Dark Angels

Chapter Three-2

Mindy watched her aunt place a glass of Old Bushmills on each bedside table; left and right of the upholstered headboard. Lee put a match to six candles that were positioned around the room and turned down the lights. Soft flickering flames illuminated the walls.

“I’m getting in.” Lee turned to her niece and tugged open the knot that held her bathrobe closed. Mindy’s breath pinched. She watched the weight her aunt’s full shadowy breasts sway from within the folds of the robe. The sturdy n*****s were encircled by large dark halos. And lower, hanging below a tight tummy, was a swath of dark curls. Lee shrugged off her robe and tossed it onto a chair before climbing under the covers.

“Your turn,” Lee said from the safety of the bed where she sat comfortably with the sheet tucked high about her breasts.

If Mindy had any twinge of uncertainty about crawling naked into her aunt’s bed, the vodka had nullified her doubts. With a burst of bright laughter, she peeled off her own robe, tossed it onto the chair, and scampered madly to hide her nudity under the bed covers.

Lee laughed. “With such a cute little body you shouldn’t be in such a rush.”

Mindy surfaced from under the sheet and grinned. “This is wild. I’ve never done anything like this before. I can’t believe I’m in bed with you; and whiskey and beer. Could you pass the popcorn?”

The women, one barely eighteen, one thirty-four, snuggled up with the bowl of popcorn between them. Lee had hit the remote and soft, guitar-jazz drifted in from the hidden speakers. Mindy sipped whiskey and cooled her throat with icy Heineken.

“This is good,” Mindy commented after another sip of beer. “But I’m feeling a little light.”

“You take after your mother. Soon you’ll be mixing the whiskey and beer together. It’s called a Boiler Maker.”

“I’ll try that next time.” Mindy nodded. “And how’s your hardware business doing? You thinking about opening more stores?”

Lee was surprised. The question had come outta the blue but she was gratified that Mindy held an interest. “Hardware is doing great, but Automotive is starting to really pay off.”

That caught Mindy’s attention. “My boyfriend loves cars. He’s always buying that stuff to add to his oil. STP?”

Lee abruptly sat up. “I didn’t know you were seeing someone. That’s wonderful.”

Mindy shrugged and sipped beer. “Don’t start looking for a bridal gift just yet. I’m not sure how I feel about getting married.”

Lee nodded. “You’re young. What about him?”

“Oh he’s totally serious. He’s older, twenty-three, and already he’s talking about kids. But I got plans of my own; to go to college, for sure. And I want to work awhile before getting all serious and everything. I want a career, even if it’s only a short one.”

“College. That’s so cool,” Lee shifted on the pillows and Mindy’s eyes darted down as the sheet slipped, exposing one of her aunt’s healthy-looking breasts. A dark n****e peered out. Lee didn’t seem to notice the indiscretion. “What are you planning to take?”

Mindy fought to steady her voice. “Well I saw how well you are doing and the College has a two-year Retail Management program. I’m thinking of signing up for next year. And then taking Accounting at night school.”

Lee had a pang of gratification. “All because of me?”

“Well yeah-ah. I love what you’ve done with your life, Auntie Leanne. I guess I kinda want that too. Be like you.”

“Well hell... I’m flattered. Truly.”

Mindy cleared her throat. “Anyone ever tell you that you’ve got nice boobs?” She glanced down and giggled.

Lee followed her gaze. “Oh gosh. Sorry. See what happens when you live alone?” She reached for the sheet. “You lose all sense of self-modesty.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Mindy said, dropping the sheet from around her own smallish breasts. “Yours are much nicer.”

“C’mon. Bigger maybe, but not necessarily nicer.” Lee pointed out.

Mindy looked down at herself and saw the ruptured skin; the n****e crowned with two butterfly bandages, looking like a gnome with a loose-fitting turban. “I had almost forgotten; being here with you made it all go away.” Moisture clung to her eye lashes.

Lee moved the popcorn bowl away and, placing her arms around Mindy’s neck, pulled the girl close. “Don’t beat yourself up. In a few weeks this will just be a lousy memory. We seem to collect enough of them throughout life but the pain and humiliation eventually gives way.”

Mindy turned to hide her eyes and in a small voice said: “I sucked their c***s, Auntie Leanne.”

“I know, dear. Men like that sort of thing. I guess they like the feel of it. And it makes them think they’re so superior; that they’re hot-shits.”

Mindy, speaking more forcefully, blurted, “But I had to. They made me do it. Don’t you understand.”

Lee reached across and wrapped her niece up in her arms. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

Thinking of Mindy down on her knees, Lee felt the urges returning. She felt the rough edge of the butterfly bandages against her own n****e and the tingling sensations erupted; there was an emptiness gnawing inside, just below her tummy.

“What happened to you?” Lee breathed into the side of Mindy’s neck.

Mindy abruptly pulled away. She rolled onto her side and presented Lee with the graceful sweep of her back and shoulders. Mindy started convulsing as she battled her emotions and Lee quickly snuggled down next to the girl, her breasts nestled against the warmth of Mindy’s shoulder blades. “Talk to me,” Lee whispered. “It will help. Honest.”

There was a long pause where Mindy seemed to settle; gathered herself and arranged her thoughts. She came to a decision. “It happened at the University,” she began. “A football game and Lynn, that’s my friend, wanted to go. She’s dating one of the players. Anyway, after the game, they took us back into the dressing rooms and Lynn left me. She left me alone, damn her. Left me alone with those men.”

Lee felt Mindy deflate in her arms. “She left you? Where did your friend go?”

Mindy seemed diminished but she cleared her throat and continued. “Into the showers. Lynn pulled off her clothes, right in front of all the players and she went into the showers with her boyfriend. I was scared and went after her. I looked in, wanted her to take me out of there but she was too busy. She was screwing. And that’s when I was grabbed from behind.”

Mindy covered her face with her hands and fell silent.

Lee’s heart was pounding, her chest heaving like bellows. She was sweaty across the shoulders and her head had started to throb, the blood thrumming in her ears. “You were grabbed from behind...” She encouraged Mindy to continue.

A shiver ran the length of Mindy’s body; Lee felt it.

“Y-yes,” Mindy stammered. “There was a small room, an equipment locker, and t-they dragged me in there and t-that’s where it happened.” Mindy tripped on the words and she went still.

Lee fought for composure. She was desperate: Needed to know but was aware she shouldn’t press too hard. Her mind boggled with the frustration. “Have some more beer,” she suggested but Mindy shook her head.

“I want to sleep now.”

“No. Not just yet,” Lee pleaded. Mindy stiffened and Lee silently swore, fearing she had pushed too hard. But Mindy only raised the palm of a hand to wipe away the tears from her cheeks.

“You really want to hear this, Auntie Leanne?”

God yes! Lee screamed at the inside of her skull. Every damned delectable detail! But to Mindy she only said calmly: “It will make you feel better, pumpkin. To get it out into the open.”

Mindy nodded dully. “They took me into the equipment locker and threw me against one of the storage cabinets. And one of them told me if I wanted to live, I had better take my clothes off.”

It was Lee’s turn to stiffen. “He threatened you with your life?”

Mindy soldiered on. “He told me to strip and when I didn’t right-away, he hit me on the side of the face. I started screaming. The others, outside the door could hear, but no one came to help me. One guy got behind me, twisted my arms back and I got punched. I thought I was going to pass out, Auntie Leanne. My lungs were empty and I couldn’t get any air. His arm came up around my neck to hold me so they could pull at my breasts and there were hands up under my skirt...”

“Go on, baby.”

“They pushed me back against the lockers and told me again: That it was just a sample of what would really happen if I didn’t start undressing. So I did it. I took my clothes off for them; while they watched. And then one of them came around behind me. That’s when I got the finger in my bum. I could feel him behind there, searching down and between. I just stood crying while he ran his finger along. He found the place and hooked me inside and pulled up. He lifted me off my feet and dumped me onto the floor.”

“He dropped you...”

“He upended me and rolled me onto my back. Two of them pulled my legs apart and the other guy got down on top and started pushing, really hard. And when he was almost ready he got up again and pulled me onto my knees. After, they traded places.”

“But you said the third one didn’t c*m in you.”

Mindy threw her hands up about her face. “Oh Auntie Leanne, it was so disgusting... he pissed in me.”

Mindy dry heaved twice and lay still; sobbing quietly.

Lee’s senses were zinging. “Jesus. And then they let you go?”

“I don’t know how, but I managed to get to my feet.” Mindy inhaled. “I grabbed my clothes and ran. One of them reached for me, got an arm around my neck, but I pulled away. I got the door open and stumbled into the dressing room. I didn’t have a thing on and was trying to run while pulling my skirt up. There must have been twenty guys sitting around; all laughing.”

“But you got away?”

“I made it into the hallway. I was expecting them to grab me and drag me back. All those guys. I didn’t think I would live if I had to go back; if all of them wanted me. But no one came. I was leaning against the wall, still pulling on clothes, still expecting the door to fly open. I was confused and felt completely torn apart. I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I felt dirty, ashamed, humiliated, and was alone, standing in the hallway with no idea what to do or where to go. I kept thinking: Did that just happen? How could it? And then I found myself in the school parking lot, looking for my friend’s car.

“And your friend drove you here?”

“I couldn’t find her at first and I can’t tell you how desolate that made me feel: Like I was completely abandoned; deserted. I sat on the curb and pulled my clothes around me. And I kept thinking: What just happened? Could I have stopped it? I gave up too easily. Must have. I should have fought more! I can’t tell anyone; what will they think of me? I just let three guys have s*x with me; three strangers. What will my friends think? My family? I let three guys f**k me! This is all my fault!

“Auntie Leanne...?” Tears were running steadily down Mindy’s face, “You’ll never understand. No one will. Christ, I just want to die.”

All the vile had spilled out and Lee found herself wallowing in it. She lay next to Mindy, her body shivering from the cold sweat that soaked the sheets; her emotions exposed like the edges of raw nerves. She listened to her niece sobbing and Lee knew she should reach out and hold the girl but she was too obsessed with her own dark needs; fingers working furiously between her legs.

Much later, after the candles died down and the darkness had crept into the room, they lay facing each other under the sheet. Lee, feeling light with slumber and s****l release, drifted at the edge of conscientiousness.

“Auntie Leanne, can I ask a question?” Mindy whispered close by Lee’s ear.

“Sure pumpkin.”

Mindy gathered her thoughts. “It’s just that I’ve heard about some girls that, you know, do things to each other. To make themselves feel nice.” The girl was working through her words like steppingstones. “Have you ever felt that way?”

Lee wasn’t sure how to answer at first. “Not really,” she started, “but I think I can understand, if two women are that close emotionally. I guess it’s all about trust.”

Mindy reached across and found the line of peach fuzzy that ran down along the center of Lee’s tummy. “It’s just that when we were in the other bedroom, when you were looking after me earlier, touching me, well I was scared at first.” She stroked Lee’s skin. “But now I realize how much I liked it. You made me feel nice. Did you like touching me?”

Lee felt a dynamic shift happening in their relationship. She wanted to say something. Needed to say something. “I like beautiful things, like to touch and hold them in my hands. You’re beautiful, pumpkin, of course. And it pleases me to make you feel nice, but you’re my niece. You have to understand that I love you very much.”

“And trust me?” Mindy’s hand slipped lower, a finger tracing the outline of Lee’s navel then stopping in the hairline of her pubis. Mindy swept the curls with her fingertips. “It’s just that if you ever wanted someone to make you feel nice, well, I’ll understand,” Mindy said. She lifted her hand away. “I love you, too.”