Page 39 of The Headmistress

Magdalene tried to look innocent, but even she must have known she wasn’t quite pulling it off. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. All these accusations! If this is what I’m to contend with, I might as well go shopping with Lily all by myself, rather than endure this kind of suspicion from you”

“Suspicion? You tricked me! With your caresses and your perfume… And just being here with me… Like this.” Sam waved her hand between them.

Dropping the pretense, Magdalene simply sat at the desk and placed her chin on her hand. She made such an alluring picture, Sam’s mouth watered.

“Are you saying that I used my feminine wiles to tempt you, Sam?” The voice went down a whole octave, and goosebumps ran down Sam’s back.

“Ah, I don’t think you need wiles.”

“Are you certain?” She had not moved, her chin still resting on that gracefully folded palm, bicolored eyes sparkling with heat, looking straight through Sam, as the voice wrapped itself around her like a silk ribbon.

“What was the question again?” Sam felt intoxicated by the presence of this woman in this place where she had grown up, where she had dreamt about a love like this. Had she conjured Magdalene into existence from her dreams? Andlove? Sam blinked, and the anguish must’ve shown on her face Or because Magdalene lowered her palm to the desk and her countenance lost the seductive expression.

“I’m sorry, Sam. I shouldn’t tease you. Especially when I can’t follow through.”

“You don’t want to follow through,” Sam corrected with enough force to make Magdalene flinch. Suddenly breathing heavily, Sam felt so tired of people playing their games, with her being the innocent bystander. If she was to be damned, she wanted to at least deserve it.

“Be that as it may. Thank you for agreeing to go with me and the girls. I’ll let you know when I make the arrangements.”

Magdalene made to leave, but angry now for being dismissed so easily, Sam caught her elbow, making her stumble, and catching her by pressing her back between her own front and the nearby wall.

The feeling of deja vu was overwhelming. They had stood in this room before, in each other’s arms, breathing each other’s air, yet they might as well have been light-years apart then. But now, time and distance seemed to have disappeared, revelations and assurance granted and accepted, fledgling bridges of trust being built on hope. The air was no longer charged with desperation, but possibilities.

And now both of them were breathing rapidly, their proximity sparkling with electricity, andthisspark, Sam thought, had enough voltage to hurt both of them. Their breath mingled, Magdalene’s subtle perfume touching something deep in Sam, making her want and want and want… She felt like all she did these days was want, need, crave. This scent, this body under her hands, under her mouth. They were kissing then, mouths hungry, bruising, leaving no room for anything other than raw desire, scorching them both. Sam’s hand delved into Magdalene’s short locks just as Magdalene’s fingers tugged and raked, the simple elastic holding up Sam’s ponytail no match for the determined Headmistress. Sam whimpered when their tongues touched, Magdalene sucking on hers gently, turning up the heat tenfold just with this one move. Sam’s unrestricted pleasure at the gesture seemed to only ignite Magdalene further, and she tugged on the blond hair at the base of Sam’s head to tip her face up, exposing her neck, and biting with enough enthusiasm that it would surely leave a mark. Teeth raked at Sam’s sensitive skin and an agile tongue followed, soothing the bite but managing only to inflame further.

Not wanting to cease control just yet, Sam’s hands abandoned Magdalene’s hair and traveled downward, seeking purchase on her hips before moving lower still. She dragged her fingers up the exquisite thighs, raising the skirt up, inch by inch, and exposing a set of stockings, garters and all, that managed to render her completely stupid.

“Please don’t tell me you walk around the school like this… I may never be able to function again.” Magdalene’s chuckle was honestly obscene in how dirty it sounded in the quiet of the apartment, and it went directly between Sam’s legs, her clit throbbing painfully, demanding attention. But not now, not now… Now was for these stockings, Sam thought as she lowered herself to her knees. Magdalene moaned at the simple sight of Sam at her feet, and it was Sam’s turn to laugh. Two could play this game, and seeing the obvious effect she had on this woman was heady. She hiked the skirt a few inches higher and exposed a barely-there lacy thong that made her mouth go dry. The wet spot on the crimson silk made her brain empty and her body take over. She leaned forward, hungry to taste the effect she had on Magdalene.

The knock on the door just feet away from where they stood made both of them jump and then freeze.

“Sam? Are you home? Is Magdalene with you?” George’s muffled voice had the effect of a cold shower. Magdalene’s head fell against the wall behind her, her breathing slowing. Sam simply lowered her face onto one of the stocking-clad thighs, and the no-longer-cold hands cradled her there until George stopped knocking and her soft steps could be heard departing the hallway in front of Sam’s apartment.

Magdalene carefully tugged on Sam’s hand, raising her from her knees, and then proceeded to set her skirt to rights. Sam thought that, while her own attire did not require many repairs—despite her panties perhaps needing to be changed—her heart would definitely demand some mending from this latest encounter of theirs.

But as if sensing her distress and need for healing, Magdalene placed a gentle kiss on Sam’s cheek and then beckoned Willoughby with a snap of her fingers. The tom meowed in compliance, and the Headmistress and her faithful companion disappeared from the room, leaving more than Sam’s hair disheveled. Her feelings and her emotions would need significant calming down. If that was even achievable at this point.

14

Of Heavy Burdens & Newfound Boldness

The trip to Chatham, a small town on the mainland where Sheriff Green had his office, usually took about two hours with some wait time at the ferry dock. That day Sam felt like it had been an eternity since they’d left the dorms. The island spread behind them, with the Dragon Cliffs standing guard over it, as if telling Sam that they would be safekeeping the school until she got back to resume the task.

Sam wanted to laugh at her fanciful and foolish thoughts. And yet time and time again, others kept putting her in this position of guardian, and it seemed to be taken by everyone as a fait accompli. It had started in her high school years, when the teachers would ask her to take care of the younger girls, despite her not being a Proctor, simply by virtue of the fact that she never went anywhere for the holidays, knew everyone, and was always present, responsible, reliable.

And it had certainly continued when she’d returned to the school as a teacher, without much choice of her own, both Joanne and especially Orla imposing on her the responsibility of keeping Dragons safe. With Magdalene’s arrival and Orla’s role diminishing, Sam was not surprised to have been thrust into the spotlight again. She thought she’d never stepped out of it, to begin with, this time with Joanne pushing and prodding her to take a stand to defend, protect, safeguard.

Last night, with Joanne and Orla back from the mainland and their respective interviews with the Sheriff’s department, they had camped out in Sam’s apartment, nudging and tugging at her, wanting to know what she would say, what she thought the outcome of the investigation might be, and whether she really believed someone at Dragons was trying to harm the Headmistress.

Orla had scoffed and raged against the very notion, but her fear and her concern for the school, for the girls, for the faculty, were palpable. Sam’s heart went out to her. Twenty years was a long time to put your soul into something, only to see it all dismantled, one once carefully laid stone at a time. And when all was said and done, Orla had nothing and no one aside from Dragons. She had sacrificed her whole life at the altar of the school, had spurned serious relationships—despite her numerous flings—forsaken friends and family until none were left.

Last night, Joanne had chosen to sit quietly and watch Sam and Orla go round after round over the same ground, with Sam defending and Orla attacking the new order. When it got late and Orla departed, still angry that Sam wasn’t ready to join her in open protest, Joanne chose to stay behind. Sam had almost forgotten she was there, but as Orla made her exit in a huff, she heard a soft chuckle coming from the corner and whirled around in surprise.

“This whole situation has gotten you on edge, little one.” Joanne’s dear face was obscured by shadows from the windows, but Sam thought she caught more than just mirth in the expression.

“I guess it’s your turn now?” God, she really did not want to have this conversation anymore. Hadn’t Orla said everything there was to say already?

“No, I don’t think I get a turn, Sammy.”Pardon? Sam did a double-take, surprised by her often outspoken and always opinionated mentor’s current reticence.

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