Black Hearts Dance

by Gerald Lopez

  “Tornado!” Alex said, as we heard glass breaking across the hall.

  The immense brass chandelier in the entry went crashing to the floor and there were more sounds of breaking glass.

  “The house is throwing a tantrum!” Mrs. Carson said. A plate that was on the buffet went flying across the room, and smashed against the far wall. The antique cake pedestal holding the remaining caramel cake was shaking on the table.

  “Oh, no, you’re not getting that!” I said, reaching for it as Mrs. Maribelle yelled at me.

  “No, Layton!”

  My body rose up with the cake pedestal. And a force stronger than anything I’d ever felt hurled me across the room and against the wall. It knocked the wind out of me momentarily. A glass window shattered and I heard Mrs. Carson speak.

  “Under the table, everyone!”

  Everyone went under the table except for Alex who ran to my side. Vases and other decorative items were hurled across the room by unseen forces. My brave Alex, with Rory’s help, managed to drag me under the table with the others. Lucky went to me and started licking me—I could feel his body trembling. We sat huddled and helpless as window after window shattered and filled the room with glass. The wind got even louder… to the point it hurt our ears. I heard Shannon scream as she covered her ears with her hands. Miss Maribelle and Mrs. Carson tried to comfort her, but the howling wind got louder and the room grew cooler and cooler. Finally I’d had enough and got out from under the table. As I stood tall in the center of the room I addressed the unseen force.

  “This is my house now and I’ve had enough! I’ll discover what secrets you need revealed and reveal them, but for now—this tantrum is at an end!”

  Instantly the wind stopped, objects dropped where they were, and it was room temperature once again.

  “Is everyone alright?” I said, then looked under the table. “Shannon?”

  “I apologize for my screams,” Shannon said. “My ears can be sensitive sometimes.”

  “You have nothing to apologize for,” I said, and gave her a hand out from under the table.

  Once everyone else had been helped out, we surveyed the mess around us.

  “Well, it does look like the aftermath of a tornado,” Alex said.

  Laughter filled the room.

  “I’ve seen it looking worse, and that was just after one of Mrs. Carson’s parties,” Miss Maribelle said, then chuckled.

  “No worries,” Shannon said. “We’ll get it all tidied up.”

  “Don’t touch a single thing,” Mrs. Carson said.

  Chapter 14

  Be it Ever so Temperamental

  “WE CAN’T leave you to clean this up alone,” Shannon said. “You still have your gathering tomorrow.”

  “That’s sweet of you to worry, but there’s really no need to,” Mrs. Carson said. “By later tonight all will be as it once was. The house doesn’t like a mess, especially with company coming. As I said earlier, it was merely throwing a tantrum thinking the new owners wouldn’t be interested in solving the mysteries that plague its walls.”

  “Be it ever so temperamental, huh,” Alex said.

  Everyone laughed. I wondered if their insides were as shaky as mine. Probably not quite since I’d been dumb enough to try and hold onto the cake pedestal.

  “It’s time I was going, but I’ll see all of you tomorrow,” Miss Maribelle said, then proceeded to give us all hugs and kisses on the cheek.

  “I’ll walk you out, Miss Maribelle,” Rory said. “It’ll give me a chance to get a bit more of that brown sugar.”

  Miss Maribelle laughed loudly. “Rory, you are a funny one. Talking about my brown sugar when you know all you get from me is a kiss on the cheek. I should spank your naughty butt.”

  “He’d probably enjoy it,” Alex said, then grinned.

  “You know me well, boss man,” Rory said.

  “Speaking of bosses,” Alex said. “After you walk Miss Maribelle to her car come back in here so you, Layton, and I can talk.”

  “You got it, boss,” Rory said, then walked Miss Maribelle to the front door and out.

  “Would you mind walking Shannon and me to the guesthouse, Layton?” Elise said. “If you’re not hurting too much.”

  “I’m fine,” I said. “Just a bit shaken, that’s all. Alex, will you stay with Mrs. Carson?”

  “Sure,” Alex said.

  THE PATH back to the guesthouse was surprisingly well lit. There were yard lights going the full-length between the main house and the guesthouse.

  “How are you feeling, Shannon?” I said.

  “More embarrassed for screaming than anything else. The pain in my ears left with the noise of the wind. I would’ve thought I’d handle myself better in a situation like this.”

  “But you’ve probably never been in a situation exactly like this, so you didn’t know what to expect,” I said. “I learned never to grab hold of a cake pedestal when a supernatural force wants to sling it across the room.”

  We all laughed, then Elise stopped and looked at me. “Thank you for letting my grandma stay—it means more than you can know.”

  “It was my great pleasure,” I said. “I know a little of what it means to you, too. Don’t think others wouldn’t have done the same. Spangler was ready to sell his house and add his funds to what little I have if it meant Mrs. Carson could stay here.”

  “Every time I think I know what my grandfather meant to people, I’m surprised at how deep the feelings go,” Elise said, then continued walking.

  I put my hand around her arm to stop her again, then spoke. “At that time, having someone we soldiers thought of as a hero and the absolute best of the best take an interest in us was everything. Because of where we were headed and what we would have to do, things meant more at that time and it all left lasting impressions on every single one of us.” I let go of her arm and turned to face the yard. “We were his men and he let us know he had our backs in every way that mattered. His lady—your grandmother—and the other ladies who were there with their officers looked out for us. Those packages from home kept us going. It was funny how often they arrived just when we needed them most.”

  “God bless those ladies and their brave men,” Shannon said, slightly choked up. “You men showed you deserved it too. I’ve no doubt of that.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “We did our best.” I turned to them again and saw they were looking directly at me. “Elise, Mrs. Carson can move into the guesthouse at her leisure… if she changes her mind and wants to stay in the main house—”

  “She won’t change her mind, she knows it’s in good hands. And she was being honest when she said she’d prefer living in the guesthouse. It’s easier for her there.”

  “And when the time comes, Carson Court will gladly hold your wedding and reception,” I said.

  Elise smiled. “I appreciate that, but I need to start and finish beauty school first.”

  “Layton,” Shannon said. “tonight was real, wasn’t it? There were no hidden cameras or wires—nothing like that.”

  “I sure didn’t feel any wires throwing me across the room,” I said. “It’s all real… and complicated.”

  “How so?” Shannon said. “I mean, besides the obvious.”

  “There were the unsolved murders of the twin boys,” I said. “Something happened to a little girl named Javina at the same time. Then something, which I haven’t heard about yet happened here involving your uncle.”

  “I’ll fill you in on that one tomorrow,” Shannon said. “It’s been a very long day.”

  “Amen to that,” I said, as Elise unlocked the front door of the guesthouse.

  “Let me go in and check everything before you two enter,” I said.

  THE GUESTHOUSE looked just as I’d seen it before, so I felt comfortable saying good night to the ladies and headed back. It was easy to understand why Mrs. Carson preferred the guesthouse to the main house. For a woman her age it was less to take care of, but it was also cheery
and bright… with no bad history to it—or so I assumed. I sat on a bench to the side of the path and looked up to the sky for a moment.

  “Thank you, General Keene, Sir, for bringing me to my home.” Despite the supernatural occurrences, this entire estate was close to my idea of Heaven and my Alex had made it possible for us to acquire it. As if there weren’t already enough things to love about Alex. I should’ve been getting back, but it felt nice being alone and I could feel the general’s presence around me. This would be a good place to raise children… once things were put in order. I forced myself to stand and headed back to the main house. My cell phone rang. It was Alex telling me they were sitting on the front porch.

  Instead of going through the house I walked around to the porch and up the front steps. I hugged Rory, then shook his hand.

  “Thanks for helping Alex get me off the field and under shelter, Rory.”

  “It was nothing,” Rory said.

  “The hell it was,” I said. Then I hugged Alex and whispered in his ear. “Thank you for loving me so much.”

  “What about me?” Mrs. Carson, who had Lucky in her lap, said.

  “I left the best for last,” I said, then hugged her, kissed her cheek, and patted Lucky’s head before I sat down in the rocking chair next to Alex and slipped off my flip-flops.

  “Rory,” I said, “you showed me you could be counted on tonight. That’s important to me. As far as I’m concerned you can stay and we’ll come up with some sort of understanding. Provided Alex agrees.”

  “I agreed ten minutes before you got here,” Alex said, then smiled. “You’re late to negotiations, Layton.”

  “What did we negotiate, boss?” I said to Alex, but Rory responded.

  “The same as before,” Rory said. “Free room and board plus a reasonable allowance—which Alex and I already agreed to, for maintenance and yard work.”

  “He’s worth it,” Mrs. Carson said. “Well, I think it’s time for me to go to bed, there’s a lot to do tomorrow and it’s already ten. Rory, why don’t you stay in the guest room tonight? We don’t know what else the house might have in store for the new owners.”

  “Sounds good,” Rory said. “You know me, I can sleep anywhere.”

  “No comment,” Mrs. Carson said.

  We all stood when she did.

  “Please, you men stay and talk,” Mrs. Carson said.

  “It’s probably time we all got some shut-eye,” I said.

  We walked inside with Mrs. Carson, and Alex and I gasped in astonishment. Everything was back as it was… not a thing broken or out of place. Even the cake pedestal and the cake were back in the center of the table unharmed.

  “I told you the house doesn’t like a mess,” Mrs. Carson said. “Layton, will you give an old woman a hand up the stairs, please?”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” I said, then saluted her. Before she knew what was coming, I had picked her up in my arms and carried her upstairs like a bride on her honeymoon, with Lucky following us. Mrs. Carson laughed the whole way.

  “Welcome home, Layton Shayne,” Mrs. Carson said, then turned to Alex. “And you too, Alex Shayne.

  Once we were in our room, Alex smiled and spoke. “Let me tell you what you missed while you were gone.”

  Chapter 15

  Sweet Dreams

  “WHAT DID I MISS?” I said.

  “Rory, The Dangler, offered other services should we desire them,” Alex said.

  “What sort of other services?” I said, then kissed Alex. “Did he offer kissing?” I slipped my hands into the back of his pants. “Ass massages… or….” After I removed my hands from his pants I knelt down and kissed the front of his shorts, then unzipped them with my teeth. Using only my mouth and tongue I got into the front of his underwear and pulled out his cock. “Did he offer to do what I just did… no hands involved?” I showed him just what I could do with my willing mouth on his hard cock.

  “I don’t think he’d be as good at any of this as you are,” Alex said, while breathing heavily. “Let’s get in bed where we can do this right.”

  He started to move but I put my hands on his ass to keep him where he was. Alex moaned and I unbuttoned his pants and pulled them and his underwear down.

  “Aren’t you uncomfortable on your knees, Layton.”

  I shook my head no and continued what I was doing.

  “Oh, man, Layton if you keep this up I’ll shoot.”

  “Mmm-hmm,” I said then slid more of his cock down my throat. Alex leaned into me, swaying slightly on his feet but I didn’t stop. Instead I got even more into what I was doing—I wanted him to moan and he did. He grabbed the top of my head and started fucking my mouth then stopped.

  “Don’t stop,” I said. “Fuck my mouth, c’mon.”

  He grabbed the top of my head and began thrusting slowly into my mouth. After a few seconds he let loose, flung his head back, and got his whole body behind fucking. And I took it all, not letting him out of my mouth even after he shot his load and his body shook. I just held him close with my hands on his ass. I stood and kissed him with some of his cum still in my mouth. We kissed feverishly then made our way to the bed where he practically tore off my clothes.

  “You don’t get off so easily,” Alex said. “Now I’m gonna show you what I can do.”

  He made his way toward the bottom of the bed, took the flip-flops off my feet, then lifted my right foot and let his tongue glide along the curve of my arch. I couldn’t help but moan. My hands clutched the comforter beneath me when Alex started sucking on my toes. The sex between us just got better each time we did it. After he’d gotten me off with a very slow, very good blow job, we went to the bathroom and cleaned up. There was no message on the mirror this time, and it was still cracked.

  “As much as I’d love to sleep naked with you, Alex, I think boxers and T-shirts are the order of the day or rather night. Just in case of anything.”

  “You’re not concerned about a late night visit from The Dangler, especially since there’s no lock on our door, are you?” Alex said.

  “No, he’s harmless enough,” I said. “I’m more concerned with visitors of the ghostly kind.”

  We exited the bathroom and dressed in boxers and tank tops. When we were done, Alex noticed a large wooden crucifix on the wall, took it down, and handed it to me.

  “Just in case of anything, I think this works against all matter of beasts,” Alex said.

  “You’d better believe it,” I said, looking down at the crucifix in my hand.

  It didn’t feel like Alex and I had been asleep long when I heard our unlocked room door open. I reached for the crucifix that was to the right of me—Alex was stirring on my left.

  “Layton, Alex, it’s Rory, I think there’s a problem downstairs.”

  “Turn on the light and come inside,” Alex said.

  Rory did so and I noticed he was shirtless and barefoot in boxers.

  “What kind of problem?” I said.

  “The ghostly kind I think,” Rory said.

  “What do you mean ‘you think’?’” Alex said.

  “It’s the light,” Rory said, his voice trembling slightly. “I’ve only seen it once before, but it’s her light.

  All of a sudden a cold chill filled the room and the mirror over the dresser frosted over.

  “Oh shit,” Rory said, shaken.

  I jumped out of bed, crucifix in hand. Alex got out of bed, walked to Rory, and rubbed his back in an effort to calm the man.

  Then we heard a shriek so loud it reverberated through the house and rattled not only the walls and floor but my ears and insides. Alex jumped at the sound of another anguished wail. I handed Alex the crucifix, put my flip-flops on, opened the bedroom door all the way, and went out into the main hall where I saw Mrs. Carson in a silvery-gray robe looking over the balcony. I could hear Lucky barking but didn’t see him.

  “I Left Lucky in my bedroom with the door closed,” Mrs. Carson said. “It’s Grandmother downstairs.”
r />   “Stay back, Mrs. Carson,” I said, then stood protectively in front of her.

  Alex went to her side and Rory to mine, then Rory and I looked over the balcony to the floor below.

  The ghostly figure of Mrs. Carson’s grandmother was below us dressed in a long white evening dress with bare shoulders. Her red hair was worn up. I could see right through her. She looked at us and cried out loudly. It sounded almost supersonic and I tightly covered my ears with my hands. The others did the same. The chandelier in the entry shook. I looked at the ghost again, and noticed she was trying to find something… or maybe someone.

  “Who or what are you looking for?” I said to the ghost. “Veronica, what is it you seek?”

  The ghost moved to look at me with astonishing speed. Her face seemed normal at first, but then she turned to me and spun her head completely around to scan the room. She did this back and forth in rapid succession until her head became a blur to my eyes. Veronica’s ghost stopped, looked toward the dining room, and let loose another agonized cry. There was more anguish in her voice this time than before and the entire house quaked.

  “The ghost is focused on the dining room,” I said, then made my way down the stairs hugging the wall behind me. Rory followed.

  “I’ve got your back, man,” Rory said.

  “Thanks,” I said. “Let’s just see what she’s looking at.”

  We got to the main floor but stayed far from the ghost of Veronica who stood at the entrance to the dining room. When we peered inside the room I could see lit candles scattered about on the buffet, the side tables, and on the dining room table. Veronica’s ghost just stared at the dining table and she stretched out her arm to point toward it.

  “I don’t see anything,” I said to Rory. “Just candles.”

  “I don’t see anything besides them either, boss,” Rory said.

  “What do you want us to see?” I asked the ghost.