Sin Eater (4 page)

He relieved her of her bra, let his shirt fall to the floor since she’d freed all the buttons, and held her up to his skin, the warmth fr
om her body penetrating deep into his. She was no longer crawling all over him like some kind of jungle cat, she was satisfied that he was going to take her to bed good and proper, she didn’t need further convincing. She also had a death grip on the chain around his neck, but that was fine. It would hold.

His lips came to hers again, and she responded with passion and not fury. Her tongue was delicious in his mouth, still aggressive. Oh, he liked this one very much. No apologies for having a libido. It was refreshing.

He gathered her up in his arms easily, already knowing where the bedroom was. These places all invariably had the same layout. He left the lights off as he took her to her bed, laying her down. He did turn on a small, shaded bedside lamp. He had to see them, the women he laid with. He loved to watch their faces.

She reached to turn it back off but he caught her hand, pressing her palm to his mouth. “Please, leave it on,” he whispered against her skin.

She shuddered. Reached out to him, coaxed him down on top of her. As her kisses became more and more urgent, he removed the rest of their clothing, lying naked next to her, stroking the secret places of her body that her mind was begging him to touch. This seemed to calm her, and yet she was burning under his hands.

He teased each nipple with his mouth, and she gripped his hair to hold him in place. She let him trail downward, out of her reach, to the juncture of her legs. He dove in without much more preamble, rewarded by the sound of her guttural moan and the arching of her back. One leg came over hi
s shoulder, the heel digging into his back so she could work against his mouth. He risked a glance upwards, and she was totally lost to what she was feeling. Her eyes were closed, her head was tossed to the side, her mouth drew breath through her parted lips, and she was softly tracing circles around her own nipple. Unembarrassed, totally willing to pleasure herself while he paid witness to it. This must be what she was like privately, on her own. Oh, she was definitely a rare breed. So lovely.

Her orgasm arrived quickly, so quickly he didn’t have a chance to piggyback on it. That was okay. He decided she was going to have a few more anyway.

As he parted her thighs to make room for himself her eyes fluttered open suddenly and she whispered, “I have condoms.”

He smiled down at her, running a finger along the curve of her top lip. He carried no human disease and could not transmit one, and since he was not technically a living thing he could not impregnate her. But he didn’t want to br
eak the spell he had over her that had very little to do with imposing his will on her. “Where?” He asked gently.

She looked to her bedside table, made up of three legs and a circular top. On the stand next to the lamp was a carved wooden box. Inside, under a travel pack of tissue, he found the prophylactic and made quick work of getting it in place. She watched while he did, and her respect for her own body was another turn-on for him.

“Ellen, are you ready?”

She just nodded, mouth dropping open further. She swallowed nervously, and he kissed her roughly. She held him tight, and as
he lifted her slight weight, gripping her by that ass that had first captured his attention he drove home the male appendage that could not be ignored. Her inner muscles grabbed hold of him tight but slick, and he found himself bellowing into the pillow right next to her head. He had to concentrate, wanted to get into her mind, but if he lost it now …

Gritting his teeth, he went back to kissing her, which helped. Her mind was throwing off pleasure and want and desire like mad, and he locked on to all that information until he was sensing everything her body did. He could feel
her physical invasion; what his body was doing to hers. He moaned, and she answered as well. When he found that spot inside, behind her belly button, she cried out. He had to calm himself again, he’d felt that first contact as well. It nearly sent him over the brink.

He concentrated on that spot, his pace not intensifying, just stroking at it, letting the heat build. She cl
awed his back, dug her nails into his ass, trying to get him to speed up but he refused. Her legs were locked around him, her ankles crossed behind his thighs, and the closer they came to the inevitable the less he had to rear back and plunge in again. She felt it, she was sending all that pleasure to him, and as it crested and flowed through her the Sin Eater bellowed as she called out, “John!” Whoever the hell that was.

That was him, he realized groggily. That was what he told her his name was. He turned his head to kiss her neck tenderly. “So lovely,” he whispered.

She stroked the back of his head, her body still shuddering through what he’d done to her. “Oh … wow,” she muttered, eyes closed.

These damn humans. Sex was one thing that other species could envy; the fact they could actually take pleasure in the act of “creation.” It’s one of the few things they had going for them. And they would choose to look on it as a sin and punish themselves for wanting it.

The Sin Eater looked down to the woman who had willingly brought him home. He would take her again, he could already feel the want stirring him. Then the Sin Eater got a clear reading on her past lovers. As she caught her breath and steadied her pulse she was remembering her other experiences.

She’d had plenty of externally-induced orgasms, and most of those she’d done herself, of course. She’d never had the kind of explosive release she’d just experienced. He wasn’t stroking his own ego: he lifted it right from her brain. Thirty-three and she’d never had the “G-Spot” orgasm. Now
that
… that was a real sin.

Iola gi
ggled as she ducked to get in Claudia’s car. It seemed so low … She almost fell, but didn’t hit her head. She was all-out laughing by the time Claudia got behind the wheel.

Claudia shook her head, then reached over to fasten her seatbelt. “Holy shit, Day. You are such a light weight.”

“Who knew it would take three beers to get our food?” Iola asked, trying her best not to laugh, which of course sent her into a fresh round of giggles.

Claudia was laughing too as she buckled up herself. “You are so fucking drunk.”

“No, I’m not that drunk. I feel very happy, and everything is just very funny.”

Claudia turned the key in the ignition, still shaking her head. “We’ve got to get you hammered more often. You’re hilarious.”

“I’m not funny. No one ever says that I’m funny.”

“I say you’re funny. After three beers anyway.”

She tried to stay calm, concentrating on appearing “normal” as Claudia drove back to her parking arcade with the same speed and maneuvering she’d demonstrated before. It did not agree with Iola’s stomach and she closed her eyes until the speed slowed and they were pulling up a ramp to Claudia’s parking spot.

“Thanks for coming to get me. We haven’t done this in a long time.”

“Yeah, it was fun.”

Claudia parked her car in her spot, and helped Iola make her way down the ramp to the street. “Shit, I guess I could have dropped you off at the building.”

Iola shook her head. “Nah. It’s okay. We can walk.”

“Just don’t make me pick you up off the ground. I hate messy drunks.”

The street was silent. After all, it was four-thirty in the morning. They crossed against the light and started down the main thoroughfare to their building with not another soul in sight.

Iola stuck her arm around Claudia’s shoulders. “You’re a good friend. You’re the only one I have, come to think of it.”

“Yeah, I know.” Claudia paused so Iola could concentrate on stepping up on to the curb.

Just as they got going again, Iola stopped, blinking and turning back around, looking to the mouth of an alley across the street.

“What is it?” Claudia asked, starting to sound annoyed with her now.

“Someone’s over there. They’re watching us.”

Claudia’s entire body tensed, even her jaw, ready for a fight. Iola had an abstract moment of thinking it was actually pretty sexy.

Three beers and now she’s a lesbian.

“Where? I don’t see anyone.” Claudia’s face was straining in the bright glare of a street light. They wouldn’t see shit in the shadows with all this overhead illumination.

“That alley. They’re just around the corner. In the shadows.”

“How can you see them?”

“I can’t. I can just … feel him.”

Claudia looked at her with concern. “They might have slipped you something in one of those beers.”

“Claudia - ”

“I don’t think there’s anything there. But if there is I’d rather be locked in my apartment than out here propping up my delightfully intoxicated friend. So let’s get the lead out.”

She hurried Iola along, unlocking the door, only relaxing once they were in the
stairwell.

“Are you going to be okay on the stairs or should I try to fireman-carry you up them?”

Iola waved her hand. “Please. It’s just stairs.”

“You go first. I’ll catch you.”

She did it slowly but got up to the second floor without incident. She futzed with her keys until Claudia took them from her and unlocked her door for her.

Claudia
flicked on the inside light for her as well then steered her to the sofa. “Sit down. You need to drink some water.”

“Bring some for my plant, too, please.” She leaned back and willed the walls to stop moving.

“All right.”

Claudia came back with two glasses, handed one to Iola and took the other to the window. “Babe, these are almost dead.”

“I know. They get plenty of sun there, and I water them every day. They just … keep dying on me.”

Claudia turned a wary eye to Iola. “You’re over-watering then. Just water them when the dirt starts to get dry.”

“What?”

Iola got up, set her glass down and stalked over to the window. Claudia laughed, not exactly at her, just the situation. “Oh, Iola. Just look how floppy it is.”

Iola looked at her sheepishly. “I can’t believe I’m drowning my damn plant.”

They locked eyes. Claudia’s were so deep and brown, almond-shaped, the kind of eyes that women applied make-up to achieve. Hers were all natural with a few flecks of gold in them. Her eyebrows were ridiculously perfect, high and arched. A small beauty mark was next to her left temple. Skin was flawless, olive-coloured. Good God, she was so pretty.

Claudia put a hand to Iola’s cheek softly. Iola jumped at the contact, but Claudia didn’t mind. She touched her hair, her other cheek, then leaned in very carefully, slowly, not rushing.

Iola leaned in the rest of the way, meeting her somewhere in the middle. It surprised her, but Claudia’s lips met hers softly and gently, moving ever so slightly as she angled her head sideways. Iola found herself following Claudia’s lead, totally out of her element. But really … this wasn’t so different from kissing a guy.

Until Claudia urged her lips apart with her tongue, very gently, achingly tender. Okay, that was … different. She didn’t feel consumed. She didn’t feel overwhelmed. She was feeling treasured. Like a rare territory first being explored.

Then Claudia backed up, wiping her lip and turning away. “Fuck,” she muttered. “Fuck, Iola, I’m sorry. I don’t know what … fuck.”

Iola put a hand on her shoulder. “Claudia, don’t worry. I kissed you, technically. I don’t know why. But … I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. You’re not in your normal state of mind, and I shouldn’t have encouraged it. That was wrong.”

“Please don’t - ”

“No one should ever be taken advantage of. I can’t believe I did that. I’m sorry, Iola. I’ll … just take care. Drink plenty of water, take a couple Aspirin. You’ll thank me … well, you’ll appreciate it.” And then she was gone with the speed of a couple of quick strides across the small living room and the shutting of the door.

Iola stood where she was, feeling awful. It didn’t take a genius to realize that Claudia’s reaction was due to her tumultuous past. She’d been raped while passed out drunk in college, and that wasn’t the
start
of her horrible history. Iola felt like she’d brought up a whole lot of ugly, and she couldn’t make it better.

So she did as told, got a couple Aspirin from the kitchen, washed them down with the water Claudia had brought her, then quickly downed the water that her plant apparently didn’t need. Her eyes wandered back down to the street, to the mouth of the alley they’d passed. The hair on the back of her neck stood up.

The figure of a man was standing on the sidewalk, now a shadow himself, thrown by the street light behind him. It was hard to be sure, but he appeared to be looking at her window. She stared a few more minutes, then shook her head like there was a fly buzzing close to her ear or something. When she looked back, he was gone.

Iola turned off the lights and went to bed, suddenly totally sober.

The Sin Eater continued down the alley. He was cursing himself for letting himself be seen, but on the other hand … he
didn’t mind her knowing he was there.

This woman still wasn’t giving him anything. He could read nothing from her. When he saw her and her …
friend
coming down the block he’d instantly noticed she was intoxicated, thought maybe that would help. But there was nothing.

And then when the tall woman had looked at her with such care … he couldn’t hel
p himself, he pushed his way into her brain. And he convinced himself that he didn’t make the woman do anything she didn’t want to do anyway. He took over her body, and made her kiss the object of his new obsession. But the tall, dark-haired woman was strong, and she stayed mostly in control of her mind. He was really just the navigator, telling her to do it. And when she did, he felt it.

He wiped his mouth, still feeling the petal-soft lips against his like they were the ones that had actually kissed her. And as he pulled his hand away, he could still smell the woman from earlier that night, Ellen. Dammit, he hadn’t wiped himself from her memory, like he should have. That was his ego. He wanted her to remember him.

A familiar smell wafted to him over his pondering, and he stopped, turning back to the mouth of the alley. Sulfur. Very strong, since the source of it was nowhere to be seen, and yet still the scent lingered.

He frowned and paced back to where he’d first caught its trace. There was a huge metal trash receptacle to one side, and behind it … that’s where the stink was coming from. Someone had lingered here, hiding from … the street. It had to be.

He closed his eyes, scanning the area for mental activity. There was no one around, he was alone. So who the hell had stood here so long …

The man from the night before. It had to be. The scent the Sin Eater had picked up on was quite potent, but once the woman had gotten rid of him
on the street all on her own, his attention had shifted completely from the man to her. And where had that smelly little toad gone?

The Sin Eater had let him wander off, unseen. Hadn’t even tried to find him afterwards. He’d been caught up in
her
.

That’s why he needed to focus, dammit. The man reeked of evil deeds done in the past and more to come. And he’d let him get away.

Fuck. No more women; that was the new resolution. And if he had been put in a less humanly body that would actually be possible, wouldn’t it? Some human instincts he could stop, others he was totally at the mercy of his own physical weaknesses.

He had to find the source of this malice. If the man had decided this woman was the subject of his next nefarious act, the Sin Eater
knew he could find him tomorrow night, right here, behind the dumpster. He was sure the man would come back. The man was a source of evil waiting to be released back into the natural order of things.

And wasn’t it just awful that he would have to come back and possibly see
her
again?

Claudia had changed into her pyjamas, washed her face, tied her hair back and made herself a cup of tea, but none of it had calmed her nerves. She was shaking, she was appalled. She couldn’t believe that after two years of platonic friendship she’d made a move on her only real
friend
while the poor thing was intoxicated. If she wasn’t an eleven-years-sober alcoholic she would have had a stiff drink.

She had a real issue with unequal partnerships, and that’s what that had been. They were not both in their right mind, so it was
wrong
. Simple as that.

She flashed back to her dorm room, waking up on top of the covers of her bed, her shirt pushed up, her bra around her neck, and her jeans and underwear on the floor. There was also a condom package on the ground, the condom itself nowhere to be seen. And she was sore. Claudia had a lot to drink at a kegger the night before, since even before that she had been unable to control her drinking. Which led to a lot of casual sex. Which may or may not have been what happened before she woke up that day.

No one could tell her who had been in her room that night, no one noticed if anyone had come in or gone out. But they all noticed how tanked she’d been. So who would believe her? Would
she
even believe it if it happened to anyone else?

As time had gone on, she thought she could remember flashes. She remembered pushing at someone in the dark of her room, but he overpowered her easily. Her limbs were not moving the way they should have. She was falling in and out of consciousness, but she remembered the pain of the act itself. That came back to her quite clearly. She’d never forget that feeling … she’d known it before then.

Claudia shook herself back to the here and now. She wasn’t the same as she’d been then, she was stronger now, sober, and she would never be a victim again.

No, now she was on her way to being the offender. Okay, it hadn’t gone
that
far, but she had scared herself.

She put her tea cup in the sink to wash the next day, and continued pacing. If all else failed, she could wear a track in her floor, agonizing over what she did that was wrong and what was right.

Then came the fear that she’d overreacted and totally freaked Iola out. Or even worse, made her feel bad. Made her look at her differently. Her only friend …

Warm bath. That’s what she needed. A nice warm bath, a glass of milk.
Then
she could sleep. But before she undressed and got in the tub, she checked all the cubbies and empty rooms of the apartment, and under her bed. She always did that, just in case.