Scorpion's touch

Dorian Gray

~Time skip to evening~
When evening came at last Ivy rushed into my room. "Vanessa? How did Sir Malcom say we had to dress?" She asked. "I believe the way he put it was 'something a little fancier than usual' " I replied. Ivy's expression grew horrified. "I don't know how to dress in fancy clothes. I don't even own any! I can barely dress passably day-to-day let alone for a serious event!" She panicked. "It's alright I'll help you." I soothed, before removing a red dress from my wardrobe and handing it to her. "Here. It'll suit you."
"Thank you." She smiled at me, before leaving the room, carefully holding the dress flat. I shook my head, grinning.

Ten minutes later, Ivy came back into the room with the dress on, looking mildly uncomfortable. Ivy usually wore men's clothing on the basis of pure practicality. This was new to her. "It really suits you!" I exclaimed.
"Thank you. Anyway, you were the one that picked it out." She smiled.

~Time skip to Dorian Gray's party~

"Hello." Dorian said, nodding at Ivy and I. "Hello Mr Gray, thank you for inviting us." I replied.
"Yes, thank you very much sir." Ivy answered shyly. "If you two would like to follow me, we are holding a seance." Dorian said before striding off.
I quickly followed him, Ivy close at my heels. Dorian pushed open the door and led us into a darkened room where there was a group of people sat around a table. An older woman professionally named "Madame Kali" at the head of the table began to speak "Welcome ladies and gentlemen. Please remove all doubts from your mind or this will not work. Gentleman please remove your jewellery, ladies please remove your gloves." She instructed. Sir Malcom looked sceptical however he removed his jewellery anyway. Ivy simply looked bewildered but obeyed her. She did not wear any gloves as she wished to touch and feel things unmasked so she simply joined hands with me and the man next to her. Suddenly the woman began to speak again "Is there anyone out there?" She called. Her voice went hoarse and her head slammed into the table "I speak for the dead, for the undying. There's another here. There is another... here." She trailed off. "Undead, undead, undead." She chanted. Without warning Ivy began to twist and writhe in her seat making choking noises before throwing her head back and passing out, quickly coming round talking in a voice that was not hers "Father mine, let me come with you. What a ripping time we'll have. Let me come with you it'll be an adventure! You'll teach me! I'll prove myself a proper explorer! Peter loves you father!" Ivy spoke in a childlike voice. Her breathing quickened and she slammed back into her chair. "Father! If the water is gone how are we to survive? What an adventure! It's so green and bright and beautiful! But I can't go on. I'm sorry. I'll stay at base camp. Will you name a mountain after me? Are you proud of me?" She yelled, before slamming her body forwards, all of the candles going out leaving the the room lit only by a few oil lamps. "Goodbye. I'll see you soon father. Father..." she trailed off. Sir Malcom looked horrified. It was his son. His son.... Ivy breathed out and then she was still. Sir Malcom was crying and shaking in his seat. Ivy twisted in her seat again, hair coming loose before beginning to speak again "I'm that girl. No, much older." She placed her hand on the table and all at once there was a noise like a gunshot and the table cracked. "Father, Mina's waiting." Sir Malcom stood up. "No!" Ivy cried before putting
her finger to her lips "Shhh" she whispered. I looked in horror at Ivy, unable to do anything whilst she was in this state. "I wonder, I wonder when was the moment you knew you wanted to fuck her. Vanessa heard you fucking and was curious. She ran to look and she watched it, enjoyed it you fucking animal. You man! You animal! Betrayer! Creature!" Ivy yelled, slamming everything off the table she crawled onto it. "I am so afraid father! It's cold it's dark. Help me! Find me!" Ivy begged before dropping back into her seat and coming to her senses. Ivy paled before getting up and walking out of Dorian's house. Sir Malcom got up out of his seat but I pushed  him back down. "I'll go after her." I insisted, not bothering to wait for Sir Malcom's reply and pushed out of the front door into the rain where I could see Ivy's sodden silhouette walking down the street, her hair dripping wet and tumbling down her back. Ivy continued to walk, despite the fact that she was soaked, cold and bleeding from the glass. The rain got heavier and heavier with each step she took. "Ivy!" I called and ran after her. She did not reply, she kept her head bowed the entire time however she slowed down just enough for me to catch up with her. Wether it was raindrops, tears or both on her cheeks I couldn't tell. "It wasn't-" I started to say but Ivy cut me off. "It was and you can't tell me otherwise. I shouldn't have come and now Sir Malcom is crying, you have been publicly shamed and insulted and there is a smashed table as well as some incredibly frightened party guests." She muttered, walking on. "I also exposed Sir Malcom and said foul things. Does that really sound like it wasn't my fault?" She questioned, her face and voice were both defiant however her eyes showed the sadness within. "How were you to know that would happen? How were you to control which spirits came and whether Madame Kali was there or not? See, it really wasn't your fault, Ivy I promise." I insisted.
"It was but alright."she replied, looking too tired to contradict me further.
"Come on, let's get home. You're freezing and absolutely soaked and we need to see to those cuts too."
"Ok Vanessa." Ivy smiled, her eyes were still sad but not as much as before. As we reached the doorstep Ivy stopped "Thank you, for everything." She said before I wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me back. When I eventually released her I opened the door and led her inside. "Go into the kitchen." I instructed "I'll be right there I just need to get some bandages and things first."
"Ok." She agreed, before wandering off into the kitchen and seating herself at the table.

Two minutes later, I returned with my supplies and got to work cleaning Ivy's cuts. I gently dabbed them with the disinfectant. I knew they were stinging Ivy but she didn't flinch or complain at all. I then checked them for glass, tutting when I saw how deep they were but as I was unable to sew her wounds I just had to make do with bandaging them. "There." I said finally.
"Thank you." She smiled. I handed her a towel "Go and get dry now or you'll catch a chill." I instructed. Ivy wandered off in the direction of her bedroom before coming down the stairs a few minutes later with now dry hair. "You should go to bed now Ivy. You've had quite the ordeal tonight and you should rest to recover. Come on, I'll take you." I said comfortingly before carefully taking her by the hand and leading her upstairs. When we got to Ivy's room I opened the door and took her inside. She got into bed and slid down under the covers. "Goodnight Vanessa."
"Goodnight Ivy." I answered, wishing she could come and sleep with me.

~Six hours later~

I was awoken by Ivy's screams. I bolted into her room. "Ivy! What's wrong?" I cried. She was still asleep. She was having a nightmare. "No! Not Vanessa! Leave her please, you can take me and do whatever you want with me but you can't touch Vanessa. Please, please I'll do anything you say." She begged, her voice cracking as though she was crying. I shook her. "Ivy! Ivy! Please wake up it's just a nightmare." I said, still shaking her. When she eventually awoke she sat up hastily, looking embarrassed. "It's ok. It was just a nightmare." I soothed.
"Thank God you're ok." She gasped, shaking. "Of course I'm ok." I replied, trying to reassure her. She looked nervously from me to her bed. "Should I go back to sleep now?" She asked.
"If you want you could come and sleep in my bed?" I offered.
"Yes please." She accepted my offer gladly before getting up and following me down the hallway to my room. I let Ivy get into bed first before getting in after her. She curled into my chest again and we fell asleep peacefully together once more.