The Presence

"You and her? You loved her?" I asked.

Thomas looked sad. He nodded as he started to dissolve into mist once more.

"But what happened?" I asked desperately. I needed to know like I had needed nothing before.

As even the mist faded I heard his voice for the second time, "Tomorrow, Jacqueline."

I woke with the dawn, completely unrefreshed but revved up and ready to go. Unfortunately, my appointment with the housekeeper was not until noon. I decided on two workouts after a quick breakfast. I grabbed my computer and headed to the gym. First a workout for my body as I did an hour of weights and stationary bike, then I jumped into a quick shower and swam laps for another half hour. Afterwards, a workout for my brain as I booted up my computer under a cabana and proceeded to loose myself in my work. I was nearing the end of the book. It would be another cliffhanger, but then my readers expected raw fingernails from reading my books and having to hang on until the next one.

I was giving myself an imaginary pat on the back when prickles crawled up my spine. A feeling of being watched washed over me. Lord I was getting tired of this mystical crap. Why did I write this stuff? It was creepy! I looked around without being obvious. My eyes were drawn to the gym and I froze, caught in a warm gaze. My first thought was "Thomas?" but I had only ever seen my ghost at night. My second thought was "Wow! Hot!" but I had only ever seen Thomas clothed, this man was damn fine and totally naked.

Determined to confront this man, who had obviously been watching me, and who must be a live man and not a ghost as I first thought, I began grabbing up my computer. By the time I made it inside the door of the gym he was gone. Crap. I checked my watch. Double Crap. I realized that once again time had escaped me. I would have to book it to make my appointment.

In record time I made it to my room to deposit my things and change. I was on my way to the Big House dressed in a fancy caftan cover up that I felt was more appropriate for this visit than showing up naked or completely clothed. The directions I had been given took me down a narrow path. Mr. Crystle obviously wanted to keep his private life separate from the resort life. The path opened upon a beautiful white structure with graceful columns sweeping to the second floor and supporting a wrap around balcony. In all my years coming to Crystal Palms, I had never imagined this was tucked away back here. I was overwhelmed by the grandiosity and immensity of the structure, which was only a small part of what it had originally been, and just stood with my mouth agape.

"Are you Ms. Dubois?" came a voice startling me from my awe.

"Um, oh yes," I stuttered, blinking in the sun at the lady coming toward me. I hated being caught unaware. She was sweet, the epitome of the little old lady caretaker short and plump with black hair streaked with white twisted up into a fat bun atop her head, and wearing an apron over a smart gray dress. She led me through the door she had approached from. It led to a kitchen that was filled with delicious aromas.

We chatted amiably as she pulled some tins of pumpkin spice muffins from the oven. After they had cooled some we each had one with a mug of spiced cider. She told me some things about the present Thomas Crystle that I hadn't known. He was an only child, unmarried, traveled extensively, and most importantly, was presently at home. Hmm. Maybe I could hit him up for information too?

She knew much of the history of the house since the World War II era and was current on the ghost rumors but her knowledge of Civil War history of the family was sparse. She did, however, know where the family journals were kept and would gladly allow me access to them. Oh and, would I sign her copies of my books?

She took me on a tour of the house, which was quite amazing. It was filled with period furniture all in pristine condition. The upstairs hall was lined with family portraits that spanned hundreds of years. As we walked and she talked, my eyes were caught by one of the paintings. It looked like the man I caught staring at me earlier!

"Who is this?" I asked.

"Oh my," she twittered, "that's Thomas Crystle, or at least one of them," she laughed. "This is the Thomas that is the ghost you are asking after. He died in the War Between the States. It was so very sad. The story goes that the last news he heard from home was that his sweetheart married his brother and was pregnant with his brother's child. These next portraits are his brother and the girl. Oh, drat, I can't remember her name now. You know dear, she looks a bit like you. With your hair a bit longer, I think you could pass for each other."

We moved on and she showed me some more of the rooms, but the face of that girl haunted my mind. She was definitely the woman Thomas had shown me on the beach last night and she did look like me. It had been like looking in a mirror of when I had been ten years younger, that is, if I had been dressed up for Halloween. Hmmm, that gave me an idea.

"Stay here dear," the housekeeper was telling me. "I'll just go and gather up the journals that would interest you. It might take a bit, but I'll be back soon. Don't fret."

"Wait, what's this room?" I asked. We were standing outside the only room she hadn't shown me.

"Oh, sweetheart, that's Mr. Crystle's room. We won't go in there. I don't think he'd be liking me showing off his private chambers now."

"No, no I'm sure he wouldn't. I'll just wait here. Take your time."

As she bustled off I turned, determined to go back for another look at that portrait. I stopped in my tracks as a haze began approaching from the end of the hall that led to the main staircase. By the time it reached me, it was Thomas, the Thomas from the portrait gallery with shaggy chestnut hair and deep brown eyes. The spitting image of the man I spotted in the gym except clothed in complete Northern Army Calvary Uniform right down to the saber.

"Come, Jacqueline," he ordered me and he turned and strode right through the door I had been told not to enter to Mr. Crystle's domain.

"What the hell," I thought. "Why not? Thomas Crystle had told me to come into his room after all." So I turned the knob and entered.

He was waiting for me on the other side. The room was definitely a man's domain. It was done in heavy woods and rich colors. I liked it, a feeling of belonging here washed over me. Strange. No time to dwell though, he was here and I needed answers.

"The woman in the portrait I saw, was she the woman you showed me on the beach?"

"Yes."

"Your sweetheart?"

"Yes."

"What happened Thomas?"

"Would you like to see my last night here?"

"Yes," I answered emphatically. "Anything that will help clear this up for me."

He stepped behind me and I felt the cold as his hands came to rest upon my shoulders. In that moment, a scene began playing out before me. It was like watching an old fashioned movie, but in color and with sound.

Thomas was laying upon the bed dressed in nothing but his pants his head upon a pillow writing diligently in a book. The sight of his bare chest was making me tingle. A scratching sound came from the doors to the balcony. He got up and opened the doors, a woman in a flowing blue period gown swept in quickly turning to close the doors behind her.

She turned and I saw her face clearly. The woman from the portrait, Thomas' love, it was her. She flowed into his arms.

"Jacqueline," Thomas said, holding her tightly. "You should not be here. We could be found together."

"That would be fine with me Thomas," she answered. "Then you would have to marry me now, not later after you return from this venture you are set upon."

"You know my reasons, Jacqueline. We will be married when I return. Now you must go. If you stay we may cross the line again. I love you with all my heart. We have been together the once and were not caught. We should not tempt fate."

"You are leaving tomorrow to fight in this war. I do not know when I will see you again. I will love you tonight before you go. You will leave me with this memory to hold dearly to in your absence."

"Jacqueline..." and with that his lips descended upon hers parting her lips and invading with bruising force. With a moan of acceptance she returned the kiss as their arms came around each other holding tightly.

I felt a tear at my eye as he turned her and began unbuttoning her gown, his kissing lips trailing his hands as he moved lower and lower down her back. A visible shiver passed through her as he slid the gown off her shoulders. She was not wearing a corset and he quickly divested her of petticoats and other undergarments that I could not name.

As he laid her gently upon the bed, he paused to remove his pants. I was impressed at the sight of his cock standing tall and ready as he gently knelt down next to her to once again claim her lips. He appeared as if he was feasting as he moved slowly down her body, stopping to suckle and fondle each breast, nipping at her nipples until she groaned in pleasure. Then further down he kissed his way past her navel to her bushy mound below.

He gently pulled her legs apart and spread her lips with his hands. He paused, staring at what lie before him. Then I watched as his tongue laved her and swirled around her clit. She began writhing upon the bed appearing lost in sensation. I had been there before; it was an amazing feeling to have a man's lips upon you. His finger slid inside her causing her to cum. With his tongue upon her clit she moaned out her pleasure.

He rose from her and came once again to her lips kissing her deeply, his body covering hers. She was wide open to him as his cock entered her wet pussy, pushing in slowly and deeply. They appeared glued together as he began thrusting, her hips rising to meet him. I could tell they were close. It was beautiful to watch. Too be made love to by someone you loved so deeply?

"Jacqueline!" Thomas called out and a scream of passion was torn from her throat as her orgasm hit. They came together. Tears ran down my cheeks unheeded.

As their climax passed, he held her closely, still seated deeply inside her. Then the door burst open behind me. "Thomas!" yelled a voice. "What the hell?"

"Ben!" Thomas grabbed a sheet covering Jacqueline as he quickly removed himself from her and the bed. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard a scream. What is she doing here with you? Her father is going to kill you!"

"Damn it Ben! We are in love. I'm leaving. We plan to marry as soon as I return. The war isn't supposed to last long anyway. I need to trust someone. Ben, you're my brother, can I trust you?"

"Thomas, how can you ask me that? I AM your brother. Of course you can trust me."

"These days one can't be so sure. You're fighting for the South and I'm for the North, remember?"

"I can't forget," Ben replied. The stark reality of the situation was written deeply on his face.

"Take care of her for me Ben," Thomas pleaded. "If anything should happen..."

"Nothing is going to happen Thomas, and yes, I'll take care of her."

The image faded on the site of the brothers clasping arms as Jacqueline sat up in the bed behind them covered in a sheet. What he had shown me had answered a bit, but I still didn't get it. My ghost Thomas stepped out from behind me once more.

"You loved her. Your brother was going to take care of her. I don't understand, what went wrong? Why are you still here Thomas?"

"My brother took her from me," Thomas stated bluntly. "I left her in his care and he took her. They married. She had his child. Despite all that, I still love her. I want her back."

"You died in the war knowing she was no longer yours? That's so sad."

"You are my Jacqueline. You've come back to me finally."

"I'm not her. I apparently look like her, but I'm not her, Thomas."

His cold hand threaded through my hair and his cool lips claimed mine. The chill of his tongue battling mine heated my blood until I was tingling and thrumming with need. I wanted him. Through my lust clouded brain I faintly heard the voice of the housekeeper calling me. Thomas began to fade.

"No!" I cried. "Don't go!"

It was no good. He was gone. I retained enough presence of mind to skedaddle out of the room, closing the door behind me. It wouldn't do to be found where the housekeeper told me not to go. I needed to keep her trusting me. I needed her to find my answers.

I turned and plastered a smile on my face as she bustled down the hall toward me carrying more than just a couple journals. A huge smile was on her face though as she showed me her treasures.

We descended once more to the kitchen where I was completely dumbfounded as she presented the dress that Jacqueline had been wearing in the portrait, complete with undergarments. I was in shock. After over one hundred years they were in near perfect condition. She grinned at me in glee as she held the outfit up to me.

"But how? Where did you find these?"

"Oh, my dear, I never noticed that trunk before. I opened it looking for the journals you needed and the dress was there. You look so much like her. I thought maybe for the ball? Unless you have other plans?"

"But this is perfect!" I was practically clapping my hands. This was perfect. When I had seen that portrait I had begun thinking of wearing a period costume to the Halloween Ball here. I was hoping to find something at the mall two cities over. But this? What would Thomas think seeing me in this? Then something occurred to me.

"You said you haven't noticed that trunk before? Where was it?"

"Oh sweetie, I was up in that dusty attic after those journals. I thought they would be with the others. In fact, I was sure they were in the library, but they weren't. So I went up looking. I never have noticed that trunk before and I'm up to the attic at least once a month after some odd thing, you know. It is odd, isn't it?"

"Yes, odd," I answered, wondering if my Thomas had anything to do with this.

So with the dress, reading material that would last me the rest of the night, and a hug from my new friend, I headed off down the path and back to my little room. I was simply dying to delve into the journals. Praying that they held the answers I so desperately wanted.

Yes, I wanted answers, for both Thomas and myself. I could never let a mystery lie. What did I really want though? If the answers helped Thomas "cross over" then he would be gone. I was enjoying his presence in my life. I felt more complete knowing my ghost was around. How weird was that? But if there were no answers his soul would remain unsettled. Would I want that for anyone? Was I being selfish to want my ghost to stay with me? After all, I wouldn't be staying here, and in two days October would be over. What would I do? Put my ghost away until next Halloween?

I groaned as I entered my room. I nuked a quick dinner and ate it along with drinking a glass of expensive wine. With sustenance under my belt, so to speak, I was ready for an all night reading marathon. I had many, many journals to wade through.

After a few hours, I had learned absolutely nothing. I set the journals aside and stretched. It was definitely time for a break. I was stiff and cramped so I decided on a hot tub break. Grabbing my towel and slipping into flip-flops I headed out the door to the pool area. After a quick shower, I threw my towel on a chaise lounge and slipped into the steaming hot water.

I leaned my head back against the edge of the sunken tub and stared up at the emerging stars. It was a beautiful night. I felt myself letting go of my frustrations and thinking of Thomas. The feelings he pulled from me were astounding. I had never fallen for anyone before. My first love was a ghost? No way. It must just be the Halloween season playing havoc with me. I closed my eyes and drifted...

Until I felt cold upon my nipple. It startled me to say the least. My nipple, used to the steamy heat, rose immediately to the cool sucking. I looked down to find Thomas in the pool with me, naked and in his solid form. I admitted to myself that I wanted to have sex with a ghost. This was real. He was real. I put my arms around him and held him tighter to me and spread my legs to the cold hand I could feel caressing and exploring lower and lower.

I felt his cold fingers enter my pussy as his lips continued to suck upon my nipple. They were shriveled and standing almost to the point of pain but it felt good. I came, my warm juices flooding his cold fingers. His mouth left my breasts and claimed my lips in a kiss deeper and stronger than the one this afternoon had been. His hands lift my hips and his cock slammed home into my pussy. The cold invasion so startling it sent my already heightened senses into overload. I came again but we were not finished. With his lips continuing to devour mine he kept thrusting deeply into me as I met every thrust trying to take him ever deeper into me.

As I felt his cold cum spurting into my warmth, I came like I never had before. I felt myself stiffen trying to hold him inside, my muscles milking him of his creamy goodness. For a while, I floated, holding him, not wanting him to go. For some reason I could not explain I felt like this was our last time together. Too soon I felt him losing his solid form.

"Don't go Thomas," I begged.

"I must Jacqueline. I can only stay a short time with you."

"But I love you!"

"I love you too, my Jacqueline. I will return," and he dissolved from his semi solid state into a haze that drifted away.

I lost it. I sat on the edge of the hot tub and lost myself to a flood of tears. I was sobbing so hard that I did not hear who walked up behind me until I heard the voice.

"Are you all right Miss?" a deep male voice asked.

Thomas? I thought. Then I felt a hand upon my shoulder. It was warm. Not Thomas then. I turned, tears still streaming down my cheeks. Shock jolted through me as I looked into deep brown eyes and saw a head of shaggy chestnut hair.

"Thomas?" I thought I might faint. My strange behavior and disbelieving look must have alarmed him as he helped me up from the tub and over to my towel. He gently wrapped it around me before he spoke.

"Yes, my name is Thomas. How did you know?"

My tears were slowing and I was gathering my wits. How much should I reveal that I knew about him? "Um, I think I've seen your picture somewhere before," I improvised.

"Really? I try to keep out of the limelight."

"Yeah, I think so," I replied.

"May I escort you back to your room? You still aren't looking quite your best, sorry to say. What is wrong, if you don't mind my asking? You looked like you lost your best friend or broke up with your boyfriend."

I slipped my feet into my flip-flops as I answered him. "It feels like both actually." He took my arm in an old fashioned, gentlemanly gesture, and I couldn't help but smile. As we walked slowly back to my room he turned the topic and entertained me with tales of growing up at a nudist resort.

Once at my door, I turned to him, one question burning in my mind, "Were you staring at me earlier today? Why?"

He looked bashful for the first time. "Yes. I couldn't help it. It was like deja vu. It was like I'd seen you before, like I knew you or know you. I really can't explain it. I'm feeling it now. I want to kiss you but we don't even know each other."

I looked into his troubled eyes, "Kiss me," I stated.

He didn't think twice. His lips captured mine. The warmth shocked me as I had gotten used to cold kisses. I closed my eyes and lost myself to the moment. His tongue slipped past my lips and tangled with mine. It was the same. It was Thomas. How could that be? The kiss end slowly as he nipped gently at my lips a few last times. He pulled me closely to him in a tight hug. I sighed in contentment.