Chapter 2

Ned Lussander coaxed her to come to the house just for some private time. He had not intended to take it beyond that. Then, as they sat on the sofa, he kissed her as a simple sign of affection, and vowed not to let it go beyond that. Then he poised himself to nudge her back before it could get too hot and heavy.

But Cassie was too horny from the start, and the kiss shattered what little control she had. Cassie moaned into his mouth and escalated the kiss to the point where now he was too horny to stop. He did finally break off the kiss, but now one of his hands kneaded her breast through her blouse.

Cassie shuddered and pressed her hands to Ned's chest, her sultry eyes gazing into his. Ned felt her hands trembling, nudging him, then stopping, then nudging him again. His hand slowed. Cassie's lips parted as the words almost came to her to tell him to stop. Then her thighs quivered again as moist heat oozed in her sex.

Ned drew in a deeper breath, his nostrils flaring. His eyes widened at the powerful musk of her arousal, even through her clothing. The next time her hands nudged him, he leaned forward and pushed back.

Cassie withdrew her hands and fumbled with her blouse until it parted and fell away from her lacy white bra. Her nipples ached, as hard as her pussy was wet. She gasped when Ned hooked his fingers into the cups and yanked them upward, spilling the soft pillows of her breasts over her chest.

Ned grasped them in his fingers, rubbing her nipples as he squeezed the pliant flesh. She fell onto her back and writhed, shoving her hips against his body. His growing erection dug into her crotch, eliciting a rising moan from between Cassie's lips.

Cassie tugged her bra from her body and tossed it aside, letting it land where it may on the floor. She tried to shimmy out of her skirt, failed, and cast an imploring look at Ned.

Ned finally slowed his carnal rush, gathering his wits about him enough to ask himself what was wrong with Cassie. His ego insisted her increased libido was her helpless attraction to his wonderful physique, but even through his hormone haze he had more realistic impressions of his own looks.

It was hard for him to act on his concerns with a near naked and willing girl squirming in wet sexual heat under him.

He helped her remove her skirt, and was surprised by the intense dark stain on her panties and the moisture coating the insides of her thighs. Cassie had never appeared this aroused, and his own nether regions now felt too confined.

Ned was forced to stand up long enough to strip off his own pants and underwear. Cassie tore her sodden panties from her body. Despite her enthusiasm, her cheeks pinked as she spread her legs, as if vaguely embarrassed by her own wanton display of sexual need.

Guilt shadowed Ned's thoughts. His constant half-joking reminders of his lust for her seemed less amusing now. He might have made things worse if Cassie had not yet come to terms with her new sexuality.

Shit, what a time to have a moral dilemma, he thought. Good going, Nose.

Ned the Nose was what most the school called him. He appeared as if he took it in stride, but he nonetheless reserved the term as his own private insult when he was really upset with himself.

Ned dropped to his knees beside the sofa. Cassie let out her breath in an excited sigh and shifted herself on the cushions. Her blush deepened. She felt as if she were presenting her pussy for inspection. Yet her thighs quaked and her body flushed hot at the idea. Her eyes burned with uncharacteristic intensity of desire. Something in the back of her mind screamed that this was not normal, that she would never surrender so completely to lust. It could not overcome her excitement.

A few seconds later, she no longer cared. Ned wrapped his arms around her thighs, and his tongue lapped at her swollen clit. Cassie let out a shuddering moan and closed her eyes, her whole body trembling.

Ned would always remember how scared he was the first time he did this. He had been sure that she would recoil in revulsion at that horrible thing he had for a nose getting this close to her intimate regions.

Damn, this is crazy, isn't it? he thought only half in amusement.

By all rights, he should not even be there. If it had not been for a naughty nurse with supernatural powers, he would be just The Nose. Instead, he got in with a crowd that included Heather Sovert, the most popular girl in school at the time, Cassie Kendall, the richest, and Jason Conner, the brainiest.

Cassie writhed so much that Ned had to tighten his grip about her legs. Wow, she's really freakin' off the charts, Ned thought.

Another time, Ned would finish it off with him inside her. But the guilt that had crept over him earlier now felt like it would taint any enjoyment. He realized that Cassie had tried to tell him that something was amiss, but he had pushed her into more sex anyway. He knew she was nervous about where it was sending her Dream Gift, and he had not listened.

"Ned ... oh God ... I-I'm getting ... you need to ... ohh! ... oh my!... ohhhh!"

Cassie cried out as she crested, her pussy throbbing so hard under Ned's relentless tongue that she could not speak. Her hands curled into fists as her climax swept over her. It seemed more intense each time, as if it had become amplified along with her Gift.

She had never referred to it as a Gift, not until Debby Radson had. As a practicing Witch, Mrs. Radson had given Cassie more insights into her own ability than perhaps she had wanted. Until then, she had not wanted to acknowledge that her ability was anything special. For the longest time, she had tried to be anything but special.

Her orgasm abated along with the whirlwind of thoughts, but not her desire. Ned smiled wanly and rose, wiping her fluids from his face and trying to ignore the aching hardness between his legs.

Cassie looked up at him. Her eyes widened and she shivered.

Ned's smile faded, and now his guilt was joined by dread. "Um ... everythin' okay, babe? I mean ... that was ... ya enjoyed that, right?"

"What? Oh ... yes ... Yes, I did, very much, but..."

Ned swallowed. Yeah, this is it. It's the nose. She can't...

"Ned, please, come here."

Ned paused. "Um..."

Cassie wrapped her arms around herself and moaned. "P-please, Ned. I-I'm still ... I..." Her cheeks glowed a furious pink-red, and she said in a very small voice, "I need more."

Ned was sure he had not heard her correctly. His body refused to wait for his mind to catch up. It already carried him down to the sofa, whereupon Cassie grasped his arms and pulled him down atop her. "Oh wow, you only just ... you can't still be..."

Cassie was not listening. Her hands slid to his hips and pulled him forward. She stared at his cock as it bobbed under him. Ned's head caught up with his body, and he guided himself the rest of the way. His cock sank into her with a soft squishing sound that astonished him.

"Oh man," Ned moaned as he started to thrust. "Damn, Cassie, this is nuts."

"I-I know," Cassie breathed. "S-something's not right, but ... oh goodness, I can't talk ... just ... just keep going..."

Ned didn't want to talk, he wanted to fuck, failing his vow to never let himself think of what he did with Cassie as "fucking." She seemed too genteel and nice for something as crass as that. Nice girls didn't fuck, they made love.

I do love her, dammit! he shouted at himself in his head, and was immediately embarrassed by his own admission.

The old fear returned, that he was somehow influencing her into becoming a sex kitten for him, that he still retained some power of control he had while in Nurse Nyssa's thrall, before Cassie had saved him from doing something stupid and ruining someone else's life as well as his own.

Cassie uttered a moan that was almost mournful. Ned didn't understand until Cassie opened her arms. He lowered himself to her until she could wrap his arms around him and pull him close.

"That's better," Cassie moaned into his ear. "I-I just want you close to me."

Ned let out the breath he was holding and settled into her. His cock slipped deeper inside her.

Cassie gasped and squirmed. "That's even better!"

Ned rocked his hips, and she picked up the rhythm seconds later. Cassie's lustful pants softened into contented sighs. Ned's conscience eased. This was more what he thought she wanted. There was still no lack of passion on Cassie's part. She thrust her hips to his with desperate urgency, and her legs locked around him as if she were afraid he would pull away. They tightened the higher she rose, until cords of muscle grew taut along her thighs.

Ned turned his head to the side. One of her brown curls tickled his nose and filled his lungs with light perfume in his next breath. He thought he loved the scent of Cassie's arousal, but sometimes this sent more of a thrill through him.

Heh, whaddaya know, the Nose gets romantic, he thought with amusement.

Cassie pulled him into a tight hug. Her breath was hot in his ear as she rose in perfect concert with him. Jason had said something about this, that partnered Harbingers all seemed to have their orgasms in sync. Ned had not experienced this with Cassie until fairly recently.

Now it could not have been any better if it had been scripted.

Ned fought his near frantic need to cum. She clung to him even more as she rose to meet him, her panting breath turning to moans and then low cries. He felt the press of her bosom against his chest and heard the soft wet sounds where their bodies joined, which became soft slaps when both gave in and rutted to consummate the act.

Cassie let out a shrill cry. Ned came so hard his throat simply locked up at first. When it loosened, he let out a guttural grunt and had already expended half his load. His breath started again as rapid-fire pants, his body trembling as he struggled to maintain pace against her still sensitive clit.

Finally spent, Ned groaned and collapsed against Cassie. Her body was already limp, though her pussy tingled from the lingering contact with his semi-hard cock. She nudged him, afraid that the constant pressure would just send her into another paroxysm of lust.

Ned pulled himself up and scrambled to the other side of the sofa. He groaned once more, this time in despair, and dropped his face into his hands.

Cassie sat up and cast a forlorn look at her lover. "Ned, it's not your fault."

Ned spoke without looking up. "C'mon, babe, no way you'd wanna do that with me normally."

Cassie looked confused. "What?"

"Face it, I'm a freakin' beanpole with legs and a schnozz that needs its own zip code."

"Ned..."

"I got no money, no looks, no talent..."

"Ned!"

"Only way I can get some is if I mess with her head..."

"Ned!"

Ned lifted his head and flinched. Cassie had crawled across the sofa until her face was hovering inches from his. A gentle smile played across her mouth. She leaned towards him, planting a soft kiss on his lips. Ned was too shocked to reply.

"Stop it," Cassie said, her voice low and but firm. "Just stop it."

"But ... but, babe, ya even said yerself this wasn't normal."

"I know. It's not. But first of all, it's my sexual desire that's been manipulated, not my ... my other feelings for you."

Ned was stunned into silence. Other feelings for you. He had not dared to think that Cassie could feel anything more "serious" towards him. His elation crashed when he contemplated her other words. "Cassie, I'm tryin' not ta mess with ya, but I jus' don't know how I'm s'posed ta turn it off!"

"It's not you, Ned, I've been telling you that over and over again," Cassie said, a touch of exasperation in her voice. "But now I think I do know who's been doing it."

Ned's eyes widened, then narrowed to angry slits. He jumped to his feet, hands balled into fists. "Oh yeah? Well, jus' tell me who the chump is and I'll go pound on 'im. Is it that walking slab-o-beef Brad? Not enough he fucked with Heather when--"

Cassie stood and placed a hand on Ned's shoulder. "Please, calm down. It's not Brad, and you know that he was being controlled by Melissa when that happened." She had noticed the sad and guilty looks that Brad was giving Heather at school. She had hoped the others had seen it as well.

"C'mon, babe, we hafta do something! Look, I promise I won't go gunnin' fer him alone. Who is it?"

Cassie let out a long sigh. "It's Heather."

Ned stared. "Huh?"

Cassie dropped onto the sofa. "I only figured it out today."

Ned felt as if he had just been told that the sky would be green instead of blue starting today. He shook his head and sat down next to her. "Ya lost me here, babe. I don't get it."

"It's the only thing that fits. It seems like the past few days, every time I've spoken with Heather, and she mentions anything the least bit sexual, I start getting ... um ... well, you know."

"Hornier than all get out?"

Cassie blushed. "Yes, that. But it's not just me. I think she's been doing it to Jason, too. And Melinda and Diane."

"Whoa, wait. Melinda I know about, that was sorta Nyssa's doin'. And Diane, well, we found out she's got a sorta submissive thing goin' anyway. And I thought Jason was kinda the same way, something else left over from Nyssa."

Cassie shivered, her nipples hardening from cold rather than desire. They had not turned up the thermostat since they arrived, and now her own internal sexual heat no longer sustained her. She stood and gathered her clothes. "Jason has pretty much thrown off that effect. He stands up to Melinda all the time and doesn't let her wrap him around her finger anymore. But Heather is managing to make him have sex with her."

"Huh. Melinda can't be a happy camper over that."

"I imagine not, no." Cassie spotted Ned's briefs and tossed them to him. "You better get dressed, too. I think Heather is going to be coming over here later."

Ned slipped his briefs back on. "Well, mebbe we should stick around and give Heather a talkin'-to."

"I don't think that would be a good idea, not if she's coming here with the intent to ... um..."

"Oh, yeah, right." Ned paused and grinned. "Afraid I'd be pulled inta some kinda orgy with her?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm afraid of."

Ned's grin faded.

Cassie sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound snappish. You'd probably be able to tell her 'no, ' but it would just cause more trouble and bad feelings. I want to talk to Jason separately about this."

Ned nodded, a humorless smirk curling his lips. "Huh. And all this time we've been worried about protectin' Heather from whatever might happen ta her on Halloween. Now we hafta protect us from her."

"I'm still worried about Halloween," Cassie said as she straightened her pleats. "Whatever Heather is doing, I don't think she realizes it, and I don't think it has to do with the Darkness. She doesn't have an Aura." She paused. "It might have something to do with the other problem Heather told me about..."

Cassie told him about the missed periods. When it looked like Ned was about to jump out of his skin in panic, Cassie had to quickly reassure him. "Ned, I am not pregnant. I've been on the pill for awhile now. If it will make you feel better, you can get me one of those pregnancy test kits, but I'm sure it will come back clear."

Ned could not imagine himself walking into a pharmacy to buy one, but he knew it would be impossible for Cassie to do so. Someone would recognize her, the daughter of the very rich and very influential Kendall family, and the rumors would start. That no scrutiny had come to Cassie as yet was a minor miracle, in his view.

"So whadda we do now?" Ned asked as he pulled on his jeans.

Cassie strolled over to a mirror above the hearth and arranged her curls back into some semblance of order, at least enough so Harry would not suspect anything was amiss. "I'll talk to Jason tonight. I think we need to get everyone together to discuss this."

"If Heather don't turn it into an orgy, ya mean."

"With everyone there, I think we can keep things under control."

"I hear ya. And mebbe Richie bein' there would help. Don't seem like he's been affected by her."

Cassie suspected that part of the reason was that Heather still loathed Richie. Heather would not admit it, but Cassie could see it. More worrisome was that Richie had been distancing himself from the Harbingers lately.

She speculated that his reasons included his own ability. Richie was never comfortable with his power to see so clearly into the past. All he had to do was touch an item that was involved and stand at the location where it was held, and he would see a past event unfold before him as if he were there.

The cold clarity of Richie's visions made Cassie wonder why Heather's visions of the future were not as clear. It was the perfect complimentary power to Richie's. She had contemplated that was the reason Heather was trying to gather so much sexual energy, but why did Heather need such vast reserves and Richie did not?

Cassie turned from the mirror and stepped back over to Ned with a wan smile. "Ned, I really do enjoy sex with you. But I do wish I got to choose the time better and didn't feel so compelled."

Ned grasped her hand and squeezed it, grinning. "Thanks, babe. Ya think this will boost yer Dream power more?"

Cassie looked troubled. "I'm hoping not, to be honest."

"Well, jus' try it out tonight. I'm game."

"You know I don't feel right about this, Ned."

"Babe, c'mon, I want ya to do this. I wanna be an open book to ya."

Cassie shuddered, barely visible, as if she had tried to suppress it. Her insights into Ned's life disturbed her. Not him, but his family. "Dysfunctional" was too mild a term for what she saw.

"Ya told me yerself, ya gotta do it," Ned said. "Ya can't turn it off. If it's not me yer doin' it to, it would hafta be someone else. Least I'm willin'."

Cassie nodded. "All right. But I am going to be looking for some way to suppress this, so I do it only when I want to." She glanced at the clock. "We better get going before Harry starts looking for us in the park. I just wish I could get my hair in better shape."

Ned grinned. "Hey, not ta worry. If Harry sez something about it, we'll tell him the truth."

Cassie blanched. "The truth?"

"Yeah, that a buncha crazed fashion ninjas jumped out at us and started messin' with yer hair. I, naturally, fought them off with nothin' but my fists and a paper clip bent inta a makeshift shuriken."

Cassie laughed. Ned smiled. That was that best sound in the world to him at that moment.

Heather buttoned her blouse and stared at herself in the mirror over the bathroom sink with wide and slightly wild eyes. Her bosom swelled and stretched the fabric as she breathed. She turned to one side and then the other. She sifted her hair through her fingers and let it spill over her shoulders.

Heather sighed and shook her head.

She rushed back into the bedroom just as the phone rang downstairs. "Melinda, get that, I'm busy!" Heather shouted towards the open door.

"Yes, of course, my Queen!" rose Melinda's voice from below. "The royal maid will answer the royal phone for the royal pain in the--"

"Whatever, runt, just answer it!"

Heather pulled off her blouse, her large breasts bouncing in the cups of her bra as she raced to her closet. Her nipples rose to excited points in anticipation. She threw the first blouse aside and yanked another from its hanger.