Johanna Morgenthau and the Search for the Cinnamon Ice Cream Chapter 04

==== Chapter Four: The Villa ====

== Thomas is Delicious ==

It’s the Easter holidays. Johanna has invited Thomas, Sören, Sarah, and Marie to help her move. She lets them into the apartment five minutes after Elke has left for the shop.

The five of them swiftly pack Johanna’s belongings into boxes and load them into the van Sarah brought. Johanna leaves a letter for Elke, promising to visit soon.

The group stands before the gate leading to Michael’s ‘house’. As an employee checks each of their IDs, they take in Johanna’s new residence. ‘House’ is an understatement, Johanna thinks. It’s a magnificent villa. Next to this building, even the Bellegardes would feel a twinge of shame for their own abode.

“What a splendid structure,” Sören remarks, “how old is this estate?”

“And you live here now?” Marie asks, “Where do I sign up? This is like hitting the jackpot!”

Johanna tempers their enthusiasm, “Well, technically, I’m not living there but over there.” She points to an annex, evidently built later than the main house, with its own separate entrance.

“Still.”

Sarah says, “You’ll get to know life with servants now.”

Marie adds, “You’ll be lounging by the pool, and a butler in swim trunks and a bow tie will bring you cocktails.”

Everyone chuckles.

“They’re not my servants,” Johanna defends herself.

“Just wait,” Sarah continues, “you get used to it quicker than you’d like. Especially if he has a chef…”

They drive onto the property and carry Johanna’s belongings inside. Everyone is endlessly envious of Johanna’s newly renovated small apartment. They hang out at Johanna’s for a while, chatting. Marie and Sarah keep teasing Sören who discovers his new identity as matchstick head.

When Sarah finally has to leave, Johanna grabs Thomas by the arm, “I could use some more help arranging the books. Could you stay a bit longer and help me?”

Sarah and Marie can barely contain their laughter. Thomas raises his eyebrows. “Books? Alright, I’ll help you with your… books.”

Johanna plants a gentle kiss on Thomas’s cheek. “I’m glad you stayed.”

“Of course. But hey, you were pretty evasive earlier. Why exactly are you living here now? This isn’t the kind of place one just rents.”

Johanna skirts around the question, “Well, it’s all about knowing the right people…”

“Knowing people? What kind of people do you need to know for this? Do you have a sugar daddy or something?”

“I’m not exactly sure what I have. For now, I’ve got a place to live, and Elke can’t drive me up the wall anymore.”

“Ah, so a sugar daddy. Is he at least good-looking or very wealthy?”

“Both,” Johanna replies with a wide, cheeky grin. “Why so many questions?”

“Because you intrigue me.”

“And if I do have one, what then? Are you jealous?”

“Would you like me to be?”

With a playful shove, Johanna pushes Thomas onto the bed, tapping him lightly with a pillow, then pounces on him with a playful leap.

He chuckles, “Oh, did I strike a nerve?”

“Come on, Thomas, tonight I just want some company. Something uncomplicated. Someone who’s nice to me.”

“What kind of company are you after? Do you want to organize books?”

Thomas flips her over so she’s on her back.

“Tell me what kind of company you’re looking for.”

Johanna hooks her finger behind one of his shirt buttons, gently pulling him down towards her, and gives him a kiss on the lips. “This kind of company?”

Thomas supports himself on his arms, looking down at her. “Should I be worried that your sugar daddy might send the Russian mafia after me if he finds out?”

“That’s not how things work with us; you’ve got nothing to worry about. Your only concern should be that I might hit you with something harder than a pillow if you keep up with the silly questions.”

He leans down once more to Johanna, and they begin to kiss with fervor. Johanna lets out a contented sigh, wrapping her arms tightly around Thomas. She surrenders completely to the moment, lost in their passionate embrace.

“Oh, this feels so good, Thomas. I could keep doing this all night. But now, kissing isn’t enough for me anymore. Get naked.”

“Only if you do too.”

They start undressing in front of each other, admiring their beautiful bodies. They continue kissing. Thomas pleasures her breasts with his mouth. She gently strokes his penis with her hand.

Johanna flips Thomas onto his back, saying, “The foreplay was wonderful, but I can’t wait any longer. I’m going to ride this pole now.”

She holds Thomas’s cock with her hand and guides it into her wet slit. “Oh yes. Ah! That’s good!” She smiles down at Thomas, who grins back at her.

She places her hands on his slender chest for support, and he softly massages her breasts. Slowly, she begins to move her hips up and down. Without any rush, she rides Thomas’s shaft, savoring how it slides in and out of her. She relishes having him beneath her, seeing the pleasure on his face, watching how much he enjoys being ridden by her.

She leans forward to kiss him on the mouth, then sits back upright to ride him for a long time. Eventually, her orgasm begins, seemingly endless. She rides through a prolonged climax until eventually, Thomas comes inside her. She simply stays seated on his cock, which slowly softens within her, and continues to make out with Thomas.

They lie there for a while, cuddling. They snack on something light and watch the first part of Fritz Lang’s ‘The Nibelungs’. Johanna is thrilled, while Thomas is dreadfully bored.

After the movie, Johanna says, “I want to try something new. And I want to try it with you because I know you’ll be careful enough.”

“What exactly do you want to try?”

“I want you to fuck me in the backdoor.” Thomas looks at her, surprised, and asks, “That’s unexpected. Is your adventurous side speaking up again? Now?”

“Yes, now, let’s do it before I change my mind.”

“I’m not sure if I can go again yet.”

Johanna kneels between his legs, taking his cock into her mouth. Within two minutes, it stands firm like a flagpole.

“Looks to me like you’re ready?”

Thomas hesitates, “Um, so should I just…?”

Johanna cuts him off, “You’re going to use this lube now and prep me with your fingers, make me a bit looser, okay? I’ll keep taking care of your device in the meantime.”

Thomas lubes up his fingers and begins to stretch and relax her anus.

Johanna then says, “Okay, enough with the fingers. Drill into me!”

She gets on all fours, presenting her backside to Thomas. He positions his cock at her anus and begins to very cautiously push in.

Johanna turns her head and says, “Come on, can’t you find the entrance? Just push it in!”

Thomas thrusts forward, and Johanna lets out a loud moan. “Oh, what the—this is intense. It feels so … how does this even work?”

Thomas starts to fuck her slowly, moaning with pleasure.

“Yes, more, really hammer it in, okay?”

Thomas picks up the pace while Johanna moans and encourages him further. She reaches between her legs with one hand, rubbing her slit as Thomas thrusts into her ass.

Thomas had expected her to call it off at some point, but she enjoys the entire lengthy session. He manages to last a long time until he groans in orgasm, filling her ass with his cum.

Exhausted, he lies back, and Johanna snuggles onto his chest.

In the dead of night, she wakes up shivering. They must have kicked the blanket aside in their sleep. She’s still lying on Thomas’s chest. She looks down his naked body and sees his penis standing erect, like a solitary watchtower in the night.

She senses a third presence. Looking straight ahead, she stares into her own face. There’s a second Johanna, her flawless doppelgänger. This Johanna has nestled against Thomas’s other side, almost an exact replica, except for a few white strands of hair. And pointy ears. And vertical pupils like a cat has. She is so beautiful!

Johanna grins widely at Johanna, revealing sharp teeth and enormous, elongated canines. She licks over her pointed fangs with a sinister relish.

Johanna watches as Johanna crawls along the bed. Her fingers end in sharp claws that trace over Thomas’s skin, just barely avoiding tearing it. Thomas lets out a heavy sigh, breathing heavily.

Johanna grasps Thomas’s penis with her hand. Johanna looks on, worried about what might happen to him. Johanna opens her mouth, exposing her sharp teeth. Her unnaturally long tongue snakes out, licking greedily along his penis. She grins broadly and takes his member between her pointed teeth.

Johanna leaps up, grabs the cassette deck, and swings it with all her might into the face of Johanna.

Slowly, Johanna comes back to consciousness. Her head rests on Thomas’s lap.

“Hey, you’re back? You must have hit your head.”

Her head hurts; she feels around. There’s a large bump above her eyebrow.

“What happened…?”

She turns quickly, inspecting Thomas’s penis in a panic. It’s intact. She sighs in relief. But there are four tiny puncture marks, a few small drops of blood have formed.

Thomas tries to reassure her, „See? Everything’s still there. A perfect and, as you’ve just personally verified, fully functional genital.“

She gives him a kiss, pulls the blanket over both of them, and lies there, pondering. She checks her teeth, feeling to make sure they all feel normal. What’s happening? Something is waiting for her, lurking in the darkness. She can feel its grin at her from the shadows.

== The Roman Bath ==

Johanna finds the villa far more enchanting than she had anticipated. It isn’t just an old building; the interior is equally impressive. Every room is furnished with antique furniture, marble everywhere, ancient paintings, and artworks that speak of centuries past. The extension is newer, but the oldest part of the building was already constructed in the 17th century and then repeatedly expanded.

Johanna feels blissful. Michael has given her no tasks, made no demands; she can simply be here. And there’s more: he’s allowed her to use the Opel Kadett station wagon.

And Sarah was right—having a professional chef in the house is far better than one could imagine.

There are many people in the villa, and at first, Johanna finds it challenging to figure out who is there in what capacity or for what reason, whether they are guests or staff. The maids and the chef wear uniforms, while everyone else is in civilian clothes. Barbara seems to be a close confidante of Michael’s.

A week after moving in, she wakes up early. She tiptoes into Michael’s bedroom and watches him sleep. She could sit here for hours, just watching him.

The moment he wakes, she greets his day with a loving kiss. Sitting on his lap, she declares, “Are you fully awake? This is a raid!”

He smiles at her, his eyes fluttering open, “What a delightful way to wake up. What’s on your mind, Johanna?”

“I don’t want to just live here.” Johanna’s voice is firm and resolute. “I want to be part of your life. I want adventures. I want to steal obscure books for you at night. I want to be close to you.”

Michael studies her intently. “Until now, you’ve been my guest. You can continue to be just that, live in the annex with no obligations if you wish.”

“That’s not enough for me,” Johanna states decisively.

Michael responds, “You’re quite greedy, you know that? Are you ready for your life to change?”

“Yes. My life is always changing anyway, and yes, I want more. If that makes me greedy, then so be it.”

“Come with me, we’ll put that to the test. Fetch Barbara.”

Somewhere in the villa’s cellar, there’s a peculiar room that starkly contrasts with the rest of the mansion. It resembles an ancient bath, featuring an oval, multi-level basin. Columns encircle it, supporting a domed ceiling above. The entire room is covered in green tiles, embellished with elaborate patterns and mosaics. The architectural style evokes the antiquity of Rome, not the Renaissance flair of the villa itself.

As they walk towards it, Michael explains, “During the Renaissance, when this villa was constructed, Roman architecture was incredibly fashionable. Many estates from that period feature a ‘Roman ruin’ in their gardens, which were actually built from scratch since there weren’t enough genuine ruins available. This facility here is one of the rare, truly ancient structures preserved from antiquity. A section beneath the bath is even older. The villa was built over this site, and the architect chose to incorporate the bath within the villa’s interior. It’s unique. Absolutely wonderful.”

Johanna looks around, her eyes wide with wonder. The beauty of the place is breathtaking. Light reflections play across the walls, creating a dance of shimmering patterns. The ambiance is softly illuminated by oil lamps that Barbara is lighting, as there is no electric lighting here.

Barbara joins them, offering a warm smile to both Johanna and Michael. She radiates happiness. If Barbara can find such joy here, then so can I, Johanna muses to herself.

Johanna is eager to soak in this moment. Yet, there’s an anticipation of intimacy soon to follow, isn’t there? She quells her impatience, trusting that everything will unfold as it should. The three of them begin to undress, placing their garments into a niche in the wall. Johanna takes a moment to admire the graceful forms of both Michael and Barbara.

There’s a small pool, about the width of outstretched arms, set in a side alcove.

“For cooling off before the bath,” Barbara explains, stepping in and submerging for a minute. Michael does the same afterward. When Johanna steps into the pool, she inhales sharply. The water is icy, no more than four degrees Celsius. Gathering her resolve, she plunges under. Afterwards, the trio warms up in the soothing heat of the main bath.

So, are we going to have sex now, or are we just bathing here? Impatient thoughts once again surface in Johanna’s mind. Michael and Barbara are so beautiful, so graceful. Barbara steps out of the water, fetching an amphora which she places on a stone ledge by the wall.

She looks at Johanna, who approaches her. Barbara dips her hand into the amphora, her hand now coated with an oil that smells divine. It carries the scents of anise and ginger, with hints of saffron and a touch of cardamom.

She starts to massage the oil onto Johanna. Johanna also reaches into the amphora, and the two women begin to oil each other up. Barbara’s body feels wonderful under Johanna’s fingers—soft, warm skin, perfect breasts. They spread the oil into every crevice, even slicking their hair with it. Johanna’s mind feels liberated. All impatient or pondering thoughts suddenly vanish. All thoughts simply disappear.

Michael joins them. Together, the two women sensually apply the oil to him. Under the touch of their hands, his penis rises to full attention. He sits on the edge of the basin. Barbara, with an elegant movement, positions herself onto him, her back to him. Slowly, with a blissful smile, she guides his shaft into her eager depths. She locks eyes with Johanna, who sits across from them, gently massaging her own intimacy. Barbara lets out soft moans, relishing the ride on his rigid pillar.

After a prolonged ride, Barbara dismounts from Michael. Johanna approaches him and applies a fresh layer of oil to his penis. She lies back, and Michael slides his shaft into her eager cavern. Her mind is blank; everything happens instinctively, without her conscious effort. The sensation is indescribable, a delightful tingling that fills her entire body. His penis moves slowly in and out of Johanna, as she writhes in a sea of pleasurable feelings.

Johanna then sits up. The women generously apply more oil to his member. Barbara stands with her legs spread, bending forward with straight legs, supporting herself on the raised edge of the basin.

Michael positions himself behind her, with Johanna cuddling up to his side, and he aligns his cock with Barbara’s anus. Very slowly and carefully, he pushes his cock into her rear, while Johanna massages his balls. Barbara lets out moans of pleasure as he moves his cock within her ass. Johanna squats down, watching closely as he thrusts his long shaft repeatedly deep into Barbara’s bowels right in front of her nose.

He pulls his cock out. Instinctively, Johanna opens her mouth, and he slides his cock in. Johanna is so caught up in the moment, as if in a trance, that she doesn’t even think about where the cock has just been. In that instant, she tastes nothing unpleasant. She sucks his cock vigorously, which he then plunges back into Barbara’s ass. He alternates between her anus and Johanna’s eager mouth, with Johanna each time zealously sucking on his pleasure rod.

He pulls away from Barbara, who then applies fresh oil to his penis. Michael lies down on his back. Johanna positions herself over his cock. Barbara holds it steady as Johanna carefully lowers her anus onto the tip. Her anus stretches open. Johanna opens her mouth as if to let out a silent scream. An indescribable sensation fills her rear. Without hesitation, she sits down fully, taking the entire length inside her. His cock is very large, stretching her anus immensely, but there’s no pain.

Repeatedly, she lifts her hips only to lower herself onto his cock again. A moan of pure bliss escapes her lips.

Barbara watches closely as the cock slides in and out of Johanna’s anus. Johanna lifts off the shaft, and immediately, Barbara takes it into her mouth, pushing it deep inside and sucking eagerly. Johanna turns around to watch Barbara take the cock into her mouth. The cock switches repeatedly between Johanna’s anus and Barbara’s mouth.

Michael then stands up. Johanna stands in front of him, and he reaches under her buttocks, lifting her with a strong motion. She wraps her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist. Barbara presses against her from behind, helping to support her bottom. Together, they gently lower her onto his shaft, which penetrates her pleasure cave. He supports her buttocks with his hands, and she slides slowly up and down on his pole, locking eyes with him. The feeling is beyond words. He sits back down, with her in his lap, his shaft still inside her. Barbara continues to cuddle her from behind. Johanna keeps moving on his pole until an orgasm begins at her tailbone, slowly traveling towards her vulva, rising through her body until it explodes in her head. Simultaneously, Michael ejaculates inside her, and she feels his semen being pumped into her vagina.

After their climax, the three of them relax in the basin. No words are needed. They are content. Johanna is in seventh heaven.

Johanna is happy in the coming days. She feels different since her visit to the ancient bath; she feels like part of a family. Barbara feels much more familiar now.

But what now? Where is her adventure? Johanna is excited—when will it be time? What adventures await her? What secret missions? Will he send her off to distant, forgotten libraries to find the formula for cinnamon ice cream? When will it be time?

Michael sets up an account for Johanna with a weekly allowance. At first, Johanna has some reservations, but then she is happy about the additional independence gained. She uses the first funds to take dance lessons. It’s at the same studio where Anna also takes dance lessons, providing the two with a new opportunity to meet.

== Johanna and the Book ==

Johanna stands in what seems to be a blend of a library and a study, two stories tall with a gallery. The room had been locked, and Johanna was surprised that her key had worked here, but now she stands inside. Michael must trust her immensely—the key he gave her has so far unlocked every door. Something that is absolutely not the case for the staff. Has he truly entrusted her with a master key?

The book is beautiful. It’s bound in leather that has darkened over time. The title and symbols on the cover are embossed. The book is large, roughly A3 in size. She can’t read the title, in fact, she can’t even identify the letters—it looks like the incestuous offspring of the Greek and Latin alphabets.

But she is fascinated by the book, just looking at it. It lies in a steel cabinet behind bulletproof glass. The grandfather clock in the room chimes. It’s four o’clock. Four o’clock means she has been staring at this book for three hours. The realization feels surreal. Only this book—as if hypnotized.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Johanna nearly jumps out of her skin in fright.

“Oh, I didn’t know the young lady was so jumpy, my apologies.”

Johanna whirls around. A man stands behind her. Perhaps in his forties, with dark hair, well-groomed, wearing what is likely a sinfully expensive suit.

Michael steps in, “Allow me to introduce: this is Johanna Morgenthau, she’s my guest here, and this is Andrei van Pelten, a business associate of mine. Andrei, I’ll fetch the documents, make yourself comfortable.”

Michael exits, and Andrei extends his hand to her.

“Very pleased to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

Andrei sizes up Johanna. His gaze has an unreal intensity, not unlike what she feels from Michael.

“Only few families still possess such a grimoire. Especially one so ancient. It’s truly impressive. Michael should consider himself lucky that it’s so well preserved. I wish I could take a peek inside. Would you like to take a look inside?”

He takes a step closer to Johanna. “Or perhaps you own one yourself?”

Johanna’s heart pounds in her throat, though she doesn’t know why. “I can’t even read the title.”

“No? Is that so? How long have you been standing here? How long have you been gazing at it, not knowing why?”

Johanna looks at him, puzzled, “How did you…?”

He continues, “When I made this appointment, I thought it would just be about business, some agreements with Michael. I hadn’t anticipated meeting such a beautiful young lady. As if descended straight from heaven.”

Johanna looks at him, a bit embarrassed. Then she takes his hand, which he had rested on the case containing the book, lifts it, examining the ring.

“Do you travel alone? Or with your wife? Does she know what you’re doing here?”

“Do you often think about the wives of married men? Would you like to compare yourself to her?”

He takes her hand, holding it longer than necessary. “And you? No ring?”

Johanna replies, “No ring. I’m younger than you, after all.”

Then something overcomes her, as if something takes possession of her. She runs her fingers over her lips, smiling at him, “I’m certainly younger than your wife. Much younger? And she surely doesn’t have red hair like mine.”

He runs his fingers through her hair. “I’ve heard that with a copper roof, the cellar is always wet. Perhaps you could tell me if that’s true?”

“You’ll have to check for yourself to be certain about the cellar.”

Andrei slowly lifts her skirt while looking into her eyes. Then he slides his hand under her skirt and feels. The moment he realizes she’s not wearing panties, she grins at him. He briefly touches her slit, caressing it lightly with his hand. Then he withdraws his hand and slips his middle finger into his mouth, licking it.

“It seems to be true then.”

Andrei leans forward, whispering to her, “We should spend some time alone together. Until then, you should study the book more closely. Study the book.”

As she hears his words, she feels a tingle down her spine, like an electric current.

At that moment, Michael returns. “Ah, thank you for keeping Andrei company. Let’s best go to my office.” They disappear behind a sliding door. Johanna watches them leave, her fingers trailing over her lips.

Johanna sits at her desk, engrossed in the grimoire she’s taken to study in peace. Her mind whirls with the arcane text, and the handwriting isn’t easy to decipher either. Finally, she closes the book and heads to bed.

In a half-asleep state, she hears a knock at the door. She throws on a robe and opens it. Andrei stand there.

“What are you doing here?” Johanna asks.

“Our conversation was cut short earlier. Perhaps we can continue?”

She steps aside, silently allowing him in. As she does, she casually tugs at the belt of her robe, loosening it slightly.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Perhaps we should switch to first names now?”

He sits on her couch, and she joins him with two wine glasses and a bottle.

He asks her some trivial questions, and they flirt lightly with each other.

Eventually, Johanna says, “Well, it’s late, I need to get to bed now.”

“And we were getting along so well.”

“You can leave now or make sure I get to bed safely.”

He lifts her with both hands, carrying her into the bedroom. She lies on the bed, peeling off her robe as Andrei undresses. She watches him while massaging her breasts.

She lies there, legs spread, and says, “Maybe it’s better if you leave now.”

He pulls her up from the bed, kissing her on the mouth.

Johanna acts indignant, “But I must insist. What do you think you’re doing!”

At the same time, she touches his penis, stroking it gently.

He says, “Tell me what you want.”

She grins at him, “What do you want?”

He kisses her again. She gives in to the kiss for a moment, pressing against him, her hands caressing his chest.

“I like it when a man takes what he wants. When he’s strong enough to hold me down. I like it when a man doesn’t ask.”

Then she pushes him away again, giving him a playful slap on the cheek.

He grabs her arms, pinning her down onto the bed. She struggles against him, pushing back, but he’s much stronger than she anticipated. He presses her arms into the mattress, positioning himself over her. She wriggles beneath him, but he holds her hands above her head with one hand while guiding his cock to her entrance with the other. Then he thrusts into her. Johanna lets out a moan. She tries to free her arms, but he leans on her with all his weight and begins to fuck her. Each thrust is as deep as he can go. Feeling his strength excites Johanna, and soon the first wave of climax begins to build.

After her first orgasm, Andrei flips Johanna over and takes her from behind. He fucks her hard while she moans into her pillow. Eventually, she collapses, exhausted, onto the mattress. She thinks he must have come too, but she barely notices. She curls up, content, into her blanket.

Andrei has vanished; he must have slipped away while she lay there, exhausted. Damned cuddling refuser, she thinks to herself, that should be punishable by law!

== The Wraith of the Prince ==

Johanna stands with her head hanging defeated before Michael in his office. “Johanna, I am utterly disappointed in you. How could you do such a thing? What were you thinking? Have you lost your mind?”

Johanna can’t meet his gaze. Staring at the floor, she says, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. He was so exciting; it just sort of happened. I didn’t want to make you jealous. But you’re right, I’m a guest in your house, and then I go and sleep with your visitor right under your nose.”

Michael looks at her sharply. She feels as if his gaze could bore two holes into her like laser beams. Angrily, he slams his hand on the desk, making Johanna flinch. “You think that’s what this is about? Who you slept with last night?”

He slams his hand on the desk again. He yells at Johanna, “The book! What have you done with the book?”

Johanna replies timidly, “I … the book? I borrowed it because I was curious. I should have asked you.”

“Fetch it. Now, immediately.”

Johanna returns, looking utterly distraught.

“You can’t find it, can you?”

“I … I have no idea, I can’t find it anywhere, but I know it was on my desk. I can’t explain it.”

Michael looks at her gravely.

“But I can explain it. Think.”

A realization dawns on Johanna, “But, you said he was a friend, he couldn’t have…”

“A business partner,” Michael corrects her sharply, “not my blood brother. He took the book. Do you think he visited you because he found your little nose so cute?”

Johanna is on the verge of tears.

He waits until she’s done dabbing at her eyes with her handkerchief. “How did you even get to it? How did you open the display case?”

“The mechanism behind the plaque on the bust. I was reading on the gallery when you used it.”

“Unbelievable. And what did you do with it? Look at the pretty pictures?”

“I read it.”

Michael asks angrily, “Read it? Right. And where exactly did you learn Coptic?”

She looks at him, puzzled. “Cop… what? But I… I was…”

She thinks back. She had stared at the pages for hours.

“I don’t understand. It somehow made sense at the moment.”

Johanna sits down, completely devastated. “It’s all my fault. That grimoire must have been in your family for generations. And now it’s gone, maybe forever?”

Michael sighs, “Not forever. But longer than I’d like. He shouldn’t have it. He’ll return it to me eventually, but it will likely cost me a very unpleasant favor.”

“What can I do? I wish I could get it back for you.”

Johanna sits there for a while, then asks, “Should I move out? I’ve abused your trust.”

“Consider this, you were also used. Or more accurately, you let yourself be used. What do you think? Should you move out?”

“I don’t know.”

“Exactly. Figure out for yourself what the consequence must be. Then come to me.”

“You’re not just throwing me out?”

„I want you to grow from this. You’ve caused this situation, so it’s also your task to understand what must come from it. I won’t predetermine that for you.”

Johanna looks at him, unable to say another word, she just nods.

He adds, “But understand, I expect more from everyone who lives here.”

Johanna perches on the edge of the desk. “Can I at least try to cheer you up a little? It’s the least I could do.”

She hikes her skirt up slightly. He looks at her with a cold stare and slaps her across the face. Johanna recoils in shock.

She says, “Okay, I’m sorry, that was out of line.”

She dashes out of the room. She retreats to her room and cries her eyes out.

Over the next two days, Johanna feels incredibly uncomfortable in Michael’s presence. It’s as if there’s an invisible wall between them. She feels guilty all the time, unable to meet his gaze. But what can she do? This can’t go on like this. She decides to meet with the women from the clique, hoping it might take her mind off things.

== Visit of the Night Nurse ==

“We unfortunately don’t have that.”

Johanna looks at the waiter with indignation, “What do you mean you don’t have cinnamon ice cream? What kind of place is this?”

“I’m really sorry, only what’s on the menu.”

Johanna takes a pen from her purse, amends the ice cream parlor’s menu to include a cinnamon ice cream sundae. “See here? It’s even listed on the menu. Now go make it!”

The waiter looks at her helplessly. Franziska interjects, “Oh come on, don’t torment the poor boy like that!”

Marie chimes in, “Why not? It’s not Johanna’s fault they forgot to make cinnamon ice cream.”

“Can I perhaps bring you something else?”

Johanna sighs in resignation. “Fine. Chocolate then, with whipped cream.” She gives the waiter a stern look. “But don’t you dare jizz into the cream, okay? I’ll taste it if you do!”

The waiter looks at her, horrified, unable to respond, and proceeds to take the other orders. Marie insists that there is no cum in her food either.

The five women catch up on each other’s news.

Finally, Anna turns to Johanna, “And what about you? You haven’t said a word. How’s your new home? Have you gotten used to life in the luxury villa? Is your sugar daddy treating you well? Does he bang your brains out?”

She notices the expression on Johanna’s face.

“Oh, that doesn’t look good. What happened? Did he throw you out? Not what you expected?”

Johanna explains, without explicitly mentioning the grimoire, that she mishandled something very valuable.

Anna responds, “I see, and now everything’s out of balance at home. We can’t undo it. You must feel terrible.”

Sarah chimes in, “But listen, I’ve got something. Something to take your mind off things. Maybe it’ll cheer you up. It’s perfect for you and Marie—you both have developed a taste for surprise visits, right? Marie, remember that cute boy from the riding stable?”

“Karsten? The one with all the freckles?”

“Exactly him. I ran into his parents there again. He’s in the hospital. Broke his foot.”

The two nod in agreement.

Marie says, “He must be feeling pretty lonely there. What do you think, Johanna, should we go visit him?”

Johanna grins. “Absolutely. I just had an idea of what we could do with him. Do you think I’d look good dressed as a nurse?”

Sarah is thrilled, and the group makes the girls promise to come back with all the juicy details.

Johanna and Marie are at the hospital.

Marie whines, “But visiting hours end at six! We need to get past the nurses somehow.”

“Yes, yes, it’s all arranged. Come with me.”

They enter a patient’s room where an elderly man is lying. “This is Karl. Karl was young once too and understands completely. Plus, he’s getting the gift basket you brought. Karl has agreed to hide us in his room until nighttime.”

They sit on the adjacent bed, with the curtain half-drawn in case a nurse comes in, listening intently to Karl’s stories of chasing girls in his twenties.

Eventually, Johanna says, “Okay, it’s ten now, late enough.”

Johanna slips into a nurse’s uniform.

“Where did you get that from?”

Johanna just grins, grabbing a clipboard. “Alright, I’ll go first. Give me three minutes, then you follow. And improvise.”

Johanna doesn’t have to pass the nurses’ station and easily slips into Karsten’s room two doors down. Fortunately he has a single room.

She turns on the light. Johanna looks at her clipboard, “Mr. Karsten Scheinshötter? I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“The boy blinks, looking at her in confusion.”

“Oh, I’m sooo sorry to come in so late. But you were completely missed during our earlier rounds. And if I don’t get this done tonight, the head nurse will write me up, she knows no mercy.”

They approach his bed.

“You have a fracture in your foot. In very rare cases, this can lead to dysfunction in the pelvic area, and we need to make sure everything is okay with you. Like I said, you don’t need to worry, it only happens in very rare cases, practically routine, but we’d like to ensure everything is functioning correctly for you.”

The boy looks at Johanna, confused, while she tries her hardest to keep a straight face.

Johanna puts on the most serious expression she can muster, flips back the boy’s blanket, and continues.

“I need to perform a genital function test now.”

She reaches into his pajama pants and takes his now semi-erect penis in her hand. The boy starts to protest with a weak “But,” trying to sit up, but Johanna gently pushes him back down.

“Stay calm. I know what I’m doing; you’re in the best hands. I’ve done this a thousand times.”

The boy is visibly confused by the situation but also doesn’t want to stop the pretty Johanna from what she’s doing, so he lets her proceed. Johanna pulls down his pajama pants and grips his genitals.

“We need a full erection to complete the test. This isn’t quite sufficient yet.”

She begins to gently stimulate his penis with her hand.

“Perhaps this will help you achieve an erection.”

Johanna unbuttons her uniform. She’s not wearing a bra, just a loose T-shirt. She takes his hand and guides it under her shirt to her breasts.

“How does that feel? Does that excite you?”

Then she guides his hand into her panties.

“Or is this better?”

Karsten stares at her with wide eyes, unable to speak.

While Karsten’s hand is inside Johanna’s panties, Marie enters, “Hi Karsten, I thought I’d drop by to see you. I know it’s super late, but I just couldn’t make it any earlier, no matter how hard I tried.”

She approaches the two of them.

Karsten looks at Marie, “Oh, Marie! Hello. What are you doing here?”

Marie looks at Johanna, who is still holding his penis, and asks, “What’s going on here?”

Johanna looks at her with a dead serious face, successfully suppressing a laugh. “Genital function test. Just a moment more.”

“Oh, I see.”

Marie looks at Karsten, who has turned beet red and looks like his head might explode from embarrassment.

“Should I wait outside?”

Johanna replies, “No, it’s fine, you can stay here.”

She continues to gently stimulate his genitals.

Marie watches, then says to Karsten, “It’s so sweet how the nurses here take care of you. You really are in the best hands.”

The boy is like he’s under a spell, unable to intervene in the women’s game.

He starts, “Marie, I … what’s happening here?”

Marie responds with a caring voice, “Shh, it’s all good, these tests are completely normal. No need to blush.”

It seems impossible, but his face turns even redder. Johanna fumbles with one hand at her uniform.

Marie asks, “Shall I hold it for a moment?”

Marie takes hold of Karsten’s penis, moving it gently, while Johanna uses her free hands to slip out of her uniform and T-shirt.

“Do you like what you see?”

Johanna takes his hand once again and guides it back between her legs into her panties.

Marie asks, “Am I doing this right? He still doesn’t have a full erection.”

“Yes, I think it’s just the excitement. I know what to do in these cases.”

Johanna leans over him and envelopes his shaft with her lips, starting to give him a careful blowjob. Karsten moans, letting out an “Oh my God,” and looks uncertainly at Marie. She leans down to him and begins kissing him on the mouth, slipping her tongue inside.

Karsten tries again, “But we can’t just…”

Marie places her hand over his mouth. “Stop with the silly talk, or we’ll never get this test done, okay? Don’t make the nurse’s job harder than it has to be. And it certainly looks like you can.”

Marie says to Johanna, “You know what, I’ll help you a bit.”

“Yes, please.”

Johanna and Marie switch places. Marie starts sucking his cock, and Johanna begins kissing Karsten.

Both women then stop for a moment.

Johanna says, “I think the erection is satisfactory now. The next part is to test orgasm capability.”

Marie asks, “Can I help in some way?”

“Would you like to sit on it? Otherwise, this could take forever. If you don’t mind.”

Marie starts to undress, then carefully climbs onto the hospital bed.

“Let’s carefully insert it then.”

Karsten watches in disbelief and captivation as Marie lowers herself onto his member, letting it slide slowly into her.

Johanna says, “But be careful with the foot. Is this okay? Does it feel good for you?”

He nods vigorously. “Oh yes!”

Marie begins to move slowly. “I must confess, I’ve always wanted to sit on your rod,” she says, “have you ever wished for that too?”

Johanna fondles Marie’s breasts a bit. “These are quite magnificent. You must be very proud of them. Do you like them too, Karsten?”

“Yes … they’re beautiful.”

Johanna starts kissing Karsten again while Marie rides him carefully, moaning with pleasure. Marie enjoys riding him, but she makes a game out of moaning loudly and lewdly on purpose.

Johanna reaches between Marie’s legs.

“Lift your hips for a moment, I need to check on the erection.”

Johanna pulls the shaft out of Marie, gives it a brief lick with her tongue, then slides it back into Marie, and gives her pussy a quick lick too. Then she offers her breasts to Karsten, who eagerly takes them into his mouth. “Yes, you’re doing great, keep going.”

Marie continues to moan. “Oh yes. Give it to me. I had no idea your cock would feel this good. Oh, it fills me up so nicely.”

Johanna helps by rubbing Marie’s clit, and soon Marie reaches her climax. Spurred by Marie’s words and her orgasm, Karsten comes too, his seed spurting into Marie.

Marie smiles at him. “Oh yes, that was so nice.”

She kisses him on the mouth, then climbs off him.

Marie reaches for her panties, but Johanna stops her hand. “Just a moment, you can’t just keep his semen like that, I need to take a closer look.”

She kneels in front of Marie. Marie smiles at Karsten, who can’t believe what he’s seeing. Johanna presses her mouth against Marie’s pussy and starts licking. Slowly, Karsten’s cum flows into Johanna’s mouth.

Marie moans on, “Oh yes, keep going, that’s good.”

Johanna stands up. Marie says, “Let me see it too, I need to check.”

Marie sits on the edge of the bed and opens her mouth. Johanna holds Marie’s head, looks at Karsten with a smile, and lets the collected semen flow into Marie’s mouth. Then the two kiss, sharing Karsten’s cum between them. While doing so, Marie reaches into Johanna’s panties.

After they finish kissing, Johanna gets dressed again.

“Well, I think everything is in order with you. Have a good night.”

Johanna leaves the room.

Marie says, “It was nice visiting you, Karsten. But it’s getting late, you know, I think I should get going. You’re in good hands here. See you at the riding stable once your foot is better, okay?”

“Marie, that was wonderful.”

“Yes, it was.”

Marie beams at him and also leaves.

As soon as both women are in the other room, they burst into uncontrollable laughter.

“I didn’t expect you could stop yourself from laughing,” Marie comments, “He’s going to see nurses differently for the rest of his life now.”

They laugh again.

Marie asks, “You didn’t come, did you? Should I…”

“No need. The game itself turns me on so much, that’s enough for today.”

Johanna quickly changes her clothes, and the two sneak out of the hospital, sit outside, and gaze at the moon.

Then Johanna suddenly says, “I know what I have to do.”

“What you have to do?”

“Yes. I now know how to fix things with Michael.”

“Did the visit to Karsten give you an idea?”

“No, the moon told me.”

== A stick for Johanna ==

As soon as it’s daylight, Johanna finds Michael, “Michael, please, I can’t stop feeling guilty. It’s like a wall between us.”

He looks at her seriously, “Have you thought about the consequences?”

She says, “I don’t want to carry this around anymore. And I want both of us to know that I take this seriously and I’m not just getting off lightly.”

Michael takes her into his arms, looking silently into her eyes.

She takes a deep breath and says, “I want you to punish me. And I mean harshly punish me. I think then I can find peace with it.”

He asks, “you are aware this will be painful, right?”

“Yes. It has to be, otherwise I can’t let go. I’m ready. When?”

It seems as if Michael had been waiting for her to say exactly that. “Right now. Come with me.”

He leads Johanna into a room she hasn’t been in before. The floor is parquet, with various small hatches embedded all around. It’s paneled, with antique cabinets. Part of the room is separated by curtains.

It’s very warm, warmer than the rest of the house. Presumably because one is usually naked here? In the center stands a bench. A sturdy construction, with a covered base.

He points wordlessly to the bench. She undresses, letting her clothes fall to the floor, climbs onto the bench, and lies on her back.

He stands beside her, she looks up at him from the bench, “Please punish me. Punish me hard.”

He replies, “Once I start, I will carry out the punishment to the end. There’s no safeword or way to stop. Do you still want to begin?”

“Yes. You decide when it’s enough. Please punish me now.”

He secures her wrists and ankles tightly. The cuffs are very snug around her joints. Johanna’s mind races. What would he do? What does such a punishment look like? Wax? Spanking? Needles? She knows there’s no point in asking; he wouldn’t reveal anything in advance.

Michael turns a large wheel at the side of the bench. The restraints on her hands and feet start to move, beginning to stretch Johanna. It’s a rack! Besides stretching her lengthwise, the middle section elevates, forcing her into an arched back position, bending her forward into a hollow back.

Johanna already imagines herself being torn in two, but then he stops. She lies tautly stretched, but without pain in her joints.

He takes oil and rubs it into her skin, from head to toe. He retrieves a device from one of the cabinets and stands beside the bench. He holds it – deliberately? – so she can see it well. A handle with a wire loop at the end. She wonders what she should do. Is she expected to count? Should she try to hold out as long as possible without screaming or just let it out? What does he expect from her? Will he …

Her thoughts are interrupted. A scream. Her scream. She hears herself scream before she fully processes the pain. A horrific pain shoots through her breasts. Much worse than Johanna had anticipated.

Then a second strike, a third, a fourth. Johanna lets the screams out freely; she wouldn’t be able to control anything anyway.

A pause. He places a blindfold over her eyes. Why a blindfold? Shortly after, she understands. Before, she could brace herself for the strikes, see them coming. Now, the pain comes out of nowhere.

A sharp pain tears through her abdomen, just millimeters away from her labia. Then on her thighs. Without any pattern or sense, he strikes, here and there. Johanna’s tears soak into the blindfold. Her body begins to tremble, her breath turns into panicked panting. His strikes continue to hit her body relentlessly.

She has lost all sense of the number of strikes. After ten, or perhaps twenty, or however many, Johanna starts to beg, “Please. Stop! I can’t take any more. A break, yes? Ahhhhh! Please! I know what I said, you decide, but this is too much. Please stop! Stop!”

Her begging gradually turns into screams. He pauses, then continues. He has changed tools. She can’t tell what it is. She only feels an undefined, unbearable pain. She wants to fend off the strikes, her body tries to convulse, but she’s helplessly stretched out. She loses all sense of her body, her thoughts fade away. She is nothing but this pain. She is just an abstract pain and an indefinable scream in the darkness.

The strikes have stopped. She is just this emptiness, her mind, her body gone. It takes her an eternity to realize that the beating has ended. He removes her blindfold and leaves the room.

She lies there.

She wants to look at her body, but Michael turned off the light when he left. Michael returns, accompanied by a young blonde woman. Johanna has never seen her before; she doesn’t live in the house. The woman undresses, kneels in front of Michael, takes out his cock, and begins to suck. Johanna lies there, her entire body aching, and to add insult to injury, she has to watch as Michael receives oral from another woman. Johanna knows the woman moans deliberately loud.

The blowjob is interrupted. Michael fetches a thick white towel from one of the cabinets. He lays it over Johanna’s face, securing it on either side of her head.

Then the bench tilts so she’s lying at an angle with her head pointing downwards. She wonders what this is all about. It takes a moment, then water starts to pour onto the towel. Soon, the towel is soaked, and Johanna struggles increasingly to breathe. Now she understands the purpose. Water repeatedly enters her mouth; she pushes it out, barely able to breathe, choking. Then, another pain on her body. He strikes her again. Through the towel, she can’t see the strikes coming.

A deep despair engulfs Johanna. She can’t breathe. Her entire body aches. There are pauses, then out of nowhere, more pain. She needs to get out of here!

As she gasps for air, she hears the other woman, “Oh, your cock is so hot! It’s so hot sucking you off while you work over the redhead slut. Fuck my mouth. Shove it deeper into my mouth.”

Normally, Johanna feels no jealousy with Michael. But lying there in despair while this woman polishes his rod is too much for her. She wants to leap up and claw the woman’s eyes out, to tie her to the bench instead. But she can’t. She can only lie there and endure.

“Come on, hit her tits again.”

Immediately, strikes land on her breasts. That spiteful bitch!

At some point, the water stops, the towel is removed, and the bench is leveled again. Just when she thinks it’s over, Michael turns the wheel further, stretching Johanna even more. Now the pain starts in her joints.

Then, the other woman lies on top of her, her pussy directly over Johanna’s face. She’s dripping wet, her juices falling onto Johanna’s face.

“Put it in. Come on, fuck me!”

Michael thrusts his cock into the woman’s pussy, pushing deep and starts to fuck her, right above Johanna’s pained face. The woman directly on Johanna’s battered body. The woman continues to egg Michael on until she moans out her orgasm.

The woman climbs off her, and Michael sends her outside.

He holds a Magic Wand against her pussy, set on high. Johanna realizes she’s already very aroused. She would like to squirm and writhe a bit, but she can’t move her aching, stretched body an inch.

Again, Michael strikes her breasts with a crop. She screams. I don’t want to be aroused while everything hurts, Johanna thinks, that is just not right!

Relentlessly, the vibrator increases her arousal. She tries to ignore her pelvis, but her body can’t help it.

Another strike on her breasts.

She looks at Michael, “Please, I don’t want to come, not like this.”

Shortly after, her orgasm releases, she screams a mix of pain and pleasure. She trembles all over, he continues to strike her as she orgasms.

Michael eases the rack just enough so her joints no longer hurt. He leaves her tied there, turns off the light, and leaves the room.

Johanna lies there. She lies there for what feels like an eternity. Floating in the darkness. She no longer feels the bench beneath her. She has lost all sense of space, drifting in the cosmic void of her mind.

Does time even pass? Is she frozen, trapped in a stasis field?

Someone is here.

She feels something sharp tracing over her skin. Claws? Above her, a face emerges. Despite the darkness, she can see it clearly. It’s her face. But with small horns on the head, pointy ears and vertical pupils.

She smiles at herself. Her mouth is bloody, blood dripping onto her own mouth. Then she presses a bloody kiss onto her lips.

Finally, Michael returns and releases her. He lifts her from the bench. He tries to carry her, but she insists he set her down. She can barely stand, but for Johanna, it’s a matter of pride. Spontaneously, she embraces Michael.

Michael asks, “How do you feel?”

She snuggles a bit closer to him, then responds, “Somehow, everything at once. I love you, Michael. And I hate you for it. I hate that you brought that woman in. But mostly, I no longer feel guilty. Is everything forgiven and forgotten?”

“Everything is forgiven and forgotten. I love you too.”

“I really want to stay here. With you. I trust you, even after what happened today.”

He replies, “Then I trust you too.”

She sleeps in Michael’s bed that night, curled up tightly against him. In the middle of the night, she suddenly wakes up. She looks around. It’s pitch dark; she can barely make out even the vaguest of shapes. She gets up.

There’s a large, floor-to-ceiling mirror in his bedroom. Johanna looks into the mirror. There, she sees herself, the only thing clearly visible in the reflection. But her reflection has glowing eyes that cast a green shimmer onto her face. Small horns protrude from her head. A slender tail is visible behind her. From her back unfold large, leathery wings, like those of a bat. Johanna steps towards the mirror, staring into the eyes of her reflection.

Her reflection grins a shark-like grin and whispers, “Soon.”

Johanna feels dizzy, she staggers back and collapses onto the bed.

Johanna sleeps for a long time, and when she wakes, Michael has already been up for hours. She remains lying in bed.

Barbara visits her, carrying a tray, “Hello, Johanna. Brunch? Let me see those welts. Ouch, ouch, ouch. I’ve brought some ointment; I think I should take care of those a bit.”

She begins to apply the ointment to Johanna’s welts.

“Was it very bad?”

“Bad enough. Ouch. Never thought how much you could regret it in the moment. Ow!”

“I know.”

“Have you been through something like this?”

“Of course. Michael wouldn’t trust me otherwise.”

“You’re all strange creatures.”

Barbara laughs. “Says the right one.”

She spends the whole day in bed, wallowing in the pain of her welts.

== Nightly Raid ==

Pentecost. A wonderful opportunity to spend the morning by the pool. The large conservatory over the pool is closed, creating a cozy warmth. After swimming a few laps, she lies on an inflatable mattress in the water, watching the parakeets.

Around noon, Michael comes to the pool. He’s apparently just gotten up, now swimming some laps himself. She swims over to him.

With a huge smile, she says:

“Good morning.”

“Good morning to you too.”

“I wanted to tell you how beautiful it is here and how happy I am that I could move in. Thank you.” She beams at him.

“How many times have you told me that now?”

“Every time I feel happy about it,” Johanna replies.

She continues, “Are you in a hurry?” She moves a bit closer.

“I would absolutely love to suck your cock. Can I give you a blowjob?”

He looks at her, smiling. He seems to like it when she’s so direct with him.

“Here?” he asks.

Johanna looks around. The conservatory can be seen from parts of the house and the garden. A perfect opportunity to stake a little claim.

“Here.”

Michael sits, she kneels before him. She gazes deeply into his beautiful blue eyes. First, she licks his tip with devotion. Then she envelopes his cock with her lips and starts to suck him off. Up and down, slowly and as deeply as she can.

Michael leans back, enjoying what Johanna is doing to his member. She can’t explain it, but nothing makes her happier than to pleasure this beautiful man. She picks up the pace, blowing him with passion and vigor.

With Michael, time passes differently. For forty-five minutes, she works on his cock. Normally, her neck would start to ache and she’d be annoyed by the constant up and down after a third of that time. But not here. The longer it goes on, the happier it makes her. And she knows it’s not just her perception of time—there’s a clock hanging in the conservatory.

She’s terribly aroused but simultaneously content, not even needing to touch herself between her legs. He says nothing when he’s close, but Johanna can feel it in his cock, in the muscles of his hips, in his eyes, which she keeps looking into.

Then there’s a massive eruption in her mouth. He comes, and Johanna swallows. She swallows and swallows, but he keeps coming more. She can’t fathom where all the semen is coming from. Some escapes her mouth, dripping down onto her breasts, but she manages to swallow most of it. She can’t explain it, but nothing feels more erotic to her than sitting here, being drenched by Michael.

When she comes back to her senses, she notices Barbara, who has seated herself in the conservatory and is watching them. She waves in greeting.

Barbara says, “Good morning, you two.”

She has a file folder with her. She walks over to them. Leaning down to Johanna, she wipes some semen off Johanna’s chest with two fingers and pops it into her mouth, grinning at Johanna. Then she sits down next to Michael.

Johanna drifts leisurely on an inflatable mattress in the pool while Barbara goes over a dossier with Michael. It’s about the book that Andrei stole.

Barbara has somehow—God knows from where—obtained information about Andrei’s estate and his family. They’re discussing some issue with a safe that only Andrei and his son have biometric access to.

Johanna rolls off the air mattress and swims to the edge beside the two of them.

“Can I help in any way? You’re not thinking of making a deal with Andrei, are you?”

Michael replies, “No, absolutely not. He needs to learn that I can take back what’s mine anytime, and there’s nothing he can do about it. It’s not urgent because I desperately need the book, but because he urgently needs to learn a lesson.”

Barbara adds, “We could set him on Erik?”

Now it clicks for Johanna, “Erik van Pelten? I’m only now realizing. He’s a schoolmate of some friends of mine.”

The clique had mentioned the name once—a ‘van Pelten’ attends their private school. Franziska wasn’t too thrilled about his advances.

“I’m sure he’ll take us home if we’re nice to him.”

Michael ponders, “That could indeed be a solution. But we’re talking about theft here, maybe even robbery. Are you sure you want to be involved?”

“Absolutely sure. Remember what I said about adventures? I really meant that. Besides, Andrei used me to steal it—if I get it back, that’s got to be impressive, right?”

This convinces Michael and Barbara. She joins them, and the three start hatching a plan.

Johanna meets Franziska in the city at an ice cream parlor.

“How’s life in your new home? Have things settled down a bit?” Franziska asks.

Johanna simply beams at her without a word.

“I see, I’m happy for you.”

Franziska shares the latest news about their group of friends. Then she prods Johanna, “But tell me, we’ve known each other for a while now, you’ve got something specific for meeting up, don’t you?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“And?”

Johanna takes a sip through the straw in her iced coffee. “Before I tell you, you need to know it’s something illegal.”

Franziska waves it off, “That hasn’t stopped us before, has it?”

“No, I don’t mean like the thing with the display case at school. I mean really illegal.”

Franziska furrows her brow. “But we won’t get caught, right? I’d rather not get caught, you know?”

Johanna reassures her. “No, we won’t get caught. Not as long as we don’t make any major mistakes. And if we do, I’m sure Michael will find a way to get us out of it.”

“Well then, what’s this diabolical plan you’ve cooked up?”

Johanna starts to explain, and Franziska listens intently, “You know the Proviblue Bank in the city center? In that historic building, it used to be a museum. Right next to it, during World War II, there was a large air-raid shelter. Where the Wuxing branch now stands. Anyway, the underground part of the bunker system was never demolished. There were escape tunnels during the war that connected the various buildings. The rest of the bunker complex was leased by Proviblue, and the accesses to the surface were bricked up. They’re now storing part of their gold reserves there, to hide them from audits. And I know there’s another access point, through which we can get there. It leads…”

“Hold on,” Franziska interrupts her.

“What?”

Franziska gives Johanna a strong punch on the shoulder. “Ouch!”

“Damn, I actually believed you!”

Johanna laughs loudly and sticks her tongue out at Franziska.

“Okay, what’s the real plan? And if you tell a fib again, I swear I’ll stuff you into the ice cream machine!”

Once Johanna finishes laughing, she starts again, “Alright, here’s the absolute truth: You know a certain Erik, right? Erik van Pelten.”

“Yes. He goes to my school. A spoiled brat who keeps hitting on me. What about him?”

“Oh come on, we’re all spoiled. But okay, I believe you, he’s worse. I need to get into his house. Without any alarms going off, any maid causing trouble, or any security service showing up.”

“Got it. So we’re stealing something.”

“Exactly. And Erik is our ticket into the house.”

Franziska nods, “So you want me to go out with Erik.”

“We. Come on, it’ll be fun. I promise you, we’ll find a chance in the evening to give him a good spanking.”

“Well, then I’m totally reassured.”

Franziska ponders for a moment, working on her Swedish ice cream sundae.

“But wait! Then he’ll know who we are! That won’t work at all! How can we steal anything?”

“Stay calm. What we’re stealing, he can’t possibly discuss with the police. And I’m almost one hundred percent sure we’ll find something that ensures they keep quiet. Come on, you’re craving an adventure. I know you want an adventure.”

Franziska sighs. “Okay, I admit, I’m up for it. I’m in on your adventure—but let’s be clear: If I ever get into trouble or need help, you and your Michael better show up!”

“Absolutely! On my honor as a princess!”

Johanna sits in the club where they agreed to meet. It’s a dreadful place: sterile, filled with yuppies, with some techno music playing. Johanna has dressed herself in an elegant dress.

Franziska and Erik—whom she recognizes from photos—enter. Franziska has gone for a modern look, with a crop top that shows her midriff, wearing heaps of makeup, and clinging giggling to Erik’s arm, smelling like a Victorian courtesan. Too much, way too much, Johanna thinks, is he that dense? It must be obvious to him that this is an act.

The two find a spot to sit, and Franziska starts flirting. Then, by ‘chance’, Johanna and Franziska notice each other. Johanna walks over to them. The two young women greet each other with exaggerated enthusiasm.

“Oh, hello Johanna. This handsome one here is Erik.”

Johanna says, “Oh, mon chéri,” kissing him on both cheeks.

“You’ve brought quite the specimen, Franziska.”

Johanna speaks with a French accent. She hadn’t mentioned she could do this, and Franziska has to really hold herself together not to burst out laughing. Without waiting for an invitation, Johanna sits down with them, positioning Erik between herself and Franziska.

They flirt a bit, dance closely, and sip on cocktails. Before the two arrived, Johanna had slipped the bartender a hundred-dollar bill and sworn him to serve her and Franziska non-alcoholic cocktails. They would need their wits about them.

At some point, Franziska, with a perfectly feigned drunken slur, says to Johanna, “I think we’re about to head out. Erik promised to show me his house.”

Johanna makes a pouty face. „Ooooh, you can’t leave me here in the club all alone. It would be so boring without you.”

Meanwhile, under the table, she slides a hand between Erik’s legs. Franziska kisses him on the mouth while Johanna continues to rub his crotch. Then Johanna kisses him too. Shortly after, they’re in the car. Erik drives while the two women make out in the backseat to make him horny.

They drive up to a magnificent villa. Johanna is deeply annoyed by the sight. Was she the only person in this city not living in some grand mansion? It’s insufferable. Aren’t there any regular people around here?

But it is beautiful. The car is checked at the gate by a security guard who ensures Erik is inside.

“My father’s not here today, so we have the house to ourselves,” Erik mentions.

Of course, your father isn’t here; we planned it exactly for this time. There’s still a maid, whom Erik sends to her room in the outbuilding.

Johanna looks around with feigned enthusiasm. “Is there a pool? A sauna? Where’s the conservatory? Do you have an observatory? I once visited someone who had their own little observatory in the attic. And any secret passages?”

She gets Erik to give them a tour of the house. “And do you have a panic room? You must have a panic room? No? But where do you hide if the house gets attacked?”

“There’s a walk-in vault.”

“No way, really? Such a thing really only exists in movies?! Can you show us? Pleasepleasepleaseplease!”

She looks at him with puppy eyes, kisses his cheek, and he agrees. He leads the two women to the basement where there’s a large vault door for a walk-in safe. He uses an iris scanner and enters a code, and the door swings open.

“How cool is that?”

Inside the vault, there are various boxes, lockboxes, and a wall safe. Franziska starts making out with Erik while Johanna fumbles in her handbag. Then she holds a cloth over Erik’s mouth, and he loses consciousness. They help him gently to the ground.

They look at each other, Franziska shrugs, “Well, that was easy.” She takes out a small bottle and a syringe, giving him an injection.

“Now, just the bodyguard left.”

Johanna rushes to the bodyguard in the foyer, her voice laced with panic, “Come quickly! Erik has overdosed! Hurry!”

They lead him down to the basement where Erik lies, foam at his mouth.

“Call an ambulance!”

As he bends down to check on Erik, Johanna presses a chloroform-soaked cloth over his mouth. He too receives an injection.

Then Franziska takes a telescopic baton and strikes him on the back of the head.

“I’m afraid you’re too gentle,” Johanna comments on her attempt.

After the third try, his skin finally breaks open. They smear some blood on the edge of a table and position him beside it. Johanna wipes the shaving foam from Erik’s mouth.

Johanna retrieves a flashlight from her coat, turns off the living room lights, and signals out the window by flashing the light on and off several times.

Shortly after, two vehicles roll onto the property: a van and a sedan. The crew disembarks. Johanna greets Hartmut with a handshake; she had coordinated everything with him beforehand. She doesn’t know the other four men. They’re all dressed in functional clothing, cargo pants, and turtlenecks, but they look like they’ve been imported straight from a biker club. Perhaps they indeed were. Beards, faded tattoos, rugged faces. All are robustly built. Johanna estimates their ages to be between forty and mid-fifties.

Johanna and Franziska lead them to the secret room in the basement. The men bring down their equipment in two heavy crates and set to work cracking the wall safe. Meanwhile, Franziska sorts through the jewels.

She remarks with curiosity, “What could be in the safe if they’re just leaving these jewels lying around?”

She adorns herself with a sapphire necklace and picks out an emerald one for Johanna.

Johanna looks through what else there is. Would her quest for the secret cinnamon ice cream recipe finally end here, or would this be another in a long line of disappointing failures?

Finally, she finds something, “I think we’ll take this too.”

“What did you find?”

“Accounting records. Looks like double-entry bookkeeping. Account information. We’ll take it, give a copy back.”

“What? That’s just a coincidental find? That’s not even why we’re here?”

“I’m taking this just to keep the peace later on. We’re here for what’s in the safe.”

Johanna turns to Franziska, “Enough with the valuables now. They’ll need a bit more time here. Help me with the redecorating.”

“Redecorating?”

“Come on.”

She heads to the van. There, they retrieve four art prints mounted on frames. Dreamy fairy tale drawings by Astrid Sheckels, Ulla Thynell, Cicely Mary Barker, and Heinrich Lefler.

Franziska looks puzzled, “I thought we were here to steal things?”

“Don’t talk, just help me. Inside with these.”

Upstairs, Johanna points to a reproduction on the wall with the uncoordinated smears and disturbed splatterings of Jackson Pollock, “See? If the Art Police catch wind of this, they’ll take the whole family in!”

She takes down the Pollock, and Franziska hangs the Lefler in its place.

“There’s another Pollock over here. Good grief!”

Johanna starts a fire in the fireplace.

“Help me cut these Pollocks down to size; they’re going in here now.”

Together, they burn the Pollocks in the fireplace.

When they’re done, they check on the men. Just at that moment, the men manage to open the wall safe. Johanna opens it. Inside, there’s the book, nothing else.

Johanna grins from ear to ear, wraps the book in leather, and places it in a metal box, which she stores in one of the vehicles.

Everything is loaded up, the men bring back their tools. Johanna watches the men as they load. Then, an idea strikes her. It’s nonsensical, she tries to push it away, but it’s like an external force taking over, violently shoving her reason aside and grabbing the steering wheel of her actions. She can’t resist.

She holds Hartmut back, “There’s one more thing to do, bring your men with you.”

He responds curtly, “That wasn’t part of the plan.”

Johanna replies firmly, “The plan was that I say what’s to be done here. Besides—we have time. The staff are away, and the bodyguard is incapacitated. Lock up the cars and bring your men inside.”

Johanna says to Franziska, “Wait here for a moment and make sure they don’t mess anything up. I need to look for something.”

“More unwanted art?”

She goes upstairs, searching the bedrooms of both the young and old van Pelten. Nightstand? Dresser? Bingo. She stuffs her finds into a cloth bag.

She returns downstairs. The men are gathered in the mansion’s grand salon. She takes Franziska, who stands at the edge of the salon, and pulls her to the center of the room.

Quietly, she says to Franziska, “So, right now is Day X. Your perverse adventure. You know what that means—no objections.”

Franziska looks at Johanna, shocked, “Now? here?”

She glances at the men. Her lips tremble. Johanna expects her to back out. But Franziska takes a deep breath and says to Johanna, “Okay, I’m ready.”

Johanna positions herself slightly behind Franziska. She announces loudly, “Look here. Do you like this woman?”

She reaches around from behind Franziska, running her hands over her ample breasts. Then, with a swift motion, she pulls Franziska’s top over her head, exposing her large breasts.

“She has amazing breasts, doesn’t she? Do you find them hot too?”

She kneads Franziska’s breasts.

To Franziska, she commands, “Your pants, now.”

Franziska bends down and slides off her pants, along with her underwear. Johanna’s hands glide from behind around Franziska, between her thighs.

“I wonder if she’s wet? What do you think?”

Then Johanna stands beside Franziska and with a quick move, pulls her own top over her head.

“Or do you find my breasts sexier? Small but nice? Or Franziska’s big jugs?”

Johanna pulls down her pants, stepping out of them. She takes the cloth bag and empties its contents onto a table—a variety of sex toys.

“Alright, men. You can do anything you want with us now. Anything at all. Do whatever you want.”

Franziska and Johanna look at each other. They take deep breaths, nod to each other, and brace themselves for what’s to come.

The men circle around the two women. One grabs Franziska by the hair, spits in her face, and pulls her down.

“Kneel down, you slut.”

He unzips his fly and thrusts his thick cock into Franziska’s mouth, who immediately begins to work it with her tongue.

The other men start shedding their clothes. Johanna watches as Franziska performs oral sex, until a man slaps her hard across the face, “Don’t just stare, get to work on making our cocks hard!”

Johanna squats down and begins to lick and suck the men’s cocks. The cocks have a strong, unwashed smell, which Johanna tries her best to ignore.

At the same time, she sees two men handling Franziska. One holds her arms from behind, while the other grips her head with both hands, thrusting into her mouth. The cock goes deep into Franziska’s throat, and suddenly, Franziska gags and vomits, but she continues blowing him right after.

The man whose penis Johanna had been servicing pulls her to her feet, “Come on, up with you. Bend over that couch so I can get at your ass properly.”

Johanna looks at him, smirks, and says, “Not in the mood. Make me.”

The man grabs her by the neck and punches her in the stomach. Johanna loses her breath. Without waiting for her to recover, two men drag her to the couch, where she leans over the back edge. Johanna hadn’t anticipated how much the men’s brutality would turn her on.

The man grabs a tube from the array of items and smears something on his cock—at least he’s using lube—positions himself behind her, and with one thrust, he forces himself into Johanna’s anus. She had expected him to go for her pussy first and moans in pain. The pain is intense, but she can bear it. His cock is noticeably smaller than Michael’s.

He stands behind her, beginning to thrust. She’s pressed against the couch’s edge, unable to move forward, allowing him to push every thrust deep into her bowels.

Franziska is placed right next to her on the couch, also being taken from behind. Johanna can’t see which hole the man has chosen, but judging by Franziska’s expression, she’s being fucked in the ass too. Has Franziska even had anal experience before? She groans painfully with each thrust.

The two women reach out and hold hands in their shared ordeal. Franziska leans sideways and kisses Johanna on the mouth. They kiss as the painful movements continue in her anus.

Two men position themselves in front of the women. They pull their heads apart and each holds a cock to their faces. The women start to suck. Seeing Franziska being worked over from both ends makes Johanna incredibly aroused.

“Let’s Switch,” one suggests.

The men behind them pull their cocks out of their anuses. They come around the couch, and the men who had been receiving oral now move behind them.

Johanna can’t help but watch, fascinated, as the man whose cock was just in her rectum now tries to push it into Franziska’s mouth. It’s incredibly repulsive yet at the same time, it turns her on immensely. Johanna reaches between her legs and starts rubbing her pussy.

Franziska protests. The man slaps her hard across the face and pinches her nipples fiercely until she cries out. Then, Franziska willingly takes the cock into her mouth. Johanna wouldn’t have believed it possible, but she sees Franziska also slipping a hand between her legs.

The man comments, “Look at that. This gets the bitches so hot they have to rub themselves. How perverted are they?”

Johanna now focuses on the cock in front of her nose. It smells awful. She takes it into her mouth. The taste is vile. Still, she continues to suck obediently.

After some time, the men switch again. Johanna feels a wave of disgust as a man presents his cock to her face, fresh from her own ass. Yet, she takes it into her mouth without hesitation, sucking as fast as she can. Franziska, too, now sucks without protest.

The men switch a few more times, and each time, Johanna finds it arousing to see a man take his cock from her ass and offer it to Franziska’s face.

“Let’s really give the dark-haired one a workout.”

One of the men lies on his back. Franziska has to sit on him, sliding her pussy onto his cock.

He remarks, “You wouldn’t believe how wet this slut is.”

A second man kneels behind Franziska and pushes his cock back into her ass. A third stands in front of her so she can blow him.

“And now, I’m going to fuck your mouth hard,” one says to Johanna.

She has to lie back over the couch’s armrest. He thrusts his cock into her mouth while her head hangs upside down over the edge. He fucks her mouth deeply. Simultaneously, Johanna stuffs as many fingers as she can into her pussy.

The men continue to fuck the two for a while. Then they position Franziska leaning against the couch, her head directly in Johanna’s lap. One by one, they ejaculate onto Franziska’s face.

“Now, you lick her face clean!”

Johanna sits next to Franziska and starts licking her face. As she does, she reaches into Franziska’s slit. Franziska is soaking wet, and Johanna thrusts four fingers into her cavity, her thumb working the clitoris, masturbating her while cleaning her face. Franziska encourages her to go harder.

One of the men rummages through the items Johanna brought and picks out a large double-ended dildo.

“Hey, want to see how these bitches handle this?”

General agreement follows. They hold the dildo between the two women.

“Now, into your asses with it!”

Both push against the dildo, which slides into Johanna’s and Franziska’s anuses.

“Go on, fuck yourselves!”

They start moving. Franziska gets fucked in the mouth at the same time.

Johanna asks, “Can I suck one too?”

One replies, “You can lick my feet.”

He shoves his dirty feet into Johanna’s mouth, who, with a face twisted in disgust, begins to lick them.

“Enough now, turn around!”

The man holds the dildo in the middle.

“Now, suck it!”

The two women look at each other, then resignedly take each end of the dildo into their mouths. The taste is vile, Johanna gags but forces herself to continue.

“It has to go all the way in!” the man commands.

They push the dildo as far as they can into their throats. Only millimeters separate their lips. Then Franziska gags. She pulls her mouth off the dildo. Without warning, her body convulses, and a stream of vomit shoots onto Johanna’s face.

“What a mess. You pig.”

He slaps Franziska.

“Clean her face. No, with your mouth.”

Franziska starts licking Johanna’s face clean. Johanna can’t help herself; she rubs her pussy while Franziska licks the vomit off her face.

One of the men comes up with an idea. They lift both women side by side onto the living room table. The man grabs large, thick candles from the windowsills and lights them. Johanna watches as another man pulls out a cattle prod, a large one used for livestock. Damn, where did he get that from? It wasn’t part of the sex toys; it must have been part of their equipment. Fuck!

They ask Franziska, “Do you want some of this wax on your tits now?”

She nods hesitantly.

“Beg for it.”

She says nothing, then the man touches the cattle prod to her breast and shocks her.

“Ahh! Damn! Yes, please, I want the wax on my tits!”

Then the man holds the cattle prod in front of Johanna.

“Press your tits against it!”

Johanna leans forward and presses her breast against it. The shock is worse than she expected. Still, she repeats the action with her other breast without complaining.

The men start dripping wax onto both women. One of the men tries to cover Franziska’s entire breasts with wax. The women start crying uncontrollably. Another generously spreads wax over Johanna’s feet. They hold hands through the ordeal.

Wax drips everywhere, their entire bodies burning from the wax. For what feels like an eternity, they lie there as copious amounts of wax are poured over their bodies. One man reaches between Johanna’s legs, thrusting his fingers into her wet cavern.

He commands, “Open your mouth.”

Johanna opens her mouth, and he pours wax into it. She screams.

Then the men put the candles aside. Johanna and Franziska can’t stop sobbing. The men discuss among themselves what to do next with the women, but Johanna can’t make out any of it.

They pull the two off the table. One of the men bends over, supporting himself on the table. They grab Franziska by the hair, dragging her head towards his backside.

“You’re going to lick his asshole now, you cunt.”

Johanna has to kneel right beside her.

“Watch your friend. See what she’s doing!”

The man pulls his buttocks apart. Franziska turns her head and says, “I can’t.”

The man presses the cattle prod between her legs against her labia and shocks her. Franziska screams loudly, then sticks out her tongue and begins licking the man’s anus.

With a mix of disgust and fascination, Johanna watches the other woman. It’s so repulsive, yet it makes Johanna incredibly aroused to see how Franziska lets herself be used. She continues to rub her pussy.

They say, “Look, she finds it so hot she’s touching herself. Watch your friend. Guess what you’ll be doing next. Guess where your tongue will be. Are you looking forward to licking an ass yourself?”

Johanna shudders with revulsion. She knows she’ll soon have to lick one of the men’s anuses. At the same time, she has to rub faster. Submitting to these men in such a degrading way turns her on in a weird twisted manner. A second man bends over the table, right in front of Johanna.

Maybe she does it only because she feels she owes it to Franziska, but she turns her head and says, “I can’t do it either.”

The man with the electric prod shocks her pussy.

They push her head forward into the man’s ass crack. As if in a trance, Johanna extends her tongue, beginning to lick the dirty anus. The taste is vile, but she barely notices it. The men stand up, and two others take their place. Johanna sees Franziska rubbing her slit while she thrusts her tongue into a man’s anus. Johanna continues, watching as Franziska too has to lick another man’s ass. Tears stream down her face.

Time crawls by, feeling like an eternity to her. Eventually, the men finally have had enough.

“Alright, back up on the table. You lie on top of your friend now. How about you two lick each other?”

Franziska lies on top of Johanna, presenting her pussy to her. Both start licking immediately.

“Damn, that’s hot! I think I can go again,” one says.

“Me too.”

Two of the men start fucking them in the ass again. Johanna can see, right before her eyes, a thick cock being thrust into Franziska’s anus; the sight is disgusting yet turns her on incredibly.

“Do you like that? Do you like watching her get fucked in the ass, huh?” She feels a cock penetrating her own anus. She alternates between licking the balls in front of her and then back to Franziska’s pussy. The men fuck faster and both come inside their asses. She presses her mouth onto Franziska’s vulva and bites down. She bites into her labia, hard. She doesn’t know why, it just happens.

“Off the table, sit down.” The two men present their cocks, fresh from their asses.

“Now, clean them!”

With grimaced faces, they lick the cocks clean together, then they kiss. During the kiss, one man shoves the electric prod between Johanna’s legs and triggers it. They both scream out in pain.

They tie Franziska’s hands behind her back and lay her on her back.

A man slaps Johanna hard across the face, then says, “Now, you’re going to pleasure your friend’s pussy.”

He hands Johanna a small bottle of oil. She moves to kneel between Franziska’s legs, but one of the men yanks her up by the hair. He thrusts a pipe wrench into her hand.

“Here, you use this to fuck your friend’s pussy with it.”

Franziska looks at the wrench in shock. Johanna takes the oil, generously lubricates the tool, and kneels between Franziska’s legs. She then positions the wrench at Franziska’s slit.

Franziska looks at her pleadingly, “Please, no.”

Johanna hesitates for a moment. It’s incredibly arousing to see Franziska lying there so helplessly. But then she gently inserts the tool into Franziska’s slit, being very careful not to hurt her. Franziska looks at her in panic as Johanna slowly but determinately fucks her with the wrench.

While she’s busy with Franziska, she gets fucked from behind, the first time into her pussy.

A man takes a cord from the curtain and wraps it around Franziska’s neck, starting to choke her while Johanna repeatedly thrusts the tool deep into Franziska’s pussy, twisting it back and forth.

She says, “Yes, harder, choke the little slut, come on, pull! Harder! Finish her off.”

It’s so arousing to see Franziska so helpless beneath her. Franziska struggles and writhes. Johanna rubs Franziska’s clit with her other hand and manages to bring her to orgasm. The man releases the cord, and Franziska gasps desperately for air. Johanna licks Franziska’s juices off the tool.

“Come on, let’s fill up the redhead.”

The man who had been working on Johanna’s pussy says, “Alright, open wide, here comes the cum!” and he thrusts his cock into Johanna’s mouth, coming immediately. She barely notices as the next cock is shoved into her.

Franziska beneath her says, “I want that juice.”

Johanna lets the semen flow into Franziska’s mouth, who swallows it down. The second man comes in Johanna’s mouth, then the third. Each time, she passes the semen to Franziska.

“Keep your mouth open, okay?” they tell Franziska.

One man holds Johanna’s upper body steady while another shoves one end of the long double-ended dildo deep into her throat. He fucks her throat with the dildo, then leaves it there, deep in her throat as Johanna struggles and gags.

He bends Johanna forward, pulls the dildo out, and Johanna vomits directly into Franziska’s mouth. He repeats this. Then she has to lick up the vomit that missed from Franziska’s face, spitting it back into Franziska’s mouth.

To finish, she bites Franziska’s breast. She doesn’t know why, as if compelled, she must bite the breast, really hard until Franziska screams out in pain.

The men are done with them. Silently and trembling, the two women put on some clothes.

Everyone leaves. Johanna and Franziska say nothing, staring out of the window with blank gazes. By the time they arrive at the villa, they’ve slowly started to regain their composure. They unload the spoils at Johanna’s place. The two women go inside with Johanna while the men drive away.

Once inside, they lock the door, sealing themselves in together. They hold each other tightly, crying.

Franziska is the first to speak. She tries several times before her voice finally obeys. “It’s so incredibly disgusting. I feel so revolted.”

“So do I,” Johanna responds quietly. “I feel terribly disgusted too.”

They sit there for a while, simply holding each other.

Johanna breaks the silence. “I’m so horribly ashamed. I’m ashamed that I did it. But even more, I’m ashamed that I found it arousing. I found it arousing to watch what they did to you, and I’m ashamed of that. I could have watched them use you forever.”

Franziska responds, “I found it incredible that you stayed. That you let them use us both. At first, I thought you would let them use only me. It’s such an overwhelming feeling to surrender like that. Thank you for not letting me go through that alone. What they actually did to us disgusts me, but the feeling of submission, that turns me on so much.”

Johanna says, “It’s vile, but I find it arousing. I find those unwashed, dull creatures so repulsive. But what turns me on is their brutality. With them, I know they’ll go through with it, they won’t get cold feet halfway.”

Johanna lies there for a while, feeling dirty.

“There’s something inside me, something sick. Like a foreign body. Like an evil Johanna grinning at me from the basement.”

They head to the bathroom, where Franziska turns on the shower. For what feels like a solid two hours, the two women stand under the running water, until Franziska eventually turns it off.

“I don’t think we’re getting any cleaner. It’s still disgusting, but we’ve had enough water for now.”

They go to bed together. Franziska snuggles up to Johanna, who embraces her as the big spoon. Both start to cry silently, eventually falling asleep.

The next morning, they don’t get up right away. Johanna and Franziska lie awake in bed, reflecting on their experiences.

Johanna finally asks, “And my little slut? Had enough?”

Franziska turns her head towards Johanna and sticks out her tongue. “No, on the contrary. I want more.”

“Seriously? I thought yesterday would have worn you out. It wore me out; it was a bit too much for me. Too repulsive.”

They turn to face each other.

Franziska says, “It was too much for me too. Too extreme, too disgusting. But that’s what I was looking for. I wanted to see what the world beyond my limits looks like.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

“No, quite the opposite. I’m so grateful you didn’t leave me alone yesterday. Alone, I couldn’t have borne it. If I had been there by myself, something inside me would have broken. Thank you for not letting me be there alone.”

She pauses for a moment.

“I want to continue. I don’t know, it’s like a sick fascination, but it’s too compelling. But please, next time, not something so vile with such nasty creatures.”

Johanna leans forward, kisses Franziska on the mouth, and pulls her into an embrace. “I think it’s brave of you to face this urge. And are you sure you want more boundary-pushing experiences?”

“Absolutely sure. But not too soon, I need to process this first.”

They lie there, stroking each other’s hair. After a long pause, Johanna asks, “Back to the bathroom?”

“Definitely back to the bathroom. I think we’ll spend the entire day in there today.”

== The Loot ==

Johanna takes the loot to Michael. She stands in his office. Michael simply looks at Johanna. She tries to read his thoughts from his face but finds nothing. No clue. He just looks at her calmly with a relaxed expression. Is it loving? Indifferent? Is he expecting something? Her heart pounds in her chest, and her eyes begin to water. What’s happening to me, Johanna wonders, can’t I behave like an adult woman?

He comes over to her, takes her into his arms. She starts to sob. He waits patiently, without saying a word, until she composes herself.

Then the words spill out of Johanna, “I don’t know what’s happening to me. It’s like I’m possessed. It’s as if there’s a kind of beast inside me. It’s a kind of darkness that suddenly overwhelms me.”

She looks at him, “You can feel it, can’t you? Tell me how to get rid of it. Please help me.”

She gazes into his eyes, pleading.

He holds her tightly. Johanna feels safe in his arms. It’s as if a dark mass is slowly flowing out of her. Soon, she feels light, smiles. She takes a deep breath, feeling free.

He says, “It’s a family legacy of yours. It’s part of you. To separate from it is like denying a part of your ancestors. You can’t get rid of it; you can’t get rid of yourself. That’s not how it works; you can’t just mutilate your aura.”

“But it’s so … dreadful.”

“I know. You must learn to control it. You must be its master.”

“How do I do that?”

Michael strokes her hair.

“I will guide you there. I’ll help you bring it to light. But you must trust me. It will require some preparation. I wish I could tell you it will be easy, but you need to know, it won’t be.”

“Okay, I trust you.”

Johanna sniffs into a tissue, taking deep breaths.

Then Johanna hands him the book. He beams at her, “I’m so incredibly proud of you.”

Johanna’s heart leaps, almost bursting from her chest. She bounces up and down on the spot. Then she gives him the documents they found.

“And Franziska and I each kept a piece of the jewelry.”

He gently holds her head with both hands and kisses her affectionately on the mouth. Johanna is on cloud nine.

“Can I ask you about the book?” she asks Michael.

“Soon, Johanna, very soon.”

Johanna bounces on the spot again, “Damn, I’m so impatient!”

Michael says, “Ah, and is Franziska still here or has she left? Please bring her to me; I want to thank her too.”