Capricorn Cursed

by Sèphera Girón

  The young ladies’ voices echoed around the garden as they discussed the young men who made their hearts sing. Their voices grew louder as the darkness made them brave. Their musings reminded Natasha of what it was like to be young and innocent.

  Once upon a time, she had been young and innocent. She was certain of it. Marianne found Natasha’s hand in the darkness and squeezed it.

  The girls discussed how they could get the boys to notice them, their naive questions about more intimate matters bringing a smile to Natasha’s lips. She deduced that the dark-haired girl was Misty and the fairer girl was Samantha.

  As the girls prattled on, Marianne stood up, pulling Natasha with her. She approached the girls, who were startled at her presence.

  “It’s rather late for proper young ladies to be out,” Marianne said sternly. The girls instantly stood, bowing their heads in submission.

  “We’re sorry. We lost track of time,” said Misty.

  “You can see that it is dark. Don’t you know bad things can happen to you in the darkness?” Marianne asked.

  “We know. We’re sorry. We’ll be going home now,” Misty said. She took Samantha’s hand, and they turned to go.

  “Wait,” Marianne said. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Why don’t we take you somewhere safe? I live not far from here.”

  Natasha stared at Marianne. Her body was stiff and her eyes were penetrating as she fixed her gaze on Misty’s. Natasha wondered what Marianne had in mind.

  “Show us,” Misty said.

  Marianne led the girls silently back to Natasha’s home. Natasha didn’t say a word as they made their way back down the dark, damp streets.

  Once they were in the loft, Marianne smiled. It was more like a cold grimace and didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “Why don’t you ladies relax and tell us about yourselves?” she said. “In fact, I’ll leave Natasha here with you while I go prepare something to drink.”

  Natasha stared blankly at the girls seated on her chaise lounge as they stared worriedly back at her.

  “Don’t worry,” Natasha said. “Marianne is a nice woman.”

  “You have such an interesting accent,” Misty said. “Where are you from?”

  “Many places. It doesn’t matter anymore,” Natasha said. “For now, I’m from here.”

  Marianne returned with four goblets of a dark liquid. She handed one to each of the women. As she sat, she lifted her own glass.

  “To new friends.” Marianne grinned. The girls lifted their glasses. “Now drink. Enjoy. Tell us about yourselves,” she coaxed.

  Misty sipped her drink and made a face. “Oh, this is bitter.”

  “It takes a sophisticated palate to really enjoy it,” Marianne teased.

  Samantha tasted hers and tried not to make a face. “It’s rather nice, really,” she said as she tried more. She shuddered but continued to drink nonetheless.

  Natasha sampled her drink with curiosity, and to her delight discovered it was her favorite berry juice.

  She looked over at Marianne and raised an eyebrow. Marianne pretended not to notice as she continued to talk to the girls.

  “So, are you ladies engaged?”

  They both giggled, faces flushed as they instinctively took more sips of the bitter brew. “I wish,” Misty said. “But my fellow doesn’t even know I’m alive.”

  “Neither does mine,” Samantha lamented.

  “Oh, that’s too bad.” Marianne crossed the room and peered out the window at the moon. It was high in the sky with puffs of gray fog hugging it. “I imagine neither of you have ever been engaged before.”

  The idea of it brought peals of laughter from the girls. “Mercy, no,” Misty said. “I’ve never even kissed a boy.”

  “Me, neither.”

  Marianne turned back to look at them.

  “Aren’t you rather old to have never kissed a boy?” Marianne asked Samantha.

  “I don’t know. I’m a good girl. I’m waiting to kiss on my wedding day.”

  “I see.” Marianne raised an eyebrow, her long, white teeth glinting out from her narrow lips. “Your wedding day. That could be such a long time.”

  “I can wait. I don’t see what the big deal is,” Samantha said stubbornly.

  “Me, neither,” Misty said as she took a long sip as if to prove it.

  “Kissing can be so lovely,” Marianne said. “Once you’ve tried it, you’ll wonder why you never did it.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of. What if once I start kissing, I don’t want to do anything else?” said Misty.

  “You really shouldn’t worry your pretty little head about such foolishness. Kissing

  should be done by everyone to everyone as often as possible. It’s an energy exchange.”

  “Energy exchange? Like in Wicca?”

  “Something like that,” Marianne said. “Surely your mothers have taught you that the giving and receiving of external energy will make you stronger and more powerful.”

  “I’ve heard my mother speak of such things,” Samantha said. “She also warned that it’s dangerous and to wait until I’m married.”

  “It’s so like a mother to deprive her daughter of life’s greatest pleasures,” Marianne retorted.

  “My mother wants what’s best for me,” Samantha said.

  “She’s jealous of your youth. Your beauty.” Marianne sat between Samantha and Misty on the chaise lounge. She draped her arms around the girls, her fingers lightly touching the swell of their breasts.

  “No. My mother is still beautiful. I won’t believe she’s jealous of me,” said Samantha

  “You are still young. A virgin. You don’t know how women really are. You won’t fully understand their secrets until you have your first kiss.”

  “How would a kiss change who I am?” Misty asked. “I don’t believe you. “A kiss changes everything. Why else are you waiting for marriage?”

  The girls nodded as they drained their glasses. Marianne grinned and Natasha shivered. The smell from Marianne was growing stronger, and Natasha stood up to open a window. The room was stifling hot, and sweat stains were beginning to form under everyone’s armpits.

  Marianne stood and gathered up the girls’ glasses. Before they could protest, she had returned with full glasses.

  “Drink. Tell us your thoughts,” she said softly.

  “I want to kiss,” Misty said. “I want to see how it can change things.” Her face grew red. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. I just feel like I want to kiss.”

  “It’s okay.” Marianne sat back down between the girls. She stroked Misty’s leg. “It’s normal to want to kiss. It’s what keeps the world going around.”

  “I want to kiss, badly. Now,” Misty said. She leaned clumsily into Marianne and kissed her. As she pulled away, Marianne pulled her back.

  “No, like this.” Marianne pressed her lips against Misty’s, slowly and sensuously. Misty leaned into her, eagerly meeting her lips. Natasha watched with interest while Samantha sipped more of her drink.

  At last, Marianne pulled away. Misty grinned and looked around the room. She reached for her glass.

  “What was it like? Are you wiser now?” Samantha asked.

  Misty looked at the older women and shrugged. “I feel the same. But good. And since I didn’t kiss a man, it doesn’t count.”

  “No, it’s practice,” Natasha said. “Like when you play an instrument.”

  “I want to try,” Samantha said. “Kiss me.”

  Marianne kissed Samantha with the same intensity she had kissed Misty. Natasha watched and sipped her juice. When the kiss was broken, Samantha leaned back.

  “That was splendid.” Samantha sighed. As she sank into the softness of the couch, she closed her eyes. Within seconds, she was snoring. Misty stared at her friend.

  “She’s asleep,” she said. “Samantha, wake up.”

  Misty shook Samantha, but the girl continued to snore lightly.

  “What’s wrong with her?
What did you do?” Misty’s eyes grew wide as she watched Marianne stand up and pace across the room.

  “I did nothing. She’s just asleep. Much like you will be soon,” Marianne said firmly. “I’m not going to sleep. You’ve bewitched us,” Misty said. She tried to stand but fell back on her sleeping friend. “Oh my goodness, I can’t move my legs.”

  “Don’t fight, just sleep,” Marianne said firmly as she continued to stare out the window. At last, Misty’s protests stopped and she too was deep in sleep.

  “Finally,” Marianne said.

  Natasha looked at the sleeping girls. “Now what?”

  “Now it begins.”

  “It” was a slow process to which Natasha became addicted over the years. The actual acquiring of the virgin blood was a much messier job than feeding, but the results were well worth it.

  * * *

  “This is the hardest part. But, it’s worth it. Trust me.” They had drowned the girls in a tub of water, and Marianne had slit their flesh to allow blood to mix with the water.

  “I’m so hungry,” Natasha whined.

  “It’s not for food, Natasha. You must wait and see.”

  Natasha stared at the wasted blood, licking her lips as her stomach grumbled. Marianne left the washing-up room and went into the living room. Natasha took the moment alone to scoop up some of the blood with her hand and bring it to her mouth.

  The warm, salty taste danced on her tongue. Her stomach rumbled louder, craving more and more. She didn’t dare take more than a handful. Then another handful while she heard Marianne bustling in the other room. She didn’t know what Marianne had in mind, but she was hungry. Very hungry. A little taste wouldn’t ruin whatever spell it was they were supposed to be doing, she hoped.

  Marianne returned carrying an old pickle bottle of herbs and her well-worn book of spells. She looked at Natasha’s blood-smeared face.

  “Couldn’t wait, could you?” she joked. “Like a little kid staring at candy.”

  “I’m hungry, Marianne. I don’t know how to control myself yet. I don’t know how to get through a day, a week, without the constant, aching craving.”

  “Darling, you’ll never get over the craving. Some of us learn self-denial for self-preservation, but others are careless, feasting whenever they want. They’re usually the ones who end up with a stake in their heart.”

  “I didn’t ruin the spell, did I?” Marianne laughed. “No, not at all. You can even have a tiny bit more before we start.”

  Naked, Natasha leaned back into the bathtub and pulled Misty’s body so she was sitting up more. Natasha bit into the soft, meaty flesh of her neck and enjoyed another taste of the waning, warm blood. She moaned with pleasure, keeping one eye on Marianne until she waved her hand.

  “Okay, that’s enough. Get me some candles,” Marianne said as she thumbed through her book.

  Natasha brought back several candles, not certain what colors might be required. After some thought, Marianne picked five candles and arranged them around the bathtub. As she lit them, she spoke foreign words from her book.

  The candles flickered, casting eerie shadows around the room. Marianne’s face was harsh in the gloom as she sprinkled herbs into the tub.

  Her voice droned and the candles glowed. Natasha was almost hypnotized by the time Marianne stopped. The sight of all the blood made her giddy, and she was glad she’d been allowed a little taste.

  “That’s it,” Marianne said, her girlish demeanor returning. “Really? And what is ‘it’?”

  “Oh, you’ll see. I want it to be a surprise. But you must wait another day. The planets have to shift once more. Come, let’s go to bed.”

  “But I’m not tired. I have two dead girls in my bathtub. And I’m hungry.”

  “We will remove them tomorrow. In the meantime, we must wait one full day. Otherwise it won’t work. We have to follow the transits. I have charts that I’ll give you once you understand.”

  Natasha spent another fitful night on the chaise lounge, half watching Marianne, half pondering the girls in her bathtub. The smell of their raw blood excited her, and she wondered how Marianne had been able to be so calm and collected. Perhaps Marianne had fed recently so she wasn’t as crazed as Natasha.

  The next night, Marianne showed her a dark secret.

  They lit candles, said some words, and danced in the incense smoke.

  They dragged the girls from the bathtub and rolled them up in heavy carpets they had retrieved from the dump.

  Bloodstained water with herbs and spices still filled Natasha’s tub. They added a few more buckets of hot water. Marianne piled several pieces of cloth near the tub as well as two large goblets.

  “Remove your clothes,” Marianne said as she unlaced her shirt. When both women were naked, Marianne held her hand. “You will never forget this day, this night. You will never forget me. For this is the secret of your existence and the soul of your expectations.”

  Marianne nodded to the bathtub. “You may go first.”

  “In there?” Natasha said.

  “Yes, the time is right. The planets are aligned. Our Venus, our moon, our Neptune all conjoin to bring us our deepest desires. And what woman doesn’t desire eternal youth?”

  Natasha stepped into the warm water and sat down. Marianne slid in on the opposite side. They hooked their legs around each other to keep from slipping.

  Marianne took one of the many cloths and rubbed it along Natasha’s body. Natasha enjoyed the sensation of the bloody water along her body. She took a cloth and washed Marianne. They scooped the herb-soaked, watery blood into the large goblets. They toasted to eternal youth as they drank the potion. Natasha had never tasted such a delicious, salty-sweet flavor in all her life.

  As she drank, a new energy coursed through her. The gift of youth swelled through her veins, causing her wrinkles to plump back to fresh-faced flesh and her frown to evolve into a smile. She felt as though she could walk to Boston and back in the snow and not have to catch her breath once.

  They lay in the bathtub, sipping their drinks and thinking their own random thoughts. Natasha’s mind was still and calm for the first time in ages.

  After several hours, Marianne indicated the larger cloths by the tub. “We should get out, and we should try not to mess up your washing-up room too much,” she said.

  They helped each other out of the tub, rubbing their bodies with the scraps of material, trying to keep the blood from spattering the floor and walls.

  Natasha examined her face in the mirror.

  “What is this?” she asked.

  “Eternal youth,” Marianne said, her face looking like that of a teenager. “Imagine how old I must really be.”

  “Older than me,” Natasha replied.

  “Very much older. Older than you can ever imagine. One day you’ll look back and you’ll thank me.”

  Chapter Three

  Change your environment; change your life.

  Natasha Rearranges Her Environment

  Natasha smiled at her face in the mirror. She thanked Marianne often. Every time she reread her diary entry about her encounter with Marianne, she was grateful to her Aunt Lydia and to Marianne.

  Intuition.

  She had to get going. Maggie and Ellie were going to kill her. She was always bugging them about being late and now here she was doing the same thing to them.

  * * *

  Maggie and Ellie were waiting for her at Intuition. The bar had recently been transformed into a jazz club with black tablecloths and candles. At the far end of the room, musicians played a slow, melodic tune. The platform elevated them so the patrons at tables farther back in the curve of the room could also see. Natasha recognized the old swing tune as it tingled through her bones.

  “I’m so sorry,” Natasha said as she pulled off her coat. She wore a long-sleeved, thigh-length, black turtleneck with a long, black leather skirt. A large white sapphire gleamed from a gold locket that hung on a heavy gold chain around her neck.
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br />   “No worries. I just got here myself,” Maggie said as she scooted her chair a bit sideways to make room for Natasha. Maggie had long, wavy, red hair and friendly eyes. She was laughing, as they all knew how it was so unlike Natasha to be late for anything. “I was the first one here. Imagine that,” Ellie said proudly. The women laughed louder, causing people at the nearby tables to turn their heads.

  “Shhh, we’re disturbing the music lovers,” Maggie whispered as she giggled. She took a sip of beer and feigned interest in the band.

  “Definitely something in the stars tonight,” Natasha said. “So, how’s the band?”

  “Not bad,” Ellie said. “The sax player is cute.” The women turned their attention towards the curly-haired musician. He was a short, wiry man wearing dark sunglasses. In fact, the whole band wore sunglasses, adding to the funky jazz vibe their instruments were crooning.

  “I think I like the drummer. Look how he holds those sticks,” Maggie said, draining her glass. She reached for the pitcher and one of the clean glasses on the table. “Beer tonight, Natasha? “She asked as she tipped the pitcher to the mouth of the lass.

  “Yes. Beer sounds good right about now.” Natasha sipped the cold brew and turned to Ellie.

  “Tell me, when will you come and feng shui my music room? Look what you did for Maggie.”

  Maggie was too engrossed in the music to listen to what the other women were talking about.

  “So far, so good with her. I hope she can keep it up,” Ellie said.

  “Well, I’m not a clutter bug like her, that’s for certain. I just want to know the best way to organize my instruments and music books.”

  “I’ll have to look up a few things, like the most auspicious place for the recording equipment versus the instruments. Which one represents which element the most.

  “I don’t even want to know about elements and yin and yang and all that. I have too much in my head already.” Natasha grinned.

  “It’s really fascinating when you look at it.”