The Beast House (10 page)

“You must still miss her.”

“Not a day goes by when I don’t…Hey, let’s not get maudlin here and spoil the fun.”

“Fun?”

“I’m all right. Honest.”

She let go of his arm, and nodded. Her face was a dim blur in the darkness. Brian brushed her chin with his forefinger. “Let’s find that hole,” he whispered.

Near the bottom of the road, with the corner of the Beast House fence in sight, they crossed a shallow ditch and started along the slope. Brian led the way through the underbrush, ducking beneath low branches, climbing or descending to bypass trees and thickets, always staying roughly parallel to the fence. When he came to a cluster of rock, he climbed onto it and found a smooth surface. He sat down to rest. Janice settled down beside him. He put a hand on her back. “How you doing?”

“Okay.”

With no trees blocking the view, Brian could see the rear corner of the fence not far below. The lawn of Beast House was pale with moonlight. Just in back of the house stood a small enclosure of latticework. “The famous gazebo,” he said, “where Elizabeth and Dr. Ross had their ‘blissful delights.’”

“Guess so,” Janice said. “Do you really think we’re gonna find that hole?”

“Should be over there,” he answered, pointing toward the hillside directly behind the house. “Just outside the fence.”

“It could be anywhere.”

“Elizabeth wrote that the tunnel came out just beyond the property line.”

“But I don’t remember she said in which direction. It might’ve been along the back, or it might’ve been along this side. For all we know, we already passed it.”

Brian grinned. “Or it might be right behind us!”

“Creep,” she muttered, and nudged him with her elbow.

He struck back, tickling her side. She squirmed and yelped.

“Shhh. It’ll hear you.”

She clamped her arm down, pinning Brian’s hand against her side. “Gotcha,” she said. “No more tickling, okay?”

“I promise.” He slipped his hand free. “Why don’t you wait here and relax a minute? I’ll be right back.”

“Not a chance. Where you go, I go.”

“Fine with me. Pick a tree.”

“Oh. In that case. Stay close, though, okay?”

He climbed over the top of the outcropping. After only a few steps, he turned around. The back of Janice’s head was a shaggy silhouette in the darkness. “Don’t peek,” he warned.

“I won’t.”

He unzipped his pants and relieved himself. Then he climbed over to Janice. “Ready to go?” he asked

“All set.”

He picked up his flashlight, tucked the folded blanket under one arm, and led the way down the rocks. The hillside slanted down to a shallow ravine, then curved as if to follow the line of the fence. Though there were few trees here to give them cover, Brian felt certain that they couldn’t be spotted from the distant road. Only someone looking out a rear window of Beast House would be able to see them crossing the slope.

The windows were all dark.

He waited for Janice. “Anyone in there at night?”

“I doubt it.”

“Just the beast, huh?”

“Very funny.” She didn’t sound amused. “As a matter of fact, they say it wanders the house at night.”

“Looking for Elizabeth?”

“Looking for victims.”

“Let’s hope it stays away from the windows.”

Janice lagged behind, staring at the house, then hurried to catch up. “Maybe we ought to get out of here,” she whispered.

“We haven’t even started searching for the hole.”

“C’mon, what are the chances we’ll find it? You said yourself that we probably wouldn’t.”

“What’re you so worried about?”

“I’m not worried, I’m scared shitless.”

“What for?”

She waved toward the house. “It can see us.”

Turning to Janice, he shook his head. He let the blanket and flashlight fall to the ground, and put his hands on her shoulders. He could feel her trembling. “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” he said.

“I’m sorry. Really. But…”

“That business with Elizabeth was more than seventy years ago,” he said in a calm, soothing voice. “Even if the stuff in her diary is true, which I strongly doubt, that creature would be ancient by now. Decrepit. Probably dead. At any rate, nobody’s been killed since that kid almost thirty years ago.”

“What do you mean? It killed three people last summer.”

Brian frowned. “There’s nothing about that in the travel brochure.”

“Well, it’s outdated.” She glanced at the house. “They were killed up there, in a corridor on the second floor.”

“The police must’ve investigated.”

“Sure, but they couldn’t come up with an answer. They don’t think the beast had anything to do with it—at least that’s what they say. They said it must’ve been a nut.”

“They’re probably right.”

“They just said that. They can’t admit there’s some kind of a goddamn monster in the house.”

“There is no monster, Janice. I mean, that’s nonsense.”

“No, it’s not. You read the diary.”

“Thorn was crazy.”

Janice stared up at him. She smiled slightly. “If she was crazy, what the hell are we doing out here looking for the goddam hole?”

Brian let out a quick laugh. “Touché,” he said.

“Let’s leave.”

“Gorman thinks there might be a hole. He’s more gullible than me.”

“Let him come and look for it.”

“What’ll I tell him?”

“Just say we couldn’t find it.”

“That would be fibbing.”

She glanced to each side. “I don’t see the hole. Do you see the hole?”

Brian laughed. “You’re really something, Janice.”

“Am I?” She put her hands on his sides, and stared into his eyes. “What kind of something?”

“Later. We’ve got to get out of here, remember?”

“No. Come on, you started it.”

“You’re funny,” he said. “And crafty. And cute.”

“Cute? Hamsters are cute.”

“Okay, how about beautiful?”

She tilted her head. “That’s nice. Now we can leave.” But her hands didn’t leave Brian’s sides.

He eased her close and she pressed herself tightly against him, arms wrapping his back, mouth opening, sucking in his tongue. She squirmed and moaned in his embrace.

Brian slid his hands under the back of her sweatshirt. Caressing her, he pictured himself gloating as he described it all to Gorman. Nothing to it, really. I just worked on her emotions, played on her fears till she needed some reassuring, gave a comforting pat here and there, a little wit to break the tension. Worked on her sympathy by leading into some sad talk about my poor departed Martha. Tried to keep a sexual undertone going, joked that I’d brought the blanket for making out, even took a leak out there so she’d have to think about my dick. Stayed close enough so she could hear the piss splatter.

Masterful job, Gorman would say.

He unhooked the back of Janice’s bra. She didn’t object. On the contrary, she stepped back enough to make a space between their bodies so Brian could lift the cups away and caress her breasts. Her nipples felt like rubber posts. She arched her back as he thumbed them.

“Shouldn’t we leave?” he asked.

Her mouth hung open, but she didn’t speak. She shook her head wildly from side to side, making her hair fly.

He slid the sweatshirt up above her breasts, crouched, and used his tongue. Her trembling fingers pushed through his hair, urged his mouth hard against her breast.

Actually, Gorman, it was a cinch. She was as hot to trot as they come.

No, he shouldn’t admit that. Let Gorman think he’s a superstud.

Which, of course, I am.

As he sucked first on one breast, then on the other, his hands plied her firm rump through the seat of her jeans.

I took it slow, he would say. Didn’t want to spook her.

He brought a hand to the front. The crotch of her jeans felt warm and moist. He pressed against it, feeling the jut of her mons through the heavy fabric. She writhed on his rubbing fingers as if she wanted them in.

Straightening up, he pulled her sweatshirt over her head. The bra came off with it. He caressed her bare neck and shoulders as she feverishly unfastened his jacket and shirt. When they were open, she squeezed herself against him. Her breasts, slicked with Brian’s saliva, felt cool at first, then warm. Her hands went to his shoulders. They pulled the shirt and jacket down his arms. The chilly night air made him flinch, but her hand took his mind off the cold as it pushed inside his pants and curled around his erection.

“Let’s put the blanket down,” she whispered, her fingers gliding. “That’s what you brought it for.”

“It is?”

Grinning, she gave his scrotum a gentle squeeze. Then she took out her hand. They spread the blanket nearby. It was puffy from the weeds beneath it. She walked on the blanket, her moonlit breasts jiggling as she stomped it down.

Lying on her back, she crossed each leg to pull off her boots and socks. She opened her jeans, lifted her buttocks off the blanket long enough to tug the pants out from under her, and raised her feet. “Give me a hand?”

Brian gripped the cuffs and slid the jeans off her legs. The panties were around her thighs, very white below the dark triangle of her pubic thatch. Crouching beside her, Brian drew the flimsy garment down to her ankles and off.

While he shed the rest of his own clothes, he watched Janice squirm slowly, caressing herself. She had her knees up, her heels dug in to keep her from sliding down the gradual slope.

Her legs spread wide for him when he knelt. He kissed her inner thighs, nibbled and licked, easing lower until his mouth found her wet center. She jerked as his tongue darted. “God, Brian,” she murmured. He pushed his tongue deep into her hugging warmth. She thrust against him, moaning.

Then he moved up her body. His tongue flicked into her navel while his hands glided up cool skin to her breasts. He squeezed and massaged them. Then he let them go and braced himself above Janice and kissed each breast and eased higher until he met her mouth.

As she sucked his tongue into her mouth, Brian slid his penis into her.

Mission accomplished, he thought.

Half accomplished, but the rest would be easy after this. Just get her into his room tomorrow night for round two and keep her busy. Talk her into showering with him so Gorman would have a chance to snatch her key. Gorman would have the tough part, sneaking into her place to find the contract and exchange it for the phoney that gave her nothing. Brian’s part would be a cinch. And fun.

Better than this.

In spite of the blanket, the ground was brutal on his knees. But he kept at it, kept driving into Janice. She was going wild, thrashing around and shoving up to meet his thrusts and tugging his buttocks to force him deeper.

She would drool at the chance for an all-night fucking session.

Why don’t you sneak over after your folks are asleep?

She would absolutely drool. At both ends.

She was gasping under him, eyes squeezed shut, head jerking from side to side. A few more good thrusts…

Something cold and slippery smashed down on Brian’s back. His knees shot out from under him. He slammed flat against Janice. Her breath blasted against his face.

Brian thought, Who in hell…?

Then the teeth clamped his neck.

Tyler took Abe’s hand as they left the Carriage House. “That was a delicious dinner. Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

“So,” Jack said, “should we try that place?”

“The Last Chance sounds like a dive,” Nora said.

“We could look for someplace else,” Abe offered.

“The waitress seemed to think it’s fine,” Tyler said.

“Hell, I love dives.”

“Nora’s an expert on dives.”

“Especially the triple back somersault.”

Jack nudged her with an elbow. Giggling, she stumbled sideways toward the hedge. Jack grabbed her, and she wrapped an arm around his back.

“Anyhow,” she said, “I am inappropriately attired for a dive of any ilk and must therefore retire to my boudoir for a change of habiliment.”

“She wants out of her prom dress,” Tyler translated.

“Need a hand?” Jack asked.

Nora swatted his rump.

“I’ll want to get a jacket,” Tyler said.

They agreed to meet at Abe’s car in five minutes, and left the men. Tyler entered the room after Nora. Even as she shut the door, Nora’s gown swirled to the floor. “Aren’t they great?” she asked. Stepping out of it, she staggered and dropped onto the bed, her breasts bouncing.

“Are you all right?” Tyler asked.

“Fine and dandy.” Flopping backwards, she smiled at the ceiling. Her pubic hair was matted flat by her pantyhose.

“You aren’t going to pass out on us, are you?”

Nora rolled her eyes. “Hardly. I’m fine. Are you fine?”

“I’m fine.”

“So am I.” With a sigh, she sat up and started to pull her shoes off.

Tyler went through the connecting doors and slipped into her windbreaker. She brushed her hair and put on fresh lipstick. When she returned to Nora’s room, her friend was on the mattress, legs hoisted in the air as she pulled on a pair of white jeans. The pantyhose lay on the floor. “So what do you think?”

“About what?” Tyler asked.

“My lily-white ass. Abe. Honest Abe.”

“I like him.”

She raised her bare rump and pulled up the jeans. “Like him a lot?”

“Very much.”

Nora sat up. She started to put on socks and loafers. “So, gonna fuck him?”

“For godsake.”

“Take your mind off Dan.”

“Sure. Let’s have a foursome.”

“I could go for that.”

“You’ve got sex on the brain.”

“And proud of it.” Laughing, Nora stood and slipped into a plaid shirt. She buttoned it only halfway up, and tucked it into her jeans. “If I were you,” she said, “I’d go for it.”

“I know you would.”

“You only go around once.”

“My life is not a beer commercial.”

With a laugh, Nora zipped her fly. “Let’s went, Queeksdraw.”

“Jacket?”

“And hide my considerable charms? Bite thy tongue, wench.”

They went outside. Abe and Jack were waiting in the Mustang. Leaning across the seat, Abe opened the door. Nora climbed in back with Jack.