Chapter 22

"Oh, ew! Ewww!" Melinda cried.

"Yeah, fuck you, Melinda," Richie muttered, unable to conjure enough anger to summon a stronger rebuttal.

"What is this with you, the gross-out moment of the day?!"

"Oh, real sensitive, runt," Heather said.

"But his own mother!"

"Were you even listening? She's making him do it! And we're not ones to talk, you know."

"But this is different!"

"Yeah? How?"

Melinda paused, flustered. "I don't know, it just is!"

Ned frowned. "No offense or nuthin', Melinda, but grow up."

Melinda gave him a shocked look. Cassie appeared surprised as well.

"Yeah, that's right," Ned said. "Sorry, but I get kinda tired of yer whining all the time. I mean, I know some of this stuff freaks ya out, but we all got problems. Jus' try ta think of someone else's feelings fer a change."

Melinda glared at him, but her expression softened when she shifted her eyes to Richie. "I wasn't trying to be mean, okay? Really, I wasn't. I just ... maybe I just don't want to be reminded of some things."

Melinda still remembered how it felt to writhe in helpless lust in her mother's lap while her sister was in danger. She had believed she would never see Heather again.

Heather understood and lay a hand on Melinda's shoulder. Melinda yanked her shoulder from her sister's touch and turned away from the others.

"Look, I'm sorry," Ned said in a more contrite voice. "I didn't mean ta go hurtin' yer feelings."

"It's okay, Ned," Cassie said, stepping forward. No further words could make it better, and she needed to talk to Heather before class. "Richie, do you need any help from us? Anything at all?"

Richie thrust his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "Dunno what you can do. I just gotta deal with it."

"But it sounds like we're helping, doesn't it?" Diane said. "You said it was angry when it thought you were with the rest of us."

"And how it got easier to resist when he really was," Cassie said in a flat voice. She looked at Jason. The others did as well.

"Well, yes, I suppose it could be that," Jason said. "We won't know for sure until we all, um ... you know..."

Melinda whirled around. "What do you mean 'we all?' Cassie and Ned won't..." She looked at them. They looked back. "What?? You mean you're actually ... that you're going to..."

"First sensitivity, now tact," Heather muttered.

"Melinda, please," Cassie said. "That's between Heather and I. I want to talk to her about it after we get inside, so let's not dally too much longer."

Cassie hated sounding like she was giving orders. She feared if she did it too much, she'd develop the same attitude as her parents. They expected people to listen and obey just because they had money and influence, and tended to surround themselves with people that reinforced their perceptions. She wanted no part of that.

Heather looked at Cassie in surprise. "Cassie, you really want... ? All right, we'll talk about that later."

"Either way, this is pretty serious," Jason said. "The Darkness is targeting one of us specifically."

"He's got no Aura," Melinda said. "Not even that little one he had when Cassie got mixed up with Nyssa. I'd see it if he had even a tiny bit."

"I don't feel like I got it in me," Richie said. His shoulders drew inward. "You kinda know it if you had it before."

"But why Richie and not someone else?" Diane asked.

Jason glanced at Richie. "Well -- and no offense, Richie, because we know it's not true -- the Darkness might see him as the weakest of us."

"Of course that's not true, the weakest is me," Diane said, her face morose.

"But the Darkness has no connection to you. No one near you is affected by the Darkness, and you don't even live near an energy line. The Darkness must know or guessed that Richie had problems fitting back into the group."

"No, you're right, dude, I'm the weakest," Richie said. "And it started on me before I got mixed up in Heather's little club. I got no idea how I stopped it, cuz I sure as hell didn't do it myself. It thinks I know how I did it, and I'm just letting the fucker keep guessing wrong."

"Yes, do that for as long as you can," said Jason. "It will throw the Darkness off-balance and distract it until we can think of something."

"Jason, maybe this fits in with what I told you on the bus about what my mother said to me and Melinda this morning," Heather said. "If the Darkness is going after Richie, maybe it's not really doing anything through Ms. Hollis. You said you thought the Darkness was weaker now because we defeated Melissa."

"Okay, then what's up with Ms. Hollis, huh?" Ned said. "What's her game and what's she tryin' ta do if she's not workin' for the Big Black Smoky Kahuna? I keep thinkin' we're missin' something right under our collective schnozz."

"I don't know, we're just going to have to keep alert," said Jason. "Maybe we'll know something more after, uh, later today. Listen, there's something else I've been meaning to tell you all--"

"Jason, I hate to cut you off, but I really need time to talk to Heather," Cassie said, looking pained.

Jason sighed. "All right. I guess it can keep for a little longer."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, it's nothing immediately critical, just something about the Book."

"Is it still safe?" Heather asked, an edge of alarm in her voice.

"Yes, definitely. We'll talk later. Let's get inside."

Victor returned to his office after delivering his two envelopes to their appropriate homerooms. Halfway back to his office, he sensed who was waiting for him, and thus it was no surprise to see Terri standing just outside his door.

"I am quite busy this morning, so I hope this will be brief," said Victor without looking her way as he passed.

She slipped inside after him and closed the door, leaning her back against it. "I guess that depends on what you tell me," she said, folding her arms.

Victor sat down behind his desk. "I am in no mood for your conundrums today. Please get to the point in as few words as possible."

"Heather is resisting me."

"By 'few' I meant 'the minimum number to convey your problem, complaint, or question.' You have failed in that regard and thus wasted more time."

Terri paused, as if considering her words -- and her tone. "I thought that would be implied. She is resisting me and I do not wish her to resist me."

"But yet again, you fail to state what you wish me to do."

"At the very least, share with me your thoughts as to why."

Victor sensed the accusing tone in her voice, even as much as she attempted to hide it. He had an idea of what she was thinking, that he had imbued her with less than an optimal amount of his ability. He had done no such thing. He had given her exactly what he would have if her true purpose were to assist in procuring a slave for him.

He had not, however, compensated for the fact that her target was a Harbinger.

"Perhaps your skill in using it is in question," Victor said. "I thought that was implied as well."

Victor enjoyed watching her bristle and then pretend as if she had hidden her reaction. It would serve to keep her off-balance. He thought it was only a matter of time before she entered into either open conflict or a convenience-of-the-moment alliance with Laura Bendon. He preferred the former, but assumed the latter was a possibility and wanted Terri's critical thinking to be degraded.

"I did not think there was any skill involved for it," Terri blurted.

Victor raised a single eyebrow.

Terri blanched and stiffened. "I didn't mean it quite as it sounded."

"Oh, I have no doubt about that. You have shown your inability to be clear and direct today."

"What I meant, Victor, was that I had assumed that the skill came with the power, that I did not have to learn how to use it."

Terri was right; it did come with the proper skill. It would be difficult for her to not use it properly. "There is a difference between simple skill and experience. You have very much of one and very little of the other." He paused a beat to let her anger seethe before adding, "Not that the latter is your fault, considering you have had the power for only a few days."

Had Terri been thinking clearly, Victor reasoned, she might have seen the obvious problem: why would he have given her the power if he thought she would fail? It would make no sense, and she would be forced to come to the conclusion that it must be Heather that was somehow different. By playing to Terri's hurt ego and her fear of crossing him, he hoped to delay her realization a little longer and thus keep her out of the way.

"So you're telling me that I just need to keep at it," Terri said in a flat voice.

"A reasonable conclusion, I would say."

Terri sighed. "All right. I'll continue to work on her today. I may have to push her a little harder. I know you berate others when they do that."

Victor waved a hand. "Do what you need."

Terri nodded, then curled her lips into a wicked smile.

"Now, please go, I have a busy schedule today."

Terri nodded again and let herself out.

"Cassie, you don't have to do this."

The words were empty even to Heather. She felt obligated to say them, even as images of a naked Cassie teased her mind's eye.

Cassie sighed as she fished for a book from her locker, keeping her eyes averted from Heather for the moment. "You know that's not true," she said in a low voice.

Heather did not respond, unable to compel herself to compound the first lie with another.

"It's going to happen eventually, whether I want it to or not," said Cassie.

"But do you really want to?"

"That doesn't matter."

"It does to me."

Cassie turned her head.

"Yes, it does matter," Heather repeated. "Cassie, I'm not doing this because I suddenly have this thing for everyone. I get this way because I'm compelled to do it."

Cassie waited, watching Heather's eyes. They twitched slightly, as if wanting to go somewhere else but held to Cassie's face by sheer force of will.

Heather finally let out a small, husky sigh. "Please don't tell me you're going to do this unless you're really sure."

A tiny shiver passed through Cassie. "You're already thinking about it."

"I can't help it. It's like it's on automatic. I can't turn it off."

"That's what I meant when I said that it will happen eventually. You'll keep thinking about it until you compel me to do it anyway. I want to decide for myself while I still can."

Heather nodded, not trusting her voice. She wanted to stop staring at Cassie. Every minute that passed, Heather's thoughts about Cassie turned more erotic. The compulsion was stronger than with the others, attracted by the lure of what had been denied to her.

Warmth flowed over Cassie's body. "We better get this talk done quickly, before I get too excited."

"Yes, of course. Is there something you want me to do?"

"I was going to ask you if you could go easy on Ned and I, but that's not really something you can do, is it? You get so wrapped up in it yourself that you can't really control it."

"No, I think I can. Or I can let someone else control it."

Cassie tilted her head.

"Like with Richie yesterday. He sort of put his foot down and didn't want to be controlled. So something let him control me, so I would do everything he liked. Maybe that will happen with you and Ned."

Cassie looked thoughtful, then alarmed. "I don't want to control anyone, period."

"It wasn't quite like that."

"I don't even want to do it indirectly! And I'm sure Ned doesn't either, not considering how many times he got upset when he thought he was doing it to me."

Heather shrugged her shoulders and uttered a helpless sigh.

"I know, I'm not making any sense," Cassie said.

"Cassie, whatever this is, I'm pretty sure it's on our side," said Heather. "I can't tell you how I know, I just do. So maybe it will make it easier for you."

"But you don't know that."

Heather's eyes grew dark, her voice soft. "No, I don't, not for sure. I'm sorry."

"And you still want me." Another husky sigh escaped past her lips. "You're making me want it, too."

Heather took a step closer to Cassie. Cassie's eyes widened, and one foot drew back as if in retreat. "I know," said Heather. "I did warn you."

Cassie swallowed. "H-Heather, I've ... I've never done it with another..."

She couldn't bring herself to say it, even as her pussy tingled at the idea.

Heather wanted to tell her that she could confine herself to the guys, but the words refused to come. Her thoughts dwelled on Cassie's naked body nestled between her legs, or Cassie's lips around her nipple, or tasting Cassie's helpless pussy as the others held her down.

Cassie shuddered and clutched her books to her body. "I-I think I better go."

She started to turn away. Heather grabbed her arm, then let go at once, as if trying to abort the action. Cassie uttered a tiny gasp and whirled around anyway, her wide eyes locked with Heather's.

"I'm sorry," Heather breathed. "I want you, Cassie. Maybe I'm being made to want you, but I can't tell the difference."

"It's okay," Cassie said in a breathless voice, her pussy aching and damp. "You've ... you've made me want it, too. But at least I got to decide before that happened."

Heather nodded slowly and forced herself to draw back. Cassie bit her lip to suppress a moan and trotted away.

"Hey, Richie."

Richie paused to check his locker once more before closing the door. "Yo. Whassup?"

"There was something interesting in the news this morning," said Jason.

Richie leaned against the lockers, giving Jason a level look. "Oh yeah?"

"Something about the police finding a body in the old airfield."

Richie said nothing, though his eyes held challenge.

"They said it might let them finally close some old murder case."

"Huh. Imagine that."

"The parents are really happy about it. They said it would bring closure to the whole thing for them."

"Yeah? Hurray for closure, then."

The two of them stared at one another for a long moment. Richie's gaze shimmered slightly.

"That was you, wasn't it?" Jason asked.

Richie pushed off from the lockers and shrugged.

"I won't tell the others if you don't want me to."

"Good."

"But I just wanted to let you know that what you did was really cool."

Richie shifted his weight, then frowned and shrugged again. "Look, I dunno why I did it, okay? I guess I just needed to get it off my chest. Fuck, I hate this power."

"I know."

Richie gave Jason a sharp look. "Do you? I don't think you do. No, you don't. Wasn't bad enough that I could see what happened in the past, now I get to know what dead people were thinking."

No words would come to Jason. He had once thought that Richie's power was a great boon. Who wouldn't want to know how things really happened? When he thought about it, he realized the answer: nearly everyone. People preferred their imperfect view of the past. It made difficult memories easier to accept when they could be sent through a mental filter that downplayed the worst aspects.

He felt like retorting, "Try knowing your own father is in with the Darkness," but that was not only comparing apples and oranges, it sounded like childish one-upsmanship.

"If it helps any, I think you were right the other day when you said you're not going to be called on to do this sort of thing often," Jason said. "I can't think of a reason why we would need you to read the last thoughts of the dead."

"It better stay that way, man, because this things fucks with my head," Richie said, his voice quavering. "It makes me think I'm being pulled into the fucking grave. It freaks me out, and your girlfriend ain't too happy with it, either."

Jason nodded and sighed.

He did like Melinda. When they were together in any capacity other than the Harbingers, she was a sweet girl that seemed to care for him. But her abrasiveness towards the others was getting to him as well.

He was tempted once to find something in the Book that would tame her. That was when he knew he had to talk to Mrs. Radson. Perhaps hearing the "voice" of the Book through the pendant fragment was a blessing. The desire to use the Book was now nil, as he would doubt whose agenda he was following.

He slipped his hand into his pocket and touched the fragment, squeezing his fingers around it. He picked up a very faint sense of the Book. It told him that it still sat safely under his bed.

He felt something else. It could only be described as a patient longing.

"Don't worry too much about Melinda," Jason said. "She means well."

Richie snorted but otherwise did not comment.

"Anyway, I guess I better get to class. We should meet after Heather's class so we can check if she's okay."

"Yeah, sure thing, man. Oh, wait, um ... I wanna ask you something. You know what 'Presence' is? Not like Christmas presents, the other word."

"Presence? You mean the word itself?"

"Nah, I know what the word means, but the dead dude mentioned something about it. Something about not wanting Presence for the girl, so that's why he buried her way out there away from the lines."

Jason's eyebrows rose. "Wait, he knew about the energy lines? And he specifically buried her away from them?

"Yeah, I think that's what he meant."

Jason found himself in a quandary. Presence sounded like a manifestation of spiritual energy, but that was tantamount to believing in ghosts. He was forced to accept the existence of the entity they called the Darkness, but he still held out for some sort of scientific explanation. This required an all-out belief in the supernatural.

But then again, he was doing the same thing in his tacit acceptance of Heather's motivations.

"Shit, was this guy in it with the Darkness?" Richie said.

"I don't know. It sounds possible. I'm not quite sure what Presence means, but I have some ideas. I might want to talk to Mrs. Radson again."

Richie nodded. "Okay, that's cool. Just wanted to make sure I'm not fucking nuts."

Jason smiled. "You're not nuts, Richie. And thank you for telling us about what's going on with you and your Mom."

"Yeah, even if people think I'm a freaking perv."

"Then we're all that way, considering what the rest of us have been doing."

Richie smirked. He glanced around at the passing students. A few that had been staring at them suddenly found something else to look at. "Yeah. Not like we ain't already considered freaks in this school, huh?"

Jason wanted to say that he was used to it, having always been the school nerd. Instead, he clasped Richie on the shoulder. "Let's go, we better get on to class."

Richie nodded and fell into step with his friend. "Yeah. Too bad they won't close this dump because of the Darkness."

Diane walked to her homeroom class on automatic, her thoughts with Heather and the afternoon.

The conflict arose in her mind once more, between her desire for more private time with Heather and her need to submit. Cassie agreeing to participate in Heather's trysts was a shock that was setting in only now.

Diane had never felt any attraction towards Cassie, but she imagined Heather would make her nice and wet anyway. Her own submissive nature would assist, her arousal prompted by her craving to be ordered and controlled. Somehow that now felt artificial.

Yet she would still become Heather's sex slave if it meant she would get more time alone with her lover.

Diane did not notice the envelope on her desk until she sat down. She picked it up and turned it over and over in her hands. It was just like the one that had been left the day before. She opened it and read the letter within: