Rougarou II

by Judith Ann McDowell

  A sound slicing through the stillness brought Lawrence to his feet. At the same time its intrusion silenced the feelings of sorrow the woman had been feeling, to turn her suffering into a gripping hand of terror. Dropping the blanket to the floor Lawrence walked out of the room through the front door and out into the night.

  Standing in the glow of the full moon, a burning hope flickered then grew with an almost searing, inner-knowing as he waited to hear the sound once more.

  A deep-throated howl split the silence sending a shiver of excitement through Lawrence’s already pounding heart as he stood naked in the glow of the full moon. He waited for the hulking shadows, moving amid moss-covered trees, their red eyes glittering like burning embers, to show themselves.

  “Come.” He motioned them forward. “You have nothing to fear from me!” The words rushed from his throat in a crazed, disjointed tone. “This is your home!”

  The woman standing beside him screamed a warning. “No! Lawrence, don’t call to them. If you invite them they will never leave!”

  But Lawrence could not hear her. And even if he could, she would not have changed his mind. They had come to save him. Just as Jonathan had always saved him.

  The hulking shadows moved from the trees now to come closer.

  “No!” The woman ran forward trying to halt their advancement. “Go back! You are not welcome here!”

  The shadowy figures did not heed her warnings. Instead, they walked through her vaporous spirit, loping towards the mansion and the young man who welcomed them.

  Covered in thick black fur, four males and one female moved closer. Their grotesque, almost human faces wore a look of complete dominance as their hungry eyes stared out at the man still urging them to come closer.

  “This is your home, now,” Lawrence told them once more. “No one will look for you here.”

  The female drew closer sniffing the wind. She pulled Lawrence into her arms to lick the blood covering his chest, then jumped back, startled, as Lawrence let out a yelp of fear.

  A sharp growl filled the silence as she came towards him.

  The largest of the males stepped forward and drawing back his hand sent the female crashing to the ground.

  She lay on the cool grass watching him her eyes glowing with anger yet she made no move to challenge the dark shape standing over her.

  Chandra watched as the leader reached out to draw the fallen female to her feet then into his arms. He caressed the swollen breasts lowering his large head to suckle the pink nipples all the while growling his need.

  Chandra glanced at Lawrence in disgust, then, turned away as the two fell to the ground. The sounds and smells of their rutting turned the pale night into a frenzy of lust coupled with the overpowering stench of musk.

  Lawrence found himself fascinated and repelled at the same time, but was unable to turn away as he watched the male slam into her without mercy. A long, feminine scream ended on a soft moan as the beast rolled from her body.

  Lawrence remained still, unable to decide what he should do next as the hulking male extended his hand in open invitation for Lawrence to join in on the pleasures being offered him.

  The female motioned him to come to her. Lawrence backed away ashamed of his nakedness to walk into the house.

  After he had bathed and dressed, he sat in the darkness of his room trying to sort out in his mind what new turns his life was taking. At first he told himself the ones he had invited to share his home posed no danger. Now, with the scene he had witnessed replaying in his mind, he started to rethink what he had done.

  A slight cramping in his stomach reminded him he had not eaten. Coming downstairs he heard sounds of laughter on the front porch. Without turning on any lights, he crept to the window to peer out. The beat of his heart quickened as he glimpsed a small crowd of teenagers walking up to the front door.

  “Did anyone think to bring a key?” A young, male voice snickered, his words slurred and shaky as he tried to turn the knob of the heavy oak door.

  “Fuck ah key! Ain’t nobody here got a key!” His buddy pushed him to the side. “Break the goddamn window!”

  “Hey, man, keep it down! This ain’t the place to be grab-assin’!” Another male voice warned.

  “You tell him, Paul.” A drunken voice giggled.

  Paul pulled the giggling girl against his hip. “You guys need to think about where you are.” He looked around as the rest of the crowd climbed the steps to the front porch to set a Styrofoam cooler filled with ice and beer down on a small, white, wrought iron table. “I don’t think this is such a good idea.” He yanked the damp T-shirt away from his back. “Why don’t we just pile back in our boats and go somewhere else to party?”

  Alex, the boy nearest the cooler, flipped off the top and reaching in grabbed a can of beer. “Yo, Paul, catch man!” He tossed the can across the porch.

  Paul snagged the beer in mid-air and releasing his hold on the girl, popped the top.

  “You gonna pass me one or keep them all for yourself?” the boy standing before Paul called out.

  “You gonna maintain, Shrimpton?” Paul asked as Alex tossed another beer their way.

  “Hell yes I’m gonna maintain,” he laughed, as the flying can fell into his hands. “Hey man, come on.” He ushered Paul off the porch. “I thought we came here to party. I mean, look at this place.” He swung his arms wide. “We got nobody around for miles! We’re with the best lookin’ sluts in the whole damn school!” Shrimpton nodded his blond head as a wide grin spread across Paul’s face. “And last, but sure as hell not least, the best weed to be found anywhere in the parish. And all you can talk about is gettin’ the hell outta here. You need to lighten up, buddy.” He tipped the can of beer to his lips. “Ain’t nobody gonna tell the good reverend you’re out gettin’ drunk and with any luck, laid!” He wiped a hand across his mouth.

  Paul felt a hot flush creep up his throat. He took a long drink of his beer. “I got a bad feelin’ about this place. All right?”

  Thinking she had been left out of the conversation long enough, the girl sauntered back over. Wrapping both her arms around Paul’s slim waist and ignoring Todd, she pulled his head within inches of her face to nibble on his lower lip. “Stead of feelin’ bad about this place, why don’t you do something more fun and start feelin’ me?” she purred against his mouth.

  Paul felt his dick throb beneath his jeans and tried to pull away.

  Todd snickered, grazed a fist across Paul’s jaw. “You pass that up; I’ll know your daddy’s got you cowed! Yieeee!” he howled into the night wind. “Somebody throw me another beer! I already got the weed! It’s Saturday night, people, and we all know what that means! So here’s to all the ghosts, monsters and whatever else the people of this county can come up with!” He gulped a swallow of beer, let out a long, loud burp. “I got a strong feelin’ tonight’s the night our man Paul’s gonna get his cherry plucked from the stem!” Todd wiggled his brows, leered at the girl pressed tight against his friend. “So, Tina, Paul,” he withdrew a rolled plastic bag from the pocket of his jeans, “this bud’s for you!” With that, he tipped the can of beer to his lips to drink nonstop. A loud crunching noise sounded as he closed a fist on the empty can then lobbed it over his head and onto the roof of the mansion.

  “Oh, Todd, why don’t you grow up and stop bein’ such an immature piece of piss!” She swung clipping him on the shoulder.

  “You better call off your woman, Paul, ‘fore she scares off all the ghosts and goblins.”

  “Shut up, Todd! We already know all the haunts around here live in your drug-crazed little mind!”

  “Yeah? Try tellin’ that to the bayou people. It just so happens my uncle is in Search and Rescue and was one of the men up here the day they lost two of their divers.” Todd inched his way towards her, smiled when she pushed herself closer against Paul. “He told me about an underwater cave near here and how ole man Hindel himself used that cave to get in and outta his house. And explain this,
” he moved his face within inches of hers, “how come, to this day, they ain’t never found the bodies of the dead divers?”

  Knowing her safety to be intact, Tina replied, “Because, like my mama says, they ain’t been lookin’ in the right place.” She jutted her chin at him.

  “You got all the answers, don’t you, Tina?”

  “No, I don’t. But my mama does.” Tina yanked the sleeves of her short, green pullover lower on her arms, flipped her mane of dark, red hair back over her shoulder. “She even knows how all the rumors, about this house, got started in the first place.”

  “Oh yeah? Just what might that be?” His gaze traveled up her long slender legs to stop on the defined “v” beneath her tight denim cutoffs.

  Tina watched his dark eyes gleam with interest and licked her full red lips enjoying his discomfort. “The niggers started the rumors to scare away the whites so they can practice their voodoo without being bothered!”

  Paul thought for a moment then nodded his head in agreement. “You know what? I think your mama has solved the mystery of the Hindel Mansion! Of all the theories I’ve heard, concernin’ this house, this one makes sense! Do you know what else I think? I think Todd’s right! It’s time to party!” He threw a surprised Tina over his shoulder and with a jaunty wave of his hand walked away towards the back of the house.

  Lawrence stood back trying to think what he should do. He knew he had to get everyone away from the house before the ones he had invited to stay knew about them. He did not need another blood bath and that is what would happen if he didn’t get rid of them. He reached for the light-switch then dropped his hand back to his side. He walked to the door and being very quiet, turned the knob.

  Todd grabbed himself a beer, then reached for the joint Alex held out to him. He turned away long enough to shove his own weed back into his pocket. The pungent smell of the marijuana filled the air as he brought the rolled cigarette to his lips, pulling the drug deep into his lungs. Nothing in the world soothed like a good toke, he told himself as he waited for the effects of the drug to spread its relaxing warmth throughout his body. He glanced around eyeing each unattended girl and tried to decide which one he would choose to work off the pounding need making itself known between his thighs. His keen eyes fell upon a short, petite blonde sitting a ways down the porch nursing a beer.

  “Get ready, honey. You’re about to get lucky!” Todd sauntered to his feet, then stopped as someone yanked open the front door. “What the hell?”

  “I am sure you are well-aware it is against the law to trespass, young man. Therefore you can explain why you and your friends have taken it upon yourselves to be occupying my front porch without an invitation.” Lawrence Hindel stood in the doorway; his feet spread wide, his arms crossed over his chest.

  “We didn’t even know anyone lived here anymore,” Todd tried to explain, a slight quiver sounding in his voice.

  “And now that you know someone is living here?”

  “We’ll be on our way, Sir.” He swung his arm, motioning everyone to gather their belongings.

  Lawrence turned to leave, then turned back. “Tell everyone you know to think long and hard about returning to this house, uninvited. Sometimes what we perceive as a rumor turns out to be the complete opposite.”

  The man’s words and the way he delivered them, had Todd backing away unable to respond or look away. He didn’t realize he had reached the last of the steps until he found himself sprawled in a heap on the cobble-stoned driveway with his right ankle taking the brunt of the fall. A sharp pain shot up his leg releasing him from his terror.

  Lawrence glanced at him then, walked into the house.

  “Quick, somebody help me up! I think I broke my fuckin’ ankle!” he cried out.

  Alex ran back with some of the other boys to pick him up. When they saw he couldn’t walk, they scooped him up to cart him away.

  “Goddamn it, you don’t need to carry me! Just let me lean on one of you.”

  “Shut up, Todd. We gotta get the hell outta here! Now! Don’t you know who that is?” Alex panted as they ran.

  “Yeah I know who he is. He’s Lawrence Hindel, for Christ’s sake! What’s the big deal?” His ankle throbbed with pain and he tried to not show it.

  “Yeah, Lawrence Hindel, asshole! The same Lawrence Hindel who got locked up in a mental institution for slaughterin’ an entire family!”

  “Aw shit! You’re right!” Todd could feel sweat pop out on his forehead and knew it didn’t all stem from the pain in his ankle. “We need to get the hell outta here! That man’s a ravin’ lunatic!”

  “No shit! That’s what I already told you!”

  The girls huddled in the boat crying and holding on to each other.

  Alex reached out and with a trembling hand tried to console them as best he could. “Damn it, Todd, hurry up and get in!”

  Todd eased himself into the boat, being careful not to bump his already, aching foot, when his heart jumped inside his chest. “Oh fuck! Where the hell’s Paul and Tina? They don’t know Hindel’s in the house!”

  “Anyone know Tina’s cell phone number? We already know Paul don’t have a cell phone. His cheap ole man don’t believe in them.” As everyone in the boat shook their head, Alex shoved the small boat away from the bank then jumped in. “They got their own boat! We need to get the hell outta here! Now!”

  “Yeah, they’ll be all right. Let’s go! My goddamn ankle’s throbbin’. Soon as we get to the car you’re gonna have to drive me to the emergency room. I just hope they don’t do a fuckin’ piss test! My ole man’s gonna shit if they do!”

  As they rowed away from the mansion, no one would let themselves think about the two they left behind at the mercy of a man they held responsible for the worst murders the people of Saint Anthony Parish could ever remember.

  ***

  Tina breathed a deep sigh of contentment. Stretching her body out straight she handed the carved pipe to Paul, then, frowned as he shook his head in refusal.

  “Come on, Paul! You haven’t even hit the damn thing. I thought we came out here to get loose and party.”

  “I don’t want anymore!” he snapped, wishing he could relax and enjoy himself instead of wrestling with the guilty feelings always plaguing him when out with his friends.

  “Nobody’s going to tell your daddy you’re enjoying yourself.” Tina laid down the pipe, then reached up to pull the flimsy top over her head.

  As her well-rounded breasts popped into view, Paul reached out his hand. With a low groan, he trailed his fingers over their softness.

  “Still want to call off our party?” she purred as Paul lowered his head to draw first one then the other of her erect nipples into his hot mouth.

  He drew back as Tina pulled away. “What are you doing?” he whispered his voice breathy and deep.

  Without a word, she picked up the pipe. “First we do what I want, then…” she gave him an impish little grin, “we can do what you want.”

  Knowing he had no choice, Paul reached for the pipe.

  “I want you to hit it this time. I want you so relaxed you’ll do anything I ask you to do!”

  Anxious to please he drew the smoke deep into his lungs and within moments felt his body let go of all its tension.

  “That’s a good boy.” Tina smiled over at him. “Now, place it in my mouth so I can get loose, too.”

  “Don’t get too loose,” he laughed, caught up in the feeling, “I like my women hot and tight.”

  Paul undid the snap on her cutoffs. Tina helped him by lifting her slender hips into the air.

  “Do you like what you see so far?” she breathed as he slid the brief shorts down her long legs.

  “I feel like I’m about to dive into a helping of strawberry shortcake,” he groaned, eyeing her creamy skin and the mound of dark red hair between her slim thighs.

  “Then I hope strawberry shortcake is your favorite dessert.” She drew in her breath as he lowered his head to rub his face aga
inst her thighs.

  “I think I just found something to take its place,” he growled, then pulled his shirt up and over his head to throw it aside. He pushed himself to his feet to begin yanking off his shoes and socks.

  Tina stared up at him watching with growing interest as his nipples hardened. When he dropped down beside her she skimmed long red nails over his bared chest then pulled him closer.

  He moaned deep in his throat as her warm lips closed over one hardened little bud offering itself up to her hungry mouth, then felt his breath explode from his throat as she scrapped her teeth over the throbbing nipple.

  “You’re bein’ a very naughty girl.”

  Tina squirmed against the hand rubbing her crotch then giggled as she felt one teasing finger push itself into her wet tightness. Her dark eyes flamed as she watched him move the finger back and forth beneath his nose breathing in its intoxicating fragrance then pop it into his mouth to devour its tangy sweetness. “Now who’s being naughty?”

  With the taste of her bathing his senses, he reached out placing her long legs on each side of his hips to stare down at her.

  “I want to feel all of you.” She pushed him back. “Take off your jeans. If I didn’t know better,” she teased him, “I’d think this is your first time with a girl!” She laughed as he scrambled to his feet, to pull off his jeans then drop back down beside her.

  “That’s better,” she whispered. “I want some heat!

  “Oh, I’ll give you heat,” Paul promised, rubbing the tip of his cock against the soft pink folds luring him onward. A long sigh broke the stillness ending on a cry of both pain and pleasure and he felt himself surrounded by liquid fire as he pushed himself the rest of the way inside.

  Tina wrapped her legs around his hips to draw him ever deeper, her round little bottom bouncing up and down as she raked her long nails down his bared back.