Chapter 3

Kristen was looking strained by fourth period. Her face was drawn, and she looked tired. Mark didn't ask her to stay behind, but hoped she knew she could.

She hesitated at her desk when the bell rang, fussing with her books. Mark waited until the room was empty before raising an eyebrow.

Kristen bit her lip. "I ... think you were right."

"Oh?"

She swallowed. "I feel so... awful. I can't wait, I just can't."

"Do you need to find someone and ... you know?"

Kristen nodded, her lip quivering.

"Kristen, it's okay! Maybe David, since he was so worried about you Monday?"

Kristen buried her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry."

"Why? What are you sorry about?"

"Being this way. I don't want to."

"Kristen, you are how you are, and there's nothing to be ashamed of. Consider this ... oh, McDonalds fast food -- maybe not really what you want, but it will do." He lowered his voice. "I never asked you to be monogamous, you know."

"I know. But ... I feel like such a slut. I don't want you to think you're just ... just another fuck." She was almost whispering, too.

"Kristen, I know I'm not. You do what you need to -- and please don't feel guilty, okay? Enjoy yourself. How did you feel about David wanting to defend you Monday?"

"It was sweet. Like a big brother, kind of. Well, not a brother, of course, but you know what I mean."

Mark nodded. "So go and drag him off -- discreetly -- and enjoy yourself. Don't feel guilty, okay?"

"You're sure it doesn't bother you? You're not just saying that so that I won't feel bad? If you really don't want me to, I won't."

"It doesn't bother me at all, Kristen. Remember, when we first got together, we didn't know you needed it, and I didn't mind then. I'd suggest, oh, publicly thanking him for standing up for you, hugging him, and slipping a note in his hand. But promise me one thing -- explain to him that you are trying to control when you have sex, so that he understands, okay? Don't just leave him confused."

"Okay. I will. I ... I've got to go. Thank you." She grabbed her books and hurried out of the room.

He saw her in the hall after lunch. She looked better. Rumpled, but better.

His classes that afternoon went fairly well. Things seemed to have settled down somewhat.

Kayla waited at her desk after the last bell rang, until the room cleared out. Mark raised an eyebrow at her.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?

Mark nodded. "Sure."

Kayla came up to his desk and opened her algebra book, bending close as if asking him something about the book. "You okay?"

Mark raised the other eyebrow. "About what?"

"If I say 'lunchtime', will you pretend you don't know what I'm talking about?"

Mark shook his head. "Yes, I'm fine, though I was hoping she could keep people from noticing. Actually ... it should be good conditions for viewing tonight. Would you like to stop by and borrow the scope for a little while?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Looking for a friendly witness?"

"More like someone I can discuss the impossible with."

"I might. Depends on the family. If I can at all, I'll be there around eight."

Mark nodded. "Thanks. And just so you know, I had to reassure her it was okay several times. I had a good reason for doing so, though."

"I can't wait to hear it. It's bound to be good."

Mark chuckled. "You won't believe it."

"I can believe that. I'll try to make it."

When he got home, all the lights were on, and there was a pot of coffee on the counter. He hadn't left coffee in the pot that morning. Looking around, the house was empty, and all the doors and windows were locked. Finally, he just shrugged, chalking it up to the ghost.

About 7:15, there was a knock on the door. When he answered it, Kayla stood on the doorstep.

"Sorry I'm early. Mom was heading into town and offered me a ride. Did I ... interrupt anything?"

Mark shot Kayla a dirty look. "No. Want some coffee? I think the ghost made it."

"Touchy, touchy. And I'm not sure it'd be a good idea to drink coffee made by a ghost. What ghost? And did I not interrupt anything because you had a fight, or what?"

Mark shook his head. "The house appears to be haunted, but she seems friendly enough. And no, we didn't have a fight. I'm not sure why she hasn't called tonight, unless she's tired and recovering. Have a seat."

Kristen sat on the edge of the couch. "Um ... why she hasn't called? You didn't call her?"

Mark shook his head again. "I figure that's not a good idea, you know? Dangerous." He sighed. "Though I don't suppose I could get you... ?"

"She didn't tell you her dad's out of town til the weekend? It's just the two of them in that big ol' house. She's the only one who could answer the phone."

"Unless he came home early. Yes, it's paranoid. I am paranoid about this; do you blame me?"

"Um. Dude, you shoulda asked. He never comes home early. Late, yeah. Early ... nuhuh. Never. She did tell you, then?"

Mark nodded. "Excuse me for just a moment?"

"Yeah."

Mark quickly dialed Kristen's number.

"Hello?" She sounded as if she'd been crying.

"Hey, love. I was just informed by a little birdy that your dad never comes home early so it'd be safe for me to call. You okay?"

sniff "That's why you didn't call?"

"Yeah. I was hoping you'd call ... you want to come over? There's someone else here right now, but later..."

"Oh thank god. I thought you'd changed your mind. When can I come? Um ... who's over there?"

"Kayla. She knows about us. Figured it out more or less immediately."

A tiny little, "Oh." Then a second's pause. "She won't tell anyone ... I know she won't."

"Oh?"

"I can't tell you, Mark. I just know she won't tell anyone. We've talked before, and if you keep her secrets, she'll keep yours. And I think she feels sorry for me, anyway."

"I think I know what you mean. She and I had a long talk the other night, about Ms. Angie." There was silence on the other end of the line. "She pretty much agreed with you, so I'm more comfortable with your solution now."

"You told her?"

"I had to talk to someone, Kristen, to make sure I wasn't making a mistake. And as she pointed out, if she can't keep a secret, we're both screwed anyway. I wouldn't have, otherwise."

"I ... I wish you hadn't."

"I'm sorry, Kristen. Did I screw up? Once I figured out about why she went to see her, I thought it would be okay."

"I really didn't want anyone to know. Especially since she turned out to be right."

"Kristen, don't talk like that. You are not a demon, okay? And I'm sorry. I should have waited and asked you if it was okay."

"Mark ... do you know what a succubus is? I did some research online ... it's a demon that feeds on sex."

"O-kay. Why don't you come over, and we'll talk about it with Kayla?"

"Okay, if that's what you want," she said, hesitantly.

"Is it okay for me to tell her what we discovered last night?"

"I don't know ... what if she reacts like Ms. Angie did?"

"Kristen, I really doubt she will."

"I'm just scared, Mark. This is a bad place to be ... abnormal."

"Kristen, Kayla's the smartest person in the school. I think she knows what it's like."

"There's a difference between being disliked and being evil."

"Kristen, if she can't keep a secret we're screwed anyway."

"Screwed, yeah, but not dead." Mark could hear the trembling in her voice; she sounded truly scared.

"She didn't freak out when I told her about my ghost, anyway." He paused. "Okay. Look, I'll take care of you. One way or the other. I promise. Whatever it takes. Remember yesterday at lunch?"

"I said I wouldn't let you do that ... Mark, ask her about the Wilsons. I'm on my way, but it'll take me a while to get there. I don't want to talk about this on the phone."

"Okay. I ... love you."

"Mark! I ... oh god. I'll be there soon." She hung up.

Mark hung up, and sat down across from Kayla. "She said to ask you about the Wilsons?"

Kayla went pale. "Why? What could that have to do with anything?"

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Spill."

She took a deep breath, her expression growing angry. "The Wilsons moved to Prudence a couple of years ago. An average couple, except that they were pagan. Wiccan. You can probably guess the reaction of this town to that." She waited for his answer.

"Not good."

"You could say that. This place tried everything it could to drive them away, but they didn't want to go. The land had belonged to her family for generations, just none of them had ever been able to afford to live there in ages. She loved that house. They thought people'd get used to them, see that they were just normal folks and nothing to be afraid of. That didn't happen. It didn't have time to happen." She swallowed. "Their house burned down four months after they moved down here, with both of them in it. No one saw anything. The fire department said the fire was started by a cigarette. Neither of them smoked."

"Son of a BITCH!" He looked worried. "No wonder she's scared."

"Why?"

"I ... Shit. I'm sorry, Kayla, but I can't tell you. Not until she gets here and says whether it's okay or not."

"Mr. H., then should she really be walking around alone in the dark? If it's something related to the Wilsons..."

"Right now, she and I are the only ones who know. I understand why she's afraid to let me tell you, now."

She sighed. "Fine. Then tell me what you were going to tell me when you asked me to come over."

"I can't. This is what that was about. I'm sorry, Kayla." He looked at her. "Look at it from her viewpoint -- she has to decide whether to trust you with her life."

She shook her head. "You were going to tell me before she told you it was okay? And you didn't call her after you told her she could sleep with someone else? Are you sure you're not a teenager?"

Mark chuckled. "Well, available evidence would indicate ... although I wanted to call her. If I'd known it was safe I would have."

"She probably thought you'd changed your mind about it after she did it."

"She did. I wish I'd known it was safe."

"Then you told her you were at home with another girl. Dude, you are not doing so hot tonight."

"I told her that after I asked her to come over, you know." He was sitting on the edge of his seat, obviously anxious for Kristen to arrive.

Kayla laughed. "Oh, fuck! Hopefully she doesn't think you invited her over for a three-way then."

Mark blinked, then buried his head in his hands. "Oh, gods. I didn't even think of that. I hope not. Can I go back to bed and start the day over?"

Kayla grinned. "Nope, sorry. One timeline is all you get to live."

Mark sighed.

It was a couple of miles from Kristen's house to his, almost three by the roads. It took her about half an hour to get there, but finally Kristen knocked softly on the back door.

Mark opened the door, letting her in.

Kristen smiled hesitantly at him. "Hi."

Mark closed the door behind her, then kissed her. "I wish I'd known it was safe to call."

Kristen melted into his arms. "I told you my dad wouldn't be back this week."

"I was afraid he'd get back early."

"And he wouldn't notice you calling anyway. Lots of guys call, he doesn't recognize their voices, and he never goes to the school. He doesn't care who calls me."

"Oh." Mark kissed her again.

"Mark ... seriously a minute ... of all the people who could find out, my dad's not that bad."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "You have got to be kidding."

"Well, he might be upset, but I really don't think he'd care. He doesn't care about any of the others."

"Uh..." Mark said, looking skeptical.

"Honey, he hates teenage boys. Says they're a waste of air."

"I'd still rather not risk it, though."

"I know. I just ... didn't know you weren't going to call."

Kayla was grinning at Mark, as if to say, 'I told you so'.

"I'm sorry," he said, stroking her cheek.

"It's okay. It was silly, I should have called you. I wasn't thinking straight. Oh! Hi Kayla." Kristen blushed brightly, obviously having forgotten that the other girl was even present.

"Come sit down." Mark sat on a chair, leaving room for her to sit on his lap.

Kristen looked down at him, slightly uncertain.

"Oh, go on, darlin'. I know. It's okay. He's been worrying for the past half hour because he fucked up." Kayla still sounded amused.

Mark made big puppy-dog eyes at Kristen.

Kristen murmured, "You were worried?"

Mark nodded. "Yes, I was."

Kristen sat and snuggled down into his lap. "Stop worrying."

"You forgive me?"

"Anything."

Mark kissed her.

"O-kay," Kayla interjected, "Before we all drown in the syrup here, why were we talking about the Wilson's?"

Mark looked at Kristen. "She told me about them. That's ... well, it's fucking scary."

"You see why I don't want anyone to know?"

Mark nodded. "I can understand. On the other hand, I already have trusted her with my life, more or less."

Kristen nodded, slowly.

"Kristen, whatever it is, I don't fucking care what the people in this pissy little town might think. I liked Karen Wilson. I'm not going to give the fuckers anything else to use against you, hon. Trust me."

Kristen took a deep breath. "Okay. I... we just figured it out yesterday. After I got sick at school. You were there in gym class, right?"

"Right. You looked like total shit. Freaked everyone out when you passed out like that."

"She looked worse when I went over to her house last night. Like she was almost dead. She'd lost at least ten pounds," Mark said.

"We think it happened because ... well, because I didn't have sex in too long. I didn't want to with the guys, and Mark and I couldn't, not at school, so I just went without, and I got sicker and sicker."

Kayla blinked. "And so when you did have sex again?"

Kristen blushed. "I got better. I looked bad, Kayla. I don't know how he was able to have sex with me like that. It must have been like screwing a corpse."