The Harpy Ch. 02

"Ahem," she said. "He is my actor." Their ears pricked up. Harold and Stephen looked him over before smiling and extending their hands. "Very nice to meet you, what was it?" asked Harold.

"Clifton."

"As you were, boys." Once again, she whisked him away as quickly as before. They were back at the front door. She led him through it again, past the doormen and into the grand foyer. It was dominated by a grand staircase. She alluded to it.

"There's more rooms upstairs. If you play your cards right."

"Show me one now." He said. "I'd really like to talk to you. I need to talk to you."

"Aren't you curious why I introduced you to them?" She asked. Her brow furrowed.

"I'm sure you were being polite. But I really need to-"

"I just introduced you to Reginald Lubinsky, your boss, a man who signed you and promptly forgot who you were. He knows who you are now."

"Yes, and for that I'm grateful by I-"

"And then I walked you down the way and introduced you to two men knowing full well Reginald could see it all."

Clifton realized she wasn't going to let him speak until she had said her piece.

"Those two men happen to be Steven Spector and Harold Zimmerman, the best young talent agent and the best contract voiding lawyer in Hollywood, respectively. Right now Reginald is writing your name down in his little black book so he doesn't forget. Come Monday he is going to go look up your contract, rip it up and write you a new and better one, all because he thinks he will lose you to United or Louie Mayer if he doesn't. So a little gratitude would be nice."

Bless her if her angry face wasn't cuter than her normal face. "I, I'm sorry, Rose. I didn't realize. Thank you for that."

"You're welcome." Her smile returned. She pulled him in close. "I'm sure you have many things you want to say to me, but wait until the party winds down. I'm a gracious hostess, I cannot give you the time you deserve. But I promise I will, if you will just be patient with me."

Knowing he would get to say his piece calmed his nerves. Besides, spending time with her, being on her good side could only help the odds. "I will. Thank you, Rose."

"Good, now come by my paramour again for the evening. And try to have a little fun." She kissed him on the cheek then took a few steps up onto the staircase.

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen! Mesdames et Messieurs! Good! Thank you, thank you all for coming. Now that you are all liquored up on my best, cheapest hooch..." The group laughed, "I would like to inform you that the movie will begin promptly at nine. That's fifteen minutes. There are plenty of seats - and a few dark corners for you lurkers - so I would ask you all to start funneling out to the back bungalow now. The movie starts precisely at 9 pm and it is a short film, so you only have yourself to blame if you miss The Pleasures of Salomé!" The group let out a collective cheer before shuffling slowly toward the back.

Rose turned back to Clifton. "Hand me another champagne will you?" Clifton grabbed one off a banquette and passed it to her. She downed it all.

"Oh, I always get butterflies before a premiere." She handed him the empty glass, he set it down and gave her a fresh one. "Good boy. We will wait here another five minutes and then take our seats. We should be the last to enter.

Five minutes passed and Clifton took Rose's arm. They strolled slowly through the house and up the pathway towards the back bungalow. Clifton could hear the excited commotion from inside, but to his surprise the shutters were still closed. A late straggler in a peacock mask brushed by them, up the path and into the bungalow.

"Should I be wearing a mask?" He asked Rose.

"Oh no, we don't wear masks. It's for the guests, should they desire."

Clifton didn't understand but before he could ask they were at the door. The doormen from the front were waiting, holding the double doors open.

Rose turned to Clifton and took his hands. "Thank you for being my date tonight. I was worried you wouldn't come."

"I'm glad I did." He smiled at her.

This was a sweeter Rose than he had known up to now. There was something gentle and almost fragile about her look. Her hands were shaking a bit. He no longer worried about the film. This Rose would understand. This Rose would give it back. She stood up on her tiptoes and looked at him. He bent down and kissed her. There was real passion in her kiss.

"God, I'm so nervous." She said.

"Don't be."

"I really hope you enjoy the movie."

She took his hand and led him into the bungalow. Everyone was seated in chairs arranged to face the back wall. Directly in front of them was a projector. To the right a man sat at a piano, ready to play accompanying music. As they entered the guests cheered and clapped. The Doormen closed the door behind them. She blew kisses to her adoring fans, then led Clifton to the only two empty chairs in the house, on the left aisle about halfway down.

"Please, sit here." She said, guiding him to the inside seat. She was still standing. She turned to address the crowd. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, I give to you The Pleasures of Salomé"

She nodded toward the back and the lights went off. The piano began to play, the projector whirred to life. The Screen counted down 4, 3, 2, 1...

The Pleasures of Salomé

The movie came to life with the scene of a plane crash. It was instantly recognizable to anyone who had seen it as the crash scene from The Great Air Robbery. But instead of the next scene from the film, a new scene was cobbled in, with Rose McQueen climbing up a dune, while billowy smoke flowed up from behind her. The audience cheered as she flung off her goggles and helmet.

The next scene was a cobbled piece of Arabs on horseback, stitched together to give the impression that they had seen the wreck and were riding towards it. Clifton picked up scenes lifted from Burning Sands and of course The Sheik. When Valentino's face appeared on the screen another large cheer rang out from the crowd. Valentino was in attendance and gave a quick mock bow. Clifton wondered how exactly Rose got her hands on the prints, prints she could actually splice and cannibalize.

The next ten minutes told a loosely framed story of Rose's character Salomé, her capture and attempted subjugation at the hands of the sheik. She refused, tried to escape and was recaptured. He threatened her, she in turn threatened him, telling him it would be he who ultimately surrendered to her will.

Clifton recognized more cannibalized scenes from Tents of Allah, always interspersed with scenes of Rose, replacing the female lead. Finally the famous scene from The Sheik appeared, the night he considers taking her. Here it was reshot with a new card and everything.

Tonight you will be mine."

The next shot was of Salomé, a cruel thin smile across her lips. Clifton's stomach turned at the site. Butterflies leapt in his chest. He recognized it. The room looked different in black and white but the outfit and the look of Rose was unmistakable.

It was Nazimova's room, the room from his night with her.

Heat formed on his brow and his heart pounded furiously. The very next scene was of Rose, with Clifton standing in front of her. His head was obscured by the wrap but it was definitely him. The intent was clear now. All these people were here to see a screening of his performance with Rose.

It was the worst case scenario. Rather than destroying the film and preventing it from seeing the light of day, it was being screened. Screened for Valentino, lawyers, agents, hell, three rows up was his boss at Famous Players! Did they know it was him? Was his face ever seen? He could not remember if he ever turned to face the camera. He didn't think so, but he was drunk, so very drunk that night.

His eyes burned a hole in the screen. He was afraid to blink. She must have sensed his fear, for she gripped his hand tightly in her hand and placed them both between her legs. It was not done as a sexual act, but to hold him in place. "Just breathe, Tex." she whispered. "You're doing great."

On the film she flared open her robe, exposing her small breasts and bush to the camera. The crowd gasped but did not leave or avert their eyes. Clifton quickly scanned the room. All eyes were on the screen. Salomé yelled at the sheik for a few seconds, then her hand descended slowly, pointing to the ground. The shot held for a second and then switched to a title card.

It is you who will surrender!"

The crowd released a communal sound, something between shock and titillation. The scene came back and Clifton's character fell to his knees. The crowd cheered.

Salomé let out a maniacal smile and collapsed proudly into her chair. Clifton knew what came next. On screen he began kissing her feet, working his way up her thighs. None of his face could be seen, yet.

He watched Rose as Salomé. He remembered her face from when he was between her thighs. It was wild and wonderful, but up on the screen before him it was even more animated. He observed as he made it to her lovely box and began teasing it. Her legs wrapped around his back and her hands grabbed his head. He remembered the feeling of being so all-encompassed in her. Though the film was silent her sounds of pleasure rang in his ears.

On the screen her direction of him was evident. Her heels pushed and guided his back. He hadn't noticed at the time, but she moved him and steered his face and body in accordance with her whims.

The scene reached the point where he inserted his finger inside her. He knew the ending scene was close. There was a cut to a close up of her face in pleasure. She spoke with fire in her eyes.

my new slave!"

The scene came back and the new reel was slightly more to the right. He'd forgotten that they'd switched cameras when the first roll finished. To his horror, at this angle, a slight bit of his face could be made out. The wrap still covered most of him, but his nose and lips could be seen slightly in profile, especially when he pushed forward and puckered them to take her clit in his mouth. Rose squeezed his hand again. "Get ready for it." she said.

Salomé began to buck and rock. The crowd let out an approving 'ahh' noise as she arched her back and dug her heels into his back. Her bucking continued as her orgasmic juices began flowing out. First only a little but then a visible flood of clear liquid ran out and down his mouth and hand. The crowd gasped in shock and amazement. "Oh my God!" gasped a woman who followed it up with a nervous laugh.

Rose's juices kept coming and Clifton kept sucking and playing with her clit. It seemed like an eternity. In real life it had happened so quick that he neither thought it was that long of an orgasm nor that wet. Here on the screen it was both. After an eternal lingering shot, the sheik fell back onto his knees, released from Salomé's clutches.

Salomé placed her legs down on the ground and leaned forward. She sat up there on the screen imperious, beautiful and utterly terrifying. She pointed to the sheik and spoke.

I claim my Victory!"

Clifton had forgotten this part. He watched in shock as the sheik leaned forward slowly, placing his mouth upon her wet vulva. Salomé leaned back, a wicked smile graced her face. Clifton watched as her hands ran down her sides to her calves. Slowly and with as much dramatic flair she could muster, Salomé lifted her legs straight up into the air, making a 'V', all the while the sheik dutifully kept his mouth upon his mistress' honeypot.

The crowd let out a collective gasp at the display of her dominance. They sat, mouths agape, staring at her victory pose as she held her legs proud and defiant above her vanquished slave. It was up on the screen for all to see, Salomé's triumph serving double duty for her conquest of the sheik and Rose's easy sexual mastery of Clifton. The image held for fifteen seconds that seemed like fifteen minutes, before finally, mercifully cutting to end titles.

The room was dead silent for a few seconds until the house lights came up. Clifton foresaw his shameful future in those lights. All eyes turned to he and Rose. He was a known quantity now. It was only a matter of time before he was run out of town. The silence was deafening.

Just when he thought he would break the crowd erupted in raucous applause. Men and women alike clapped and extended their hands to Clifton and Rose.

"Absolutely breathtaking, Ms. McQueen!"

"You've done it again!"

"What spectacle! You're lucky." said one to Clifton, correctly guessing it was he in the film.

Rose stood up. She refused to relinquish her grip on Clifton he clung equally hard to her, for at this confusing moment she was his only mooring to sanity.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you one and all for your praise!" she shouted. The crowd quieted down. "There are refreshments in the Plantation house. The grounds of Talonwood are yours to explore... and enjoy." She punctuated her sentence with a perfect wink. "The movie will begin a replay in five minutes and play every half hour until the evening is done. Feel free to enjoy it at your leisure." She pulled Clifton's hand, indicating it was time to go.

End of part 2