Author's Note: I'm currently working on a revision of the entire story. Before I finish that though I'd best finish the story, so here's the first of the three concluding chapters of Wilderwood. The others will follow over the next couple of weeks. For real this time.
Readers new to the series may want to start at chapter one. Alternately, the opening of chapter six also provides a bit of a story-so-far.
* * * * *
Chapter Eight: The Master of Wilderwood Hall
When we were younger Emma and I went to a lot of social events with our parents. As we got older our friends got better at avoiding going to these things but we were still dragged along to all of them. Our parents always wanted to present the picture of the ideal family, and by our teens we would often be the only people our age at some events.
It wasn't much fun for us. A lot of the other guests, especially when we were up at the Hall, were important people - doctors and lawyers, business owners and local and state politicians - but if our parents enjoyed socialising and networking with them we didn't, because at our age we just weren't interested in who they were or what they did or the things they talked about. I did talk to the chief of police once, but when I asked him what kind of gun he had he told me he didn't carry one and that was a big letdown.
He said it with a chuckle, like they always did. They didn't talk to us like we were people, they talked to us the same way guys talk to a hot girl's pet dog. They wanted to make a good impression on our parents, and especially on Uncle Nathan, and talking to us was one way they saw to do that.
So over time my sister and I started to sneak away from these gatherings when we could. We'd disappear for an hour or so and go look for something to do that was more interesting than being talked down to by people we didn't know. No one was paying that much attention to us to begin with so it was easy enough to get away, and we got really good at this and always managed to come back before we were missed.
I doubt we'll get the chance to do that tonight. This event at the hotel is supposed to be to launch the new construction project Dad is fronting, but really it's going to be all about us as a family and we're probably going to get a lot of attention. Still, we are adults now, so maybe we'll get talked to like we're actual people.
Things are different from how they used to be, but one thing is the same. I still can't tie a bow tie.
After fifteen minutes of twisting and pulling, and watching three separate step-by-step guides on YouTube, my tie hangs under my collar like a dead bat, and from the way it's twisted and folded in on itself it didn't die a peaceful death either. I can't even ask Dad to fix it liked I used to, since he and Mom are already up at the hotel making sure everything is set up and greeting the guests as they arrive. They're sending a car for us and that will be here soon. I guess they want to be sure that Emma doesn't roll up to the hotel on her motorcycle.
Not that there's any chance of that. We're still playing the part of the dutiful offspring, because we don't want our parents to make a fuss about the changes we're planning on making to our college plans. They've made it clear that they won't allow me to go upstate this year, and after talking it over (and over and over) my sister has decided that she's going to transfer back to Wilderwood College rather than go upstate again. Our parents don't know this yet and we figure it'll go easier if we can convince Mom that Emma isn't actually a depraved devil worshipper iredeemably corrupted by a year upstate immersed in sex, drugs and rock and roll.
After another gloomy look in the mirror I put my dinner jacket on to see if that will distract any from the tie. No, it doesn't. I'm just glad that Emma doesn't have any James Bond fantasies because this tux is not working for me. I don't know about stirred but I definitely look like I've been shaken.
"Hey, are you ready yet?"
I look up from the dead thing at my neck and in the bathroom mirror I see my sister sticking her head around the door. "You've been in here so long I was starting to wonder if you were jerking off."
"If I was I'd be thinking of you, Sis."
Emma laughs. "So romantic."
I flick the drooping edges of my tie resignedly. "I guess it'll have to do."
"Let me see."
I turn around as she comes into the room and just stare. My sister is wearing a short black latex dress that clings to her body like a high gloss second skin, and she has a studded leather collar around her neck. She looks fantastic, but...
"Holy shit. You're not wearing that tonight, are you?"
"Why not?" She walks up to me and reaches up to tug at my tie. She gives me a teasing smile. "Don't you like it?"
Not so long ago I'd be freaking out on multiple levels right about now, but I now know that Emma likes to fuck with me - metaphorically - and so I just slip my arm around her slender waist, my fingers playing over the corset lacing at the back, and pull her in for a kiss. The shiny black vinyl squeaks softly as our bodies press together, and I leave off from toying with the laces and slide my hand down to squeeze her glossy ass.
"I love it," I tell her, in between kisses, "but I can just imagine Mom's face if this is what you're wearing to the event tonight."
"I'll just tell her that I'm wearing it for my boyfriend."
We're brother and sister, as close as can be, but it still gives me a thrill when Emma refers to me as her boyfriend. My fingers slip and slide over her shiny rear as I pull her in for another kiss, her soft, dark lips parting as our tongues intertwine.
"Sometimes I think you want people to know about us."
"Sometimes I want to tell everyone." She leans back a little and tilts her gaze down to my neck. Her fingers move and my bow tie comes away in her hands. "There," she says. "Fixed it."
I sigh. "Great. Like it didn't just take me twenty minutes to get it on."
