No she couldn't. Not where I was going to hang it anyway. But getting her out to the house... yes she'd be alone with me, no distractions, and she'd pretty much be stranded out there, the perfect ploy. Now I admit, that part of the process invariably made me feel like an oily predator but I nevertheless always found it roller coaster exciting.
"C'mon," I said picking up her canvas, "let's go."
"Now?" she asked, astonished.
"You want to be paid, don't you?"
"Well, yeah. Okay. Is it far? I don't like to ride the bus back after dark, my neighborhoodn'all."
"I'll drive you home. Have you eaten? How about Chinese?" I didn't give her a chance to say no, just walked her out past Janelle telling Janelle Chinese. She knew what I meant. I had Jaesha in my car before she had time to blink. That, I came to learn, was the essential element in dealing with Jaesha: never give her time to think.
Chapter Four
Jaesha
His house was as incredible as his office. Beautiful, but in a stark, unadorned way. (But he didn't show me where my drawing could go without doing exactly what it had done at his office: overwhelm the room. Oh well, he liked it, he was going to pay, so who cared?) The house was richly furnished but had an unnatural quality about it, too designer meticulous, like it was unlived in. It looked like it was just for show, for the occasional visitor, and reminded me of empty houses that realtors dress up to make potential buyers think somebody actually lived there (sometimes they rented my paintings).
Once I saw it though, I knew for sure what Kenneth's real reason for bringing me out to it was and it sure didn't have anything to do with my drawing. I'd seen that screamer on TV being arrested. Kenneth wanted to question me about it. Interrogate more like. And I'd decided I was going to answer him since I figured that anything but a direct manner with a guy like him might be fatal. If I could convince him, maybe he'd stop thinking I was some kind of Mata Hari like I'd bet he was thinking. I didn't want an enemy in Kenneth Stone, I rathered he thought of me as just some harmless weirdo. And the truth was, he'd grown on me.
I'd googled him. He was a major philanthropist, and not the phony kind, but the real he-made-a-difference kind. Hands on. He rescued stolen African kids from a crazy despot's army when not one single Western government had stepped up to help. I felt a bit guilty how I'd automatically assumed he was a prick. He'd done nothing but treat me fairly and kindly (except for the Miss) and he hadn't made a stink at all about... it. And damn, truth be told he was just so good looking and I'd seen no wedding ring (and I'd looked). I knew a guy like him would never be interested in someone like me, but, well, I had a pretty energetic fantasy life and he'd started showing up in it.
Kenneth led me through his black and white tiled entrance hall and into his living room where there were several dishes of Chinese food (hot!), plates, glasses, everything, perfectly laid out. How had he done that? He motioned me to sit and served me himself, all the stuff I loved but couldn't afford (I lived on canned spaghetti). I was making polite small talk, about art mostly, but could see he was getting antsy, impatient with me. If I'd seen then what his impatience with me was capable of, I probably would've run screaming from the house. I guess it proves that sometimes ignorance is bliss. In my case anyway. In my case ignorance was essential.
"You want to know about that screamer," I blurted out, ending his torment. I could see how taken aback he was at my abruptness.
"Yes, Jaesha, of course I do," he said with polite but so artificial patience.
"Did he get your money?"
"No. You saved me fifty million dollars, not to mention becoming the titillating laughingstock of many a companies' boardroom meetings. How did you do it?"
Fifty million. My God. The damn thing had finally done something. Something good! I took one long deep breath. So strange I was going to tell him, I'd never talked about it to anyone.
"I'm not sure. I've always had it, it's no big deal. It's just that really bad people have a kind of cloud about them. Maybe everyone does, I don't know." I tried to make my voice sound offhand, minimize the thing as much as possible.
"A cloud?" he asked in masterful restraint.
"That's what it feels like. It's cold. It's freeze-your-bones cold. While I'm in it, I can feel what it's made of --with your screamer it was made of his Ponzi scheme and what he was planning to do to you."
"You do this with all 'evil' people?"
"Good lord no. I don't 'do it' with anyone. I don't dictate it, it's purely accidental. It happens or it doesn't. For all I know ax murderers walk right past me and I don't notice a thing."
"And how often does this happen to you?"
"When I was a kid, a lot. Now, not so much. Last one before your screamer was two years ago, a man who'd killed his wife. I skedaddled. I don't take on screamers, they scare the pants off me." To my amazement I thought he actually believed me, maybe because he'd been there, seen me react to that screamer himself, and then again he also knew I'd been completely right about the man.
"What about your drawing, that whole 'dark, powerful, hungry' thing. What was that about?" he asked, his benign smile still perfectly in place. Jeepers!
"Oh, that's nothing. When I draw someone live I can usually see something on the canvas. Like one time I saw a woman was pregnant and I don't think even she knew. Another time that a man had a huge gambling problem. Sometimes I see they're sick --you'd be surprised how many people get their portraits done after they've been told they have cancer-- things like that. Sometimes I think it's a little piece of their soul I'm seeing, but it's not like I'm spying on them, they come to me. You... you really are believing me?"
"'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,'" Kenneth quoted. Kenneth knew his Shakespeare. He paused for a long minute, like he was considering something. And then he just changed, relaxed, while at the same time his gaze on me became fixed, with an intensity that for some reason sent an apprehensive shudder through me. His mouth twitched, almost like he was about to indulge in some kind of private amusement. I knew whatever he was about to say he was going to enjoy very much. His unrelenting stare nearly hypnotized me with nervous anticipation.
"You have trusted your secret to me," he said, "not to mention done me a truly beneficial service. So in return I think I'm going to entrust a secret I have to you. Astounding, yes? We are not much more than strangers to each other yet here we are. I can tell you what the darkness you saw on the canvas was. Better, I can show you if you're willing. It may frighten you. It should not. It is a wonderful thing, an incredible thing, something few know of and fewer achieve." He sounded almost ceremonious, and sincere enough that he could've been talking to an IRS auditor.
"What?" I asked as I felt an involuntary shiver of unease wash through me.
"That is what may be frightening to you. It's about sex," he intoned wryly, but his eyes were watching me closely, blazing, probing.
SEX? I gotta get outta here!
Now I sure wasn't expecting that It's-about-sex and my heart rate spiked Ker boom! I became practically immobilized by a vague yet piercing awareness of danger somewhere.
"If you were to ask the foremost experts in the field of sex research --and it is astonishing how many self-proclaimed experts in that field there are-- they would universally tell you that there is only one kind of orgasm in human beings, because that is all they know," he sniffed derisively. "Their argument is that we are in reality animals, and therefore physically limited to the sexual response of animals, such nonsense. For whatever reason, God gave us an intellect far superior to even the smartest animals on this planet, yet these so-called experts automatically assume our stratospheric intellect plays no role in our sexual response. Quite the contrary, it can play a massive role. I in no way mean to denigrate whatever your sex life is, but I can guarantee you it is purely physical, limited, your brain virtually shut off, your body and instincts dictating all. And while that is certainly enjoyable, acceptable for a lifetime even, it is
most definitely not all there is. More things in heaven and earth, Jaesha," he said softly.
"I... I don't think I get it," I sputtered, flustered (and nosireee, didn't think I wanted to get it). I felt my face flushing.
"There is another kind of orgasm, one that occurs when the mind dictates, that is, runs the show," he smiled, "not the body. And that orgasm is far superior. And it doesn't fade over time; once you have truly mastered it, it will be as pure and exciting with your partner thereafter as long as you are together. And my secret is that I know how to do this, and I know how to bring a woman to this. I was taught. And now I teach. And yes, you saw it correctly, it's powerful, it's hungry, but no, I don't consider it dark though I can understand why you would interpret it that way. The preparation to achieve it is difficult, perhaps could be called dark. Would you like to see where I instruct, my Ascendant Suite? I will show it to you if you're curious although I doubt it's anything like what you're imagining right now. It's where I'm going to hang your drawing, it will fit there perfectly."
Now I knew what Ascendant meant --it meant Dominant, Controlling, Ruling, Superior, Overriding. To me it meant Jaesha-you-are-in-some-heavy-duty-crapola. But when you get an invitation like that from such a burning hot icon of a man, what do you do? He was going to show me... whoa. His offer left me giddy, reeling, and I knew I should never have stuck my finger into the crotch of his portrait --this was payback.
But as to my sex life, I had no sex life, no orgasms of either kind, physical or the mental ones he seemed so proud over. And in truth I was bristling with curiosity, I wanted to see his Ascendant Suite, it wasn't like he had to drag me up there. Well, that first time anyway.
Upon my arrival at Kenneth's house I'd seen an ornately carved heavy stone stairway that led up to the second floor that I of course had assumed was just bedrooms decorated in the same beautiful austerity of the first floor. Kenneth rose and motioned me to follow him up that staircase. At the top was a large landing that looked down upon the first floor, the entrance of his house. The curious thing about that landing however, was that at both of its ends there were large double doors made out of what I thought was thick black glass. Kenneth walked up to the doors on the right, took a key card out of his pocket and swiped it through a small raised slot on one of the doors. The doors immediately opened inward. My feeling of bravery instantly vanished.
"Don't worry Jaesha, the doors are locked only on this side, anyone inside can get out whenever they wish. I do not create fire hazards." I sort of thought he was laughing at me and in a pretty brusque way.
I followed him in and it was like stepping into another world. The hallway continued in thick plush turquoise carpeting with the same kind of sumptuous paintings on the walls I'd seen in the foyer of his office, but it was light, airy, welcoming. I heard a soft whoosh behind me, turned, and saw that the doors had closed, but I could see through them easily out to the landing. I just couldn't help myself, I reached out and lightly touched one of the doors and sure enough it instantly swung back open. Curiously the glass hadn't felt like glass, more like a mixture of glass, plastic, even metal, some substance totally unknown to me. I followed Kenneth down the hall until he paused at the end, next to a door. I came very close to turning tail and running for it but Kenneth, no doubt sensing my impending flight, solicitously seized hold of my hand and propelled me firmly through the opened doorway.
My. Oh. My.
I think somewhere deep inside I already knew it was too late, that I didn't have a prayer.
Chapter Five
Kenneth
I finalized my decision to make Jaesha Gloria's successor the moment she'd explained to me about her screamer talent. Her embarrassed confession had had that indefinable note of innocent truth, and I believed her, and I thought imagine what a talent like hers could do for me in my business. There are plenty of Sols in my world and to know what they're thinking, what they're up to? Priceless. Well she had her little talent and I sure had mine. I was going to bind Jaesha Hampstead to me and I was superbly effective at such endeavors.
And there was something about her, something that touched me. I liked her, she had an easy inherent sweetness that just made me feel naturally buoyant around her. I was also quite intrigued by the bewildered, forlorn, compelling need that was so obvious in her. I can always tell baby.
I knew there would be problems, knew it might not work. She wasn't the right material at all, totally the wrong personality type (she was a smartass) and she would no doubt have mega trouble with it, but I was already thinking of the adjustments I could make in it for her. The trouble she'd have would of course auger trouble for me too but oh, if it worked it would be so worth it, a thousand times worth it, even if it turned out I couldn't hold her. And even if I could never get her trained completely, it would still be fun to discover how far I could take her, how much I could actually get her tamed to my will. But if I could possess her, how fabulous it would be with a talent like hers and with the feelings she'd already begun to ignite in me --like something had transpired, something lovely but utterly insidious and vaguely narcotic.
Jaesha Hampstead, your about-to-be-new-life has just become Stone Enterprises priority number one. Carpé diem, baby, carpé diem!
The first thing I did was get her up to the Ascendant Suite, had to see her reaction, see if there was a chance in hell she'd go for it. I led her up the stairs thinking thank God I knew about those student loans of hers. I was also very glad that after Gloria's departure I'd covered most of the furniture and equipment in the Suite so that when Jaesha walked into it I would be able to "ease" her into the idea. But as I said, I soon learned it was just the opposite with Jaesha, always best for her not to see or understand what was coming.
She walked in and her eyes immediately became popeyed as they swept the room.
"Come, sit with me," I motioned leading her across the room to the fireplace, seeing her wonderment at its large size. To my delight she did, blinking uncomprehendingly as she walked across the room (eyeballing everything even though most of it was covered) and sat down in second chair as I'd indicated. I touched the switch on the mantelpiece and the fire (wood, not gas) crackled immediately into life. I also flicked the dimmer, set it on three quarters, ten minute time span. I knew that with her artist's eye she'd detect the dimming light but I wanted to see if it rattled her, made her nervous. I didn't want her frightened of me, and if she was, I wanted to soothe her, help her know that she was always safe with me. I sat down in first chair and smiled at her.
"You must have a lot of questions," I said, eager to begin her instruction.
"The obvious," she responded cryptically but it was easy to spot the bewildered gullibility in her eyes. She was spellbound. A good sign.
"Which is?"
"What do you do here?" she asked.
"Perhaps I should start at the beginning, what the beginning was for me anyway. If you don't mind listening?" She didn't answer so I continued. "I was very popular in high school, and by that I mean with girls. By sixteen I had a very active sex life. I cringe when I look back at it now, what my dates had to put up with, my totally selfish behavior. When I turned eighteen I did the usual, procured a fake ID, went to a bar where fate smiled on me. I met the most extraordinary woman, she was ten years my senior and changed my life. I don't know why she selected me that night, she never really explained that, just said she saw I 'had it in me.'"
"Had what?"
"The ability to replace base instinct with thoughtful behavior. Sexually. Now I know you don't know what that is, so let me explain. Your physical body rules your behavior during sex, does it not?" I saw a shadow cross her face but I thought it was just the dimmer kicking in. "But there is a way Jaesha, with instruction and practice, over time, to change that. To make it so that your body doesn't master you during sex, instead your mind totally and completely directs not only your body, but to an eminent extent your partner's body as well. And this union creates an orgasm in you both tha
t is more intense, more long lasting and fulfilling than anything I'm sure you have ever experienced, and again, I mean no disrespect to you. This woman taught me how to do this. And I eventually reached a point where I became able to teach others. A phenomenal bit of luck for an eighteen year old."
"You make it sound like you can do magic."
"I suppose in a way that's exactly what I do. Just like you, don't you think?"
"And that's what happens here? You 'train' women to do... that thing you said?"
"Precisely, but not in the way you're thinking, there is not a string of women being led through here. When I commit to teach a woman I am devoted to her, I am completely monogamous with her. And I take total care of her, she becomes as important to me as my own life."
"And slashes your portrait."
She'd not only cut across my narrative, she'd leveled me. Deliberately. Yep, an absolute smartass. Oh the things I would have to do to break her. I stood up. I walked firmly toward her, dominating her with my will as I leaned over her. I saw her attempt to shrink down into the chair, a chair designed to become an encompassing prison with such behavior. I paused, enjoying making her wait for me to continue.
"Now you will listen to me," I commanded quietly, "and you will not interrupt. The ripped portrait became unfortunately part of the leaving process, a bittersweet end I never create, always it is the woman who leaves me. Even with what I offer, women want marriage and babies, and I do not. But would it surprise you to know that the woman who slashed my portrait had lunch with me yesterday and we are well on our way to becoming friends? We will get there. The women I have instructed know that as long as they wish to keep their bond with me, they can come to me for help in their lives at any time. There will be no sex, but there will always be a bond, at least until they choose to break it. They hold that power, not me." I sat back down careful not to break eye contact, that was always essential.
"How many?" she asked audaciously but in a smaller voice. The dimmed light had started to quiet her.
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