Capricorn Cursed (20 page)

“Here?” she asked.

“No. I mean, do you want to go out? See where it goes?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Even though I am what I am?”

“I don't care. Everyone has their secrets. Maybe we can help each other.” She smiled.

“The hunger though. I kill people, you know. I killed Pete.”

“I know. I know about killing.”

“I know you do, Natasha. I know what you are.”

Natasha turned to him in surprise. “How?”

“At first, it was the smell. The death and decay that surrounds you.”

“I have that smell?” Natasha frowned. “I always hope to drown it out with all the scented soap I use. I always have incense burning as well.”

“It's deeper than that. I'm sure others don't notice. I just have a sensitive nose.” He grinned. The candles cast long shadows across his face.

“Okay. I hope so. I'd hate to think I was disgusting my friends.”

She leaned over and sniffed him. His masculine scent was mixed with nervous sweat. “I wondered what was different about you,” she said. “I could smell something about you too.”

“I guess it takes one to know one.”

“So, tell me about your hunger. Is it all-consuming?” Natasha asked.

He nodded. “It's like a blackness overcomes me and I can't stop until I've eaten. It's a terrible thing, and I always feel so guilty when I'm me again.”

“I know. I have figured out ways to kind of cope. But it still isn't great.”

“Tell me,” Gus said.

“I pick up strange men in fetish clubs. Men who I think are married. That way they aren't as likely to tell about some strange woman who seduced them and drank their blood. They always keep their mouths shut. Almost always,” she said with a sigh. “That Bob guy, I killed his father accidentally. Well, his father killed himself out of embarrassment.”

“Oh, so that's why he captured you.”

“Yeah, but then he got weirdly attracted to me. Pervert like his dad. He loved it when I was all caged up.”

“It takes all kinds.”

“It does.” Natasha took Gus's hand. “So now what?”

“So now we kiss. Right?” Gus said as he tilted her head toward him. He pressed his lips against hers gently, just like he had on New Year's Eve. Natasha leaned into him, wrapping her arms around the large, broad shoulders she had ached to hug for so long. His kisses grew in intensity, and she kissed back, darting her tongue into his mouth. He pulled back and kissed her neck, her cheek, her hair.

“I've been wanting to kiss you for so long,” he said as he kissed her mouth again. “I think about New Year's Eve all the time.”

“So do I.”

They kissed again, their hands stroking each other's backs. They pulled into each other, sharing their warmth as the fire crackled and spat.

Gus pushed her back, holding her tightly, his lips still meeting with hers. She held him close, her body tingling with excitement. He moaned softly as he kissed her, smelling her hair and running his hands along the length of her body. She writhed under his touch, rising up to meet his hands as he stroked her breasts and legs.

He sat up and pulled off his sweater. “It's suddenly very hot in here,” he said. “I shouldn't have bothered getting dressed.”

“No, you shouldn't have,” Natasha said as she slipped off her blouse. She unhooked her bra, and Gus admired her full breasts. He leaned over to take one of her nipples in his mouth. She sighed softly as his tongue flicked back and forth.

Natasha rubbed Gus's chest and arms with her hands. The firm sensation of his muscular flesh was pleasing as she stroked him. Her hands reached down to his ass, and she squeezed it, pulling him against her. She wrapped her legs around him, her still-clothed groin yearning to feel him inside of her.

Gus held her breasts, alternately kissing first one and then the other. He licked her nipples, teasing them with his lips. Natasha moaned.

“Oh, Gus. That feels so nice.”

He took a nipple into his mouth, sucking it until it was a firm peak. He nibbled it with his teeth, grazing it lightly. The feeling made her quiver with delight.

His hands reached down to her pants and unsnapped them. She let him slide them off. She wriggled back on the bed in delicious anticipation. She was aching to feel him inside her.

He kneeled down beside the bed and leaned over to lick her pussy. He pulled open her pussy lips until his tongue found her tingling clit. The first lick sent chills down her back. She spread her legs wider, and he licked her again.

“More,” she urged. “Oh, more.”

He flicked his tongue on her clit, pressing it softly, then flicking it rapidly. She squirmed under his skill and fondled her own breasts.

“That feels so good. Oh my God,” she groaned.

He slid two fingers into her pussy while his tongue continued to lick her. His fingers hooked into her, finding her G-spot. She bucked her hips up to meet his tongue, to encourage him to push his fingers in deeper and deeper.

“Faster,” she cried out, her legs trembling as she shivered with anticipation. The pressure was building the faster he finger-fucked her. His tongue continued to dance, and she eagerly enjoyed him.

Just as she was about to come, she realized someone had entered the room.

Gus jerked up and snapped his head around at the same time Natasha sat up. Jim Hawthorne stood there, a gun in his hand and a smirk on his face.

“Oh my, what have we here?” Jim said. “A werewolf and a vampire. What a lovely couple.”

Natasha scrambled to the end of the bed, pulling up the bedclothes. “What do you want?” she cried out.

“I want to stop the madness, is what I want,” Jim said. “Both of you. No good at all. A vampire can be trained, however. A beast cannot.”

“What are you talking about? Why do you have a gun? You saved me, remember?” Natasha asked.

“Yes, I saved you for Lucy, you despicable creature. It's only because of Lucy that you still live. However, Lucy won't be hurt if Gus is destroyed. She doesn't know him.”

Natasha's eyes widened as Jim pointed the gun at Gus. Before anyone could say anything, Jim pulled the trigger. There was a loud blast, and Gus collapsed to the floor.

“Oh my God, Gus!” Natasha cried as she leapt off the bed to go to him. He lay unconscious, blood pooling from a wound in his chest. “You better not have killed him,” she sobbed.

“But, indeed, I hope I have,” Jim said smugly. He put the gun back into his jacket. “It's a silver bullet. He's done.”

Jim turned to leave, and Natasha lunged for him. “You bastard,” she screamed as she tackled him. “How dare you! I loved him.”

Jim wrestled with her, trying to push her from him, and they fell to the floor.

“Of course, every woman loves her knight in shining armor. When he's the knight. Sure, Gus saved you from that crazy man, but he has killed a lot of people. Face the facts, Natasha. He would reveal your secret sooner or later.”

“No, he wouldn't have. “ Natasha pinned Jim to the floor. She pressed his arms down, her eyes blazing. Her strength intensified as her rage surged through her.

“How dare you take him from me?” she screamed.

“Let me up, Natasha. It's better this way.”

“No!” she cried. With a roar, she leaned down toward him and tore a mouthful of flesh from his neck. He screamed as the blood poured out of the gaping hole. Natasha reached down again, and this time she latched on. She drank hungrily and fully for the first time in decades as his fists pressed against her strong grip. He bucked and wriggled, but her strength was greater.

His screaming and kicking soon ebbed, and finally, he stopped moving.

Natasha continued to feed until she could feed no more. When she had finally drained enough from him, she sank back against the bed.

“Oh my God,” she wept. She wiped her blood-smeared mouth with her hand. “What have I done? What has he done? Oh God. Oh Gus.”

Natasha's bloated and full belly sloshed and gurgled as she crawled over to where Gus lay. He was still, lifeless, cold.

She opened his shirt and saw the silver bullet glinting in his chest through the meat of his bloody wound.

With a shriek, she collapsed on top of him, sobbing uncontrollably.

 

 

Healing brings freedom.

 

Natasha Goes to See Lucy

 

Gus lay on a cot in the middle of the circle, naked except for a cloth draped over his groin. There were chunks of amber, citrine and tourmaline on the floor as well as quartz and rose quartz. Candles and incense burned. Around him, 12 hooded friends prayed for his recovery.

His chest was bandaged where Lucy had removed the bullet earlier.

“He's not dead yet. We got him in time,” Lucy had said when she examined the bullet. “Jim did nice work. Right down to the symbols.” She placed the bullet into a bowl. “The bullet paralyzes him for a while, but we may be able to save him if we can get him revived before the poison takes hold. Unlike you, he's not eternal. Call the others while I put a poultice on him.”

Within hours, the circle had been formed. All with the exception of Gwen, who was flying through China that night. Everyone was eager to help Gus. Even Maggie was able to get there in a timely manner. The women arrived solemnly and focused all their energy on helping their new friend.

“Let's call upon the spirits of a higher power to come down and fill Gus with the life force,” Lucy called out to the air. “Everyone focus on sending healing energy to Gus.”

The women chanted foreign words, staring intently at Gus. Natasha said the words, trying to put meaning into them, but she was so numb that she wasn't even sure if her mouth was working.

If Gus was dead, she wanted to forget him. She wanted to forget all they could have been if only he had lived.

The women sang several songs as the candles burned and the incense smoldered. Ellie and Adele kept bursting into tears as they sang along with the others. The mood of the room was beyond depressing. The worst part was the sorrowful stares from Lily and Ursula. Natasha didn't know if she could stand to be
that woman
whose lover was murdered.

The humming and singing seemed to drone on forever. Natasha kept staring at Gus, as if her stares alone could bring him back.

At last, Lucy closed the circle.

Quietly, the women hugged Natasha good-bye, and soon everyone was gone. The room seemed so empty and Gus seemed so small and lost.

“Oh, Lucy…it didn't work.”

“No, it doesn't seem as though it did, does it?” Lucy said.

“I never even really got a chance to get to know him. I never even…” Natasha sobbed as Lucy put her arms around her.

“Wait,” Lucy said. “Oh my! In all the flurry, I forgot one more thing that just might help.”

“What is it? I'll do anything. Anything at all,” Natasha said.

“The locket. We must use the locket. Of course.”

Natasha took it off and handed it to Lucy. “There. Use it.”

Lucy waved the locket over one of the burning pots of incense and then walked over to Gus. She held the locket over him, closing her eyes and whispering words Natasha couldn't hear. Lucy muttered and hummed while Natasha stared expectantly at Gus.

“Is it working?” Natasha asked. Lucy shook her head. She placed the locket over Gus's heart, where the wound was bandaged. She stepped away and stood beside Natasha.

“That's the best I can do. That's the best anyone can do,” Lucy said. “I'm sorry, dear.” She patted Natasha on the cheek and headed out of the room.

Natasha stood over Gus and closed her eyes. She willed his heart to start beating, for his lungs to fill with air, for his eyes to open and see her waiting for him.

When she opened her eyes again, the locket was glowing. Around her, ghostly forms whirled. They were her ghosts and other ghosts. Spirits from hundreds of years of life in Hermana and the world flooded into the room. They floated, weaving in and out of each other in a wave of ribbons. The vision reminded Natasha of a braided basket.

As the ghosts connected and swirled, a circle formed in the air around Gus. Natasha was aware of a new surge of energy. The ghosts twittered and hummed light, tinkling sounds, like glass wind chimes.

Natasha watched as the locket grew brighter. She could almost feel heat emitting from it. She laid her hands on Gus and focused on the light energy beaming down from the sky and through her fingers. She didn't know if reiki worked for vampires and werewolves, but she had watched it enough to know what to do. Her fingers grew warm as she focused. She willed the light into Gus, hoping it would be enough to bring him back.

The whirling above her grew faster. A light wind swept through the room, and Pete's essence soared through. He floated above Gus for a moment, an anguished look on his face. With an unearthly moan, he flew toward Gus and tunneled into him. Natasha waited for him to emerge, but he never did.

The ghosts above continued to spin, creating almost a vortex. Natasha grew fearful they would create a portal for something even more terrible.

“It's okay,” she said. “I think we're done here. We've done all we can.”

The ghosts slowly stopped whirring and wafted apart. Many of them floated to different areas of the room to watch while others wandered off to other areas of the house.

Natasha turned her attention back to Gus. His chest was flinching. For a brief moment, she worried Pete would come bursting out of him
Alien
-style, but in fact, Gus started to cough. He coughed hard and long, racking his body so violently that he leaned over to perch himself on his arms.

“Oh my God,” he wheezed. He sucked great mouthfuls of air in and out, coughing up clots of blood onto the carpet. “I'm sorry,” he said as he wiped his mouth with his hand. “I'm sorry for everything.”