Kiss of the Succubus Ch. 01

"Something tells me Miss Pierson may have been operating outside the boundaries of the law," Grace remarked. "Otherwise I'd agree with you."

The detectives flipped through the documents, before Joe stopped to examine a black and white photo dated 1956.

"Whoa, who the hell is this babe?" Joe asked.

He showed the photo to Grace. The photo depicted a young woman with jet black hair down to her shoulders, standing in a cemetery. She wore an expensive looking jacket and skirt suit, and she stood alone in the picture frame, surrounded only by gravestones.

What Grace found most unsettling was the smug smile on the woman's face. She had the most disdainful look in her eye, as if she were looking down at the viewer, and she was somehow pleased about every unfortunate thing that had ever happened to anyone. Grace let go of the photo, but found she could not stop looking at it. She flipped the photograph around to read the back.

"This is Catherine Balko," Grace said. "Lukas Balko's sister."

* * * * *

The Blessed Hills Community Church girls choir group performed every Friday night. All in the community were welcome to attend; to enjoy the singing as well as the light refreshments in the Fellowship Hall afterwards. The choir group proved to be popular, with even non-churchgoers frequently stopping by.

At the front of the choir, leading the others, was Sarah Wainwright. Eighteen years old, Sarah had sung in the choir for nearly ten years. Her good looks and beautiful singing quickly launched her to the head of the choir, and her popularity among the church members and community in general grew over the years.

In addition to leading the choir, Sarah was also the president of the church's abstinence club, vowing to remain celibate until marriage. In spite of her beauty, Sarah didn't date much, choosing instead to devote the majority of her time to her schoolwork and her activities with the church.

On this particular night, the choir was singing especially vibrantly, and among the audience members was none other than Catherine Balko. She sat near the back, wearing an overcoat, hat, and sunglasses. To her right sat a young red-haired woman named Rose, who quietly watched the choir unflinchingly.

To Catherine's left sat no one. Catherine and Rose had the entire pew to themselves despite the relatively large audience in the church that night. Catherine set her eyes upon the singing Sarah, watching her intently.

"She's lovely," Catherine whispered.

"I thought you'd like her," Rose replied.

That was actually an understatement. In truth, Rose prayed Catherine would take a fancy to the beautiful choir girl. She breathed a sigh of relief as she and her wealthy employer continued watching.

"How long do you think it will take you?" Catherine asked.

"A few days should do it," Rose said.

"You have until tonight," Catherine said, not looking at Rose. Rose swallowed.

"It will be done tonight," Rose said, reassuringly. She could see a streak of gray running through Catherine's long black hair that hadn't been there a month earlier. It seemed to gradually grow over the past weeks, much like the knot in Rose's stomach that tightened every time she noticed it.

"And there will be no mistakes," Rose added, and immediately wondered if that was necessary to say. Catherine did not respond.

When the performance concluded, guests were invited to the Fellowship Hall for refreshments and socializing. Rose and Catherine walked in step into the hall, before Catherine whispered into Rose's ear.

"Get to it," Catherine said. That was all Rose needed to hear.

Rose grabbed a cup of coffee from the refreshments table, and casually made her way to where Sarah was mingling. She was still in her choir robe, and was talking and laughing with two other choir girls and a middle aged woman who was complimenting Sarah's performance.

"Nine and a half years," Sarah said. "I just love it. I've made so many friends here. You should definitely tell your daughter to join."

"Thank you, I will!" the woman said.

Rose smiled, and approached the group.

"Hi, Sarah?" Rose asked.

"Hi!" Sarah smiled, happily engaging the approaching guest.

"Hi, I'm Rose. I was just wondering, how would I go about joining the choir?" Rose squeezed her coffee cup nervously.

"Well, we have rehearsals every Wednesday at six," Sarah said. "Just come to one of them, and we'll work you into the group!"

Sarah and the other two choir girls smiled.

"Really?" Rose said. "That's awesome. I just loved your singing, and I've always wanted to be in a choir!"

"Well, you've come to the right place!" Sarah said cheerfully. It wasn't difficult for her to make friends anywhere she went.

Sarah's two friends scampered off, and the middle aged woman turned to speak with Mrs. Gregorich, the choir director. Seeing as she had Sarah's undivided attention for the moment, Rose edged her way closer to her.

"There's something else," Rose said, quietly. Sarah looked on with interest. "I heard you're also president of the abstinence club. I was also interested in joining that, too."

Sarah nodded.

"Yeah, we meet Mondays at five," Sarah said discreetly. "But we don't meet here. We usually meet at somebody's house."

Rose took a sip of her coffee.

"Could you tell me where? I'm excited about joining this club," Rose said.

Sarah paused.

"Well- it's at Kailey Truman's house next week. I don't know her address offhand-"

"Could you get it for me? Please?" Rose asked. Sarah cocked her head and smiled, dumbstruck at Rose's enthusiasm.

"Sure. Meet me in the dressing room after fellowship. Down that hall, last room on the left."

"Thanks so much!" Rose said.

The girls talked for several minutes before Sarah excused herself to mingle with other guests. Rose made her way back to Catherine to give her an update.

"She invited me into her dressing room," Rose whispered. "I'll get what I need there."

"I'll be in the car," Catherine said, coldly.

Rose gulped. She was not going to disappoint Catherine tonight. Rose would go to the choir girls' dressing room, and accomplish two things, and not leave until she had. She tossed her empty coffee cup in the trash and twisted the ring on her right hand apprehensively.

At the conclusion of fellowship, Rose reported to the dressing room as promised. She knocked on the door, and Sarah let her inside.

There were about twenty girls in the choir, and the dressing room was just big enough to accommodate them. A row of lockers lined the wall opposite a set of mirrors. An adjacent room looked to be a shower facility, which several girls looked to be preparing to use as they stripped out of their robes.

"So this is our dressing room, which is pretty rad," Sarah said. "The church really went all out for us. I can go to school, come here, shower, and get changed for choir without having to stop by at home. It's a real time-saver."

"I love it," Rose said, as she watched three naked girls make their way into the shower room.

Sarah removed her choir robe, and Rose was surprised to see she was wearing only underwear underneath. Rose admired Sarah's shapely body as she took a seat in front of the mirrors.

"Okay, I've got the address in here somewhere," Sarah said, digging her iPhone out of her purse. She flipped through the contents of her phone and read the address out to Rose.

"Thanks," Rose said, typing the address into her own phone. "Oh, and one other thing-"

Rose stepped towards Sarah closely.

"Do you HAVE to be a virgin to be in the abstinence club?" Rose asked quietly.

Sarah smiled, and shook her head.

"No. A lot of our members are secondhand virgins. What you've done in the past is in the past," Sarah said assuringly. "You just have to make a vow for the future."

Rose faked a sigh of relief.

"Good, because I have to admit, I'm not a virgin by any means," Rose chuckled quietly.

"That's totally fine!" Sarah said. "No one at the club will judge you. We just want to help you make your vow and we all encourage each other to keep ours."

"Well, that's good," Rose said. "But I have to ask, are you- a secondhand virgin too by any chance?"

Sarah blushed.

"No, I'm the real thing actually," Sarah said, lowering her gaze. "Never even kissed a guy."

"Really?" Rose said, astonished. She took a peek at Sarah's beautiful scantily-clad body, amazed that to date it had gone untouched by a man.

"Yeah, my parents brought me up to be a good girl," Sarah said, blushing.

"Okay, nothing wrong with that," Rose said.

"Well, I have to get in the shower now," Sarah said. "I'll see you Monday?"

"You can count on it!" Rose said with a grin.

"Great!" Sarah said. "It's really nice to meet you, Rose!"

Sarah wrapped her arms around Rose and hugged her tightly. Rose returned the hug, enjoying the feel of Sarah's mostly bare body. She certainly had an excellent figure. Sarah's breasts felt delightfully firm pressed against hers. Rose released Sarah's embrace.

"Well, see ya!" Rose said.

Rose turned to the door as Sarah unclasped her bra and set it aside. Rose looked on with interest as Sarah slid off her panties, and set both undergarments onto the stool in front of the mirror.

Seeing her exposed, Rose found herself enamored with Sarah's naked body. Beautiful round breasts, that had never felt the squeeze of a man's hands. Light brown nipples, that had never been pinched or sucked. Smooth vaginal lips, that had never had a throbbing dick pass between them. There was something Rose had to admire about that purity, in spite of the pity Rose secretly felt for her.

Rose waited for Sarah to make her way into the shower room before she made her move.

With the dressing room empty except for Rose, she quietly peeked into Sarah's purse. She snatched out Sarah's keys, and stuffed them into her own coat pocket. Rose hurried out of the dressing room, satisfied that she'd accomplished both of her objectives: steal Sarah's keys, and confirm her virginity.

It was very important that Sarah was in fact a true virgin. The black magic taught to Catherine by her brother Lukas required a virgin if she wished to maintain her youth and beauty- or so Catherine said. As far as Rose was concerned, confirming Sarah's virginity was just for a paycheck. At least, it was until recently.

Given the rapidly enlarging gray streak in her hair, and the crows feet forming across her face, Catherine was in no mood to delay her bathing ritual any longer. She intended to murder Sarah tonight, just as she had Jaclyn Becket, and thirty-seven other young women over the past sixty years. It was up to Rose to make sure this happened. She could not afford another failure.

Rose hurried out to the black Bentley parked in the church parking lot. Catherine sat in the backseat, patiently waiting. Rose climbed into the driver's seat.

"I got them," Rose said, holding up Sarah's keys. "Now we wait."

Rose turned to her twin brother, Kristof, who sat in the front passenger seat playing on a 1990s era game boy.

"Hey Bucko, you all done with your Yoo-Hoo?" Rose asked.

Kristof looked up from his game and smiled.

"Yeah, it was good!" Kristof said.

"Want another one?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, can I?"

"You can, but I need you to do something first, okay?" Rose asked.

"Okay."

"It's what we talked about before. Now get back to your game for now, and I'll let you know when it's time."

Rose waited quietly, while Kristof played on his game boy. Twenty minutes passed before Sarah came out of the church, and made her way to her car. Rose watched as Sarah fished through her purse looking confused. Rose took this as her cue to exit. She hurried towards the confounded choir girl.

"Sarah? Everything okay?" Rose asked.

"I- can't find my keys!" Sarah said. She fished through her purse again, as if they might show up if she checked again.

"Do you need a ride?" Rose asked, her eyes twinkling in the moonlight.

Sarah looked up at Rose, uneasily. She took a step backwards.

"No, that's okay. I'll get Mrs. Gregorich to drive me home."

Sarah gave Rose an odd look, and hurried back into the church. Rose returned to the Bentley.

"She knows something's up," Rose said.

"Handle this, Rose," Catherine said.

Rose looked at Catherine's reflection in the rear view mirror. The cold, penetrating stare in the wealthy woman's eyes compelled Rose to exit the car immediately.

Rose hurried across the parking lot, just as Sarah and Mrs. Gregorich exited the church.

"Did you drop them anywhere?" Mrs. Gregorich asked.

"I don't think so," Sarah said. "I'm sure I left them in my purse. They were there the whole time!"

"Maybe you left them in the dressing room," Mrs. Gregorich said. "Let's check and if they're not there, I'll drive you home."

Rose watched as the singer and director returned to the church. The parking lot was nearly emptied now, as the other choir girls and audience members had made their way home. The only remaining vehicle besides Sarah's car and Catherine's Bentley was a blue Ford Fusion parked right next to the entrance. Rose surmised this to be Mrs. Gregorich's car.

Rose dropped to her belly and squirmed under the car. Using the limited knowledge of cars she had, Rose located the gas line. Drawing a blade from her belt, Rose cut a small incision in the gas line, causing a small amount of gasoline to come piddling out onto the pavement. She cut the hole to ensure a slow but steady leak, and put her knife away. Quickly, she crawled back out from under the car and scurried back to the Bentley.

It took ten minutes, but Sarah and Mrs. Gregorich finally reappeared. They entered Mrs. Gregorich's car, neither of them noticing Rose watching from afar. Rose tapped her index fingers on the steering wheel impatiently.

When Mrs. Gregorich started up her car, Rose turned the key in the ignition, and carefully followed the choir director out of the parking lot. She maintained a steady distance from her target as she continued following them down the dark road.

Mrs. Gregorich immediately pulled into a side street, prompting Rose to worry that Sarah lived too close to the church for her plan to work. Rose's concerns were laid to rest when it appeared Mrs. Gregorich was simply taking a short cut and she pulled back onto a main road.

Rose followed the Fusion another block, afraid to take her eyes off the choir director's car for a second. She clutched the steering wheel with both fists as a police car passed them by.

No sooner did the cruiser pass that Mrs. Gregorich pulled in front of a house just off the main road. Sarah promptly stepped out of the car.

"Shit!" Rose cursed.

She casually drove past the Fusion, thinking desperately how she was going to fix this. She did have Sarah's keys. It would be easy to enter her house, but then she would have Sarah's parents and older brothers to contend with.

She watched from the rear view mirror as Mrs. Gregorich flipped on her emergency lights and exited the car as well. She could see Sarah still remained by the side of the car, not moving towards the house, the house that Rose now noted had a "for sale" sign on the lawn.

"We're in business," Rose said. She pulled over to the side of the road and turned to Kristof. "Okay, Bucko. You ready?"

Kristof nodded.

"It's time," Rose said.

Rose exited the car and made her way down the shoulder where Mrs. Gregorich was parked.

"Sarah?" Rose asked. "I just passed you by and saw you stuck here. You need any help?"

Sarah laughed with frustration.

"This has been a crazy night. First I lose my keys, and now we run out of gas."

"I don't know what happened," Mrs. Gregorich said. "I filled up just yesterday, I should-"

Kristof grabbed Mrs. Gregorich by her hair and swiftly jammed his pocket knife into her neck. Sarah screamed as Kristof twisted the knife and pulled it out, sending a spray of blood across the car's hood.

"Oh my God!" Sarah screamed. She backed away from the vehicle.

Mrs. Gregorich collapsed to the ground. Kristof then lunged for Sarah, who swung her purse at him as hard as she could.

Kristof overpowered the young woman, grabbing her arms and holding the knife to her throat. Rose grabbed Sarah's legs, and together, she and her brother carried the struggling choir girl back to the Bentley.

"What are you doing? Don't kill me! Please!"

Rose popped the trunk, and Kristof stuffed the screaming Sarah inside. Rose drew a syringe from her coat pocket, and lifting Sarah's skirt, Rose injected the contents of the syringe into the back of Sarah's thigh. It only took a few seconds for Sarah's shrieking and struggling to cease, and she lay perfectly still.

"That was fun," Kristof said, hopping up and down excitedly. "Is she sleeping?"

"Yes, she's sleeping," Rose said. "Now we have to get her back home before she wakes up, okay?"

Rose shut the trunk and she and Kristof quickly reentered the car. She sped off down the road, leaving the bleeding Mrs. Gregorich lying in the street sputtering and gasping.

* * * * *

Grace Dwyer sat in her bedroom, listening to a Counting Crows CD, when she heard a pounding on her bedroom door.

"Why haven't you started dinner, Grace?"

"I already ate dinner, Dad!" Grace shouted.

"Oh, of course. Little Miss Pretty Panties eats dinner with her handsome teacher and not her own family! Real classy babe you are!"

Ed Dwyer twisted the doorknob, and found it was locked. Grace looked to her sister, Nora, who sat on the bed next to hers. It was obvious Nora was as frightened as she.

"Why's this door locked? Open the damn door, bitch!"

Grace backed away from the door. She knew he would get in one way or another, but she would prolong the inevitable as long as possible. Nora hopped off her bed and crouched on the floor.

"I SAID OPEN THE DOOR!"

Ed kicked the door open, splintering the lock. With a beer bottle in one hand, he grabbed Grace's hair by the other and pulled her to her feet.

"Who the hell you think you are, huh? I'm your god damn father, you understand that?"

Crying, Grace nodded.

"Now get in the kitchen."

Grace hurried down the hallway into the kitchen, and looked through the cabinets for something to prepare. The pantry was mostly empty, but she found a package of noodles that she promptly began to boil. She could hear her father screaming at her sister as she stirred the boiling pasta.

A loud knocking at the front door broke her concentration. Grace jumped, and realized to her relief that whoever it was, it was not her father, being as he was already in the apartment. Grace peeked out the eye hole to see a policeman standing on the other side.

"Who the hell is that?" Ed demanded.

Grace turned to her father.

"A cop."

Ed's eyes went wide with rage.

"What the fuck! You get rid of him. You don't tell him a word about me!"

Grace dropped the wooden spoon on the counter.

"Why?" she asked defiantly.

Ed cracked his palm across Grace's face. He smashed his beer bottle on the counter and held the broken shards towards her.

"You want to know why? Here's why."

Ed stormed out of the kitchen, leaving Grace shaking and trembling. Ed returned moments later holding Nora by the arm. He held the broken glass bottle to Nora's throat.

"Cause if you don't, this little bitch, that your cheatin' whore of a mother is making me raise, is gonna pay for it. If I'm going down, she's going down, you hear me?"