Oh god! It wasn’t a dream! Instinctively, with trembling hands, my fingers found their way in between my legs, then to my pussy, and slowly, I pushed two fingers in. Fear gripped me as I felt something, something I was certain wasn’t mine. I drew in a deep, shaky breath and pulled my hands out, coming face to face with the liquid, slimy, cum, and the aftermath of my release.
He had made everything look like last night didn’t happen, but left this?
As I stared at the substance on my fingers, I shut down the deranged part of me that wanted to smell it, lick it, and taste him. I knew for certain that whatever had claimed me last night…had left its mark, and was going to return to leave more.
And fuck me…I couldn’t wait for it.
Chapter Six
Elena
By the time my phonebuzzed that evening, the house felt too big again. From the creaks to the whispers of the wind against the windows, everything somehow seemed to make me jump. So when I saw Mara and Talia calling in the group chat, I nearly sagged in relief. Finally, some sense of normalcy, noise…life.
“Finally!” Mara’s voice exploded through the speaker. “We thought you died or got kidnapped on your way there.”
“I told you she wouldn’t survive more than a week,” Talia chimed in, and I could hear the grin in her voice.
I laughed weakly, but it felt almost good. “Wow. Love the support, guys.”
“Have you been eating at least?” she added, making me shake my head.
“Define eating,” I said, curling into the couch. “If coffee counts, then I’m thriving.” I smiled weakly, looking at the empty mug on the table.
Mara snorted. “You’re insane. What are you even doing all alone in that mansion anyway? And when is Max showing up?”
I hesitated for a split second too long. “It’s not haunted, Mara, and Max should be here the day after tomorrow.”
“Mm-hmm,” she said, her voice dripping with mock disbelief. “He’d better be. I’m just glad you two will be celebrating your birthdays together.”
“Yeah, me too,” I replied, unsure if it was a lie or not.
Having our parents’ death anniversary on my birthday wasn’t something I’d tag as great, but having to celebrate Max’s birthday on New Year’s Day was indeed great. I looked forward to it, and I couldn’t wait to see him.
We talked more about everything and nothing, from Talia telling us about the fight with her boyfriend, to Mara still pretending she didn’t like hers. We argued, laughed, and complained about work. For a while, I forgot about the heavy silence that had followed me since dawn. Their voices filled the house with something I hadn’t felt in days; a sense of normalcy I’d almost been yearning for since getting here. Something about us over the phone felt almost different. I couldn’t place what it was, but it was like I didn’t have to pretend to be having a good time; because I actually was.
Then came that lull, that quiet moment after laughter, when everyone was just breathing, existing. I don’t know why I said it, maybe I wanted to test the waters, or maybe I just needed someone to tell me I wasn’t crazy. “Do you guys believe in ghosts?”
Silence. Then, Mara snorted. “What, like boo-I’m-here-to-haunt-you kind of ghosts?”
“Yeah,” Talia said between giggles. “Because, honestly, you sound like you’ve been bingeing too many paranormal TikToks again.”
“I’m serious,” I murmured. “Like…spirits that linger. Youknow, energy, entity, whatever you call them. But yeah, that sort of thing.”
Mara hummed thoughtfully. “My grandma used to say spirits can attach themselves to sadness. Or to people who are seeking death.”
I sighed silently. “I see.”
“And I think that in a way, it does make sense, the living wanting death, and the dead wanting the living? Very poetic,” she added
“Okay, okay, let’s see what the internet says,” Talia said, already typing. I could hear her nails clicking against the screen. “Okay, so…apparently, if you feel a ghost’s presence, you can use…oh my God, this is ridiculous, use your blood to chase it away.”
“Excuse me?” I gasped.
“Yeah,” Talia laughed. “You smear a few drops around you and point toward where you feel it’s coming from. It says if the ghost didn’t come for you, your blood will send it away.”
“Your blood,” Mara repeated, wheezing. “What kind of satanic Pinterest advice is that?”
“That’s disgusting,” I cringed, half-horrified, half-amused.
