Darque Wants (60 page)

“I’m so sorry, forgive me. Let me loosen that a bit, there you go. Shall I help you with the gown?”

“Yes that would be nice, thank you. I didn’t know how heavy it would be. I suppose it makes sense though, with how cold it can get here. I loved reading about what people did and how they lived before the Earth gave way to the wasteland I live in.”

“I am happy that our future generations were able to preserve some of their past, but deeply saddened that they squandered the Earth’s gifts so wantonly. Surely there are still seasons then?”

“No, not like there used to be. Everything is about the same every day, all the time. The only variation is light precipitation that never reaches the ground.”

Dorian ponders this information while he helps her into the gown, fastens the back of it, and then fetches the boots. He notices that she has already donned the stockings, which cover shapely calves and slender ankles. Carefully slipping on one boot then the other, he laces them up for her.

“Well, maybe tomorrow we can go for a ride and you can see what late fall looks like. This is my favorite part of the year.”

“That would be nice. What shall we do now, though?”

“Would you like to see my study? It isn’t much but it is yours to use as well as any other room in the house. I can also show you the workshop.”

Thinking about the time machine made her feel slightly ill.

“We don’t need to go in to the workshop anytime soon. I would love to see your study.” His face lights up at this. He is so handsome. Why can’t she stop thinking this way?

“Maybe after that, we could take a walk outside? I have never breathed fresh air before or smelled a tree.”

“Of course we can. I would enjoy showing you all of that and more.”

*****

The day passed easily between them. Faith was enamored by the study and pulled almost every book off the shelf to look at it. Dorian was proud that he had taken such care to make sure that he kept up with his father’s collection. Their outdoor excursion proved wondrous to Faith. They picked the late blooming flowers and brought them home to put in the kitchen.

“Shall we make dinner?” Dorian asks as Faith plops unceremoniously into the chair in the kitchen. Faith takes a moment to consider what is in the kitchen before she answers.

“I don’t think I will be much help to you. I don’t see a single thing I recognize.”

“How do you mean? Did you not prepare your meals every day?”

“No, actually, I didn’t. I had a robot butler. He took care of everything. The kitchen system was quite ingenious; all he had to do was hit the right menu button and a full meal would appear in the compartment. I could never be sure what it was actually made of but it was filling.”

Dorian’s mouth is agape in wonder. A working robot that could follow commands? This was monumental.

“We will have to remedy your lack of cooking skills later, for now tell me how the robot worked while I cook us dinner.”

“I may do a better job of explaining it if I get my sketch book and sketch it out for you.” For the first time in her life, Faith feels like she was in the right place at the right time. She still isn’t sure, though, how she feels about being plucked from her life because a man wanted her to be here. Something about that doesn’t sit right. But sitting in the kitchen with Dorian busily sketching out the robot almost feels normal.

“So the robot almost looks like a man,” she explains. “He has rounded edges and stained metal to emulate clothing. His face moves in a lifelike way. I believe you would maybe call it artificial intelligence?” Dorian’s blank face tells  Faith this phrase hasn’t come into use yet.

“Never mind, can you tell me about what is going on in the town?” Dorian’s face immediately changes, his scowl tells her that whatever is going on, it isn’t good.

“Let’s sit down for dinner first and then we can discuss our current situation.”

At dinner, Dorian starts the conversation and begins to describe what is going on in the city.

“The men that currently occupy the city are nothing less than a ruthless plague. It began when they murdered the Sheriff. After that horrendous act, people were afraid to stand up to them despite the fact that we outnumbered the gang. Overtime, the gang took control of everything. The bank, the hotel, and the market are no longer safe to go into alone and there is an unchecked lawlessness that permeates our home. ” Here he takes a moment for all of this to sink in for Faith.

She has to hold her tongue to keep from telling him about the dangers of her home. She knows for him this must be very hard.

“My father believed that the gang also employed an inventor to create a machine that could control the thoughts and actions of those that came within certain proximity. That is how they are able to keep an impression of serenity. Father knew that although he was an expert in his field, he would need someone who had advanced knowledge of machines to overcome the gang and their mind machine.”

Through all of this, Faith remains serene. At this point, though, she realizes just how dangerous the situation is. If they have a mind control machine then there is no hope for any of them. In another part of her, she is bursting with excitement. It’s like she has been transported into one of her novels and is the heroine. How could Dorian possibly have known this about her? Every word that comes out of his mouth makes her want to kiss him, full and well on his unbelievably kissable lips. While she is attracted to him, she knows she should be angry with him. Somehow, though, that adds to the appeal. If he knew what she was thinking, she would be in trouble tonight.

“We are going to have to do something about the machine first. I have no way to defend myself against something like that. In my world, it was a constant presence in my head. I am afraid that I would completely succumb without any fight at all.”

Dorian is surprised and saddened to hear that she has experience with something like this.

“Yes, I agree. Somehow, we will have to permanently disable the machine.”

After dinner, they retire to the study and attempt to get to know each other, but the tension in the room is getting in the way of anything stimulating. Whether it is the candlelight dinner or the claret she had, Faith is starting to feel the effect of what appears to her to be a romantic overture. Never having been romanced before, Faith is feeling particularly open to taking advantage of the situation and exploring her ultimate fantasies. She has been holding back. Finally Faith gives in to her baser instincts.

Dorian has been oblivious to the war going on inside Faith’s head, carefully concealed below the surface of her smile, which he hasn’t been able to look away from. Dorian himself is trying desperately to maintain his composure as a gentleman should. He also doesn’t want to frighten her. Much to his surprise, he has thus far been able to keep it together. He knows though, that if Faith makes any indication she is interested in him, he won’t be able restrain himself.

Throwing her judgement out the window, Faith gets up from the settee and moves toward Dorian, who is seated across from her. Almost at the same time, Dorian rises to leave to make coffee for them as Faith is coming toward him. Instead of the seductive move Faith was hoping for, they collide and topple backward on to the settee. Laughing, they look into each other’s eyes. What passes between them doesn’t need words.

It is Faith’s first lesson in how complicated it can be to get out of the Victorian contraptions that pass as clothes. It was never this hard to get undressed in her fantasies. In their frustration to get to each other Faith hikes up her skirt, exposing her stocking clad legs and the frilly drawers further up.

Dorian somewhat hastily yanks the drawers down around Faith’s ankles. She giggles as she grasps his shoulders to keep from losing her balance and steps out of them. Dorian caresses her foot as he pulls away the garment. Knowing that she is fully vulnerable now, he runs his hands up her legs to her thighs and is rewarded by a soft moan escaping Faith’s lips and a tremor goes through her body he can feel in his heart.

Faith is filled with ecstasy, hardly able to contain the anticipation of what is to come. She doesn’t give Dorian a chance to do anything else below her navel as she grasps him by the shoulders and pulls him against her.

Seizing the opportunity, Dorian swings her up into his arms and carries her upstairs to the bedroom. The journey from the door to the bed is a flurry of kissing and fondling as Faith tries to find her usual patterns, but Dorian isn’t behaving as a normal twenty-first century man would. It is confusing and frustrating. She wants him to rip off her clothes and take her, but he seems to be moving like a broken down hover craft.

He in turn is surprised by her voraciousness. Having been with only a handful of women before, his experience is of course limited, but he doesn’t recall them being this excited or aggressive. It takes him some time to get comfortable with her aggression, which in her case is not to be confused with passion, but soon enough he is responding in kind.

Divested of the remaining barriers to naked skin to skin contact, Faith takes the lead and pushes Dorian to bed. Mounting him, she pulls her hairpins and shakes out her hair. Placing her hands on his chest, she begins to move up and down.

The sensation of having a woman on top of him almost brings Dorian to the edge, but he is able to stop himself. Faith is a vision of wantonness as she rides him to the edge and back again. She obviously knows how far to push and is enjoying toying with him. This is her way of satisfying herself, having control of her partner and her pleasure is the only way Faith has ever been able to come to an orgasm.

Satisfied that Dorian will let her do as she pleases, Faith takes her pleasure from him and only after she finishes does she ride him in fast hard movements to bring him over the edge in a rush. Faith gracefully dismounts and flops on to the bed with a flourish and a big sigh. Dorian is absolutely bewildered by the experience.

“Faith?”

“Yes?”

“I haven’t lain with a woman in a long while. This sort of behavior though usually means the woman is a prostitute.” He is silent for a moment before he asks quietly, “Are you a prostitute in your time?”

At first Faith wants to be horrified and offended, and then she just loses it. The hilarity of the situation is just too much for her. Her laughter seems to be unnerving Dorian, so she tries to calm herself.

“I’m sorry,” she says between giggles. “I am not a prostitute, per se, it’s just that in my time, sexual interactions are treated differently.”

“You mean wantonness in females is accepted?”

“Well yes, I suppose it is.”

“Hmmm…” he murmurs softly. Dorian doesn’t seem convinced but also doesn’t have an argument that would make any difference. With memories and thoughts swirling in both their minds, they fall asleep together in companionable silence.

*****

November, 1881 – Durango

The morning is dawning bright. The sun is just hitting their faces from across the room. Faith’s raven black hair is spread across the pillow in perfect pin up waves. If there was a camera in the room, it would be a boudoir photo incarnate, with legs intertwined and arms draped provocatively.

Faith finds that she wakes without the usual bile in the back of her throat, something that hasn’t happened for her in a long while.

Dorian wakes for the first time with a woman in his bed. Spending an occasional evening in a pleasure house isn’t the same as having a partner  next to you. For the first time, Dorian feels the pang of loneliness that has been hiding below the surface. Even after the strange feelings Dorian had last night, they seem to have happened long ago and to another person as he looks adoringly at Faith. She couldn’t be more beautiful in his eyes and he is looking forward to their next romantic encounter even though he knows it is dishonorable.

Languidly, they smile to themselves and detangle. Clutching the sheet to her Faith, looks for the bathroom door, then she remembers where she is and realizes she will have to ask Dorian about what to do. How embarrassing, she thinks.

“Um, Dorian?”

“Yes?”

“Where is the bathroom?”

“The what?”

“Where do I relieve myself?” To her dismay, he reaches under the bed and pulls out the chamber pot. Thankfully, it’s empty.

“You can take it behind the screen if you like. There is a cutout seat there to use.” He smiles as he turns his back to dress and give her some privacy.

She hadn’t considered this part of the equation. Studying the finer points of history had not been one of her priorities. She mainly focused on the glamorous side of things.

Once dressed, Dorian heads downstairs to make breakfast and coffee. Faith follows shortly after and he helps her with the lacing and closure of the dress.

In the fresh light of day, Faith sees her situation for what it is. She has virtually been kidnapped and while she isn’t being held against her will, per se, she can’t leave at will either. Last night was a mistake and will never happen again, she vows to herself.

“Dorian, what do you think I can do to help you with the town? If I do help you, will you let me go home?”

“I am not sure how to get you home, actually, but I will do what I can to make that happen. As for what you can do, well that is another matter entirely. My father never gave much direction as to what I should do once I found you. I think it is something that we will have to discover together. I think we should start by getting to know our enemy which means we will have to go to Main Street and spend some time there. My hope is that at some point a sensible and realistic plan will form between us and we will know what to do. I always thought we should be able to go in with brute force if the whole city rose up against them, but my father was not convinced that everyone would band together.”

“Then the sooner we get started, the sooner I can go home right?”

“Yes, I suppose that is true. But truly, if you ever are unhappy or wish to leave my home, you may. I am not holding you prisoner here.” Inside, Dorian is crushed and he barely keeps the disappointment from his face. After last night he truly thought they had made a connection. Apparently not. He refuses to give up, though, and vows to change Faith’s mind about staying with him.

Dorian gives Faith some prep work to do for the afternoon to learn the time period better and get comfortable with the finer aspects of Western Victorian culture. He also orients her in the kitchen and the daily chores, like taking care of the chickens and collecting eggs. This first encounter was amusing for Dorian, Faith had never seen a chicken before it proved to be a bit of a shock to her.

Dorian prepares a backstory for Faith to ensure that her true origins are not discovered. He puts it out around town that she is his distant cousin visiting from New York. This is a somewhat solid cover story to keep people from asking too many questions that would trip Faith up. In the mornings, they review who lives in the town, what the streets are called and the layout of the place so Faith can get an idea of where things are and who she needs to interact with.

In the afternoon Dorian tries to orient Faith to the ways of Victorian times and how his different inventions work. Her favorite time is their afternoon sessions when she gets to spend time with Dorian in his workshop. There Dorian is the most vibrant his eyes just seem to light up and his smile never leaves his face. One afternoon looking at him, Faith gets up the courage to ask him a question she has been dying to ask.

“Will you sit for me? I would like to sketch your likeness,” Faith had been with him a few days before she made the decision to ask him. After she did though, she knew it was the right time.

“I would be honored. When would you like to begin?”

“How about right now? You can sit at your desk in the study if you like.”

“That is a capital idea. I believe the light will be just right as well if we open the curtains.”

“How would you know about lighting?”

“My mother was an amateur artist and she would often use the study for the light. She claimed it was the best light in the house. I think she just wanted to see if Father would put up a fuss, he never did. He respected my mother and the strong-willed woman that she was. Shall I sit here?”

“Yes, that will be fine. Just give me a moment to capture your face in this light and then you can speak again.”

Dorian was more than happy to simply observe Faith at work. The resulting portrait reflected a man he had seen before. Faith had managed to capture his father in his face without ever having seen him. Her skill surpassed anything he could have imagined.

“Would you consent to help me put to paper the designs that are in my head. I am not as talented as you and would welcome any assistance you care to provide.”

“I would love to help.”

He also wanted to introduce her to the things he enjoyed doing growing up. Dorian took pride in the horses that he and his father had raised together. He and Faith would take them out almost every morning.

Faith took well to riding and seemed to be a natural. She especially enjoyed the fact that she got to wear Dorian’s mother's riding suits.  The outfit was very attractive on her and just made her feel regal on back of the horse.

They spent hours galloping through the orchards in the countryside and they had picnics by the river behind the workshop. Faith showed Dorian what he could do to make things easier around the house. She helped him implement a few hydro-powered mechanisms for the house but, more importantly, in the workshop.

He also wants to introduce her to the things he enjoyed growing up. Dorian has always taken pride in the horses that he and his father raised together. He and Faith take them out almost every morning.

Faith takes well to riding and seems to be a natural. She especially enjoys the fact that she gets to wear Dorian’s mother’s riding suits. The outfit is very attractive on her and just makes her feel regal on the back of the horse.

They spend hours galloping through the orchards and countryside and have picnics by the river behind the workshop. Faith shows Dorian what he can do to make things easier around the house. She helps him implement a few hydro-powered mechanisms for the house but, more importantly, in the workshop.

As the days go by, Faith is finding that she is torn between both worlds. On the one hand, she misses her friends and the conveniences of her time but here with Dorian, she has grown to appreciate the life she had never known was possible before she was transported. Not just the trees and the animals in the clean air which of course are big draws in the decision making process, but also a growing appreciation for the people that live here.

She’s gotten to know some of the children that live in town and she knows that if she stays, she can make a life in this time. She hasn’t decided yet if Dorian is the one she wants to make a life with. She has been thinking that maybe after they complete their mission that maybe she could go off on her own maybe go to New York. She would love to explore the country that had been devastated by war and famine and no longer existed in her time.

Her drawing book is almost full. She’s going to have to find a new one. Hopefully, she will be able to get one down at the store in town.

At one point, Faith laments to Dorian that she misses showers. He then insists that she describe it to him. Within a day, Dorian has made something up for her outside the house so that she can have water pouring over her head. It is a makeshift device, but gets the job done.

Dorian has been filling his journals while Faith has been filling her sketchbook. The journals are full of how his feelings for Faith are changing, evolving, and growing. He hopes she feels the same way toward him but he doesn’t think that she’s gotten there yet. Right now, he just feels like he’s a means to an end for her, which is acceptable. At some point, he knows or is convinced that she'll change her mind about what they could have together.

The days are getting shorter and colder now. Dorian is beginning to prepare for winter along with everyone in town. Stockpiling their supplies and ensuring their stores are full. While the winters in Durango aren't nearly as bad as Northern Colorado, they still can be quite harsh.

With the advent of winter, Dorian and Faith both realize that anything they have planned will most likely have to wait until spring. They have started laying the groundwork by having Faith go into town and be in the shops. It has been important for her to be seen and try to draw some attention to herself without being completely out there and forward.

Her Victorian lady lessons have paid off and she’s done a good job of portraying herself as a well-respected lady. Her appearance in and around town has drawn the attention of the gang and more importantly the leader, Lucas. There are not many new women that come to town that are not married too young or are already otherwise engaged in pleasure houses. Faith is now a novelty and Lucas is very interested to find out where she’s from, what her purpose is, and when she will come to see him.

In this town, everyone who passes through at some point has to see Lucas. That is just the way things are. Dorian and Faith hope that at some point he will get frustrated and will seek her out. For this reason, Dorian is putting it out around town that Faith is living alone in a house that happens to be next door to Dorian’s home. It was initially intended for him until both of his parents passed away. Essentially, they are using Faith like bait. Greedy men always expose themselves for beautiful women. Dorian and Faith plane to take advantage of this particular weakness.

“When are we going to spring the trap,” Faith asks impatiently after a week of plotting.

“I’m unsure as of yet.”

“Well we need to think of something soon, or Lucas will make the first move. He was particularly forward with me yesterday in town and I would feel better if I knew what we were doing.”

“There is a Harvest Celebration at the close of this week that may be the perfect time to truly begin the seduction. Yes, it may just be.”

              “What is the Harvest Celebration?”

“Every year, we come together as a community to celebrate and give thanks for the bounty we have been provided for winter. There is dancing, feasting, and music.”

“It sounds lovely.”

“Lucas will surely be there with his henchmen and that will be an opportune time to get the information we need from him. I am afraid, though, that you will be the means of obtaining this information.” At first Faith was opposed to the idea of being bait. She thought it was degrading and while it was, she has come to terms that it exploits the biggest advantage they have over Lucas. Based on his past exploits, the fact that Faith is a beautiful, graceful, and mysterious new plaything will prove to be irresistible.

Faith has started to feel as though this or something like it had always been in her fantasies; that she would have a hand in taking down a bad guy by using her sumptuous attributes. It is kind of gratifying in an erotic, freeing sort of way.

“Do you think I can do it? I am not even sure how to act,” Faith says doubtfully.

“Just follow your instincts and you will do wonderfully. We will select your garments carefully and that will help you feel the moment. If you are dressed the part then generally the rest will follow. Think of it as playacting, the whole party is the stage and the other guests are the players. If you would like, we could practice a little.”