The Curse of the de Wren Witch

Massachusetts Colony Oct. 31, 1692

Cassandra de Wren rode her lover hungrily. It had been two days since she saw him last and she had been going insane with need for him. She threw her head back causing her chest to thrust forward and for her long red hair to spill down around her shoulders. Her large white breasts proved too tempting a sight for her lover so he reached up and fondle them with his hands. Cassandra knew it was going to be a fast spending when she felt the beginning of an orgasm licking at her loins. He obviously knew it too because she quickly found herself on her back with him thrusting furiously above her.

Cassandra cries of pleasure bounced off the walls of her small cottage when she found her release. Her lover's cries soon joined hers as he soon filled her with his seed. He collapsed on top of her body, his head pillowed between her ample breasts.

"I think you are witch," he said breathing heavily.

Cassandra stiffened in response.

"It is not something to make jest of Maxwell," she admonished. "Have you not heard the stories from Salem?"

He indeed had heard of the recent stories of the villagers in Salem accusing women of witchcraft. Some of the accused were even being put into prison.

"They are only the accusations of bored school children. The elders in the village are too sensible to take it seriously," he said. "The women would surely be freed soon. The whole thing is positively medieval."

"You are in the colonies now and it's different here," she told him.

Maxwell only settled in New Bedford six months prior. She didn't think he understood how superstitious people in this colony were or how small minded. The stories from Salem made her feel uneasy, especially because of her own precarious position in their village.

She had moved to New Bedford a year ago. Cassandra knew many in the village frowned upon the fact that she was an attractive young widow living alone. It did not help her case that she also grew plants and herbs which she used to help heal others. She had heard some call her a witch for it. But Cassandra did not trust the town's old physician whose treatment for every ailment was to bleed out the patient.

"I still think you are a witch," he said with a smile. "How else could you have me so completely under your spell?"

He leaned closer to her and captured her pink lips. Cassandra parted her lips for her lover and groaned when his tongue swept the inside of her mouth.

"I wish you can be with me always, not just the times you can sneak away," she told him.

"Soon we'll be together," he promised.

Cassandra had been a widow for only a year and to be involved with a man now would be scandalous and cause both of them to be pariahs in the town. It was important for them to keep their affair secret until her mourning period was over and then he could court her openly.

Maxwell reached down to get his coat from the floor which she pulled off him in frenzy when he came in. He slipped his hand into a pocket and produced a small pouch.

"Hold out your hand," he told her.

Cassandra rose up her right hand and Maxwell emptied its contents into it.

"It's beautiful," she said in awe.

Cassandra admired the large emerald pendant which hung from a delicate gold chain. It was unlike any piece of jewelry see ever seen before. The emerald seemed to glow like green fire.

"My mother gave it to me before she died, I want you to have it," he said.

"Nay it's too much," she said handing it back to him.

He took it from her hand and then fastened it around her neck despite her protests. He took the pendant and laid it between her breasts.

"She wanted me to give it to the woman I marry," he revealed.

"Then I shall accept it with all my heart," Cassandra told him.

She pulled his head down and kissed him passionately. Cassandra felt his desire grow hard against her thigh. His mouth broke off hers and moved down to her breasts. He licked her pink nipples, teasing them into stiff peaks. Maxwell closed his mouth upon one hard nub and started suckling it. Cassandra moaned in response and then he moved on to her other breast.

"Lay back," she ordered him when he finished.

Maxwell rolled onto his back and Cassandra quickly went over him. She took his large hardened cock into her hand and began caressing its length. She swirled her tongue around its head and then took the whole thing into her mouth. Maxwell moaned in pleasure. She moved her mouth up and down his member. Cassandra loved pleasing him like this probably as much as he did.

She had never known such ecstasy could be found with another person until Maxwell came to her bed. Before she had only thought that the only way that men and women could join was with the man on top. She also believed that only men can go wild with lust. Maxwell quickly taught her otherwise on both counts. Cassandra released her lover's cock and then turned around to offer her backside to him.

"Take me my love," she demanded, already wet again with desire.

He kneeled behind her and took hold of her wide hips. He then plunged his glorious cock deep inside her. She gasped as he filled her completely. Cassandra was sure that Maxwell had made her into a wanton woman. She loved nothing better than him thrusting his large member into her over and over, like he did now. Her breasts and the necklace swung in rhythm as he slowly fucked her from behind.

"Please Maxwell I need thee desperately," she begged of him.

Her lover increased his thrusts and soon her orgasm overtook her.

"Oh yes!" she cried.

Maxwell soon too found is release and spewed his seed within her once again. He forgot to pull out of her again, but she could feel her courses coming so she was safe from being with child. She longed for the day when they could just love and make love to each other freely.

She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew Maxwell was shaking her shoulder for her to wake.

"I need to go my love," he said and then got out of bed.

"When shall you return?" Cassandra asked.

"Hopefully before nightfall," he said as he dressed.

"I shall have some supper ready for you."

"I will look forward to it," he replied.

He leaned down and kissed her thoroughly. "Until later then."

"Must you leave?" she asked and then let the bed covers drop away from her breasts.

"Witch," he said with a groan.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and placed a kiss on each breast and then a quick one on her lips. When he left Cassandra held up the emerald pendant in her hand and admired its beauty.

*****

Cassandra stirred the contents of the pot once more. The stew she had made Maxwell was almost done. He should be here soon, she thought. The sun had already set and the sky was quickly darkening. She had taken off the necklace he gave her while she tidied up the cottage, but now she wore it again for his return.

She suddenly heard the sound of a footfall outside and her heart quickened. She smoothed her loosened hair and pinched her cheeks to put some color on them. There came two loud knocks and she hurried to open the door. But instead of Maxwell there stood six masked individuals.

"There she is, there's the witch!" she heard someone yell from behind.

Panic started to fill her and she tried to shut the door, but the man in front of her held it open.

"My baby is sick because of her," a woman shouted.

"No! I did nothing," Cassandra told them and backed away from the door.

Two men grabbed her arms and before she could scream a sack was pulled over her head. Cassandra kicked and struggled as she felt herself being lifted off the ground. She was jostled about as the men who held her kept on walking. She prayed that Maxwell was on his way to help her. After what seemed to be an eternity they stopped and Cassandra fell to the ground. The bag over her head was removed and she saw at least a dozen people surrounding her.

"Cassandra de Wren you are charged for practicing witch craft and having an unholy union with the devil! Tonight you shall burn for your crimes!" the masked man closest to her said.

"I am not a witch! Those are lies!" she cried out.

"Did you not give Goodwife Matheson the devil's poison and then she died a few days later?"

"It was only willow's bark to ease her pain. She was already sick with fever when I gave it to her," she explained.

"How about the son of Master Thompson? Did you not give him a potion and he too later died?" another man said.

"That was the physician's fault! He bled the boy to death."

"I saw her dancing naked in the woods with the devil," said yet another masked man.

Cassandra recognized the voice of Daniel Collins, a man whose advances she had spurned more than once. "You are a liar Daniel! You saw no such thing."

Several more people, both men and women heaped false accusations on her and each claim more terrible than the first. Oh god why is this happening to me, she thought. Maxwell come and save me please.

"Tie her up to the tree," the man in front of her ordered.

She screamed as they pushed her against a tree and bound her to it with rope.

"Please don't do this," she pleaded, her tears running freely down her face. "I am innocent."

Others came over to place small bundles of sticks around her feet which she kicked away.

"Bind her feet," their leader demanded.

Cassandra began screaming as loudly as she could.

"Some help me please!" she yelled at the crowd. She turned head to the darkened woods. "Maxwell! Maxwell! Please hear me! Please save me!"

But no one moved to aid her. A man then came forward and lit the wood at her feet. She was really going to die like this, Cassandra thought to herself. She was never going to see Maxwell again, or marry him, nor have his children. She began sobbing as she felt the heat of fire burn skirts.

"I curse you all," she screamed at them. "May you all suffer a more horrible death than you have done to me. May God have no mercy on your souls!"

The fire engulfed nearly half her body. She could smell the burning of her own flesh and the pain was excruciating. Cassandra closed her eyes and pictured Maxwell's face. And then there was blackness.

*****

Massachusetts Present day

"Cassandra de Wren cursed the villagers of New Bedford and as the fire burned her alive she screamed her innocence over and over again. Legend has it that her spirit never left the earth and locked itself in this necklace. She wore it that night and it was found among her ashes later on without a scratch."

Gideon followed the docent's hand and saw a beautiful emerald necklace displayed in the glass box. It looked very old but was well preserved.

"Oh how very tragic," the small elderly lady standing beside him said.

"Yes it is," Gideon agreed.

"After Cassandra's death tragic and mysterious things began happening in the village," the docent continued. "One man was found drowned in his own bathwater. Another was found hanged on a tree. Several villagers came down with strange ailment and soon after died. One man lost his fortune and later committed suicide. Many blamed the incidences on Cassandra's curse and thought the source of the evil power came from this necklace. It was locked away for many years in the church hoping that the presence of God could contain the curse."

The tour group filed into a single line and each got a good close up look and the necklace.

"Its said that Cassandra's spirit is released every all Hollow's Eve night, the night she died, looking for her lover that never came. Some have said they saw her haunting the woods right behind the museum," the docent concluded.

"Have you seen her?" asked another person in their group.

"No I'm afraid not," the female docent said. "But Halloween is coming up in a few days, so asking me again later."

The people around Gideon laughed.

"Now ladies and gentlemen if you follow me into the next room we have several diaries from the early colonists of New Bedford."

Gideon let the other people from the tour group walk ahead. He hung back to get a longer look at the necklace.

"I doubt she will ever see Cassandra," a voice behind him suddenly said.

Gideon turned around and saw a gorgeous young woman standing in front of him. She had eyes as green as the emerald necklace in the glass case. Her coppery red hair was tied away from her soft heart shaped face. She had a pert nose which lay above plump pink lips. She was of average height, but that was the only thing average about her. The thick clothes she wore could not hide the roundness of her large breasts, the smallness of her waist, or the rest of her voluptuous body.

"Why is that?" he asked her.

"Cassandra only shows herself to men. When a man does encounter her she seduces him, hoping that it is her lover returned."

"Seduces?" he said. "As in sex?"

"That's how the rest of the legend goes. Of course the man is never seen again," she told him.

She walked around him to the other side of the glass case.

"Was it ever found out who her lover was?" he asked.

"Most believed it was a wealthy Englishman named Maxwell Faulkner who had moved into town several months before. After Cassandra died he disappeared and was never heard from again," she said.

"That's quite a tale," he said.

"You don't believe it?"

Gideon shrugged. "There is always some truth to legends. How do you know so much about her?"

"She's New Bedford's most popular tourist attraction. People are fascinated by the de Wren curse," she explained. "Isn't that why you're here?"

"No, I'm just visiting the area for a few days," he answered. "I'm Gideon by the way."

"Shelby," she replied and took his outstretched hand.

"That's a pretty name for a pretty girl," Gideon told her.

"Thank you. It's an old family name," Shelby replied. "It seems you lost your group."

"Looks like it. I guess I'll be wandering around the place by myself."

"How about I show you around the rest of the museum? I'm practically an expert on New Bedford."

"I'd like that very much," he told her.

For the next hour Shelby guided him through New Bedford's small museum. She was indeed very knowledgeable of the local history of the town. Gideon was glad that she wasn't just a pretty face and a nice body. When they made it out of the museum the sun was already setting.

"I didn't realize we were in there for that long," Gideon said.

"I forget about time when I'm in there," she told him.

"Can I take you out to dinner to show my gratitude for the tour?" he said with a smile.

"You don't have to," Shelby said.

"I want to. I also want to spend more time getting to know you."

"I have plans tonight that I can't get out of," she said. "But I'm free tomorrow."

"Not planning to go out trick or treating tomorrow night?"

"No," she said with a smile.

"When and where can I pick you up Shelby?"

"You said you were staying at the New Bedford Inn, right?" she asked.

"Right," he replied.

"Do you mind if we have dinner at the restaurant there? It's one of the better places to eat in this town," she told him.

"Alright," Gideon agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

*****

It was fifteen minutes before 6 pm when Gideon went downstairs to wait for Shelby. He was eager to see her again and wasn't embarrassed to let her know.

He made his way outside to the front of the inn. The sun was barely starting to set and across the street Gideon saw groups of children dressed in costumes walking from house to house. Their tennis shoed covered feet stepped on the recently fallen leaves and their orange pumpkin containers swung to and fro already heavy with candy.

"Hello," said a sultry voice behind him.

Gideon swung around and saw Shelby looking at him with an amused expression on her face. She seemed to have come out of nowhere.

"I haven't kept you waiting too long?" she asked.

"No, you're right on time," he replied. "You look wonderful."

Shelby's red hair was curled and lay just above her shoulders like a fiery cloud. She wore a long amber colored knit dress that didn't show any skin but hugged her generous curves to perfection.

"Thank you. So do you," she replied.

He looked casually elegant in a black cashmere sweater, dark grey pants, and a pair of black loafers.

"Shall we go in?" he asked, offering an arm which she gladly took.

They walked inside and made their way to the inn's restaurant. Once inside a hostess seated them at a table by a window.

"What do you drink?" Gideon asked.

"Any red wine will do," she replied.

Gideon ordered them two glasses of a California merlot and then they looked over their menus.

"Thank you for inviting me to dinner," she told him.

"Thank you for keeping me company," he replied.

The waiter came back to their table and poured wine into their glasses. After he finished they placed their orders.

"What is that?" Gideon said aloud.

His eyes were looking out the window so Shelby turned her head to see what caught his attention. White beams of light moved throughout the woods that stood at the distance.

"Several men every Halloween go out into the woods hoping to have an encounter with Cassandra," she explained.

"Really?" he asked in a bemused tone.

"I suppose they want to find out if the legend is true," she replied. "But more likely they're hoping for something more."

"They're idiots."

"Why do you say that?" she asked.

"They hunt for a witches' ghost when a real and beautiful woman like you is available," Gideon told her.

The waiter interrupted them with their first food before she could reply. They began eating their meals but both found they had no appetite for food.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked her when he saw she barely touched her food.

"I am, but not for food."

Shelby reached out and touched his hand.

Gideon stared at the small white hand that rested over his much larger one.

"I can't promise that I won't step on your toes, but would you like to dance?" he asked her.

She seemed surprised at his request but replied, "I'd love to."

Gideon led her to the dance floor and then took her in his arms, pulling her close to him. Her body felt soft against him and she smelled like flowers. They moved well together, he thought, as they swayed to the music. He wondered if they would move together this well in bed.

Gideon was being modest, Shelby thought as they moved across the dance floor. He was a wonderful dancer. As they kept dancing it was easy to imagine that they were the only two people in the room.

"Are your toes still intact?" he asked softly into her ear.

"So far," she told him. She looked up and stared into his eyes. "I can dance with you forever."

Gideon's left hand, which rested comfortably on her hip, slid to her lower back and pressed her aching body parts closer to him.

"I changed my mind about dancing," Shelby whispered. "Let's go to your room Gideon."

They went back to their table and Gideon called their waiter to ask for the check. He paid the bill and then they walked out of the restaurant and headed towards the elevators.

Once the bedroom door was shut behind them and the lights were switched on, Shelby launched herself onto him.

"Hey, take it easy," he told her when she started undoing his belt. "We have all night."

"But I want you now," she said.

She pulled off his cashmere sweater and threw it aside. Her hands ran across is rippled abdomen and her fingers played with the dark sprinkle of hair on his broad chest. He suddenly flattened her arms against him for her to stop.

"I want you too," he said huskily.

He bent his head and captured her mouth with his. Her arms went around Gideon's slim waist as he nibbled her plump lips. When Shelby parted her mouth, he instantly plunged his tongue down into the sweet cavity.