Science Ch 20

Rey’s not the only one to say that she doesn’t feel like herself.

You’re starting to understand what they mean. It’s not just that your behavior is different; there’s something deeper you can’t quite put your finger on. Even if nobody sat down and laid it out, the understanding was that this uncanny desire was so strong that it simply pushed past normal inhibitions. But if that’s right, the desire you’re seeing should be your normal desire, just exaggerated.

This isn’t all normal. Tracy getting choked? Delta getting slapped? You suppose that it’s possible those might be their kinks, and they’re just hidden. Maybe even unconscious… but you aren’t sure. You’re well-known for having a weakness for women, and no one can argue that finishing inside without a condom is a desirable outcome—but it’s not your kink. You like it, sure. But you don’t have a breeding fetish. In fact, you’re pretty sure there’s other stuff that you like more. So why, when you’re gripped by this force, is it starting to happen that way? Is it just coincidence? The heat of the moment? Getting carried away and not pulling out?

Being so horny that you can’t control yourself is bad enough. If it’s also changing you, that’s a new level of scary. You want to do something, but you don’t know anything about the occult. You know a lot about flirting, a lot about handyman stuff, and you’re working on mechanical and electrical engineering. Your brains feel scrambled. Your memories of the dream with the horned woman are already oddly patchy, and so are your memories of things that have happened with your family—it’s as though you were drinking, but you weren’t. It’s the reason that you can’t be sure about what’s really going on with you.

You enough about that woman to know that you can’t flirt your way out of this. You can’t handyman your way out, either.

What can you engineer? That’s the problem that you consider as you sit in the diner, comforted by the smell of coffee and bacon grease. You know the waitress well: Kayla Jameson is only one of the girls around Gurlberg who you’ve fooled around with. Before all this, the two of you had a great no-strings connection. She’s fun, stacked, and her sister and mom are both insanely hot. You’ve always liked her, but now you feel drawn to her in another way. For once, you are not horny. You just want comfort. She’s normal, which is the exact opposite of your crazy life at the moment.

Yet she eyes you warily as she refills your coffee. It’s because you’ve disappeared these past weeks. You hardly leave the house and have been making excuses to avoid social obligations. Part of you wants to consult Graham about this, but his opinion means a lot to you. The idea of him reading between the lines and learning what’s really been going on doesn’t appeal to you. Piper Dunham is the same. She’ll figure it out easily, and then she’ll know. You don’t like that.

Leni Rosenberg, president of the CCL sorority and, for all intents and purposes, the owner of the house you’re living in, finally arrives. She isn’t late; you were just early. Meri Powers is with her. You didn’t invite Meri.

The only European person who you have hung out with at all is Ines Winiger, whom you think of as your nemesis. She’s Swiss, cocky, and you can’t forgive her for stealing and potentially breaking Piper Dunham’s heart. Ines describes Leni as a “Frankfurt German”, whatever that’s supposed to mean. She’s about the same size as Apple, but a little prettier and infinitely tidier. Her pixie cut has boardroom vibes and the way that she dresses in the simplest, least-flashy clothes gives her a confident aura that many people find intimidating. She wears black leggings and a gray polo. The only indication of anything resembling vanity is a little makeup, the fact that she’s wearing s, and suspiciously perfect hair.

Meri waves to you, and Leni gives an obligatory smile as she slides into your booth.

“Were you invited?” you ask Meri, who waves excitedly at a stony-faced Kayla.

“I invited her,” Leni says. She doesn’t have a husky voice, but her accent makes her sound husky. That would be so much more interesting to you if you were not currently extremely haunted.

“Did you tell her that there’s something in the house?” you ask Meri.

“Yup. And I told her that you wouldn’t let us put cameras in there.”

“Yeah, well, it’s complicated.”

Leni looks expectant. She rotates her palms up. “I don’t know what is happening.”

“Neither do I. Seems like this happened after we moved in…” You narrow your eyes. You standing in a room that you weren’t supposed to be in with one of your sisters. You shake your head. “You keep records, right? From the old days. CCL’s been around a long time.”

Leni glances at Meri. “CCL records? Financial documents. Keepsakes.”

You can’t keep the frustration out of your voice. “You’re telling me there’s nothing? There’s never been any gossip about it being haunted? None of your girls ever heard something go bump in the night?”

Leni looks blank.

“I get where he’s coming from,” Meri tells her.

Kayla arrives with mugs and coffee. Everyone smiles at her.

She smiles back. “Anything to eat?”

“Pie.” Meri glances at Leni. “Two.”

Kayla heads off, and you lean forward. “Leni, I don’t believe in this stuff either, but this is getting bad.”

“I do not understand.”

“And I don’t want to explain, but there’s something in that house.”

“Are you telling me that you cannot do the job?”

“No. And I don’t want to ask for more time or more money, but I need help. I’m afraid someone’s going to get hurt.”

Whatever Leni expects, this is not it. She seems to be at a loss and turns uncertainly to Meri—but Meri’s locked on you.

“You think there must be history,” Meri says, nodding.

You shrug. “What else can it be?”