Love & Exorcisms | 18+ | COMPLETE |

- Chapter 23 -

The soup was unsettled in my stomach. I inhaled deeply around the rim of my teacup again, if only to drive away the remembered stench of blood. I could not meet Damian's eyes, although I could feel them on me. The house creaked around us, I could hear someone walking on the stairs, and then a door being opened.

It made me think of the Doll House, and I wondered if the girls were missing me, if they had noticed my absence. If they would look for me...

"So you killed him," Damian said at last. I expected to hear disgust, horror, or anger. Instead, he sounded as if he had expected it. I looked up at him hesitantly, and found him pinching his lip in thought. Unbidden, my eyes trailed along his bare chest, lingering around the scars, taking in the lines of muscle.

"And I would do it again," I said. "I would make him suffer longer. I would gladly kill any man who saw fit to lay claim to my body without permission." I sincerely hoped he understood the threat. By the small sad smile that curled his mouth, I was made certain he had.

"The tale is not done," he said. "Dr. Carnickey offered you an abortion. There are women in Soule Asylum as we speak who have been committed for having such a procedure."

"I'm well aware," my voice came out vicious, a snarl from between clenched teeth. "Rest assured, Mr. Hearst, that with every action I took I became more certain of my own damnation. I went on regardless."

"I'm not laying blame on you," he said. "Sometimes the most damning courses of action are the ones that must be taken. But this Carnickey, I need to-"

"Dr. Hearst! Dr. Hearst!" Rapid footsteps were coming down the hall, a familiar voice calling through the house. I recognized the cracking tone immediately: Octavio. Damian stood and moved himself behind me, his hand landing lightly on my shoulder. I tried to shrug it off, but he insured it remained. His meaning was clear: stay where you are.

"In here, Octavio," Damian called, and the swinging door burst open to a red-faced and sweating Octavio. His face paled several shades however, when he laid eyes on me.

"Dr. Hearst, I...ahhhh..." He was struggling to avert his eyes, and I realized suddenly that I had allowed my sheet to droop down in the course of my story-telling, baring my chest. I didn't bother to cover myself, but sipped at my tea while batting my eyes with as much innocence as I could manage. I hoped they were both supremely uncomfortable.

"Octavio," Damian's voice held a warning. "Focus. What is it?"

"Father Alexander Iscariot is here, sir," he said, visibly swallowing. "He requests your assistance."

Damian stiffened at the name. I glanced up at him, and found a dark shadow had fallen over his face. His jaw was clenched, and for a moment I thought he was angry. Then it passed, and he quickly began to button up his shirt.

"Where is he?" he said tightly.

"In the parlour, sir."

"Take Samara upstairs at once and secure her. Insure the room is locked before you go." Octavio looked as if he desperately wanted to protest, but his mouth stayed tightly shut. I, however, had no qualms about protesting.

"Secure me?" I exclaimed. "I will not be secured anywhere, thank you very much! What the hell is going on? Who is this Father Alexander fellow? You've explained nothing, Hearst, and you have the nerve to-"

Damian leaned down to be eye-level with me. He grasped my chin, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, "If you don't go with Octavio willing and quietly I swear to Lucifer himself that your first meeting with Father Alexander will be as he watches you get spanked over my knee, and you will not like it."