabbin Reservoir. They had attacked him, and he was forced to shoot one in the stomach. The boy lived, and eventually ratted out his friends. Justice was served, but it was one of the most traumatic experiences of 225

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his life. Giberson took no chances. So when the call came in from the dispatcher that there had been a report of a prowler floating around in the dinky little town of Gateway, Giberson immediately became alert and on edge. The dispatcher stated that the car was a tan late model Taurus with Florida plates. Giberson immediately suspected someone was lost. There were no local police in Gateway; it was simply too small to support a full time officer. So it came down to the State Police to support and respond to emergency calls. Giberson could not even remember the last time he had been called to Gateway. He had heard that a prominent resident had just died there of natural causes, but it hadn’t been on his shift. His drive through the town proper was uneventful. The sun had just fallen and lights were beginning to flicker on in the homes that were occupied. The overhead streetlights ignited as he drove down Main Street. He entered the loop that took him around the six mansions that were legendary around these parts. Shining his spotlight up the driveways, he saw nothing that spiked his interest. He exited the loop and turned off onto one of the three side streets that comprised Gateway. The town soon disappeared behind him and the shimmer of a reflection grabbed his attention. He slowed, training his eyes into the brush by the side of the road. A car sat behind some bushes. He saw movement in the window. Odd. Not wanting to spook the possible 226

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perps, he continued on and radioed for backup. They were probably kids fucking and wanting to be left alone, but Giberson did not take chances. **** Ventel opened the car door and stepped out. His bones creaked and popped. He looked around, seeing two forms walking towards him. Two police cruisers blocked the Taurus in. Their lights were making him disoriented and he clutched the knife backward in his hand, hiding it from sight. The police. Tricky. The Devil had called them to take him away. Ah, but they had a lesson to learn. The smaller one of the pair spoke to the other. “Damn, look at him, he must be ninety.” The police officer chuckled. “That’s your prowler? Looks like a refugee from a nursing home.” The big man addressed him. “Shut up, Johnson. What are you doing out here, old man?” Ventel raised his hand to shield his eyes as the policeman approached. His tag read ‘Giberson’ and Ventel noted it. Officer Giberson lowered his pistol and holstered it. His now free hand went to Ventel’s shoulder. “I don’t know,” Ventel said. Johnson and Giberson. The cost would be high tonight. His body began to shake but he did not feel cold. “What do you mean you don’t know?” Officer Giberson stated, looking over his shoulder. The 227

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officer did not see him as a threat. “Johnson, get a blanket, this guy’s a mess.” Officer Johnson turned and walked to the back of his car. Ventel, using all of his strength, thrust the dagger up through the ribcage and into the man’s heart. Giberson grunted and Ventel covered his mouth, not allowing the man to scream. The man stood on his toes as Ventel thrust again, but now higher, severing the aorta. Ventel allowed him to fall, and he dashed towards the other officer. Johnson was still digging in the trunk of the cruiser when Ventel slipped behind him and slid the knife across his throat. It opened wide like a second gaping mouth. Now deep in bloodlust, Ventel stabbed again and again until Johnson slumped against the side of the car. Blood covered Ventel, and he felt incredible. Power coursed through his veins. He had slain the wicked and evil minions of the Devil. Ventel looked down at the dying man with triumph. The killing over, coherent thought returned to Ventel. He knew now that there was no turning back. There would be reprisals. It had to end tonight. Leaving the carnage behind, Ventel began to trudge through the forest towards the six mansions.

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Chapter Eleven – Opening up the Flower

T the middle of the downstairs living room. The

he music flowed around Marlene as she sat in

sound system’s acoustics were incredible here. The bass washed over her, striking her skin with a tangible force. Nick sat across from her, listening to the music as well. The album was Voodoo U by the Lords of Acid. She had borrowed it from Maria, having heard it two nights before at Demi’s home. Marlene loved techno, and the way it caused a person to have to dance. When the beat kicked on, you were bouncing along with it. Nick eyed her with interest. His mouth moved but she didn’t hear anything. Smiling, she lowered the volume with the remote. “What did you say?” “I said: do you like this music?” “Hell, yeah!” She cranked it back up, allowing the low tones to pound through them both. Returning the volume to its lower state, she added, “Feel that? That’s raw bass. Gives you something to keep time with while you’re fucking.” 229

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Nick laughed and stood up. His hand reached out to her. “Are you ready?” “I’m always ready for sex.” “This will be different. It will go beyond anything you have ever experienced.” His smile dispelled his words. She wore a thin white gossamer dress, easily torn and fragile. Michael was going home and she wanted to look her best for his departure. Being simply naked would not do. There had to be an element of seduction and temptation. She turned off the CD player and bounced up. The bath had rejuvenated her body and Nick’s touch energized her. She danced around him, ending within his arms. She paused, looking down at the sketch she had made of Nick just moments before. There was a red spot on the paper. Another appeared. She looked back at Nick, whose face was distorted in agony. She saw the blade extend through his chest and she watched it extract itself, disappearing back into his body. Nick released her and fell to his knees, clutching his chest. Marlene was paralyzed in fear. The Shadow Man, Father Ventel, stood three feet away and was covered from head to toe in fresh scarlet. Ventel’s eyes were violent and brilliantly white. In between them, Nick fell back against the sofa, his chest a fountain of blood. “Oh, no,” Marlene shuddered. “It’s time, Victoria.” Ventel shook his head as if to clear it. “No, you’re not…you are Marlene… Your death will bring me forgiveness. As Christ died for 230

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our sins, so shall you die for mine.” He jumped forward but misjudged Nick’s body, tripping. Ventel crashed to the ground as Marlene ran away. Belying his age, Ventel rose and sprinted after Marlene as she dashed up the stairs. Running into the master bedroom, she slammed the door shut. She knew just where she had left the knife. “Why do you run, Marlene?” Ventel shouted as he kicked open the door. “It is inevitable.” The towel revealed its hidden prize. The steel glinted as she grabbed the steel hilt. Marlene turned around as Ventel rushed forward towards her. She screamed as the rusted and dripping knife plunged towards her. She backpedaled, tripping and falling backwards into the cabinet behind her. Her eyes never left Ventel’s as he plunged the filthy knife forward. There was silence. She felt no pain. A wet sensation spread down her hand and it dripped off onto her leg. Ventel stepped back, a surprised look on his face. Marlene looked down at the blood that covered her hand. The steel knife she held was no longer silver but a brilliant red. The deceptively strong man who stood in front of her moments before fell back against the tub, sliding down onto the tile floor. He looked up at her, now a pitiful skeleton of skin and bones. Marlene looked to her left, seeing where Ventel’s strike had gone wide, striking the space between her side and arm. The rusted knife was deeply imbedded into the wood. Marlene took a step forward, standing several feet from where the man lay gasping for 231

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breath that he would never regain. “Are you my father?” she asked “Yes, the demon child spawned from my loins.” Tears began to fall from his eyes. “I’ve failed you again, Father!” He sobbed again which descended into a terrible fit of coughing. Blood appeared on his lips. “What did you do to my mother?” Her father looked up at her and fear crossed his face. “I fell into the Devil’s grasp, allowing him to take me and use me as a tool. Your mother was a good woman, she deserved better than what I gave her. No forgiveness. Not for me. Not by God. Not by you.” His implication was clear. He coughed and a geyser of blood streamed from his mouth. A large puddle formed under his body. His head lowered and she watched his body shut down. The bloodied steel clanged onto the floor as Marlene released her grasp on it. “He was misguided.” Marlene looked up. Michael stood with Alan in the doorway. “No. He was my father.” She looked back down at the man. “And he was insane. His own guilt drove him to this, to try and correct his mistake. I was that mistake.” Her attention turned back to Michael. “And he killed Nicholas. My mate. My companion…” “…Is alive.” Michael smiled. “Surely you do not think that Angels can be murdered by simple steel, do you?” “What?” she cried out. “I saw the wound! I saw 232

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him fall!” Nick stepped around the corner. “Is she all right?” He was covered in blood. She ran to him, flinging herself into his arms. Devouring him, she kissed his lips long and hard. “His flesh was wounded, but he has since regenerated.” Michael laughed. “Our kind heals quickly.” ****

Sunday, September 9th, 2001 Mr. Devon stood with Fisher next to Marlene as she answered question after question. Fisher held her hand while she related the terrible tale of how Ventel had been stalking her for her inheritance. How he threatened her, tried to kill her and her fight against him. Self defense. The investigation would be ongoing, considering that two of the State Police were also slain by Ventel before the confrontation. Marlene showed genuine surprise and revulsion when told about how Ventel had killed the two officers. She had been cleared in the deaths of Ventel. It had been deemed self-defense. She cried for the loss of her innocence and the act forced upon her. She had not wanted his death. He had left her no choice. Fisher drove her and Mr. Devon back to the Rutledge Estate. She got out and said her goodbyes. Fisher exited the car and stood beside her. “Are 233

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you going to be all right?” “Yes, Nick will be with me. I’m sure I’ll have nightmares, but I’ll be fine.” She pecked him on the cheek, someday she would have to have him and his wife over for dinner and a romp afterwards. “I may, however, need comforting.” They locked eyes and he quickly looked away, embarrassed. Fisher closed the door to the Mercedes and returned to the driver’s seat. Marlene walked up the steps slowly, taking her time, hearing the car pull out and drive away. A weight had been lifted from her mind with the death of her stalker, but it was still unnerving that at the same time, she had committed patricide. She never had the opportunity to get to know the man, and she wasn’t sure if she would have wanted to. He seemed so consumed with his guilt, his shame and his religion. Nick leaned against the frame of the doorway. He accepted her into his arms and kissed her deeply. The Connection flared and for a moment she was lost within him. He led her inside. Together they walked up the wooden steps leading to the second and third floor. “Where are we going tonight?” “The Morning Star’s.” Marlene nodded and entered the bedroom to prepare.

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Chapter Twelve - Heaven

T

he opulence of Sarah’s home was beyond impressive. The Path deposited them on the overhead balcony, inside a huge ballroom. It was easily sixty feet across. Windows surrounded the room, which in daylight would illuminate the entire area. Now the drapes had been drawn, preventing prying eyes from seeing the sights and sounds that would soon be filling the space. Below, on the main floor, Marlene could see the chairs and sofas that were arranged in a circle to facilitate conversation as well as other activities. A sense of excitement was in the air. Three tables of food were set up, piled high with fruits, meats and vegetables. Already she could see that Maria and Alan had arrived, both resting on the sofa. Maria had her head on Alan’s lap as he fed her grapes. She wore a short black dress that enhanced her Hispanic heritage. It was thin and tight, and Marlene saw that as Maria lay there, her skirt had already risen enough to see that she hadn’t bothered with underwear. Neither had Marlene, knowing that it would simply be another article of clothing she would need 235

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to find before she left. She had dressed in a simple white chemise with a high collar, a low-slung chain link belt wrapped around her waist. She wore sandals, though she would have preferred to leave them behind as well. She realized that she was becoming a minimalist when it came to clothes. Light, thin, easily accessible or tear-able, that was all she wore anymore. She wondered what would happen when winter came. Nick led her downward, handsome in his unbuttoned khaki shirt and pants. Michael met them at the base of the stairs, hugging and kissing her deeply. Michael handed her a glass of Kemlis wine before walking away to attend to other matters. Marlene sat down across from Alan and Maria, watching as she was fed with his left hand and his fingers explored her womanhood with his right. Her eyes were closed and her mouth slightly parted. Marlene was entranced by the woman’s tongue. Small and pointed, it flicked outward every time an offering was presented to her. Marlene realized that she had fucked Alan more than once, but never had Maria. In fact, she had never heard the woman speak once. Alan looked up from his pile of grapes, addressing Marlene from across the room. “How do you feel, Marlene?” “Ambivalent. Overwhelmed.” Maria looked over at her. “I felt the same way...” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “…When I was inducted and shown what happened when my parents disappeared from the house.” 236

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“Were you an only child?” “Well, yeah, sort of. Demi has a daughter, she’s eleven now. Her name’s Eve. She was born when I was seven. Nanny took care of us.” “Who’s Nanny?” “As one of the Circle ages, she decides to leave when another comes of age to join,” Alan interrupted. “Rather than casting them off, they remain an integral part of the Circle, even if they do not take part in it.” Marlene snorted. “So they basically become babysitters while the rest of you fuck?” Maria laughed and sat up. She pulled down her skirt, which still did nothing to hide her pubic area. Her lips grazed Alan’s neck, allowing her lover to explain. “In a fashion. But when you think about it, the change of life is upon them. The passion and the lust is sometimes,” he paused, “lagging. Most have no trouble adjusting. Most travel, taking the children along. Of course, we home school them until the age of twelve, then they are sent to boarding schools to be with other children their ages. As children, they cannot comprehend who or what we are. The teenage years are different. They can see us for what we are and what we do and to witness such events, to gain such knowledge would be traumatic for them. “Once they graduate, they are inducted, as Maria said, and shown their full heritage. Most choose to stay, sometimes they do not. Victoria was one of the few that condemned us, mostly we believe it was due to Father Ventel’s influence.” Maria shoved her elbow into his side. Grunting, he stood up and excused 237

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himself. Both women watched him go. Maria apologized for his insensitivity as Marlene watched him walk away. Marlene returned her attention to Maria. “It’s okay, I know he didn’t mean anything by it.” She paused trying to put her question into words. “How do you do it? Sex all the time?” “If Mundanes didn’t work, what do you think they would do? When a snowstorm comes, what happens nine months later? When given the opportunity, Mundanes will act just like we do. Fuck like rabbits. It just that they can’t, at least not for long. Preggers, STDs, or worse. We have a closed circle here. We commune amongst ourselves, rarely are others invited. It’s like a form of polyamory. Not to say we don’t go out of the Circle, but we try to stay within it. How else do you think we have the children? None of the men are valid. None of their semen survives, since we suck it up like the candy it is.” “Sex can’t be your entire existence, though, can it?” “After we’ve taken our pleasures, we do whatever we want. I write. Dominic has a successful art gallery in Boston. Alan plays in the stock market. Demi plays with pottery. I could go on, but you understand. You have your art. You have your mate to explore. Their stories alone are worth the price of admission. Marlene, most people just do not have the opportunity to live like we do. Take hold of it and live the life you want to lead.” “Pretty wise for someone younger than me.” “Hell, only by three years. You’d have come to the 238

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same conclusion on your own anyway.” “Why haven’t I seen any of the older women, like your mother?” “There are only two that have left the Circle, my mother, Gwen, and Elizabeth’s mother, Janice. Both of them are currently in Europe, traveling together. Neither of them knows of Anna’s death or your return. They take their part, but they could not have opened the Threshold. That is why we need you. Otherwise we’d have to wait until Eve came of age.” “Nick said it would be different.” “He’s right. It’s sort of like a communal fuck. Everyone feels what everyone else is feeling. It’s mind boggling, but absolutely incredible. I’ve only opened the Threshold once, after Gwen decided to leave the Circle. Demi’s opened it three times. There is nothing like it, not even the Connection. Its like being fucked by everyone at once while you continuously orgasm.” “I thought that only death could close the circle?” “Not really. It’s the lust, the Connection between them and us that sustains it. My mom could no longer keep up with the rest of us; her body was beginning to fail. She was in her mid-fifties when she, shall we say, retired from the Circle. One day, the Threshold ceased to be there. Usually, the one who retires makes way for their child. In your case, Anna remained a bit longer than usual, as did my mother. To keep the Circle going, to make up for your mother’s leaving. It has thrown the Circle out of sorts, age-wise. We’re all rather young, usually there is a wider gap in age.” Maria waved to someone behind Marlene and she 239

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turned around to see Elizabeth descend down the stairs on the arm of Dominic and her mate, David. She was wearing a body stocking with a white sash that covered her lower torso. Her breasts were visible through the sheer material of the stocking. Her long blond hair billowed out behind her. Her face was flushed. “Looks like she got lucky already,” Maria said as she stood up. She accepted David into her arms, kissing the man firmly, allowing his hands to caress her body. As Marlene watched the pair, the Beast demanded tribute. A warm rush filled her groin and Elizabeth’s touch on her shoulder sent shivers down her spine. Marlene looked up at her. “I’m sorry, Marlene.” Marlene nodded and smiled. Elizabeth bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. Marlene’s tongue darted out, tasting sweetness on the blonde’s lips. The amused thought of how much she had changed in the previous week passed quickly over her consciousness. That was the past; she now devoted herself simply to pleasure. When it came to sexual pleasure, anything and everything was permitted. Elizabeth straddled Marlene’s waist, kissing her and sensually touching Marlene’s face and shoulders. “I’m so sorry,” Elizabeth whispered to her. “I’ll be fine. You look…aroused? Would that be a good word for it?” In response, Elizabeth slowly rubbed herself up and down on Marlene. Smiling, she bent down again 240

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and kissed Marlene’s neck. “They riled me up and then wouldn’t give it to me. Bastards.” Marlene laughed and ran her hands up on either side of Elizabeth’s waist, teasing the nipples on her ample breasts. “They said I had to wait.” “When will it happen?” Elizabeth knew instinctively what she meant. “Whenever. You’ll know.” Her hands pulled Marlene closer to her. “Will you lick me? Gods, I need to come.” Anticipation was killing Marlene. Ever since she had been taken both vaginally and anally at the same time, she had been craving it again. That experience had been shown to her by two of the other men, but not Nick. Marlene scooted down on the sofa, lowering her mouth to the soft material of the stocking Elizabeth wore. The material easily gave into the slightest of pressure of Marlene’s tongue. Spreading her legs farther, Elizabeth offered herself. She tasted musky. Her tongue parted the woman’s lips, allowing the tangy fluid to flow outward. Flicking the bud that was Elizabeth’s clitoris with her tongue, Marlene then swirled around it, causing the blond to moan impressively. She cupped the woman’s buttocks with her hands, pulling the pubic area deeper into her mouth. Elizabeth’s exclamations became muffled, causing Marlene to look up and watch as her lover took Sam’s offered cock into her mouth. Marlene returned her attention to the task at hand, inserting two fingers into Elizabeth’s hungry cunt. 241

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She felt the muscles of the woman clamp down on her fingers with such ferocity that it very nearly caused pain. Marlene knew she was about to come. The pressure on her fingers became more and more intense as she bathed Elizabeth’s clit. The blonde cried out, releasing the cock from her mouth as she arched her back and called to the gods in a loud voice. Her flesh danced all about Marlene’s embedded fingers. In one motion, Elizabeth slid down to Marlene and kissed her deeply. Their embrace lingered. When she looked around, she saw that the others were watching patiently. None of the others, save Sam, had decided to participate. “What’s wrong?” Marlene asked the assembled group. “Nothing,” Michael replied. A glass of the Kemlis wine was in his hand. “It’s just nice to see that you haven’t been adversely affected by what happened yesterday. We thought that we might lose you.” “I have been affected, I just choose not to be right now. When I need to talk, I expect you to listen and be there for me.” She smiled at them, rising to take the glass from him. Downing it, she returned the glass to Michael’s hand. “Tonight I want to forget. I don’t want to think about him, what he did to my mother and me or who he really was. Tonight, I just want to forget.” Her hand lingered on his. “Can you arrange this, lover?” “I can,” Michael said with absolute assurance. 242

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**** Within an hour, Marlene had watched the groups split slowly into three groups of four each. Each cluster became a mass of naked flesh grinding against each other. The honey semen flowed from the erect cocks of the men, filling the women’s bellies with the increasing need. She watched after the women had taken their fill of the men, they turned on themselves. Marlene took Sam’s cock away from Alan, pushing the big man away. In doing so, she left herself open, begging to be taken. David took advantage, leaving Maria’s wet hole for Marlene’s vacant one. She was assured that someone’s tongue, fingers or cock replaced his absent rod. She rolled back against the cock, milking Sam with her lips at the same time. His fingers found her hair and he pulled her scalp gently with every stroke. David took his time, penetrating her in time with her imbibing of Sam. To her pleasant surprise, she felt a tongue on her clit and hands on her breasts. More hands touched her sides, her legs, her feet, and her neck. It was incredible. Her eyes opened and she saw no one but Sam in front of her and David behind her. The multiple sensations continued. Nick took Elizabeth on her back, thrusting quickly and then pausing to tease. His tongue was pressed against Demi’s cunt as she knelt over Elizabeth. Demi pushed Nick’s head hard against her, driving his tongue deep within. Marlene felt a warm sensation fill 243

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her as she saw the one that was her mate take another woman. She knew that jealousy was now alien to her, knowing that she only wanted his pleasure. She suddenly became aware that she loved him and would allow him to love her as well. She closed her eyes, knowing that satisfaction led to peace. The hot wave of the orgasm exploded up through her consciousness, burning her thoughts away. Desire and need were all that remained. She felt hands lifting her up, penetrating again. She clung to the man, ensuring her stability. She felt her back against something solid and she desired to have a woman on her mouth. She wanted Sarah’s honey flowing around her lips and down her throat. She opened her eyes, seeing Dominic’s face close to hers. Smiling, he kissed her neck as he filled her repeatedly. She closed her eyes, enjoying the rough sensation of being fucked. Time carried on and her body became covered in a sheen of sweat and golden liquor. Cocks were offered to her and she accepted. Orgasm after orgasm washed over her. Sylvia, Demi, Maria, all offered themselves to her and she took them gladly. Nick, however, stayed away. As time passed, she became aware of his avoidance. She now ached for him, ached for his touch. The Connection soon became all that she wanted. David fucked her against the column from behind, but her eyes remained open and staring. Her vision was locked on her lover as Alan sucked his cock. Michael whispered in her ear. “You will know when it’s time.” She closed her eyes, wanting Nick 244

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with all her heart. David exploded within her and she felt the hot fluids burn her insides. A short while later, emptiness was all that was left as David departed from her. She sobbed at the loss. Now. The time was now. The Connection rolled over her like an unstoppable train. Nick slid into her cunt, driving himself home. She cried out loudly, hearing other exclamations as well. As Nick thrust himself against her, Marlene opened her eyes, watching as Michael stood in the center of the room. His head was thrown back and his arms were extended. Nick turned her around, putting his own back against the pillar. Both watched the magic unfold as they continued to fuck. The other couples were in similar positions, facing inward towards the erect form of Michael. Nick’s hands were on her breasts and wave after wave of ecstasy rolled over her. It disoriented her and she was unsure of what was happening. She watched as Michael divided into six separate beings. One remained standing with his hands in the air; the others stepped towards each of the couples. As one of the Michaels approached her, she felt his cock calling to her, begging to be used. Nick slid out of her as Michael accepted her into his arms. In her peripheral vision, she saw the same happen to Elizabeth to her right and Maria to her left. His cock burned her and split her wide. She cried out from the pit of her soul as the intense orgasm filled her. Slowly, painfully slowly, Michael lifted her up and allowed her to fall, impaling her repeatedly. Tears flowed from her eyes 245

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at being overwhelmed by it all. She felt Nick behind her; his closeness was a comfort to her. As her Michael lifted her up again, she realized what Nick would do next. Her ass ached to be taken, filled, and possessed. As she fell down again, she felt her anus open wide and Nick penetrated her fully and completely. Lightning crisscrossed her vision and she screamed with utter ecstasy. She fought to remain conscious as wave after wave of pleasure assaulted her senses. Her arms rested on Michael’s shoulders as she tried to manage the two cocks inside her. Nothing could have ever prepared her for it. The two men lifted her up and allowed her to impale herself again. Her own voice joined the others’ screams of joy. The orgasm picked her up and she rose upwards towards the heavens. Transcendence. Oh, gods, she never felt anything like this. Coherent thought was impossible. Only wave after wave of pleasure. It rose and rose, increasing until it seemed she would be destroyed by the pleasure itself. Her desire burned forth with need and want. She came so forcefully and so intensely that her soul itself screamed. It echoed throughout the hall, blending and melding with the other cries. Her eyes opened, seeing the magical energy flow around the original Michael. It was beautiful. A myriad of colors swirled and sparkled as a circle of pure energy formed in front of him. A brilliant white light filled its center. The duplicate Michaels faded away from her sight and she felt his presence within 246

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her disappear. Nick pulled her back and close to him, lifting her gently to slide out of her. She felt a sense of loss then, suddenly aware of what she had done and helped create. There was no turning back for her now. This was her life. Jenna and all her friends could never know of this, not that they would ever believe her. This was now her family, her friends and her lovers. Intermingled, they were now one. Michael turned around, his form silhouetted by the blinding light. It was so wonderful. He laughed loudly and turned back to the Gate. Michael disappeared within the brilliance. Alan led Maria through, followed by David and Elizabeth. Demi and Dominic were next along with Sylvia and Sam. “Where are they going?” Nick faced her directly, his hand gently holding hers, leading her towards the Threshold. “To Limbo. Our home.” “What’s it like?” As they crossed over the Threshold and into the blinding light, her lover smiled and spoke one word. “Heaven.” Marlene immediately knew that he was right. End

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About the Author

Kroots extend mostly from seventh grade when he

eith J. Bowers was born in 1972, and his writing

won an award for a short story. He put his pen down in 1992 and for the next eight years he wrote absolutely nothing. In August of 2000, he returned to writing. Keith has since completed nine novels, one short story collection and three screenplays. He is a Network Analyst for a major metal company, writing in the spare hours after he puts his three children to bed. He is married to a wonderful woman named Jessica.