by Anne Conley
Connor knew where she would be. “She’s in the carriage house. Probably the loft.”
“Have you been sleeping there?” Bo asked. Connor nodded. “Then that explains the dreams a little better.”
“What dreams?” Jessie asked.
“She’s been…visiting me in my dreams, since I started sleeping out there. That’s where she met her lovers.” Shamefaced, Connor responded. “I didn’t want to tell you, because the dreams were…pretty uncomfortable…”
Jessie squeezed his hand. “It’s okay, Connor. We’re going to get rid of her.” She smiled up at him, dispelling any remnants of anxiety he had. She could have said they would eat Spam every meal for the rest of their lives, but as long as she flashed that smile at him, he would have agreed enthusiastically.
They moved as a group over to the carriage house, following Bo, as she continued scoping out the renovated dwelling, muttering under her breath. When she climbed the stairs, Connor could see a shudder course through her limbs.
“Yup, she’s up here. Definitely.” She paused at the top of the stairs briefly, before moving inside the room. Connor, Jessie, and Summer followed, realizing immediately what gave Bo reason to pause.
Louise was hovering in the corner, glaring at them, her kohl darkened eyes blazing malevolence at them as they entered the room, one by one. Her specter was clear, a sharper image than she had been this morning, probably drawing strength from her anger. Connor shuddered.
The odor of decaying hay assaulted Connor’s nose, and the temperature here was a good twenty to thirty degrees colder than it was downstairs. The wickedness emanating from the corner of the room was palpable, and Connor found himself trembling.
Bo quickly went to work, setting out the candles and lighting them, then pouring the salt in the circle.
“Prayers, please.” They all began their litanies of prayer, trying to send Bo the strength she would need to dispel the ghostly figure in the corner.
As Bo went about her preparations, and the others prayed, Louise’s movements seemed to become agitated. Whereas before, she had just been floating, now she bobbed up and down, her fists clenched at her sides. Her mouth opened wide in a scream of rage, but no sound came out, but Bo, her back to the entity, winced. Connor realized she could hear her.
“It’s okay, guys. She’s stronger than I though, but the process is the same. We are cleansing this room, and dismissing her from this place. Keep up the prayers, they help me a lot.” Bo reassured the tense group.
Jessie had stuck by Connor’s side, and he now put his arm around her protectively, pulling her close to him, eyeing the ghost in the corner.
Bo put salt in the corners of the room, as well as the circle, and Connor watched her, questioning her with his eyes.
“It’s to keep her from moving on to a different part of the house. I don’t want to have to chase her around. Salt can be an anchor of sorts. We’ll keep her in this room, while we expel her.” She explained.
Louise opened her mouth in another silent scream, anger pouring from her, before she lurched from her corner. Everybody intuitively stepped inside the circle of salt, and sure enough, Louise hovered just outside of it, drifting around the perimeter, as if looking for a way to breech it. Jessie shuddered in Connor’s arms. He continued holding her, trying to give comfort he didn’t feel. Terror coursed through his veins, but he didn't show it, trying to impart reassurance to others in the room. He wondered at his desire to be so 'manly', but just knew that it was something he had to do--put on a strong face, so that's what he did.
“Hold hands, and keep up the prayers.” Bo closed her eyes, and began. “Louise, this is no longer your home.” She paused, flinching slightly, as the specter hovered near Bo, shouting words only Bo could hear. “You need to move on. You don’t belong here anymore. Your mother is waiting for you on the other side. Your father is gone. There is nothing left for you here. Please move on.” She lit the smudge stick, fanning the smoke throughout the circle before standing up to waft it around the room. As soon as she stepped out of the circle, Louise was in front of her. She gave a powerful shove against Bo, propelling her back. Bo held the herb bundle high in the air, saying, “It’s time for you to go, now. This is no longer your home, Louise.”
Louise’s face showed intense concentration, as if drawing strength, before she rammed into Bo again, this time sending her against the wall and slithering to a heap on the floor. Connor stood to go help Bo up, and as soon as he stepped out of the circle, Louise was on him.
Instead of pushing him, he was surrounded by the terrifying sensation of walking through spider webs, and he could see her trying to embrace him. “No Louise. You need to go, now.” He tried to go around her, through her, but she was everywhere. The smell of rotten straw nauseated him, and suddenly, he was in the dream again.
He lay on the floor, with her straddling him, as before, only this time, he wasn’t naked. He could hear Bo’s voice in the background, a low, unintelligible murmur that he couldn't understand. Louise began writhing on top of Connor, but he managed to resist the urge to couple with the apparition. He was aware of the others in the room, but couldn't turn his head to look at them. His limbs were not obeying his commands.
“Stop, Louise.” Connor managed to croak out.
She paused in her gyrations and looked at him quizzically before resuming her dry-humping. Connor could feel his reluctant arousal, and groaned. “Stop!” He managed to grab at her, but she wasn’t solid, even though he could feel her grind against his erection. “Go, Louise. I don’t want you!” He said harshly, through gritted teeth, shame radiating from him.
She stilled, and looked at him. He repeated himself, stronger this time. "Go away, Louise. I don't want you here!" He didn't recognize his voice, a harsh growl. Connor watched the expressions on her face, a mixture of emotions from anger, to sadness, and finally, to resignation.
Slowly, she rose from Connor, and floated over to where Bo was standing. Connor stood shakily, and resumed his spot in the circle, having learned his lesson about leaving it.
Bo repeated her words. “It’s time for you to move on, Louise. Your mother is waiting for you. She misses you.” Bo wafted the smudge stick in Louise’s direction. Louise looked at Connor one last time, her face full of longing and sorrow, then slowly faded away.
Nobody spoke for a moment. Finally, Jessie broke the silence. “Is that it? Is it over?”
“Here’s the deal. Nobody talks about them. Ever. Sometimes, they begin to think you miss them, and they return. I know it sounds silly, but they’re gone for now. I don’t think they’ll come back, but it never hurts to be on the safe side.” Grabbing a knapsack, she retrieved a large bundle of herbs. "I'm going to cleanse the rest of the premises, just to make sure, but this should be okay. You guys can stay here, or go hang outside while I do it, if you want."
Summer expelled a pent up breath, but didn’t say anything. She reached over and squeezed Connor’s hand, reassuringly, before getting up to leave.
Connor looked over at Bo, whose tan face had paled considerably during the ordeal, and she had dark circles under her eyes. “Thank you, Bo. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
She smiled at him listlessly. “After I rest up, we’ll get together and talk someplace else. Give me a couple of days, ‘kay?”
“Sure.” Connor hugged the tall woman, not having to stoop at all. She squeezed him back before turning to follow Summer out.
Jessie looked at him squarely. “What now?” She looked around the room, and crossed her arms, as if warding off a chill.
Connor noticed her arms and asked, “Do you still feel anything?”
She shook her head. “No, but I still have the heebie jeebies. Watching her do that to you was really creepy. I’m sorry…”
Connor pulled her into a tight embrace, rubbing her back with his hands. “It’s okay. It was creepy, but it’s over. I don’t smell her. I think she really left.” He rested his nose in the t
op of her head, inhaling the scent of Jessie’s hair. “ In fact, I feel really good, for the first time ever, here. Do you want to lie down? I’m suddenly exhausted.” His bones ached with weariness. As much as he wanted to get out of here, he couldn’t do it. Besides, this was his home, and he couldn’t let memories of a ghost chase him away.
“Yeah, me too.”
Connor led her over to the bed, and lying down, he pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her. Nuzzling her shoulder with his chin, he said softly, “I love you, Jessie.”
“I love you, too, Connor.” She replied, in a whisper. He laid there, snuggling against her, until he felt Jessie’s breathing turn rhythmic and he knew she was sleeping. Only then, was he able to sleep.
Chapter 17
Jessie awoke the next morning to light streaming in through the windows. Cocooned in Connor’s arms, Jessie felt a sense of security she never thought she’d feel anywhere in his house. Unable to believe that they’d actually been able to fall asleep here, she looked around the room. There were no impressions of Louise remaining in the loft, and for that, Jessie was grateful.
Her gaze turned to Connor, still sleeping peacefully. She raised an arm and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. At her touch, he murmured in his sleep, his grip on her tightening. Jessie wondered if he was having a dream, and if so, what it was about. His mouth turned up at the edges, and his eyebrows were raised slightly, so Jessie surmised whatever it was, it must be good.
She snuggled into his arms deeper, wrapping her arms around him, and pushing her body next to his. She felt the first flickers of desire course through her body, as she sidled up next to his warmth. As if in response, he shifted in the bed, pulling her hips closer to his, so she could feel his erection.
Taking this as a sign of encouragement, Jessie kissed his adam’s apple, then his neck and shoulder. He tasted so good, she continued trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down his hard chest. When she got to his abdomen, she felt his breath hitch under her mouth, as the muscles tensed.
“Jessie?” Connor asked tentatively.
“Yes?” She replied between trailing kisses down to his waistband.
“Just making sure.” He chuckled, and Jessie felt herself warm with desire at the low, husky sound. “Um…good morning?”
“Yes. It is.” She undid the button to his shorts and slid them down his legs, before continuing her kisses through the curls of hair, and up the length of his shaft. She could hear ragged groans from above her, and she looked up to see Connor staring down at her in wonder.
She opened her mouth and licked him from base to tip, and back down again, before taking him inside her mouth.
“My God!” Connor gasped. Jessie knew she was good at this, and she wanted to give Connor an experience to appreciate. After all he’d been through, the least she could do was give the man a mind-numbing blow job.
As Jessie sucked, alternating long, slow strokes with short fast ones, Connor’s hands gripped her shoulders, then moved up to her hair. He gripped it in handfuls, at first just holding it out of the way, then pushing her head down. Connor’s breath was ragged, and his groans got louder.
Jessie sucked harder, and Connor started trembling. She could feel his cock pulse on her tongue, right before he pulled her off him. Flipping her over, and straddling her in one fluid movement, Connor was all over her. His mouth was on hers, his hands were on her breasts, and he rubbed himself along the apex of her thighs. Jessie was overcome by the feeling of Connor everywhere. His caresses, his strokes, his kisses made her shudder with need.
“Connor…”
“Yeah, baby? What do you want?” He breathed at her between kisses.
“I need you. Now.” She grasped his shoulders as she arched her back to feel more of his body against hers.
“Music to my ears.” He groaned as he clutched her hips, raising her bottom as he plunged inside of her. She gasped in pleasure, raising her hips to meet his thrusts. She could feel the warm desire surge through her veins as Connor filled her with each plunge. She felt so complete with him inside her, as if a piece of her had been missing her entire life, and Connor was it, filling all the voids inside.
As she rose closer to her climax, Connor sped up his pace, groaning aloud as she gasped his name. He covered her mouth with his, and Jessie felt it coming. She arched her back one more time, as the muscles from her thighs to her core clenched in painful ecstasy. Connor drove himself inside once more, before freezing above her, crying out, then collapsing on top of Jessie, breathing coarsely.
“Oh. My. God.” Jessie breathed.
“Yes?” Connor replied.
She smiled at his lame joke, “I’ve been with a lot of guys, and none of them compare.”
“You’ve got to stop talking about former lovers. It hurts the ego.”
“Even if I say you’re the best?” She teased him.
“I’d rather hear that I’m the only.” He replied, straight-faced, before covering her mouth in another toe-curling kiss.
Before losing herself, Jessie broke away from the kiss, breathing hard. "I honestly didn't mean to spend the entire night here. I can't believe we slept so much."
"Exorcisms can be exhausting." Connor nuzzled against her neck.
"I still have to go milk the goats. They're probably hurting by now. And I've got a couple of calls to make today." Jessie had thought of something that she could contribute to their relationship.
"Yeah?"
Kissing him on the nose, suddenly ecstatic about her idea, she responded, "Yeah. Come over tonight, okay?"
"Okay."
Chapter 18
Two months later…
Connor had joined the local Chamber of Commerce, and his ribbon cutting was tonight. He had decided to hold a Chamber Mixer at the restaurant, and he’d been nervous. He had some new recipes he was introducing to the Chamber members tonight, and he seemed unusually anxious about the evening. He insisted Jessie come for moral support, as if she would miss it.
She showered, and shaved carefully. Then she paid careful attention to her hair. After the phone call this morning, she was hyper aware of her relationship with Connor, and as ‘his’, she wanted to look good standing next to him. Spending more time than usual on her makeup, she declared herself pretty, then slipped on the dress she had bought especially for this evening. It was a black thigh-length slip dress, cut low in the back. It showed off her long legs, and her toned arms. She spun in front of the mirror, excited about the chance to dress up and wear something besides jeans for a change.
Louise had not been back, and she and Connor had been allowed to develop their relationship on their own terms, in peace. Jessie was more than please with the way things had turned out. She had dressed carefully, because this event was important to Connor, and she wanted to be there to support him.
Jessie had never known what it was like to want to support a man, to help him, to love him, and to have him do the same in return. She had found pleasures in the relationship she didn’t realize were possible. The sex was outstanding, to say the least, but she suspected there was so much more to it. The relationship thing was good, too.
And she loved it. All of it.
She went to Connor’s early, to see if he needed any help setting up. He was in the dining room, looking gorgeous as usual in his chef’s coat, and charcoal slacks. Jessie went to him and hugged him.
“You all ready?”
“Just about.” His eyes seared her flesh, warming her veins. “You look delicious.” His voice was husky. “I’ve never seen you so dressed up.” Holding her hand above her head, he spun her in a lazy circle, eyeing her from head to toe. He pulled her to his body, and whispered in her ear, “I am looking forward to taking it off of you later…” His hands lazily stroked her back, sending heat coursing through her body.
Jessie giggled, and slapped his shoulder. “Focus. You need to get through tonight, first.”
He cleared his throat. “Right.” H
e looked around the room. “I think I’m all set up in here. What do you think?”
She perused the room. There was a microphone and sound equipment set up in the corner, and the tables and chairs were angled toward it. There was a buffet table set up on the side against the stairs, already laden with chafing dishes and sterno cans. Another corner had a bar set up, waiting for Kathy to tend it.
“Is someone performing tonight?” He hadn’t said anything about that, but he’d made so many last minute changes she really had no idea what he had planned.
“Um…I’m going to give a little speech, nothing major. But I didn’t want people to have to crane their necks.”
“It looks great. What’s going on in the kitchen?” She could hear the bustle, and people chattering from behind the doors.
“Finishing touches. We have a little time, if you want to run out to the carriage house…” His husky voice made her look at him, and she saw desire in his eyes.
“Think about something else, we don’t have time for that.” She said with another giggle.
“I’m just nervous, and that’s all I can think that might take the edge off.”
“Well, have a drink instead.”
A familiar voice came in the front door.
“Hey, Bro! Long time, no see!” Luke came over to them, and gave Connor a brotherly, back-slapping hug before turning to hug Jessie and kiss her on the cheek. He looked her up and down before giving her a wolf-whistle. “Wow. You clean up nice.” He looked at Connor and gave him a not-so-subtle thumbs up. Jessie laughed at him.
“Have you seen Kathy since you’ve been in town?” Jessie asked.
“Not yet, I’m supposed to meet her here.” He replied.
As if she heard them talking about her, Kathy stepped through the door that separated the kitchen and dining rooms. “LUKE!” She ran and threw herself in his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him ferociously. He returned the favor.
Jessie and Connor looked on, amused. Jessie turned to Connor, “When is he going to realize he needs to move back here?”