Lesbian Vampire Ch. 05 - That Which Haunts You

"Hmm," responded Mariam, "Some heiress, I think. A socialite. Someone upstairs might know."

"Can you send them down here?" asked Rhea.

Mariam grimaced. "I hate to do this, Rhea, but we're doing a ritual that has to happen tonight. The planets." She pointed upward.

"Mariam, a witch was murdered," said Rhea.

"And that's terrible, obviously, but our hold on the property is in danger and we don't have a choice," she explained. "Another developer is gunning for the property. They pop up every few years, but this one is relentless. We're doing a ritual to stop him."

"Stop him how?" said Lucy eagerly.

"Nothing too exciting," said Mariam. "In his private life..." Mariam paused to consider her words. "He has it coming," she said plainly. "We're just helping justice find him and take him off our hands."

Lucy sank in disappointment.

"And we could really use your help," said Mariam to Rhea. "We tried a few months ago, and no dice. Our numbers are small right now and we just don't have enough power. By the time everyone gets back, it might be too late."

Rhea had not yet revealed Janice's fate in the cyclone, but worrying Mariam more made her stomach ache.

"We don't even need you to leave the room. Just pop in with your spirit form. The amount of power in that alone will be enough to push the spell over the edge," insisted Mariam.

Rhea sighed. "Fine."

"The Witch Queen saves us all again," Lucy raised her phone as if she were toasting the room.

"Fuck off," said Rhea with a small smile. She rose to her feet and walked towards her bag rested on the dresser beside Lucy.

"Hey," said Lucy gently. "Do you want me to stay?"

Rhea shook her head, "You should go. You might learn something. I'll be in a trance, then I'll probably sleep for a few hours."

Lucy nodded. "I'll see what I can find out after."

After, Rhea thought as she walked toward the bathroom to change.

Whether by design or not, she knew the ritual would end in sex. She felt a slight bubble of acrid shame in her chest as the door closed behind her, familiar at this point. It was hard to place and thus avoided as much as possible.

She heard footsteps echo as Mariam and Lucy trudged up the stairs.

It's not like she would have been unwelcome amidst the carnality. The lascivious smile of a woman who's name she never learned surfaced in her mind's eye as she rummaged through her cosmetics bag. It was a springtime ritual. Rhea didn't realize she'd been staring as the woman ran her fingers through another's hair. It was not just the desire but the ease of it all that struck Rhea.

Then the woman looked at her. And Rhea looked down.

It was a mistake-- the woman thought Rhea was like her, all soft skin and supple magick.

Rhea had returned to her cabin; from the porch, where she could still see the lodge, she watched. Straining to see those silhouetted figures swimming in amber light.

And Lucy was now among them. And who could blame her, asked Rhea amid the memories of Lucy kissing Rhea's neck. The witches adored Lucy. And Rhea wasn't sure what she wanted at all.

Rhea left the bathroom and startled at Mariam, seated on the edge of the bed.

"So," said Mariam. When Rhea looked at her confused, she said "Stop playing dumb! You and Lucy. What's going on?"

"Nothing," said Rhea shook of her head.

"Fuck off," said Mariam, "you look into each other's eyes like one of you is off to war."

Rhea sighed, "It's a nothing- mess."

"Did she kiss you?" asked Mariam eagerly.

Rhea froze.

"Rhea!" exclaimed Mariam.

"It was stupid,." said Rhea, with a shake of her head. "It's been a while since I've felt so...wanted."

"It's fine!" said Mariam. "I'm just surprised."

"It doesn't matter now," said Rhea and waved vaguely at the footsteps that came from above.

"I wouldn't be so sure. She seemed pretty focused." answered Mariam. "When vampires want something, they're relentless."

"So I've heard," said Rhea. "The timing is wrong. She just makes me too distracted."

"Come on, Rhea," Mariam implored. "What's worse that could happen."

"Someone else might die," said Rhea.

Mariam rolled her eyes. "Lucy's good, but she's not that good. I swear to your mental faculties will all still be intact, no matter what she told you."

"It's just risky." Rhea shrugged again.

"But what if it's great and you miss out?" said Mariam.

Again, Rhea added silently.

The door at the top of the stairs flung open. A voice bellowed down, "Mariam! Goddamnit!"

"Coming," yelled Mariam. She turned to Rhea. "Do what you want; I swear the world won't end." She hurried after the voice.

Rhea didn't know what she wanted, except that she didn't want to spend her time obsessing about something she couldn't have. She lay down on the bed and dropped into a trance. When she opened her eyes, she stood in the witches' circle in her spirit form. The barrier that surrounded the circle, an iridescent fractal pattern that arched into a protective dome, was the first thing she saw.

Corporeal bodies moved around her, soft and vulnerable.

Cascades of candy-colored magick washed over her, bending and warping everything she saw. Waves of violet, fuschia and flamingo pink glinted with interwoven gold. She directed her own magick into the circle-- a rich black mist dotted with silver light like stars spilled from the opaque edges of her form. When it blended into the fields of color a powerful surge blasted through Rhea, nearly jolting her back.

And then she saw Lucy, leaned against a bookshelf, watching the ceremony unfold. She felt peaceful watching her and when she smiled she felt like warm honey dripped off the comb.

Rhea stayed as long as she could until she fell into a deep sleep.

Her eyes bolted open in the pitch dark. She reached for her water glass on the table and drank it down. She laid back but her mind churned without ceasing. She must have had a nightmare and she felt an inexplicable rage: the cyclone now soured her dreams. She shifted, restless, as she listened to her own breath. The air of the windowless basement felt heavy. She checked her phone. It was nearly dawn. She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep.

The door at the top of the stairs opened. Lucy's shadow stretched along the wall, across a field of amber light that vanished when the door shut. The sound of the lock bolted into place and was followed by light footsteps.

Rhea didn't remember if vampires could see in the dark. It made sense, for a nocturnal creature and all; but then again, the curse defied the natural rhythms of the universe. Did Lucy know she laid awake, about to crawl out of her skin?

After changing her clothing, Lucy collapsed next to Rhea on the bed. Rhea exhaled, unsure what to do with the friction of mixed uncertainties.

Lucy lifted her head, "Are you awake?"

Rhea rolled and wrapped her arms around Lucy, who gave a small hum of surprise.

"Is this ok?" whispered Rhea. "Of course," said Lucy.

Rhea pressed her forehead into the vampire's shoulder, hungry for the stillness within Lucy's body. "I'm so worried," said Rhea, her hand laid across Lucy's belly. The vampire covered it with her own. "I can't stop thinking that this is impossible."

"It's not," whispered Lucy, "I swear to you it's not."

Rhea felt her panic receding. She slid her hand to the bare skin under the shirt Lucy wore. Lucy shifted gently at the sensation.

"You're so soft," Rhea said.

"Am i?" asked Lucy, amused if fatigued.

Touching her felt like cooling aloe on a burn. Forehead still pressed into Lucy's shoulder, Rhea felt helpless.

She ran a hand between the vampire's breasts and Rhea heard a sharp inhale that delighted her. Tentatively she cupped Lucy's breast and the vampire arched her chest into Rhea's hand. Rhea could have stayed that way for hours--running her hands over Lucy's body and listening to the small gasps of pleasure that left her mind mercifully silent.

But Lucy's gasps grew raspy and she writhed against Rhea, yearning for more friction. Rhea squeezed the tight peak of Lucy's breast trapped between her fingers.

In one graceful movement Lucy reversed the position, now on top of Rhea.

They were kissing, deep and hungry. Lucy's tongue passed over hers. Rhea clawed at Lucy's back, grabbing at her shirt to pull it over her head.

Lucy reached back and took Rhea's wrist. She pressed it into the bed and lowered her head. "Not yet," she whispered. Lucy skimmed her lips along the shell of Rhea's ear, "I want to take my time with you. Find all the places you like to be touched."

A sharp knock sounded at the door. Lucy froze, then arched upward. Another knock came again, more urgent this time. "I'm sorry," called Mariam from the other side of the door. "But this seems important." Lucy groaned and rolled off Rhea. She muttered to herself as she made her way up the stairs toward the lock.

Mariam began talking urgently to Lucy as they descended the stairs.

"We found a journal in Janice's things," said Mariam.

"What?" said Rhea and sat up.

"There's a lock, though," said Mariam.

Rhea took the journal. It felt potent with magick and was held shut by a 5-letter brass wordlock. She twisted the letter dials with her fingers. When she looked up, Lucy watched her with sad eyes.

"Stop," asked the vampire gently, "Can we talk first?"

"Talk about what?" asked Rhea. The hair on the back of her neck stood.

"About what you'll probably find in that journal," said Lucy. Her voice was serious.

"What are you saying?" asked Rhea. Mariam stiffened.

"I know the combination," said Lucy.

Rhea frowned. "Tell me," she said, angry.

"Not until you hear what I have to say," said Lucy

Rhea turned the first dial. A 'c' slotted into place. Rhea raised an eyebrow.

"Rhea, please," said Lucy. Rhea turned the next dial until an 'e' clicked into place next. She twisted and turned all the dials until the lock read "CEDAR." The journal sprung open.

Rhea began to turn the pages, skimming and looking. For what, she wasn't sure.

The scribblings were sparse. Errant thoughts and observations, mostly written in bullet points and diagrams. Then a florid paragraph. Janice had met someone and was enamored. A brooding vampire with red hair, who's cologne smelled like smoky cedar.

Patrick.

Rhea looked up at Lucy, who shook her head and turned away.

More florid paragraphs among the scribbles as the relationship progressed. Their time together was passionate and tumultuous. She detailed tearful breakups and angry fights. He couldn't understand, Janice wrote. He hated her work and wanted to take her away from it.

Rhea turned to the last page, dated the day Janice died. She and Patrick were getting back together. He begged her again to go away with him and said his sister was nagging him to meet her somewhere.

But Janice couldn't go just yet. She told him to book a room at a hotel under her name.

Rhea felt the blood drain from her face. "He did it," she said.

"No he didn't," responded Lucy.

"And you helped him cover it up," continued Rhea.

"He didn't kill her," yelled Lucy.

"What's going on?" asked Mariam.

"Lucy's brother killed Janice," said Rhea, angry, "And Lucy lied the whole time. About this, and about everything." She threw the journal down and pounded up the stairs.

"He loved her," she heard Lucy yell.