Between a Party and a Ritual

Not my usual level of steam in this story, so I'm not expecting hundreds of 5-star ratings, but be gentle with me. This is merely a link between the raucous events at the impromptu party and the eye opening evening at the Witches' house. That story should be with you soon. Happy reading.

***

My eyes flickered open to a view of the ceiling, bright from the morning daylight invading through the window. The penetrating brightness hurt, so I had to close my eyes again. This repeated for several minutes until I became accustomed to the anti-darkness. Eyes now mostly open, I began inspecting cracks in the ceiling.

Feeling around the bed, I realised I was alone. Jay must have got up already. My mouth felt like the bottom of a budgie's cage, as my mother used to say. Coffee! I need coffee, I told myself as my eyes closed against the light again. One leg crept out of the bed and a foot touch the floor and flattened onto the carpet. Turning onto my side as the other leg joined it, I raised myself on one elbow and tried to open my eyes. The brighter light hurtling through the window made the task impossible, so I pushed myself into a sitting position, all covers sliding off into a bundle in the middle of the bed. I stared at the floor while I forced my eyelids to obey me. Jay must have opened the widow for some fresh air as I felt a breeze cool my naked skin. Pushing down on my knees, I attempted to stand while ordering my eyes to stay open. As my head came up, I spotted a wide pair of eyes staring at me from the settee.

"Fucking hell!" I screamed as I dived back into the bed in a fraction of the time it took me to stand out from it. "What the fuck! You could have warned me!"

Benny's eyes looked puzzled, to match the rest of his face. "You didn't seem to mind last night."

As I was about to reply, the door opened and Jay entered, carrying three full cups in his two hands. "Did I just hear you calling?"

"Yes. He was staring at me getting out of bed." I pointed towards Benny while holding the sheet to my chin.

"And?" Jay said. "Where's the problem? You were flashing fanny to everyone last night." He put a coffee down by Benny.

"What?"

"You did a strip to show Lisa how it's done."

"I what?"

He put a coffee down by me. "Well, not really a strip. You just opened your dress so wide it was as good as a strip. And you had no knickers or bra on."

"Fuck! No!"

"Fuck, yes. And then, when everyone had gone, you were parading around the house completely stark naked."

I hunted for my dressing gown. "You're taking the piss, Jay. I wouldn't..."

"Oh, yes, you would."

I spotted the dressing gown and pointed at it. "Could you pass me that?" Jay obliged, and I struggled to retain my dignity as I pulled it on. The inside rasped against my side like sandpaper. "Jesus! What the fuck..." I felt inside. The previously soft fleecy inside had turned to harsh spikes.

"I think you might have cleaned yourself on that after we..." Jay cast a look at Benny and turned to face me. Making a circle with his thumb and forefinger, he jerked his other forefinger in and out of it.

"Oh! I see."

I leaned across to pick up my coffee. It was cool enough to swallow down in seconds, after which I stepped out of the bed, making sure I was well and truly covered, and collected a toothbrush from a drawer. Jay was swigging his coffee as I walked through the door. No sooner had I locked the door than a tapping sounded.

"San." It was Jay calling through the door. I unlocked it to let him in. He locked it again. "You really don't remember?"

"I'm beginning to." I sat on the toilet and emptied my bursting bladder. There was nothing sexy about this; it was purely functional. "Did I really embarrass myself?"

"Are you embarrassed?"

"A bit?"

"Well, yes then."

"What else did I do?"

"If you really can't remember, then you probably don't want to know."

"I'm in no mood for fucking games, Jay. My head's pounding, I'm shaking when I stand up, my mouth's like the bottom of a bird cage..."

"Well, you did have a cockatoo in it."

"What?" By this time I had dried and tied the stiff, raspy gown around me.

"A Joke, San. A joke."

"No mood. Tell me."

"Well, the thing you might wish to ponder..."

"Stop being a pompous twat, Jay! Just tell me straight!"

"Alright. After we'd all gone to bed, we shagged like bunnies."

"It wouldn't be the first time we've shagged in the same room as someone else in the d..."

"It wasn't. The little light was on."

I giggled as I pushed Jay out of the way of the hand basin. "Oh shit!" I brushed my teeth with just the wet toothbrush; I hadn't brought toothpaste up.

"You pushed all the covers off to make sure we gave our guest a good show."

"Fuck!" I spat, literally.

"Oh, yes! We did! And Benny must have seen every detail."

My face was. burning by this point.

"Oh, my! Miss Terry," Jay said in an affected Jane Austen manner. "I do believe you are blushing."

"Fuck off."

"And you knew he was watching when you got up to go for a pee." I cocked my head, puzzled. "Naked!"

"Shit! Did anyone else in the house see me naked?"

"Not on your trip to the toilet."

"What do you..?"

"You're little strip is another matter. Almost everyone in that room had a chance to ogle your glory."

"Not, Steph and Little Dave?" I sat on the bath.

"They may have missed the best view. Big Dave, however..."

I buried my head in my hands. "No!"

"Yes. And Storm, Julie, Derek, Peter G."

"I'm going to die!"

"Wait. Suzie from upstairs, and..." Jay paused for effect.

"Not Dennis. He didn't see..."

"Yes, he did. And I think he thoroughly enjoyed it."

"I'll never be able to look him in the eye again."

"Oh, I don't think he'll ever be looking at your eyes again! And the others that I don't know the names of."

"Whose names I do not know."

"I don't think you should be correcting my grammar right now. Although, top marks for being able to right now."

"Can I ever work in that pub again?"

"You might find the tips improving."

"I am so embarrassed." I stood up to wash. Filling up the basin, I swilled my face. No bloody towel again, so I pulled up the bottom of my dressing gown and scratched my face with the only outside bit that had dried Jay juice on it.

"Oh, I forgot one thing you might want to know right now."

"I didn't do worse that any of that, did I?"

"Depends on your point of view."

"Tell me."

"When you thought I was fast asleep, you walked across to Benny, naked, of course."

"Dear God!"

"And gave him a hand job."

I let out a yelp. "No! No, No!" I didn't think it was possible, but my face became hotter still.

"Yes. Yes, yes. I think it might have been his first ever. I think he's the only eighteen-year-old virgin I've ever met."

"Really? What about..."

"Apart from me, but that doesn't count."

"I need to talk to him before he goes. Tell him to keep his mouth shut."

"Bit late there. With all the flirting you did, and the stripping."

"Why the shit did I..?" I stopped myself. "Oh, I remember. That little child stripped off in front of you."

"She was eighteen at Christmas, San."

"Well. She acted like a child."

"She was quite entertaining, though."

"I'm sure she was. I'm sure you all had stiffies like jousting poles." Then I remembered Big Dave with his hands in his pockets, and Jay straining the denim. "Oh, yes. I remember seeing them all."

"That must have been nice for you."

"Hardly. One thing I do remember is my anger at Lisa for calling my bluff."

"How's that?"

"I warned her off you and any of the other attached men."

"That's a bit possessive."

"Erm, protective. I'd said that you wouldn't shag her if she stripped naked in front of you and opened up her legs."

"Oh. So she called your bluff?

"Listen. Gotta to grab Benny and have some headache pills."

As I walked out onto the mezzanine landing, our now fully dressed guest was closing our door. He looked up. "Thanks for last night." Was that a smug grin I detected? "I'd better be off now."

"I'll show you out."

"That's okay..."

"No. Really, Benjie."

He'd already started down the stairs when I reached our landing, so I hurried after him. "I said I'd see you out."

We reached the front door. "You look all red," he observed.

"Well, Jay just told me what I'd been up to last night." I opened the vestibule door.

"Oh yes. Fun night."

The outer door was open. I held his arm and turned him towards me such that he had no option but to lean against the wall. Reaching up, I held his young cheek. A worried look formed on his face.

"Listen Benjie. Did you enjoy last night?" I was sweet, almost seductive.

"Yes. I did. It was," he hesitated, searching for words. "Wonderful."

"Good." I leaned in and pulled his head down towards mine. "As nice as it was," my other hand slid down his torso, "If you tell another soul what happened after everyone had gone," I held his crotch in my hand, "I will sever these from your body and shove them down your throat. Okay?"

He nodded. He spoke as I let go. "There's no need to threaten. I wouldn't tell a soul, anyway."

"Oh? Are you ashamed?"

"No. I... I just..."

"Fuck off! I'm kidding. Go home." I shoved him through the door. As he got near the gate, I called, "Oh, Benjie." He turned, seemingly liking the bastardisation of his name. I drew an imaginary zip across my lips. He mirrored my gesture and waved as he disappeared in front of the privet hedge.

***

"Oh, yeah. I missed a couple of things about Saturday." Jay was driving us to my parents' house and, from there, we were going to go to his parents. The two old codgers that brought Jay up wanted to see me as well, being as it was my birthday the following day.

"Like what?"

"Oh," he paused for dramatic effect. Bastard! "Like, erm, giving Larry the blow job of his life."

"Oh, fuck. Yeah. I can remember some of that. And I think he gave me the best org... or, I mean, a really good oral treatment."

"Sandra! Really. You were going to say the best orgasm of your life."

"I was not! I was joking. No one can match you, my darling." I stroked his arm, the only safe thing I could do while he was driving. "We need to stop at a phone box."

"Why?"

"I've got to ring Larry."

"What for?"

"I've got to tell him to keep his mouth shut."

"Do you even have his number?"

"No, but Dave Carling has."

"Big Dave?" Jay did not seem happy for me to ring him.

"Well, Julie might as well."

"His sister? It's still ringing Big Dave's house."

"Stop being jealous and stop at a phone box."

"Jealous? You stripped in front of everyone, you sucked Larry off, you wanked off Benny, and you accuse me of being jealous. Another bloke would have kicked you out."

"Yes, but you love me so much and we have a contract."

"We do and I do. And I never want to own you like other men do, so yes, I'm okay with that. Not that I'll never feel jealous, but you used to be with Big Dave."

"I did. It's been over for a long time and I never go back to exes. Stop! There's a phone box."

The phone call was a nonstarter. There was no answer. I tried three times, and no one was home. "Shit," I exclaimed, getting back into the car. "No one home."

"Maybe call in on the way back."

"He'll shit himself if we turn up on his doorstep."

"That could be fun." We both laughed. "I can stay in the car."

"Good idea."

***

"So, is there anything else?" I asked as I was climbing into the car outside the Parkinson's. It was like a fridge inside.

Jay was puzzled. "What?"

"Anything else I need to remember from last night?" I shivered as I bucked my seat belt.

"Apart from flirting shamelessly and teasing all night, snogging Larry in front of everyone, threatening Lisa, fellatio on Larry, ogling Lisa naked, flashing your all to everyone, tossing off a virgin and, erm..." That dramatic effect again. "No! That's just about everything."

"I feel like a total sl--"

"Stop right there! You won't let anyone else use that word. Don't you dare use it on yourself!"

"I was going to say sleaze-bag."

"Yeah?"

"I've got to stop smoking that shit."

"Really San? You're blaming the drugs?"

"It makes me a horny as fuck, shameless and aggressive. And what else I realised last night; being aggressive makes me horny."

"Never noticed."

"That's 'cause I don't get aggressive with you."

"Oh, forgot something," Jay interrupted my thought.

"Oh, Jesus Jay. What?"

"The sex was fantastic. Well, the sex with me was."

"Haha."

"No. I mean it. Best fuck we've had for a long time."

"Well, judging by the amount of you that dried stiff on my dressing gown, it must have been. But let's not forget Jay Parkinson..."

"What?"

"You were just as willing to put on a private sex show as I seem to have been."

"Not quite as willing, darling."

"Still, I'm not the only perv."

"That was different. I was stoned."

"You're not letting me off with that excuse."

"Well..."

By this time, we'd turned onto the road where Larry lived with his parents and three sisters. The detached, double fronted, red-brick house had been accessorised with aluminium double glazing. This, I was aware, would have cost a fortune - almost a year of my wages, probably. The double front door was lacquered mahogany. The front garden was austere in comparison and was just a few paces deep. The lawn on either side was still patched with white.

I walked up the path to the Carr house, realising that my knees were shaking. I hesitated as my foot landed on the semi-circular brick step.

"Go on. Knock." Jay's voice came from behind me. I turned to see him standing with in the open gateway, the privet arch a halo above his dark mane.

The door opened to reveal a pretty girl of about fourteen. Unlike Larry's dark brown curls, Tracy Carr displayed a punkish, messy bob of deep auburn.

"Is Larry in?"

"Hey! Lackey! Someone at the door!" Tracy called up the stairs, then walked into the back of the house without waiting for the reply. A few seconds later, Larry ran down the central staircase, got to the door, and looked beyond me.

"Oh, shit!" He looked terrified and tried to close the door. I pushed against it.

"Just want a quick chat," Jay's voice came from behind my left shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, man," Larry's voice was shaking and his face had turned into a deep pink blob of fear. "I didn't... We were... I was so stoned."

"What for? What are you talking about?"

Larry was confused. He'd started something before he needed to and now he feared he had to explain his explanation. "Oh, I... There was... Bathroom, I mean, last night..."

Jay cocked his head.

"He's trying to fuck with your mind, Lal," I said. "He knows. Relax. He's not big Dave." As I've mentioned, Dave Carling could be a bit of a thug. Larry had patted my arse one night and Big Dave had left him a couple of presents - a black eye and a split lip. One reason for breaking it off with him.

"I'm really, really sorry, man. We were stoned."

"Don't apologise to me. I don't own her. Sandra is her own woman."

"Larry. Whatever happened was down to me," I butted in. "I shouldn't smoke that stuff. It makes me as horny as fuck. Then that Lisa girl wound me up."

"Don't forget the kiss," Jay added.

"What? How..?" I pulled my foot out just in time. "Oh, yeah. When I tried to score points off Lisa. Then there was you touching up the neighbour."

"Don't blame me." Jay sounded indignant.

"Just adding to the events."

"I..." Larry was still stuttering. "I would never... It was the blow..."

"You mean you don't fancy me? You would have pushed me away without?" Larry made some noise, but no words formed. "You didn't enjoy it. I certainly did.

Larry's wide eyes looked at jay. "Well... I'm not..."

"It's okay," I tried to reassure him. "He knows it was the best blow job of your life!"

"Shush! My kid sister is just in there."

His eyes flicked between mine and Jay's, like some twin presto metronome.

"What? She doesn't know about Blow jobs?"

"She's only fourteen!"

"Larry! I was giving them at... Oh, never mind that."

"We're not here to give you grief." Jay stopped the conversation. "It was San's choice to be a..." I elbowed him. "I mean, she made the choice. Yes, I'm not happy about it. Yes, I was angry for a bit."

"We have an understanding." I summed it up

"We just want to ask you something."

"Please keep it to yourself." It wasn't begging, but there was a certain desperation in my voice. "I really don't want it to get around."

"And neither do I," Jay added. "I know she does things, but I don't want it spread around."

"What he means is that he doesn't want to be seen as that poor bloke."

"I wouldn't..."

"Shut up, love. So, Larry, keep it to yourself."

"Yes. I will. Honest. My lips are..."

"What?"

"I might have mentioned it to Storm."

"You might have?"

"I did."

"Right! No one else! Ever!"

"Got it."

"Jay."

"Yes M'Lady."

"Round to Storm's!"

"Oh, he's here." Larry announced.

"Why didn't you fucking say so? Where?" I pushed past Larry into his house.

Larry led us to his bedroom, where Larry and Storm had spent the day playing chess. Since I already knew Storm for almost as long as I'd known any of the gang, and we had a great, platonic friendship, it took less than two minutes to extract a promise that Storm would not tell another soul the secret that Larry had confided in him.

***

We draw up to the house and parked in the cul-de-sac at the side.

"Well, that went better than expected." I said, as Jay locked up the car.

"Couldn't go any other way. He's terrified of me."

"It's so cute that you believe that."

Before he could answer, a man's voice addressed us. "Hello young folks." He was a well-dressed, middle-aged gent with a similar demeanour to Ted.

"Hello?" I didn't know who this man was.

"It's me. The strange witch from the beach."

"Oh, yes. I remember," said Jay.

"George," the man said, holding out his hand for one of us to shake it. Jay volunteered.

"Jay and Sandra, she prefers San." I shook his hand.

"Yes, I know. You gave me your names on the beach."

"Yes. Of course. George? That's a bit normal for a witch."

"What do you expect? Asriel? Sekhmet?"

"Ha. No. Just..."

"Are you still living here?"

"Erm, yes." I spoke.

"Oh. It's just the woman said you didn't live here anymore."

"An old woman with Grey and Brown hair?"

"No. A woman about my age with Grey and Brown hair."

"I meant middle aged. I mean..." lost for words again.

Jay spoke. "No. She's evicting us, but not gone yet."

"I thought you might be interested in coming to our coven next Sunday. It's only up at number sixty-eight."

I thought we shouldn't. "No. We can't really. We haven't got long before we've got to move out and we're spending all our time trying to find somewhere else."

"Oh, I'm sure we can do something to help you out."

"Do you know somewhere?"

"No, but we can do some magic work and attract something to you."

"Wow!" Jay seemed impressed. "You mean you can cast a spell or something?"

"We don't use that word. Too Dennis Wheatley, Witch-finder. We prefer to use the term 'Magik' and we spell it with a K at the end, or 'Influence.' Come along. You might find it interesting. We're only at number forty-two. We'll find a couple of spare robes for you."

"Oh, I don't know if..." I hesitated.

"It's okay," said Jay. "I'll talk her into it."

"Looking forward to seeing you next weekend, then. Six-thirty Sunday evening."

As we walked through the gate, I punched Jay in the arm. "What the hell did you say that for?"