“Sounds like fun.”
They went to the bathroom and took care of nightly cleaning rituals. When they were done, Silas pointed to the counter. “Give me your backside.”
For a minute she thought he would fuck her. Instead he took the bottle of cream he’d rubbed in before and applied a new coating. The cool moisture soothed her aching bottom, and when he traced the lines left by the crop, she shivered.
“I’m going to send you to bed wanting me,” he whispered as he traced another welt and then another. “In the morning we’ll see what happens.”
“Yes, Sir Silas.” She didn’t want to wait until morning. She wanted him now. But she would obey.
They climbed into bed, and he spooned behind her. “Will I always sleep with you?”
“Yes.” He stroked her hair. “Some Doms have separate beds for their subs, but I like to feel mine against me as I sleep. Which I intend to do right now. Close your eyes.”
Sleep eluded her. All she could think about were the new adventures to come. If she’d known her attraction to Silas would pull her out of her slump, she would have come earlier, or was this happening because it was the right time? Frankly, she didn’t care. All she knew was that she finally felt as if she were living again, as if the sun had come out from behind a cloud.
She drifted off around three. The sound of a slamming door woke her, and she glanced at the clock. It was just after four. There was another slam, and she sat up, her body tense. “Silas, someone’s in the house.”
“I hear it,” he whispered as he moved away from her. She saw his dark form move across the room. He stopped near the dresser, and she saw him pick something up.
“Stay here.”
“Silas, no!” The words were barely out of her mouth when the French doors burst open, the glass in the frames shattering. The unquestionable sound of doors slamming throughout the house filled the room, and Calliope screamed.
Within seconds Silas’ arms were around her. He pushed her to the bed and covered her body with his as the slamming continued. There was the sound of more glass breaking, and then suddenly, everything was still.
They lay together on the bed, both of their chests heaving as the silence took over from the pandemonium of earlier. They looked toward the door, almost as one. Calliope gasped and put her hand over her mouth.
A form floated there, shards of light spreading from the darkly clothed woman.
“The woman from the photograph,” she whispered.
“Yeah, and I think she’s pissed.”
Chapter 9
“So, everything just sort of—exploded. And then the woman in white appeared.”
Silas glanced up from where he was picking glass up from the floor. “It wasn’t a woman in white, Phillip, she wore black, like she was in mourning or something. And yes, everything just went… boom.”
“Well, we’re going to have to call the insurance company.”
“And tell them what?” Silas held his hands out to indicate the bare windows. “That a supernatural force destroyed all the glass in my house? That it slammed doors repeatedly and scared the hell out of us? They’ll cancel the policy or jack the rates up so high we won’t be able to afford it.”
“We’ve got to do something,” Phillip replied. “You can’t leave your windows open.”
“Some of the guys are coming up in a bit to nail up some plywood. I don’t want to replace it until I’m sure she won’t come back and do it again.” Silas ran his hands over his hair. “At least it… she… whatever… missed the hotel. No windows there were damaged.”
“Fuck, Silas, will you listen to yourself? You’re saying some ghost destroyed your windows. I think your new friend is rubbing off on you, and not in a good way.”
Silas balled his hand into a fist but kept it at his side. “I know what I saw, Phillip. It wasn’t human. Our construction has stirred up something, and we’ve got to figure out what it is and help put it to rest.”
“How come this something didn’t appear until Calliope arrived?” Phillip held up his hand. “Hear me out. We’ve been building down there for more than a year. This is the first disturbance. I think we need to think about that.”
“It did happen.” Silas tried to keep his voice even. Anger wouldn’t help matters. “That photograph that Henry took was a year and a half ago. She was in that.”
“I’m just saying…”
Phillip stopped speaking when Silas held up a finger. “Don’t, please. Calliope has touched me in a deep way, and I don’t want you talking smack about her.”
“Sorry.” Phillip held up his hands in surrender. “I just think it’s strange.”
“I think whoever the spirit is responds to Calliope because of her husband.”
“Maybe he was reincarnated as a female ghost,” Phillip said in a sarcastic tone.
“That’s not funny,” Silas retorted. “Last night was terrifying. You have no idea what it felt like to grab a bat, thinking I was going to beat back an intruder, only to realize the bat would go straight through her. We need help, Phillip. Someone who understands this sort of thing.”
“Who do you suggest?”
“I’m sure we can find a medium in Salem,” Silas said. “If you don’t want to be a part of it, I understand. Calliope and I will do it.”
There was a long, pregnant pause. Finally, Phillip said, “No. I try to deny it because I don’t understand it, but I’m not going to leave you alone with it. We’re partners in this, and if it really is supernatural, it needs to be taken care of before guests start arriving on Halloween.”
“You got that right.” Silas sat down on the couch. He glanced at Calliope’s pillow, wanting nothing more than to sit on this sofa and have her kneel before him, naked, awaiting his instructions. But this had to be dealt with. “Do you know someone in town who might be able to help us?”
“Stacee Montgomery has a house near the edge of town, away from the tourist trade. She doesn’t advertise her services, only goes by word of mouth. I’ve heard she’s the real deal, if you believe that kinda stuff.”
“I’ve never heard of her,” Silas said.
“She had a relationship with Martha Knowles for a while.”
“Martha the grocer? She’s a lesbian?” Silas laughed. “How did I miss that?”
“Bi. She’s played with Nella and me before. Nella likes women from time to time.”
“That’s interesting.” Silas stood and rubbed his hands down his jeans. “I’m going to clean glass, and then I’m going to call her.”
“I’ll call her,” Phillip replied. “I’ll see if she’ll come out tonight.”
Silas took up his broom and started sweeping. He and Calliope had cleaned up most of the larger pieces of glass last night, but he was still finding pieces in different spots. When Phillip and Nella had arrived, he’d sent her down to the kitchen, hoping Nella would calm her nerves with tea and girl talk. Lord knew his were still frayed.
Whoever would have thought that ghosts were real? And that one would try to destroy his house just to get his attention? He was sure that’s what the woman was doing. She’d tried the stones, and obviously didn’t feel satisfaction from it, so she’d moved on to bigger things, something that would cost him a pretty penny.
“Listen,” he said to the air. “I can’t afford any more stunts like this. We’ll work on fixing whatever you’re pissed at, okay? Just don’t blow up any more glass.”
“Good advice.” Phillip laughed. “Stacee is coming for dinner, around eight. She asked that we not clean up anything else and be prepared to take her down to the cemetery and anywhere else the woman had been seen.”
“Okay.” Silas put down his broom. “That gives me time to get a blowjob.”
They both laughed. “Having fun with her?”
“She’s more than I could have hoped for.” Silas rubbed his hand against his thigh and winced. He looked down at the trickle of blood on his palm and realized a shard of glass was embedded there
. He pulled it out and winced again. “I don’t want her to leave. She fought me at first, freaked out about fucking someone other than her husband. But it’s working out pretty well, I think.”
“That’s good.”
“Yes, it is.” Silas looked around. “I haven’t gone up to check the dungeon. I think I’ll take her with me to do it.”
“I’m going to the kitchen to tell Nella about our dinner guest. I’ll send Calliope up.”
When Phillip was gone, Silas walked to the French doors. What the hell had they uncovered with their construction? He’d heard of things like this, where renovations stirred up spirits. But he’d never expected it to happen to him. And he hoped to hell Stacee could put whatever, or whoever, it was to rest.
Calliope shut the door behind her, stopping at the sound of Silas’ command to get naked. She began to undress, eagerness making her fumble with the buttons on her jeans.
When she was naked, she put her hands behind her back and bowed her head.
“Follow me.” He headed toward the circular stairway in the corner, and she knew they were going to the dungeon. Would they play now? Or did he just want her naked? She was still a little off-center after last night but being with Silas made her feel better.
At the top of the stairs, he unlocked the door and then pushed it open. Cool air flowed out as she followed him inside. The room smelled a little musty, and she had a feeling it hadn’t been used in a while.
“Tomorrow, I want you to clean up around here,” he said. “Get it ready for us.”
“Yes, Sir Silas.” She examined the equipment: stocks and racks and suspension equipment. There was a St. Andrew’s cross next to two columns, set wide apart, with manacles hanging from the stone.
“Come here.” He indicated a bench. She went to it and bent over. His hands were warm as they slipped over her bottom. “Your welts are fading, but they’re still beautiful.”
“Thank you, Sir.” She moaned softly as he slipped a thumb into her pussy.
“You’re wet for me.”
“Yes, Sir.” She giggled softly. “Master Henry always said I was a little slut.”
“I’m very glad to hear it.” He took out his thumb and slapped her bottom. “Stand up and move between the columns.”
Her excitement rose as he attached her wrists and ankles to the manacles and chains. Then he pulled them tight, stretching her out between the stones.
“Very nice.” He winked at her, and then he moved toward the wall. He walked the length, then sighed. “Strange, don’t you think, that the only glass broken was on the main floor?”
“A little, yes.”
“We have a medium coming tonight, to see if she can figure out what’s happening.”
“Really?” Her shoulders were starting to ache, and her body wanted attention. But Silas didn’t seem to be interested in playing, just in keeping her on display.
“I hope she can figure it out, don’t you?”
“Definitely.”
He turned to her and slowly undid his pants, taking out his hard cock. He stroked it a few times. His hand disappeared inside his pants and she knew he was stroking his balls.
“You want me?”
“Yes, Sir, I want you.”
“What would you like me to do?”
“Fuck me, Sir.”
“Where?”
“Anywhere you like.”
He nodded as if to say that was a good answer; then he put his cock away. Calliope couldn’t stop the groan of disappointment that slipped out of her mouth. He moved to a table and turned his back to her. She could see various things lying there, but she couldn’t quite make out what they were.
He picked something up, put it down. Then he picked up another thing, put it down. Finally, he turned to her, his hand closed around something. He walked toward her slowly, then crouched down in front of her.
A finger trailed along her lips, and they parted easily. She heard a click, and then she cried out in pain as something pulled on her slave ring.
“It’s just a chain with a little weight on it. I wanted to make sure I had your attention.”
“Hurts.”
“I hope so.” He stood and kissed the tip of her nose. “Yeah, I like the look on your face very much. You’re trying to center yourself, let the pain seep through you. Let’s see if I can help.”
He crouched down again, and Calliope cried out as more weight pulled on her ring. “One more little ball. How does that feel?”
“Too much, please, no.”
“Too much?” He stood and glared at her. “Who says when it’s too much?”
“You do, Sir, but…”
“But nothing. You can take it.”
“I can’t, I…”
He strode toward the table and returned quickly. She heard the click and her cry of pain rang out as more weight was added.
“Please, no!”
“I think we’ve found some things to explore,” he said, as if he were talking to someone about ordering breakfast. “This takes you just a little outside your comfort zone. This is good information. I thought as much as you enjoyed whipping, you’d love this.”
“Hurts.”
“You know what to say to make it stop. Just one little word, otherwise it ends when I say so.”
Oh, she knew it, but somehow, she couldn’t say it. She’d never used her safe word with Henry and thought using it now would make her a failure.
“Do you want to say it?”
“No, Sir.” The pain shot through her. How long would it last? She wiggled her hips.
“The more you move it, the more it’s going to hurt. Hold still.”
“Silas!”
Calliope inhaled sharply at the sound of the male voice from down below them. She bit her lip to bite back the cry that would signal the sharp agony that seared through her when she jerked her hips again.
“Be right down!” He unhooked the weight, and her body sagged in relief. “I’m going to undo the chains, and you’re going to kneel between the columns and wait for me while I instruct the men on covering the windows. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir.” He unhooked the chains from the manacles, and she knelt down.
“Keep your hands away from your pussy. I’ll know if you tried to soothe yourself.”
“Yes, Sir.” The door clicked shut, and Calliope closed her eyes. Her clit throbbed, and she wanted to touch it so much. Henry had never done anything like this to her. Henry would never do it.
Stop it! You swore you wouldn’t compare the two. Henry’s gone!
Silas was obviously going to push her more than Henry ever had. Did she want that? Or did she want to find a master who would stay inside what she thought were her guidelines?
She didn’t have to think about it long. She didn’t want anyone else. She wanted Silas. Her clit throbbed again, and she bit her lip. The weight hadn’t been on there for more than a minute, but the pain had been excruciating. She wasn’t sure it was something she wanted to repeat. Her legs trembled, and her lower back felt the stress of kneeling too long.
The door opened, and she wanted to cry out in relief. “Good girl. They’re all gone, and the windows are boarded shut.”
“That’s good to hear, Sir Silas.”
“Yes, it is. Stand up.” He attached the manacles to the chains. Calliope settled into her position, her body aching more than it had just a few moments ago. She was out of practice. He was behind her, but she could hear him undressing. There was a rip, and she knew he was putting a condom on. He was going to fuck her. That she could handle.
He moved in front of her, then bent down and picked up the chain he’d attached to her slave ring. He unhooked two of the balls, leaving only the original one. Then he clicked it onto her slave ring.
Pain shot through her clit again as he moved behind her. He grasped her hips and pulled them back, his cock nudging her pussy lips. Then he drove inside her, hard.
“Yes!” The weight brought back the pain, bu
t it was countered by the fullness of Silas’ cock as he fucked her. The thrusts made her body shake, and her outstretched arms felt as if they might be pulled from her body.
This was good pain, though, this she loved. He stayed inside her, not moving. She thrust back at him, and he slapped her ass.
“Did I give you permission for that?”
“No, Sir.”
Another slap on her ass, harder. The throbbing in her clit intensified. “Then stay still.”
“Yes, Sir.” She thought he would move now, slide in and out of her. Instead he stayed still, and she tried to count the seconds in her head. One, two, three… When she got to ten she couldn’t stand it. She pushed back again.
Another harsh slap on her ass jiggled the weight on her ring, and Calliope cried out. “You don’t listen very well. I should stop now, make you suck me off and leave you chained here, wanting more.”
“Please, Sir, I need…”
He pulled on her hair. “You need what?”
“I need you to fuck me.” She was close to tears now. She wanted nothing more than for him to slam inside her repeatedly, send the weight swinging, bring more friction on her slave ring. “I’m begging you, please, Sir, please.”
He gently stroked her back. “I like to hear you beg. Do it again.” He slid out ever so slowly, then slid back in.
“Please, Sir. I love your cock inside me. Fuck me hard, I’m begging you. Please!”
“Pitiful, but my dick has a mind of its own right now. It wants to move. Let’s see if we can make the weight swing.” He grabbed her hips and began fucking her, slamming into her repeatedly. The weight on her ring swung, and Calliope soared, fighting hard to keep her orgasm from taking over. He pounded into her, the sound of his body slapping into hers filling the room. Then suddenly he stopped. He reached out and jerked on the chain.
“Come.” He pulled on it again, and Calliope came, a mixture of pain and pleasure unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Her body clenched around Silas’ cock, and his deep groan of satisfaction ramped up what she felt. She fought against her bonds, and the movement of the weight sent her soaring higher. When the sensations died, he put his lips on her ear.
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