The House With Many Hands Pt 04

After the lurid dream with the Sinner, I felt strained all day. Adam had helped to calm me, the way only he could. I was still nervous about that night, though. What if the Sinner came back?

I paced before the board, telling the ghosts what fragments I could remember about him. I told them he had been there as I fell asleep. I wanted them to be on the lookout, warn me if anything, anything at all, seemed off.

I got no warning. The night was safe, and when I woke the next day without incident I felt a tremendous sense of relief.

My hand hesitated over my phone. I thought about calling Carver, mentioning this new visitor to the house, but I felt self-conscious. The Sinner's approach, his threat, had been psychological, and I didn't really want to get into why.

He was a parasite, nestling happily in your most darkest fantasies.

I would wait.

*

That day and the next were without incident. A few of the ghosts started writing messages on the board. About family they wanted me to contact, messages they wanted me to pass on. I spent an evening trying to tie up their loose ends. A call here, a letter there. Just passing on what I could. One of them left an address, then they slowly, painstakingly wrote out a message for me to send. It was a goodbye, and a proclamation of love, with a name to sign off with that was clearly a lover's pet name.

I wrote out a letter and then sent it off. I hoped it would bring them peace and wouldn't just freak them out. I tried to be careful, tender, with all these farewells. I didn't question what they wanted, I just tried to tie things up for them as neatly as I could.

I liked the feeling that I was helping people. It gave me purpose. I sent off a bunch of emails from a burner account. Some of their contents were deeply personal, and some brief, leaving messages that made no sense to me. But I did it all gladly.

I had sent off a batch of messages and was pacing up and down the lounge, talking about what I'd sent and to who. I hoped it brought them peace. As always, I wished the ghosts could talk back. I was ruminating on this when there was a knock from the back door.

That startled me. The back door?

I went to it and opened it carefully. There was no one there, but there was something on the step. I picked it up.

It was a dog collar.

I felt a familiar presence. "Adam?" I almost blushed, remembering our last time together. "Is this for me?"

He was close. His presence was warm, like the dry heat of a humid day. There was also a faint crackle of energy. They all had a frequency I was learning to distinguish.

I licked my lips. "Did- did you just find this somewhere?" It looked clean. It was black leather with little silver studs. There was no name tag. I turned it over in my hands, a big smile appeared on my face. "What a thoughtful gift. I love it." I put it on, and felt a lovely shiver. "How do I look?" Adam rubbed my arm, gently.

I gave him a flirty grin, and stroked the collar. It had been a long long time since anyone had collared me. It was a sensation I had always found stirring. It created a bond. It was emotional as well as sexual. I was lost in thought when I felt Adam ruffle my hair. Petting me? I laughed.

I kept it on all day. Even as I sat at my Laptop and sent off more emails, I was fingering it lightly. I took it off for a while to clean it, I had no idea where Adam had found it, after all. But then I put it back on, and admired myself in the mirror. I stuck out my tongue like I was a puppy and smiled.

*

The next morning I checked two things. First, that there was nothing new on the board, and then to see if I had a text on my phone from Bella. I would be seeing her tonight, for the first time in a while. She had send a text saying she was looking forward to seeing me. There was a friendly little X at the end of the text. I lay there, thinking about her and that ambiguous kiss.

We would have dinner. Talk about things. Maybe I'd bring her back home. What then?

I licked my lips. I felt so nervous. If she ran from the house, from the home I had made here, what would I do then?

I tried not to think about it. Maybe the house wasn't even safe-

But there had been no more signs of the Sinner or the Harpy, beyond their first appearances. The ghosts had only warned me away once. I took some comfort in that. But also, I knew I needed to make a plan. I wanted to be proactive.

I sent Carver a couple of more urgent texts, asking him to give me some options. I wasn't alone, I had to remind myself. These intruders were alone, not me.

I wasn't expecting a response, but he quickly called me back.

He sounded eager, I could imagine he'd just tore his face from a dusty book. "Harpies, Lara, are so fascinating! There are so many legends. So many theories."

"I just need to know if there's anything I can do. Anyway to protect myself. I need something, Richard."

Using his name helped to focus him. "Yes, of course. Well, they can be seen as punishers, but also protectors."

"It wasn't trying to protect me."

"No, but maybe it was drawn to the stone to protect it? And it was punishing you because it didn't think you should be there. They always work with a purpose, from what I've found."

I didn't buy it. "Its interests were carnal, trust me."

He sighed. "They are creatures of duality. Beautiful and terrible. They nurture and they destroy. They are both the calm and the storm. Lustful and wrathful. I think if you show it you belong, show that you are also a protector, it might see you differently. Also, they prey on the weak, strength repels them. Show spirit. Anger."

I snorted. "You didn't see it. It was terrifying." I couldn't remember every detail from the dream, but the harrowing impression it had left me with was difficult to escape.

"I've been researching the stone," he added, "I think there might be an invocation you can use. Something that might distract it. Help you communicate with it."

Communicate? I hadn't even thought about that. Maybe that should be my approach? Reason with it? I could tell it I was the one protecting the house, the ghosts, the stone.

I felt a surge of hope. Maybe there was a way of dealing with this thing after all? And if I couldn't talk to it, maybe I could at least show it I was connected to the stone, and thus not a foe.

There were possibilities. That was what I'd wanted. "Thanks," I said, "that gives me something to work with."

We parted, and I let out a breath.

Today was going to be a good day.

*

That afternoon I got ready for my date.

It was my first date in a long time. Dinner with Carver hadn't really counted, that had felt more serious. I got out of the shower and tried to settle my nerves. Bella probably wasn't even thinking of it as a date. I was being presumptuous.

Why hadn't I called her before this week? It seemed so obvious. In truth I was scared. Scared of myself. I liked Bella. A lot. I was weird. Different. I didn't want to see a look of disgust on her face. A look of dislike. I didn't want her to think I was a freak or peculiar, even though I knew I was. I didn't want to lean in for a kiss and see her lean away.

Oof. That one made my chest ache.

I didn't want to ruin the nice little daydream I had of us. But there came a point where I realised I had to know, one way or another. Would she like me personally or sexually? Maybe. Would she like me for what I liked? What I needed? Would it interest her, dominating me? Controlling me? Exploring me?

I had no idea.

But I had to know.

*

I was getting dressed in front of the mirror when I saw the ghosts had laid a few things out for me on my dressing table.

I smiled. "Oh, what's this?" They knew this date was important to me. One of them had brought me earrings. Mine. They had taken them earlier on, now they were returning them. There was a broach, of a silver woman with red lips. One of them had brought me a gold bracelet. I wonder where they had kept it? Who it had once belonged to? "Thanks, all of you."

I picked up the collar Adam had brought me, I put it on almost without thinking. I liked the way it felt. The little message it sent to anyone who would notice it. It could pass as an ordinary collar, but it also looked a little different. Also, a collar was a statement all in itself. There was a tension to it that made me shiver.

I did my make up and then picked out a nice dress. It was black, stylish but not overly sexy. It showed a little cleavage, and had a nice lacy hem. I knew I filled it out nicely. I was curvy in all the right places, especially in this. I put on black stockings and then some dark red nail varnish. Red lipstick was last. The flash of colour made everything pop.

I ordered a cab, and as I was about to leave the house, I paused. "If I bring her back, be kind. Okay? Please don't scare her." I looked back, and gave a nervous smile to anyone that was watching.

I took a deep breath and stepped outside.

*

I arrived after her. I hoped I would. I wanted her to see me walk in. A girl had to try and be cocky sometimes. I was led to our table, and I smiled at her. Bella was sipping some wine, she looked up and saw me, and I saw something interesting cross her face. Surprise? Curiosity?

I smiled as I sat. We ordered, and I relaxed when the waiter left us. Bella was dressed a little more formally. A nice green skirt and a tight but unrevealing white top. Her eyes were even greener then I remembered.

"You look nice," she said.

"I wanted to make an effort. I told you I don't get out much."

I saw her give me an appraising look. "I was a little worried about you, but you're looking good. I'm glad."

"Thanks. You too." I felt awkward. We both smiled. "It's good to see you. I always wished we'd gotten to meet up outside the office. Got to know each other more."

"Same," Bella said. "I always wanted to know what was going on in that head."

I looked away and tried not to smile too much.

We caught up for a bit, then the food came and we ate in a comfortable silence. Bella had a few questions about Crook house. "I can't imagine living there," she said, "so big and empty."

I made a face. "You get used to it." I absent mindedly tugged at my collar.

Bella gave me an odd look. "Is that a dog collar?"

I stroked it, a little self-consciously. The feel of it made me happy. "I don't know. I guess it might be. It was a gift."

Bella's lips curved into a naughty smile. "Oh, really?"

I wondered if I was blushing? Certainly my face felt suddenly tighter. "Um, well, I like it."

"Me too. Suits you." Bella said this with a smile, but then she brought a hand to her mouth and stifled a giggle. "I don't mean-"

I laughed with her. "Suits me, huh? They could have given me a leash too."

Bella smiled fondly at me, I liked the warmth in her eyes. "You're with someone, then? I'm glad."

My face fell at that. Technically I had found someone. More than one. But I didn't want her to think that. To know that. Not yet. "No," I said, trying to sound a little wistful. It came easy, I still felt alone as often as not. "I'm on my own."

"Who brought you the gift?"

I gave her what I hoped was an enigmatic smile. "You wouldn't believe me." I wanted her to know I was available, so I continued before she could say anything. "I'm looking, though."

"Oh?"

"I- I'd love to have someone, you know? I need that." I hoped it didn't sound desperate.

Bella just nodded. "Absolutely."

The conversation seemed to slow down then, the restaurant began to dim and fade into the background. I felt as if we had switched to a more intimate wavelength, though perhaps it was just my imagination?

After the food was done, I sipped my drink and then asked her; "Would you like to come and see the house? I think it's... cosier now." That wasn't very subtle, but she'd always said the house was cold and empty, so I thought she'd appreciate it.

She smiled, in a second her glass was empty.

*

We were in the back of a cab in about ten minutes. I had a large black coat that I pulled close. "Always in black?" Bella asked, amused.

"No, well, not always." I had more than a bit of a goth side, I knew. Black hair and pale skin. It suited me. I liked dark clothes. Black lipstick had always turned me on. I just shrugged. "I don't have a rainbow in my wardrobe."

"No? You'll have to show me."

That made my flesh tingle. "Sure." I did have some bright colours in there, but not enough. I imagined buying green to go with her eyes. God. I shrunk a little in my seat. I felt as if everything that was about to come out of my mouth was pure cringe. I knew I was really really into someone when they did this to me.

We left the streets and houses behind, and turned into the dark side roads. Deeper into the countryside. "So isolated out here," Bella murmured.

I nodded. "I like it."

We didn't talk much, it felt like we were keeping it all for later. For the house. The cab took us up the driveway and we got out. I thanked the driver and watched him leave. I let Bella in and watched her as she crossed the threshold. She sighed. "Not been here since..."

The incident with Dubois. I didn't want to dwell on that. I told her this, then led her to the kitchen I poured us more wine and then gave her the tour.

I showed her the lounge, now so much cosier than it had been when I found it. There were still little Christmas decorations here and there. Some tinsel was draped over the mantelpiece. I think it had ben draped over me at one point.

"Still got your decorations up?" Bella was admiring the daft little snowman and Santa figures I had left kissing on the desk.

"Yeah, helps the place feel lived in."

Bella sipped from her glass and looked around. "It's odd. Big as it is, for some reason this house doesn't feel empty. I don't know. I guess you've given it your warmth."

I kicked off my shoes and walked towards the door. "It's, um, a lot warmer upstairs." I turned in the doorway to give her a friendly smile. "Come on, let me show you something."

She followed me up the stairs, and I tried to keep the mood light, joking about being on my own and jumping at shadows. I led her into my room and flipped the lights on. The house was nice and warm, and the wine had us both feeling mellow.

It was now or never.

I had left a chair in the centre of the room, facing the bed.

"Take a seat."

Bella gave me an odd look, but she did as I asked. I went and sat on the edge of the bed. I put my glass down and looked at her. Bella tilted her head. Clearly confused by the space between us. "What's happening?"

"I need to tell you something. About the house." I kept my voice steady. "The door is open, you are free to leave. But please don't. I just want to show you something. Something remarkable that I've found here."

Bella shifted uneasily in the chair. "Lara?"

"I'm here," I said, looking around. "Are you ready?" I stood up and stood perfectly still. First one strap of my dress was lowered, then the other. Bella looked confused as my dress was slowly pulled down by invisible hands.

My long hair was brushed over one of my shoulders, I moaned as my neck was kissed.

Bella was starting to smile. "Is this- Lara, what are you doing?"

Then a comb was lifted off the table and brought to my hair. Bella suddenly bolted to her feet. "What the fuck?"

"It's okay," I said, "these are my friends."

"Your...?" Bella stared as my dress was pulled down to my ankles. The back of my bra was undone, I gasped as my breasts were released. The spirits were groping me. I could smell lavender. Liam gave my breasts a good playful feel. I moaned, and then I looked at Bella. I was half naked. I realised Becky was brushing my hair. Nice long soothing strokes.

Eric was at my feet. I felt him kiss them, then he began pulling my stockings down. Bella began to back away to the door. "Please," I said to her, "don't be afraid. It's okay. It's good. Just let me explain."

Both of my stockings were off. "Give us some space, please." I felt them all back away. Soon I couldn't sense them at all. I went over to the bed and sat on the edge. I patted the space next to me. "Please, sit with me for a moment. Please, Bella."

Bella licked her lips. She looked scared, overwhelmed, but something overrode those emotions, and she came over slowly to sit next to me.

"Sorry for showing you like this. But you wouldn't believe me if I'd just told you..."

"What... What is this?"

"Spirits. The house is full of them. Crook house is built on a thing called a summoning stone. It calls them. They are very, um, vivid. Very real. They can touch and feel. They like to touch. They have desires..."

I trailed off. How to explain that part?

Bella looked stunned. "Spirits? And they- You and-" She looked around, her thoughts seemed to be slowly sliding into place.

"They, uh, keep me company. Most nights. Well, and the days too."

Bella's mouth hung open. "What have you been getting up to?"

I decided to be honest. "Sometimes they hold me down. Sometimes there's just one..." I wanted her to picture it.

"And sometimes there's more?" She sounded shocked, but not appalled. I dared to hope she also sounded intrigued. Her eyes took in my nudity, I saw her gaze drop to my chest and then quickly return to my face.

I leaned towards her and kissed her. She didn't pull away. It was a light kiss, but a passionate one. I pulled back, I felt worried. "Are you okay..?"

An odd smile was slowly appearing on Bella's face. "I hoped you might do that."

I gave her a big smile, then I reached out and put my hand lightly over hers. "And does... all this... change things?"

"I-I don't know. It's... it's a lot. I guess it explains why you've stayed here."

I licked my lips, nervous. "I trust them. They listen to me. They're very loving. They could leave. Or join in, if you'd like."

Her jaw dropped. She laughed, it was a brief snort. "Oh my God, Lara."

I winced. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean- I don't want to freak you out. I'm sorry."

My hand was still on hers. Looking down, she gave my hand a squeeze. "You're a bit more complicated than I thought, Lara. This is..." She shook her head slightly. She looked dazed.

I tried not to let my disappointment, my pain, show. "I'm not. I mean, I just want to be happy. That's all. We have an arrangement here. We make each other happy." I nodded over to the board. "They leave me messages."

Intrigued, Bella got off the bed and wandered over. She studied the board carefully. "You've been helping them?" She turned back to me, her head was tilted as if she was appraising me.

I nodded. "Trying to." I hoped she didn't linger on DANGER and NOTHING.

Bella came back and sat next to me. "That's sweet. So you're helping them. And they're... having sex with you?"

"It makes us all feel alive," I said. I hoped she didn't think we were just using each other. That this was transactional.

Bella put a hand on my knee. I shivered. "You don't feel alive?"

I took a deep breath. I could see her watch my breasts as she caught the motion. I decided on full honesty. "I was in a bad place before I came here. Alone. Empty. Miserable. Now I feel a lot better. Although..." I looked down at her hand. "They can touch me. But it's not the same. I still feel alone, in a way."

Bella nodded, thoughtfully. She looked up and our eyes met. I swallowed nervously. She must have seen it, because she reached out and stroked my face. "It's okay."

I let out a breath. "It is? I don't- I don't want to drive you away. Not you."

Now it was her turn to lean in. She pulled my face towards hers, and we kissed again. She was leading now. Her lips pushed more forcefully than I had dared. My mouth opened, and her tongue lightly brushed mine.

It was one of those kisses. Slow. Curious. I didn't want to pull away, and I guess she didn't either. We were both just holding the moment, allowing it to end whenever it would end. When Bella finally pulled away, she left her face close. Our noses were rubbing together, she sealed the long kiss with a peck on my lips that made me dizzy.