Chapter 53

Cassie sometimes wondered if the craving to have sex with multiple partners was a good thing in another way: it avoided Ned becoming bored with her sexually.

Sometimes she would think of ways she could vary their routine. She even dared to think she could do this while she was building up energy for her confrontation with Jason. Yet as soon as she and Ned had entered the room, she fell into the old routine. She let him slowly strip her, her arousal spiking with each piece of clothing which dropped to the floor.

Briefly, she entertained the notion of surprising him by dropping to her knees while she was still in her underwear and taking his cock into her mouth. She was not very skilled at that particular act, but she hoped eagerness would make up for lack of skill. Instead, when he stepped behind her and loosened her bra, she leaned against him, limp and helpless. She closed her eyes and uttered a husky sigh as her bra fell away and his hands cupped her supple flesh, fingers teasing her hardening nipples.

As much as she never wanted to be in another's complete control, she never missed an opportunity to be submissive for Ned. By the time her panties fell to her ankles and his fingers teased her clit, she was too subsumed by pent-up lust to care.

Yet now, with the ethereal curtain bisecting her mind, she discovered she could take a mental step back, even as her body and immediate mind were consumed by need. She could watch herself nudged towards the bed, moaning softly and squirming against the bulge of his cock pressed to her ass.

Was the potion meant to work this way? Ned was not controlling her; she was simply giving in to her own desire.

Cassie was panting by the time she lay on the bed, her nipples raised to hard points. She spread her legs in silent invite, her eyes smoldering. Ned yanked his briefs down his legs, something he always left until last. Cassie stared at his stiff cock as it bobbed, then drew in a sharp breath in anticipation as he crawled atop her.

She could have done something at this point. Even just a suggestion that she ride him for a change, or suck his cock for awhile before taking him into her pussy. Why could she think of these things now and not before?

She could stop him. She could take back the part of her mind which had submitted to him. This was confusing. Why was this happening? This was not enslavement. She was sure she would know if Ned had done something like that.

Cassie tilted her head back and let out a husky sigh as Ned's cock sank into her. She shivered as he buried himself inside her, her legs wrapping around him as if not wanting him to ever pull out. Now it was too late to act on her thoughts, as she did not want to interrupt. She needed not just the sex but the intimate contact, if for no other reason than to convince her that sex was not just an animalistic vent of primitive drives.

Cassie gasped as his hips rocked hard against her, his thrusts deep and quick. Her empathic sense was overwhelmed, his intense need and desire as powerful as her own. She could decide where she resided, either in the part of her joined emotionally and sexually to Ned, or the part which could still rationalize and observe with a critical eye.

She chose the former.

Cassie let out a cry as her senses suddenly went into overdrive. She smelled both her own arousal and the musk of his. She heard the squish of moisture in her pussy and the slide of his hard flesh against the sides of her tunnel. Every little breath and grunt from Ned floated to her ears, joining her own hard breath, as well as the slide of her squirming body on the sheets.

Cassie bounced as his thrusts became hard and fast, each slap of his body to hers a sharp report. Her pleasure was so intense that she was sure she should have orgasmed already. She rose past the point of her normal peak. She wrapped her arms around him and panted hard, pounding her hips to him almost as hard as his to hers.

"Oh God, Ned..." Cassie cried. "More... please, more..."

She tensed as her pussy strained, and she rose even further, as if the threshold had been moved. Ned pounded into her until he panted from the exertion as well as his own escalating need. Her fingers dug into his arms, where the muscles were tensing and straining almost as hard as her pussy.

She tilted her head back and begged for the threshold not to move again. Her mouth opened in a silent cry, her hips writhing as her orgasm erupted in mind-numbing splendor. He fell against her as his cock throbbed inside her, and with her heightened senses, she felt every single pulse and every hot splash of his seed.

She clung to him, grinding her hips against his as if never wanting his cock to leave her. The cry finally reached her lips, and she undulated to the same rhythm as her orgasm, like a wave which started at her hips and traveled up her body.

"Oh Ned..." she moaned. "I-I'm still cumming ... oh God..."

Ned spent himself inside her, though his erection lingered long enough to shepherd her through her waning climax. With a groan he lifted himself, withdrawing slowly to the reluctant loosening of Cassie grip around him.

"I think ... the potion ... worked..." Cassie gasped.

"Ya certainly were feelin' something all right," Ned said, his own voice still breathy as he sat down next to her.

Cassie closed her eyes for a moment. She saw the curtain better now, like diamonds sparkling on black velvet. She paused to catch her breath before she spoke again. "I think it's working a little differently on me than Mrs. Radson thought it would. Even during this I could sort of step back from the part of me that was enjoying the sex. It was only when I decided to immerse myself in that part that everything was suddenly double the intensity."

Ned grinned. "Heh, mebbe that means ya can build up more energy."

"I don't know if it works that way." She sighed and shivered, her thighs quivering. The ache in her pussy was still one of need rather than post-coital bliss. "We should never have gone this long without," she said in a husky voice.

"Wow, are you still horny?"

Cassie swallowed and nodded, her legs spreading. "P-part of it may be the potion. Maybe it makes for increased desire or something."

"Unfortunately, the soldier ain't gonna be ready ta salute before we hafta leave fer--"

"For goodness sake, Ned, please, just use your hand."

Ned wasted no time, his fingers already pressing to her needy flesh as the last syllable was out of her mouth. She squirmed and panted as his fingertips swirled against her clit, her pleasure rising at once as if she had never had her initial orgasm. She closed her eyes and moaned as he slid his fingers into her, slowly finger-fucking her until she was panting in a frenzy.

"I-I'm so sorry ... I can't reciprocate..." Cassie gasped.

"Babe, don't worry about it," Ned said with a grin. "Just worry 'bout yerself for now."

She wanted to tell him that was simply not possible when she was supposed to be the leader of the Harbingers, but she was too lost to the rising pleasure to care.

"Uhng!" Cassie cried, tilting her head back as she rose precipitously. Her hands clenched into fists, eased off, then clenched again in time with her false peaks. His fingers pumped into her until she strained again on the edge. Her back arched, then slammed back down when her pussy released.

"Whoa," she vaguely heard Ned say at the same time something splashed against the insides of her thighs. She gasped and moaned as her hips rocked to the intense climax, though faded more quickly even with Ned's fingers still pressed to her clit.

"Oh goodness..." Cassie moaned as her head lolled to one side. She opened her mouth but closed it again, her cheeks coloring at the words which had almost made it to her lips. She had almost said "I wish that had been your cock again."

"Yeah, the potion must be makin' ya more intense or something," Ned said as he lifted his dripping hand from between her thighs.

Cassie lifted her head and stared in confusion. She sat up, her eyes widening at the small wet stain on the bed. "I squirted? But I almost never do that!"

"It wasn't much. I mean, yer no gushin' fountain like Heather. Think yer gonna be okay fer now?"

Cassie's pussy still tingled a bit, but it was no longer a pressing need. "I think so. We better get dressed and get out of here before Susan or Mr. Radson get home."

She hopped off the bed and grabbed a few tissues to wipe off her damp thighs as she stepped over to where her clothes lay. Ned gathered his own and stood next to her. "Hey, um, I was wonderin' about something."

Cassie knew this was going to come up. She tossed the spent tissues away and stepped into her panties. "You want to know what happened in the kitchen with Richie."

Ned tapped the tip of his bulbous nose.

"I'm not sure myself," Cassie said tonelessly.

Ned raised an eyebrow.

"I have to talk to him before I pass judgment. I don't like keeping things from you. I know how you feel about that sort of thing, but--"

"But I trust yer judgment," said Ned. He shook his head. "Yeah, I knew something had ta be up. Diane's timin' with her cough and Richie goin' off inta the kitchen was just a li'l too coincidental fer my tastes. Jus' tell me he didn't do something monumentally stupid and pour his potion down the drain."

Cassie did not reply until her underwear was in place. "No, he didn't do that, but what he did do ... I'm not sure what to think of it."

"Then, yeah, ya better talk ta him."

"I'll talk to him tonight," said Cassie. "It's all I can do at this point."

When it first happened to Richie, he was sure it was what an acid trip would feel like.

He had not been trying to trigger the potion's effect. All he knew when he returned home from Debby's house was that he was horny, and Cathy was wet and ready for him. She had been riding him in a nice reverse-cowgirl when suddenly it seemed as if he were standing over himself looking down, but still inside his own body.

It made no sense, but that was the best way he could describe it.

He found the effect disconcerting. He could both feel and not feel her pussy riding his cock. When he gave Cathy's ass a slap to a satisfying yelp and quickened humping from her, he both felt and not felt the impact against his hand.

How the fuck do I get out of this--

No sooner had he thought it when the effect disappeared, and he was again fully immersed in the experience. He grasped Cathy's hips just to see if he could feel it. He yanked her down hard a few times to give her the hint. She leaned forward and pounded her hips against him, gasping and moaning as she trembled with rocketing pleasure.

Richie heard footsteps pass in the hall, and the Darkness lurked at the edge of his senses. It did not seem particularly interested in him that evening. Likely he was sensing it only because his mother was home for the token home-cooked dinner.

He wondered what would happen if the Darkness did try to entice him again. Could he retreat from the part of his mind that was engaged with Cathy?

The footsteps stopped outside his door. As if acting on instinct, his mind split again. He guarded his thoughts as the icy Darkness pressed harder against his psyche, as if probing for some new weakness.

This is fucking weird, Richie thought as his "other self" fell into complete abandon with Cathy, slapping her ass several more times until she yelped and moaned. He thrust his own hips to meet hers, bodies slapping in a frenzied race to climax.

The footsteps moved away, and Richie let himself settle back into the part of his mind having decidedly more fun. His pace faltered for a moment as his senses crashed upon his consciousness, as if having become attenuated by his brief retreat.

He grasped Cathy's hips again and pounded with all his might. Cathy's cries became ever more desperate and shrill as her pussy strained at the edge, Richie holding her back until he was ready to go over with her.

Richie tossed his head back as his cock erupted inside her, throbbing so hard for the first few seconds that he could barely breathe let alone speak. When his throat finally unlocked, he uttered a long, guttural groan and slammed his cock into her a few last times before pulling her tight to him.

Cathy bucked and writhed as her pussy throbbed and squeezed his shaft with each pulse. She ground her sex against him, shuddering and moaning. She leaned forward, uttering a small gasp and jerking her hips as if her orgasm had been briefly renewed. Panting, Richie held her down, his cock slow to soften.

Cathy showed no inclination of wanting to break contact, even after both their orgasms had played out. Richie finally gave her one last slap on the ass and pushed her off. Cathy turned around and snuggled up to him, draping an arm across his chest. "That was sooo nice, Richie," Cathy cooed in his ear. She pressed her breasts against his arm and wriggled her hips as she slipped a knee between his legs. "Can we do that again soon? Please?"

"Maybe after dinner," Richie said.

Cathy paused, then slowly smiled. "Thank you. I've really missed doing this with you. It seems like it's been ages."

Richie said nothing in return. He simply slipped an arm around her and drew her close. His cock already felt the urge for another go, even if reality had not yet caught up with desire. When he glanced down, he saw it had not yet gone completely flaccid. It held on to a small amount of tumescence, as he might expect when he first woke up in the morning.

He had not given a second thought to using Cathy as a means to build up energy for saving his mother. At this point, everything was justified. He was sure his father would have agreed with him. Whatever lingering guilt he may have felt at having sex with his cousin paled in comparison to what he could accomplish. His father would have to understand that.

Richie heard his mother bustling about in the kitchen, and the first aromas of dinner drifted to him. He nudged her away. "Hey, let's go see what's for dinner."

Cathy nodded, though from the look she gave him, dinner was likely the furthest thing from her mind. She appeared reluctant to dress herself, even into the skimpy outfit she typically wore around the house.

Richie headed down the stairs. He occasionally glanced behind him, enjoying the bounce of Cathy's boobs in her lacy black bra and the swing of her hips, the panties clinging to her still damp pussy. He felt his cock stir and tried to ignore it.

He entered the kitchen and traced the aroma to a pot of pasta sauce simmering on a burner. Next to it was a large pot of water, its burner turned to high. Richie spied the now empty glass jar of store-bought sauce next to the sink.

Yep, spare no expense in this house, Richie thought as he plopped himself down at the kitchen table. "Hows tricks, Mom?" he drawled as he stretched his legs.

Sandra gave him an annoyed glance, but it softened when she saw Cathy take a seat next to him. "Heard you two upstairs," she said in a subdued voice as she carried a spice bottle towards the stove. "Hope this means you're getting back to doing your duty to Cathy."

"Yeah, I got it covered," Richie said. "No need to get your panties in a twist about it anymore."

Sandra glanced at him again but said nothing. She applied the spice to the sauce in silence.

Richie was going to welcome the sniping banter between them instead of discussions over whether or not he was having sex with Cathy. It had occurred to him that once he freed his mother, Cathy would be freed as well, and she would suffer whatever trauma his mother had warned would befall her.

Richie didn't care. He had to not care. He could not screw this up.

"So why the change of heart?" Sandra asked in a neutral voice as she put the spice bottle away.

"What, I have to have a reason for everything?"

Sandra returned to the stove and stirred the sauce. "You don't do shit unless it suits you in some way."

Richie eyed her Aura. He had not been paying close attention to it until now, so he could not tell if it were any more active now than a short while ago. It was churning and seething, like it always did when the Darkness was either in control or very close by.

"And maybe it's not that complicated," Richie countered. "Maybe it was as simple as I wasn't getting any and Cathy was right there. I got horny, I got laid. Simple."

Richie shifted in his seat and frowned. His cock was rapidly swelling in his pants.

"And I'd love to do it again," Cindy said in a husky voice.

"Yeah, sure, after dinner," Richie said in a distracted voice. "Listen, um, Mom? Are you going to be home for dinner Monday night?"

Sandra stopped stirring the sauce and turned towards him. "What? Why Monday?"

Richie shrugged. "I dunno, I thought I'd just ask."

Sandra narrowed her eyes. Tendrils of her Aura whipped the air. "You don't generally ask questions like that. You don't normally seem to give a shit what nights I'm home."

Richie rolled his eyes. "Look, this is what you wanted, right? You wanted me to stop getting on your case, to fly right, all that shit. Maybe we can, I dunno, watch a movie or something."

Sandra gave him a wary look. Richie sensed the Darkness edging closer, as if in scrutiny.

Richie hesitated, then added, "Or we can fuck."

Sandra's eyebrows rose, and for a moment, a shocked look appeared in her eyes. It was gone the next moment as her Aura slithered around her, and Richie sensed the Darkness retreating from him. Sandra drew in her breath and let it go as a husky sigh. "All right," she said in a softer voice. "But ... we can do that anytime. Over the weekend, maybe."

Richie shook his head. "No dice, I got things to do this weekend."

Sandra slowly nodded. "Monday, then." A tiny smile touched her lips. "I'll be looking forward to that."

Wait, it couldn't have been that easy, Richie thought. I managed to fool it with that lame excuse?

Cathy gasped. "You'll have time for me, won't you?" she asked, her eyes shimmering.

Richie had a raging hard-on already and had no idea why. His cock pulsed with his heartbeat, just the tight confinement inside his briefs and jeans enough to mildly stimulate it. "Yeah, I will, don't worry."

Cathy nodded and smiled, her gaze flicking down. Her eyes widened, and she shivered. "Oh, Richie, you sure you can go through dinner like that?"

Richie was about to reply that he would be fine, but he knew that to be a lie. Sandra craned her neck, and a small tremor went through her. Richie bolted from his seat and grabbed Cathy's hand. She had to jog to keep up with him as he raced into the living room. No sooner than Richie had sat down and started to undo his pants when Cathy had stripped off her panties and bra. She straddled him as soon as his cock was free, already panting in need and anticipation.

Only when she sank onto his stiff cock and buried him inside her did he realize he had done that split-brain thing again without even realizing it. Now he understood why the Darkness had so readily believed him. It was sensing the part of him which would willingly follow its directives if he let it. All the thoughts and emotions which would have given him away were in the protected part.

Richie slowly smiled. So what if he had only half a potion? This was going to work out after all.

Jason returned home ahead of his father, which was the norm these days now that he no longer had to rely on Penny to drive him home. Despite his father's declared intent to alter his schedule to fit Jason's, his profession was still one which could not keep to a timetable. Even when he made it home on time, he fielded phone calls from the hospital well into the evening.

His father need not have worried. Jason found his mother bustling in the kitchen as she always did around dinnertime. Audrey gave him a sultry smile as she put the finishing touches on a pan of lasagna. "Hello, Jason. Did you have a good day at school?"

"Pretty much same as always," said Jason. "Just endless review for the exams next week."

"And how did your time at the Inn go today?"

The eagerness with which his mother had always asked this question had descended into lusty anticipation over the past few days. At first it had disturbed him, but now it seemed neither here nor there, just something he came to expect from her.