Cognati: An Inferno World Novel

by Elizabeth Gray

  Kristopher

  I’m not allowed upstairs unless specifically told to go fetch Linda. Yet, tonight, I followed them. I crouched by the door and peeked in. It’s unfair that Pa keeps me from these lessons. How am I supposed to become a good husband if he doesn’t teach me how to fuck?

  I learned a lot.

  My penis was so hard, I nearly spilled in my pants watching the way he showed Karen so many things. I’m so proud of her. Such a good woman. I wish I were able to take her as my wife, but then I overheard Pa considering doing the same.

  He has a wife.

  Karen should be mine.

  I know I should want Maude, but I’m disgusted by her and her garlic tongue. Karen probably tastes like sugar or honey or candy canes.

  Pa instructs Karen to go shower, so I retreat down the stairs as quietly as I can. I’ve barely made it into my bedroom when she pushes inside.

  “Kristopher,” she whispers. “You’ll never believe what I learned!”

  I pull her to me so she doesn’t have to whisper so loud. Our bodies are flush and it’s okay because we grew up in the womb this way, I’m sure of it. I gently hold her sore bottom, keeping her close. It feels good to keep her close. Her breath hitches and she smiles at me.

  “It’s easy,” she explains. “I’m going to be the best wife.”

  My chest aches at her words. “I wish you were mine.”

  Her lips part open. “You do?”

  “I do,” I murmur, reaching between us to clutch her pale throat. “I would be a good husband to you. Treat you well. Spoil you, though I shouldn’t. How could I not, though? You’re so beautiful. I could never tell you no.”

  Her smile is wide and all for me. “I would behave so you’d never have to get angry with me like Pa does Linda.” She frowns. “I think Pa wants me for his wife.”

  I’m already shaking my head. “He won’t be good to you like I will be.”

  Her lips press together. “He whipped me.” She narrows her eyes. “You whipped Maude.”

  “I wouldn’t whip you,” I assure her. “If you were my wife, I think I’d spend all my time fucking you so we could have lots of babies.”

  She giggles. “You said fucking.”

  “And babies.”

  A soft sigh escapes her. “I don’t think he’ll let us.”

  “We’ll convince him. We can be extra good for a few months and then ask him. Pa’s different lately. I think he knows we’re ready. He was proud of me tonight.”

  “Me too,” she whispers. “He might actually agree to this.”

  I cradle her cheeks with my hands and kiss her mouth like Pa did. She parts her lips and I decide I’ll taste her like Maude did me. Instead of tasting gross, Karen tastes like something I’ve never known before. I love the way she tastes. My tongue slides across hers, making her groan. I’m achingly hard and eager to fuck my sister. We just need Pa to approve.

  The door creaks open and we jerk apart. Thankfully it’s just Luke.

  “Don’t stop for me. I can watch.” He smirks. “Or help.”

  I’d seen the way Karen had to assist with Luke’s penis. She’s such a dutiful woman. I need her to be only mine, though, so she doesn’t have to serve these other men. Only me.

  “I’ll kiss you every night when you’re my wife,” I tell her, grinning. “I’ll kiss you everywhere. Even how Pa showed you. With my tongue between your thighs.”

  She kisses me hard once more, her tongue seeking out mine. We kiss until I’m beginning to lose my grip on reality. I want to pull off her gown and take her as my wife now. I don’t think I can wait.

  Something crashes upstairs and then there is yelling. It jolts me and Karen apart like we’ve been electrocuted.

  “Listen,” I tell her, taking her face in my hands. “You weren’t here. You went straight for a shower.”

  Heavy footsteps thud overhead and then down the stairs.

  “He can tell your lies by your facial features. Keep your face even and your eyes dull. Smile softly. You went straight to the bathroom.” I kiss her mouth once more. “Go, Karen.”

  She slips out of the room and then a moment later I hear the shower running. The footsteps grow nearer. I open my drawer and lean in, looking for pajamas, just as the door opens.

  “Where’s Karen?” Pa asks, his voice deceptively calm despite the rage rippling from him.

  “The shower,” Luke pipes up, his back turned to Pa as he lies in bed. “She went straight there.”

  “Oh,” Pa says. “I could have sworn I heard her voice.”

  “She was singing your favorite hymn,” I lie, but it falls out of my mouth like truth. “She has the voice of an angel.”

  Pa grunts. “Indeed. Very well. Off to sleep. We have plenty of work to do tomorrow.”

  As soon as he’s gone, Luke grumbles out a “you’re welcome.”

  I grin as I change clothes. Things are changing. I’m becoming a man. And I’m no longer questioning who my wife is to be. It’s not that whore, Maude.

  No, I’m going to marry an angel.

  My sister.

  I cannot wait to fuck her and make her mine.

  “What’s he doing?” Karen asks, coming to stand close to me at the edge of the hole. Her hair is down today and blows in the wind.

  “Digging.”

  “Why?”

  “Pa calls it exercise.”

  “What do you call it?” She looks up at me, heat and desire flashing in her blue eyes.

  My gaze drops to her lips. “Madness.”

  “So he’s digging just to dig?”

  “He says there’s a purpose. He feels called to it.”

  “He’s strange,” she observes. “Where’s Pa?”

  “He had to visit Maude and her mother to make sure everything was okay.”

  Her blue eyes flash with wickedness that makes my penis harden. “So we’re all alone?”

  “Luke’s here.” I motion down at the boy with no shirt as he digs a hole much deeper than either of us standing fully upright. “And Linda.”

  Though we haven’t seen her since her beating last night.

  “But,” I say, pointing to the woods. “We could take a walk.”

  She takes my hand, linking her fingers with mine. “Are you courting me, brother?”

  I grin down at her. “That’s what a man does with the woman he loves and wants to marry.”

  We walk hand in hand into the woods. I release her hand to pick a white flower from the grass. When the wind blows, parts of it break off and dance in the wind. It reminds me of how her hair flutters about. I hand it to her.

  “It’s pretty.” Her cheeks turn pink as she admires the flower. “Watch.” She puckers her lips and blows. The rest of the white, furry pieces fly away. “Now it’s just a stem.”

  Flashing her a crooked grin, I squat and pick her another one. She giggles as she blows this one. We do this over and over until we’ve picked them all. We’re both happy and light.

  I love her so much.

  Grabbing a tendril of her hair, I wind it up around my fist until she’s trapped in my grip. I like her there. Close to me. Where she belongs. I admire her pretty face like she did the flowers. But rather than blowing on her face, I pepper kisses on her face. Her skin is smooth and perfect. No freckles making her look dirty. My Karen is pure and clean and will be my perfect wife.

  “I want to fuck you, Karen,” I groan. “I can’t stop thinking about it.”

  She frowns. “I want it too, but…”

  “But what?”

  “A woman has…she has something inside her that tells her father if she’s lost her virginity.” She bites on her bottom lip. “When Pa checked yesterday, it was there. If you put your dick inside me, he’ll know it’s been broken.”

  My chest aches.

  This isn’t fair.

  Why can’t we marry already and start our happy marriage?

  “Are you certain?”

  “I would never lie to you, Kristopher.
”

  “I know.” I kiss her soft lips. “Show me. Maybe I can see if there’s a way around it.”

  She nods, her neck burning bright red. “Okay.” Her hands grip her dress and she pulls it up, revealing her milky thighs to me. She holds her dress up in one hand and then pushes her underwear down her legs. They fall to the grass at her ankles. My penis is trying to rip through my slacks. “It’s just inside,” she says. “Be careful.”

  My hand trembles as I touch her soft skin. Her body is furry, but fine. Maude’s was bushy and horrible to look at. With Karen, I want to bury my nose in the shimmery blond hairs. She jolts when I touch her.

  “What is it?” I breathe. “Did I hurt you?”

  “N-No, it felt good. That’s not the spot, though.”

  I rub the good spot again. “This feels good?”

  She drops her dress to hold on to my shoulders. My hand moves under her dress, enjoying the way I can bring her pleasure. Sweet whimpers sing into the air. I rub the throbbing nub until she’s practically clawing at me. Her eyes have closed and her mouth is parted. I kiss her lips and lick her sweet tongue. I bite her jaw because how could I not? I want to mark her with my teeth, but it feels unwise leaving evidence.

  “Oh!” she cries out, shuddering wildly. “T-That…oh…Kristopher.”

  She cries, but she’s smiling. “It felt like going to heaven.”

  “You know how that feels?” I tease.

  “I do now.” She sighs. “Okay, so slide past there.”

  I move my finger, noticing how slick she is. The tip of my finger discovers a hole. I start to push into her and meet resistance.

  “There,” she says, pouting.

  I probe the area, looking for a way around it. Nothing. Scowling, I remove my finger and right her dress. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “We have to wait until the time is right to ask Pa,” she says sadly.

  “Or,” Luke says, stepping from behind a tree. He’s covered in dirt and has a manic gleam in his dark eyes. “You could do other things.”

  “Other things?” my twin and I say at the same time.

  He grins. “The other hole.”

  I glower at him. “No. I feel like you’re toying with us. What’s your agenda, cousin?”

  He holds up his dirty hands in defense. “You’re my family. Your pa isn’t the only one who’s had sex. I had it plenty of times. Plenty of ways.” He winks. “Your dick can go there, and Uncle Charles will never know.”

  “I think you want me to hurt her,” I snap, fury swelling up inside of me like a tidal wave. This is how a husband is supposed to feel about his wife. Like he’d kill anyone who thought to hurt her.

  “No,” he says, frowning. “You’re family, dumbass. I’m helping.”

  “Because you want her for yourself?”

  “No.” He arches a brow, smirking. “Don’t believe me? Put your finger there. You’ll see. But make sure it’s wet, or she’s going to squeal like a pig.”

  Karen nods at me. “Pa touched me there. I think it’s okay.”

  “Turn your head,” I growl out at Luke.

  He shrugs and obeys. “Don’t forget to get your finger wet.”

  She lifts her dress. I walk around her to stare at her bottom that’s bruised from her whipping yesterday. Anger buzzes through me, hot and violent. I’ve never wanted to kill my father before, but I briefly think about it. She bends over and looks over her shoulder. “Do you see it?”

  I suck on my finger that tastes heavenly with her juices still remaining on it and then I seek out this other hole. It’s puckered and doesn’t invite me in like the other one. She whines when I press against it.

  “If you’re lying,” I grind out to Luke, “I’ll break your neck.”

  He laughs like a maniac. “I’m not lying.”

  Gently, I push against the ring of muscle. It’s tight inside her body. My thoughts instantly go to how it would feel with my penis here instead. I’d spill right away, I’m sure. It would feel so good. My finger slides past the first and second knuckle until I’m buried inside her.

  “No barrier,” I breathe. “I could…”

  “Yes,” she whimpers. “I want it.”

  I rub inside her, loving the hot tightness of it. I’m just unbuckling my belt when we hear Pa yelling.

  “Fuck,” Luke hisses. “We can’t get caught like this.”

  We.

  He’s helping us.

  I pull my finger from my sister’s hole and bend to grab her underwear.

  “Go,” Luke barks out. “Around the side of the house and in through the front. Remember what Kristopher said about your features. Keep them bland. He’ll never know.”

  Karen runs off, her long blond hair flying out behind her.

  I fist her underwear and then shove it into my pocket. Pa comes into view then. He’s staring right at Luke and me, so he doesn’t see Karen running.

  “Hi, Uncle Charles,” Luke says, waving one of his dirty hands at him.

  “What are you two doing out here?” he demands, his eyes probing inside our heads.

  I remember our lessons and adopt an easy expression. “I thought I’d build a house out here for my wife one day. If it were okay with you, sir.”

  His eyes narrow and he sniffs the air. “What’s that smell?”

  “Linda came out here,” Luke lies. “She was behaving strangely.”

  “Very strangely.” I shake my head. “She touched herself. We had to look away.”

  Pa grows stone still. “She did what?”

  He’s believing our lies!

  Feeling sure about my abilities, I nod. “She said she wanted to teach us some lessons of her own.”

  “She thinks we could get her pregnant and then you’ll keep her,” Luke tells him.

  Wow.

  We’re really on a roll now.

  Pa just drinks up our lies like he does his morning coffee. Gulp after gulp and then gets wired from each swallow.

  “That is unacceptable,” he hisses. “She will need to be punished.”

  “She said if you choose a new wife, she’ll run away.” My last lie is the one that seems to nail it all firmly into place.

  “No,” he growls. “My sweet sister is never allowed to leave. She knows this.”

  Luke chokes on his spit. “Sister?”

  Pa, his eyes never leaving mine, smiles. “A man can take his sister as a wife. Sometimes his sister knows him better than any other woman.”

  I nod rapidly in agreement, hope surging in my chest.

  “Can a man take his mother?” Luke asks, coming to stand beside me.

  Pa breaks our gaze to stare tenderly at him. “No, son, I’m afraid not. But a father may take his daughter.” He rubs a smudge of dirt off Luke’s face. “A daughter can be the ultimate gift for a man. If his wife is unfit, his daughter will never disappoint.”

  My smile falls as his words sink in.

  He can’t have my Karen.

  He can’t.

  Luke nudges me with his shoulder and I draw strength from his support.

  Karen is mine.

  And I don’t care what I have to do to make that known to everyone, especially my father.

  * * *

  Luke

  “Are you ready for your punishment?”

  I bristle at Uncle Charles’s questions. “I’m to be punished?”

  “I know you weren’t immune to Linda. When she came out here tempting you to put a baby in her.” His hazel eyes are hard and challenging. “Were you aroused, son?”

  I try to believe this made up incident, so I imagine her coming out here. Looking just like Mom with her blond hair, taut body, and cold blue eyes. Lifting her dress and showing me her golden, bushy pussy. Begging for my cock.

  “I love you,” Mom purrs. “So much it hurts.”

  I close my eyes, but the past rears its ugly head. Me inside her. Wrong. So wrong. But it felt so good. I came every time with a mix of shame and delight.

&nb
sp; “No,” I grit out, hitting the side of my head with the heel of my hand. “I didn’t like that.”

  “Then why are you hard?” Her breath hitches. “Touch me here.”

  Tears burn my eyes and race down my cheeks. Feels good. Feels so fucking good. It shouldn’t. It makes my chest feel like it’s going to explode. Why wouldn’t my dad help me?

  “We fit so perfectly. I’m not so alone because I have you, my perfect boy.”

  Oh God.

  Fuck.

  Feels so good.

  “That’s enough,” a deep voice barks, dragging me from the past. “I have all the evidence I need.” He motions at my boner trying to rip through my slacks.

  “I’m sorry,” I whimper. I feel small right now. Like when I was a boy. When she first came to me. When she made everything confusing and painful. And then she ruined me with pleasure. Fucked up my mind with her tight, warm, inviting pussy.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  “Am I in trouble too?” Kristopher asks. “I didn’t grow aroused.”

  “No, son, you have your own trouble waiting for you in your bedroom. You’re going to chop up some wood and then you’re going to deal with your problem.” Uncle Charles grips my shoulder roughly. “Come now.”

  “T-To the white room?” My teeth chatter from the cold or nerves or stress. I don’t know which. All my confidence has drained away and I’m left brittle from my memories. At least the white room is peaceful and quiet and warm.

  Uncle Charles nods and guides me into the house. Everything is hazy and confusing. I’m trying desperately to find the lid to my past and close it. I don’t want to think about those times. I want to think about how, for a while there, Mom and I got along. No fights. No strange behavior when she’d lose her mind. The happy times. The dancing. The love between a mother and a son. The healthy kind.

  The house is warm, but it chills again when he guides me down to the basement toward the white room. As we approach, I feel myself begin to relax.

  “Strip,” Uncle Charles growls. “Now.”

  I obey him, already knowing the drill. Once I’m naked and shivering, I look at him in question. He walks over to a drawer and pulls out a small metal contraption.

  “Now, son, I hate to do this to you. This hurts me more than it hurts you, but you must learn that this is not okay. It’s not okay to get an erection over thoughts of sleeping with your aunt. She belongs to me, son.” He kneels in front of me, his face in front of my crotch. “This will ensure you don’t have this problem again.” I watch in momentary fascination as he slides the metal over my limp dick. He closes a metal piece over the tip of my cock and then turns a mechanism. “This can only be opened by a key.” He releases it and it pulls heavily on my dick.