Gaslight

I always think of her when the sun sets. We'd been on the beach all day, I'd been watching her play and enjoying the heat of the summer as the tide slowly crept towards us. Eighteen years old and still making sandcastles like a child, it was just one of the endearing things about Olivia. Behind me the beach huts crawled slowly back up the sand towards the pier, backing away from the encroaching waves that could damage their delicate mechanisms. I'd only turned away to look at them for a moment but when I turned back she was gone. That was six months ago and not a day has passed by when I haven't wondered where she's gone, who's taken her and why.

I was sat in my office looking out of the window and wondering where she was right now, was she even alive? Would she remember me if I found her? I tipped the bottle to my lips and drained the last of it. Empty. I didn't know when I'd be able to afford anymore. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes as the gaslights flared to life in the street outside. New Year's Eve. Three hours until a new year, not that 1892 was likely to bring anything different for me, not unless it brought Olivia back.

"You look like a woman who'll be glad to see this year end."

I looked up at the sound of the voice. Silhouetted in the doorway was the shape of a woman. Blinking away the tears that had barely had a chance to form, I watched her walk towards me as she lit a cigarette, the flare of light illuminating her face for just a moment. "Do I know you?" I asked, sitting upright and taking a closer look at her.

She hit the switch on the edge of the desk and the dome of gaslight beside me hissed, spluttered and then died. "You need a new Ronson dome," she said as she flicked it with her finger.

"I like the dark."

"Mind if I sit down?" She sat opposite me and leaned forwards, the ember of her cigarette drawing my eyes towards it.

"Can I help you with something?"

"You don't remember me do you?"

"Should I?"

"Let's take a walk."

"Listen, it's nine o'clock on New Year's Eve and I'm closed for business."

"I get the feeling you can't afford to close and anyway I'm not offering you business, I'm offering you Olivia."

I sat bolt upright, my hands starting to tremble. "What did you say?"

"Come on Cat, come for a walk with me."

I stood up. "All right, fine, I'll play. But if this is some kind of joke you should know I've got a fusegun with enough charge to split you in half."

"No you haven't. But I'll let you in on a secret."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"I've got one." She reached under her cloak and pulled out a brand new Rayon Fuseplus that glowed in the dark as she pointed it at me. "Now let's go for a walk."

I followed her out of the office, something irritating me like a dustmote in my eye. I knew her voice but where the hell from? Outside the party was in full swing. As we walked down the stairwell I could hear laughing voices behind every door. On the street there were people in costumes everywhere, the gaslight illuminating the street as if it were high noon. The woman weaved through the crowds, the fusegun already hidden away. I thought about turning back, suspicious of where she was taking me but she'd mentioned Olivia.

She finally stopped as a mechahorse trotted by pulling a black stagecoach. From the window a man in a powdered wig leaned out and reached towards me. "Hey baby," he slurred. "Looking for a good time?"

The woman grabbed his wrist before he knew what was happening. "You do know sex is illegal don't you?" she asked, her voice questioning, almost playful.

"What are you, an autocop?" he replied, trying and failing to wrench his arm free.

"No," she replied, pushing him back into the carriage. "I'm a council member."

"Oh my...Lady Evelyn, I'm so sorry. I didn't realise. Please...I have a family. We were served by the autorepros. I wouldn't dream of..."

"Of course you wouldn't," Lady Evelyn replied. "You were just going to show her the sights as the clock counted down to midnight like a respectable citizen. Get out of here before I put you in a peeler cell."

The horse trotted off down the street, the man gawping out at the two of us as Lady Evelyn turned to me. "You all right?"

"I knew I knew you," I replied. "Why not just tell me who you are?"

"Where's the fun in that?" She laughed and started walking again. "Keep up, we haven't much time."

We reached the autostairs that led up to the abbey and she stopped again as a mechapigeon landed on her wrist. She took the note from inside the mecha and read it quickly. "Council business," she said, turning to me as she crammed the note into her pocket. "Now listen, in two minutes a man is going to walk down here and ask for trade. You're going to go with him and afterwards you're going to come to this address and tell me what happened." She passed me a slip of paper sealed with wax.

"Wh...what? Why?"

"There's illicit encounters taking place on this side of the river and I want them to stop. In order to achieve that I need to know where they are taking place."

"But why me? Why not an autocop?"

"I need this kept quiet."

"But..."

A frown crossed her face. "Enough. Do this one thing for me and I will tell you where Olivia is. Do we have an accord?"

I nodded. "We do."

"Excellent. Farewell Cat."

She turned away and was gone into the crowd in a moment. I barely had time to think before there was a tap on my shoulder and I turned round to find a man in a tweed suit towering over me. "Are you the girl?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Am I what girl?"

He glanced around him before leaning towards my ear, his top hat slipping forwards. "Are you the girl Sophia sent?"

I nodded. "Yes, that's me."

"Excellent, far prettier than her usual supplies. Come with me."

He stepped onto the autostairs and I followed, turning to watch the lights of the town shrink away beneath me. The stairs rumbled and creaked as we rose to the top of the cliff before I stepped off onto the grass by the churchyard. A steamcrate was ready to go, the pilot nodding to the man beside me. "Let's go," he said, pushing me onboard. In seconds we were airborne, passing back over the harbour towards the west cliff.

"Flying a steamcrate with no lights, that's illegal you know?" I said, turning back to the man beside me.

"So are a lot of things," he replied, leaning forwards to whisper in the pilot's ear.

We began to descend, coming to rest inside a walled garden, the mechapigeons stirring in their coop before settling once more. "Off we get," the man said and the instant I was on the grass, the steamcrate hissed and fell still. The man hopped off and took my hand. "Welcome to my humble home."

He pulled a brass key from his waistcoat pocket and opened a door in the wall. I followed him into a long hallway, the carpet dark green, the walls deep red and lined with portraits. We walked for what seemed like forever before finally entering an enormous lounge. The man walked over to a small wooden table next to a roaring fire. He picked up a crystal decanter and poured out two glasses before passing one to me.

"Is that...?"

"Ardour? Why yes it is. I thought it might help set the correct tone for the evening."

"Listen, Mr...?"

"Black. David Black. A pleasure to meet you...?" He held out his hand towards me.

I took it and shook gently, blurting out the first name I could think of. "Petria Moncrieff."

"Well Petria, to you, to us and to breaking council rules." He tapped his glass to mine before drinking. I sipped at the fluid slowly, feeling the heat burn down my throat as a warmth spread through my entire body. Ardour was well known in Whitby, smuggled in on the steamships. It was a drink to relax the body and soul, to create a desire in one that could only be abated in the most primal of manners, hence its prohibition. If Mr Black had a bottle, it could only be for one reason, he intended to break the law.

It had been ten years since the council had outlawed all sexual activity. The invention of the reproduction laboratory in Paris had changed everything. The autorepros had given them all the excuse they needed to prohibit the sinful and depraved sexual activities which, according to them, reduced productivity and increased the risk of disease. Even kissing had been banned but there were rumours of bars where ardour was still served and anything went in the curtained booths. The risks were there of course, get caught and you might not see the light of day for a very long time. Repeat offenders simply vanished, supposedly for re-education although nobody seemed to know where as none of them ever came back.

The ban came in before I'd even had chance to fall in love. If it wasn't for Olivia running away from the workhouse when she was ten I'd probably never have known what being a parent was like. Who'd want a baby with a repressed bisexual like me? Someone who didn't even know what a kiss felt like. That was what had put me off trying ardour whenever it appeared under the counter at the gluebars, I'd not wanted to risk making a complete fool of myself around my peers.

So I remained sexually frustrated and now as the ardour worked its way through my system, my desire bubbled over until the man stood before me seemed the most handsome in the entire world and all I could think of was tearing his clothes off him. I knew the ardour wasn't the whole story, it was just helping to release the pent up feelings that I'd locked away in the mental drawer marked 'Do not open, ever!'

I looked up as Mr Black drained his glass and set it down on the tray, turning his attention to me. "You must thank Sophia for me," he said. "You really are exquisite." He brushed a finger down my cheek and I shivered, my heart beginning to beat faster. I took hold of his hand and pulled him towards me until his lips were inches from mine.

This is it, I thought, you're finally going to know what it feels like. I closed my eyes and raised myself up onto my tiptoes, waiting for him to make the next move. It didn't happen. I opened my eyes and pouted at him as he smiled back at me. "I want you to strip for me first," he said, winding his gramophone before sinking into the armchair by the fire.

The sound of a raucous orchestra filled the room. I began to dance to the rhythm, my mind more relaxed than it had ever been. I poured myself another glass of ardour and drained it in one, sighing happily, letting out the tension that had been inside me for years in one long breath.

Setting down the glass I spun to face him, his eyes fixed on me as I began to slowly undress. I slid off my top hat, taking my goggles and placing them over my eyes, immediately dimming the light around me. In the semidarkness of the twin lenses, I was better able to concentrate, not as distracted by the sight of a clear bulge in Mr Black's trousers.

I pulled one button from the front of my corset, glad I was wearing one of the new fangled front fastening designs. As I tugged each button loose, my cleavage came slowly into view, my body swaying from side to side as I continued to dance for him. I kept my breasts hidden for as long as I could until I finally shrugged out of the corset and pressed my hands over my nipples, spinning around to face away from him.

I undid the cord holding the top of my trousers in place and began to ease them down my legs, bending forwards to expose my lace covered bottom as I did so. I kicked the trousers off over my boots, not an easy task, before turning back wearing only my knickers and shoes. I held one arm over my breasts as I danced round the room, bumping into a sofa with a curse, reluctantly removing my goggles once more. I looked at him and was glad to see him staring back at me with hunger in his eyes.

I moved my arm from my breasts and watched his expression change to pure lust at the sight of my nipples hardening as I teased them with my fingers, cupping my boobs together to create a deep cleavage. I turned away from him again and began sliding my knickers down, feeling his stare burning into my buttocks as I stood back up and spun round, walking slowly towards him.

I pulled him to his feet and shook his jacket from his shoulders before undoing his waistcoat. I took my time undoing his shirt, running my hands down his chest to his belt. Once that was removed his trousers fell to his ankles and I sank to my knees, pulling at his briefs to get a glimpse of his cock. It sprang free, stiff and pointing towards me whilst I tried to resist taking it into my mouth. I only got one of his shoes off him before I could wait no longer, taking hold of his shaft and sucking it in past my lips. I could feel the fleshy heat of him on my tongue as he let out a moan above me, grabbing my hair and drawing me towards his hips until his tool filled my mouth. He used my head to fuck him, sliding me back and forth as I gasped and gagged. I tore myself free when my body became to scream with desire, tipping him back until he fell onto the armchair. I took his shoulders and pulled his head down to my pussy, his tongue leaning out and sliding over the smooth skin to my labia, running along the length of the flesh he found there, lapping at my wetness before poking his way into me. It was my turn to moan as he flicked his tongue over every inch of my core, finding my clit throbbing and engorged and ready for him. He teased me for a minute before sitting back and grabbing my hips, dragging me onto his lap. He held me above him with my legs spread, lowering me slowly, his arms shaking slightly from keeping me above him.

"Wait," he said. "There is something I wish you to try."

He was about to enter me when he said those words and I felt like screaming in frustration. He stood me back up and went over to a cabinet by the window, opening a drawer and pulling out a long brass cylinder with a bulbous end, topped with a winding handle.

"What is that?" I asked, my eyes widening at the sight.

"Ronson's patented malaise cure," he replied. "Bend over and feel instantly refreshed."

I leaned over the armchair, tensing up as he slid a hand over my bottom. I felt the cylinder slide up and down between my buttocks, the coldness of the metal setting my nerve endings ablaze. The narrow end nudged towards my bottom and then my entrance began to stretch as it eased into me incredibly slowly. I winced at first but then it began to buzz inside me as he wound the handle and from then on all I felt was sheer bliss. It filled my bottom, vibrating deliciously as he left it there, setting his hands on my hips as his cock slid over my labia, coating his shaft in my wetness.

I felt the head of his shaft by my hole and then with a single thrust he was an inch inside me. I screamed into the armchair as he froze in place, waiting until I'd widened enough for him to ease further into me. "Why did they prohibit this?" I asked in a shaky voice. "It's so good."

"That's why," he replied, thrusting a little further into me. "They don't want us enjoying ourselves too much."

I rocked my hips back against him, eager to be filled as the vibrating shaft continued to buzz away in my bottom. I could feel the heat of his cock as he became buried inside me. "Oh fuck me," I moaned. "That feels incredible."

He pulled back until just the tip of him was in me and then waited for a wonderfully teasing second before slamming home again, shoving me against the chair as my legs threatened to give way. He began to fuck me as I cried out in pleasure, his hand moving down between my legs to stroke my clit.

All too soon he pulled out, leaving me aching and empty as he lay back on the floor and pulled me onto him. My pussy found the head of his cock as I pushed my hips down onto him, his tool instantly filling me as he rewound the handle on the cylinder in my bottom. He clawed at my breasts as I leaned down and kissed him, my soul on fire at the sensation. His tongue slid into my mouth and I tasted a hint of my own juices in his mouth as I rode him like a mechahorse engineer testing his latest creation. He stared into my eyes as I ground my clit against his pelvis, using him to tip me over the edge, my whole body tensing up.

I screamed into his mouth as a wave of sheer pleasure ripped through my body, my first ever orgasm taking control of me as I fell still against him, unable to move until it had faded away seconds later. He began to fuck me as I was still recovering, slamming up into me, his tongue still entwined with mine. A second climax hit me just from the sensation of him in me combined with the vibrating deep inside me.

"Don't stop," I gasped. "Keep going. I'm nearly there, oh my..." I came for a third time as he grunted loudly, pulling my hips down onto him so he was buried as deep in me as he could go. I felt his cock twitching and then a hot jet of cum spurted up into me, filling my pussy as he slumped back onto the carpet, panting for breath. I collapsed onto him as my orgasm slowly faded, a second shot of spunk spraying the walls of my pussy before he began to slide out of me.

He was asleep in seconds, snoring loudly as I looked down at him with my arms folded. Was that what men did after sex? It seemed rather rude of him, I thought as I slowly eased the cylinder from my bottom. I undressed in silence, wondering if I'd been used or if he had. I made my way back into the walled garden to find the steamcrate waiting for me.

I boarded it and the pilot set off. "Where to?" he asked as we hovered above the garden.

I took the note from my pocket and broke the seal, reading out the address. The pilot nodded and we descended into the valley, coming to rest at the edge of town where the river sliced into the countryside. A large house was set in its own grounds and we landed by a circular pond in the garden. I stepped off the steamcrate and walked over to the back door, surprised to find it opening before I'd even reached it.

Evelyn was standing there waiting for me. "I heard you landing," she said in explanation. "Now tell me, where did he take you?"

I described the house and she beckoned the steamcrate pilot, handing him a small leather bag that jangled. "There's another bag like that if you take us back to where you just came from."

The pilot seemed reluctant but two more bags of money and we were airborne, flying back over the town. "What did he do to you?" she asked, having to raise her voice to make herself heard over the sounds of the engine.

"I cannot say in detail," I replied. "It is too embarrassing."

"I must know. Did he enter you?"

I nodded, feeling my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. I was confused. At the time it had felt so right but now beside Evelyn, it seemed sordid, not just illegal but also immoral. I refused to answer anymore of her questions but my silence told her everything she needed to know. We landed in the walled garden and she stormed up to the house, leaving me to trot after her.

Inside David was still asleep on the floor so she kicked him in the side, pulling the fusegun out as she did so. "No!" I cried, lunging for it as she flicked off the safety. David woke up and blinked up at the two of us, realising what was happening in seconds. He reached up and grabbed the barrel of the gun before Evelyn could stop him, yanking it free and twisting it in his hands until it faced the two of us.

"This was your plan all along?" he asked, glancing from me to Evelyn. "Fuck me then kill me?" He began to squeeze the trigger as Evelyn grabbed my hand.

"Run!" she screamed, yanking me away just as the fusegun fired. The blast hit the ceiling above us, the heat of the ray making my skin crawl as we sprinted along the hallway and back into the walled garden. We were on the steamcrate in seconds, the pilot blinking at us in shock. "Get this thing going!" Evelyn screamed.