Carrying the Torch: Complete Trilogy

by Dinia Steel

  The dinner conversation was mostly about James and what brought him into their shared interest of parapsychology. It seemed their first experiences had both been as small children through dreams and also with seeing colors, or auras, around others. They then graduated into more personal matters. Reggie seemed to be careful to not reveal too much about her background, while getting James to open up a great deal.

  This didn’t go unnoticed by James. He expressed his observation to her, “I see that you are quite adept at getting others to open up to you Dr. Ad—sorry, I mean Reggie, while giving away practically nothing about yourself. Did that come from when you were in private practice interviewing patients?”

  Reggie smiled and nodded her head. “Good catch, James. Yes. I've never gotten over that training, and it's come in very handy when interviewing people who've witnessed, or thought they'd witnessed psychic phenomenon. They are usually very impressionable individuals and when they think you should know what you're doing, they will tend to agree with you even if they've not seen what you think they have. It was very frustrating to me when I first started interviewing for my research. You have to be so damned careful and ask just the right questions in just the right way to have any validity.”

  “Yes, I understand that Reggie.” It seems so strange to call her that... “I've had my share of pitfalls when I was doing my own meager investigating, and I've only just written a couple of papers, and all from my own observations. I can understand how you'd have to be more careful when writing something that will be published. I do know that the academic community can be hostile to anything they don't consider 'scientific'.” James remembered his own minor brushes with those in academia. “Those people are sharks!”

  Reggie laughed genuinely. “Oh, that they are. The only thing that saved me was my psychiatric training and personal experiences. If I hadn’t experienced so much psychic activity in my youth, I would have thought myself delusional,” Reggie explained as she rose and began to clear the dishes from the table, “That was what actually got me studying the mind and how it can be fooled. Group Minds are fascinating and actually quite easily influenced, but enough of that. I have a double purpose for asking you here tonight James.”

  James picked up his plate and a couple of serving dishes and followed Reggie to the kitchen sink, thinking that now, the crux of the invitation was upon him. “I brought copies with me of the papers I wrote. You know, the ones you asked me for. They’re out in the car. Please remind me to bring them in after we cleaned up the dinner dishes. Then we can talk about them and I'll happily answer any questions you might have about them.”

  “Oh, thank you James. Again, your breeding is paying off.” She indicated for him to put the dishes and serving bowls on the counter and not to worry about them. “Would you mind grabbing our wine glasses and following me into my study?” With a 'there's a good boy' smile on her face, she retrieved the half full bottle of Shiraz from the counter and walked through another swinging door and down a short hallway.

  The whole time James had been in Reggie's presence, he'd tried to see if he could 'hear' her or even pick up anything from her. At times, he was sure he knew what she was thinking but immediately dismissed it. Some of the thoughts were downright hostile and yet, they seemed so carnal it was hard to understand what he was getting.

  The room they entered was easily as large as the kitchen area, only this room seemed even cozier. The walls, all four of them, were covered with bookshelves similar to the ones in her office. The door they'd entered through disappeared as it shut, revealing yet another section of a bookcase. The only marked difference between it and others was the thin bar that ran across each shelf preventing the books from falling to the floor. It must be a working study due to the stacks of books on two tables as well as on the desk.

  This seemed to be the only indication James had seen of any real human quality Dr. Adams...Reggie, demonstrated. Finally. She apparently, felt very proud of this room in particular and the house in general. She was also warming up to him and he was even beginning to pick up some lustful thoughts about him from her. Interesting. He was beginning to have his own lustful thoughts about Dr. Adams—Reggie, himself.

  “Sorry for the mess, but as you can see, this is where I work. It is organized chaos, I promise you.” Her laughter sounded genuine.

  “No worries, Reggie. It looks much better than mine does!” James’ study was total chaos, but not from working.

  “Please sit James. I really need to ask you some questions, and some of them will be very personal. If you don't want to answer them, just say so, but if we're going to work together, I really need to know. I'd also like to try an experiment, but the questions are first.” Reggie moved the legal pad in front of her and searched for a pen which she finally found under some loose papers. “First, do you have any psi abilities?” She'd arched her eyebrows questioningly.

  “Yes, some. There are people who are just open and easy to read. I used to think I was just able to read people, but when I was tested it turned out I was fairly psychic.” It wasn't that he didn't trust Reggie, but there were so many locked doors he could sense in her mind that he wanted to wait and see if anything opened before he gave her more information.

  “Yes, I know how high you tested. Oh, don't look so surprised. You didn't think I wouldn't recognize your name? I knew you applied for this lecture series. I always check over who's supposed to come to them, just in case there's a ringer, you know.” She looked a little abashed by her disclosure.

  Maybe, maybe my fears are unbounded. “Yes, I did test very high. Why?” It was James’ turn to arch his eyebrows.

  “I've never had anyone in any of my classes test as high as you did. You're not just psychic, are you James? You're very psychic.” Tapping her teeth with her pen, “You could almost be a mind reader, if you were more confident about what you, umm, hear. Unless I missed my guess.” Reggie looked very confident in her evaluation of James’ psi abilities and continued, “Knowing what others are thinking is not the limit of your abilities either, is it James?”

  James laughed. “You're not a slouch yourself, Reggie. What level did you test at? I'd bet you're probably even higher than I am, but you've had to learn to block out almost everything with the exception of who or what you're looking for.”

  “You're very good James. Yes. You are correct.” Reggie didn't look like she enjoyed her disclosure.

  “Now, my next question for you... Have you ever made love to anyone whose psi abilities were on the same par as your own?” Reggie's eyes were very intent and she assumed the appearance of someone who was listening very carefully.

  James smiled brightly knowing what was coming next. “No, not yet.”

  “Do you understand the possibilities of what would come while doing that James? To be able to blend minds while in the actual act of physical love? What an absolute turn on that would have to be! Would you like to?”

  “What are you suggesting, Dr. Adams?” James didn’t dare believe…would never have dreamed that maybe...

  “I'm not suggesting anything, James. I'm proposing that you and I perform an experiment. I want to see what it's like to have sex, make love, whatever you're comfortable calling it, with someone near my psychic level.”

  There didn’t seem to be any real attraction in her eyes. To James, she looked like she was simply ordering dinner. “I don't think that would be a very good idea, Dr. Adams.” He kept deliberating between using her title and her name, as well as wishing he'd put his tape recorder in his pocket like he intended to. He really needed to learn to listen to his intuition more. “And I'll tell you why…Due to your position, you'd have to be very careful who you do that 'experiment’ with. Most people need some sort of emotional attachment with someone...”

  James didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence. Reggie stood up, walked around her desk to stand in front of James, between him and the desk. She put her finger to his lips. “I'm not suggesting anything James. I'm
flat out asking you to make love to me.”

  ~o0o~

  Chapter 3

  You Want What?

  It was a good thing I wasn’t drinking anything because I would have spewed it out. “You want me to make love to you?”

  “Well, don't make it seem like such a task James. I can feel you're very much attracted to me.” Her rose higher as she completed the sentence. Indignation filled her mind. “Think about this logically. Have you ever made love with someone whose psi levels are as high as yours?” James shook his head no indicating he had not. “Ok. Just imagine what that would be like James! I've dreamed about finding another psychic as controlled as you are. Don't you find that exciting?”

  “I can't make love to you Dr. Adams. I'm your student for Christ sake!” he peered up at her in shock. “I could get expelled and you, you could get fired—even if you have tenure!”

  Changing tactics she asked again, “Don't you find me attractive?” Reggie asked with a pout.

  When she stuck out her lower lip James found himself wanting nothing more than to suck it into his mouth...

  She then leaned down allowing the neck of her tee shirt to fall open revealing her beautiful large breasts unencumbered by anything.

  James couldn't help his eyes from being glued to them. She knew exactly what she was doing. He knew it too, but he was fast reaching the point where he just didn't give a shit.

  Reggie pressed her soft lips to his allowing the tip of her tongue to dart out and move along his lower lip, then he parted his own lips ever so slightly and she worked her tongue into his mouth—it was all over. James pulled her into his lap not breaking their kiss. It deepened; their tongues warring for dominance. The next thing he knew, he stood up and carried Reggie into her bedroom. He didn't bother to wonder how he knew exactly where it was, or even why he stood in the first place. He just knew what needed to be done.

  When James laid her upon the bed, he suddenly realized what just happened. She'd been directing him, psychically. That shit was going to stop.

  His turn.

  He stood above her and gazed down upon her. Take off your clothes, he silently commanded.

  Reggie got a dreamy look in her beautiful big brown eyes as her fingers went for the hem of her tee shirt. She pulled it up and over her head, next she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her skinny jeans wiggling out of them. Now all she wore was her a thong.

  Stop, he mentally commanded.

  Reggie then did so with a slightly bewildered look on her face.

  James continued to stand there watching her. He wanted to see how long it would take before she realized he'd taken the initiative. Finally, he saw the knowledge coming into her eyes.

  “You just—you j-just...” she stammered out.

  James nodded, almost in question. “I just what?”

  “You took control. You projected your will on me!” Her voice sounded like a mixture of being pissed and full of wonder.

  “Yes, I did. Did it upset you?”

  Reggie's mouth worked with nothing coming out.

  “How do you think it felt when I realized you'd done the same thing to me? It's not something that should be done to another human. It's almost like black magic, Dr. Adams! You took my free will away.” He was shouting by the time he'd finished. James spun around and left her laying there on the bed, went into the kitchen grabbed the two remaining bottles of wine and left her house. He could hear her yelling to him to come back. He was too pissed to do it though and he didn’t know for sure if it was him, or her.

  James hadn't gotten two blocks away when his cell phone started ringing. “What?” he answered very curtly.

  Of course, it was her. “I'm sorry. Please come back; let's talk about this. I promise to behave myself.” Reggie practically begged.

  He pulled to the curb and turned the engine off. “Why should I? I'm not a lab rat, Dr. Adams. I’m not only an adult, but a man with feelings and thoughts of my own. I will not allow you, or anyone else for that matter, to put thoughts in my head without my knowledge or permission.”

  “Please James. Please. Let's talk. I promise I will behave.” She allowed emotion to creep into her voice.

  He hadn’t heard any emotion there before. “I don't know Regina. I'm very pissed off at you. How could you betray my trust like that?” James massaged his temples; something he did unconsciously when he felt very stressed or extremely angry. “Ok. I'll come back, but the first time I feel like you're trying to use me, I'm leaving again and never coming back. Not even to your lectures. I'll change departments or whatever I have to do—”

  “You won't need to do that James,” Regina pleaded. “Just come back and let's talk, as two adults. Person to person. It'll be an entirely new and different experience for me, but I'll try. Please come back? It would be wonderful to have someone to talk to and someone that I can share my psychic experiences with.”

  James had already started the car and was pulling out and into a driveway to turn around. “Ok. I'm on my way back.”

  He pulled up into her driveway but before he could turn the ignition off, the garage door was opening.

  She stood inside motioning for him to drive his car into her garage and park.

  James sat there for a few moments trying to decide what to do. He looked at the sky and it did look threatening, but decided against it, thinking maybe it might be something subtle she was trying on him. He somehow managed to open the car door, turn off the engine and remove the keys in almost one movement. Then he locked the doors, and walked into the open garage.

  “Why didn't you pull in here and park James?”

  “Just in case I might need to make another quick get away,” he replied and left it at that. He followed her into her house. The doorway from the garage led through her utility room and pantry area and through a swinging door into her kitchen.

  “Would you like to sit at the kitchen table?” she asked.

  “I think that would be a great idea since I guess that would be considered to be the closest to a neutral area in your house.”

  For the next several hours, they talked like two adults who were getting to know each other. It was actually fun. They finished off the Shiraz and James went out to the car and retrieved the remaining two bottles of wine he'd brought. By the time he realized it was late, he was well into his cups.

  Reggie was giggling. “You can't drive in your condition James. Stay and sleep on the couch in my study.”

  She led him into the study and before he realized it, he was on the couch trying to get the room to stop spinning. The next thing he knew his mouth was being covered by Reggie's and their tongues were warring, once again, for superiority. Next, he was hovering over her body staring down at her. Her expression was nothing but lustful and he knew his own mirrored hers. James slowly lowered himself down to where he was covering her small body.

  She feels so good in the all the right places.

  James started to kiss her again, but stopped himself. “We can't do this. If you weren't my teacher we might be able get away with it, but the fact remains that you are. I'm sorry.” He stood up and staggered out of her house. She stood in the doorway looking disappointed, but that wasn't the half of it. He was horny as hell now and would have to take a long, hot shower when he got back to his apartment to relieve his problem.

  ~o0o~

  Chapter 4

  Surprise

  James completely expected to receive notification from the University's administrative offices telling him that not only had he been expelled from Dr. Adams's lecture series, but the department in general, as well as to never apply for any of the other lectures or classes within it. When there wasn't one, he became perplexed. He decided the best thing he could do at this point was to just go to the lecture as if nothing happened and see what reactions there might be from Dr. Adams.

  As it turned out, Dr. Adams acted no different in class than she did before. “I have an announcement to make. James Franklin has be
en invited, and has agreed to be my research assistant for the duration of this lecture series.” Looking directly at James she continued, “Please come to my office after class and we will discuss what your duties are for this semester.”

  James nodded, indicating that he would be there. After class and with a great deal of trepidation, James entered Dr. Adams's office. He was braced for anything; his barriers up.

  Reggie acted very civil about the whole affair. “James, relax. I understand what you were doing. You were being the adult and being strong for both of us. I'd be lying if I tried to tell you that I have no attraction to you. It's like a magnet keeps pulling me to you. I know you feel it too, so I will understand if you'd prefer not to be my assistant this semester. However, if we could keep our time together here in the office only and during my office hours, we won't have the temptations we would in private.” She stared at James with a mixture of emotions playing across her features.

  Emotions also chased through her mind. James hovering above her with lust filled eyes...enough of that. He clamped his barriers down again, hard. “Reggie, I don't know if it's advisable for us to spend any time together at all. Our attraction to each other is so strong,” he confessed. “I was smitten with you before I even met you. You've been my hero ever since I read the first book you wrote. You know all this already, Reggie. You can read me like a book, and I'm getting to where I can read you too. You've been trying to keep me out just as I have with you. I have built a wall between us now, so you won’t be able to work me as easily as you did Friday night. Running his hand through his hair, he continued, “The problem is that I don't trust you now, Reggie. I don't know if I'll ever be able to fully trust you again. If my trust is important to you, we can work on it, but if it's not, that's ok too.”

  I've fallen in love with this tiny woman, but can't let her know this. She'd use it against me. I love her, but I don't trust her.

  She gazed at James with a certain sadness in her liquid brown eyes. “I do understand James, and you have every right not to trust me. I don't know if I care enough right now to want to work on building that trust back. It's something only time will tell.” She moved a legal pad in front of her, picked up a pen and she tapped against her teeth. “Ok. Let's set up a schedule for working. I really don't want to do it all here in the office. I have a space dedicated to me at the library that we can work in also. It's fairly public and if we keep the hours normal, we'd never be alone enough to fool around.” A smile spread across her lips.