Disclaimers: These characters are all mine, but may have striking similarities to a few folks we know. Copyright © 2001 by T. Novan.

Subtext: Nope, no subtext here. It’s all maintext.

Sex: Yup, there’s sex between two consenting adult women. If it offends, please move on.

Author’s Note: We couldn’t decide on a title, so here are a few we came up with.

I'm Sweatin' Anyway, We Might as Well Screw

or

A Spook Story (with hot girl on girl action on page 11)

or

Please Tell Me Those Were Your Hands

or

I Swear Mom, We Weren't Smokin' Nothin'

or

Halloween: Think of It As Christmas with Blood... And without Gifts. Or Christ.

or

The Crap I'm Doing While I'm Waitin' for Advocate to Finish Her Piss Poor Cobb Sequel So We can do MP.

By T.Novan

"Oh, come on guys! What else do you have to do this weekend? It’ll be fun! What a great way to spend Halloween." Jamie pulled a beer from the dorm fridge, then plopped down on the futon before cracking open the can. "I have to do this and I don’t want to do it alone."

"Why?" Steph asked from her incredibly comfortable spot curled up on the lower bunk in front of her boyfriend.

"Well," Jamie ran her fingertip over the rim of the can. "I have to spend three days in the house to get my inheritance."

"And?" Jeff’s head popped up from his spot behind Steph.

"And ummm…"

Her friends couldn’t quite make out what she said when she spoke with her lips attached to the beer can. Try again without the aluminum filter." Steph put her hand to her ear, just to be annoying while teasing her friend.

"I said," she finally looked up at her friends. "The house is supposed to be haunted."

They both dissolved into hysterical laughter.

"It’s not funny!" she pouted while her friends tried to regain some control. "I stayed there a couple of times as a kid. It may not really be haunted but it’s creepy as Hell. I don’t want to go alone. Come on guys," she whined again, deciding to use the pouty lower lip.

"And your idea of a fun time is spending three days in a house that’s suppose to be haunted?" Steph sat up and grabbed another piece of pizza from the box on the floor.

"No, my idea of fun is the two million bucks I get if I do it."

"Shit! Two mil?" Jeff sat up now, his interest peaked. "You didn’t tell us your family was loaded."

"My family isn’t." Jamie sipped her beer. "But, my Great Aunt Melanie was. Too bad she was crazy as a loon. Rumor has it there is money hidden all over the property."

"So what is it, a treasure hunt?" Steph asked while chewing on the pizza that had grown cold from sitting on the floor for the last couple of hours. She glanced at the microwave and considered heating it up, then she realized she was in conservation of movement mode and that she’d be violating the rules of The Loyal Order of Couch Potatoes.

"No, if I spent the time in the house I get the money, but anything I find while I’m there, is mine for the keeping."

" ‘Ours’ for the keeping?" Jeff lifted his brows in question.

"Sure! If you guys come with me, you can keep anything you find."

"Cool! I’m in!" He crawled down off the bed to get another beer. He lifted a can at Jamie, giving it a little shake.

"No thanks, I’m good."

Steph sighed. "Well, you two are on your own. I’d love to come but Barron is coming into town this week."

"Barron!? Miss Six Feet Of Absolutely Fucking Gorgeous? Long dark hair and blues eyes to drown in? The last time I saw her, she was riding a motorcycle and I have NEVER wanted to be a motorcycle seat until then, Barron. That Barron?"

Steph nearly choked on her pizza from laughing at her friend. "That’s the one."

"Oh, GOD!" Jamie moaned as she fell over on the bed. "The fantasies I’ve had about her would be illegal in twenty seven states and Puerto Rico. Ohhhhhh!" She pulled a pillow over her head, continuing to moan.

"Down, girl!"

"Yup, that’s where I’d have her all right. Down, waaaaay down, for a reeeaaly loooong time."

"Ewwww!" Steph hit her friend in the head with a pillow. "That is my cousin you’re drooling over. We grew up together, she’s like a sister and I’d rather not think about her sex life."

"You don’t have to, I’ll do it for you. God, I am so horny! Barron is just the fix for that problem. I may just have to jump her bones this time."

"Excuse me there, pal, I don’t seem to recall mentioning that Barron was gay."

"Oh puuulleeaze." Jamie rolled her eyes. "Barron doesn’t just ping gaydar, she sends up flares so the fleet will know her position. Besides last time she visited, she copped a feel."

"Oh, she did not!"

"Umm-hmm." Jamie nodded with a smirk. "When she was bringing up the TV, we met right there in the doorway and she brushed her fingers over my nipples."

"You lie!"

"Nope, they were saying hello anyhow, she just said hi back."

"So you’re screwing Barron and I didn’t know it?"

"I didn’t screw her. God. I just let her feel me up."

"Slut."

"If it means sack time with Barron, you betcha."

"That is so…so…" Steph fumbled for the right words.

"Hot as hell if you ask me." Jeff grinned, taking a seat on the floor. "I think you and Barron would set the place on fire."

"Did we ask you?" Steph smacked him on the arm and mumbled ‘pig’ while Jamie laughed wickedly. "You’re both troublemakers and I don’t know why I put up with you at all."

Jamie turned mischievous green eyes on her friend and roommate. "You keep me because if you didn’t, you’d fail chemistry."

"And you keep me," Jeff offered, "for the chemistry."

"Keep dreaming, pig boy." Steph shoved him with her foot. "So," She looked to her friend. "Tell us more about the place."

"Well, to be honest I don’t know that much. Aunt Melanie’s attorney is going to send me the history of the house. All I really know is the house has been in the family since the early eighteen hundreds. Aunt Melanie lived there all her life. She never got married or had children. I, apparently, was her favorite niece and she left everything to me."

"How cool! Do you know how many people dream about having a rich relative croak and leave them a fortune?"

"For God’s sake, Jeff, her aunt just died. You think you could be a little more compassionate."

"It’s okay. I really didn’t know her that well. I had only been there a couple of times as a kid. Besides, she was a hundred and three. She had to go sometime." Jamie sipped her beer. "She was a strange old bird."

"You mean she was bats?"

"Umm-hmm big bats in the belfry. Only down South, it’s not called nuts. Especially if you’ve got money, then you’re merely eccentric."

"And she was eccentric?" Jeff crushed the beer can then tossed it in the wastebasket.

"No, dear old Aunt Melanie was crackers with a capital ‘C’. I remember she use to stand in the front yard and talk to a tree."

Steph snorted. "Did the tree talk back?"

"I never asked."

"Well, I’m not talking to any trees while we’re there." Closing the lid on the now empty pizza box, Steph laid back on the bed. "Maybe I’ll find a nice bush to chat with."

"If Barron comes with us, maybe I will too." Jamie laughed, lying back on the bed with visions of Steph’s cousin swimming behind closed eyes.

"Yeah, you definitely need to get laid."

Jamie opened the manila envelope as she walked across the parking lot to her dorm. Jeff ran up behind her and grabbed her playfully by the shoulders. "Guess who just got here? The woman of your most erotic dreams."

The blonde shivered. "Oh, man. God, she’s hot. I don’t care what Steph says."

"Steph didn’t say Barron wasn’t hot, she just said she didn’t want to think of her like that."

"True. Hey you want to see a picture of the house?"

"Yeah."

Jamie handed him an 8x10 black and white photo from the stack of papers she had taken out of the envelope.

"Oh, man. You’re right. It is creepy."

"I think they took that picture at that angle just to make it look spooky."

"They did a good job. Where is this thing anyhow?"

"Just outside New Orleans."

"Boy creepy just keeps getting deeper and deeper, doesn’t it?"

"Yeah, it sure does."

"Are you sure it’s not haunted?"

"No."

"Great."

"Oh, come on, Jeff. You’re not gonna let a little thing like a ghost scare you are you?"

"Yes."

Jamie chuckled. "At least you’re honest."

They continued to the dorm. Jeff ran into Jamie when she stopped suddenly. He tried to hide the grin when he saw the object of her halt in movement. "So you gonna attack her now?" he whispered while she stood there staring at Barron, who was unloading her bag from her SUV.

"Not in the parking lot. No need to give the entire world a show."

They started moving towards the tall woman, who shouldered her bag and raised a hand in greeting when she saw them. "Hey guys! What’s up?"

"Jamie’s temperature." Jeff laughed, just before her got a hard elbow in the ribs.

"Huh?" Barron’s brows came together.

"Nothing." Jamie smiled sweetly. "Jeff’s being a pig again. How you been Barron?"

"Eh, you know, when I’m good I’m very good, but when I’m bad I’m better." The brunette wriggled her brows, watching as a blush shot up Jamie’s neck into her face.

"Ummm, yeah." She managed to stammer. "Let’s take you upstairs and get you settled.

"Okay."

The trio headed for the brick building. Barron pulled open the door and held it for her companions. She made sure to grace Jamie with a brilliant smile as the smaller woman walked by.

"So, what’s the plan gang?" Barron asked as the started climbing the stairs to the fourth floor.

"Actually, we were wondering if maybe you’d like to take a road trip to New Orleans this weekend?" Jamie glanced over her shoulder to see Barron checking out her ass. Yes!

"I might. What’s up?"

"Jamie’s got a haunted house we get to spend the weekend in."

"Uh-huh." The reply was skeptical and best.

"Well it’s supposed to be haunted, but I doubt if it is."

"Too bad. Things that go bump in the night are some of my favorites."

Jamie blushed again, while Jeff chuckled. It was one thing to lust after Barron, but it was entirely another to have the object of her lust flirting with her in the flesh.

Steph and Jeff had been told not to subtly to make a run for Chinese. Barron had informed them that if she were buying, they were flying. She also made it quite clear they could take their time. She was stretched out on the futon, hands laced behind her head as she watched Jamie at the desk reading over the papers from her Aunt’s attorney.

"So what does it say exactly?"

"Well, if I go spend the three days at the house, I get the house and the money."

"That’s not a bad deal. But why do you have to go to the house?"

She sighed. "It sounds a little nuts."

"That’s okay, you said dear old Aunt Melanie was a little nuts. What’s the deal?"

"I have to prove the house likes me."

Barron snorted. "You’re right, it sounds a little nuts."

"But, I really think we’ll have a good time. We can just pretend it’s a camping trip." She smiled at Barron, lifting her brows. "Don’t ya’ think?"

The brunette smiled and winked. "Sure."

Letting out an explosive breath, Jamie turned to Barron, looking her directly in the eye. "Okay, enough! I need to know, are you interested in me?"

Barron looked to the ceiling, licking her lips and planning to play with Jamie a little. "Define ‘interested’." she teased.

Jamie launched herself out of the chair and onto the futon. She climbed over Barron, straddling her waist. The tall woman laughed and tired to protect herself from the onslaught, but her wrists were captured and placed about her head. "’Interested’ as in, do you find me attractive and would you like to go out with me?"

"Oh, that kind of interested." She smirked, and then it softened into a smile when she ran her fingers through Jamie’s hair. "Yeah, I am interested in you. I asked Steph when I got here if you were dating anyone."

"Wow." Jamie was a little surprised. Since she and Barron had met six months before, she had truly lusted after the tall beauty, but never considered the fact that Barron might be interested in her.

"Wow? All I get for that heartfelt admission is wow."

"What would you like?" Now it was Jamie’s turn to wiggle her brows and leer.

"Hmm, what I want and what I can live with are two different things. I could live with a kiss."

"I think I could manage that."

Jamie leaned over gradually. She released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding when she felt Barron’s hands move to her back, slowly stroking up and down from her shoulders to her hips. Jamie let her eyes slip shut as their lips met. The first kiss was nearly chaste, just barely moving past what most people would consider a friendly peck. Still, it made Jamie’s heart race and her pulse quicken. She was actually relieved their first kiss had been like that and she smiled down into bright blue eyes when she sat up.

"That was very nice." Barron winked again, her hands stopping on Jamie’s hips. "I think we could be really good at that with a little practice."

"Practice makes perfect." Jamie licked her lips then leaned over for round two.

"Oh, God!" Steph blushed and covered her eyes when she opened the door to find Jamie and Barron engaged in a rather heated exchange, which had resulted in them both being stripped form the waist up.

Jeff grinned like the Cheshire cat when both women grabbed for their respective shirts and pulled them on. He was right, they were hot and this little glimpse would leave him with more than enough fantasy fodder to last a lifetime.

"Hi, Cuz!" Barron grinned, slipping her t-shirt over her head.

Steph just shook her head, entering the room and depositing the bag of food on the table. "I swear. We leave you alone for a few minutes and you’re practically…" She gestured between them, at a loss for words.

"If you had given us another ten minutes we would have been." Barron laughed, sitting up and tugging Jamie’s shirt down in the back.

"More information than I wanted, cousin dear. Please keep you sex life to yourself."

Jamie looked to her friend, an embarrassed blush making her brows stand out. "Sorry about that, Steph. We, ummm, well we…"

"I really don’t want to know." She laughed, taking a seat on the floor to unpack their dinner. "You’re both adults, mostly. What you do on your own time is your business." She handed Jamie a white box. "But, umm, I can live with you two dating if you really like each other."

"Oh, they really like each other." Jeff piped up, taking a seat next to Steph and looking for his sesame beef. "Any fool could see that."

Several things happen to Jeff at once. Barron threw a pillow at him, Steph elbowed him in the ribs and Jamie smacked him on the shoulder as she walked by to get drinks from the fridge.

"Hey!" He protested. "I only call ‘em like I see ‘em."

Jamie returned to the futon, sitting on the floor between Barron’s legs. She handed back a soda to the brunette and placed the others on the table. "So, I was reading through the papers and my Aunt’s attorney suggests we bring camping equipment like sleeping bags and lanterns with us. It would seem that even though Aunt Melanie stayed in the house, over the years it’s kinda gone to ruin. Apparently, she had the electric cut off when one of the ghosts told her to."

"We don’t have anything like that." Steph stabbed at something slimy in her own white carton.

"He sent a check so we could buy what we need. So who wants to go to the sporting goods store with me?"

"Like you have to ask." Jeff chuckled.

Jamie tilted her head back to find Barron looking down at her. "How about it, good looking? Want to go help me spend money?"

"Silly question. Sure, we can go after dinner if you want. We’ll take my truck."

"Great."

"Barron?" Jamie looked at the list in her hand.

"Hmm?"

"Why would they tell us to bring two fifty foot lengths of rope?"

"I’m not sure I want to think about it." She peered into the cart that was half full of camping gear. "I think we should get spare batteries for the flashlights and lanterns."

"Good idea. And bug spray. The mosquitoes down there are the size of aircraft."

"Then maybe ground to air missiles would be more appropriate."

"Think we can get one? If we can get it, I’ll take it." Barron stopped and looked at her friend. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

"I’m not sure. I’ve never seen one, but I have friends who swear they have. So I guess there must be something to it."

"Well, if it’s really haunted, I’m glad you’re going to be there to protect me."

"Who’s going to protect me?" Barron teased.

"We’ll protect each other."

"That’s a deal. Tell me more about the history of the house."

"According to the file I got, the house was built in eighteen hundred, by what would have been my Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Grandfather, or something like that." She paused to count ‘greats’ on her fingers. "Well, anyhow some really distance relative of mine built the thing. The locals at the time told him not to build on the land. They told him the land was cursed and that if he built the house there it would only bring him misery."

"It’s got all the makings of a Halloween story doesn’t it?"

"Uh-huh." Jamie put spare batteries in the cart. "Of course he built the house."

"Of course."

"He moved his wife and daughter in and a year later his wife died giving birth to another baby."

"Wonderful."

"Yeah. The history isn’t real clear here, but somehow the baby died too."

"Lovely."

"So that left him and his daughter who was sixteen or seventeen at the time. Apparently, the old man went just a little nuts after his wife died."

"Adding to the mystique that the house was cursed."

"Right. And it would seem that his daughter, Constance, had taken up with one of the locals."

"Which daddy didn’t approve of?"

"Correct. But there’s more."

"Sure there is, it wouldn’t be a complete ghost story if there weren’t."

"True. According to the history, Constance’s lover was a woman named Marie, who was rumored to be a voodoo priestess."

"How much of this do you believe?"

"I’m not sure. It really is creepy down there."

"Couldn’t have anything to do with your Aunt Melanie talking to the shrubbery."

"It wasn’t the shrubbery, it was the big old willow tree in the front yard." Suddenly Jamie remembered a comment made about chatting with a bush and blushed deep red.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me."

"It was just something I said to Steph last night."

A bark brow rose. "About me?"

"Uh-huh." Jamie nodded, finding the rope display they stood in front of suddenly very interesting.

She drew an involuntary breath when she felt Barron’s warm breath on her neck and in her ear. "Tell me."

"Later." She growled, nudging her companion back.

"Okay, so what happened to Constance and Marie? Something had to happen to them to round out this little tale."

"Well, I’m not entirely sure. The history says that Constance and Marie both disappeared. Some people believe they ran off together. A few believe that Marie killed Constance when the young woman tried to call off their affair at her father’s orders. And a lot of people believe her father killed them both."

"Maybe after you go visit and get everything squared away you can sell this story to a film company it would make for a great movie."

Jamie laughed. "Actually, my dad said if I were smart and the house wasn’t in to bad shape I should take the money and fix it up and make it a bed and breakfast or something. People love to stay where things like this supposedly happened."

"That’s really a great idea. How do you feel about it?"

The blonde shrugged. "I’m not sure. I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes."

Barron put the last bag in the truck and closed the back. She looked at her watch, waiting for the trio to come downstairs. Granted, it was early, but they had agreed that starting first thing in the morning would be best so they could arrive in New Orleans by late afternoon. "Come on guys." She grumbled. She was just about to give the horn a blast when they came trudging out the side entrance.

Steph had her pillow wrapped firmly in her arms and a blanket around her shoulders. There was no doubt in Barron’s mind that her cousin would be back to sleep before they got out of the parking lot. Jeff and Steph climbed in the back seat, giving shotgun to Jamie.

Barron climbed in and started the truck, glancing over to Jamie as she did. She couldn’t help but smile. Jamie was obviously not anymore awake than the other two. She put her head back and closed her eyes, preparing to catch a catnap.

"Seat lays back if you want."

"Nah, I’m okay." She opened one eye and looked at Barron, a grin playing on her lips. "I didn’t sleep very well last night. I was just laying there in bed listening to you snore on the futon and fantasizing about you."

"Well, why didn’t you come over and join me? I’m sure we could have found something to do."

"With Miss Morals sleeping in the same room, I think not."

"Bite me." Steph grumbled from the back seat where she had made herself a nice comfy little bed that took up the entire seat and required Jeff’s lap as a pillow.

"Anyway," Jamie slid her hand over and took Barron’s hand, linking their fingers. "Once we get to the house I expect you to stay close and protect me."

"You’re not a screamer are you?"

Jamie chuckled. "Depends on what I’m doing and who I’m doing it with."

"You’re a bad girl, aren’t you?"

"Do you like bad girls?"

"Oh, for Christ’s sake you two. Would you like to go back to the room for a quickie before we leave? If I have to listen to this all the way to New Orleans I’m gonna puke."

"This from the woman with her head in her boyfriend’s lap."

"I’m trying to sleep, you overgrown pervert." She growled at her cousin.

"Oooo, Barron’s a pervert." Jamie laughed. "I like perverts."

"Glad to hear it." Barron winked before pulling out onto the street and following the signs to the highway.

"Jamie?" The voice was low and the breath was warm as it caressed her ear and cheek.

"Hmm?"

"You hungry? We can stop for lunch."

The blonde sat up and rubbed her eyes to clear the sleep. "God, what time is it?"

"Almost one. Another three or four hours and we should be there." Barron shut off the ignition and stretched as best she could

"Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to sleep for so long."

"No problem, but I’m getting a little stiff. I’d like to take a break and grab a bite."

"Great." Jamie looked out the windshield at the sky, which was tuning an ominous gray. "Yuck, looks like lousy weather for traveling."

"True, but if it’s storming in New Orleans it’ll be great ambiance for the weekend." She reached into the back seat and gave Steph’s leg a smack. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. Time for food."

"Where are we?" She sat up, scratching her fingers through her hair.

"McDonald’s."

"I mean where in the state, smart ass."

"Few hours out of New Orleans. We should be there by four or five."

"Cool." She nudged Jeff, who was still snoring. "Hey! There’s a Big Mac with your name on it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he grumbled sitting up slightly. "Ah the Golden Arches, no matter how far from home you go there’s always a little slice of heaven waiting for you at McDonald’s."

"If your idea of heaven is McDonald’s, I have no desire to know what your concept of Hell is."

"That’s easy. Wendy’s."

Steph rolled her eyes. "Oh, brother."

"Hey, I worked there when I was in high school. You don’t even want to know what goes into the chili."

"Come on, guys," Barron opened her door. "Foods waiting and moneybags there is buying." She jerked her thumb at Jamie.

"I’m not rich yet."

"You will be by the end of the weekend." Barron slid out of the truck, twisting and cracking her spine.

"Oooo, that’s disgusting." Jamie said through gritted teeth.

"It feels great."

The foursome made their way into the restaurant. Barron nudged Jamie, pointing at Steph. They both cracked up laughing, causing the young woman to turn on them. "What?"

"Your hair, very attractive."

She used the window of the building to take a quick look at her head. Her hair was sticking up in several different spots, it looked like she had stuck her finger in an electrical socket. "I hate you both." She grumbled before going in well ahead of them to go to the bathroom.

"How can you eat those?" Jamie poked a finger at the box holding Jeff’s McNuggets. "They use lips and assholes to make those."

Barron nearly fell off her chair laughing. She had to admit that Jamie had a great sense of humor. And a fantastic ass. "Do chickens have lips? I heard it was beaks and feet."

"Eh, parts is parts." Jeff said before dipping his food in barbecue sauce and popping it in his mouth. "Ain’t killed me yet."

"Hasn’t, hasn’t killed you yet, you Neanderthal." Steph leaned over giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Good thing I like illiterate jocks."

"You just keep thinking that. You can show me where to mark my X when I sign with the NFL."

"Deal."

Jamie stuck her finger down her throat and made gagging noises as the couple shared a lengthy kiss.

"Oh, look who’s talking," Steph snapped. "Weren’t you the one testing Barron’s tonsils with your tongue the other night?"

"Yup and I can say with the utmost confidence that they are in fine shape."

"Does nothing phase you?" Steph just shook her head.

"Sure. Having chocolate sauce slowly licked from my body phases me in a lot of ways."

"Remind me to stop and get some Hershey’s Syrup." Barron leaned over and gave Jamie a kiss on the cheek. "I’ll be right back, then we can get back on the road if you’re ready." She got up from the table, making her way to the restroom.

Jamie smiled and watched her walk away. "I think I’m in love."

"You’re in heat." Jeff chuckled before taking a sip of his soda.

"The only difference between lust and love it the price of the hotel room. And I’d get the Presidential Suite at the Hilton for her."

"Oh, you’re sooooo romantic."

"Then again, I’d do her in the bathroom if we had time. I guess that means I’m somewhere firmly between love and lust."

"Does that make you ‘lost’?" Steph stood, clearing the tray and dumping the trash in a bin next to her.

"No, I know right where I want to be."

"Okay," She put her hand up. "That’s enough. I already know more than I want about the fantasies you harbor for my cousin."

"If I’m very lucky they won’t be fantasies after this weekend. In case you’re curious I intend to take Barron and make her beg for mercy."

"Please, just stop. God, I’m glad I brought my ear plugs."

Barron came back to the table, wrapping her arms around Jamie from behind and giving her a nibble on the neck. "You’re driving, Steph. Jamie and I are gonna cuddle in the back seat."

"Terrific," she groaned even as she wrapped her arm around Jeff’s waist.

Jamie kicked her shoes off as she snuggled under the blanket with Barron. She felt her ear being nibbled on and managed to hold back the giggle that was trying to get out. "Be good" she hissed, playfully slapping at the lips close to her ear. "Steph will have a fit."

"I care."

The blonde bit her lip when she felt warm hands pull her shirt from her jeans. One hand slipped under her t-shirt and the other one began tugging on the button of her jeans. She clenched her jaw to keep from whimpering. Jamie tried not to squirm when she felt the zipper coming down and insistent fingers working under her bra. Oh, Shit! I’m never gonna make it without screaming. Okay, I’m a screamer, that’s not a crime.

"I’m going to make you scream." Barron whispered in her ear, while fingers slowly worked past denim and satin panties.

Jamie bit her tongue, slowly shaking her head in a very determined manner.

"Uh-huh." The brunette licked the lobe. "Yes, I am." She tortured Jamie playfully, her thumb and forefinger working the blonde’s nipple to a painfully hard point. "Uh-huh, I’m going to make you come, again and again."

"Evil," Jamie hissed again, squirming more, but this time it was to give Barron more room.

The tall woman chuckled. "Oh, yeah that’s the way to put up a fight," she whispered.

"Get on with it" Jamie whispered back, nearly biting her tongue clear through when determined fingers worked through soft curls, ending up between very sensitive folds.

"Why madam, you’re soaked and it’s not from the rain."

Jamie growled, moving her legs just a little further apart. She closed her eyes, held her breath and prayed so would be able to keep from making some extremely embarrassing noise. That last thing she needed was for Jeff to know about that little squeak she made right before she climaxed.

Barron felt the body in front of her shake from the pressure she knew her touch was starting to build. She heard just the slightest of whimpers from Jamie. The looked toward the front of the truck and confirmed that Steph and Jeff weren’t paying any attention to them.

"That’s it," She rubbed between the blonde’s legs, just a little harder and just a little faster. "You like this, don’t you?"

Jamie nodded. Biting her lip and squeezing her eyes closed from the effort it was taking not to moan. She felt the muscles in her body twitch as if she were receiving a small continuous electrical shock. The tightness in her stomach increased, as did the throbbing between her legs. She couldn’t hold her breath any longer and when Barron’s pace increased yet again she let loose a shuddering breath.

"You guy okay back there?"

"Oh," The brunette put her lips close to Jamie’s ear. "We’re just," She paused taking a second for a little lick and suck. "Peachy." When the last word left her lips, her fingers delivered a firm pinch to a very perky nipple.

The only reason they didn’t hear the moan was that Jamie turned her head back and captured Barron in a kiss, which muffled most of the noise. She forced her body hard into Barron’s fingers when she felt herself moving closer to the edge. She was doing a magnificent job of being quiet but her hips started moving in time with Barron’s touch.

"You’re so soft." Barron whispered. "Amazing to touch. I can’t wait to taste you."

That was it. Jamie’s entire body stiffened for a moment as the force of the orgasm tore through her body. Barron held her close, urging her over, holding her.

After a long moment, it was over and Jamie collapsed into the strong body behind her. She shook involuntarily when the tall woman’s hands moved from under her clothing and just wrapped around her. She finally let out a quiet, soft whimper before relaxing into her companion. Before she really knew it her eyes were closing and she was tumbling into sleep.

"Wakey, wakey." Barron nudged Jamie gently from her slumber.

"Hmmm…" Jamie sighed very happily and snuggled closer. "What?"

"We’re taking a bathroom break, you interested?"

"Oh, yeah, always." She sat up and stretched, feeling amazingly relaxed for a woman who had practically been sleeping in a ball for the last hour. She looked out the window to see the roadside rest stop they were pulling into.

Once the car was stopped, all four of them got out and headed for the bathrooms. Jeff chuckled and nudged Jamie. "Umm, you might want to zip up your pants." He tried and failed to hold back the snort.

"Oh, God!" Jamie quickly tucked in her shirt and fastened her jeans. "Not a word."

"Not even one?"

"Not even one." She shook her head as she followed Steph and Barron up the sidewalk.

"Okay, but if I were going to use a word it would have to be, Daaaaayyyuuuuuuummmnnn!"

"Shut up."

"Hey if you’re going to horse around in the backseat you have to expect to get teased."

"Would you believe me if I told you I undid them so it would be more comfortable to sleep?"

"Do you want me to believe that?"

"It would be very nice."

"I can pretend if you can." He put his arm around her shoulder, laughing as they got to the building.

"Thanks." She bumped him with her hip. She really liked Jeff and was glad that she had talked him and Steph into coming with her this weekend. Of course, the fact that Barron had also come along was an extra-added bonus. "I think we’re going to have a really good time this weekend."

"So do I."

After a quick call to the attorney when they got into New Orleans, they found themselves enroute to a hotel in the French Quarter where they would spend the night before being taken out to the house. Steph was not amused when she found out they would have to travel the last leg to the house by boat.

"Oh, come on," Jamie chided her friend. "It’s like an adventure."

"Yeah, you say that now. You’ll be singing a different tune when I toss my cookies."

"Aim for the water."

"Sure, then some crocodile will shoot up and bite my face off."

"They don’t have crocs in Louisiana. They have alligators."

"That’s supposed to make me feel better?"

Jamie was about to respond when Barron and Jeff came back from checking them in.

"We’re all set. Two room for the night. Let’s go throw our stuff in the rooms then figure out where we’re going for dinner." The tall woman wrapped her arm around Jamie’s waist. "How’s that sound?"

"Sounds great."

Once they were settled in, Jeff and Steph came to the room that Barron and Jamie were sharing. "Two beds? Right." She snorted.

"It was all they had and besides, we don’t have to use two." Barron wriggled her brows.

"We’re right next door so keep it down to a low roar."

"Prude."

Jamie exited the bathroom, after taking a quick shower. She was running a brush through her hair, working out a few small knots. "So where are we going to dinner?"

"Let’s just walk through the Quarter and see what looks good." Jeff shrugged. "I’m sure there are lots of cool places."

"You know the Quarter is going to be totally packed. Halloween down here is almost as big as Mardi Gras." Barron grabbed her wallet from the dresser and tucked it in her back pocket.

Leaving the hotel, they walked down the street, taking in the sights, looking like the perfect tourists.

"Oh, look there’s a psychic." Jamie grinned at Barron, wrinkling her nose. "You want to get your fortune told?

"We’ve all got a pretty good idea what’s in her future and I have a feeling it’s going to involve her screaming, ‘Oh, God!’." Jeff managed to duck the swat aimed at him by his girlfriend.

"If I’m very lucky." The brunette laughed.

"Don’t encourage them."

"They don’t need my help. So you guys want to go see what the fortuneteller has to say?"

"Oh, why not," Jamie tugged on Barron’s hand. "We may as well have the whole experience."

They entered the building. It looked as you would expect any fortuneteller’s parlor to look. Beads and fabrics hung from the walls. Small icons decorated several tabletops around the room. Crystals of every shape and size hung in the windows bathing the room in a rainbow of colors and shapes.

"Hello?" Jamie called into the empty room.

"Some psychic," Jeff muttered in Steph’s ear. "She doesn’t even know she’s got potential customers out here."

Steph giggled, but stopped when Jamie shot her a dirty look. "Sorry."

"I know very well, young man," Jeff nearly went through the ceiling when the voice spoke from behind him. "When some one has entered my home." The woman moved into the light from the shadows. "I’m Madam Ali. What can I do for you today?"

"You mean you don’t know?" Jeff chuckled.

She leveled a look at him that he immediately recognized as him being in trouble. He looked down at his sneakers, knowing he had been properly chastised. She then looked back to Jamie and Barron. "You two." She shook a finger at them. "You two have a destiny together."

Barron tried not to smile, as she scratched just above her eyebrow. This woman was an interesting little bird. She was as wide as she was tall, dressed in a multicolored caftan, with dozens of bracelets on her wrists and several necklaces around her neck. She also had most of the make up in Max Factor warehouse on her face. The tall woman was really trying not to lose it.

Madam Ali took Jamie’s hand. "You are here searching for something." Jamie started to respond, but a raised hand stopped her. "Don’t say anything," the woman cautioned. "You’re here because of a relative."

Steph’s eyes widened a little at that proclamation, and suddenly everyone in the room got a little more interested in what was being said.

"An elderly woman needs your help." She looked deeply into Jamie’s eyes, then shook her head. "But there is evil there. Danger. Many, many displaced and angry spirits." She dropped Jamie’s hand and took a deep breath. "You are in great danger."

"All right, that’s enough." Barron wrapped her arm around Jamie’s waist again. "You’re scaring her."

"She should be scared. There is much death surrounding her." She gave Barron serious consideration. "Perhaps you can protect her. You’ve done it before."

"Lady, we’ve just recently gotten together."

"In this lifetime. There have been others. Many others. You always find each other."

"Huh, whaddya know," Jamie tried to tease to lighten the mood. "We’re soulmates."

"You share more than you will ever know," Madam Ali said, taking a seat at a table. She picked up a deck of Tarot cards. "If you would like to know more, please take a seat."

Jamie started, but Barron held her back. "Let me." Barron took the seat across from the woman and pushed up the sleeves of her sweatshirt. "Okay, let’s hear it."

Madam Ali shuffled the cards then began laying them out. She watched Barron as she placed the cards on the table. Then she looked down at them. "You have lived many lives. This woman has been your companion for all of them. She is destined to be this time as well."

Barron glanced at Jamie, who was blushing furiously. "Huh, looks like I may be stuck with you."

"You say that like it’s a bad thing."

"Do you squeeze toothpaste from the middle or the end of the tube?"

"Neither, I use a pump."

"This is no joking matter," Madam Ali warned in a stern voice. "It is your job to protect her. If you fail…."

"Right," Barron said in a tone that conveyed utter boredom. "This is all very interesting but—"

"But you don’t believe me?"

"Well, you have to admit it’s all pretty unbelievable."

"Have I said one wrong thing since you came in here?"

Barron shook her head slowly. "No. No, I guess you haven’t."

"You may believe what you will, but the truth remains. You only need be brave enough to face it."

Jeff chuckled nervously. He couldn’t help it; the situation was just getting too funny. He wasn’t sure if it was really funny or really scary, but he decided to go with funny. Scary was just not fun to consider.

"Thank you for your time." Barron pulled a few bills from her pocket and dropped one on the table. She held back, ‘Ya’ kook.’

Madam Ali stood, stepping towards Jamie. She removed one of the many necklaces from her neck and placed it over the blonde’s head. "This will help keep you safe."

Jamie fingered the stone at the end of the twine. "Thank you."

"There is a reason you have been called. You have a very important task ahead of you. But be very careful, not all things are as they seem."

"Okay, let’s go." Barron didn’t like the feeling she was getting. She never particularly cared for things or people that sent shivers down her spine and this little nutcake did both in spades.

Barron sipped her beer as she thought about their trip to Madam Nutflake. It was true that Jamie hadn’t said a word, and that the psychic seemed to know a lot. A little too much for comfort actually. Her rational mind told her that it was a lot of hocus pocus and mumbo jumbo, but her heart whispered something entirely different.

"Oh, well yuck!"

The yell from Steph brought Barron back to the table and her companions. She watched as Jeff took another oyster and let it slide down his throat.

"Don’t you even think you’re kissing me after that. That’s so gross."

"Steph," Jamie grinned at her friend. "Don’t you know oysters are supposed to be an aphrodisiac?"

"I am surrounded by the three horniest people on the planet. Do you guys ever think about anything but sex?"

"It’s true what they say." Barron tipped back in her chair and sipped her beer again.

"What?"

"Sex is like air, you don’t think about it until you’re not getting any."

"Guess that means Steph is getting her share." Jamie teased.

"You betcha." Jeff beamed.

"So was it me," Steph ventured. "Or was Madam Ali a little odd?"

"A little odd?" Jamie nearly choked on her beer. "No, no, no, no…Shirley McClaine is a little odd. Flying saucers and little green men are ‘a little odd’ that woman was down right freaky. I swear it was like she was looking into my soul." She shivered involuntarily. "God, I hope the house isn’t as bad as she said. I might not make it."

"Sure you will, sweetheart." Barron rubbed small circles on her friend’s back. "We’ll all be there and we’re going to get through this just fine. Come Monday you can go to the attorney and collect the loot."

"You know it’s weird, but the money really doesn’t mean that much all of the sudden. It’s like there really is something I need to do there." She shrugged. "I dunno maybe I’m just letting all this get to me."

"It’s okay. Whatever is out there, can’t be that bad. No doubt lots of creaking boards and banging shutters, rattling windows and the like, but I’m sure nothing dangerous."

"I hope so." Jamie smiled at Barron, then leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Speaking of banging things…"

Jamie watched from the bed as Barron peeled off her sweatshirt and tossed it across the room. "Oh, Lord!" She groaned when the sports bra followed, leaving her soon to be lover standing at the end of the bed, leering at her like she was a lunch special.

The blonde was already stripped down to her birthday suit. It had taken all of ten seconds after the door to their room closed before Barron started pulling the clothes off Jamie’s body. She got to her knees and moved to the end of the bed where she took a hold of the snap of Barron’s jeans. "I owe you."

The taller woman could only smile when she heard the zipper going down on her jeans. Then warm hands slid between the material and her skin forcing them to the floor. She placed her hands on Jamie’s shoulders, putting her head back and moaning when soft but very determined lips found her nipple. "Oh yeah…that’s nice."

She licked her lips, her head brought forward, moving in little circles as she simply allowed her body to absorb the pleasure she was receiving. One hand came to rest on the back of Jamie’s neck, gently guiding her and holding her in place.

Jamie’s hands were busy getting to know Barron’s body up close and personal. She slid them over smooth hips and around to a nice tight ass, which she felt the need to drag her nails across.

"Oh, yeah…." Barron groaned then sucked in a quick, sharp breath.

Jamie looked up with a sweet, innocent smile on her face. "You like that, huh?"

The dark haired woman nodded her eyes still closed and her senses starting to reel.

"Tell me what you like, Barron."

"Hell, I don’t know. You were doing just fine," she managed to get out, with just a slight whimper.

"Oooo, so I can experiment?" Jamie leaned in and gave a little nibble to a very aroused nipple.

"Oh, please do."

Jamie brought one hand around, continuing to use her nails to graze silky skin. She moved slowly to dark curls, slowly running her fingers through them, but doing nothing else. She smiled when Barron began to squirm. The tall woman rolled her hips forward trying to force more contact.

"Hey, this is my experiment," the blonde teased, just barley sinking her fingers lower and deeper.

Barron couldn’t stop herself; she moved her legs just a little further apart in invitation. "Don’t tease," she whimpered when Jamie took the invitation and then retreated just as quickly.

"Come on." Jamie tugged Barron’s hand, pulling her down on the bed right on top of her. "Oh, you feel good."

"Mmmm, you too." Barron was quick to settle herself comfortably on Jamie. She lowered her head, tenderly kissing the young woman’s neck. She smiled against warm skin when she felt Jamie arch into her.

Jamie felt the gentle weight of Barron settle in all the right places. She pressed her lips to Barron’s shoulder, and then as she felt a strong thigh press into her, she sank her teeth into the expanse of flesh causing a growl to resonate from her partner. Once the first rush moved through her body, Jamie began using her hands to soothe the body above her. Long strokes up and down Barron’s back caused the woman to increase her pace.

Barron realized that this wonderful experience would end to soon if she didn’t slow down and take her time. She had no desire to do anything quickly with Jamie, especially make love.

She felt the blonde’s left leg wrap around her, pulling her even closer. Jamie’s nails were alternately scratching her and digging into her, sometimes on her back, sometimes on her backside. She reached up and took one of Jamie’s hands, bringing it between their bodies, guiding her. "Touch me, Jamie, please."

"Hmmm, my pleasure." Jamie purred as her hand slipped between Barron’s legs, once again seek out the aroused flesh. She loved this, hearing and feeling the wonderful woman she was with. Jamie really had been dreaming of having a relationship with her for sometime and now she felt like they had a chance. She enjoyed hearing and feeling Barron reacting to her touch. Every groan, every moan, and every tremor was testament to their passion.

"Ja-mie…unh…I…" Barron’s head dropped forward when her body began to tense, then shudder. Her breath was hard and hot against Jamie’s cheek. "Oh, God." She couldn’t hold herself up any longer and collapsed on the bed, most of her body resting on Jamie. "Oh, yeah, that was good."

Jamie chuckled, slowly removing her hand, then allowing it to stroke up and down Barron’s back. "Thanks. Glad I could help." She turned her head, placing a kiss to a damp cheek.

"You," the brunette growled as she moved and pulled Jamie into her arms. "Are wonderful." She nuzzled her cheek against blonde hair and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "And as soon as my body stars working again I’m going to repay your kindness."

"Well, my mom always said, ‘What goes around comes around’."

"Huh? My mom always said, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’."

"Our moms are very smart women."

"Come on, Sweetheart," Barron whispered into Jamie’s ear trying to gently coax the young woman awake. "We’ve got to get going to meet the boat."

"Don’t wanna" Jamie mumbled before pulling the blanket over her head.

"Oh, now come on ,lazy bones. Don’t make me get a cold glass of water."

"You wouldn’t?" Jamie uncovered just enough of her head to look over the edge of the covers at her new lover.

"Oh, but I would." Barron crossed her arms over her chest, staring down at her friend. "Wait 'til you get to know me better…"

"I know you pretty well now." She giggled and covered her head back up.

"I mean personality wise, you little smart ass." Barron grabbed the covers and flung them from the bed leaving Jamie bare-ass naked with only her pillow for warmth.

"Hey! No damn fair." She narrowed her eyes. "You’re one of those people who likes to get up disgustingly early aren’t you?"

"Depends. When I have something to do, sure. But some days I can be convinced to be a slug." She patted Jamie’s butt. "Now come on, we’ve got things to do."

"You could come back to bed."

"I could, but I’m not going to. You madam," she reached down and grabbed Jamie’s wrist, hoisting the blonde up and over her shoulder in a good imitation of a fireman’s carry. "Are getting up."

Jamie squealed when she found herself being carried into the bathroom. "Barron! What are you doing?"

"Expediting your shower."

"Put me down, brat."

"I will." She reached in and turned on the water, even with Jamie laughing and squirming over her shoulder. She bushed her hand under the water, testing it. "Ah, just right." She pulled the blonde form her shoulder and put her in the shower,stepping back rapidly before the explosion.

"Goddamn Barron, that’s cold!"

The tall woman leaned against the counter, trying hard not to laugh, but failing miserably.

"Oooo, that is so not funny!" Jamie pulled back the shower curtain and flung a handful of water at her friend. "God, I’m gonna have frostbite on my boobs."

"When we get to the house I’ll kiss it and make it better." She moved back to the shower and pulled the curtain back so she could see Jamie. "Deal?"

"Deal. You’re so lucky you’re cute." She leaned over and gave the tall woman a kiss. "I’ll be out in a few minutes. Would you round me up a change of clothes."

"Sure. Jeans and a t-shirt?"

"Perfect. And pull my sweatshirt out if you don’t mind. I want to keep it handy in case it starts raining."

"Good plan. Morning news said it was going to storm this weekend. Looks like we’re gonna get our ambiance."

"Wonderful. I’m glad you’re going to be there to keep me warm."

"Absolutely." Barron laid Jamie’s clothes on the counter then put a towel over the shower rod.

"Thanks."

"Welcome. So do you want to sit down somewhere and have breakfast or do you want to grab something on the fly?"

"I dunno. Let’s see what Steph and Jeff want to do."

Barron looked over her shoulder when she heard a knock on the door. "Speak of the devil, I’ll bet that’s them." She left the bathroom again only she closed the door behind her this time. She opened the door and waved them in. "Good morning."

"After what we listened to last night, there’s no doubt about the validity of that statement." Steph gave her cousin a playful punch in the arm. "Do you know what time you finally let her and us go to sleep?"

"I think it was after two." A dark brow rose.

"More like three thirty."

"Damn my stamina is better than I thought." She wriggled her brows, then winked at Jeff. "How was your night?"

"Let’s just say you two are bad for my love life, but my fantasy life is far better off." He leaned over to whisper conspiratorially. "How did you get her to make that little squeak?"

"Trade secret."

"Bitch."

Deciding to grab a bite before heading out to the house, the foursome walked back into the French Quarter, looking for a restaurant serving breakfast. When they rounded the corner, Jamie tugged Barron to a stop.

"What?" The brunette asked her companion as the blonde stared at the vacant building in front of them.

"Wasn’t this where Madam Ali was yesterday?"

The taller woman looked at the building carefully. "Well, I suppose it could be, but a lot of the buildings around here look alike. Must have been another one."

"No, Barron I’m sure this was it."

"Jamie…"

Steph and Jeff backtracked when they realized they had lost their friends. "What’s up?" Steph asked.

"Jamie thinks this is where Madam Ali was last night."

Steph and Jeff both looked at the building which was vacant and looked as if it had been for sometime. Jeff scratched the back of his head as he considered it. "Couldn’t be."

"I’m telling you guys this is it!" Jamie gestured wildly to the empty building. "This is the building we were in last night." She wrapped her arms around herself. "Guys this is really creepy."

Barron put her arm around Jamie. "Come on now. Logically you know this can’t be the place. It must be another block over. It was dark last night. It would be easy to get confused."

"I’m not confused."

"Okay," Steph tried to get Jamie to calm down. "Let’s go get something to eat and ask someone where her shop is. Someone around here is bound to know."

"We can try looking in a phone book too," Jeff offered with a nod.

"I seriously doubt if ghosts bother to get listed numbers," Jamie mumbled.

"Oh, come on, sweetheart. Madam Ali was a lot of things, but she wasn’t a ghost." Barron gave the blonde a squeeze.

"How many ghosts have you seen up close and personal?" Jamie poked the brunette in the ribs.

"Well…"

"Uh-huh just as I thought." She took a deep breath. "Okay guys. This is just too freaky for me. Let’s just skip breakfast and go meet the boat."

"Are you sure?" Barron ducked her head to get a good look at her companion.

"I am very sure. If we don’t go now, I’m going to chicken out and I’ll lose everything."

The brunette chuckled, giving a kiss to the top of Jamie’s head. "All right, let’s go."

"Before we get ya’ out to the house," the old man hired to pilot the boat scratched his thick gray whiskers. "Ya ought to go to the store over there," he gestured across the road to a small store. "And fetch a few supplies for the weekend."

Barron lifted the last box of gear from the truck and closed the tailgate. "You guys go ahead, I’ll help get the boat loaded so we can go when you get back."

"You sure?" Jamie ran her hand up the front of the brunette’s shirt.

"Positive. Go ahead." She watched the three friends walk across the street to the little store. Then she turned to the man near the boat. "My name’s Barron." She offered her hand. "You are?"

"JR McCarthy."

"Glad to meet you, Mr. McCarthy."

"JR." He finally shook her hand after a minute’s hesitation. "Are you really going out there? To the old DuPree place."

"That’s the current plan. My friend is the niece of the last owner and she was left the place."

"Ya know the place is cursed?" He turned his head and spit a long stream of tobacco juice.

"So I’ve been told." Barron had started to hand him a bag until the spitting thing, she decided against it.

"Well, lots of strange things have happened out there. You wouldn’t catch me staying there."

Barron started loading the boat while he watched. "That’s good then, since you haven’t been invited."

Jamie grinned as she pulled a can of chocolate sauce from the shelf. "Put your money where your mouth is, Barron." She chuckled, placing it in her basket. She looked over the top of the shelf to find Steph and Jeff getting different things from the small butcher case in the back of the store where a large hairy man was slicing a rare red meat. "God, I hope that’s not someone we know."

She continued to pull items off the shelf. Jamie looked to the old woman standing behind the counter and a shiver ran up and down her spine. She blew out a deep breath then continued her shopping. "I will not get creeped out. I will not get creeped out," she mumbled.

"Ready?" Steph asked as she turned the corner.

"Did you get the holy water and the wooden stakes?"

Jeff laughed as he came up behind his girlfriend. "What’s the matter,Jamie, planning an attack by vampires?"

"You never know," she answered as they made their way to the counter.

"Ain’t no vampires out there, but there’s lots of other things," the old woman grumbled as she began ringing up the groceries. "Don’t know why ya’ young folks want to be going out there. Evil things happen out at the Dupree place. People go out there and they never come back."

Jamie just shook her head. "Look, I know my Aunt Melanie was a little ‘unusual’ but I don’t think there’s anything odd out at the house," the blonde lied, trying to figure out if she was convincing the woman or herself.

"You’ll see," the old woman croaked as she rang up the last item. "Fifty-seven fifty."

Jamie peeled a few bills off from the roll in her pocket. "Did you get ice for the ice chests."

"Yup." Jeff picked up the two bags of groceries. We’ll get them on our way out. We’re all set."

Jamie looked back as they left the store just in time to see the old woman crossing herself. Wonderful.

Barron wrapped her arms around Jamie from behind and nuzzled her neck as the boat slowly cut through the swamp. Jamie looked up at the Spanish moss hanging from the trees and the way the sun seemed to grow dimmer and dimmer with every minute spent in the boat. She also noticed that the sound of what must have been five hundred different types of bugs grew consistently louder as well. She shivered, but had the decidedly wonderful feeling of Barron behind her.

"I hate bugs." Jamie mumbled.

"Don’t worry sweetheart, I’ll stomp them for you."

"My hero." She laughed, looking back into Barron’s smiling face.

"Absolutely. There might not be dragons in the world left to slay for the fair damsel, but I can swat a mosquito with the best of them."

"God! Could you guys get a little more saccharine? I’m going to need an insulin shot after this weekend." Steph gave Jamie’s foot a little tug.

"Hey, I remember when you and Jeff started dating. You were so sicky sweet I use to stick to the floor of the dorm."

"Bite me."

"Now, now," Barron chuckled. "One in the family is enough. Besides she’s mine." She tilted her head down at Jamie.

"You can have her. She snores."

"I do not!" Jamie defended.

"Yes, you do." Barron whispered. "But I think it’s cute."

"Geeze…" Steph groaned.

Jamie just stuck her tongue out at her friend.

"That’s mature." Jeff laughed.

JR docked the boat along the shore. He climbed out and tied it off on a log. "End of the road folks. You’re on your own now. House is about a half mile back." He pointed to the woods. "You’ll find a path. Just follow it."

"Lovely." Steph looked at her companions. "We get to hike to Devil’s Cove."

"Don’t call it that," Jamie grumbled as she began handing gear to Barron. "It’s bad enough without you giving it creepy nicknames."

Once the gear was unloaded, JR climbed back into the boat. "I’ll be back Monday afternoon." He didn’t wait for a reply, he simply turned the boat and left them standing on the shore.

Right on cue it thundered.

"Terrific." Jamie looked to Barron, doubt built into her features. "Suddenly I have a real bad feeling."

The brunette ran her hands up and down Jamie’s arms. "It’s gonna be okay. We’re going to get through this just fine."

"Why do I believe you?" She smiled.

"Because Madam Ali said we’ve been together before." She winked. "You have to trust me."

"How do I know you didn’t get me killed?"

"You don’t. But if I did, I’m sorry and it won’t do it again."

Jeff laughed out loud as he picked up a couple of the bags. "You guys are insane. You do belong together."

Barron looked down at Jamie and said honestly. "Yeah, I think so."

The blonde smiled back. "Really?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded. "I really do."

"Cool." Jamie laughed. She knew it sounded stupid, but it was the only thing she could think of. "I think I like that idea," she added as she shouldered her own bag.

"I know I do. Come on, let’s get to the house before the storm breaks loose."

They knew it was going to take two trips to get all the gear to the house. Barron and Jeff agreed they would go back for the rest after they got Jamie and Steph settled at the house. They walked down the path, which was slowly growing over with weeds and briar bushes. After a few minutes of rigorous walking they entered a clearing to find the house.

Immediately, chills ran down all there spines at the same time. They all started at the big plantation house for a long minute before they turned and looked at each other.

"Okay, the house hates me, let’s go." Jamie tugged on Barron’s arm.

"Hold on there." Barron chuckled, grabbing Jamie’s sweatshirt as she tried to get away. "We’re going in and we’re going to spent the weekend here. Just like the will says."

"No. I changed my mind. I don’t need money I can earn my own. A wise person once said it’s only paper with dead presidents on it. Heck, I can make my own."

"Uh- huh. Come on." Barron pulled Jamie toward the house with Jeff and Steph trailing behind them. "We’ve come this far we’re not backing out now."

They slowly climbed the steps, which creaked like the steps of a haunted house are supposed to. As the approached the front door it opened quite by itself.

"GET BACK HERE!" Barron yelled before even turning around to see her cousin and Jeff moving away. "We promised Jamie we’d stay with her and that’s what we’re going to do."

"In case you didn’t notice, Butch. The GODDAMN DOOR JUST OPENED BY ITSELF!" Steph gestured wildly at the house.

"I noticed. I’m sure it’s just because we jarred the porch when we walked up the steps."

"If the house tells me to get out, I’m leaving!" Steph pulled nervously on the strap of her backpack.

"The house isn’t going to tell you to get out." Barron sighed. The racking of the shotgun brought her attention back to the house and the young woman standing on the other side of the porch with the double-barreled firearm leveled on them.

"What ya’ll want here?" she asked as she waved the gun.

"Oh, shit," Jamie whimpered. "We’re gonna die."

Barron took a deep breath and raised her hand in a calming gesture. She looked at the woman, who looked like a female family member straight out of Deliverance. She was barefoot, wearing denim coveralls, with one of the straps loose and hanging down. That in itself would have been all right, but she wasn’t wearing a shirt and the loose cover did little to hide her breasts, which looked as if they could benefit big time from a wonderbra or any bra for that matter.

The brunette finished her appraisal of the woman with the gun, unfortunately it didn’t get any better. Her greasy hair was set off by two tangled and matted ponytails, which stuck out from the sides of her head, like bizarre antenna. And Barron was sure that the three teeth in her head could benefit from a brushing, but that would probably mean she’d have to spit out the gob of tobacco between her cheek and gum.

"We’re supposed to be here." Barron pulled Jamie forward. "This is Miss Dupree’s niece, Jamie. She inherited the house and we’re here to have a look around."

"’Taint nobody done told me people wuz gonna be comin’ out here."

"I’m sorry about that, but I really am Melanie’s heir. This is my house now, or at least it will be if I make it through the weekend."

"Well, now thar’s the qwestshun ain’t it?" She raised the shotgun. "Miz Melanie told me this here house wuz gonna be fer me and my kin. So yer truspassen on my land."

"Okay, Ellie May Jim Bob Billy Bubba," Steph piped up. "I know normally I wouldn’t argue with a Sasquatch who has a loaded shot gun, but it’s been a long day, ya know. So either kill us or get out of our way.

Barron flinched when the woman lowered the shotgun then used it to scratch her considerable backside. "Sack a what?" she asked right before she spit.

"We’re gonna die." Jeff mumbled.

"I’m really sorry, this is a surprise." Jamie scratched her shoulder. "You do have a name, right?"

"Jude-uth."

"Jude-uth?" Steph’s brows came together.

"Naw! Jude-uth. Cain’t ya’ll understand plain Englush?"

"English we speak, it’s Hick we’re having trouble with."

"SHUT UP." Jeff, Jamie, and Barron all growled at the same time.

The woman slowly pointed the shotgun at Steph. "‘Sides I know what that thar word means, ya stuck up city white trash."

Barron took a slow step forward. "Judith, really now, why don’t you put down the gun so we can talk about this like reasonable adults?"

The woman spit again and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "You keep that nasty thang away from me." She gestured at Steph.

"Noooo problem." Steph put her hands up and walked up the front porch and into the house with Jeff right behind her. For Barron’s cousin, the haunted house was better than the odor radiating from the welcome wagon.

It took a great deal of talking and Barron actually reading the letter from the attorney before Judith fully understood that Jamie was the rightful heir to Melanie Dupree’s estate and possible fortune.

Judith had explained that her family had been the only caretakers for the place since it had originally been built and that she thought with Melanie’s passing there were no more heirs. She wasn’t happy about the fact that Jamie had shown up to stake her claim, but she knew she had no legal right to the place. Jamie was quick to agree to let Judith remain on the land just as she had before. After all, it was the only home she’d ever known.

Once inside, Barron sat her bags in the front parlor where everyone had gathered. "Listen, Jamie, why don’t you and Steph get a fire going while Jeff and I go back for the rest of the stuff."

"You think I’m staying here? You’ve got a lot to learn about what a chicken shit I am."

"Come on now. It’ll be okay and we need to get the fire going before it gets dark or this storm breaks. Steph will be here with you and we’ll be right back." Barron ran her fingers through Jamie’s blonde hair. "I’ll be back before you know I’m gone."

"If you disappear or get killed I’ll never forgive you."

The tall woman laughed. "Darlin’ I’m going to be fine, we’ll be back in a few minutes. Then we’ll get settled and look through the rest of the papers from the attorney and maybe explore a little."

Jamie nodded, not particularly liking the plan, but willing to go along with it. "Okay."

Steph and Jamie had a nice fire going by the time Barron and Jeff lugged in the last of the supplies. Barron blew in her hands and rubbed them together to remove the chill as she settled down next to Jamie and warmed her hands near the flames. "See now this is nice."

"Could be worse." Jeff offered sitting down next to Steph and taking part of the blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

"Jamie and I did a little digging through the papers and ended up finding a old diary for the place. You guys want to hear this?"

"Oh, yeah," Barron pulled Jamie back against her and put a blanket over their legs. "Let’s hear it."

Steph pulled the lamp closer and reopened the old book in her hands. "Okay, it seems that Jamie was right about the daughter of the original owner. She did have a lover. A female lover."

"Must be in the genes." Jeff chuckled as he pulled a beer from the cooler. "Anybody else?"

Steph took the beer from his hand. "Thanks."

"I’ll take one." Jamie reached over and took the offered can.

"Barron?"

"Nah, I got my own, thanks." She reached in her pocket and removed a baggie and a small pipe.

"What the hell is that?" Steph nearly choked on her beer.

Jamie took the bag and sniffed it. "Colombian Gold if I’m not mistaken." She looked back. "Hope you’re planning on sharing."

"Anything you want." Barron took the bag and loaded the pipe. "Go on, Steph. What else does the diary say?"

"All right, anyhow, yes Constance did have a female lover, named Marie. Her father found out about it and went totally insane. He ordered Constance to end the affair and never speak of it or Marie again and then he began looking for a husband for his daughter. But before any wedding could take place both Constance and Marie disappeared."

"Any idea what happened?" Jeff tipped his beer back.

"People speculated for years that Marie murdered Constance when she tried to break it off. Then she put a curse on this house and the family."

"Another one?" Barron chuckled through the cloud of smoke swirling around her head. "This place has more curses than sailors denied shore leave."

"God," Jamie looked back. "You get silly when you get stoned don’t you?"

"I get the three H’s."

"Three H’s?"

"Happy, hungry, and horny."

"Okay, before we get to horny, shall we continue with the story?" Steph raised a brow at her cousin and her friend.

"Sure, what the hell." Jamie gestured as she took the pipe from Barron. "We’re here we may as well try and scare ourselves shitless."

Steph sighed. "I swear." She took a deep breath and turned the page in the book. "So anyhow, the old man married again and had other children, but they had to leave this house after Constance disappeared because of ‘unusual’ happenings."

"Like what?" Barron snuggled closer to Jamie.

Like a good haunted house should do when such a question is asked out loud, there was a loud bang that sounded like a door slamming and then the heavy steps of someone coming down the steps.

Steph and Jeff jumped to their feet with Barron and Jamie close behind.

"That had better be hillbilly gal." Jeff pointed at the entryway and then shoved Barron. "Go find out."

She turned to him and put her hands on her hips. "Thanks a lot there, pal. Nice to know you’re so brave."

"I never claimed to be brave, I’m here for the beer."

"Great." The tall woman growled, taking a flashlight and heading slowly into the entryway.

The light moved back and forth slowly as Barron had a good look around. The noises had already stopped but she couldn’t stop the feeling of the hair raising up on her arms and the back of her neck "What a way to ruin a perfectly good buzz." She approached the steps slowly, shining the light up and down them. "Son of a bitch." She mumbled as she took a step closer.

Very clearly outlined on the dusty wood, were footprints, created by someone wearing boots. She reached a tentative hand out and touched one of the prints. "Hey guys come’re."

"Rut Ro Raggy," Jeff offered in his best Scooby Doo voice. "I don’t like the sound of this."

Barron pointed to the steps. "Look."

"Okay," Jamie pointed at the steps. "We have officially crossed over to creepy."

"I think we should go upstairs and have a look around." Barron flicked the light up to the top of the stairs.

"Oh, no! No way, forget it." Steph grabbed Jeff’s hand and turned for the parlor. "Something too weird will happen if I go up there. I’ll go back in here and read some more."

The brunette looked to Jamie. "You with me?"

"You know it. It’s my haunted house and my ghosts." She slipped her hand into Barron’s as they started up the steps, both of them very careful not to disturb the dusty footprints.

At the top of the steps, they turned right, still following the footprints. The indentations led right to a bedroom door. They stopped and looked at each together for encouragement as Barron placed her hand on the door.

"Go ahead." Jamie urged. "Let’s get it over with."

The moment the door was open a chill swept over Jamie, engulfing her entire body and forcing the air from her lungs. The look of surprise was clear on her face as she tried to fight the sensation surrounding her body. She looked to Barron who seemed oblivious to the problem and was still searching the room. She tried to speak but found it impossible. Then she heard the voice.

Constance.

Constance, I need you.

Help me.

Once the voice faded the chill was gone as if it had run out the door.

"Oh, God!" Jamie screamed as she shook her arms trying to rid them of the feeling that was running rampant through her body.

"What?" Barron turned shining the light in the blonde’s eyes, which she blocked by putting her hand over her eyes.

"You mean to tell me you didn’t hear that or feel that?"

"If you’re asking me, I guess that’s a good sign I didn’t."

"Barron let’s get the hell out of here, like RIGHT NOW!"

"Whoa! What happened?"

"I will be more than happy to tell you while were on our way back to civilization." She grabbed the tall woman’s hand and tried to tug her to the door.

"Jamie, we can’t go anywhere," Barron tugged back. "So you may as well just tell me what happened."

"I heard a voice."

"And?"

"And what more do you possibly fucking need to know? I heard a voice and it didn’t have a body attached to it. I’m totally freaked out now and I really want to leave." Jamie started shaking and Barron could tell she was trying hard not to cry.

"Hey," she pulled the blonde into her arms and comforted her. "It’s okay."

"It’s not okay. This place is really haunted and I want to leave."

"Now you know we’re here until Monday. We’ll just have to make the best of it."

"You’re not hearing voices how do you suggest I make the best of that?"

"Talk back?"

"Everything is not a damn joke Barron, I’m really scared!"

"I know, but it’ll be okay." She ran her hands up and down Jamie’s back. "I won’t let anything happened to you." She placed a kiss to the top of the blonde’s head. "I promise."

The scream from downstairs interrupted what was a truly sweet moment. They broke apart and bolted for the steps. Barron was doing her best to keep the stairs lit with the flashlight. "Be careful, Jamie."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!"

The took the stairs two at a time until landing at the bottom with twin thuds as both sets of feet hit the floor. They scrambled into the parlor, where Steph and Jeff were standing against the wall pointing at the fireplace. Barron slid the light over to see something oozing up from the brickwork. She crossed the room, motioning for Jamie to stay back. She knelt down and dipped her fingers into the ooze and examined it, looking closely at it then sniffing it.

"Do we want to know what that is?" Steph asked, taking a step forward. She figured if the portal of hell hadn’t swallowed up Barron, then it was probably safe to get closer.

"Probably not." Barron wiped her fingers on her jeans. "But I’m going to tell you anyhow, it’s—"

"Blood." Jamie said softly.

Everyone looked at her. Barron nodded. "How did you know?"

"It’s always blood in every horror movie I’ve ever scene. It had to be blood."

The flames in the fireplace flared up as the room was engulfed in that same cold energy that Jamie had felt upstairs. "Barron!" The blonde bolted across the room and into her partner’s arms. "It’s back!"

"What’s back?"

"The feeling or presence or whatever you want to call it."

Constance

Help me

I love you

The chill left the room and the fireplace returned to normal.

"Please tell me you heard that or at least felt it this time?"

Barron shook her head, "I’m sorry. I didn’t, but I believe you."

"Why is this happening to just me?"

"Probably," Jeff tossed a blanket over the pool of blood. "Because it’s your house and your family."

"Like you said," Steph reminded. "Your haunted house and your ghosts."

"I’m more than happy to share." Jamie was trying not to shake, but it wasn’t easy.

After several tense minutes, Barron finally got Jamie settled down and fixed her a cup of hot chocolate. They moved their gear away from the fireplace and proceed to turn on every lamp they had to help the light in the room. Barron was quick to use a couple of the sleeping bags and make a warm bed for Jamie, while Jeff and Steph got settled in for the night too.

Jamie cuddled down into the bags and Barron’s arms as the thunder and lightening grew louder and brighter. "This was such a bad idea. I should be shot" she mumbled.

"We’ll be okay. You have to believe that."

She nodded, running her hand over Barron’s shoulder. "Maybe I just need a good nights sleep."

"Couldn’t hurt." Barron pulled the woman close. "Just relax. I’ll stay awake and keep watch."

"If you see anything, don’t tell me."

Barron chuckled. "All right." She kissed the woman’s forehead. "Close your eyes."

Jamie relaxed as best she could and closed her eyes. Barron listened as everyone fell asleep. She was serious about her commitment to stay awake, but very soon felt her eyes growing heavy.

Marie moved through the front door of the house. She walked into the front parlor and looked at the forms asleep on the floor. She walked over and knelt down next to the first pair. She didn’t recognize the young man with his arms wrapped securely around the young woman.

Going to the next pair, a bark brow rose when she saw the two women lying together. "Constance?" She lowered her hand and brushed it over the cheek of the blonde woman. Then her eyes strayed to the dark haired woman. She was amazed to see that they resembled each other.

Confused, she stood and began walking the house, looking for her own lover. "Constance?"

"Marie? Help me."

The woman stopped in the main hall. Spinning around she listening for the voice again. "Where are you Constance?"

"Dark. Help me."

Marie was desperate to find her lover, but had no idea where to find her. The search had been going on every night for hundreds of years and would continue until someone could come along to help them.

"I’m trying, my love. I’ll keep looking. I promise."

Marie squared her shoulders and slowly disappeared from her spot in the hallway.

Constance climbed the front steps of the house. She had been once again looking for Marie, to no avail. Going inside she also entered the parlor. She paid little attention to Steph and Jeff, sleeping soundly in their sleeping bags. She was far more interested in the other two.

She knelt down and looked at Barron. "Oh, my dear Lord. Marie?" She brushed back the hair from Barron’s face so she could get a better look. Tears formed when she realized it wasn’t her long lost love.

Then she looked to Jamie. "You are of my line. I need your help."

Jamie stirred slowly, opening her eyes she gasped when she saw the figure of the woman in the long flowing dress standing over her. She wasn’t sure what startled her more, the fact that the woman was transparent or the fact they looked exactly alike. She wanted to scream but for some reason she couldn’t. All that came out was a strangled, choking sound.

"Do not be frightened. I’m not going to hurt you."

Jamie just whimpered, closing her eyes and shaking her head. She hoped that when she opened them, the woman would be gone. It wasn’t the case. "Please go away."

"I can’t. I can’t leave without Marie. You have to help me find her."

"I can’t help you. I wouldn’t know how." Jamie glanced at Barron, wondering how the woman was sleeping through this. "I must be dreaming. That’s it. This creepy old place is getting to me."

"You are not dreaming. You are of my line. You can help me."

"Ooo, now my dream is arguing with me." She clapped her eyes shut and shook her head back and forth. "I’m now officially insane."

"I assure you, you are not insane. I am here and I need your help."

"Okay, let’s assume, for just one minute that I’m not completely bonkers and you’re real. Why do you need my help?"

"A great in justice has been done and you need to correct it."

"Riiiiiiight."

"You have the ability to help us. To free us so we can move on."

"And who am I suppose to be helping?"

"Marie and I. We need your help. My father murdered us. Our bodies remain hidden here but we can’t find them. You must find them and put us together. We only want to be together and we want to move on."

"Uh-huh." Jamie was on the verge of hysterical laughter. "I really would like to wake up now."

She elbowed her companion. "Come on, wake up and snap me out of this." She continued poking Barron while watching Constance.

"Huh? What?" Barron slowly woke and as she did, Constance faded from view.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" Jamie scrambled back and squirmed out of the sleeping bag. She managed to get up and out, backing into the wall before Barron was completely awake.

Once she was nearly conscious she rubbed her eyes and looked to Jamie. "What’s going on?"

"I’m losing my mind!"

Barron crawled out of the bag and Steph and Jeff woke up from the ruckus.

"What’s up?" Steph asked, sitting and scratching her head.

"Oh, nothing much. I’m hallucinating and seeing things, namely relatives that have been dead for hundreds of years."

"That’s what you get for smoking pot."

"It had nothing to do with that," Barron grumbled as she moved over and stroked Jamie’s arms. "Now tell me what happened?"

"I just saw Constance. She was standing over us and telling me that we have to find her body and Marie’s body so they can be together."

"Cool!" Jeff climbed out of the bag, going to the cooler for a soda. "You see dead people," he whispered.

"Kill him?" Jamie looked to Barron.

"Sorry, sweetheart, murder isn’t on my resume."

"But it would be a mercy killing."

Barron chuckled and wrapped her arms around Jamie. "You’re just stressed. It’s going to be okay. And there is no need to kill Jeff." She looked at the young man and laughed. "We might need gator bait."

"Hey!" Jeff cracked the can open and took a drink. "I’m worth more than gator bait."

Jamie laughed at her friend and rested her head on Barron’s chest. "I’m sorry Jeff, I’m just a little stressed."

"S’okay. I understand."

"So," Steph got up, stretching her arms high above her head. "What exactly did Constance tell you?"

"My hallucination told me that she and Marie had been murdered by her father and that they had never been put to rest."

"Lovely."

"Guys, I must have been dreaming."

"Did it feel like a dream?" Barron asked, resting her cheek on the top of Jamie’s head.

"No," the blonde admitted quietly. "And that was the worst part of it."

"Maybe we have to go with the reality that there is just something odd going on here and deal with it," Steph offered with a shrug.

"That’s easy for you to say. You slept through the whole crazy thing."

"Jamie, I’m your friend and I love you. No, I don’t think you’re crazy and I think there is something here and we just have to take care of it."

Barron scrubbed her face with her hands and yawned. "Well, I’m pretty sure sleep is out of the question for tonight. So let’s go through the papers again and see if there is anything else they can tell us."

Barron unfolded an old piece of paper and laid it out on the floor, placing a lamp at either corner. "Boy this is pretty faded."

"It’s one of the original building plans. What do you expect?" Jamie nudged her partner as she stretched out next to the tall woman.

"So," Steph joined them in looking at the plans. "Where are all the secret passages?"

"We don’t know that it’s got any secret passages." Jamie ground out.

"Some haunted house." Jeff teased, taking a seat with his friends.

"Hey," Jamie challenged. "Feel free to grab a lantern and go looking. Maybe you’ll see whoever Old Aunt Melanie talked to out front by that old tree."

"I’ll pass."

"I thought as much." She turned her attention back to Barron. "So what do you think?"

Barron sighed. "Well, I think there’s a very good chance that there is a passage behind that fireplace right over there."

"That would be the fireplace that was oozing blood early this evening?" Steph asked the rhetorical question with a devastating look of innocence.

"The very same."

"Lovely."

"So," Jamie got up and walked over to the fireplace. "How do we get in?"

"You’re actually asking?" Jeff laughed.

"Not that I want to, mind you. But if we’re going to figure out what’s going on we don’t have a choice." She began to look all around the fireplace trying to find a trigger or something. She was careful to step around the cloth Jeff had tossed there earlier to soak up the blood.

She pushed just left of the mantle and the entire brickwork shifted to reveal a passage.

"Holy SHIT!" Steph yelled as she scrambled to her feet.

Jamie jumped back a bit when Steph yelled and nearly ran into Barron who was already behind her.

"This could be something." Barron chuckled.

"Ya think!" Jamie elbowed her tall friend.

"How FUCKING COOL!" Jeff was now at the opening with a flashlight. "Oh, let’s go."

"NOW he grows a spine!" Steph put her hands up in disgust.

Barron laughed as she too grabbed a flashlight and headed for the entrance. Without a word or looking back she extended her hand which Jamie took immediately. The four of them walked slowly into the passage.

Barron knocked away cobwebs as she led the way. "Boy, a torch would come in handy right now."

"We’d probably burn the house down."

Continuing down the passage for at least a minute, it seemed to end with a hastily put up brick wall. Barron handed her flashlight to Jamie and knocked on the wall.

"Sounds hollow." Jeff offered as he stepped forward.

"Yeah, let’s see about breaking through it."

Jeff took the back end of his flashlight and knocked on the bricks. On his third attempt, he knocked a brick out.

"Perfect." Barron put her hand in the hole and pulled away more bricks. Jeff helped her and within a few minutes they had a nice size hole in the wall.

Barron took her light and shined it into the opening. "Holy Hell."

"What?" Jamie looked over her shoulder. "Oh, my God."

"All right I can’t stand it. What is it?" Steph moved closer to the opening.

Barron stepped back and let Steph peer into the room, where a body was laying on the floor, face down with its hands tied behind its back.

"Oh, that’s gross." She grimaced and turned away from the wall.

"Who do you think it is?" Jamie shined the light back on the body.

"My guess would be either Constance or Marie. Let’s get this wall torn down and find out." Barron pulled more of the brick away until there was an opening large enough for her to step through. She took the light from Jamie and went into the small room to examine the body.

Kneeling down she could see the body was somewhat preserved. Dressed in long pants and knee high boots and a dirty white silk shirt. There were dark red stains on the material and tears that Barron thought might be bloodstains caused from stab wounds. The hair was long and dark and the remnants showed that it had been pulled back into a thick single braid at the time of death.

The first thing Barron did was remove the bindings at the wrists. To her it just felt wrong that this person had remained bound for all this time. Then she very carefully rolled the body over.

The emaciated face was drawn in pain and it made Barron’s stomach lurch to think of the agony that she must have been in as she lay there and slowly died. A glint caught the light of metal around her neck and slowly Barron reached in and pulled out a necklace of fine gold. It was a simple medallion and engraved on it was: Eternally yours, Constance.

"I think we found Marie."

"Then it’s true," Jamie stepped in and knelt down next tot he body. "They were murdered."

"Well, Marie was."

"Then we have to assume Constance was too," Steph offered as she looked in.

"And we have to find her body." Jeff added, stepping into the small room. "This is just wrong."

"I know." Barron whispered as she took Jamie’s hand. She looked to her lover and whispered. "I’m so sorry."

"So am I. Come on, let’s at least get her out of here."

"I’ll go back and get a blanket," Jeff offered. "If we try to move her without it, the body might fall apart."

Jeff let the room and he and Steph went back up the passage, leaving Barron and Jamie with the body. Jamie took the flashlight and looked around the room. It was empty but a hole at the top of the wall caught her eye. She stood up and examined it, shining the light into it.

"What ya got there?"

"I’m not sure, maybe a vent."

"No it’s not a vent, the air is too stale."

"Then what do you think it is?"

"I don’t know."

"God, this is horrible. I can’t believe someone would do this to another human being."

"It appears on the surface that the rumors about Constance and Marie were true."

"That means Constance’s body is around here somewhere."

"Not necessarily, but I wouldn’t bet a weeks pay against it."

"We have to find it."

"We will."

They carefully wrapped up the body and removed it from the tomb that had held it for so many years. Once they were free of the passage they made sure to close it back up and then moved the body to one of the bedrooms, where they placed it on one of the remaining beds.

"One down, one to go." Steph offered from the doorway.

"Yeah, but we don’t even know where to begin looking for Constance." Jamie scratched just above her brow as she looked at the wrapped form on the bed.

"Ask her." Barron said softly.

"What?"

"Ask her. Ask Constance to help us find her."

"Do I have to?"

"No, we can spend months searching the grounds for her. Because you know now that we’ve found Marie, you’re not going to be happy until we find Constance."

"How’d you know?"

Barron smiled. "You’re not the type of person who could let this go, especially now that you know what happened to one of them."

"I’ve got to stop being so predictable."

"It’s sweet that you could be concerned for someone so long dead."

"You’re weird. But I like weird."

"Hey guys if you can break yourself away from the mutual admiration society we have things to do." Jeff gave a little questioning shrug to his friends. "Right?"

"Right." Jamie sighed. "And I guess it’s up to me."

"Yeah." Barron gave Jamie’s shoulders a reassuring rub. "But we’re going to be right here with you."

"Where should I do this?"

"The parlor? That’s where she came to you first."

"Okay. Let’s go."

Barron sat down with Jamie in front of her, her arms around her. "It’s okay. I’m here. Go ahead."

Steph and Jeff sat back, but close to each other and watched as Jamie closed her eyes.

"Constance? Constance we need your help. We found Marie. We want you two to be together again."

The room was quiet, only the distant thunder ringing in the background. Lightening flashed outside the window, seemingly in answer to Jamie’s calling out. She looked out the window just in time to see a shadow near the tree in the front yard.

"Oh, shit." She mumbled as she moved out of Barron’s gentle embrace and walked towards the front door.

"Jamie, wait." Barron was on her feet and ready to follow when Jamie turned from the door.

"No, stay here. I have to do this myself. I can feel it."

Jamie opened the door and walked outside just as a light rain started to fall. Baron, Steph and Jeff all moved to the window and watched as Jamie apparently decided to have a chat with the tree.

Jamie looked at the image of the woman in the long old fashioned dress, who looked so much like her. Constance smiled at her descendent.

"Thank you for your help."

"You’re welcome. We found Marie."

"Where?"

"In the passage behind the fireplace."

"I never knew where she was. I looked for her but I could never find her."

"What happened?"

"Look at her!" He screamed at Constance who was being held by the two farm hands.

Constance looked at Marie, who was on her hands and knees having been beaten there by her father and two farm hands. She wanted to cry and she wanted to beg for her lover’s life but she knew that was the last thing Marie would want, so she held her tongue but she could not stop the tears from falling down her cheeks.

Marie lifted her head and smiled at the blonde. "I love you. I will always love you."

"MARIE!" Constance struggled against the men who held her only to have her father draw close to her and sneer in her face.

"How dare you! How dare you take up with this woman in such an unnatural way. You have sinned against your family and you have sinned against God! Now you must pay for your indiscretions."

"You can do what you will but that won’t stop us from loving each other."

"You both are unnatural and need to be put to death."

"That will not stop us either."

"Fine! You were always too stubborn for your own good girl.." He waved his hand. "Take her to my study and wait there with her. If she resists you, beat her until she can’t." He turned to two men standing by the prone body of Marie. "Take her to the parlor!"

Constance watched, as Marie was drug into the house. The men on either side of her tightened their grip and pulled her toward the house. As she was pulled into the house she looked to Marie, who was coming back to consciousness. She broke away from the men holding her and fell to the brunette’s side.

"Marie, I’m so sorry! I love you! I’m so sorry." Tears fell down her cheeks as she brushed wet hair from Marie’s bruised cheek.

The woman opened her eyes and smiled as much as she could. "Don’t cry." She swallowed hard. "We’ll always be together."

"GET HER!" The old man yelled and Constance was yanked away from her lover and Marie was hauled to her feet and taken into the parlor.

The last view Constance had was of the woman being beaten to the floor. Constance was taken into the parlor where she was tied in a chair to wait for her father. He entered a few moments later. Taking a seat on the corner of his desk he stared down at his daughter.

"Now, are you going to come to your senses and do as I tell you so we can forget your shameful indiscretions?"

"What have you done with her?"

"Put her somewhere where her evil ways can no longer touch you. Now answer my question."

"I will never submit to you! You have taken away the only person I ever loved."

"Then that is the answer."

He got up from his desk and opened a panel behind a heavy bookcase.
"Put her in there."

"I know where she is!" Jamie yelled as she bolted through the house to the old study across the foyer from the parlor.

Hot on her heels her three companions came a full run to follow her. When they entered with the needed light they found Jamie frantically clawing at an old bookcase.

"Hey, hey easy there." Barron moved to her and pulled her to an embrace.

"CONSTANCE is in there!" Jamie tried frantically to pull away.

"Jamie," Barron said firmly. "It’s not like it matters. There’s nothing we can do for her anyhow."

"It does matter!" Jamie pushed off of Barron and began digging at the bookcase again. Barron began helping her friend, until one of them hit a switch and the bookcase creaked open. Jamie pushed it open to find a small door. She reached for the knob and paused before turning it only to find it locked. "Damn!"

"Stand back." Barron waited until Jamie was away from the door, then she kicked it in.

"Damn, Butch. I’m keeping you."

They pulled the shattered door away from the frame and looked inside. Jamie gulped air and turned away. She had nearly made it across the room before throwing up.

Barron even had to back out and gulp for air, working really hard to keep her own dinner down. Steph and Jeff stepped up and took a quick look. Steph turned away immediately hiding her face behind her hands and leaning into her boyfriend. Jeff wrapped his arms around her and led her away.

Barron moved to Jamie and wrapped her up as well. "You okay?"

Jamie nodded, but said nothing as she tried to catch her breath.

"You don’t have to go back in there. Jeff and I will handle it."

"No, she’s my blood. I need to do it."

"Okay, but let me get some more light and something for you to drink."

"‘Kay."

Jeff and Steph joined Jamie and they embraced her also. "How could someone do that to their own child?" she asked, glancing back to the bookcase.

"I don’t know," Jeff said quietly before looking away.

Barron returned with spare lights, a soda for Jamie and a knife. "Let’s go," she said quietly.

Jeff followed her without a word.

They entered the small room. This room was furnished with a small desk, a bed and a lantern. Barron set their lamps on the desk and looked back to Jeff. "You want to hold her or cut her down?"

"I’ll cut."

"Great. Thanks." She handed him the knife, then looked at the body of the woman hanging from a post in the wall. She took a deep breath and placed her hands on the woman’s waist. Lifting the body wasn’t that difficult, she had been a small woman to begin with and now there quite literally wasn’t anything left but skin and bones and there wasn’t a lot of skin.

Once the sheet had been cut, Barron carefully laid the body on the bed as Jamie came into the room.

"Thanks." She whispered as she drew closer to her long dead relative. "I’m sorry this happened to you Constance."

Steph brought in another light and shined it on the desk. "Hey look."

All eyes looked to the desk where there was a dusty leather bound book. Jamie crossed the room and picked it up. "This is Constance’s diary." She looked at the first few pages. "Oh, my God, this is a record of her last days in here."

"Oh, man." Steph sighed. "Let’s get her upstairs with Marie and then have a look at that."

"Right." Jamie tucked the book in the waistband of her jeans then moved to help wrap the body.

"There is just something right about that." Barron said looking at the bodies lying side by side. "This feels right."

"It is right." Jamie agreed. "Let’s go downstairs and have a look at this." She waved the diary.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"I need to know."

"Okay. Let’s go."

The four slipped out, quietly closing the door as they did as if they would wake the occupants if the room.

Constance stepped away from the wall and looked at her body on the bed. She smiled when she looked over at Marie’s body. "Together," She whispered.

"Forever," came a reply as Marie stepped from the area of the window.

It didn’t take long for Constance to find her way into Marie’s arms.

Barron put more wood on the fire as they settled back in and prepared to read the diary. Jamie stretched out with her head in Barron’s lap as she flipped through the pages.

"Man, this is sick."

"Well, let’s hear it." Steph pulled a blanket over her shoulders and leaned on Jeff.

"Okay…"

I know not what day it is. I think I have been here for a few days now. I can hear Marie though the shaft that connects our cells. We talk as much as we can, but her responses are becoming softer and farther between. I believe that my beloved Marie is close to the end.

I have no desire to go on without her. Listening to her now, I wish us both a quick end. I never meant for this to happen. I never expected father to find out. Had he not come to the stables unexpectedly, Marie and I would be safely away from here now.

I know my dearest has passed. It’s been several hours since she uttered her last words. She told me she would always love me. I believe she too, knew her death was approaching.

I have decided to join her. I can’t live without her and while I pray God to forgive my sins, I also hope He will allow us to be together as we intended.

I hope someday that someone will find this and know that Marie and I loved each other truly, deeply. More than any two people I have ever known.

My darling Marie was beautiful, strong, kind and wise. Her love was tender and the sweetest gift I have ever been given.

So now I prepare to be with my Marie. This is the only way we can be together.

"So then she hung herself?" Steph asked as her hand moved to her throat.

"So it would seem. She just couldn’t go on without Marie."

"God, can you imagine people doing that kind of thing?" Jeff hugged Steph close to him. "He killed them because they wanted to be together."

"Yeah." Barron wrapped her arms around Jamie. "But we brought them back together again."

"Indeed you did."

All eyes turned to the doorway, where both Marie and Constance stood. The four jumped to their feet and back slowly away, causing Constance to laugh as she held Marie’s arm and they walked slowly into the room.

"Don’t be afraid. We’re not going to hurt you." Marie covered Constance’s hand with her own and looked to her with adoring eyes.

"We came to thank you."

"You brought us together after so many years of being apart. We searched for each other but could never come together."

"You made that possible. We are forever in your debt." Marie wrapped her arm around Constance.

"This means you can go on now?" Jamie stepped forward, now more intrigued than scared by her ghostly visitors.

"We can, but we have no desire to do so." Constance looked to her tall lover. "Good or bad this is our home. And now we can remain here."

"So you’re going to hang around and haunt the place?" This question got Jeff an elbow in the ribs from Steph.

Marie laughed. "You could call it that if you like. We prefer to think of it as getting on with the life so cruelly stripped away from us."

"Jamie, it’s all right with you if we stay, isn’t it?"

Jamie started to say something and then her mouth clicked shut and she nodded. "Yes, of course. This is more your home than mine."

"Not at all. This is your home now too. You did what no other before you could." Constance looked to Barron and smiled. "Perhaps it’s because you understand what we have."

Barron looked to her own blonde companion. "I think you might be right."

"We promise," Marie grinned. "Not to cause too much trouble."

Jamie laughed. "Just don’t rattle any chains."

Marie’s brows came together. "Now why would we want to do that?"

Six Months Later…

Barron slid into the four poster bed next to Jamie and curled around her, so they were spooned.

"Well, I think we’re all ready for tomorrow."

Jamie groaned and rolled over to face her lover. "You may be but, I’m nervous as hell."

"Why? Crimeny, James…we’re booked solid for the next six months. People love coming to a house with a history like this one and the fact that Marie and Constance are still here only makes it that much better."

"You know it’s funny, but I kinda feel like we’re taking advantage of them."

Barron laughed and pulled Jamie closer. "Sweetheart, if they don’t want to show up they don’t have to. It’s not like they get paid to be here."

"I know." She turned around and buried her face in Barron’s neck. Then she took a deep breath and hummed her delight at her partner’s shower clean smell. "You smell good," she whispered as she began kissing the column of neck at her lips.

"Hmm…you keep that up and I’m gonna get all sweaty."

"Promise?"

"Oh, yeah." She growled as she began unbuttoning Jamie’s pajama top. "Why did you wear these to bed?"

"Hey, there’s a chance we might go to bed and actually sleep."

"Riiiight." She continued as she slipped the shirt off the blonde’s shoulder and tossed it to the floor. She slowly rolled Jamie on to her back and began letting her lips explore.

"That tickles." Jamie giggled as Barron hit a particularly sensitive spot.

"Get used to it," the brunette teased as her lips traveled even lower, finding a taut nipple awaiting her inspection.

"Oh—" Jamie paused, aching into Barron’s warm mouth. "I can get very used to this."

"Glad to hear it," her partner mumbled around her skin, just before giving it a quick nip.

"No teeth!" Jamie swatted playfully at Barron’s back.

"That’s not what you said last night."

"Yeah, well," She wrapped her arms around Barron and drew her closer. "Last night I was so horny you could have tossed me off the roof and I would have come."

Barron burst out laughing and rolled onto her back, continuing to laugh so hard she had tears streaming down her face.

"It’s not funny, you beast!" Jamie crawled on top of her and peered down. "You teased me all damn day!"

Barron’s hand found Jamie’s breasts and rubbed them lovingly, thumbs grazing over erect nipples. "And now I can tease you all night."

"Don’t you dare, Barron Price! That would just be too cruel. How about we make love all night long?"

"I think that can be arranged." She slid her hands up Jamie’s back and massaged slowly, causing the smaller woman to shiver. She gently applied pressure that immediately caused Jamie to lean over so their lips were touching.

Jamie didn’t wait before deepening the kiss, causing Barron to groan. Her hands slid under Barron’s t-shirt and pulled it off her body, breaking the kiss only long enough to throw the shirt onto the floor with her own.

"Oh, yeah…" Barron moaned when Jamie slid down her body, kissing, nipping and sucking as she pulled off her boxer shorts. The tall woman’s hands flew to the rungs of the headboard, when she realized there would be no foreplay or prelude. "Oh, GOD!"

Jamie just hummed very happily and her tongue caressed thighs and her nose slid into soft dark hairs. "Nice."

"Yes, yes, be nice." Barron begged, taking a moment to look down at the woman laying happily between her legs. "Please be nice."

Jamie smiled up at her lover, even as she ran her fingers through her pubic hair, grazing her nails over very warn skin.

"Just evil." Barron hissed as her head fell back to the pillow, her eyes snapped shut and her hips thrust up.

"Patience," Jamie teased, before kissing the inside of her partner’s thigh.

"Patience my ass." Barron growled, moving her legs a little farther apart, trying to entice her lover in.

Marie looked to the ceiling above them as she settled in a high back chair next to the fireplace which roared to life of it’s own accord. "Good Lord they don’t need us to be here at night. They do enough moaning of their own."

"Marie! Hush! I can’t believe you said that."

"Well, listen to them. They go at it like bunnies."

"They are young and in love. They are about to open a new business. They’re happy and celebrating life."

"They celebrate life all the time. Even when they’re not in bed. You should have seen what I popped in to in the kitchen today."

"I hope you had the good grace to leave."

"Eventually."

Marie reaches back and slaps her lover’s leg. "That’s not nice."

"It is not as if they knew I was there."

Jamie straightened her costume, not particularly liking the corset that went with it, but willing to get use to it for the sake of the foundling bed and breakfast, apply named Lover’s Cove.

She and Barron had spent the first four months putting together a business plan using Jamie’s inheritance to refurbish the place and make a profitable lesbian oriented business. The next two months had been spent working with locals to put the house back into livable condition to be used as a bed and breakfast.

Judith was given a bath, a pair of shoes and the job of grounds keeper. Steph and Jeff went back to school, where Steph made a great grade on her finals and Jeff flunked Trig.

Barron came into the parlor brushing the lint from her tight riding pants and tugging on the sleeves of her shirt. "It’s too small."

"Don’t complain to me because your sleeves are too short, until you spend an hour in the corset." Jamie shook her finger in her lover’s face.

"It’s not my fault you’re the spitting image of Constance."

"Good genes."

"Then why do I look so much like Marie?"

"Great gene’s." She leaned up and kissed Barron’s chin.

"You never know." Marie said as she strolled into the room. "She might be of my line."

Jamie grinned, having become quite accustomed to their ghostly housemates. "You mean you don’t know?

"I’m suppose to keep track for two hundred years?"

"No, I guess not."

"Doesn’t matter," Barron stated walking for the front door. "It’s obviously superior breeding."

Jamie just rolled her eyes and Marie laughed as they followed her. They waited on the front porch for the horse drawn buggy that would bring their first guests. Marie stepped off the porch and looked to a third story window.

"Constance Renee DuBois get your ever loving fanny down here. We’ve got guests coming."

Without opening the window, Constance’s head appeared through the glass. "Hold your horses, you bossy thing you. A woman has got to make herself presentable."

"How presentable can you be, you’ve been dead for two hundred years?"

Constance huffed and retreated back inside, only to appear right next the Marie a moment later.

"I hate it when they do that." Barron whispered to Jamie, who tried to stifle a giggle.

"We’re ghost, it’s what ghosts do." Constance pointed out reasonably.

When the carriage pulled up, the driver was quick to help the couple out of the carriage then he unloaded their luggage and carried it inside. The guests smiled and took in the sight of the beautifully restored house and grounds as their two seen and unseen hosts waited to great them. Jamie was the first to step off the porch.

"Welcome to Lover’s Cove. My name is Jamie DuBois and this is my partner Barron Price. We hope you have a wonderful stay while you’re with us. And if you’re very lucky you might see the spirits of Constance and Marie wandering around here someplace. They were brought back together so that they could always remain together." She smiled further as she escorted the guests inside. "If you’re interested, Barron and I would be happy to tell you their whole story, it is one of the most romantic that you have ever heard."

"That’s why where here." Another tall woman answered. But I bet we’ve got a story to rival yours.

Barron’s brows drew together just a bit then leaned over and whispered to Jamie. "If this keeps up we’re going to have to wear name tags.

Barron wasn’t the only one taking notice, the blonde guest grinned as she looked back and forth between her own companion and the two women on the steps. "Now we’ve crossed over into freaky, Ghostbuster."

Her partner extended a hand to Barron. "Kayla Redding, and this is my partner Liv Hazlewood."

Barron returned the gesture and smiled. "Nice to meet you. I hope you enjoy your stay."

Kayla smiled. "Well, if Constance and Marie do more than stand on the porch, I’ll be very pleased."

The End.

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