by Emery, Lynn
“Yes, their other guests on the second floor checked out today,” she whispered.
“Then let’s not waste anymore time down here,” Chase said.
He took her hand like an old fashioned southern gentleman and led LaShaun up the polished oak staircase. Along the way they admired beautiful antiques. Both second and third floor landings decorated to fit the historic period the home was built. Each floor had three bedrooms. French doors at the end of each hallway led to porches. They paused for a few moments to look at their room. Chase took both their jackets and draped them over a chair. Then they went out to admire the view from the third floor porch. In minutes they were wrapped in a kiss lying on a cushioned bamboo sofa. Chase opened LaShaun’s blouse. He kissed her cleavage and then started to undress her.
“Chase, we can’t, not out here on the porch,” LaShaun murmured. Despite her words, she did nothing to stop him.
“Look around, darlin’. You see any other houses?” Chase pushed the blouse down and off her shoulders.
“Of course not, but…”
LaShaun went breathless when he unhooked her bra. His tongue snaked around her nipples in a hungry circular motion. The rouge ridges of it felt delicious against the tender, sensitive nubs. Both grew hard as he licked more insistently. She let her head fall back, but kept her eyes open. The dark shadows of tall pine and oak trees let only a few sections of the bright moon shine through. Something about the cool night air and Chase’s hot touch drove LaShaun’s desire skyward. Soon they were both naked. His attention to detail in kissing her entire body left LaShaun begging for more in a harsh whisper. When he’d driven her over the edge with just his tongue, Chase pulled away. LaShaun moaned in protest, but soon in bliss when he entered her slowly. As he filled her, LaShaun locked her legs around his waist. They moved in rhythm, slowly and faster, and then going slow again. The feeling of being all alone surrounded by nothing but the sounds of crickets and birdsong heightened their pleasure. They whispered words of love, desire, and devotion as their movements became more frantic. First LaShaun cried out softly, savoring the waves of a strong orgasm. Then Chase followed her over the edge with furious thrusts, moaning until he grew still.
“We’re going to get sore throats and the sniffles if we fall asleep out here,” LaShaun whispered. She brushed his right shoulder with her lips.
“You kidding? I’m dripping sweat like it’s one hundred degrees,” Chase replied hoarsely. “It’s going to be worth it if I get some more of you.”
“We came for the soft big bed with Egyptian cotton sheets and down comforter. Remember?” She playfully tapped his back.
“This is what I came for, cher.” Chase chuckled with his mouth against her left breast.
She laughed, but then grew quiet for a few more moments. “Chase, about what we discussed the other night after…”
He went still in her arms. After a few moments Chase raised his head and looked into her eyes. “You believe someone is trying to control me.”
“No, some thing.”
“Strange, but it’s not exactly a memory of our conversation. More like I heard your voice from a distance during the day while I was working.”
LaShaun felt a surge of relief. She hugged him tight. “Your essence responded to the familiar. Hold onto those moments, honey. I can’t lose you. I just can’t.”
Chase pressed his body to hers as he continued to stare into her eyes. “You know I don’t halfway believe a lot of that demon, voodoo stuff. I’ve seen people act weird enough on drugs, being crazy or just plain mean as hell.”
“Yes, but—” LaShaun’s words stopped when he rubbed her lips with his thumb.
“Something deep inside me is all yours. The way I love you shakes me sometimes. Feels like a red hot chunk of coal burning me up until I got to have you. Not just sex. I need to hear your voice or see you smile at me like you don’t smile for anybody else. Now I know you’re the expert on supernatural stuff, but know this-nobody, no thing will come between us. I feel you when we’re apart, so strong. So strong,” he whispered again and closed his eyes. “You could never lose me.”
LaShaun cradled him close for a long time. When an owl hooted several times she smiled. “I think that Mr. Owl is reminding us that we don’t belong out here in nature. He’s right. We’ll be more comfortable in bed.”
Chase unwound his brawny frame from hers. He lifted LaShaun from the chaise sofa. Together they gathered their clothes. They giggled and tiptoed inside as though they needed to escape detection. Once inside the room, they realized the night had turned chilly. To her delight, Chase started the gas fireplace that also opened onto the bathroom. LaShaun filled the tub with warm soapy water. Chase got in first, and then LaShaun joined him, seated between his legs. They talked about the wedding and debated again which house they’d live in. After thirty minutes they rinsed rich lather from each other and padded sleepily to the inviting queen-sized bed. Two cotton bathrobes with the bed and breakfast logo embroidered in dark green lay across it, but they tossed them on another chair. Flesh to flesh they curled up and drifted off. The crackle of wood from the fireplace lulled LaShaun until the golden light from it faded as her eyes closed.
Strange dreams filled her slumber. She sat at an antique dresser just like the one in their room. A lovely brush was being used by someone’s hands to groom her thick hair. The same hands arranged her hair around her shoulders. LaShaun tried to explain that she preferred a braid or to have it pinned into a bun. A voice explained that flowing hair symbolized carnal delights and fertility.
In the background she heard violins, but the notes seemed oddly discordant. Still the tune seemed to pull at her. LaShaun hummed in time with the brush strokes in her hair. Everything appeared to move at the same pace as the music. LaShaun blinked slowly, entranced by the play of light on the walls. Someone told her the candlelight brought out the beauty of her brown skin against the color of her wedding dress.
“Thank you,” LaShaun murmured with a smile.
How wonderful to dream of the day she would begin her life with the man she loved. As if her thought brought action, LaShaun found herself floating along. Or was she walking? Someone held her hand. The long trailing hem of her dress rustled as she moved. Pearls on her dress glowed in the flickering candlelight. An arch covered in strange dark vines with blood red flowers stood at one end of a room. A tall man stood with his back to her. Another man dressed in a long flowing black robe with strange red and gold symbols stood facing her. As she got closer LaShaun blinked to clear her vision. Everything seemed a bit hazy. She tried to rub her eyes and discovered that a gossamer veil covered her face.
“I’m walking down the aisle,” LaShaun whispered. She glanced around looking for her friends. “Where is everyone?”
“The important players are here, sweetie,” a voice to her right said.
LaShaun wanted to turn her head so she could see the source of the voice, but her neck felt stiff. Instead she focused on figures at the end of the aisle. In a disorienting combination of slow motion and missed scenes, LaShaun found herself repeating words. The man in the robe read from an open book. Shadows on the walls seemed to be from a crowd of people surrounding them, watching the ceremony. Yet LaShaun didn’t see anyone else when she did manage to glance to her left.
“Favor your soul mate with a passionate embrace,” The man in the robe said.
“I will indeed.”
The tall man turned to LaShaun until they stood face to face. LaShaun’s heart swelled with joy when she looked into Chase’s eyes. Her lips parted to express her love, but she froze. The light animating his eyes had no trace of Chase’s loving essence. She tried to move away, but his arms trapped her. The smothering kiss cut off her attempts to call his true name. All around her faded from flickering candlelight, to sepia tones and then to darkness.
***
The incessant tick-tock invaded her dreams. LaShaun twisted and turned feeling an urgent need to wake up. When she opened
her eyes, the first thing she saw was cabbage roses, or rather the huge roses of the room’s wallpaper. Dressed in a long cotton sleep shirt and leggings, she lay on a large bed.
“What the hell?” LaShaun sat up. Long leather straps attached to the bedposts bound both wrists. The door opened just as she started to yell for Chase.
“Ah, I told them you’d be awake by now. I have that little potion down to an absolute science.” Gina stood holding a tray of food.
“You’ve lost your damn mind. Untie me,” LaShaun shouted.
Gina placed the tray on a round antique table within reach of the bed. “We had to move up the time table because of those stupid kids. I told everyone that teenagers are a wild card. They’re too impulsive to trust with anything this important. I have your favorites: fluffy biscuits with honey and butter, a pile of bacon and strong hot coffee.”
LaShaun ignored the food. “Where am I?”
“Make the best of it, okay? You’ll get a hot husband and power out of this deal. A lot better than me, I’ll tell you that. Ted’s a bit of a bore to be honest. Anyway, I have to make sure you eat something.”
“Hell no,” LaShaun shot back.
“You can’t get loose to hurt me. Go ahead, try it,” Gina said with a smug expression. “Those ties have binding ciphers.”
LaShaun didn’t doubt Gina, but she wanted to test what she was up against. She jerked on the straps with all of her might. Her grip weakened the harder she pulled. The leather seemed to sap her energy. After a few seconds LaShaun gave a final gasp and stopped.
“What is this stuff?” LaShaun said.
“The ciphers pull the force you put into resisting from you and make the straps stronger. Brilliant little tool, right? Just one of many reasons we’re going to rule the world pretty soon.” Gina grabbed a slice of bacon. “No reason for me to go hungry if you’re not going to eat all of this.”
LaShaun sprang forward to grab Gina. The bindings yanked her back, and LaShaun’s arms felt weaker. The woman’s laughter enraged LaShaun even more. Against better judgment LaShaun pulled at the straps until she lay exhausted and sweating. Her eyelids felt heavy with fatigue.
Minutes later Gina stood over LaShaun gnawing on a second thick bacon slice. “Now I’m going to have to clean you up for him. Of course, he might like you all hot and helpless like this.”
LaShaun steadied her breathing. “Who are you talking about?”
“Your husband of course. Humph, they said you were so smart,” Gina retorted. She started to go on, but stopped when the door opened.
“You’re upsetting her,” a low voice said.
“So what? She’s only a tool. There isn’t one thing special about her.”
A rapid fire series of three loud cracks of skin on skin rang out. LaShaun’s eyes flew open to see a bizarre tableau before her. Neal Montgomery stood over a cowering Gina. He wore a mild disapproving frown as he gazed at the woman. Gina’s wide-eyed stare glittered with fright, and something else. LaShaun concentrated. Resentment. LaShaun filed away that knowledge.
“Get out.” Neal pointed a long arm at the door as though he needed to emphasize his point. Gina rushed through the door and it shut with a solid thud. “How are you feeling?”
“Seriously? This is a low budget horror movie with dumb players and even dumber questions,” LaShaun shot back.
Neal laughed. “I can see why he craves you like a man on drugs. Nothing you say or do is expected.”
She was about to speak when an odd mental tug brought LaShaun up short. Words like wisps of smoke appeared before her eyes. Don’t say his name. Not the right time. She stared at Neal. He cocked his head to one side and gazed at her in curiosity. He apparently hadn’t seen anything. LaShaun felt dizzy. She heaved in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Maybe you should have a bland diet for a day or so. Gina probably got too enthusiastic with the ingredients of that drink she concocted. Jealously thy name is woman,” Neal said. He looked at the tray of food, and then covered the plate with a cloth napkin.
LaShaun felt tears sting her eyes. The smoke from strong incense made them water. “What do you mean a day or so? You can’t keep me here or get away with this. Being a lawyer, you know the penalties for kidnapping. You’ll have to kill us because we can identify you all.”
Neal sat down in a chair at the table and crossed his long legs. He seemed at ease, as though they were chatting over afternoon tea. Except LaShaun had no idea how much time had passed. She glanced around the room. The source of the loud ticking hung on the wall; a large clock with no hands. Heavy draperies blocked any view from windows.
“You think…?” Neal shook his head slowly. “I couldn’t give the order to kill you even if at some point I thought it best. Three powerful men desire you. No wonder the ladies, Gina especially, are so jealous.”
“I’d feel flattered except being drugged, tied up, and married to a demon has me in a bad mood,” LaShaun drawled. She glanced around the room looking for clues on breaking out.
“You can’t get away. No, I’m not psychic,” Neal said. “Few people really are in fact. I’m only a humble servant.”
“Of Satan?” LaShaun gave an exaggerated sigh. “Lord, not another annoying nest of devil worshipers. You can’t swing a dead black cat without hitting one these days.”
Neal laughed so hard he bent double. After a few moments, he stood and crossed to LaShaun. When his long fingers stroked her hair, LaShaun didn’t move away. The contact would help her get a read on him. She tossed her head. Her thick black hair bounced away from her forehead as she glared at him. As expected, her hostility only drew him closer. His breathing grew ragged.
Neal took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I’m having a tough time resisting your enticing scent of magical sexuality.”
“The boss would likely cut you, so be careful,” LaShaun murmured as she gazed back through narrowed eyes. “Why tie me up if I’m so harmless?”
“We both know you’re not harmless.” Neal took a step closer when LaShaun didn’t make a hostile move. Still he watched her hands.
LaShaun did something she’d sworn never to do again, not since her affair with Quentin Trosclair. She whispered a seduction chant an old woman, a friend of Monmon Odette’s, had taught her. Well, Miss Dahlia had been more a colleague than a friend. The woman had been at least ninety when LaShaun was only fifteen. LaShaun remembered the words, and though she didn’t have gris-gris to go along with them, she had one important ingredient. Montgomery’s lust for her burned beneath his skin.
“You hid your desire well. Your lover must scare you, but since she’s not here…” LaShaun let the words trail off to a whisper.
“Krystal doesn’t stop me from having who I want.” Neal lifted a hand to touch her just as the bedroom door opened. He stepped back quickly.
Chase stood in the opening with Gina and Krystal. “Thank you for being so attentive to our guest.”
Krystal walked around Chase. “We don’t want you to be burdened with all the work, sweetie. So we came to relieve you.”
Neal smiled easily. “I appreciate your helpfulness.”
“Leave us,” Chase commanded.
LaShaun might have calculated her odds of escaping, or using the signs of friction to her advantage. But the sight of Chase tangled her mind into knots. He looked strikingly handsome dressed in a vintage crisp white shirt and black close fitting pants. In the flickering gaslight lamps on the wall LaShaun might have sworn she’d stepped back in time. Chase walked around the room. He checked the windows and tugged at the long straps bound her yet allowed her to move a few feet. Then he sat down on the bed and patted the thick coverlet.
“My sweet one,” he said.
“I know who you are,” LaShaun said after watching him in silence for several minutes.
Chase nodded. Or rather the being inside him did. “I admit though that I’m surprised you found out. I won’t harm you. Come sit with me.”
“
You’ve harmed me already.”
Her voice shook as she gazed at the man she loved. Her body ached with warring impulses to caress Chase and attack him. Her psychic instinct told her the being needed to be destroyed. Yet how could she and not fatally wound Chase?
“You don’t have to choose. Your true love is right here. Every man has demons. This way you’ll simply know exactly what his are. You see?” Abiku spread his borrowed arms out as though the logic made life simple.
LaShaun placed both her open palms on the broad chest. The warmth and solid flesh sent a flash of craving through her. “It’s so like a devil to wrap itself in a beautiful body like my Chase.”
“Think of the fun we shall have, mon petite. Let me show you even more pleasure than he could. His love is strong, but I’m growing stronger.” Abiku shivered beneath her fingers. “I’ve grown to savor the way human flesh joined together feels.”
“I see,” LaShaun replied softly.
She lifted the hem of the long shirt and straddled him. The being sighed and leaned his back against one of the thick bedposts. He inched back farther on the bed to gain more leverage. He shifted his hips beneath her.
“What could I bargain to make you leave him alone for good?” LaShaun tickled the side of his neck with the tip of her tongue. “You want power, riches… another body?”
“Hmm, all that and more,” Abiku rasped, his breathing heavy. “But I don’t have to bargain. I will have you both. Being in this body makes me weak to your charms. That I must admit.” He fumbled to free himself from the slim slacks as his passion grew.
LaShaun used sheer willpower not to strike out when his hands went beneath her night shirt. To counter the aversion, she stared at his body and not into his eyes. Abiku moaned in a language she didn’t recognize when his fingers found one of her nipples. Like a clanging bell, a string of phrases sounded clearly in LaShaun’s mind.
“Seduce the seducer,” a chorus sang.