by Ju Ephraime
“Darling, you must have been overly tired. You didn’t even fully make it into bed. Why were you sleeping across the bed, instead of in it?”
“I don’t know. I tried waking you when I was going into my bath, but I was so unnaturally tired that I fell asleep just as I stepped out of my bath. I don’t even remember toweling myself. ”
“Yeah, you must have been tired, but that doesn’t account for me not waking until a couple minutes ago either. I must have been more tired than you. I guess our ages are catching up with us.”
“I guess so.”
“Why don’t you stay in bed a bit longer? I’ll bring you a cup of coffee. Will you be able to make it into work?”
“Yes, why do you ask?”
“You look as if you are coming down with something. Your eyes are bloodshot. You can stay at home today.”
“No, I have a project to finish. It’s due today.”
“Sweetheart, if you don’t feel up to it, I’d rather you stayed at home.”
“I’ll see how I feel as the day progresses. I’ll let you know. I promise I’ll call in if I don’t feel up to it.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, I promise. Now go get me a cup of coffee. I’ll take it strong and black.”
“Strong and black coffee? What have you done with my wife? She only drinks extra, extra light coffee. Who am I to question why? Coming right up, mama.”
Lange couldn’t wait for him to leave for work. She dare not move from the bed. She felt like something the dog dragged home, literally. Every part of her body hurt. She ached all over. What could have happened to her? There was a pain between her legs as if someone had been pounding into her all night. Her breasts felt sore and raw. She must really be coming down with something, but what?
Crawling farther under the sheets, she was not surprised to find she was naked. She was used to getting up naked in the morning, but that’s after a night of heaving lovemaking with her husband. But now she was alone in the bed. She couldn’t recall making love with her husband, so why was she in the nude? She remembered calling to him before she went into her bath, but that’s the last thing she remembered. Maybe she’d been too tired to put on her PJs. But something about her body did not feel right. She could feel the stink she usually felt after a night of lovemaking. Even her nipples were feeling sore. She took a quick glance under the sheet and was shocked to see love bites all over her nipples, even on her breasts. What the hell had happened to her last night? Everything was so fuzzy.
For once she was impatient for Rupert to leave. She stayed under the sheet and sipped her coffee until he was dressed and ready to walk out of the house. When she knew he was going to come and kiss her goodbye, she feigned sleep and closed her eyes so he was forced to give her a peck on the cheek.
Lange scrambled from the bed the minute she heard the front door close. She walked to the full-length mirror in her bedroom and was shocked to see the scratches and bruises that covered all her body, as if she had been dragged through a thicket of brambles. She could feel the stickiness between her thighs when she used the bathroom, so she took her small mirror and looked between her legs. She couldn’t believe the bruising. She had love bites and scratches. Her pussy was so swollen she knew she couldn’t put on any panties, even if she wanted to, so there was no going to work for her.
How could this happen to her from a dream? Someone had been in her house. Someone had deliberately done this to her, so she knew she’d been used. She couldn’t let Rupert know. She couldn’t show this to him. She was going to take care of this herself.
She knew there was evil out there, but it had never touched her before. Now that it had, she was going to have to touch it back. There was no way whoever had been in her home was going to get back in. She knew how to safeguard her home. If the person was able to break through her guard, then she was in deep shit, but she was not giving up yet. She put in a call to her job and told them she wouldn’t be coming in that day. Then she called her husband to tell him she had decided to call in sick.
She then took a very painful bath in antiseptic, which stung like hell. Then after treating all the bruises she could reach, she put on a pair of palazzo pants since she couldn’t wear any underwear and walked out of her home.
She took her car because she knew whoever had done this to her would be back again. The one sure way she knew to keep him away she could not use because she was too sore to have sex with her husband. So, she would have to get help so she could stop him from entering her home. She took the turn to the market, where she would find everything she needed. She had to build her arsenal.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jean Louis was barely able to make it back to his home before the fingers of dawn spread across the sky. He was out of his skin, so it was critical that he not be exposed to even the hint of daylight. Not only was he very vulnerable out of his skin, if any of his enemies found his skin before he could get back into it, he was as good as dead—as defenseless as a baby. It was ironic that the same element that made him invisible, and, therefore, invincible, was the same element that could cause his death. But he wouldn’t change anything about it for all the tea in China, as his time with Lange had just proven… It was been pure bliss. He was even able to take a photograph of her as she lay in the bed, her body exposed to his hungry gaze.
He groaned, just remembering how it felt making love with Lange. He had made love to her with all the fire he’d held back for all those months. He was like a starving man enjoying his first meal. He should go to bed, but he couldn’t help going over the entire experience, blow by blow. His dick was hard and hungry just thinking about her. Her buttocks had filled his hand beautifully as he raised them and feasted on her sweet honeypot. She tasted like nectar. He had seen her breasts many times, so he knew what they looked like, but sucking on them was a whole other matter.
Sometimes, he had to force himself to slow down because he didn’t want to cause her any harm. The primitive urgency to possess her took all his strength to contain. After he’d brought her to orgasm in the tub, her body had tightened up on him. It had taken a lot of pushing on his part to gain entrance to her honeyed pussy, but, man, was it worth it.
Nothing had ever enthralled him like this. There he was at last; making love to the woman he loved, with his mouth, hands, and body. He’d kissed every inch of her from her head down to her narrow feet, returning repeatedly to the patch of black curls between her thighs. He had pressed his mouth into her pussy, licking and sucking the honeyed sweetness of her until he thought he was beginning to get lightheaded from the nectar. When he finally raised himself over her and dove into her, he’d been surprised that it was such a tight fit.
He’d tried to be gentle, something that was foreign to him, but the sensation of being in her body was too much for him and drove him to the point of insanity. He knew he would have to have her every night. Now that he’d had her, he couldn’t allow that husband of hers to have her any more.
He knew it was not going to be easy. He had two issues. He couldn’t take her the same night her husband had her. He couldn’t allow Rupert’s body fluids to touch him. Also, she had to be clean and fresh when he sank his cock into her. He wished he’d asked his Master for the powers needed to kill Rupert, but he couldn’t kill anyone without permission. It was just not allowed. But he’d find a way to get rid of him so he could have Lange to himself and not have to share her. He had to sleep now. He needed all his strength for the night. Hehehe.
****
Lange paid a visit to an old voodoo woman, who, after examining her, confirmed what she had suspected. The woman gave her a few items to purchase to add to her list, and she paid her fee and left and went shopping. She spent the better part of the afternoon shopping for the items the voodoo woman told her to get. She told her the Black Magic Man who had visited her was extremely powerful, and it would take a lot to stop him. But she had one piece in her arsenal that he had not reckoned with. This would keep him f
rom harming her permanently because he would retaliate when he saw that she was resisting him, so she should be prepared to fight.
When Lange drove up to her house, she was still mad as hell at what had been done to her. She unloaded the car and brought her shopping inside. She knew she was the target of a Black Magic Man. That was the only explanation for the brutal sex and the bruises and scratches that covered her body. These evil men loved leaving their marks on their victims.
She knew she couldn’t let her husband make love to her, a sure deterrent to the Black Magic Man, because he would see the scratches and bruises on her body. But she would make certain if the sorcerer got past her safeguards, he would be so revolted with her filthy body that he would have to turn around and leave.
She prepared her husband’s dinner and crawled back into bed. When Rupert arrived home, she remained in bed, admitting to still feeling unwell. He brought her a cup of tea while he had his dinner. When he was done, she asked him to go take a shower and come into bed with her. As soon as he removed his soiled shirt, she took it from the laundry hamper and changed into it. She then removed some of the items she’d gotten on the advice of the voodoo woman—four habanero hot pepper trees, fully grown and in full bloom. She placed two on either side of her front door on the outside, and the other two she placed at the foot of her bed. She then took the two brooms she used to sweep and clean the floor and placed them upside down in the form of an X across her front door and then she crawled back into bed.
When her husband came out of the shower, he was surprised to see the habanero pepper plants, although he’d not seen the brooms.
“What’s this, darling? Are we going to be sleeping with these in here?”
“Yes, I believe I’m allergic to something in the house. This will help me keep it away.”
“Who are you trying to fool, sweetheart? You must have a reason for placing these hot, dangerous plants in our bedroom, but far be it from me to question your reasoning. I’m willing to do anything you want. You only have to ask.”
“Well, since you put it that way, I placed the brooms across the front door, so, whatever you do, please don’t remove them.”
“I know the meaning of brooms across the door. This is to ward off the Black Magic Man. I have to admit, I didn’t think it actually worked,” he said.
“You didn’t think it actually work?” What’s that supposed to mean?” she questioned.
“I’m just saying, these men are powerful. I didn’t think a mere broom could keep them away.”
“The first thing is you have to believe, and don’t think for one minute that’s all I’m going to throw at him. Are you certain you’re up to this?”
“What do you mean? Are you kidding me! I may not know how to use it, but trust me; I am so up to it. I also know some of the items and what they are used for—everyone knows,” he told her.
“That’s encouraging to know.”
“It is, but as a man, I am powerless against them. They don’t come after men; neither do they manifest themselves to us, but I’m behind you one hundred percent.
“Come, my darling. Let me hold you.” He got into bed and pulled her into the fold of his body. “I take it we will not be playing tonight?”
“No, darling. I don’t feel up to it. Just hold me, as you are doing. I need your strength.”
They were soon fast asleep and did not wake until the coffee maker went off in the morning. Lange was feeling a little better, but she was still very sore. Every time she felt the soreness between her legs, it set off a rage in her, especially when she had to accept that she couldn’t take any action against him. Even if the island people knew black magic to be a fact, they would only laugh at her and challenge her to prove it, which she couldn’t. When it was the White Magic Woman, some men loved it, but it was always painful and dangerous for the woman. The Black Magic men abused them terribly. But that sucker had picked the wrong woman to mess with. She would destroy him, if it was the last thing she did.
****
Rupert got out of bed and went into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee for his wife. He walked back into the bedroom, just as Lange was getting out of bed. He saw her wince, as walked to the bathroom door and reached for her robe. She was obviously in a lot of pain because it took her two tries before she was able to take the robe off the hook and slip into it.
She stood there chewing on her bottom lip until Rupert shivered with the need to soothe it with a soft kiss. He was so easily distracted by the scent of her satin skin, the feel of her soft curves that passion sizzled through him, just watching her. The only thing that stopped him from reaching for her was because he knew she was hurting.
“What would you say to a hot bath, darling?”
“A hot bath?” The disturbing thoughts almost went away as she allowed herself to think of the pleasure of a hot bath. “I would say that it sounds like heaven.”
Rupert groaned at the thought of seeing that dreamy expression for an entirely different reason than hot water and soapy bubbles—reasons such as his hands skimming over her silken skin while his lips blazed a path to her sweet core.
“Are you going to share a bath with me?”
“No, sweetheart, you’ll have your bath alone.”
Walking around her, Rupert went into the master bathroom, and with a flick of the switch, soft music filled the room and the faucet turned on. He poured a liberal amount of scented bubble bath into the cascading water then, reaching for Lange, he removed her robe, and lifting her, he lowered her into the hot soapy water. Not able to resist, he ran his hand over her beautiful breasts, cupping them in his hand, as he flicked the nipple.
“Darling,” she managed to whisper, “I’d prefer if you let me do this.”
“I want to give you your bath, sweetheart,” he murmured, rising to tackle the mass of luxurious hair.
Her hands went to cover the vivid bruises on her breasts, and she stopped herself just in time.
“You don’t have to, darling.”
His gaze collided with hers as he placed his mouth where her hands had been.
“Trust me, darling, I know you’re hurting. I only want to make it better.”
She swallowed anxiously but was clearly caught up in the moment, as he was, and didn’t t protest poured shampoo into his hand and began rubbing it into her hair. Still holding her gaze, he kept his eyes away from her body, in order to try and control the two powerful emotions warring within him—love for his wife and anger at the sorcerer that had done this to her.
With careful tenderness, he poured water from the sprayer to rinse out the shampoo. He repeated the process with the conditioner massaging into her hair, until she sighed in contentment. Leaving the conditioner in, he took a washcloth from the edge of the tub, and began the slow task of bathing her as she took a deep breath and relaxed into the bath.
Watching her relaxed into the bath, his thoughts became consumed with the sensual delight of touching her familiar body.
“How do you feel, sweetheart?”
“Better now.”
“I never tire of touching you. You’re so soft and smooth like warm silk.”
He watched as she leaned back, and her eyes drifted closed. “That feels wonderful,” she said, “wonderful and sinfully tempting.”
A slow, burning hunger started within Rupert as he continued his self-imposed torment. She looked like a goddess, lying in the tub, her long slender limbs and beautiful face. The only part of her body that was left marked was her lovely face.
Careful to do nothing that might startle her out of her relaxed state, he rinsed out the conditioner from her beautiful black hair, using his fingers to deep massage her scalp as she liked it. His temperature was rapidly on the rise as he rinsed the last of the conditioner from her hair.
Rupert softly cradled her face and tracked her cheeks with his thumbs. Slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered his head and stroked his lips over her mouth. For a moment she seemed to stiffen, but even as he
prepared to pull back, her lips parted. His tongue teased the seam of her lip, and then he delved deeper. Her response was all Lange, passionate and hungry. Although he was mindful of the state her body was in, the temptation to climb into the bath with her caused him to tremble with the sheer force of his need to sheath himself inside her sweet, delicious body.
She lifted her damp arms and wrapped them around his neck, moving her fingers through his hair even as his mouth shifted, tracing a path of moisture from her cheek down to the curve of her neck. He felt as if he was drowning, as he nuzzled the frantic pulse at the base of her throat and moved his hands down to brush over the patch of curls between her long, slender legs. Her body shuddered in response before she reached down and closed her fingers over his wandering hand and brought it to her face, where she placed a kiss in the center.
She didn’t have to do anything else; he got the message. Much as she wanted to make love, she would not. That kiss was a promise of things to come. Grimly lifting himself upright, Rupert gathered Lange carefully in his arms and wrapped her in a warm towel.
“Come, darling, do you want to return to bed for a couple hours? That way, you’ll be away from your horny husband.”
“I’m a bit tired, sweetheart,” she muttered. “It seems I can’t get enough sleep. I haven’t had a restful night sleep for a while now.”
“I know, my darling. Come, you deserve your rest.”
He dropped a kiss on the top of her nose as he carried her into their bedroom. “I won’t lotion you. How is that?”
“Great,” she said drowsily.
Moving aside the quilt, he laid Lange onto the cool cotton sheets and pulled the quilt over her. He was about to move away when she reached out and grasp his hand.
“Rupert.”
“Yes, darling.”
“Get into bed with me and just hold me.”
He slipped into bed with her, and taking her into his arms, he covered them both with the quilt. His love for this woman knew no bounds. He felt so helpless to see her reduced to this, but he knew she was very resilient and would recover. What irked him more than anything was his inability to protect her. He did not know how to protect her from an unseen evil.
