Born Again (5 page)

It was so tempting, but Sara refused to be a sucker. If the
woman’s story was real, it would also be real tomorrow. There was no reason for
urgency.

“Sorry,” Sara said, glancing at her watch. “I’m on the
clock.”

She began to walk away.

The old biddy tried one last time. “Ye must be careful of
vampires and werewolves,” she called out.

That clinched it. The old bat was crazy. Sara continued to
walk without a backward glance.

When she was away from the old woman’s tent, the vegetable
stand was right in her line of vision. Why hadn’t she seen it first and saved
herself from the old loony woman? Confusion hit her and she pushed it to the
back of her mind when she noticed a hunchbacked old man moving slowly just
ahead of her.

“Hi, I’m Sara Michaels,” she called as he set out
vegetables. He moved slowly, his skin paper-thin and tinged with gray. A shock
of white hair adorned his head.

His eyes were black, the color of his pupils merging with
his iris into one giant hole. They never once seemed to blink.

He hauled a box up from under the counter and set it on top
without a word.

Sara shivered. People were creepy down here and it was broad
daylight.

“Okay, I’ll just take this then?” Sara asked.

He didn’t answer. He just continued to stare at her,
zombie-like. Weirded out, Sara lifted the box and turned, knowing he’d yell out
if that wasn’t what she was supposed to do.

She glanced around to leave, box in her arms and looked
about her, wanting to avoid the old woman.

Sara’s mouth went dry and she blinked her eyes, not
believing the proof that was before her. Not only was the old witch nowhere in
sight, but her tent had completely disappeared.

* * * * *

True to his word, Aric’s car was waiting for her when she
left the shop at five. It was Friday, she would have dinner with him and stay
the night at Beau’s tomorrow.

“Oh, but I drove to work today,” she said to the driver when
he came to collect her. “I can’t just leave my car.”

“Not a problem, ma’am. Mr. Ishee said for us to take your
car back to your residence for you. Your keys, please?”

She placed her car keys into his hand and he helped her into
the limo.

The drive to Aric’s house was over before she knew it and
the limo driver again helped her out of the car.

Then Aric was at her side, kissing her cheek lingeringly. “Will
you stay the night after dinner, sweet?”

“Aric, I didn’t bring any clothes for my visit. I thought I’d
head home.”

“I don’t want to waste any precious minutes of my time,” he
said, kissing the inside of her wrist. “I bought you a closet of clothes while
you spent the afternoon with Beau. What you don’t like, we can return.”

She stared at him incredulously, making him bark with
laughter.

“A drop in the bucket for me, I assure you. And I had fun
picking them out. Will you come and see?”

She nodded and he escorted her upstairs to his bedroom. Sure
enough, one side of the walk-in master closet was lined with feminine clothing.

Dramatic clothing. Dark colors and of course, greens. To
complement her red hair.

He had excellent taste. There wasn’t a single item that didn’t
appeal to her.

Aric pulled her from the closet, leading her back into his
bedroom. He showed her a chest of drawers, which contained silky underthings
folded neatly against his own. Then, to the bathroom, where makeup and lotions
and female vanities lined the glass shelving.

“You’re moving me in,” she commented slowly. Her heart
raced, thrilled at the prospect until she realized he only did it to jump ahead
of Beau. Instantly her elation dropped.

He turned her toward him. “No pressure. Alternate things in
case you decide to stay here with me, rather than your own place. As often as
you like, or not at all if you don’t feel like it. And you don’t even have to stay
in the master bedroom. I can move your things to a guestroom if you’re more
comfortable. My car is always available to whisk you to your apartment.”

The strain eased from her face and she curled her arms
around his neck, pulling him toward her. “Thank you,” she whispered. Now that
the pressure was gone, she was grateful for his gifts.

Or would be once she was ensconced in her own room, that is.
Of course if she was in her own room she’d be showing her gratitude in a
different way. Her body was strung tight from all the kisses and touches she
had shared with Beau today and she was ready to jump Aric. If they were alone,
which they were not.

Rafe and Francesca were there. Sara bit her lip, feeling
uncomfortable at the thought.

“What is it?” Aric asked.

“It’s nothing.”

“Of course there’s something. You can tell me anything. Come,
reveal all before we join Rafe and Francesca.”

“It’s just that, well, they’re your friends. But they make
me, um, slightly uncomfortable.”

Aric’s face froze, with what emotion she couldn’t tell.

“How so?”

“I don’t know. They just do.”

“I think I know why. Come with me.”

He pulled her by the hand down the long corridor.

“Where are we going?”

“To see them. To pinpoint why you’re uncomfortable.”

“I know why, Aric. Let go.”

He refused to let her go, pulling her along with him. “I
know why also, sweet, and I’m sure the real reason is very different from what
you’re thinking.”

“I just don’t know them very well and it’s the way they look
at me.”

“As if they know you?”

She stopped. “Exactly.”

“Perhaps they know more about you than you realize?”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s what you’re going to find out. Come along.”

Without giving her a chance, he pulled her again, this time
not stopping until they reached a lower wing of the house. Directly ahead was a
doorway and before they entered it, Aric said one last thing.

“They make you uncomfortable because they remind you of how
you really are. Sensual, adventurous, a little on the kinky side.”

Entering the doorway, he strode directly into a bedroom.

Sara gasped, unable to believe her eyes.

Francesca sat in an armchair, naked, both thighs thrown over
the arms.

Rafael’s dark head was positioned between them and he didn’t
bother to look up.

Sara closed her eyes and Aric’s fingers dug roughly into her
shoulders. “Open them,” he commanded.

Her eyes flew open, looking at him but not toward the center
of the room. He forced her body to turn to face Rafe and Francesca.

“Mmmm,” Francesca greeted. She raised her hands to her pale
breasts. Black-tipped fingernails contrasted against the cream of her skin. She
cupped her own breasts, plucking at a nipple with one hand.

Aric moved behind Sara, pulling her to him and wrapping his
arms around her. She leaned back against his chest and surprisingly, felt
protected instead of trapped while he forced her to watch the naughty scene
before her.

Rafael’s head turned toward Sara and Francesca made a sound
of protest, then lowered her hand to insert her own black-tipped glossy
fingernail into her swollen, shiny labia.

“Like what you see, Sara?” Rafe asked.

A dim part of her brain realized that she was actually
turned on by the erotic sight of naked people. The scent in the air was of
pure, straight sex and the smell seemed to permeate her nostrils, triggering
her own sheath to heat.

She stared, not even answering. Rafe slowly reached for his
burgeoning member, shining purple through the nest of black coarse hair that
surrounded it. He slid his palm up its thick length and the expression that
stole across his face was pure ecstasy.

Her vagina clenched with excitement. How she longed to come
in contact with that thick, veiny stalk. To inhale its scent, to…taste it. His
testicles were huge. Heavy, weighted balls that she wanted to suckle as he
groaned and squirmed beneath her lips.

Her wicked thoughts nearly caused her to convulse and she
fought to keep from squeezing her thighs together to pleasure her own swollen
labia.

Aric reached into the waistband of her pants. She made a
small sound of protest, an effort only.

“Sssh,” he said, into her ear.

His finger delved into her wet cleft, feeling the hot,
honeyed slickness for himself.

It occurred to Sara that he knew in that moment, knew how
much watching Rafe and Francesca excited her.

Rafe watched Aric’s hand slide into her clothing with the
barest semblance of a smile on his face. Then he turned his attention back to
Francesca and pulled her hips forward, nearly off the chair.

With her legs thrown over the arms, her entire bottom was
displayed for their pleasure. Her wet, swollen flesh looked pink and tender and
she eagerly moved her finger from deep inside to find her enlarged clitoris.

With her index finger, she rubbed sensuous circles around
and around the hard nub.

Rafe aimed his thick cock for her nether lips and plunged in
to the hilt.

Sara almost came, her hips thrusting at Aric’s finger. He
pressed his finger against her clitoris comfortingly and they studied Rafael’s
muscular globes as he ground into Francesca. He hammered into her frantically,
pound and release, over and over, his muscular buttocks moving to a sensual
beat.

“Would you like to caress his ass?” Aric whispered in her
ear.

She violently shook her head, eyes wide.

Aric gave a short laugh and then frantically circled her
clitoris in time to Francesca’s own manipulations.

It pushed her over the edge and she exploded from his
masturbation.

“Ohhh,” she moaned and the sound of her deep, rich voice
filled with ecstasy seemed to push Rafael and Francesca into their own
shuddering climaxes.

“Ohmigod,” Francesca screamed.

“Fuck,” Rafael groaned, emptying his seed deep into her
womb.

Aric casually removed his hand from Sara’s pants and she
watched, horrified as he brought it up to his face to inhale deeply.

Then he picked her up and carried her over to the huge,
empty bed.

“What are you doing?” she asked, panicked, not knowing
whether she meant him sniffing his fingers or depositing her on their bed.

“It’s their turn to watch, since you don’t seem to be ready
to let them join in.”

Sara was silent for a moment and Aric began to undress her,
pulling off each article of clothing piece by piece.

“This is why they make you uncomfortable, sweet,” he said
and her eyes cut to Rafe and Francesca, mortified that he spoke in front of
them.

“You are uncomfortable with the idea of the pleasure we
could have. The idea of what actually turns you on. Strangers. Foursomes. Voyeurism.”

She was naked now, but hotter than she’d ever been. His
words were such a turn-on and she found she enjoyed displaying a show for
Raphael and Francesca.

Aric pulled a couple of pillows from on top of the bed and
slid them under her hips. Then he spread her legs wide.

She tried to cower from the splayed-out position, but his
hands locked on her thighs, keeping her still. Rafael and Francesca made their
way to the bed, sitting on top of it for a close-up view, but not touching.

“Uh-uh, that’s not fair,” Francesca chided as Sara fought to
close her legs. “You saw mine. And remember how hot it got you?”

Remember? It had taken her less than a minute to come in
Aric’s hand.

It was a challenge, female to female.

Sara relaxed against Aric’s large hands and helped raise her
hips while she looked directly into Francesca’s eyes.

Rafael sucked in his breath and Aric’s eyes glazed over.

“Holy shit,” Rafe said, his voice deep and sounding like
sex. “Aric, taste her for me.”

Aric dipped his head and Sara shuddered at the pass of his
tongue.

It was the most intense liquid heat, a skilled masterful
tongue seeking and tasting and pleasuring at the same time.

Her eyes rolled back in her head, breaking her eye contact
with Francesca. Sara’s face stiffened in sensual pleasure. White-hot delight
rushed through her body, invading every cell, flushing through every organ.

“Mmmm,” Francesca moaned. “I know just what she’s feeling.”

Aric shifted his head back for a moment so he could use both
hands to spread apart her labia, like opening the petals of a rose.

Her clitoris popped out of its hood.

“Christ,” Rafe said, reaching out with a trembling hand.

“Don’t touch,” Aric said sharply. “Not unless she agrees to
it.”

“Then let’s get you out of your clothes,” Rafe said to him,
his eyes on Sara’s.

From behind Aric, Rafe’s hands came around Aric’s chest to
begin unbuttoning his silk shirt.

Sara nearly squealed, it was so erotic. To see a man’s
masculine hands baring Aric’s sexy chest, the buttons sliding from their slots,
one by one, inch by inch more slick skin revealed, while he held her most
intimate flesh spread apart for all to see.

When he’d finished with the buttons, Rafe tugged the material
over Aric’s broad shoulders, one at a time, while Aric replaced each hand
holding Sara. The shirt hit the floor with a whisper of silk, revealing all the
firm muscles beneath.

It was a good thing Aric was staring at her, awaiting her
reaction instead of licking at her flesh, because she would have exploded when
Rafe wrapped his hands around Aric’s waist to unbuckle his pants.

Oooh
,
big hands
,
definitely masculine
,
sprinkled with sexy hairs
,
reaching around and sliding the zipper down
.
Lord
,
did his hand brush Aric
’
s erection
?

Aric’s underwear matched his black pants. Sleek and sexy.

Rafe slowly pushed Aric’s pants down over his hips, exposing
his underwear fully. There was one less layer over the swollen bulge. Then, he
inserted his fingers into the waistband and…

Tugged.

Aric’s manhood sprang forth, huge and long and so incredibly
hard her mouth watered. She could almost smell the palpable lust in the air,
the white-hot need.

Then he leaned over her and caught her exposed clitoris
between his lips.

He pulled at the hard organ, elongating it with his mouth. Her
sex creamed, feeling as though it would leak onto the bed beneath her.

She writhed beneath the incredible sensations of his
talented mouth and thought of the cock that would soon be filling her empty channel.

He took pity on her and let her come. She exploded into his
mouth and he gave her just a couple of moments to recover.

“You’re wet enough to take all of me,” he muttered hoarsely
and reached for the condom Raphael passed him. Then he slid himself right in.

He filled her up.

He paused, both of them getting used to the sensation of
being so intimately joined. Then he slid his thrust back out, almost all the
way.

And slammed back in.

Hard testicles slapped against the sensitive skin between
her vagina and anus as he rode her hard.

She’d forgotten about Raphael and Francesca. She glanced
around to see if they still watched but they were busy pleasuring each other,
Francesca on top of Rafe, her legs spread wide in a sixty-nine. Sara could see
Rafe’s tongue as it flicked against the woman’s bare, reddened flesh, over and
over rhythmically.

And then Aric’s strokes brought her to completion again. She
held him close to her as her orgasm hit, stroking his sweaty back, and his lips
sought hers. He tasted of Aric, masculinity and lust. A hot combination that
completed her orgasm and sent her to frantically milking his.

He thrust the entire time throughout his own orgasm and she
could feel each spurt of his seed through the condom as his cock emptied.

After several minutes of catching their breath, Aric picked
her up and carried her back to his own bed, leaving an exhausted Francesca and
Rafael breathing heavily in a tangled heap of arms and legs.

Naked through the hallways they passed, silent, her head curled
into his chest. His heart beat in her ear, his skin warm against her cheek.

“Wrong room,” she said when they arrived at his. “I’d moved
into the guestroom, remember?”

“I’m not letting you sleep alone. I can only imagine you
waking and thinking all kinds of recriminating thoughts about what just
happened.”

“What did just happen?”

“We enjoyed ourselves with old friends. Who happen to love
you.”

“I’ve never…”

“I know. But you were made for this, Sara. You’re highly
sensual, it comes naturally to you to be so erotic. You’re just afraid of the
unknown, but I’ll teach you to enjoy yourself. One day you’ll be more than
ready to join in.”

He put her in the bed and crawled in beside her, pulling her
into him. His body was warm as it spooned her and the room was so incredibly
dark.

He was hard and comforting and she loved being wrapped in
his arms, his sex pressed intimately against the smooth curve of her buttocks.

She was pleasantly drifting, every now and then he’d nuzzle
his stubbled cheek comfortingly against the top of her head.

But she was alone when she woke. She lay in bed a long time,
her face buried in his pillow as if she could inhale his scent, before getting
up to look around. Aric was nowhere to be found and it was nearly noon.

Her stomach rumbled and she took a quick shower. He’d placed
her own things in there, but the shower gel that coexisted with hers smelled
like him. She breathed it in deeply, wondering where he was. She wound her way
down hallways, letting her nose lead her to the kitchen overripe with aromas of
food.

“Good morning, miss. Master Aric instructed me to let you
sleep and to take care of you when you woke.”

Sara turned to see a butler straight out of an old-time
movie, standing stiff and tall.

“Are you hungry?” he continued.

She nodded.

“Come then. This way.”

Sara paused, her hand on his arm. “Rafael and Francesca…”

“They haven’t yet risen,” the butler told her.

She was slightly relieved as she let him lead her into the
kitchen, although she wondered how late they would sleep. She didn’t know how
she would act when she saw them.

She had brunch by herself, still wondering where Aric might
be. But too proud to ask. Still, it was Saturday, maybe he worked weekends, she’d
never asked. And she didn’t want to be a bother.

After eating, Sara sat at the bay window, looking out at the
gray skies. She didn’t have to work today, but she should be thinking about
getting home. She had her own place, she reminded herself. It was just so
relaxing to be here, to have others care for her, to not be lonely. Besides,
tonight she had to call Beau.

She looked up as high heels entered the room, the clicking
against the hard floor striding directly toward her.

“Good day, Sara,” said Francesca. She smiled warmly, as if
nothing had happened out of the ordinary last night.

“Good afternoon,” Sara responded although it was still
early. Francesca sat next to her on the window seat.

Sara’s face was tight and she tried to force it into a
semblance of normalcy.

“Are you feeling all insecure inside?” Francesca asked.

Sara smiled tightly. “A little.” She turned back toward the
window and finally asked the question that had been plaguing her. “Where’s Rafe?”

Francesca put her hand out to rub Sara’s back. “That’s why I
came in by myself. We didn’t want to overwhelm you. He’s working still,” she
said.

She continued to rub and Sara gradually began to relax. Her
taut neck muscles began to melt under Francesca’s magic touch.

“You never have to do anything you don’t want to do,”
Francesca reminded softly. “If it makes you more comfortable to not speak of
it, we’ll do that. If you want to laughingly joke about it, we’ll do that. We’ll
let you lead and we’ll follow.”

“I appreciate it,” Sara said and to her own ears, her voice
sounded small.

“But before you tell me you don’t want to ever talk about
it, I have to say something,” Francesca said laughingly. “You have the most
beautiful breasts I’ve ever seen.” Her voice wasn’t a come-on, she was stating
a fact, as one friend would confide to another. “When we dress for dinner, I
think you should wear something strapless. Something to accentuate them. What
do you think? I’ll help you pick it out, it’ll be fun.”

Sara felt a tiny smile start at her childlike enthusiasm. “What
time is dinner?”

Francesca looked at the huge clock across the room. “We’ll
eat at five. We’ve plenty of time, but do you want to go prepare our outfits? We
can make it fancy,” she enticed. “So what if the men turn out in jeans? We’ll
have them drooling.”

She was going out of her way to make a friendship, Sara
realized. It wasn’t Francesca’s nature to be overly friendly, she was more the
sultry, silent type. But she was making a concerted effort to ease her
feelings.

So Sara could too. She nodded and Francesca pulled her to
her feet.

Rafe arrived at the door as they were heading out and his
casual look took in Sara’s hand encased in Francesca’s.

“Sara,” he said sincerely and leaned in slowly, as if he
feared he might frighten her.

He kissed her cheek. It was a warm comforting kiss and it
lingered against her soft skin. He drew back just as slowly, as if he hoped she’d
pull him to her and greet him properly.

“Rafe,” Sara said, almost shyly. But she looked deliberately
into his eyes.

“Where are you ladies off to?” he asked casually, his gaze
locked on hers, never breaking.

“We’re going to find something fun to wear for dinner,”
Francesca said.

Something flashed violently in his eyes for the briefest
instant. Male lust.

“Have a good time,” he said, as he stepped aside to let them
pass, finally breaking eye contact with Sara.

They were walking down the hallway to Aric’s room when
Francesca said, “There. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“No,” Sara said slowly. “It actually wasn’t.”

“And it’ll get easier and easier. You’ll see.”

They were in Aric’s room now and went directly to the walk-in
closet. Rows upon rows of dresses hung and Francesca began rifling through
them.

“Look,” she said, holding one up. It was black and long,
shaped like an hourglass. A single thin strap wound around the neck and it was
backless, held up by breasts, for she would be unable to wear a bra. The bottom
of the dress had huge slits sliced up the thigh to allow room to walk.

“Try it on,” Francesca said, excitedly. “It’ll be perfect, I
know it.”

“You think?” Sara asked.

“Oh, yes. I’ll wear a scarlet dress. Even more daring, it’ll
put you at ease to have me more naked. Come on, change. And, Sara?”

Sara looked up from the dress at the question in her voice.

Francesca said smoothly, “May I watch?”

Sara gave the briefest nod, such a small movement that
Francesca almost missed it. She sat in a chair right there in the dressing room
and Sara flung the t-shirt over her head.

She stood there, clad in her jeans and bra, not moving. Her
breasts, which Francesca had fixated on, rose and fell with her breathing. Smooth,
creamy flesh was bursting up over the lace when Sara reached between her
breasts and unsnapped the clasp.

Her breasts literally fell from the cups. She pulled the
straps from her shoulders, not looking at Francesca.

“Sara, they absolutely are the most beautiful I’ve ever
seen,” Francesca said. Her voice was carefully modulated to appear friendly and
nothing else. Nothing else to frighten the skittish Sara.

Because in this lifetime she was definitely skittish.

Sara unsnapped her jeans and pulled the tight material down
sleek hips and thighs. She turned slightly and Francesca was rewarded by the
curve of her smooth buttocks, with the string riding temptingly between the
globes, exposing itself on top with a black lace butterfly.

Francesca smiled, trying to appear friendly. “Those are
pretty.”

But her fangs were out. And she had to suck them back in
before Sara noticed.