Beetlesmith's Ch. 18

Pam looked at him incredulously, "What are you talking about? I just felt it..."

"Well, I've seen it..."

"Then you need glasses..."

This was another question, directly or indirectly asked by those who know me, 'Will, what's going on with your cock?' Answering it was becoming as irritating as the, 'How are you going to get things rolling,' question. Lately, I've just told whomever—usually one of the women I've been playing with—not to look a gift horse in the mouth, and to put it in their mouth and keep sucking until I say stop. That usually shuts them up—literally and figuratively. I'm not sure what I'll do with Jack or Mark, or even Carl, who's seen me at the gym, when they inevitably ask me.

Fuck them all, Henry!

Jack and Pam's disagreement was beginning to get loud, so I broke in, "Okay, okay, plenty of time to find out which one of you is right, later."

"You're right, sorry. So whendo we start?" Jack asked, while rubbing his hands with glee, "And where's Karen and Jackie?"

"Jackie's not here, yet. Where's Denise?" I quickly responded, not liking his interest in Karen.

For the first time since I've known him, I saw Jack get visibly upset, almost to the point of anger. He waved a hand of dismissal at the question, almost clipping Pam in the face. After calming down a bit, he said curtly, "I don't know. I haven't seen her for a week."

I didn't pursue the matter any further, sure in the fact that it would only piss him off more. I quickly changed the subject, "I'm planning to start the party once all the guests arrive. Along those lines, Jack, I haven't told all the guests what's going to be happening later. So if you could just keep the swinger talk to a minimum..."

Jack's mood went from anger to surprise, "They don't know? Well, just how in the hellare you going to start this thing without half of them freaking out and calling the cops?"

I swear, I'm going to fuck the next person who asks me that in the ass, and without lube!

I kept cool, however, and said, "Let me worry about that. You have faith in me, don't you Jack?"

He nodded and gave me a smile.

"Now, let me get you two a drink and introduce you to everyone."

After I introduced Jack and Pam around, Karen pulled me aside, "What's wrong, and who's the bimbo?"

"Her name's Pam. She's a friend of Jack's. Look, I don't think Denise is coming."

Shocked and disappointed at the news, Karen asked, "Why, what happened?"

I just shrugged my shoulders. She was going to whine some more when Linda arrived, momentarily taking Karen's attention off Denise.

One of the few oddities of the day came when Jackie and Cecilia arrived. They came together, and the astonishing thing was that both were dressed in the exact same attire as Karen, long, very sheer skirts with matching bikini bras and thong underwear.

When they caught sight of Karen dressed the same way, Cecilia burst out, "Oh my god, this is so freaky!"

I asked Karen, "Did you tell them to dress this way?"

"Me?! I haven't talked to anyone other than Linda in weeks. I'm assuming you told everyone to dress the same."

I asked, "Jackie, what gives? Where did you get the idea to dress this way?"

Jackie giggled before answering, "I don't know, I just got up this morning feeling kind of naughty and sexy..."

"That's right, me too," Cecilia interjected, "It freaked me out when Jackie came by to pick me up for the party dressed the same way."

Jackie continued, "Anyway, I thought this would be something nice to wear, risqué given what's to happen later, but not too naughty. So when do we get our freak on, Robo?" She asked in typical Jackie fashion, with an exaggerated wink.

I kissed her on the cheek, and said, "Hold your horses, and quit drooling. All the guests haven't arrived yet. I'll let you know when it's time. In the meantime, keep mum about it. I haven't clued in some of the others as yet, and I don't want to scare anyone away."

Jackie looked surprised, "Wait a minute, how are you going to get...you know...get things going?"

Cecilia also threw in her two cents, "Yeah Will, it's not going to be easy getting everyone's clothes off, particularly if they don't swing."

That was quick. Two ass fuckings coming right up.

With barely concealed ire, I responded, "Just let me worry about that. Why don't you two make yourselves useful and get a drink or something," then adding quickly, knowing Jackie's penchant for fucking up my plans, "And stay away from the Sangria, that's for later."

Jackie and Cecilia gave a pouty look of mock sadness that I wasn't going to start the orgy that moment. They didn't go directly to the liquor cabinet, however, as they caught sight of Candice on the other side of the room, talking with Jack and Pam.

They ran over to her, waving an arm wildly about in celebratory hellos, while yelling, "Hey Miss Candy Cane, you're looking fine, girl..." The three of them always had fun during our little romps at the motel, becoming very good friends as well as lovers. They said something else to Candice that I couldn't quite make out, something like, 'Miss Candy Cane, and her sweet candy ass.' Whatever it was, it caused Jack to break out in his characteristic guffaws and turned the heads of some of the other guests.

The pattern with the outfits became clear to me when Denise unexpectedly showed up, dressed exactly the same way as Jackie, Cecilia and Karen, right down to the thong underwear barely concealed underneath a sheer skirt.

I didn't bother asking her about it. It was obvious thatonly the women I had administered the elixir to had somehow gotten the idea to dress the same. The other women I had been fucking, au naturel as it were, Lisa, Barbara and Candice, were not similarly dressed.

It was the elixir working its magic and somehow creating a connection between the initiated and myself. It would seem that just a mere thought affected any of those who've taken the drug, no matter how far away from me they live. I even suspect that somewhere in Colorado, our friend Gloria, at this very moment, is also donning a sheer skirt with bikini top and thong.

I shouldn't have been surprised by the pattern, although I was. Nothing should surprise me any more when it comes to the elixir. I eventually chalked it up to one more oddity, in a cargo ship full of elixir oddities.

Karen was ecstatic seeing Denise, rushing up to her to give her a great hug. "Oh baby, I'm so glad you came," she said, "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too," Denise responded with tears forming in her eyes, "Let's never do that again."

Karen nodded, knowingly. Then both women began to cry while hugging tighter.

I watched their exchange from a distance, knowing what Denise meant by her cryptic comment of, '...never do that again.' It wasn't as much a pledge to never part from each other for too long, as it was a promise to never piss me off again.

Lessons learned, Henry, by all.

When Denise looked over at me, I gave her an amiable smile that told her I was also glad she came. She smiled back weakly, before quickly dropping her eyes from my gaze. I could tell there was something else she wanted to say to me, but Karen whisked her away to introduce her to everyone else before we could talk.

It was about fifteen minutes later when she came up to me as I was conversing with some of the men.

"Will, is there a place we can talk in private?"

I led her into the study. She started blubbering the second I closed the door.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of Karen," she began, "Will, I don't want to be left out anymore."

"I'm not sure what you mean. I invited you here, didn't I?"

"I'm not talking about the sex stuff. I'm talking about being a part of your lives again." She paused for a moment, as the unmistakable look of dread and fear crossed her face. I'd seen Karen look that way every time I was punishing her. It became obvious to me now that when I was training Karen, getting control of her by showing her a life of hell without me, I was somehow affecting Denise in the same manner.

She continued between sobs, "You have no idea how alone and empty I've been feeling ever since you stopped returning my calls. I've been alone before, many times, but I've never felt so completely lonely like that. I felt empty, like bone with all the marrow sucked out of it. There were days when I didn't even want to get out of bed. I just wanting to stay in that empty bed with the covers pulled over me, but I couldn't...I couldn't because of the awful dreams I was having. I feared falling asleep..."

"What kind of dreams? I asked with interest, interrupting her narrative.

"Oh, they're just dreams..."

"I don't know," I mused, "Most times they're nonsensical, but sometimes they can tell us a lot about ourselves, and what's going on in our lives. Tell me about your dreams, Denise. Please."

For the longest time she just stared at the floor, reluctant to say anything. A fine sweat broke out along her forehead and cheeks. I could tell she was in mortal fear of something. It was as if she thought speaking the dreams aloud would somehow make them come true. Finally, clearing her throat, she spoke in hushed tones and hesitantly, "I'm walking alone in an empty city. I have no idea where, nothing looks familiar. There's just a hot wind sweeping down empty streets as I search for someone, anyone...anything to tell me I wasn't alone. There isn't even any paper or any smells blowing on the wind to tell me that people were once here. It was all just empty, hot desolation. Then, I'd hear voices on the wind, and laughter...evil, dreadful laughter all around me. I'd cover my ears and scream to make it stop, but the laughter continues...getting louder. That isn't the worst of it, just below the laughter I hear shuffling footsteps, faintly at first, but growing louder, as if some great, limping...thing was coming closer. I'm scared now. I mean terrified. I know I don't want to see what's coming. I run as fast as I can away from the footsteps, but no matter how fast I go, they get louder. Soon I'm lost. The streets are gone, the city is gone, and I'm surrounded by an empty blackness...and it's cold...you can't believe how cold it is. I stand motionless, like the cold has frozen my feet to the pavement...and I know that whatever was following me is near me, now...and although I can't see anything, I can feel something reaching for me in the dark..."

I thought her dreams would be like mine, weird but strangely erotic. Instead, they were disturbing.

Could I have been doing this to her as well?

Guilt flooded over me as I thought about what I might have done to her. I couldn't look her in the eye, not after what she told me. I just stared at the floor.

After a few moments of silence, she continued, "I tried to tell you about this at the motel, but then you and the others did those things without me, making me watch. I saw the looks on their faces, the love, the joy and the lust you gave them, but were denying me...and I felt more alone and emptier still. I felt I was being crushed into myself, isolated from everyone and everything, even though you all were in the room with me. You were alive, but I was dead. You all have a future and I have...all I have is a cold, empty darkness. Will, I don't want to feel that again."

Tears filled her eyes as she stared at me in abject desperation and fear.

"I'm sorry, Denise. I truly am. I didn't mean to hurt you as badly as I did. It's just that I don't like being lied to, and you lied to me. If you didn't want to get together with Karen and me that time, you could have just told me the truth. I may have been a little hurt by your rejection, but I would have accepted your decision and let it go. Instead, you played me for a fucking fool, lying to me about some hairdresser. I don't even want to talk about how you made me feel by not wearing my chain..."

I didn't finish, stopping when I saw her violently shiver, as if the cold gloom she described from her dreams had suddenly descended over her.

Even without touching her, I could read her mind. Her thoughts played out in my head as clear as tempered glass. She thought I was telling her no, and as such, she was now in total, agonizing despair. She had nowhere else to go, and no one else to turn to in her life. She was, indeed, alone and empty, or so she thought, and her plea to me for inclusion in my life was her last hope at sanity. Now, with what I told her and the way in which I told her, she thought I was rejecting her, and that thought was destroying her.

"Come here, Denise," I said, gently.

Falling into me, I wrapped my arms around her. She felt cold to the touch.

Kissing her forehead, I pushed those feelings of bliss and tranquility into her. Immediately, her shivering stopped, and I felt warmth return to her face.

"There, feeling better, baby?"

She just nodded her head against my chest in response, then cried.

"Look at me." When she lifted her head, I wiped her tears away, and said, smiling thoughtfully, "First, are you wearing my chain?" When she nodded her head, I continued, "Good. That's always been my pact with you, and should tell you that you will always be a part of our lives. That's my promise to you. I will always be there for you, but you must always wear it."

"I haven't taken it off since that one time. I'm so sorry about that."

"I know you are, and I'm sorry for the pain I caused you. All I ask is, from now on, don't take it off, and never lie to me again. Okay? Tell me if you think I'm being a dick or an asshole, even if you think I don't want to hear it, tell me anyway." Kissing her strongly, I reaffirmed my wishes, "Even if you think I don't want to hear you tell me I'm a shitty lay, just tell me the truth."

The fear was gone from her eyes. For a moment, she stared blankly at me before her face scrunched up as she began crying again, but this time they were tears of relief and hope. After a short while, she laughed between all the sobbing, and joked, "Youwere being an incredible asshole...and a dick...but youare the best, goddamn fuck I've ever had. How's that for truth?"

"Better," I responded, making her smile. Then I asked, "I can tell there's something else bothering you besides loneliness and bad dreams. What is it?"

She hesitated telling me at first, "I didn't want to trouble you and Karen with this, but I filed for divorce. I can't live with Jack anymore. Not with the way things are. I thought I could wait him out, but he's stronger than me..."

"I don't get it, why did you have to 'wait him out?'"

"It's the way divorce laws are structured in the State. Usually the first one to file gets fucked over in court. It's a shitty deal, but that's how the game is rigged. Usually in cases of a long-standing marriage, it's the husband ditching the wife for a younger woman. So the system is set up such that if the guy wants out of the marriage, he pays through the nose in alimony. Unfortunately, it works both ways. So I'll probably getjack shit for alimony." She laughed sarcastically at her intended pun.

"You've got to be kidding. He's a fucking, serial philanderer. How in hell could the court side with him?"

"So am I, Will, he may be worse, but I've had my fun with other men, many others, and he knows it. I don't think he knows about us, but he knows about the others. All the court's going to see is, 'Yeah, he's a dick, she's a slut, and the first to file gets fucked.' So I'm fucked, but I don't care anymore."

"Did your decision to split with Jack have anything to do with what I put you through?"

She hesitated again, fearful of how I would take the answer, but my words about not lying were still hot within her mind, "Yes, and a little no. I've been thinking about it for some time, ever since I got involved with you and Karen. It wasn't until after the thing at the motel that I got the guts to do something about it."

"I am sorry."

She saw the pained look in my face and gave me a sympathetic smile. Now it was her turn to soothe my dampened spirit, "Don't be, Will. Cutting Jack loose was probably the only positive thing to happen for me in weeks."

There was a soft rap at the door before Karen entered. She saw my arms wrapped around our friend, and saw that Denise's eyes were red and bloodshot. Karen quickly closed the door before asking, "What's wrong, Denise?"

"She's divorcing Jack," I answered, not telling her about the other things bothering her.

Karen stood in stunned silence for a moment before reacting to the news, "Oh, come here baby. I'm so sorry, but good for you. I knew you could do it."

They fell into each other's arms, crying.

After a long spell of sobbing, Karen finally asked, "Are you going to be alright, baby?"

"Yes," Denise managed to squeak, but you could sense she was lying.

Denise continued to cry inconsolably. Karen held her close to her breasts while stroking our friend's hair out of love, and looking toward me for answers.

I knew what had to be done, but doing so was probably grabbing the tiger by the tail. Yet, with very little thought, I pronounced, "I think Denise should stay with us until she gets her feet back on the ground."

Denise looked over at me in surprise and wonderment, not anticipating the depth of mercy I bestowed, but welcoming it. Karen's face beamed a glow of love, and probably lust—along with all the altruistic good done with my decision, Karen also knew there would be many fun nights for the three of us from now on.

Both ran to me, gripping me hard. I wrapped my arms around them, crushing them into me. I knew, then, that I made the right decision.

After a while of the group hug, Denise asked the sixty-thousand dollar question, "What happens when Jack finds out about all this? He can be a vindictive asshole when he wants to be. Will, I'm really worried about your job with the company if he finds out you're helping me. Maybe it would be safer if I didn't stay with you."

If that fuck tries anything, I'll put him into a suicidal depression like I just did to his soon-to-be ex-wife. Only, this time it won't be by accident...and I won't pull him out of it, either.

"Nonsense, you're staying with us. Let me worry about Jack and my job. In the meantime, let's have fun tonight. I want to see nothing but dry eyes and smiles from the two of you."

"Shit, the party," Karen said, abruptly, "I almost forgot the reason I came looking for you. There are two young women at the door asking for you."

"What do they look like?"

"Since you ask, kind of creepy, like they just stepped out of the movie 'Twilight.'"

That could only mean one thing, Holly and her friend had arrived.

"Come on you two, let's go greet our mystery 'vampires' together."

********

Holly and her friend were standing in the foyer, looking around. Holly's friend wore a bored expression.

Walking over to them, I had an arm wrapped around Karen and Denise each, who were flanking me. Dressed as they were, looking ravishing as ever and with me in between, I couldn't help feeling a little like Hugh Hefner, greeting guests at the Playboy mansion.

Holly looked the same as the last time I saw her: pale skin covered with tattoos, black hair and dress, save for a silver crucifix and numerous ear and nose studs, and looking just as emaciated as ever. With her thin, hawk-like features and black attire, she appeared every bit like a starved crow.

Her friend was a bit taller than Holly, and heavier. She wore a black two-piece, the pants of which hugged low around her hips, and combined with the short blouse she wore, exposed a small roll of belly fat around her midsection. Other than the small roll—which I didn't mind, I liked plump women—she bore two, very noticeable turn-offs, at least for me. First was her flaming pink hair, cropped close to the scalp in back, but cut longer in front and at the sides; the second turn-off was a boldly lettered tattoo, inked between her belly button and waist that read, EAT ME, in pink letters with heavy black outlines.