Chapter 13

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Jake followed the cries to the den, going as fast as he could in the dim light. The television was on and Kate was sleeping restlessly on the sofa. He scanned her. She was dreaming of Harris standing over her, his arm raised to strike. She drew back but it did no good. Harris punched the side of her head, knocking her to the bed.

“Spread your legs when I tell you,” Harris bellowed.

Instead of letting her comply he forced his way between her legs and rammed his penis into her dry vagina. She cried out, begging him to stop hurting her. He continued to thrust into her until he came, falling on top of her and forcing her to bear his entire weight. The dream faded out.

A bit shaken, Jake pulled out of her consciousness and looked at her nervous system. He was no closer to figuring out what was prompting her to relive the ugly memories. He didn’t know how long it would take before she had her next nightmare, or even if there would be another one that night. He sat in a recliner and examined Kate’s mind just in case there was another one coming. He was now wide awake.

Obviously, whatever it was that was initiating her nightmares would be accessing memories of Harris. Jake spent some time becoming acquainted with Kate’s memory recall indexes. It didn’t take long to identify the indexes for Harris, his bed, pain, sex, fear and intimidation.

He noticed the onset of another dream about Harris. None of the memory indexes had been activated. Crap. That was going to make it harder to find the cause. If the memories weren’t being invoked by the indexes then there was some other mechanism at work that probably accessed them via the memory association nerves.

Jake scanned quickly through the cerebral cortex until he found an active region. It contained more memories of Harris dominating Kate in bed. Jake found an active association nerve bundle and followed it back to its source. When the bundle headed not to other memories but toward the midbrain, he thought he was on the right path. Then the dream stopped.

“Son of a bitch,” he whispered to himself in frustration.

He was rewarded with a screech and a blow to his head.

“Hey!” he bellowed.

The blows continued, hitting his head and face and shoulders. Kate screamed at him.

He froze her.

He looked up at her. She was dressed in a nightgown that covered her form completely. Her arm was poised to deliver another blow. Her eyes were livid.

Jake put his hand to his left eye. She had delivered one particularly well-aimed right hand that was going to leave a mark.

Jake heard someone come through the door and the light went on. Jake looked over his shoulder to see Ellen standing naked and enraged. She took in the scene and advanced angrily on Kate.

“Ellen, no!” Jake said.

She stopped, but it was obvious that she wanted to strike. Kara appeared at the door, also naked. Leanne was right behind her, wearing the thin cotton nightgown that Jake liked. Julie appeared right behind her belting her robe. Then Brian appeared, pleased to see all the skin.

“Brian, we’ll handle this without you,” Leanne snapped. “Go back to bed.”

Brian grumbled and dragged his feet, but he was gone shortly.

“You look like you have things in hand, Jake,” Leanne said. “Is this what it looks like?”

“If it looks like Kate woke up, was surprised to see me sitting here, and decided that I needed to be taught a lesson, then yes.”

“Why is she standing like that?” Julie asked.

“I froze her when she attacked me. It will wear off over the next ten minutes.”

“I’ll take a wild guess that she’s not going to be a happy camper when it does,” Julie said.

“No, probably not.”

“Can you mind talk to her while she’s like that?” she asked.

“Yes.” Jake looked around. “Kara, if we woke Nina up, she is going to be alarmed. Would you mind looking in on her and reassuring her if she’s awake?”

“That’s a good idea,” Kara said. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay. Let’s hash this out,” Jake said after Kara had left. “Everybody is connected to everyone else.”

I’m sorry I scared you, Kate, Jake sent.

What were you going to do to me, you son of a bitch? Kate sent.

I don’t know, she sent, the distress apparent. I just don’t know if I can.

Jake, I don’t like having someone around who is so ready to hurt you, Ellen sent. She used fists this time. It might be something worse next time.

No, love. I don’t think we have to worry about that. We have to make allowances for Kate. She’s not going to be fun to be around for a while but we don’t have any other practical option. He turned back to Kate. Kate, please, do your best. I’m not the enemy here. The less you tolerate me the more you hurt yourself.

Kara returned.

“Nina should be okay. She was scared by the noise but she calmed down when I said that Kate had been startled and panicked. She’d like you to look in on her when you’re done in here, Jake.” She looked at Kate. “Did you get everything worked out with this silly girl?”

Jake included her into the connection.

There’s at least one more issue we haven’t talked about, Jake sent.

What’s that? Julie asked.

Any minute now Kate is going to start thawing out. I’m sorry, Kate, but it’s going to hurt for several minutes. In the future, it would be better if you give me a little more notice so that I can come up with a gentler way to defend myself.

Even when you’re being a jerk, you wouldn’t hurt someone without a good reason, Julie sent. Why can’t she see it?

Love, Kate’s been through something that’s too ugly for us to really understand. She’s been tortured for three years starting from when she was your age. That she does as well as she does says that she’s got grit.

You really think that? Kate asked.

Kate, I don’t I think that there is anyone that I admire more than you. I hope we can work together because I’d love to see what kind of person you turn out to be when you’re healed from all the trauma.

Kate began to sob, as best she could while frozen. Then she cried out.

It stings.

The pins and needles will be a problem for five or ten minutes, Jake sent. Then once you’re unfrozen, your muscles will be extremely weak. I know it’s hard but try not to make any loud noises. I don’t know how I would explain them to Nina.

Kate cried out again.

Jake suddenly remembered watching Nina the other night. He energized in Kate the nerves that he had seen stimulated in Nina’s pituitary gland.

Oh, God, that feels nice, Kate sighed.

What did you do to her? Julie asked.

Something I learned from Nina a couple of days ago. I’m making Kate’s pituitary gland release endorphins. That should relieve her pain while she’s thawing out.

Neat, Julie said, the next time I have cramps I know who I’m going to come talk to.

Why don’t you all go back to bed, Jake sent. Kate will be passed the worst of it in a few minutes. I’m sorry I started all this fuss.

“Kate, if you want, you can come sleep with me when you’re back to normal,” Leanne said. She gave Jake a kiss on her way out.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Julie said and followed her mother out.

What’s with her? Kate asked. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen one of your harem leave without kissing you.

She’s mad at me because I won’t do her a favor that she really wants. It’s not something I can talk about.

Oh.

It’s just more access for me, Kara said. She gave Jake a kiss, followed by Ellen. They left holding hands.

That’s new, too, Kate said.

You’re very observant, Jake said. Keep watching. Things are in flux around here and we’ve got more changes coming up. That’s just how it is being around the DeRizzo women.

You don’t think you have something to do with it? Kate asked.

“Okay, maybe not so normal, but it is still conversation. How do you feel?”

“There’s some tingling. It’s not so bad. Are you sure that I can’t have a little more of the endorphins?”

“They’re related to morphine so we have to be careful. They aren’t physically addictive but watching how you’ve reacted, I could see you becoming dependent on them. Especially until we get rid of the bad emotions. Why don’t you run along and climb into bed with Leanne. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do myself. She’s nice to snuggle with.”

Kate left. Jake listened to her steps going up the stairs. He turned off the TV and the lights and went to the front room. He sensed that Nina was still awake.

Jake sat on the floor next to the sofa where Nina was lying.

“I’m sorry about all the noise. I feel bad that we disturbed you.”

“I don’t care about the noise, Jake. All I do is rest anyway. I heard you cry out. I was scared that something had happened to you.”

Jake took Nina’s hand.

“Sweetheart, I’m not entirely defenseless. I was okay. Honest.”

“Jake, I love being here with the DeRizzos. My life is so much better than it used to be. I’m probably happier than I’ve ever been in my life. But none of that is important to me compared to you. If something happened to you, I don’t know what I’d do.”

“You’re very important to me, too, Nina.”

“I know that you know how I feel.”

“What do you mean?”

“Jake, I know you don’t like to talk about it, but I’m not dumb and you’re not very careful. I don’t have to tell you what I’m thinking because you can tell for yourself.”

Jake sighed. He had another woman who both loved him and knew his secret.

“That thing I don’t like to talk about comes with its own set of dangers. If I were to talk about it openly, if you were to understand all of what was involved, I would be putting myself at risk. Even worse, I would be putting you at risk, too. I don’t talk about it lightly.”

“But the others know.”

“Some of them guessed. I was forced to tell some of the others because of the circumstances. I don’t tell anybody that I don’t have to.”

“Then I’m one of those who guessed. When are you going to explain it all to me?”

“Not at 2:30 in the morning. Now is the time for both of us to sleep.”

“Before you go would you do something for me? Would you kiss me? Really kiss me?”

Jake kissed her gently, careful not to jostle her. After a few seconds, Nina grabbed his head in her hands and kissed him hard, aggressively exploring his mouth with her tongue.

Jake found his hand on her breast. The nipple pressed against his palm. He pinched it gently and she moaned.

She released his head and he drew back.

“I love you, Jake,” she said.

Jake put his forehead against hers.

“God help me, Nina. I don’t know how I can handle another woman in my life, but I love you, too.”

“I know. I can feel it. Would you do the same thing you did Wednesday night? I used to love sex. That was the first relief I’d had in two months.”

“Of course. It made me happy to be able to do something for you. Are you comfortable like you are?”

She nodded.

Jake paralyzed her and powered up the circuit that handled clitoral stimulation. Nina’s breathing became fast. She stared straight ahead, her eyes blinking occasionally. Jake let her arousal build slowly.

He put his hand back on her breast, hefting it and rubbing the nipple with his thumb.

“Someday your pelvis will be healed enough for you to have an orgasm without me paralyzing you. I’m looking forward to seeing what you look like in ecstasy. I bet you’ll be beautiful, your face flushed, a light sheen of sweat, your nipples standing erect, your pelvis rising against my hand, or against my face, or my own pelvis. I can imagine the noises you’ll make. You’re probably a screamer. But even if you’re not, I’ll be able to make you scream. I have some tricks I use to make orgasms more intense.”

Jake felt Nina heating up. His talking was doing nearly as much as the neurological intervention. Jake moved a hand under her nightgown and put it on her vulva. He rubbed gentle circles around her clitoris. Her orgasm began. Jake powered up her feedback circuit, launching her into the throes of her orgasm. The only outward show was her fast, shallow breathing.

She was losing the ability to remember where or who she was. Jake let it continue until she lost consciousness. He cut off the energy, unparalyzed her, kissed her on the lips, and went up the stairs.

Kara and Ellen were entwined on the bed, taking up all the available space. Jake hadn’t planned to spend the rest of the night with them anyway. He went down to Julie’s room.

Julie awoke when Jake entered her room. She lifted up the sheet in invitation. Jake slid in and held her tightly.

“I love you more than anything,” Jake said. “I hate it that you’re mad at me.”

Julie didn’t say anything.

“I’ve got a problem that I need your help with. Nina figured out about my mind reading, and she says she loves me.”

“That’s going to surprise exactly nobody.”

“I need you to tell her what a bad guy I am and how she should stay as far away from me as she can.”

“Shut up, Jake. It wouldn’t do any good. Besides, we all knew this was coming. Did you tell her that you loved her back?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now go to sleep.”

Everyone else was awake when Jake got back from feeding Harris. Ellen and Kara were holding hands at the kitchen table. They mostly ignored him. He rolled Nina to the dining room and told her about his powers and his other relationships as he ate breakfast. He also explained his plans to turn his four senior women into mind readers but not her or Julie. He told her that he didn’t know what he would do about her in the long run, but he wouldn’t do anything until he saw how things went with the first four. Nina took that part without complaint, but she did have some questions

“So you and Ellen, too?”

“Yes.”

“Even though she is your mother?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, that’s sexy. It makes me hot. Can you do me again tonight? I’m going to go crazy thinking about it.”

“Before you come asking me to use my abilities on you, I need to confess something.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve already used them on you.”

“Well, duh! It was wonderful, too.”

“No, that was just for fun. I mean that I changed you. I made you trust me that morning at the hospital in Greenberg so that I could talk you into leaving with me.”

“Then why did you tell me that you didn’t?”

“That’s not actually what I said. You have to understand how I talk to people. I can’t tell them that I’m a mind reader, but then again, I don’t want to lie either. So I just sort of don’t really answer the question.”

“So you’ve become a really good liar.”

“I deserve that, I suppose. I just don’t know what else to do. I can’t tell the truth, and I don’t want to take control of everyone who asks me an uncomfortable question, so I’ve learned to be careful how I answer questions if the answer would give too much information about my skills.” He looked down at his bowl. “We’ve got to deal with what I’ve done to you. I don’t ever change the people I love without their permission, and the idea that you trust me because I did something to you makes me uncomfortable. If you want, I’ll take the trust away.”

“But you’ve been nothing but trustworthy since I met you. What does it matter?”

“Maybe it doesn’t. But for me, an important part of our relationship is that you have to be able to trust me not to do things to you. I mean trust me for real, not because I made you do it. Can you imagine what it would be like if I felt free to change you just to meet my whims?”

“And you don’t do that?”

“No. I promise. Not you, not any of my women.”

“Then it doesn’t matter what you did to me that day. And to be honest, Jake, it’s better this way. I have to rely on you. I don’t have anyone else I can turn to. It makes me feel safe that I trust you to take care of me. I’m sure I’m happier with things the way they are.”

“Okay. But if you ever decide that you don’t want it, all you have to do is ask me. I will with no questions asked.”

Jake didn’t have much to do that day. The movers were going to pack the boxes. Jake went to Harris’s house and made sure that any sensitive stuff was already packed up and that the labels on the boxes did not give away their actual contents. The business records in the storeroom were moved into the exercise room and the gold was locked in the storeroom.