The Dance

by James Goodman

  “No, I’m afraid I’ve become a bit of a lightweight since I quit drinking. There’s no way I’m getting behind a wheel.”

  “You quit drinking?” Anna looked at him with wide eyes.

  “Yeah, after I spiraled out of control with… well, with Jack’s death. I decided to give it up all together.”

  “And here I am egging you on like… like…” Anna put her hand on his forearm. “I’m such a bad person. I’m so sorry to do that to you, Tom.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Tom patted her hand where it lay on his arm. “You didn’t know and you weren’t exactly twisting my arm.”

  Anna eased off her stool, stood straight, took a deep breath and suddenly looked surprisingly coherent. “Look, my apartment isn’t far from here. There’s no sense in both of us taking cabs in different directions. Why don’t we share a cab? You can sleep on my couch and we can come back and get the car in the morning.”

  “Ah, I don’t know,” Tom said. “Maybe we should just call it a night.”

  “I won’t take no for an answer,” she insisted, placing both hands on her hips.

  “Okay, I’ll get us a cab,” Tom relented.

  *****

  “Here we are,” Anna said, ushering Tom into her apartment. “Home sweet home.”

  “I really appreciate this. I wasn’t looking forward to showing up at the precinct tomorrow in a taxi. If someone saw me and it got back to the Captain…”

  “Yeah, he already seems to have it out for you.”

  Tom nodded as he entered the living room and eyed the couch. He had definitely slept in worse places.

  “Would you like anything to drink?” Anna called from the kitchen.

  “No, I think I’ve had quite enough, thank you very much,” Tom laughed.

  Anna joined in his laughter. “No, I meant water, coffee, juice… anything non-alcoholic.”

  “Oh, no. Really, I think I’ll just rack out for tonight.” Tom moved closer to the couch. “Do you have some extra pillows and a blanket by any chance?”

  “Yeah, hang on,” Anna said, disappearing into her bedroom.

  She emerged with the requested bedding in hand and dropped them on the couch. Tom was aware of her eyes on him as he set about spreading the blanket. He stiffened when he felt her hand on his shoulder.

  “Need some help?” she asked in a whisper.

  He stood to face her. “Anna, I—”

  Before he could finish the sentence, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, her mouth closing over his with a surprising intensity. Tom grabbed her by the shoulders and slowly pulled her away. “As much as I enjoyed that, you’re drunk and I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

  She smiled gazing up at him. “I’m not that drunk and I want this to happen. So just shut up and kiss me before I change my mind.”

  Tom hesitated for only a second before he complied. Her mouth was warm and inviting as her tongue sought his own. He embraced her feverishly, hands roaming along her back. She reached for his shirt, ripping it open, sending buttons to the carpet below.

  Oh, my God! This is really going to happen.

  He took his time with her blouse, undoing each button with deliberation while he continued to kiss her passionately. Once her shirt fell to the floor, she pulled back, stared into his eyes.

  “Take these off,” she said breathlessly, tugging on his belt loops.

  “Do it for me,” he suggested in a whisper.

  Anna pressed against him and kissed his neck, sending a shiver throughout his body. Her mouth worked its way over his chest and down his abdomen as she unzipped his slacks. She let them fall in a heap around his ankles and slid her fingers inside the waistband of his boxers, pulling them down quickly to reveal his member, already standing at attention. She gave him an abrupt push, causing him to fall and land on the couch with a laugh.

  Tom kicked his clothes from around his ankles before she put her elbows on his thighs. She leaned forward, looking him in the eye and he shuddered with anticipation. She pulled him into her mouth as he gingerly pulled her hair back so he could watch.

  The sensations were almost too much. He had wanted her for so long and now it was really happening. He wanted the moment to last. He needed a minute to regroup.

  “Wait,” he finally managed, pulling her away gently. “Let’s get you out of the rest of these clothes.”

  She leaned back on her knees, reaching for the clasp on the front her bra. She slid out of the silk garment, exposing her full round breasts and chocolate-colored nipples. He longed to taste them, but when he leaned forward, she stopped him with a restraining hand.

  “Not yet,” she said as she pushed herself to her feet and slid out of her pants.

  “You are absolutely gorgeous,” Tom sighed, staring at her firm body.

  “Why… thank you,” she said in a husky voice, posing for him, one knee over the other, one arm under her breasts and her other hand holding her hair back.

  Tom could stand no more. He jumped to his feet and pulled her close, kissing her feverishly as she angled him back onto the couch. He dropped onto the cushions, pulling her on top of him. He grabbed her by the waist, lifting her high enough to reach her breasts with his mouth. He licked and teased her nipples. They tasted as good as he imagined.

  She straddled him, letting out a deep moan when he entered her. She began rocking back and forth, increasing her speed as she went. His body responded to her urgency and matched her rhythm.

  They pounded against each other relentlessly. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes rolled towards eternity, each passing breath bringing them to new levels of pleasure.

  He felt his inevitable climax approaching and wondered how much longer he could stave it off. He’d nearly given in, losing himself in a wave of ecstasy, when she began to spasm around his shaft. Anna let out a final elongated wail of delight before collapsing against him in a sweaty heap.

  “Oh, wow,” she whispered against his chest. “That was just… amazing.”

  “I couldn’t have said it better myself,” Tom agreed.

  He held her in his arms until they drifted off to sleep.

  Anna was the first to wake. She opened her eyes to find her face still nuzzled in Tom’s chest hair.

  Oh, my God… what have I done? You don’t sleep with your partner. You never, ever, ever, sleep with your partner.

  She rose to her elbows, causing Tom to stir.

  “Mmm, good morning,” he said, opening one eye.

  She pulled herself from the couch and rushed to the bedroom.

  “Was it something I said?” he called after her.

  She came back out after a few seconds, wearing a robe. “Tom, about last night,” she paused to consider the most sensitive way to phrase her words.

  “It was wonderful,” Tom said with a sigh. “Hands down the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

  “Yes, it was great,” she paused, swallowed hard. “But, we’re partners. It never should have happened.”

  “I knew it,” Tom said, swinging his legs over the side of the couch. “You were drunk and now I’m an asshole for taking advantage of you.”

  “No, I wanted it, I really did,” she said sitting beside him. “But you have to understand, something like this could ruin my career.”

  “So, we keep it to ourselves,” he said, looking relieved.

  “And it must never happen again,” Anna added, casting him a wary glance.

  “Never?” Tom asked, eyebrows raised.

  “Never and no one can ever find out about this time either.”

  “I won’t tell a soul,” Tom assured her.

  “I mean it, Tom. If you so much as even hint about what happened last night, I’ll kick the living shit out of you.”

  Tom threw up his hands. “Easy, killer. I give you my word, this is just between us.”

  Anna stared at him for a long moment. God, I hope he really can keep his mouth shut.

  “Don’t worry about i
t,” Tom began, using a pillow to cover himself. “You can count on me.”

  You know, maybe I can. “Okay, why don’t we get cleaned up and go pick up the sedan from that bar.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Tom rose to his feet, still clutching the pillow in place. “You go first and I’ll put us some coffee on.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  A haze filled Kyle’s mind, blocking the screams from his past. He struggled to keep them. He wanted, almost needed, to have them.

  Why can’t I hear them? They were just here. He lashed out in the darkness, finding only damp air for his efforts. Where did all this fog come from?

  He stumbled through the thick haze, trying to find something familiar to latch on to. He was alone and lost. Panic gripped his heart and squeezed, sending him scrambling. He ran blindly, arms stretched before him. A whiff of something foul made him skid to a stop.

  It’s that awful smell again.

  The feeling that he was not alone in the darkness washed over him. He spun in circles, trying to pinpoint the origin of the smell.

  A faint noise caught his attention, causing him to freeze with his head cocked to one side. He listened as it bounced around in the fog. It grew steadily louder, and he realized it was laughter. It came through the darkness as a deep rumble, building in intensity with every second. It engulfed him, coming from all directions at once.

  Kyle ran. He didn’t care which direction he was going, he only knew he needed to be away from that horrible laugh.

  “Where do you think you are running off to, changeling?” A gravely voice filled his ears.

  “Wherever you’re not!” Kyle shouted without slowing his pace.

  “Oh, but that is impossible,” the voice cooed. “I am ever with you. We are joined on a common path, you and I.”

  Kyle felt a gentle caress across his cheek. He nearly stumbled when he threw his hands up to protect his head.

  “Who are you?” Kyle panted. “Why are you doing this to me?”

  “You are doing this to yourself.”

  “Leave me alone!”

  “Why can you not see you are being used?”

  Kyle felt a hand on his shoulder. As he turned to face his attacker, he tripped over his feet and went sprawling through the nothingness.

  “You are being lied to,” the voice continued, pounding its way into his head.

  “No, you’re wrong. She protects me. She loves me.” Kyle pushed himself to his feet slowly. “Why don’t you show yourself?” If I know where he is, I can run the other way.

  “You are unworthy to bask in my… beauty.”

  Kyle had the sudden feeling he was better off not knowing what this thing looked like. He picked a direction at random and took off again, sprinting with all his might. He only made it a few strides before the ground gave way beneath him. The sound of his own screams echoed in his mind as he plummeted through the unknown. His body tensed, waiting for an impact that never came. He tumbled for what felt like an eternity, all the while voices whispered in his ear. They urged him to save himself.

  “What do you want from me?” He yelled into the darkness.

  “I just want you to see,” the gravely voice replied as if its owner floated next to him.

  “Why won’t you tell me who you are?”

  “I have been given many names over the years, but my first, that is the one which will set you free.”

  “What are you talking about?” Kyle tried desperately to stay focused during his downward spiral.

  “If you really want to see where the loyalties of your mistress lie, tell her you had a visit with—”

  “Kyle!” Nina’s voice broke through the fog. “You’re going to break the bed!”

  He crashed to the floor in a jumble of sheets. Instantly awake, he kicked himself free of the covers.

  “What’s wrong, lover?”

  Kyle lay in the floor, gulping in air as if he had just completed a marathon.

  “Kyle, what’s the matter with you?” Her curiosity was quickly growing into concern.

  His body twitched and jerked, like an animal that just discovered the effects of an electric fence. His gaze shifted to the room around him. He patted the floor, making sure it was really beneath him.

  “Kyle, you’re starting to upset me,” Nina said in a hushed voice. “Won’t you please just talk to me?”

  A single word ricocheted through his mind. Just the sound of it in his ears made him feel somehow dirty. He couldn’t imagine letting it pass through his mouth. He knew he had to grab it and push it out. If he kept it in, it would drive him mad.

  Nina finally caught his eye and he started to calm down. She eased closer to him, making slow, deliberate movements until she had his head cradled in her lap. She stroked the side of his face. He looked up at her and opened his mouth tentatively. She managed to sit still, even when he started gagging. Sweat poured from his whole body.

  “Eramael,” he finally choked up before collapsing back into her lap.

  Nina’s brow wrinkled at the mention of the name, but she quickly smoothed all expression from her face. If Kyle hadn’t been staring right at her, he would have missed it.

  “Why did you say that name?” It took her a few seconds to regain her composure.

  “He says to tell you hello.” He watched closely for her reaction.

  Nina carefully weighed her options. “You must be growing more powerful than I thought.”

  “What do you mean?” Kyle wasn’t expecting such a strange answer.

  “Your visitor and I used to be friends, but that was a long time ago.”

  “Your past is your own business. What does this freak want with me?”

  “You must be strong enough that he can sense you and he is jealous of what you’ve become.”

  “Sense me?” He sat up to face her. “What the hell is that thing?”

  “You really shouldn’t trouble your mind with such minor details, lover,” Nina admonished gently.

  “Minor? That thing wants me dead. It wants us both dead. I wouldn’t call that fucking minor.” He turned away in disgust.

  She really IS keeping something from me.

  “Hush, now.” She placed a single finger beneath his chin, bringing his gaze up to meet hers. “Now that your strength has increased, there will be beings who will want to test you, test your resolve. You must remember that I am the one who cares about you. Ignore their lies and I will show you wonders you can only imagine.”

  She leaned in closer, kissing him full on the mouth. There is only you and me. Nothing else in this world matters. She pushed her thoughts at him, willing him to accept them.

  Kyle struggled against the command as it entered his mind. He wanted to argue, wanted to make her see that their trust was becoming fragile. The feel of her lips on his made it hard for him to focus, and his fears soon gave way to his lust. He allowed her to push him to his back with her kisses as her hands roamed over his chest.

  “But I—”

  “Shh, lover,” she urged softly. “Now is not the time.”

  She moved her face over his neck, alternating between light nibbles and the flick of her tongue. She watched with bright eyes as goose bumps spread across his body.

  “We need to talk about this.”

  She placed two fingers on his mouth to silence him while she kissed her way down his chest. Forget, lover. Forget your fears. Forget your reservations. Give yourself to me. Trust me. Her voice reverberated in his mind.

  Kyle moaned his approval when her mouth engulfed him. As their bodies moved rhythmically, all thoughts of Eramael faded from his mind. She’s right; nothing matters but her touch… and The Dance.

  *****

  “What are you doing, lover?” Nina followed Kyle into the bedroom.

  “What’s it look like I’m doing?” Kyle laughed but stopped quickly when he realized she wasn’t laughing with him. “I’m packing a few supplies.”

  He tossed his duffle bag on the bed before step
ping into his closet. He fished a set of keys from his pocket and quickly unlocked the wall locker he had set up in the back. A shiver of excitement ran through his body when the light reflected from his instruments. It had taken him years to build his collection. Each one designed with painstaking care, not only to perform a certain task, but also to create just the right atmosphere for his partners during the Dance.

  “But lover, we have a new Dance to perform now, remember? We don’t need to use your tools any more.”

  “Couldn’t we do both?” Kyle looked over his shoulder at her. “There are aspects of the way we used to do things that I truly miss.”

  “I don’t see how that would work.”

  “Just think about it before you go blurting out rejections, Nina. Why couldn’t we do both?”

  “Kyle, we need them to be alive for us to realize the full potential of the ceremony. That feeling you get when the music plays? It won’t happen if they’re dead.”

  “I have already shown you that I can create a living partner. Where’s the harm in letting me have my fun?”

  “Is it the blood you miss?”

  Obviously, Nina couldn’t understand. He turned away from her and resumed his search for equipment.

  “If it’s the blood, maybe you could have a little fun with them afterwards,” she offered.

  “It’s not the blood,” he snapped without facing her.

  “I don’t understand,” she admitted, placing her hands on his shoulders.

  “It’s the screams,” he answered softly. “It’s the fear. It’s the look in their eyes when they feel cold steel against their flesh.”

  She didn’t respond.

  Nina was thankful he couldn’t see her face. The look of shock that spread over it may have upset him. She hadn’t anticipated that development. She was responsible for the deaths of countless people over the centuries, but she never derived any real pleasure from the act itself. She killed to make herself stronger. It was as simple as that.

  “You don’t understand, do you?” Kyle whispered, letting his chin sag to his chest.

  “I understand that you have desires and I have been remiss in making sure they are met,” she answered, choosing her words carefully.