Chapter 8: Get Gone

By the time Nattie had regained the energy to get in the shower it was nearly noon. By the time Jack finished with her in the shower, it was closer to 1:30. She stumbled out of the bathroom, leaving Jack by himself in the shower. She had just dropped her towel and was looking for something to put on when a tunnel of flame shot up and Dennis appeared before her.

"JESUS!" Nattie spun and reached for the blanket that was in a pile on the floor.

Dennis just smiled his charming smile. "Not even close…"

Nattie looked bland. "Funny. I hope I get a super witty sense of humor like you when this happens," she replied sarcastically.

"What are you doing here? Jack is in the shower but he could be out at any minute. Go away." she said, shooing him.

"I only came to let you know that you're offer has been accepted. This isn't something we usually do, but you could prove to be very useful." Dennis said.

Nattie glared at him. "If I had my way, you'd shrivel up and disappear. I did this because Jack doesn't need to be in this kind of pain. He's paid his time. So don't give me the 'welcome aboard' speech. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for him."

"Yes, well. You ARE doing it. You made a conscious, living choice. Which is going to be trickier than if you were dead. So, let's begin."

He stepped over to her and placed his right hand on the back of her head. He grinned wickedly.

"I feel I should tell you. This is going to hurt like a bitch."

He took the blanket from her hand and let it fall. He then placed his left hand low on her stomach, under her navel. Leaning his head closer to hers, he started saying something under his breath. It sounded Latin.

To the innocent bystander, they would have appeared as lovers about to kiss. Then Dennis began to move his hand up her abdomen, stopping just below her breasts. He continued chanting as he spread his fingers wide on her chest.

The pain that gripped Natalia had her gasping. She would have screamed, it was so intense, but it was as if someone—no, someTHING—had made it impossible for her to breathe. She gagged and closed her eyes, letting her head fall back in submission. As she did a strange light green smoke started coming from her mouth. Dennis sucked it into his mouth, and seemed to inhale it. Then taking a small ornate vial from his pocket, he opened his mouth and the smoke went from him into it. Once it was all in the vial, he started to remove his hand.

Nattie caught his hand and pressed it against her naked breast. Her head popped up and she grinned slyly at Dennis.

"Leaving? So soon?" she asked as she pressed herself to him.

"Why, yes. I am. I don't screw the help." He said with a smirk. "And besides, Ferriman should be finishing up soon. Have fun." Raising his hands, he was once again taken away by a pillar of flame.

"Oh, I intend to." Nattie said, taking one of Jack's cigarettes.

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Dennis sat at his desk prepping the deletion of souls from Ferriman's territory.

"Is it done?" A velvety and exotic voice pounded through Dennis' head as he sat at his desk.

"Yes. She's ours. She was going all noble, so I just went ahead and turned her." Dennis said.

"And it took effect?"

"Yes sir. She had already undergone the personality change before I left. It's my professional opinion sir, that she'll be a very beneficial employee."

"Yes. So it would seem. What is your opinion of Ferriman's status? How long before he is overcome again?"

"I'd say…well, soon anyway. Ferriman has always been unpredictable sir, so it's just one of those things that we'll have to wait and see."

"I hate waiting Dennis. Patience is not one of my biggest attributes."

"Yes sir. I'm aware of that. However—"

"However Dennis, I think we can give our dear Mr. Ferriman a little push. Don't you? Give the girl child an assignment. That whorey young woman that she used to be friends with. She's nice, don't you think?"

"As you wish, sir." Dennis set about immediately preparing to link with Nattie to give her first assignment.

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"Were you talking to som—" Jack stared in disbelief at the woman who stood before him.

She had fixed her hair. It was gathered and pinned with carelessness so that several red curls flitted around her face and the nape of her neck. Other than the small garment of black and red hipsters, she was gloriously naked and smoking one of his cigarettes.

"I came to realize that I had no clothes here. Well," she grinned wickedly. "Except for these." She ran her hands over her hips.

"We'll find you something…later."

"Mmmm…as nice as that sounds boyo, I've got to go to work." She walked over to him and pulled the towel from his hips. "But I'll be back later." She pressed her body against his and pulled his mouth down to hers.

She broke away, turning and bending to scoop the little black skirt from the floor, and giving him a nice view of her butt.

She pulled the skirt up and sauntered over to the small closet. Choosing one of Jack's black Zero t-shirts, she pulled that on as well. It was a little big, but it clung to her breasts nicely. Once she located and put on her shoes, she turned back to Jack, who was still standing naked in the middle of the room, blew him a saucy kiss, and walked out the door.

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