The Afterworld Read online

  Sinful Seasons

  Romantic Novella Collection

  By

  Joanne Sexton

  Spring Gluttony

  The Afterworld

  Lucy

  1

  The Afterworld

  The walls shake from the music thumping out its beat as Matty drags me towards the queue. We stand behind an eclectic array of guys and girls, excitement and apprehension evident on their faces. What’s the big deal? It’s just another club, our third for the evening. Matty keeps a steady flow of conversation, which I politely respond to. My alcohol buzz took the edge off my stoned mind and his enthusiasm begins to rub off on me.

  Each time the door opens I make out the dance song as it resonates through, to be muffled again as it closes over. The people leaving don’t look like they’re walking, it’s almost as though they are floating along, like their feet are made of feathers. Silly grins splash their faces as they disappear into the night.

  A few steps past the double doors, a couple stops and begin an exploration of tongues and hands. Their intensity and uninhabited passion, lust, locks my eyes to them and I can’t, don’t want to look away.

  An instant heat shoots straight between my legs

  “They turning you on, Juicy?” Matty’s use of the nickname I hate earns him a scowl for his trouble. “Sorry, Lucy.”

  “What is with everyone coming out of this joint?” I return my eyes to the amorous couple looking like they might do it standing against the wall.

  “You’ll see.” He grins. “I’ve been coming here for a while and have made some … friends.”

  “Why haven’t I been here before then?”

  Anticipation swells inside me as I watch the couple doing exactly what I thought they might do. Every person in front of us, now only a handful, stares with the same voyeuristic gape that probably graces my face. The only thing preventing them from putting on a show for anyone walking past is that the entrance is in an alleyway and, if you didn’t know the club was here, it will be missed by passers-by.

  “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about the … stuff … that goes on here. It’s nuts but awesome. I’ve seen some crazy shit.”

  “Like two people doing it against the wall, outside, in the street, in front of half a dozen strangers?”

  “Not just outside.”

  My eyes flick to his momentarily and he offers me a knowing grin. We’ve been best friends for as long as I can remember. He is the brother I always wanted. Although we’ve done exactly what the couple in front of us are doing since we were sixteen, we don’t possess any romantic feelings for each other. ‘Friends with benefits’ is the best way to define what we have.

  “Don’t get any ideas about us creating our own public scene.”

  He shrugs, and I frown at him again. There is no way I will publicly fornicate. I am many things, but an exhibitionist isn’t one of them.

  The couple finish with loud grunting before straightening themselves and gliding down the street. A bouncer indicates we can go in.

  Matty grabs my hand and tows me towards the entrance. The thick wooden double doors contain large ornate handles and swirling iron designs. They look almost antique, like something you see on a castle in a horror movie. I glance up as he opens the door, to discover the club has no bright neon sign spouting its name.

  “No name?” I yell over the music booming through the open door.

  “The Afterworld.” He beams again.

  Inside, the music, though loud, seems to be duller and conversation won’t be a problem. As I try to wrap my head around how it was louder outside, I observe my surroundings. Everything, furnishings, walls and carpet are in various shades of purple. The lighting is dim but somehow doesn’t deter vision.

  Matty wasn’t wrong about the activity witnessed outside happening inside. Couples are strewn across couches or leaning against walls, involved in different stages of sex. Some are half-dressed, which is a relief. A bunch of fully naked people should make me uncomfortable. What surprises me is that I’m not offended by them engaging in these activities for all the world to see.

  A DJ stands on a stage to the rear, surrounded by two long bars, which take up half of the side walls. The sunken dance floor is packed and contains more of the same passionate embraces found on the couches edging it. Girls with girls, boys with boys, as well as mixed couples, and sometimes three or more fondle and grope each other. The term bumping and grinding comes to mind as I watch the dancing. A grin pulls at my mouth.

  “Cool, huh?” Matty asks me.

  “Is this a sex club or something?”

  “Or something.” He winks. “Let’s get a drink.”

  He hauls me towards the bar and orders our drinks. We lean against the counter and I watch the spectacle before me in awe. I turn to Matty and notice the lights above dance off his sandy hair, giving it a golden glow. His green eyes brighten as he scans the crowd. In this muted light he looks hot, hotter than usual, and I start to relax into this strange place. I trust Matty with my life, my everything.

  I take hold of his hand again and his eyes meet mine, his smile crooked and alluring. He leans forward and kisses me, his tongue gentle and teasing. His hands weave up and down my back, sending shivers to my toes.

  “I knew you’d like it,” he says after pulling back, leaving me breathless, wanting more. I don’t remember him kissing me like that before. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  Matty scans the room again and then gestures towards someone on the dance floor. One of his hands rests on my lower back and I find it reassuring and arousing all at once. I want him to kiss me again. Tearing my eyes from his chiselled jaw - was it always that way? - I follow his gaze.

  A blond head barely visible above the throng weaves its way through. I know by the stature it could only be a girl. As she breaks from the crowd, her face lights up into a dazzling smile, her dark eyes moving from Matty to me, and my breath catches.

  She is beautiful.

  Her shoulder length hair is a darker blond than I at first thought, and reflects the light, sending a halo around her head. Her large brown eyes light up as they go first to Matty and then back to me again. Up close, she is breathtaking. I have never encountered this feeling or reaction to another girl before. I always appreciate a pretty face, but never have I wanted to … I don’t know what I want.

  “Ally, this is Lucy.”

  “Hi, welcome to The Afterworld, the land of never-ending happiness.”

  I detect an accent, American, and my poor Australian heart quickens. I have always been a sucker for an accent. What am I thinking? Girls aren’t my thing. I like guys, don’t I? Her brown eyes penetrate mine and I return her smile.

  “Hey,” I say, and feel colour rise in my cheeks as my eyes settle on her cherry lips.

  Her eyes roam my face.

  “I told you, you’d like her,” Matty says.

  Ally grins. “Matty, I haven’t seen you here for a while,” she says.

  “Been kind of busy with work and stuff. I wanted to come back sooner.”

  Matty gives her a look I can’t decipher, one I’ve never seen him use before. It looks to me as though he wants to devour her, for lack of a better word. I don’t blame him; I want her in a way I never wanted anything before. How and why does this girl make me weak in the knees?

  Ally turns her attention back to me for a moment, before diving into her jeans pocket and placing something into her mouth. Her eyes dart to Matty’s, whose face fills with exhilaration, his smile wide and excited. His arm leaves my back as he steps forward to meet Ally and their bodies lock together, tight.

  When his lips touch hers, they are gentle at first before his tongue darts into her mouth and then returns. Nibbling at he
r lips for a moment, his hands roam her back. After several moments I see his tongue flick back to hers. I want to look away, I want to feel awkward, but I feel neither.

  Envy is the only emotion filling me and not because Matty is kissing Ally, but because Ally is kissing him. I crave for her to kiss me. Her glistening lips cry out to be tasted and he is the one enjoying the flavour. What is happening to me?

  They stop and Matty steps back. His eyes explore the room, a languid expression prevalent in every feature. He looks content, serene … a word I can’t place. I bring my eyes to Ally, who studies me with a similar expression. Then I know. Ally has slipped something from her mouth to his, a drug, which filled them both with something exhilarating. Apprehension and curiosity sends tingles over my skin.

  I turn to Matty, unsure of what to say, what to do. His eyes meet mine and his desire laden eyes send shivers through me. When he kisses me again it is sudden but hot, breathtaking. I could no longer deny the arousal pouring through my veins.

  “Your turn,” he says as he pulls away.

  “Lucy,” Ally breathes out my name in a seductive tone.

  I watch as she places whatever it is into her mouth again and her eyes blaze brighter with further excitement. Did this mean she is going to kiss me? Do I want her to?

  “Hold it on your tongue, don’t swallow, let it dissolve,” Ally says to me as she steps closer to me.

  Matty lets out a short energetic laugh as her hand comes to rest on my waist. It feels warm through my tight t-shirt. She eases me forward and as her mouth seeks mine, I close my eyes. Her lips are much softer then they look, or I could have anticipated. At first, she places gentle kisses on my lips, but I crave more. I don’t know what it’s like to kiss a girl, but I know suddenly I’m going to enjoy it.

  When her lips press harder, I place a hand on her hip mimicking her movements. Her thin waist feels soft and warm against my hand. As her tongue touches mine I feel the pill, so I hold it there. It tastes sweet like bananas and, as it dissolves, my tongue tingles. Ally nibbles my lips much like Matty had to her as the taste dissipates.

  The feeling of her tongue against mine again is the only sensation I experience. Mine so alight that every tease, every massaging of hers, sends raw desire through me. I feel something cold and hard swirl between our tongues. A piercing. This sends a flood of lust through my already enhanced senses and body. I moan. Her arms enclose my waist and our bodies touch. Her soft curves press against mine. My body responds with fervour as my hands explore her supple skin.

  “Wow,” I hear murmur close to my ear as Matty’s hand caresses my back.

  Ally eases her lips from mine and I slowly open my eyes. I know now why Matty’s eyes roamed and flit around the room. The previously dim lights now shine, sending an incandescent light around Ally’s blonde hair, causing it to shimmer in a golden colour. Her face so beautiful before, now glows with an ethereal exquisiteness. She steps back to allow me to gaze in wonderment at the sight before me. Everything is now iridescent and shiny. The music glides around me in a soft yet invigorating sound.

  My eyes fall on Matty, to find his hair shimmering brighter than before, while his eyes dance in various shades of deep green. I flick my eyes from him to her and realise why the couples, the groups of amorous people, surround them. I want them both at once, and separately. What have they done to me? For a moment fear overcomes me, all control over my senses completely gone. My inhibitions fall to the floor like the autumn leaves from trees.

  “Let’s go get crazy,” Ally says, grabbing my hand.

  2

  I Kissed A Girl

  We swim, glide through the crowd with ease, everything blurry yet clear all at once. Exhilaration, calm, serenity are understatements for the whirl of emotions coursing through me.

  “Here the sun is always shining,” Ally says close to my ear as she stops on the dance floor.

  I watch her as she moves in sync with the rhythm and, when Matty joins her, they writhe together with ease. I’ve never seen him dance before and watching him, them, as their bodies move as one, causes a giggle to explode from my lips. The music takes me, and I easily fall into the same motions and movements with them. My senses are reeling, and my desire is in overdrive.

  What seems like minutes or hours go by; I know nothing of time passed, as I dance with Matty, then Ally, then with strangers, every touch and caress sensuous.

  Ally takes my hand again and leads me to a vacant seat on one of the long couches. Matty sits on the arm, gazing down at me with an expectant grin.

  The thought of what I may be about to do, and in public, flutters through my mind. My eyes move around the room and take in the strangers around me, all oblivious to each other, yet consumed by the person or people they indulge with. I look into Ally’s eyes as she sits beside me, and then I turn to Matty’s. The whole world around me becomes light and only they exist.

  “What did you give me?” I ask. “I… feel…” I can’t find the words.

  “It’s called a purple banana,” Ally says.

  The weird sounding pill is doing things to me I never thought possible.

  “Kiss me,” I murmur.

  Ally eases me back and devours my mouth, her tongue and its metal rod tantalising me. Her hands roam under my shirt to caress me. My nipples harden against her touch and I moan so loud I think I can be heard over the music.

  A chorus of moaning surrounds me as though we are singing in a choir. Matty groans beside me as his hand trails up and down my leg almost sending me over the edge.

  Ally’s kisses move to my neck and then trail down towards my nipples. With one swift movement she unhooks my bra and devours a nipple. One after the other she takes them into her mouth. The sensation of soft lips, girl’s lips so new yet so wonderful, I think I will orgasm right now.

  Matty’s lips seek mine and he kisses me with a newfound passion, overcoming me. What is left of my breath, he steals from me as the intensity of Ally’s touch, mouth, and lips sends me on an ecstasy spiral that is unfamiliar to me. He draws away and I lay my head back as pleasure consumes me. Her tongue licks, and her mouth kisses its way down my navel as she tugs at my jeans.

  For a moment I hesitate - do I want to be half naked in a room full of people? But the people around us won’t be paying attention; they are too consumed in their own lust and desire to notice my half-clothed state.

  When her mouth starts to tease me between my legs, my head dizzies, breathless, consumed with lust, and I think I will pass out. The metal bar teases me like Matty’s tongue never has.

  “Fuck, that’s hot,” Matty says before taking my mouth again.

  The tingling starts at my toes and crawls up my body until I moan out my pleasure in tune with others around me. Ally stops, gazes up at me and smiles before turning to Matty and kissing him.

  “I can taste you, Lucy,” he groans out when Ally’s mouth leaves his. “I really need to fuck one of you right now.”

  Without saying a word, I manage to order my wobbly limbs to move so I am on my hands and knees.

  “I guess that means you want me, Juicy?”

  “Yes, and I would like to do to Ally what she just did to me.”

  With a seductive smile, Ally lies on the couch and I explore every part of her body with my mouth, licking and kissing her like she had me. Having never been with a girl before, I follow her lead and do the same things she did to me. I thought I will hesitate as I move down her body, but when Matty eases inside me I plunge in and take her on a pleasure cruise as I enjoy my own.

  I open my eyes and all I see is white light. I blink several times to discover I’m staring at a ceiling. No music surrounds me or caressing hands or kisses so sweet. Images flash through my mind of flesh on flesh, engulfing pleasure, tongues and teeth. As these memories surface, a blush creeps across my cheeks and warmth fills my body. No, they aren’t memories, it was a dream.

  I turn my head to find a sprawled, naked Matty face down beside me. and I smile. H
is tanned body is stark against the white sheets. His strong physique that I have the pleasure of running my hands over on a regular basis is on display. We obviously got drunk and ended up in bed again. It isn’t the first time I don’t remember the night before or how we got home. I know I’m safe with Matty and sometimes I overindulge.

  The lingering pictures replay over and over; it seems so real. I shake it off, it’s crazy, surely I didn’t do those things. I’m losing my mind. My shrink will have a field day with this one.

  Matty groans, stirs, opens one eye and offers me a half smile.

  “Hey,” he mumbles. “You were something else last night.”

  What did I do? I bring a hand to my mouth and find swollen lips. Surely this was from Matty, they’d been wild before.

  “I never thought seeing you with a girl would be such a turn-on.” He rolls over towards me, propping himself up on one elbow and placed a soft kiss on my lips.

  It was real? I am losing my mind. How did we get here?

  “What happened last night?” I ask, afraid of the answer. Knowing what it will be.

  Part of me wants to believe it was real, the ecstasy, the blissful erotic night with my best friend and the beautiful blonde. The other parts send another image to my mind. That floating feeling as though leaving my body and watching it from afar - did death knock on my door?

  “Don’t look so worried, you don’t actually die. No one is coming to take you away on the crazy train. It is simply The Afterworld.”

  I try to process the information as I remember every wonderful, exciting detail. That pierced tongue as it caressed … oh god, did she, did I? I wait for the discomfort, the outrage, but something else rests in me instead.

  “So, do you want to go again tonight?” Matty asks.

  Without hesitation I answer. “Absolutely.”

  With gentle ease he rolls me onto my side and spoons himself against me. As he whispers in my ear how sexy I am and how much he enjoyed watching me the night before, I feel his erection press against my leg. As he kisses and bites my neck and shoulder, his hand caresses my breasts and tweaks my nipples until they’re hard. His hand then moves down my body and he massages me until I’m ready for him. His skilled fingers making me wet and ready. While his other hand strokes my hair, he pushes my top leg forward and slides inside me. With tender caresses he continues to run his hand up and down my body, still stroking my hair with the other and with loving passionate thrusts he builds me up till I’m ready to explode. His intensity is different, sexy and exciting and before I know it our orgasms flow through our bodies at the same time and we both breath out each other’s name. I can not remember it ever being this way before. Seeing me with a woman totally brought something else out in him. It is sexy and intoxication.