As the light shifted, a shape slowly took form in the centre of the window. Michelle recognised it as a person, yet it was strangely unmoving. The ecstatic screaming inside continued, and brief movements back and forth to the right of the main figure in the window was further evidence that someone was likely having sex. The tall figure, whoever it was, seemed to be watching the show.
Suddenly, Michelle saw the figure move, turning slowly towards the window, towards the street. Michelle realised it was looking in her direction, staring at her.
It knew she was there. It could see her.
Michelle couldn’t move; she sat frozen in her seat. She couldn’t look away either. The figure disappeared.
The screaming stopped. The light went out.
Michelle started the engine with a shaking hand. She thrust it into gear and got it to top speed as quickly as she could.
Chapter Six
Better The Devil You Know
Alex couldn’t be in the same room with Matt right now. She got up, grabbed her pillow, removed a spare blanket from the closet and headed out to the lounge. Thankfully, to the softest and most comfortable couch in the world.
Thinking to check her messages, she looking around for her phone and realised she’d left it at the club. Which meant she’d left her purse too.
“Fuckety!” she hissed under her breath. She tried to call it, but it rang out. She didn’t really think anyone would answer even if they did hear it. It was almost four in the morning, not much point worrying about it until daylight at least.
She prepared a glass of iced water and flopped down on the couch, crunching the ice and flicking on the TV, bringing up the late night news.
“…thirty homes have been destroyed in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley as a bushfire, in its second active day, continues to rage. Authorities say they are no closer to stopping the blaze. However, due to the cooler weather and lack of usual high winds, they have reason to suspect the fire has been deliberately lit...”
How can you possibly do that to peaceful bushland? To your own home! Alex thought, as pictures of orange and yellow flames with the black background of night gave an even more ominous canvas than the newsreader depicted.
“…local news, the parents of two missing high school students have begun making public and online pleas for any news to the whereabouts of their children, after police called off the search. Todd Jennings has more…”
Alex cuddled up to her blanket, feeling terrible for the distraught mother, seen to be breaking down repeatedly, struggling to speak, now appearing on the screen with a school formal photo of her daughter.
After watching for a while, Alex switched the set off and tried to get comfortable. The news report had made her sad and she realised she wanted to focus a little more on what was important in life. She was sick of fighting with Matt and hated the fact that they didn’t talk like they used to, and they didn’t have fun anymore. She was tired of his jealousy and the fact he could still behave like a three year old, but—as if she needed further proof from the report on TV—the world could be so dark and cold for no reason at all. It made her want to find the positive in it instead of dwelling on the negative. She believed in the idea of karma and decided there was still hope for her. And what she hoped for was an engagement ring and the promise of a life where she was going to be loved and cared for. As she felt sleep coming, she knew she would do the same, without question.
*
Their lips came together ever so softly. Once they met, their mouths locked fully, their arms enclosed around each other’s naked bodies; the two individuals’ hunger for each other apparent as they fell onto the bed.
Her fingers wound through his hair, pulling him closer. Her breath came in steady, sharp bursts as his lips floated down her neck and collarbone. Her teeth grasped the skin of his neck as he came up, a sharp yet sensual graze, yearning to get her lips on him, to taste him. She was urging him on. His hands were everywhere, finally staying in the one place, stroking her ribs as he ran his tongue over both of her breasts one by one, using his nose to lift them and kiss the skin underneath, licking down between them and further down her stomach. The kisses getting softer and more delicate as he went, pausing above her groin. Slowly, carefully, she bit her lip as he ran his open mouth over her skin. She looked down, catching him watching her, slowly curling her fingers across her nipples.
His kisses returned to her inner thigh, her legs beginning to twitch of their own accord. He grabbed her thighs, casually halting her erratic movement. Her instinct to keep her limbs moving was strong, but his hands were stronger. It was a mock battle of erotic pleasure. He began kissing his way down her thighs as her body gave a slight jerk of pleasure neither could contain and the softest moan escaped her lips. Her legs widened, silently begging him to end his relentless teasing.
Spurred on, his head was between her legs. His tongue and lips were slowly, lovingly massaging and flicking her clitoris. With a grunt of frustration, a hand at the back of his head drove him deeper as his pace quickened. The delicate work his mouth had performed to begin with became feverish. She arched her back, frantically grasping with her hands at the sheets, clenching them hard. He inserted two fingers, bending them at the knuckle and beckoned with the tips
