“Then, come take it, Selene,” I say, my voice becoming raspy with need. I finish undressing myself and swing my hair back so that Selene can get a good look at all of me. She bites her lip and motions for me to turn around. I oblige, perking my ass in the air as I hear Selene’s breath catch at the sight of me and my love dripping down.
Slowly, methodically, Selene licks. Strong powerful strokes cause my body to shudder as she attends to every drop that has run down my legs. Then, she takes one long, painfully slow lick from my opening to my clit. Just as I’m gasping for breath, I feel her press two wonderful, long, expert fingers inside of me. Selene continues her assault on my clit, somehow sliding under me as my hips buck from the pleasure.
It isn’t long before my world is exploding and my center is pressed harder against Selene’s mouth. “More,” I somehow manage to demand. Selene acknowledges me by telling me to again turn around. As I do, she pushes my head down and tells me quietly to taste her. I shudder again at the anticipation and happily let my tongue enter her body, exploring, tasting, teasing, as she screams my name and climaxes under me.
We find more and more ways to please each other as we allow our body’s need to drown out our pain. Even though I’m sure we could have explored our passion even further, sleep finally overcomes us. We lay huddled together in sweat and bliss.
◊◊◊
I wake up first and bask in the warmth and numbness that I feel. I sit and stare at Selene for a few minutes before I have to search for something to eat. I decide on oatmeal, fruit, and a slice of toast. I read 10:15 on the clock as I make enough for Selene. I set her portions on the table just as there’s a soft knock at the door. I quickly go back in Selene’s room where, thankfully, she’s still sleeping. I reach in her drawer and pull out a big jersey that she likes to sleep in and a pair of boxers before I answer the door. Yes, I had cooked naked. I enjoy the freedom since I can never do that at my house. The person knocks again, a little louder this time and I rush to look out of the window and discover that it’s Damien.
I open the door and purposely roll my eyes while pretending to look at my imaginary watch on my wrist. Damien ignores my rudeness, takes in my clothes, wild hair, and laughs. “Boy, you are one lucky woman,” he tells me.
“Hmm, don’t I know it,” I agree as I think about all the love we made, and how Selene finally opened up to me. “I love her Damien,” I confess again, willing to shout it to whoever will listen.
Damien punches me lightly on the arm and tells me, “Well then you need to start bringing her around more so I can see what you love so much about her.”
“I don’t know D. I can’t have you falling in love with my woman.”
He laughs for a couple seconds, then switches subjects. “Yeah, yeah, Ray Ray. Your taste is so much better than mine right? Please, you got your taste from me. I’m the master. But, anyway, how are you feeling now after everything?”
Damien pulls me down to the porch swing and stands protectively with his arms crossed, over me. His dark sunglasses make his eyes unreadable, but I know that if he were to remove them, they would be dark with concern.
I wipe nonexistent sweat from my forehead as I replay everything I saw last night. I also remember D’s last words to me, that there was still more that I needed to know. When enough time had passed, I answer, “I have mixed emotions about it, but I think that I understand why he does it, even if I don’t agree. I mean, if that is the reputation that daddy needs to uphold, then when does it stop? Shit Damien, I might as well have a mob boss for a father. He’s playing a dangerous game and if he loses, then what are we left with?”
“You’re right. It is a dangerous game and it’s one that Jason has been playing for a long time. People respect and fear him. He,”
“If he’s so respected, then how the fuck did his people get mailed back to him in pieces!” I have to lower my voice as I continue. “There will always be someone else willing to do what it takes to obtain power,” I finish angrily as I understand what Selene was telling me about her brutal rape. Her father’s lust for power was so great that he sacrificed his own daughter. In the end, what would my own dad be capable of?
“I’m sorry Rayne. I shouldn’t have tried to come over here convincing you of something you know to be untrue.” He sits down beside me. “I really did want to make sure you were okay. You know I love you, but I can’t protect you from everything, and there are things you still need to know.”
I laugh almost hysterically and D gives me a frown, but I don’t care if he thinks I’m crazy. “Look man, I’m really not ready for any more revelations. Seriously, I need a couple days before I hear everything else.”
“Rayne-“ he starts, then shuts himself up.
“It’s becoming obvious to me that daddy is not transparent when it comes to his business dealings and also the technology that he’s making. If he wants me to see weapons of death and destruction and have me learn about shady business dealings, then he can tell me himself. You don’t need to be doing his dirty work.”
“There’s more to it than that. There are things that you need to know about what’s going on in the world if you are to be safe.” With that, Damien looks up toward the door as Selene opens it gently.
Selene steps out on the porch looking every bit like a Brazilian model. Adriana Lima doesn’t stand a chance. I’d expected Damien to be giving her the same eye as me, but when I turn to face him, prepped to say something smart, I see that he’s taken off his sunglasses and is sporting a judgmental frown. It’s hard to understand the point of the staring contest between him and Selene and as I get ready to speak, Selene opens her mouth.
“Good morning, Damien. I see that you’re one that stole my Rayne from me. When I woke up alone, I was worried, especially after all that had been revealed last night.” Her accent is thick with curiosity, questioning toward Damien as if she knows something I do not.
I don’t like it. There’s tension here and to me it feels like there is something going on between them. But, that can’t be right, D would never lie to me about something like that and I knew that Selene doesn’t like men at all, so it couldn’t be any sexual history between them. Still, what I’m sensing is making me uncomfortable. I shift in my seat.
“Sorry about that Selene. I won’t keep her from you any longer. But-“ Damien pauses as he put back on his sunglasses. “Perhaps, since you seem to be well traveled, you can fill our Rayne in on some of the dangers of the world.”
Huh? What was that? Was D assuming she was taking advantage of me?
“Damien, don’t be rude,” I chastise him.
He leans down and kisses my cheek. I smell the Sean John cologne that he loves to wear so much. “I’m sorry Ray Ray. I’ll be good. You just be sure that you are careful. Use good judgment, with your heart and mind.”
“I’m not going to hurt her, Damien,” Selene tells him.
He doesn’t turn around as he takes off down the walkway. “You may not mean to, but sometimes the world has other plans.”
I look up at Selene and I swear I see something shift in her eyes. Yet, my attention turns back to Damien as he yells, “Fuck!” when he pulls on the door handle to his car, removes his hand quickly, and starts blowing on it. With one more quick look up towards us, he gets back in the car and speeds off.
I open my mouth to ask just what the heck is going on, but Selene reaches for my hand and helps me up before saying, “Thank you for the breakfast.”
I kiss her cheek and lead her back into the house. “Thanks for last night, sexy.” She laughs and smacks me on my ass.
I don’t let it go that easily though. “So, what was that about with D? Have you two ever had a conversation that I didn’t know about?”
She scowls but quickly tries to amend her expression. “No, but he thinks he knows my type, that much is obvious.”
“Hmmm, well if that type is super attractive, funny, loving, and wonderfully skilled in bed, then yes, he’s got your type alr
ight,” I tell her as I follow her into the bedroom and she starts the shower.
Selene laughs and to add an exclamation point to what I just said, pulls her shirt off over her head and stands naked in front of me, gracing me with the presence of flawless, smooth, lightly bronzed skin. I don’t think I can ever get tired of the view in front of me.
“Well, Ray Ray,” Selene starts, mocking the nickname that only Damien calls me. “If I fit that type, then, he really has no idea. Look how sexually repressed he seems to be. Huge muscles, sunglasses, permanent frown. He needs some sex like yesterday.”
I laugh and shake my head as Selene steps into the shower and closes the curtain. After a few seconds of thought, I get up and go shower in the main bathroom down the hall. By the time I finish, I hear Selene bumping Usher’s 8701 album through her system and I watch quietly as she washes our dishes in a red half shirt and black, laced, boy-short panties. Compared to me, Selene has more of a curvy body. Her hair is a dark veil that is much longer than mine. She’s an inch or two taller than my 5’6” frame, and her breasts are a little larger than my 36 b cups. I take it all in, breathing deep as I examine my love. How’d I get to be so lucky?
Chapter Five
By nightfall, I realize that I haven’t even bothered to check my phone. So consumed in the bubble of peaceful bliss that surrounded Selene and I as we took her black Dodge Charger to a movie, out to eat, then walked around downtown enjoying the sights and sounds, I never even noticed that my phone wasn’t on me. Back in Selene’s bedroom, I reach for my phone on the charger and find ten missed calls and three voicemails.
The most recent voicemail pops up and is from Jazzy. Normally, I don’t do voicemails, but since it’s from her and she usually texts, I decide to see what’s up.
“Rayne… Rayne… please, don’t come home, something’s…” three seconds of Jasmine whispering those words into the line, fearful, pleading, before I hear the most gut-wrenching scream ripped from her. I drop the phone on the hard floor and hear it crack. Part of me recognizes that Selene is next to me, shaking me, questioning me.
There’s a knot in my stomach and I know that something’s wrong. I should call the police, I should… “Take me home Selene, right now,” I demand as I run out the door. I can hear Selene behind me rushing to the driveway, keys jingling. The twenty five minute drive to my house seems to take an eternity even with Selene running lights and speeding for my sake. I try to reach my dad, mom, Jazzy, nothing.
‘It’s a practical joke’ I tell myself. I don’t know how many times I repeat it. Not enough I guess, because I never end up believing the words.
We reach the grounds’ front gate and the first thing I see is the entrance’s bars ripped from its hinges. As Selene carefully drives around, I notice that one of the help is lying under the broken gate, the spiked decorations piercing through his body. Before Selene is even stopped, I jump out the car and start sprinting to my house. Somehow, Selene manages to catch me, showing speed I would have never known she possessed. She grabs my arm firmly, forcing me to a standstill. I attempt to pull away from her giving her a stare that could frighten death itself.
“If you don’t want me to break your arm now, you will let me go Selene.”
“Stop,” she commands, ignoring my own. She continues to keep an iron grip on my arm and I begin to feel weaker under her grip. Selene looks toward the house, obviously frightened and takes two steps back. “This feels wrong. I can feel the evil inside,” she whispers, her voice trembling.
“Selene, please,” I plead. “Let me go. I have to see.”
“If I let you go, you have to promise me that you will stay by my side Rayne. I won’t be able to protect you if you don’t.”
“Yes, yes, okay, just let me go,” I agree just so there won’t be any more time wasted. Together, we run straight into my home because this door too is ripped off the hinges and is lying a good twenty feet from the door way. Why isn’t the security system working? Immediately I try to turn on a light and call for someone to answer me. There is no response or power to the house and a profound fear truly sets in this time.
“Call the police Rayne,” my clouded mind registers Selene tell me.
“No. Not until I know.” I have to find my sister, my mom, my dad.
As I walk deeper and more carefully in the house, I begin to smell two disturbing things. First, I smell gunpowder and as I look closely at the walls, I see a mess of bullet holes piercing paintings and shattered glass. Next, I smell death. I actually smell death. It takes all my might for me not to gag and continue to press on.
We reach the stairs and I hear the sound ‘drip, drip’ coming from above me. I begin to look up but Selene shields my eyes. “No. Do not look. If you want to find Jasmine, do not look.” I hesitate, wanting to see what is making the sound.
“Tell me then, what is it?”
“There are bodies of your help hanging. Please Rayne, don’t look.”
I start to shake. Who could have done this? Who could have gotten through the security guards and the front gate quickly enough to have not given them time to call the police, to shut the power grid and security system down, but had enough time to cause this much death? My thoughts flash to the man my dad was torturing and I know deep in my gut that this is no coincidence. My dad had called him a sociopath, said something about his kind. He knew people. They’d want revenge.
“Selene, I’m afraid,” I confess.
“Do you want to go back outside or are you going to look for your sister?”
I try to take a deep breath to steel myself. Then, I start up the stairs, trying to ignore the ‘drip, drip’ above me, the broken banister, shattered paintings, and I know my world is crashing in. Somehow, I find the strength to run to Jasmine’s room. I call her name quietly, but there is no one inside. Further down the hall, I glance to see a blood streaked trail along the wall. It looks as if someone was attempting to hold themselves up while running away from whoever was attacking them. At the end of the trail, there’s a body hanging halfway out of the window. Without closing the twenty feet of distance, I know that it’s my mom. A cry of utter disbelief escapes my throat as I stare at the designer heels that she’s still wearing and the way her body is unnaturally bent out of the window. Did she try to jump but never make it?
My knees shake and soon my whole body follows suit. I can’t go any closer to her even though I want to help her. I know I can’t leave her like that. Selene grabs my hand and whispers something that I can’t understand. My strength returns, giving me the confidence to move forward. One step becomes two, and then I finally close the distance. My mother’s neck is broken and blood covers the side of her mouth. In the moonlight I can see a couple more bodies near the pool, dead, in unnatural positions.
“Call the police Selene,” I say brokenly.
“Rayne, I already tried. Somehow, there’s no service at all. I’m sorry, but we need to get out of here. I don’t think Jasmine…” Selene doesn’t finish the sentence; she just places a hand on my back as I struggle to rest my mom’s body on the floor. Then, I weep, not caring about anything else, but needing to mourn for my mother.
“Mommy, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry that all I ever did was argue with you. I need you to forgive me.” I wait for two minutes, but those words that I desperately need to hear never come. When I finally think of Jazzy again, I stand up and head to my parent’s room, now understanding and hoping that my mother tried to bide some time for Jasmine to get inside the safe room located in the far wall of my parent’s room.
I know my mom died protecting my baby sister and I know that Jazzy may have died while trying to warn me. What I don’t know is how absolutely horrible her death could be.
◊◊◊
“We need to go. Don’t let your last images of your family be like this. Whatever is going on here is evil and I think it’s still here. I can feel it,” Selene cautions.
I ignore her as I press forward to my little sister. I wan
t to hold her one last time, to apologize because I couldn’t protect her even as she did her best to protect me. I step inside my parent’s room and I swear the temperature drops a few degrees. The bed and two dressers are overturned causing me to stumble a couple times over various broken items. In the middle of the floor, I see Jazzy’s phone broken in pieces. Behind me, Selene is whispering something else but I shut her out. Keeping my eyes forward, eight feet in front of me is my baby sister. The panel to the safe room is broken and open. I can almost picture her getting inside and trying to close it before it was too late. There are drag marks in the thick, once white carpet from her nails.
Tears threaten to disable my vision and all I can do is shake my head as I reach Jasmine’s side. There she is. Lying there, in what seems like too much blood for anyone; let alone an eighth grader to bleed is my Jazzy. Her throat is slit so viciously that her neck is barely still connected to her head. Her stomach too is sliced open, her intestines no longer where they should be. This time, I can’t help myself. I vomit again and again and again as I choke on my tears and bang my hand on the floor until it’s raw.
Selene finally grabs my hand to stop me, but I shove her so hard that she falls over. Later, I would regret doing that. Later, is not right now though. Jasmine can’t be dead, she can’t be dead, she can’t be. My mind sees the truth, but my heart, it knows it cannot bear this awful certainty. I try to touch her, as if by my touch she will wake up and be made whole. If only…
This time, I start to find the words that I need to say. But, before I can say anything, Selene is pulling me into the closet and shutting it, covering my mouth with an iron grip. I start to protest and fight, but she just grips tighter. “You need to trust me and be as quiet and as still as possible, because our lives may depend on it.”
I relax in her grip, but she still doesn’t let go. Selene begins to shake against me as I follow her eyes through the slits of the closet door. My eyes go wide as I take in the image that I’m seeing. I blink once, twice, as this massive thing strides across the floor. The smell of death that I noticed earlier is coming from, It. Whatever It is, is at least 6 and a half feet tall and nearly as wide. It has no eyes, only empty eye sockets, three mouths and talon-like claws.
The Unmaking (The Rayne Whitmore Series Book 1) Page 4