The Janus Effect

By Aaron Pery

When Paul Boland is eliminated from a poker tournament in Las Vegas, his opponent, Dr. Natalie Kelly, an ER physician at a nearby hospital, seeks him out afterwards to apologize for knocking him out. They become friends very quickly and despite the disparity in their ages end up in bed in Paul's luxurious hotel suite where, at the height of a magnificent orgasm, his old heart gives up on him. He dies with a wide smile on his face as it was the culmination of his dream to expire while making love to a beautiful young woman, which Natalie sure was. The strange thing, though, was that his mind survived the ordeal and implants itself in Natalie's brain, using her body as its host just before both fall into exhausted sleep.
The next morning, when both realize what had transpired and despite the bizarre occurrence, they are able to accept their strange new reality and explore the the reasons for it until they discover the cause of it in Paul's distant past. They also come to the conclusion that they will have look for another host for Paul's mind that will free him to live on his own.
Three days later, as their minds bond tightly in friendship, they find a suitable host, who happens to be a rogue FBI agent and serves as an executioner for the Al Qaida organization while masquerading as a hotel security supervisor, for which Paul has no compunction eliminating his mind and taking over his body.
Thus begins the great adventure....

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aaron Pery
• Release date: Jan 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310656125

Aaron Pery

As most authors might claim, I was always been a natural storyteller and voracious book reader. Somehow, I also knew that some day I would sit down and write a book, which I did quite recently.When I finally sat in front of my computer monitor to do just that, the words literally came pouring out. Before very long, I had written many books in various genres.At first, my prolific writing was mainly for the pleasure and self-entertainment involved, until I discocered Smashwords and ebooks, and here I am, a published author with a long list of books to my credit. And many more to come.

Book preview

The Janus Effect

Aaron Pery

Smashwords eBook Edition

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2013 by Aaron Pery

License Notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is purely coincidental.

Note: This work contains material of explicit sexual nature that is only suitable for those over the age of 18.

The Janus Effect

Chapter One

It was nearly midnight on day three of the Main Event in the World Series of Poker, and Paul Boland grinned to himself when the dealer opened the Flop on the table - two kings and an ace. His joy came about when he saw the ace since he held a pair of them, which gave him the highest possible pair of cards in poker and finding another ace on the Flop gave him the highest Trip, as it is called—an almost sure hand to win the next pot, especially kings gave him a Full House. Yet, he was a little concerned about the kings in case someone else at the table held a pair of them, but the chance of it happening, he thought, was slim to none. He watched as five players mucked their hands, one put in a raise of twenty thousand dollars, followed by the only woman at the table doing the same and pushing her chips to the middle of the table, to which he responded by betting a similar amount.

When the Turn card came up the five of spades, Paul’s opponent gave him a toothy grin before pushing all her money to the center and declared ‘All In,’ and he gestured to the dealer to count the chips, then smiled back at the young woman with whom he had tangled before and knew that her name was Natalie. The dealer count of her chips was one-million and six hundred thousand chips, which was substantially higher than the room’s average and three-hundred above his own chips.

Well, it’s about time for me to double my chip count, he thought for a moment before he pushed his chips over to the middle to join Natalie’s. Got a million-three, and I’m all in as well. He said and turned his cards over to show his pair of aces.

Natalie’s face turned almost chalk white as she turned her own cards and showed her king, which gave her a lower Triple than Paul’s aces. She began gathering her belongings in utter defeat as the dealer fingered the deck in his hand and put the River card down. Everyone around the table and the people surrounding it gasped loudly when he turned it over next to the flop cards.

It was another king, which meant that Natalie had won!!! Paul looked at the cards and wanted to scream with frustration but forced himself to remain graciously calm as he smiled at his nemesis, who seemed to be almost catatonic as she dropped back to her seat while her belongings fell loudly to the floor. She came back to reality when she saw Paul extending his arm to her across the table in congratulation but then, instead of taking it, she jumped out of her chair and rushed over to hug him warmly.

Paul was surprised by her reaction and rather pleased to be hugged by the very pretty young woman who pushed her breasts hard against his chest which produced a strong stirring in his loins, which he hadn’t felt in the past five years. It was such a pleasant feeling that he instinctively pulled him against his body and leaned down to kiss her properly rather giving her a Hollywood air kiss as was the custom in these circles. Natalie responded by lifting her face and kissing him back, then suddenly escaping as if from her own reaction to the handsomely desirable old man.

Leaving the event hall slightly confused, not because of the unexpected loss all his chips to but because of her strange behavior toward him and his reaction, which did not fit a seventy-eight year old man who had given up on such feelings a while back. Then, once in his car and driving back to the Polaris Hotel, Paul suddenly felt light-headed and realized that in the excitement of the card games he had forgotten to eat a proper meal after taking his insulin pill during the last break. Well-used to managing his diabetes, he realized that he better stop at the hotel coffee shop and grab a hamburger or something similar in order to bring his sugar level to normal.

Twenty minutes later, he was seated at a nice table eating his favorite night snack, a double cheeseburger, with pleasure, he felt a hand touching his shoulder gently. Then, when he raised his eyes he was quite surprised to see the woman who had defeated him so resoundingly at the poker table, and jumped up to pull a chair for her when she asked if she could join him for a cup of coffee.

Of course, Natalie. It will be my pleasure to be honored with your presence. Please tell me, though, what you’re doing here at this late hour when I had clearly heard you telling some people that you live in Vegas?

Natalie gave him a slightly confused look. Damned if I know why. The truth is that I do live here, and was on my way home when I suddenly got a strange feeling that I must see you, so I turned right instead of left on Las Vegas Boulevard when I reached the intersection.

Strange indeed, but how did you know that I’d be here and having a snack at the coffee shop?

Natalie chuckled. That was a no-brainer because from my observation of you I doubted that you’re the kind of man who’d be staying at the Rio, and my first thought was that it would be the highly elegant Polaris. So I drove over and used the house phone to verify that you’re staying here, and was immediately connected to your room. Then, when you didn’t answer I figured that you must be at the bar crying in your drink, so to speak, after losing to me so I passed by and didn’t see you in there the coffee shop was my only other choice. And here you are.

Excellent detective work, Natalie, but why did you go to all this trouble tracking me?

Because, and it’ll sound crazy to you, I was compelled to do so by something that had never happened to me before. The fact is that I possess a highly perceptive psychic sense of people’s minds that allows me to judge what the other poker players would do once they get their cards, which is why I’ve been quite successful playing poker in the past three years, ever since my twenty-first birthday when I was allowed into the casinos.

Then you’d just negated what you said because I got a pair of aces to begin with, and then a third ace on the flop, which made me extremely happy and was my reason for going all in.

Natalie responded with a smile. Yes, but I also possess an ability to see a very short distance into the future, in which I saw a fourth king on the River and nothing for you. That’s why I behaved with such dismay before the card was exposed, and such elation when I saw the king, and why I rushed over to hug you the way I did because I felt kind of sorry for eliminating you from the game.

Okay, I’ll accept your explanation. But I still don’t understand the reason why you felt compelled to look for me afterward.

Natalie’s face suddenly took on a very strange expression. Two reasons, actually. One is that apparently I also possess an ability to sense future events, which I didn’t know that I did until tonight, because the moment we made physical contact I foresaw that you and I will have a long and beneficial relationship together and that I must not let you slip away from me. That’s why I responded to you so enthusiastically and why I had to pursue you here.

Paul burst into laughter and patted her hand. That sounds wonderful, Natalie, but it’s a ludicrous notion, and even more so than anything you’d confessed to me about all your special talents.

Why d’you say that, Paul?

Look at me, Natalie, and then at yourself. I’m a seventy-eight year old man on his way out of this world who suffers from diabetes, am still recovering from a serious heart attack, and my arthritis is killing my joints. As to yourself, you’re younger than my granddaughter, absolutely beautiful, and look like a proverbial Valkyrie of the old myths in size and blond hair that’s almost white. Heck, I’m six-four and you were almost as tall as I am in your high heels when we hugged at the poker table. So, my dear young lady, as much as I hate to say it, you better find yourself someone younger and more suitable to play with than a washed out old codger.

Old codger? Funny, but two hours ago the very same old guy with his assorted ailments stuck a pretty stiff hardon against my belly and got me pretty excited like few men had ever done to me before. Add to that the fact that he’s over three times my own age and looks pretty good to me, and you come up with a rather superb male specimen.

Are you saying….?

That the main reason for my looking for you was to entice and seduce you, Paul? Yes, I definitely did. So what are you going to do about it?

Paul’s entire demeanor changed by the question as he felt a marked stirring in his groin. Silly question. He stood up and dropped enough cash on the table to cover his food and tip, then extended his hand to Natalie. You coming, Lady?

Finally. Natalie exclaimed as she took his offered hand and stood up.

The two walked to the elevator hand in hand with their shoulders touching and an impatient expression on their faces. Natalie was a bit surprised when Paul punched the top floor button, where she knew only the most luxurious suites were located, but did not comment on it since her only thought was about the pleasure she was about to experience with the man holding her hand, who seemed to be just as excited as she was.

Once inside the suite, with the door closed behind them, Paul took Natalie in his arms and kissed her gently on her mouth while hugging her tightly with both hands and caressing her back up and down in a tantalizing way, especially when he began kneading her buns. It was the most sexually enticing hug that she had ever encountered, which was quickly intensified when she felt his hard cock press against her lower belly, and she let herself completely go as he manipulated her body with great expertise.

To Natalie’s disappointment, Paul suddenly stopped and broke their physical contact, but then he took her hand back and guided her to the luxurious bedroom, stopping next to the bed before he began unbuttoning her blouse very slowly. He dropped the blouse on the loveseat behind him, which surprised her in his deliberate and orderly manner of his movements even though he seemed quite eager to go beyond this stage, a fact that pleased her greatly. Next, Paul unclasped her bra and watched with utter fascination as each breast dropped in his hands once he removed them from the still restraining cups, then leaned down to lick and then suck on each nipple and making Natalie moan and squirm with great desire.

Then, after watching her magnificent upper body for a moment, Paul pushed Natalie very gently over to the bed and unzipped her jeans before pulling them off, leaving her lying on his bed with only the panties on, then watched her for a moment with an excited gleam in his eyes before removing the by now totally soaked panties. He then moved backward and began removing his own clothes, which Natalie’s eyes following his every move until he was completely naked.

Paul stood there for a moment as Natalie seemed to feast her eyes on his manly body, especially his stiff and literally vibrating cock, then gestured for him to join her in bed. He complied with the request eagerly and a moment later both squealed with great pleasure as Paul penetrated Natalie’s body with one strong heave, driving her nearly crazy as he began pumping slowly in and out of her body until they orgasmed together with a wild sounding shriek of ecstasy. Rather than withdraw once they had reached the apex of their pleasures, Paul remained on top of her as his cock, responding to both their shudders, hardened again just a few moments later and he began making love to her again.

Natalie opened her eyes when he began moving, and mumbled happily. Oh yes, my dear old coot, give it to me again.

He smiled as he leaned down and kissed her lips. By all means, I intend to. And increased the tempo of his motions.

Paul resumed making passionate love to Natalie, realizing suddenly that he was actually doing so with this strange young woman that he barely knew for just a few hours in much the same way that he had done with his wife of fifty years, with devoted care to please her just as much as himself. It thrilled him that he had found someone to care for so much even this late in his life, with whom he was able to connect as though it was Ruth herself.

Elated with this insight, Paul sensed that he was about to achieve a second orgasm that was even greater than the first when he felt his body give in to a huge burst of seminal fluids and his face cracked into a huge smile. Yet, in the height of this immense gratification he also felt a strong constriction in his chest as though his heart was being squeezed by an iron first that just wouldn’t let go away. Well, he thought as his life was ebbing away and his greatest pleasure in life occurred as he ejaculated powerfully, time to pay the piper as the saying goes, was his final thought.

It took Natalie, who was lying on her back under Paul’s sweaty body and shuddering from his immense orgiastic pleasure, to realize that something was drastically wrong when he suddenly stopped his fierce motions. Then, to her utter horror, Paul rolled off of her and came to rest stock-still by her side and when she grabbed his wrist she felt no pulse. Yet, despite the tragedy that she was an active participant in, when she rose on her elbow to look at him, she saw the wide grin on Paul’s face, she burst into uproarious laughter.

So, as a most ardent lover you crapped out of this world like all virile men wish to go but few manage to accomplish, with your cock inside a woman and spilling all your cum into her while smiling from ear to ear.

She leaned over and kissed Paul warmly before picking the bedside telephone and dialing the operator. I need to speak to your head of security, Miss, and quickly.

Can I help in any way?

I’m afraid not, so please get him or her on the line.

Her. I’ll connect you with Ms. Halmi right away.

Thanks.

Ms. Halmi came on the line within seconds, and when Natalie told her about Paul’s death and the circumstances involved, she was instructed to remain where she was and not touch anything until her arrival, and hung up.

Tough sounding broad, Natalie mumbled to herself as she went to the bathroom and put on a bathrobe, then returned to the living room intending to sit down and wait, but the door chimes rang just as she was about to do that. When she opened the door she was confronted by a well-dressed, pretty but tough looking woman who she estimated to be six feet tall with a full head of short coppery dark hair. She did not say anything as she strode into the bedroom and looked quickly around it from the outside before turning to Natalie.

Is the room in exactly the same state as it was when your customer crapped out?

Her question irritated Natalie to no end as she responded to the question in a low, penetrating voice. Now you listen here, you stupid wannabe a cop asshole. My name is Natalie Kelly and I’m no hooker. In fact, I’m on my final residency period as a physician at Vegas General, mostly at the ER, and Mr. Bolard was a friend rather than a customer whose heart gave up on him in the midst of our lovemaking. And note that I said lovemaking rather than fucking, so I insist on you treating me and Mr. Bolard with the proper respect due to us.

So you say, Halmi said, sounding unimpressed. Can you prove it?

You bet your big nasty ass I can, Natalie said maliciously and walked over to her purse that she had dropped on the floor when Paul had kissed her, pulled out her billfold and handed Halmi the plastic ID case where she kept all her cards. Here it is, including my driver’s license and all other IDs that are required for our daily life in a today’s society.

Halmi looked through everything very carefully, then surprised Natalie when she smiled at her. Okay, I apologize for treating you the way I did, Dr. Kelly, but please put yourself in my place and tell me if you would have thought and behaved any differently.

Natalie considered it for a moment before responding. Oh shit. You walked in here and found a woman who looks to be about fifty years younger than the dead person lying dead in a bedroom of a hugely expensive hotel suite, and the first thought that crosses your mind was that I’m a hooker.

Exactly, for which I apologize profusely. And please call me Janet.

And I’m Nat, which everyone I know likes to bastardize and calls me Nate.

Kind of strange name for a woman with a great looking set of breasts peeking out of your robe.

Thanks for the compliment, and I think they do so because of my shape. Anyway, so what happens now?

I called LVPD on the way up here, so they should be here any moment accompanied by a doctor and the coroner’s wagon. Takes them a bit longer than usual to get here because they respect the hotel’s wishes to use the service elevator so as not to disturb our guests. In the meantime, I suggest that you put some clothes on.

How about taking a shower first?

Janet grinned. I highly recommend it, Dr. Kelly.

You mean I stink of sex that badly?

You said it, Lady.

When Natalie came out of the bathroom she found the bedroom overrun by people and was pleased to recognize Detective Russo, with whom she had had many dealing at the hospital’s ER. He smiled when he saw her, and gestured for her to follow him to the living room where he and Janet sat across from her.

Okay, Dr. Nate, please tell us how come you ended up in bed with one of the richest men in the US.

I didn’t know that he was, and only discovered that Paul must’ve been quite rich when we entered this suite. Anyway, here is how it happened. She told them about participating in the World Series of poker and being attracted to Paul during the first three days of the tournament, and then about eliminating him in an All-In hand.

So how come you ended up here?

Because I felt terrible about busting him out so I tracked him over here and found Paul in the coffee shop, where we had quite an interesting conversation, which ended up with us having a tremendously enjoyable bout of sex. Apparently our intense physical activities were too much for his worn out heart and he expired at the end of our second orgasm.

Russo grinned. It must’ve been a grand one because the man had a big shit-eating grin on his face, I guess because it was the culmination of most men’s dream to die while making love.

I’d figured that it was something like that when I saw the smile on his dead face, which was something I’d never seen before on any dead person, and I’d seen plenty of them in my career.

You must have, I guess. How did you end up tonight at the tournament?

As the top chip holder with ten million chips, for which I had to thank Paul.

And you had, quite amply so. Anyway, I guess you must be anxious to go home and grab a few hours’ shut-eye in preparation for today’s game.

I definitely need it. Can I go home, then?

You can since the coroner had easily determined that Mr. Boland had died from natural causes pending an autopsy, as is my opinion and Janet’s as well. Besides, I doubt that his family would want it to be known how he had died so we’ll keep your name and involvement out of the record unless the coroner finds some incrimination evidence, of course.

Fair enough. Natalie stood up and shook their hands before leaving, and literally escaped from the suite.

Chapter Two

Shaken by the night’s events once she was alone, Natalie closed her mind to everything as she drove home but once she reached her beautiful condominium and was about to get into bed, tears began flowing from her eyes and kept coming in great volume until she could no longer cry for the death of the man that she knew and liked so much for so short a time. Finally, when she realized how and why Paul had died, she burst into laughter when she imagined the great joy that she had given him in the last moments of his life and she fell asleep with her own smile.

The next day, she got out of bed feeling light-hearted and hopeful for another winning day at the tables, a day that would bring her to the coveted position beyond the Bubble, where all busted players are assured of a payment of just over twenty-thousand dollars that would increase in size as each competitor was eliminated up to the final table where the top prize was just over ten million dollars. It was going to be a tough fight but she knew that with her special talents it was quite doable for her.

She had plenty of time to stop at the Rio café for a substantial breakfast before the games were resumed, and it felt good to her to be recognized by quite a few as the current chip leader who stopped to acknowledge her, and some even asked for her autograph. Shit, she thought, I can imagine the kudos I’ll be receiving if I’ll be able to climb the ladder until the final table is chosen, and I really love the attention and adoration for the first time in my life other than from those who’d like to fuck me. Yeah, I’d really like that to happen, and the big money ain’t gonna be too shabby either because I’ll be able to do things that I’d always wanted to but couldn’t because I’d never had the time or the money for it—real crazy stuff.

Once the tournament started at noon the players, rather than using caution with the person they knew by now to be quite an accomplished poker player, her opponents literally fought to gain her chips and kept playing her almost viciously. It quickly dawned on her that by doing so they mostly put their own hard-won hoards in jeopardy because it was quite easy for her to ascertain from their vibes whether they were bluffing or truly had a threatening hand. She lost a few small pots but mostly her observations were correct and by the time the dinner break had arrived Natalie’s stack of chips had reached twenty-thousand dollars as she eliminated opponent after opponent mercilessly.

Being careful to eat a proper supper so as keep her wits sharp for the next session, she went to the buffet for a substantial meal and was surprised again by the even larger number of well-wishes until she realized that most of them were actually hoping that she would fail rather than be able to blow them out of the water. Once she grasped this fact Natalie burst into laughter as it amused her greatly to become the object of jealousy for the first time in her life.

What was your reason for laughing out loud, Doctor? A familiar voice