Portrait Of A Lady Ch 02

The next morning, her gentle tones awoke him.

“Rik? Rik, darling. It’s time to wake up.”

Rik stirred from his deep sleep and stretched, momentarily puzzled at the dried sticky mess on his chest. A slow smile spread across his features as he remembered what had happened just before he’d fallen asleep.

“Proud of yourself?”

The sound of her voice made him scramble for the sheet. She laughed prettily, covering her soft lips with her hand. He felt the heat in his face and wondered if she could see his embarrassment.

“You weren’t so shy last night.”

“You watched?”

“Of course.”

She cocked her head knowingly.

“After 190 years, did you think I would miss seeing the well-made body of a naked man and the consummation of his pleasure?”

Rik hadn’t thought of that. In his mind, she was pure and innocent, a lady of the Regency era, where nakedness existed only in twilight and passion was akin to sin. “Uh, I … “

Her giggles echoed in his mind.

“You’re such a silly boy! Did you think I wouldn’t hear you when you called my name?”

Had he done that? He couldn’t remember. All he knew was that he’d cum hard and by the leftovers crackling across his chest, he’d cum a lot. “I don’t remember. If I did, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I was very flattered.”

Her voice changed, morphing from soft to authoritative.

“You have to get moving or you’ll be late for work.”

“Oh, shit!”

“Rikard!”

“Sorry, my lady.” He leaped from the bed, showered, shaved and quickly dressed. He stepped in front of the painting, straightening his tie. “Will you be all right while I’m gone?”

“Yes, but I’ll be missing you.”

“Will you, my lady?”

“Yes, dear Rikard, I will.”

Her smile warmed him to his very toes.

“I’ll have a surprise for you when you get home.”

“A surprise? For me?”

“Yes, now get going!”

She laughed gaily.

“Rikard, you are worse than a child at Christmas!”

Rik bowed deeply to her and felt the blood rush to his face when she curtsied in response. “Until tonight.”

Her voice was low and velvety.

“Yes, dear love. Until tonight.”

*****

“You are late.”

Patrick Russell strode into his sitting room and tossed his hat on the table. It was barely afternoon and he was already exhausted. He’d had to wait until nearly midnight before he could break into the shop and it took him almost three hours to locate the sales files. The woman, Marlena Compton, did a brisk business and her records were well kept and notated. The kid’s name was Rik Kershaw and he lived in a well-protected apartment. The doorman had refused him entrance and was so far, not bribable. He had tried to enter behind another tenant and had been swiftly removed, despite his pleas, then bribes and later, threats.

He loosened his cravat and poured a good-sized jolt of whiskey for himself before turning to face Frederick Allen Hendrickson, the Marquess of Ravenstone.

“I had a lot of work to do.”

“And?” Russell huffed. He was unused to being ordered around like a servant and he was bristling under the constraints. He wished that he’d never bought the damned painting. “Did you not hear me?”

“I heard you.” He snarled, dropping into a chair opposite the nearly seven-foot tall portrait. “I know his address but I was not able to get inside.”

“Fool! Don’t you know how important it is for me to gain access to that painting?” The marquess spat, his regal features crumpling with anger. “The apex occurs for only two days and I must get to her during that time.”

“I know this. You’ve told me this a million times already.”

“But it doesn’t seem to have impressed the importance on you!”

Russell drained his drink and rubbed the slightly chilled glass against his forehead. “I know how important it is but I warned you that there were bound to be obstacles.”

“If we had found the painting more quickly … “

“If you had given me the correct information to begin with, that pleasant fact might have happened!” Russell snapped, daring to show his own anger and frustration. “That painting sat in the shop for nearly

two

years!”

The man in the painting remained quiet for a moment, his lip curling. “I know that.”

“Then let’s not quibble about such inconsequential things. I know where he works. I will gain entry to his apartment and I will get the portrait.” Russell sighed. “And you will have your precious Angelica.”

“And you will have what I promised … immortality.”

Russell closed his eyes and rubbed his throbbing temples, wondering how the hell he was going to get into that kid’s apartment.

*****

He bought flowers on the way home. He knew that she liked daisies and had the florist make up a nice bouquet for her. After all, she had a surprise for him. She would definitely enjoy his surprise of fresh flowers, wouldn’t she?

He pushed the door open and stopped in his tracks. The entire apartment had been cleaned and re-arranged in a more pleasing fashion and the scent of roses filled the air. Another smell met his nostrils. He set the flowers down on the hall table and walked into the kitchen, amazed to find a roasted chicken crisping in the oven and green beans with almond slivers in a bowl, steaming and warm on the oven’s top. The table was set for two and a lone red rose rested in the bud vase.

“Angelica?”

“In here.”

Her voice sounded different. It didn’t sound like it was in his head as it had before. She sounded … close. He grabbed the bouquet and headed for the bedroom, his jaw dropping as he entered. His bed had been moved and brilliant sunlight lit the room. He never realized that the headboard had been covering that window.

But the most remarkable thing was sitting in his parlor chair. It was Angelica.

“No!” She exclaimed as he rushed towards her. “Do not touch me for I’m not whole yet.”

Rik stopped in his tracks, seeing the truth in her words. The sun’s gentle rays poured through her gossamer form, alighting on her curves and bringing radiance to her blue eyes. “My lady.” She smiled at his bow, her smile growing as he presented the flowers. “For you.”

“Daisies!” She took one from the bunch and he watched as it faded to transparency in her fingers. She raised it to her face, clipped off the long stem with a fingernail and tucked the blossom behind her ear. “How did you know that daisies are my favorite?”

“I read up on you at the library.”

Her face fell at his words. “Then you know about … “

“Yes. I know about Frederick.” Rik wished that he could touch her, if only to soothe her worries away. “He seemed to be a boor.”

“He was a boor. He thought himself so much better than anyone else.” Angelica paused, raising her eyes to him. “I used to devote a good amount of time to St. Anne’s. It was an orphanage for the poor and it gave me such a good feeling to help the young ones. Frederick laughed when he heard what I was doing. He said that they were right where they belonged.”

“That’s horrible!”

“He forbade me to continue my work there. He said that he didn’t want me consorting with their type, especially after we were married. He said he was afraid that I’d catch a disease from them.”

Rik saw the sly smile on her beautiful lips. “But you didn’t stop, did you?”

“No.” She tugged another daisy from the batch and twirled it between her elegant fingers. “You see, I fell in love.”

Rik’s heart shriveled in his chest and he felt light-headed at her words. “Fell in love?”

She nodded, laughing at his reaction. “His name is Quentin and he’s seven years old.”

“Seven?”

“Yes. He’s one of the orphans. He always picks the books he wants me to read and helps to clean up after the younger kids.” Angelica’s eyes swept downward, back to the tender flower in her hands. “I wanted to adopt him … “

“But Frederick said no?”

Again, she nodded. “He didn’t want any castoffs in his house. He said the only children he wanted were ones he’d plant in my womb.” She touched her stomach, an expression of revulsion on her face. “I wasn’t interested in anything he wanted to plant.”

Rik smiled. “I can understand that.”

“But I’m interested in what you wish to plant.”

A wave of heat flashed through him. “Oh, Angelica, you have no idea … “

“Oh, I have an idea, dear Rikard. Did you forget I saw you last night?”

He blushed again, much to his chagrin and much to her joy. “Yes, I did.”

“Well, I wish to see it again.”

“What?”

“It is masturbation, is it not?”

“Uh, yes.”

“I thought as much. I am a firm believer in masturbation.” She moved closer, her sweet face just inches from him. “I hoped that after dinner, we might do it together.”

“Together?” Rik’s heart flipped in his chest. “I’d like that very much.”

“Good.” She arose, lifting the bouquet. “Why don’t we eat?”

Dinner was simple and delicious. The roast chicken was juicy and flavorful and the green beans were tasty and crisp. While they were eating, Angelica told him of her uneventful life, except for her work with the children. She also told him of the apex.

“It happens two days a month, when the moon is at its highest and fullest.”

“And you become flesh?”

“Yes.”

“What about now?”

“I can touch solid things and move around but I can’t receive touch.”

“What happens if you get touched accidentally?”

“I return to the painting and I can’t come out again until the next apex.”

“I see. Then I’ll make sure that I don’t touch you.”

“Not until the apex occurs. Then you may touch me as much as you like for two whole days.”

Rik moved close, smelling her perfume. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

*****

How lucky it was that the kid’s building had a fire escape. Of course, it wasn’t as easy as Russell had thought it would be. The retractable portion of the ladder was chained and locked and he had to risk his impeccable hygiene to push a dumpster underneath so that he could pull himself up onto the landing. He worked his way up to the sixth floor and used the glass cutting tool to get the window open. The window opened into a long hallway and he paused to consult his notes again. Kershaw’s apartment number was 610.

*****

When Rik emerged from the shower, he was stunned to find her naked on one side of his king-size bed, her hair spread like a blanket of fall leaves on the pillows. The reds and golds played a gentle contrast to her pale skin, which stretched in unblemished creamy pinkness over soft curves and valleys, then smoothly undulated under the matched the trimmed pubic carpet that rested at the apex of her legs. She had moved a light behind her and turned the lampshade so that he could see the pink glow of her fat nipples.

“You like what you see?”

“Oh, Angelica, you’re gorgeous!”

“You’re not so bad looking yourself.” Her eyes dropped down to his groin and he flushed with heat, feeling his cock rise to her attention. “In fact, you look good enough to eat.”

Rik dropped the towel and carefully lay down next to her, making sure not to touch her. “Looking at you makes me positively ravenous.”

She looked hurt for a moment. “You didn’t enjoy my chicken?”

“I’m not hungry for that.” He growled, gazing raptly at her thick-nippled breasts and letting that gaze slid down to her pussy.

“Oh.” This time, she was the one to blush, especially when he reached down and gave his prick a stroke. “You’re so big, Rik.”

“Frederick wasn’t?”

“Not at all. I saw it once when we went hunting. He had to relieve himself in some bushes and I peeked. It was short and uncircumcised.” She shuddered. “I can’t stand that extra skin.”

“You won’t have that problem with me.”

“Yes, I see.” When she licked her lips, Rik moaned. “I love the way your cock looks. The head is so perfect.” Her throaty voice seemed to pierce his soul. “I can’t wait to lick you like a candy pop.”

“Oh, my angel … “ He sighed, looking into her eyes. “If I only could … “

“What would you do to me if you could touch me?”

“First, I’d suck on your lovely nipples until they got hard.”

“These nipples?” Angelica circled her rosy mounds, shivering slightly.

“Oh, yes. Those beautiful nipples.” Rik gave his meat a rough tug. “Lick your fingers and do that again.”

Angelica licked her fingers as he asked and rubbed the tender flesh. She was surprised when he leaned forward and gently blew across them, making her nipples harden instantly. She moaned. “Oh, Rikard! How did you do that?”

“I can’t touch you, but my breath can.”

*****

Here it was. Apartment 610. Russell glanced down the hallway, checking to make sure that he was still alone and quickly bent, inserting two tools into the lock and manipulating them until he heard the familiar sound of tumblers clicking together. He turned the knob, holding his breath and released it slowly when the door opened silently. He closed it quickly behind himself and stood still, hearing a low moan.

“Oh, Rikard!”

The voice and its answering moan were coming from a room to the left and Russell carefully crept to the doorway, observing the big bed and its occupants. He rubbed his eyes and tried to focus again, finally realizing that the girl on the bed was nearly transparent.

What the hell?

Angelica let one of her hands drift down her flat abdomen to the heated juncture between her legs, inhaling swiftly when her finger found her buried clit and her pussy rippled in pleasure. She opened her eyes, gazing at him through slitted eyes and panting as the sensations moved through her.

“Then after I made sure your nipples were nice and hard, I’d move down to your pussy.”

“What would you do to my pussy?”

“I’d lick every inch of your thighs, then I’d suck your pussy until you came on the tip of my tongue.”

“Oh, my!” She slid two fingers into her quivering hole, plunging them in deep. “I’ve never had anyone do that to me before.”

“Oh, angel, I guarantee that you’d love it.”

“I love it when you call me Angel. Would you call me that when you’re buried inside me?”

“No.” He whispered, stroking his hard cock. “I’d call you my love.”

Russell felt his cock stir into life, hypnotized by the sensuality of the scene he was witnessing and freed himself from his pants. The marquess had never said anything about this; about the woman from the painting coming to life like the marquess himself had. And what a woman she was. From this vantage point, he could see the insides of her white thighs and the swollen, dark red lips of her sex, her glistening fingers pumping in and out. Suddenly, he knew why Frederick wanted her. She was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen.

“My love.” The words filled her senses and she gazed into the depths of his dark eyes. “My love.”

“Yes, my lady.” Rik spoke the words of his heart. “My love.”

“Oh, Rikard.” Her fingertips latched onto her nipple and pinched, pulling at the same time she thrust her fingers into her dripping snatch. “Oh, I’m so close.”

“Cum with me, my princess. Let me hear you cum.”

“Oh, oh, oh, Rikard! Oh, yes!”

Russell grabbed onto the door jamb as his cock jerked, emptying four thick squirts into the palm of his hand. The connection between the kid and the woman was so sensual that he could almost taste her essence. He slowly backed away from the door and crept into the kitchen, cleaning his hand on a dish cloth. It was obvious that there was much more to this story than just the simple theft of a painting and Russell was going to find out what was going on before he gave the portrait to Ravenstone.

“Oh, my angel! I’m … “

“Please. On my breasts.”

“Angelica!” He couldn’t hold back any longer. His skin tingled and a deep, delicious throb seemed to start from the base of his balls and rumbled up his stalk. “Oh, my love! Here I cum!” His cum jetted into the air and landed in a solid line across her breasts. He heard her gasp as the second shot caught the bottom of her chin and the third across her nipples. Rik lay there, trying to catch his breath as he watched her lay back and rub his jizz into her soft skin. Then, she took two fingerfuls of his cream and iced her lips with them.

“Rikard, watch me.”

He could barely stand to watch as her tongue slid tantalizingly along her soft, pink lips, lifting the pearly cream and taking it inside, swallowing it with a shy smile. He felt his limp prick stir at her demonstration and closed his eyes, sighing in contentment. “You are too much, my sweet angel.”

“Will I be too much tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? That soon?”

“Actually, the day after tomorrow at one in the morning.”

“You won’t be too much for me, angel. Believe me.” Rikard pulled the sheet over himself, tossing it over her. “I can’t wait until tomorrow.”

“Neither can I, dear Rikard.” Angelica’s voice grew soft. “I’ve been waiting for you all my life and nothing is going to stop us now.” She arose, her translucent skin glistening with his cream and her hair in a tousled mass around her dainty face. “Nothing.”

Russell managed to slip back out into the hallway, his mind filled with his confusion but his eyes filled with the naked image of the ghostly Lady Hawthorn.