Beneath The Sacred Cloak

Literotic asexstories – Beneath The Sacred Cloak by Daddysgirlfl,Daddysgirlfl This is my story for the Summer Lovin’ Story Contest 2023.

Beyond look-what-happened-on-my-summer-vacation or frolicking bikini babes at the beach, this tale tells the story of the summer of the Blood Moon, the lunar eclipse, a virgin offering, and the discovery of a double life. This summer is fertile for your imagination.

I owe a debt of gratitude to my sister for joining me in this collaborative effort. This story ventures beyond my usual realm, but there was no turning back once my imagination took hold. Together, we’ve woven a tale​ of fantasy and eroticism*(see below) that captivated our creative spirits and brought it to life on these pages​.

It was a fun romp through fantastical land for me. I hope you enjoy the ride! xo DG

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In the mountainous land of West Virginia lies Tiberius Springs and the Church of the Divine Light. The Blood Moon appears during the lunar eclipse during the fertile summer months to change destinies within this self-sustaining sect.

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Zara- storyteller, Shield of the Sacred, daughter of Magnus and Orla

Magnus, leader of The Church of the Divine Light and Order of Shadows, Father of Zara

Orla- Mother of Zara, wife of Magnus

Tiberius (deceased) – Father of Magnus, founder of Tiberius Springs

Coral – dancer

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BENEATH THE SACRED CLOAK

BOOK ONE

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INTRODUCTION

Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains lies Tiberius Springs, West Virginia, and the Church of the Divine Light. Despite the name inspiring visions of bucolic waterfalls and lakes, it has dark secrets that no outsider will ever discover.

I was one of the lucky ones. My Father, the sect leader Magnus lived with my mother, Orla, and me, which placed us at the top of the hierarchy. While the other women who bore his children lived apart or with other men, my Father’s charisma and guidance made him a revered figure, and his flock followed him with unwavering devotion. Yet, it is crucial to clarify that our association was never coercive; they were free to depart whenever they wished. Surprisingly, across generations, none ever did.

Like any successful leader of loyal followers, Magnus embodied power and authority. His hair, a celestial silver, cascaded in thick waves like strands of stardust delicately woven by the hands of the cosmos. With every subtle movement, the silvery strands caught the light, shimmering as if infused with the essence of distant stars.

He had a magnetism, a rare charisma that drew people to him like moths to a flame. His angular features gave him a rugged handsomeness, heightened by piercing, intelligent eyes that shimmered as silver as his hair. Towering above most, he stood tall and imposing. His broad shoulders and sturdy frame exuded strength and confidence.

The first doctrine that he stood by

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“The Church of the Divine Light is not a cult, and I assure you that your freedom is paramount to us. You are free to leave at any time if you feel it is your choice. I do not make false promises or miracle​s to entice you into staying. We do not manipulate with fear or guilt. Instead, we offer a simple and self-sufficient community where you can find spiritual solace and connect with unconventional but simple ways of living. Our rituals enrich our lives, foster unity, and provide a sense of belonging. I encourage you to embrace your individuality, engage in critical thinking, and decide what path serves you best. Your presence is valued, but your choice to stay or leave will always be respected.”

His every word carried weight, and his voice resonated with a sonorous timbre that demanded attention. We were all educated in Tiberius Springs and graduated at eighteen years old. I had only left the compound once as my mother’s companion for a doctor’s visit.

Those few hours away from the enclave were like a mesmerizing porthole to another world of freedom I would never forget.

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Little did I know then that this would be the summer of my rebirth—the summer of the Blood Moon.

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THE DAY OF ENLIGHTENMENT

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Accompanying my mother to the doctor in the city, I observed wide-eyed and curious.

From birth, I lived within the sheltered walls of our secluded community. But that day, fate smiled upon me, granting me a rare opportunity to glimpse the modern world and interact with people who weren’t part of our sect.

My senses were instantly overwhelmed by the vibrant kaleidoscope of colors, the cacophony of voices, and the hustle and bustle of life unfolding around me. It felt like a whirlwind of sensations, foreign yet exhilarating. The humid heat carried new scents to my nose. The towering skyscrapers and the symphony of car horns and footsteps created a symphony unlike any I had ever known.

Orla held my hand, nervously pulling me along. Her face was set in a hard mask, shutting out what I immersed myself in.

“Come along quickly, Zara.” We walked down the sidewalk at breakneck speed, weaving in and out of the others.

“Yes, Orla.”

The sidewalks teemed with more people than I’d seen in my entire life. Their chatter blended into a buzzing din. Cars zoomed past, blaring horns and spewing unfamiliar fumes. Towering skyscrapers blocked the sun, casting me in cool shadows. The concrete jungle felt vast, chaotic, almost hungry in its enormity. My nose wrinkled at the competing aromas – roasted nuts, exhaust, perfume, hot dogs. I clung tight to Orla’s hand as my senses overwhelmed.

But beneath the hyperstimulation, exhilaration flowed in my veins. The world was revealing its secrets. Each sight and sound illuminated my sheltered mind. In a block, I saw more of humanity than in all my 18 years. The city’s energy was palpable, pulsing, liberating. What mysteries awaited me in this world.

In that brief time, the porthole to another world opened wide, and I caught a glimpse of the possibilities beyond the enclave’s confines. I had stepped into a realm where rules were rewritten and choices were boundless.

The enchanting freedom of walking amidst strangers, strangers who didn’t see me through the lens of my Father’s leadership, was liberating.

I returned, thinking my glimpse into this vibrant world would be a fleeting memory.

Yet, that porthole to another world remained embedded in my mind, a beacon of hope that life was beyond the enclave’s insular walls. It fueled my yearning for more,

Although we did not want anything, we had no extras. No luxuries. My mother, Orla, made the clothing for all the women, another for men, and another for the children. Our dresses are oversized and ankle-length with long sleeves. Modesty at all times, our bodies covered by the large expanses of dull-colored fabric. From birth, we never cut our hair. I wore my toffee-colored hair tightly wound at the nape of our neck.

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But now I knew there was more.

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THE VEIL’S EMBRACE

THE LIFTING OF THE VEIL

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“It is time, Zara,” my mother said.

We knelt on the hard wooden floor of the living room and bowed our heads while Magnus, with arms outstretched towards the heavens, began to sway rhythmically. His eyes closed in deep meditation. Sensing the change in atmosphere, members came into the house and knelt with us in a circle.

Magnus chanted in a mesmerizing rhythm-

“Embrace the Divine Light, its radiant glow. In its embrace, our spirits shall grow. Guiding us through the darkest night, Bathing us in wisdom, love, and sight.”

“Embrace the Divine Light, our sacred guide. In its presence, doubts subside. Within its glow, we find our way. In unity, we kneel and pray.”

The transitional phase begins when women turn eighteen and ends one year later. During that time, Magnus will set seed, thus ending their transition. The Veil’s Embrace is one of the most sacred rituals of our sect.

Everyone attends. We travel on foot to a cave used for this ritual since my Grandfather, Tiberius, founded the sect. Shortly before his passing, he turned it over to Magnus, his son, who has continued with it since.

It’s summer, and the air is scented heavily with the sweet wild roses and mountain laurel surrounding the enclave. The deer are out for the dusk feed and not bothered as we pass by.

The steady chant resonated through the darkened chamber as twenty-robed figures swayed in unison, grasping flickering candles. I shivered, the flames’ uneven light casting sinister shapes on the stone walls.

“From shadows deep, we gather here,

In Veil’s Embrace, the path is clear.

In twilight’s dusk, our spirits soar,

Eighteen years, we seek the lore.”

“Magnus’ seed, our souls enwreathe,

In sacred bond, our destinies breathe.

Through rites of old, a passage won,

In this transition, we are one.”

“To Tiberius, we pay respect,

His legacy, we now protect.

In mountain cave, the secrets kept,

By flickering flames, they are swept.”

Wild roses bloom, the air imbued,

Mountain laurel, our spirits wooed.

In summer’s grace, our journey start,

Within this chamber, the Veil departs.

“United now, we sway as kin,

Veil’s embrace, a rite within.

The Eclipse Stone, its faint pulsation,

Marks our path of transformation.”

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“Ancient words on whispers ride,

In Veil’s Embrace, the veils untied.

Sinister shapes may dance and flee,

But through the shadows, we’ll be free.”

“Transcending time, our spirits soar,

The past unfolds, its wisdom bore.

Within this chamber’s sacred art,

The Veil’s Embrace, a journey’s start.”

Beside me, a young girl’s glossolalia rose above the chant, her mouth spewing strange syllables, “Ondei lexico reveara shandi mansonio delia”

More members joined the bizarre cacophony. I felt something stir within but resisted its pull. The young girl’s chants grew louder, and she swayed forward and collapsed to the ground,

“Yes, let the veil be lifted!” She proclaimed, raising her arms. “Become conduits of the infinite!”

My senses spun as light and shadow converged on the stone in a cosmic dance. I was but a vessel, channeling a power far beyond my being.

Silence blanketed the chamber at the ritual’s climax, only our fervent breaths echoing. The stone’s glow slowly faded; its purpose fulfilled.

Silence gripped the room at the ritual’s peak, only our rapid breaths echoing. As the stone’s glow faded, I sensed lingering traces of the Veil’s ephemeral wisps.

Robes rustling softly, the figures shuffled from the chamber. I lingered, watching the last phantoms of shadow disappear.

The chanting fades away as they file out into the velvety blackness.

My Father, Magnus, the enigmatic leader of The Order of Shadows, entered and stood at the stone, his black robes billowing around him. Those that remained moved the girl to the level stone and removed her robes.

With arms outstretched towards the heavens, he began to sway rhythmically. His eyes closed in meditation.

The girl undulated on the stone. She began to cry out in the same odd syllables as though in answer to Magnus.

The remainder of us file out, gravel crunching underfoot, our robes rustling. I lagged behind to listen for the final act, the sharp cry as my Father took her virginity.

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SHADOWS

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“Zara, you will be teaching the younger. Prepare.” My mother was strict with the same instincts as my Father. I was sure that was why he chose her to live with. He had his choice in our because he set seed in many women, but he chose my mother.

She moved through my life like a shadow and made no impression on me, even thinking back to my childhood. She was devoted to Magnus and no one else. Magnus was the one that cared for me and made sure I was fed and properly schooled.

“Yes, Orla, I will do it now,” I replied. We homeschooled with an approved sect curriculum set up many years ago by my Grandfather, whom I had never met.

At Divine Enlightenment, we were all well-schooled about the world with colorful picture books about each country. A world most of us would never see. Although the option always remained open, none ever left the compound. Most were content here. Once learning of the outside world, they appreciated the simplicity of the sect.

There was an extensive library available that was in its own building. Books that Tiberius gathered during his treks around the world before he founded the Church of the Divine Light.

While I went to my Father’s study, I thought of my trip to the city. I used the ladies’ room while Orla was in with the doctor. At first glance, I was surprised at the movement out of the corner of my eye, then realized it was a mirror.

I stood before it, tracing the outline of my face, a stranger, with my finger on the cool glass.

As I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, I saw a face unknown to me for so long. My large, expressive eyes, like warm, rich honey, stared back at me, revealing a mix of curiosity and skepticism. They held a depth of wisdom that surpassed my eighteen years, shaped by the internal conflicts I grappled with daily.

The prominent cheekbones matched my Father’s angular face. I noticed how my eyebrows accentuated the intensity ​of my gaze, a gaze that yearned to understand who I was beyond the enclave’s sheltered walls. It was a face that held the promise of a future yet to be unraveled.

Magnus was gone for the day with the elders, and Orla was at the community building, so I had the house to myself.

We were not allowed books of fiction in our communal library. I scanned the leather spines and pulled one off the shelf, The Picture of Dorian Gray by an author Oscar Wilde. I settled into my Father’s oversized leather chair and opened the book on his desk.

As I delve into the pages, I find myself captivated by a foreign world. The characters’ complexities and struggles resonate deeply, reflecting parts of my inner thoughts and emotions.

The themes of love, beauty, and morality stir something inside me, making me question my own perceptions of these concepts. Dorian’s journey of indulgence and its consequences fascinate me, and I can’t help but wonder how such choices would play out in my own life.

Dorian’s moral descent into hedonism and vanity fascinates me – I contemplate how I might act if similarly consumed by the pursuit​ of beauty and pleasure. The consequences make me consider my virtues and values.

Lord Henry’s unique philosophies are new, radical ways of thinking, sparking curiosity within me.

While this work of fiction highlights many aspects of life that are foreign to my isolated experience, it also illuminates new dimensions of my psyche, like opening a doorway to self-discovery with each turn of the page.

I may not fully grasp the modern parallels, but this book has undeniably illuminated my inner world. As I continue reading, I’m eager to explore the awakening of my thoughts, feelings, and individual identity through the lens of this captivating text.

I read all day and realized the light was dwindling as I closed the book. An odd sound caught my attention.

I looked around the room and realized it was coming from the desk drawer. I slid it open and was shocked to see the brightly lit face of a phone. Cell phones were strictly prohibited only because of the negativity. But I don’t believe anyone in the sect would want such a connection with the modern world for the same reasons. It primarily wouldn’t affect us anyhow. I picked it up to read the words on the front.

Tonight at 11, sweetie. Don’t be late.

I wasn’t sure how to use it, so I touched the words, and the screen quickly changed, startling me.

There were pictures and a written conversation between them. The images were shocking yet oddly titillating. As I moved the screen, similar pictures appeared.

I began to read, the words blurring before my eyes… suck… cock… fuck… Words that I could put with the pictures and know they were lewd.

At the expense of getting caught, I sat reading their words and pictures, concluding that my Father, Magnus, the Church of the Divine Light leader, was only one persona.

This was the other Magnus. A man who sent shocking pictures of himself received the same from her. A man that led a double life. A man that was having a physical relationship with this woman.

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That night I hid in the bushes near the car used to get needed supplies, take followers to appointments and pick up the weekly groceries order.

At ten, he exited the house, quietly latching the door behind him, and went to the community center. In only a few minutes, he returned to the car wearing clothing I saw men wear in the city, looking nothing like the Magnus I knew.

I lay awake for a long time thinking of the other woman in my Father’s life, in the world beyond.

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The homes in Tiberius Springs were small and modest. My Grandfather planned the community, so the houses were close and doors faced each other. Privacy was not a factor when you lived in Tiberius Springs. The leader’s house was set apart, with some privacy, making it easier to leave the compound unseen.

That my Father had secrets shook me to the core. I was skeptical of the doctrines but never considered that shocking revelation. That Magnus was active in the beyond world and intimate with an outsider. He was disloyal to the core. I couldn’t imagine what anyone else would do with my information.

I spent less time considering my Father’s relationship than I did with curiosity about the woman. The freedom she must have to do whatever she does. That she sent pictures nearly unclothed to my Father only piqued my interest in how they came to know each other. So many questions swirled in my head.

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One day Magnus came for me, calling me into his study. I knelt before him.

“You know that you are the chosen one,” he said. It was a statement and not a question, and I nodded. “You are eighteen and ready to breed.”

I swayed slightly and hoped he didn’t notice. I knew my time was coming, but I hoped I would be passed up for other duties. It was now time for me to discover what my fate was.

He smoothed his hand over my hair. “Such a beautiful girl I made,” he smiled fondly. “Look at me.” He tipped my chin up and rubbed his thumb on my cheek. “You are causing me much anguish, Zara.”

“I am sorry, Magnus,” I replied softly, even though I did not know what I did.

“You have come from my loins,” his thumb rubbed across my soft lips, “and your beauty astounds me sometimes.” His voice was low, almost as though he were talking to himself. “If I breed you, I will be done with you. Do you understand that?”

I nodded. “Yes, sir.” Once a woman was with a child, she never was intimate with Magnus again. They were allowed with other sect members, but never him again. I only knew that because I overheard talk.

I was nervous. He had never spoken to me like that before.

“I do not want a child. What can I do to please you?” I asked, hoping for a reprieve from whatever he was considering.

He leaned back in the black leather chair, that was so oversized for me, he seemed to engulf it.

“I can’t think what you mean?” he asked curiously.

“Whatever the woman in red does for you,” I blurted out and immediately wished I could take it back. I watched his thoughts flash across his face and then stop.

“And what do you know about the woman in red?” he asked with surprising calm.

I thought he’d be angry, but far from it. “I was in your study one day getting the schooling books and heard the noise in the drawer.” I pointed to the drawer. “I saw her words to you.” He shifted in his chair.

“Since you saw the pictures, did you read them?”

I never lied to him, no matter what the outcome might be. “Yes,” I said, and a flush crept across his handsome face. “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have.”

He didn’t say anything but just regarded me. “What is done is done,’ he finally said. “What did you discover?”

I was still on my knees and settled back on my feet. “That she is not like us. She lives in the other world and is free to do what she wants.”

“Is that all you think?” He steepled his fingers together.

“You and she are together out there.”

“Have you talked to Orla or anyone else about it?”

“No, sir. No one.” He looked relieved.

“Good, good.” He acted as though that was the end of our conversation.

“I want you to tell me about her.”

“Why?”

“Because she is not in my world, and I want to know about her.”

He seemed as though he would tell me no, but he realized that I held the key to his secret. Something that could bring his world crashing down around him and the loyal people that followed him. He had no way of knowing that I would never divulge his secret, no matter what.

He settled back in his chair and said, “She’s a dancer. One day when I went to pick up groceries, her car wouldn’t start, and I helped her and—”

“Not all that,” I cut in. “Tell me exactly what she does. What she looks like.”

“Oh, oh.” He looked out the window momentarily; it was the first time I’d seen my Father’s face soften. “She has beautiful red hair. Bright red.” He chuckled. “Many women would be embarrassed by how bright it is, but Coral flaunts it.”

“And? What kind of dancer?” I asked, encouraging him.

He sighed, obviously unprepared to talk about that, but I waited.

“She dances in clubs. Mostly men go to watch, some couples.”

“Describe her,” I said.

“She’s tall. Nearly my height. She’s beautiful.”

“She doesn’t wear sack dresses.”

He smiled. “No, she doesn’t. She is from the modern world, Zara.”

“Does she know about us? Here?” I asked.

“Some, not much. My relationship with her hasn’t affected my faith here.”

I considered that for a while and chose not to say anything. I was interested in this for my benefit and not to punish my Father.

“I want to meet her. I want to see the club. Watch her dance.” I was fascinated with the idea. Dorian Gray had opened another window from which I viewed the world. I felt braver, a bit more aggressive even.

“Why are you so interested in her?”

“Because she is my first link to the modern world.”

Her and Dorian Gray. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are cultivated. For these, there is hope.

I want to discover it all.

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EMBRACING THE UNCHARTED

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The following week I was meeting my Father after my mother retired for the night. We went to the community center, and he opened a locked cabinet.

“Here, put these on. You can’t go looking like that,” he said, looking at my sack dress. I walked around the corner and slid on slim black pants and a white long-sleeved shirt. I walked to the car finding the pants incredibly uncomfortable, wondering why women would wear them.

We drove for an hour, finally pulling into a parking lot. The gravel crunched under the tires as he went around the back of the building into the darkness.

“Just follow me.”

He went to the back door, knocked twice, and the door inched open, then swung wider. He stepped in, and I followed. At that moment, I felt comforted by my clothing, which kept me as covered as my sack dress.

“This is Zara,” he said. “Zara, this is Coral. She will take you back to the dressing room with her.”

My eyes tried to adjust to the dim hall lighting, but she had taken my hand, and we moved quickly into a well-lit room.

“Come sit with me while I get ready,” she said, her voice soft and kind.

I sat next to her in front of a mirror that had lightbulbs all around it. I looked at our reflections side by side in the mirror. Her beauty is next to my ordinariness.

My eyes went to hers in the mirror. “You’re beautiful.”

She smiled and said, “Thanks, and so are you, darlin’.” She leaned towards the mirror and colored her lips. “You don’t believe me, do you? I could prove it, but I don’t think your Dad would approve.”

My Dad. “No one had ever called him that before.”

She stopped for a moment and studied me. “He has told me some about what goes on in your group, but not much. I was never sure if he was making it up, but I can see he wasn’t.” She put her arm around my shoulders and hugged me.

There wasn’t much I could say to that. “Have you ever worn makeup? This stuff that we slather all over our faces in the name of beauty?” she said, laughing, and I laughed as well.

“No, we don’t wear it, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen it.”

“Really,” she said, not making it a question. “I have my first set to do. Would you like to watch from backstage?” I nodded. “Good. I’m going to like knowing you’re here.”

She stood up, took her robe off, and looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a shiny silver top like the pictures that were red. She leaned over and pulled her breasts out and up. She hooked the sides of her panties high on her hips. She leaned over and strapped on silver high shoes with the highest heels I’d ever seen.

She took my hand. “C’mon, Zara, let’s go knock ’em’ dead.”

I stood off from the back end of the stage and could watch Coral and the men along the edge.

The stage went black, and the lights came up with the music. It was a loud hard beat, and she writhed on the floor, rolled into splits, then crawled to the edge of the stage to the men. They began to toss folded-up bills onto the stage. She smiled, said something, rolled onto her back, planted her feet on the stage, and pushed up and down. The whole place began to holler and shout while she rocked and swiveled her hips in circles.

She rolled from the position to her feet and grabbed the pole. She wrapped her legs around the pole and walked herself up the pole, then turned upside down, lowering one leg until she did an upside-down split. The roar was deafening. Then I noticed my Father standing next to the table for a better view, his hands cupped around his mouth, joining in on the shouting. She finished the song, working along the stage while they tossed more money at her.

“Give it up for Electra Moon,” the announcer shouted, and Coral gave each side of the room a deep bow.

“Phew,” she said, running back and hugging me. “What did you think, darlin’?”

“I want to do that.”

Her face went from a smile to a big grin. “Really?!” We began to walk down the dark hall.

“I do. I want to try it.” I don’t know what came over me. Maybe just knowing it might be my only time in the modern world.

“Fuck. Your Dad will kill me,” she said with a smirk. “But who cares,” she said, shrugging. “The last set is amateur. Do you want to try it?”

“Yes!”

I can’t begin to explain the excitement that coursed through my body. I was feeling things I’d never felt before. I prepared myself for the transformation.

“Sit there. I’ll put your makeup on.” She sat next to me and began to work. “You’re excited, aren’t you?” She grinned. “You’re going to kill it out there.” She stroked the color on my lips, colored my eyes, and put long eyelashes on. I couldn’t wait to look at myself.

“Wow,” I breathed when I turned to look. “I don’t even recognize myself.” I leaned towards the mirror to get a better look. My eyes had pretty blue glitter around them, and my lips were painted red.

“You need a name. Like mine, Electra Moon. We need to think about it,” she said, walking over to open a case. It was full of shiny, glittery things, just like what she and the other girls wore. She held up a pink and an orange, and I pointed to the orange. She nodded.

“Okay, babe, take your clothes off. I have a bikini top and thong that’ll be perfect for you.”

I disrobed until I was naked. When she turned back, she stared and said, “Wow, wow.” She put her hands on her hips. “Holy hell. I’m a D. You must be DD. You’re going to rake it in just because of that rack.”

She tied it behind and around my neck. I looked down, and the tiny triangles barely covered my nipples. For a fleeting moment, I thought about backing out. I stepped into the thong, and she straightened it at my hips.

“I couldn’t walk in those shoes,” I said.

“I have some that are not so high you can try. Not that anyone is going to notice your shoes,” she laughed. “You’re a knockout, darlin’.”

“Thank you.” I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize myself. I’d never seen myself naked in a mirror and was nearly naked in this outfit.

A​ profound sense of liberation washed over me as if a heavy weight was finally lifted off my shoulders. The life I had known within those walls seemed dim and limiting, but ​here and now, everything burst with vibrant colors and possibilities. I was immediately drawn to ​Coral, and the circumstances of our meeting​ and what she was to my Father became irrelevant​. It was as if a hidden part of me had awakened, and in Coral’s presence, I felt a profound sense of self-discovery and acceptance.

“Oh, your hair, it’ll look better if you let it down,” Coral said​, looking at the tightly pinned knot at the back of my head. Encouraged by her suggestion, I reached behind me and carefully unpinned the hair, letting the toffee and honey-colored strands cascade down to my knees. Her awe-filled expression made my heart flutter with a newfound appreciation for something that had been a daily hassle until now.

“When was the last time you had it cut?” Coral inquired, her fingers gently grazing the soft strands.

“Never,” I replied, feeling ​a shiver run through me as she ran her fingers through my hair.

“God, it’s gorgeous,” she gasped, her fingers delicately brushing through my hair. Her touch felt like a tender caress, igniting a ​fire within me that I had never experienced.

“Let me brush it for you,” she offered, and I eagerly ​nodded. I didn’t want this sensation to stop.

A pleasant sensation washed over me as she brushed through the thick strands. ​My senses were on high alert, the chattering of the dancers preparing for their sets, the scent of makeup, lotions, and perfume.

Previously, I had been excited about my decision. But now, doubt crept in as I watched the seasoned ​dancers move gracefully across the stage​, appealing to each man there. What was I thinking? I didn’t even know​ how to dance​. Men wouldn’t look at plain me. Nervousness set in for the first time, and I wondered if I had made a mistake stepping into this unfamiliar world​.

Coral walked off stage, the bills clasped in her hand. “Kill em’ baby,” she said, kissing me on the cheek.

The music started, and the first amateur walked out and began her dance. She was more experienced, and they began to holler and shout as soon as she walked out. Bills hit the runway.

She walked back and said, “Good luck, honey!”

My music started. I sucked in a breath and strutted out, leaving Zara of the Divine Church of Light behind. The building went wild. I could barely hear the music. The bills were flying onto the runway.

I crouched down and went through a series of moves like Coral did on her first set, then crawled to the edge.

“Show us those titties, baby!”

“Holy shit, how big are you?”

“Are those real?”

“Oh, baby… That hair.”

I was on my hands and knees, and my breasts swayed, which brought a roar. I turned and, in the background, saw Coral standing in front of my Father, his hands on her breasts. She was gyrating her hips into him. She gave me the thumbs up.

I found it exciting seeing them together. Magnus looked relaxed, happy, and sexy, and I’d never thought of him that way. His eyes were locked on me, watching every move I made.

I crawled and slithered down each side of the runway. My hair trailed and flipped from side to side, my breasts swinging with every move.

“Shake them titties for us, baby!”

“Let me suck on those monsters!”

“I’m first up for a lap dance, sweetheart!”

I strutted back the runway while the bouncer gathered the bills and handed them to me.

“Nice job. You’re the big moneymaker tonight,” he said, smiling.

I went to find Coral and Magnus. She left, having to do a few lap dances. Amateurs weren’t allowed, although they’d been requesting me.

“Well, what did you think, Zara?”

I looked up at Magnus. His voice was different. He looked at me differently.

“I feel like another person.” You seem like another person.

“You’re gorgeous, daughter.” I shivered at his words. “Are you cold in that?” He pulled me against him.

My Father had never been one for touching. Never hugging or kissing. I hadn’t ever seen him and Orla kiss or hug.

I snugged into his embrace, and he kissed me on the forehead. “I hardly recognize you.”

“I didn’t recognize myself,” I smiled up at him.

“Let’s sit down.” He pulled me onto his lap. I felt a little thrill run through me. I leaned back against him, and he put his arm around me. More amateurs came onto the stage and began to dance.

“They’re beautiful,” I said.

“You think so?” His fingers grazed my midriff in a most arousing way.

“Not as beautiful as Coral,” I admitted.

“You like her, do you?”

I looked back at him. “I do.” He shifted and moaned softly. “Are you okay?” His silver hair glittered in the colored lights, and I reached up to stroke the thick wavy length. It was down and reached below his shoulders. His beard showed the day’s growth, and I petted his face with my fingertips. His lips opened with a quick breath.

“Yes, can you feel what you did to me?” I felt his hardness against my butt. I heard enough around the enclave that I wasn’t in the dark. I wiggled, and he moaned louder. He looked down. “I never knew you had those under those dresses.”

“We are required to wear them,” I pointed out.

“Yes, for this very reason. The men wouldn’t take their eyes off you. Probably even some of the women.”

“Do you like them?” I liked the idea that I was pleasing him. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that before.

“I do, yes. Very much.” He hefted one in his hand and moaned, “This isn’t the time nor place.” His thumb slipped behind the orange sequined triangle and rubbed my nipple hard. I felt a tingle between my legs and squirmed again as he did it. He sighed and leaned back in the chair.

“To touch me?”

“Yes, to touch you. I want to but not now. Not here.” He looked at me. “Because I want you to touch me too.” I nodded agreeably but had no idea of what to do. As though he read my mind, he said, “I’ll show you what I like. And you can show me what you like.”

“I have no idea what I like, Magnus.” I felt an intensity in my body that I did need something, but what I did not know. I felt anxious yet excited all at once. The pressure of his hardness between my legs only lit up my excitement. I rocked, and after a moment, he held my hips to stop me.

“Not yet,” he smiled. “My daughter is learning much tonight. You will put it to use soon.”

Coral finally returned. The place was empty but for a man sweeping the floor, and she told me she was taking me and Magnus back with her.

She took her bikini off and said, “Come on, we need to shower to get this makeup off.”

She untied my top and worked my thong down. She piled my hair on my head and tied it up. I forgot Magnus was there and turned. His eyes were fiery. I’d seen the look before. I thrust my chest a little more, and his eyes locked mine.

“Want to watch us, sweetheart,” Coral said, winking. He followed us to the open shower and watched as she soaped up a sponge and washed me with it. We washed our makeup off, and she washed the spray and glitter out of her red locks.

She turned me towards Magnus and reached around me to soap my breasts, down to my belly, and between my legs.

“She has a bush, baby,” Coral said, and he groaned. “They liked it a lot out there too.” I didn’t think they could see that around the front of the thong, but it must be okay.

“Coral,” he said in a warning voice.

She whispered in my ear. “I think Dad thinks you’re sexy.”

“Mmm,” was all I could say because I was enjoying the feel of her hands on me.

We dressed, and Coral locked the back door. I waited for Magnus while he kissed Coral. His hands were on her butt, pulling her against him. He pushed into her, and I heard them both moaning. I knew they would typically spend time together and felt terrible about changing their plans, but I would not have changed a thing.

Coral approached me, held me around the waist, and pulled me into her. She smiled, her lips against mine, “I hope you come back to see me again sometime. We still need to come up with a name for you.” She pressed her lips against mine, our breasts crushed together. The first kiss I’d ever had made my body tingle. I wanted more. I wasn’t sure what, but I needed more.

Coral stepped back. “Kiss her, Magnus.”

“Coral….”

“Kiss her.”

Obediently my Father pulled me against him and kissed me. I gasped, and he moaned, pulling me tighter and rocking his hips into me. The hardness thumped against me. He groaned in my mouth, his tongue searching my mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pushing my breasts into him., trying to relieve the aching. With one last squeeze of my butt, he stepped back.

“Very hot,” she said softly.

We drove back and went to the community center to switch clothing. I undressed and waited naked until he retrieved my dress, bra, and pants.

“Zara, you have granted me the great privilege of seeing your gorgeous body.”

I smiled, raised my arms, and let the dress float around me. I kept the panties and bra in my hand.

“Thank you. Thank you for taking me with you. For Coral. For letting me find me.”

He acted as though he would kiss me again but quickly turned away.

“We must go. Be quiet when you go into the house.”

.

A week passed, during which time I set up lessons for the younger ones, cut fabric for new dresses for the women and tended to the bountiful summer gardens this year. The sect made their money to survive by selling vegetables to surrounding markets and restaurants. Few left the enclave, but the delivery went out daily.

Summer was our time in Tiberius Springs. Summer brought more beautiful rituals, and this summer was even more special because of the coming lunar eclipse or Blood Moon. The Blessing of the Waters was today. During the hottest summer days, Magnus performs a ritual to honor the sacred springs of Tiberius. Members offer prayers of gratitude and purification, and a procession is held to the springs, where they collect water blessed by the Moonlight during the previous night.

There was nothing to force the followers to stay. It was not a cult, and we could all leave anytime. But leaving meant leaving loved ones, our family. Almost everyone was content to stay in the confines of Tiberius Springs: everyone but me.

“Zara, meet me in my study in an hour.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, not looking up from tending to the last row of carrots.

I passed Orla on her way to the community center and, precisely an hour later, tapped on my Father’s door.

“Come in.”

He went to the door and locked it. “I don’t expect to be bothered by anyone, but in this case, privacy is paramount.”

I hadn’t talked to my Father more than a few words here and there since the night I danced. I am still determining whether he has been to visit Coral. I know that his demeanor was the same as before that night.

The rough edges were back. Father was again solemn and intensely focused.

“As the Order of Shadows leader, it has been left up to me who to choose for the Veils Embrace.” I nodded, wringing my hands in front of me. It was the breeding ritual that was one of our most sacred ceremonies. My Father always chose the eighteen-year-old female that he would breed. At eighteen, I was among a group of three others that were also eighteen.

“Yes, Father.” I stood before him but dropped to my knees. He motioned for me to stand.

“It is time for me to relinquish some duties. In the future, the Shadow Mistress will choose. She will also lead the ceremony and decide who will take her place.”

I was somewhat taken aback. I understood that Tiberius bred the eighteen-year-olds until his final days. He walked over and sat on the corner of the heavy wooden desk. Black pants stretched tightly across his thick thighs. One foot swung free, the other on the floor.

“I do not want you bred. You will remain a virgin,” he said finally, and I was sure he saw the gust of relief from my parted lips because there was the barest hint of a smile on his lips. “Remove your dress.”

I pulled the dress over my head and stood before him in the white cotton panties and bra that were part of our uniform.

Magnus frowned. “They’re tattered and worn.” The fabric had separated from the elastic at my waist, causing them to droop. The bras were white cotton originally but yellowed from wear, and the elastic was loose from washing through the years. “Isn’t that Orla’s job? Your dresses and undergarments.” I nodded.

He walked around the desk and wrote something on a scrap of paper. “Take them off and throw them in the trash.”

Always obedient, I did and now stood naked in front of him. He returned to sit on the corner of the desk, and while he walked, I caught a glimpse of the long bulge across the front of his tight pants. His eyes scanned me from head to toe.

“Let your hair down.” I did, and it flowed over my body to my knees. “I did not know how long your hair was until that night.” I smiled. “It was then I noticed how beautiful you are.”

“Thank you, Magnus.”

He asked, “Have you thought about that night?” Only every minute since it happened. “Your experience… With Coral… Dancing… The money.”

“I have, yes. A lot. I enjoyed it, sir, and would like to do it again.” My nipples tightened from his attention and the memories of kissing him, and his eyes locked on them.

“If you go again, what are your intentions?” He walked over and scooped my hair in his hand, letting it slide through his fingers, the back of his knuckles grazing my nipples. He looked up when I gasped at his touch.

“I would like to dance again,” I admitted. “With Coral.”

He smiled. “She likes you. She feels protective of you in the modern world.”

“I’m glad. But you are there too.” He nodded. “Are we going to the city again?” I pushed. He walked behind me. I could feel his body heat near, his head next to mine. His long hair fell and obscured his face.

“I am, but what if I am the danger?” he said in a low voice near my ear. I shivered, not from his words but his tone and nearness.

“I do not think of you as a danger, Magnus. Never.”

“What would you have thought of me if I took your virginity at the Shadow Veils ritual?” I moaned softly. “Do you think you would have felt the same pleasure as when we kissed?”

“No.”

He hooked my hair and pulled it back over my shoulder. His face was nearby, and his silver strands teased my neck and shoulder. I swayed and fell against his body. His fingertips barely touched my stomach, and it felt like butterfly wings, and he slowly moved them up. A light breath on my skin made me needy, and I thrust my breasts, wanting, needing his touch. He teased my hard, aching nipples the same, and I whimpered.

“Shhhh,” he growled low in my ear. “Take this pleasure. Our doctrine has no sins in that. You were created from my loins for the coming rapture. We will feast on each other with carnal passion until then.”

Each word sent an electric current to my sex. I shuddered and was thankful Magnus was holding me up. I felt as though I transitioned to another level to give me a clearer understanding of him. I was still shrouded and understand that will be lifted soon.

“Zara,” he moaned, deep and low. He was going through the transformation with me. I leaned my head back on his shoulder and arched my body. I soaked up the aura surrounding us, knowing it would soon be gone. It was consuming, and I knew it was coming from him. From within him.

Suddenly his body went rigid. His head fell back, his long silver curls swaying with his body. He is in a trance, an ecstatic state brought on by my transition to him.

“Lumaria sandentia omare yamandah rakadoni,” he repeated three times, then with more anguish, “Rakonaria infernia, magentia veloria!”

His body strained, his arms raised, his eyes tightly closed, and his face a mask. Then suddenly, he crumpled to the floor. I crouched beside him and moved his arm to make him comfortable. I’d seen this many times and knew the time would vary for him to come out of the trance.

He mumbled and still seemed agitated. I reclined beside him, hoping to offer some comfort, although I don’t believe he was aware while in the glossolalia state.

I petted his hair and ran my fingers over his face. He seemed to be calmer now, and I was relieved. I was still naked and began to get chilled, so I moved closer to his heat.

“Zara, I’m so glad you were here with me,” he said, still groggy.

I smoothed the hair back from his face. “I’ve never seen you in such a state of elation, then distress,” I said with concern.

He kissed my forehead and pulled me against his body.

“Zara, the lunar eclipse will take place in three weeks. At that time, you will take on the title of The Shield of the Sacred.” I looked at him quizzically. “The ecstasy comes more often now and of a longer duration, and I’m filled with such powerful spirit. And it’s sudden, just as you’ve seen. I trust no one but you to be with me as it happens.”

“I’ll be with you often then?”

“Whenever I’m not with the elders or predesignated times, we work out between us. After the ritual, you will refer to me as Father.”

“Yes, sir.” I thought for a moment. “Have you ever had an ecstasy when you were away from here?”

“No, I haven’t,” he smiled, knowing what I was thinking. “I think it would scare Coral, would it not?”

I smiled at him. “I’m sure it would. To anyone outside of us, it would.”

He nodded and hugged me closer. “This floor is getting hard, and you feel chilled. We should get up. The Blessings of the Water will commence soon. Your mother will be back; although the door is locked, it’s best not to pique her interest. After the eclipse, more will come to light,” he said mysteriously.

.

A few days later, Orla called the community center for a fitting. The gown was a luminous white silk. The sewers were quite impressed that Magnus had chosen the lustrous fabric himself.

I kept hoping that Magnus would take me to see Coral, but I was disappointed each day that passed by. I dreamed of that feeling again—the freedom to wear and do what I want.

Looking back on it, I am surprised that Magnus allowed me to do what I wanted that night. That Coral was with me helped, I’m sure. But to be free again like that and be in my Father’s arms while he kisses me is what I long for.

It could happen here. But would it be the same?

“Meet me in my study,” Magnus said, walking by me in the community center. I finished my duties and went back home.

“Lock the door,” he said. He was sitting behind his desk, and I began to kneel next to him, but he said, “No. Take your dress off.”

I pulled it over my head without hesitation.

“You did get new undergarments.”

“Yes, we all did,” I smiled because we were thrilled to throw the old ones out and wear better-fitting bras and pants.

“Take them off.” He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “You’ve practiced dancing, I assume.” I nodded. “We don’t have music or lights, but would you dance for me?”

I noticed that it wasn’t a directive but a question that I could have said no to. I had practiced with no music so that it would be no different.

I slowly dropped back into a back bend, then brought one leg back over, followed the other, gracefully standing up and stretching my arms high above me. Had I looked, I would have seen the lust in my Father’s eyes.

But I was intensely concentrating on my routine, as Coral mentioned. I used a wooden chair for a prop, threw a leg over it, twisted around, and sat with my legs spread, my feet wrapped around the front legs.

I dropped to my hands and undulated to the floor several times. With my feet together, I pushed up on one arm, the other in a graceful arc above me, then rolled to that hand, my feet not moving.

“Zara… Zara,” he repeated, getting my attention. “Is that what you will do for the men at the club.” I sat on the floor, my legs crossed.

“I thought I might. Coral said I needed a routine. Is it okay?” I asked, having some qualms about it now.

“Come here and sit on my lap. Like you would a customer at the club.”

I jumped up, and he pushed his chair back so I could sit between his open thighs, my butt on his lap.

I heard his quiet groan. “Like this?” I asked, looking over my shoulder. He groaned again and smiled.

“Perfect, my daughter, perfect.”

“Really?” I wanted to hear it again.

“Really. Very sexy, which I’m sure is foreign to you, but trust me, you are.” He reached up and pulled the pins from my hair. “To feel this on my skin one day,” he murmured.

I smiled and shook my head, and it spun out. “Coral said sexy is good.”

“Coral is absolutely correct.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “Did she tell you about the lap dances?”

I turned my head, and my cheeks flamed. “Some. A little.” I plucked up the courage and went on. “She said that some would leave themselves in their pants, and others would take it out of their pants.”

I peeked over my shoulder, and his eyes were flaming. “It’s a cock, dick, penis.”

“She said they have to pay more if it’s naked. The cock,” I faltered.

He gathered my hair back in his hand and kissed me on the shoulder. “I do not think I want you to do any lap dances. Not yet.”

I nodded. “Okay.” I was okay with that. I just wanted to dance.

“I do like you cuddling like this on my lap, which is okay since it’s me,” he chuckled. I liked hearing his laugh. The most I heard was when we were in town, but not much since then.

“I like it too,” I said, relaxing against him. His left arm supported me, his right hand stroked my body. I sighed, enjoying the sensations. I felt the throbbing under me. I thought I knew, just from talk around the sect, but I was still vague. “I want to learn from you, Magnus.”

I looked up, and he kissed me, almost like our kiss in the city. I slid my hand around his neck, under his soft hair, and kissed him back. He moaned when I did that and teased my lips with his tongue. He did that in the city, and I immediately parted my lips, and he swept in. I would never have thought anything like that would be so exciting.

I moaned in his mouth at the exquisite sensation of his hands on my body, our lips together. I unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt and slipped my fingers in. I scratched through the thick fur, and he groaned louder.

I was desperate to feel his skin against mine. He sucked in a jerky breath.

“Not now, love,” he said in a low voice, and I knew he was feeling the same. “Soon. Be patient.”

He slid his hand up my side and thumbed my hard nipple. I whimpered in his mouth and arched, pushing my breast into his hand. A gritty sound came from him when I did that. “You are so responsive to my touch.” He pulled back and watched as he caressed my breast. “I don’t know where you got these from, but they are sensational.”

“Coral said I’m double D and bigger than her,” I said proudly.

He thought for a moment. “Yes, I believe you are bigger than her. No matter, you’re lovely, and I’m looking forward to our time together in the future.” He gave me one last kiss and helped me to my feet. “Put your dress on.” I picked up my new underthings. “Leave them off when you’re with me.”

I smiled, excited about my future and how the modern world was blending here with us.

As the night of the lunar eclipse approached, an air of anticipation hung over the Church of Divine Light. I could feel the excitement building within me, knowing that the fire dancers’ performance was about to begin. The night was warm, and the scent of incense filled the air, adding to the mystical atmosphere.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue on the surroundings, the sect members gathered around a large circular clearing illuminated by torches. The fire dancers, adorned in brief loincloths that seemed to catch the glimmer of the flickering flames, prepared for their mesmerizing dance.

I found myself captivated by the sight before me. The dancers moved gracefully, their movements fluid and hypnotic. Their well-muscled bodies weaved and swayed in perfect harmony with the pulsating rhythm of drums and mystical music.

With each movement, the dancers seemed to embody the essence of the lunar eclipse, symbolizing the unity of light and darkness. As the flames leaped higher, their shadows danced on the ground, blending seamlessly with the flickering torchlight. It was a mesmerizing spectacle as if the dancers were sensual beings embodying the eternal cycle.

The dance spoke on a profound level, reminding me of the duality of life – the interplay between shadow and light that exists within us all. It was a beautiful depiction of balance and harmony, a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always a glimmer of light and a hint of shadow in the brightest moments.

As the dance reached its climax, the fire dancers seemed to merge with the night sky, their movements becoming ethereal and celestial. I felt an overwhelming sense of awe and wonder as if witnessing a secret dance of the cosmos unfold before my very eyes.

The performance left me in a state of awe and contemplation. The dance transcended mere entertainment and a spiritual journey through light and darkness. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unity with the dancers and the entire sect, as if we were all interconnected, just like the celestial bodies above.

Magnus came up behind me, placing his hands on my ​shoulders. To anyone watching, it was nothing but a Father and daughter. In the black of the night, he pressed against me to the driving rhythm of the drumbeat. I swayed, and he held me still.

As the dance’s final embers faded, I felt profound gratitude for having experienced such a captivating performance. The night before the lunar eclipse had transformed into something far more significant – a reminder of the eternal dance between shadow and light within us and the universe.

Tomorrow night would be my night for transformation.

.

THE SHIELD OF THE SACRED

.

The ritual will take place on the pinnacle of the mountain amongst the scented summer blooms. It will be a lengthy trek from the foothills of Tiberius Springs. My Father and I will be the first to leave, so I remain unknown until the unveiling.

The only other witnesses will be the elders, who will make the trek after us and leave after the unveiling.

At the center of the rock outcropping was a flat stone used as the altar during the darkened phase. The stone was still warm from the summer sun.

Magnus stood at the altar’s head, wearing a majestic robe of white interwoven with symbols of both light and darkness, embodying the duality of our beliefs.

I stand in the shadows behind Magnus, feeling the elders’ anticipation and reverence as the Moon’s bright surface dims. It begins to glow with a reddish copper hue and soon becomes redder as the Blood Moon.

Magnus raises his arms, invoking the power of The Church of the Divine Light and The Order of Shadows. Shadows seem to converge upon him, intertwining with the radiance of the torchlight, creating an ethereal fusion of light and darkness.

The low, resonant chant by the surrounding elders echoed off the mountains.

Magnus steps back, gesturing towards me to introduce the Shield of the Sacred. At that moment, the shadows part, revealing me amidst the encircling darkness. My cloak was white woven with iridescent patterns and shimmered with a mystical luminescence that mirrored the eclipse above, becoming redder.

In a voice that resounds with authority, Magnus proclaims her new title, “Behold! The Shield of the Sacred, guardian of the light and shadows of your leader!”

I step to the altar next to Magnus and push my hood back.

They bow their heads in acknowledgment, their whispered affirmations underscoring the weight of her bestowed honor.

The elders, humbled by the transcendent spectacle, reaffirm their loyalty and devotion to The Church of the Divine Light and The Order of Shadows, and their newly appointed Shield of the Sacred begin their descent down the mountain. Their echoing chant remains long after they are out of view.

The blood red casts an eerie glow on our robes as I turn to face Magnus. I slip the cloak from my shoulders, revealing the sheer white silk gown.

“I am ready,” I whisper. My Father drops his cloak revealing his fervidness.

It was the night of the Blood Moon. The night my Father would take my purity.

“So beautiful,” he whispers. He gazed at my breasts encased in the sheer white silk glowing in the red atmosphere. My nipples ached and pushed through the softness. He pushed it off my shoulders, and the silk floated to the ground in a puddle of iridescent red. I took my place on the flatness, and he positioned himself between my thighs.

Father’s eyes were locked with mine while he stroked through my wet folds. I anticipated this all evening and was more than ready. He smoothed the satiny head of his cock over the sensitive folds, and I moaned. He pushed in only a bit and stopped.

“This will probably hurt, Zara. It will be quick. Pain then pleasures. I will take as much care as I can.”

He pushed in a bit more. I hissed between my teeth. He pushed a little harder.

“I’m going to push hard to try to break through your maidenhead,” he gritted. “You’re so tight, and it’s difficult for me to not lose control.”

I nodded. “I understand. I’m ready for you, Father.”

At that, he groaned and broke through in one forceful movement. I cried out, rocking my hips and wanting him out.

“It’s okay, Zara. I won’t move. Just lie still, and the pain will ebb away.”

He leaned down to kiss me. I kissed him back with more passion than I knew I had within me. He groaned and angled his head, inflaming us both. I rocked my hips, taking his hardness deeper. The pain was quickly ebbing as we kissed.

I slid my hands down his back, dug my fingers into him, and pulled him deeper. He pulled out, and I whimpered, but it was only to slide back in again.

“Oh, Father,” I breathed as he continued to pump in and out of me.

The Blood Moon still glowed over his shoulder, bathing us in crimson radiance. A crimson gloriole encircled us both and united us as one. Magnus had taken my virginity during the Blood Moon. I had given my virginity up to my Father during the Blood Moon. We would forever be coupled.

Suddenly he pushed in hard, and it was like a spring unsnapped in me, and I was spinning out of control. The blazing Moon and stars in my eyes, my cries filling my ears, then the wet heat deep inside me. The guttural sounds from Magnus. The tendons in his neck were straining as his body came up over me, locking into me.

“Zentharia astroria, calyptoria lunara! Zentharia astroria, calyptoria lunara!” he shouted in ecstasy. Then a series of rhythmic guttural syllables. I wrapped my legs around him. Still buried deep within me, he began to call out again, “Shanda raya mandola tarex yamanda!”

The guttural syllables echoed off the mountains as he filled me with his seed.

His rigid body relaxed, and I pushed him to my side. His body was limp, his face relaxed. I held him, and the throbbing discomfort between my legs faded.

He slowly opened his eyes. “Zara, my love.”

The Moon, once obscured by the Earth’s shadow, begins to emerge, casting a soft, silvery glow that bathes our naked bodies in an otherworldly light. The air feels crisp and refreshing against my skin, carrying a faint, mystical fragrance of pine needles and Earth, intensified by the lunar spell.

The silver beams danced around us, wrapping us in a cocoon of warmth and acceptance. I slide my hand over his luminous skin, bathed in the soft Moonlight. My fingers weaved through the silvery curls around his hard nipples. I trailed my fingers down his body to the thick nest that surrounded his cock. As I watched, it became engorged with blood again, still streaked with the blood of my virginity. I gently scooped the two fat orbs into my hand and looked at him when he groaned. I continued my exploration of his body. His muscular thighs and sturdy legs. His broad muscled shoulders and hard biceps.

Under the Moon’s captivating glow, every gesture, every touch of his body sent a current through my body. The Moon bore witness to this profound encounter, the union of our bodies, illuminating the path for our hearts to intertwine forever.

As I looked into his eyes, I saw a reflection of my own soul, and in that instant, We connected in ways beyond words. An unspoken bond that felt as ancient as the stars above. It was a meeting of two souls.

Under the Moon’s tender touch, my skin tingles with a gentle warmth, as if the silvery beams possess a soothing caress that resonates deep within. The Moonlight on our naked bodies creates a delicate radiance, an ethereal luminescence that glimmers faintly in the darkness. I feel connected to the very essence of this celestial spectacle, my heart swelling with wonder and a mix of emotions.

The mountain is alive with shadows and highlights as the Moonlight weaves its magic across the landscape. The surroundings seem to hold their breath in awe of this celestial dance, and the silence is palpable, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves and the distant echoes of nocturnal creatures.

In this moment of heightened awareness, reality and dream blend, and my soul feels deeply connected to the universe. I am touched by the profound and transformative experience of witnessing the aftermath of the lunar eclipse. Beauty, mystery, and a sense of the extraordinary in the ordinary infuse the air, leaving me in awe of the magic that surrounds us in the quiet of the night.

The Moon had become a silent witness to our union, a celestial witness to the love born under its watchful gaze. It had become a sacred chapter in our story, marking the beginning of a journey that would forever change our lives.

“Where did Orla go?” I asked, noticing she was gone when we arrived at the house. Her belongings were gone.

“Her desire was to move to the women’s retreat.” The women’s retreat was where most women with no partners lived. They could have their own house or live in the retreat.

I observed him hang his cloak in the wardrobe. “Orla was quite upset the last time you had the elation.”

“Yes, the ecstasy was upsetting to her, and I believe once she discovered you would be the Shield of the Sacred, she felt she could safely leave me to your care.” He turned to me. “Orla was indifferent to you when you were young. She was indifferent to me. I finally realized that it was the way she was.”

I walked into her bedroom. Magnus followed me and said, “You’ll not sleep here. You will be with me now.” I nodded, aroused at the thought of his big body next to mine every night. “Since Coral got you the pills, you won’t become pregnant, so the flock won’t suspect anything between us.”

I was relieved. I wasn’t sure how his followers would take it if they knew Magnus and I had an intimate relationship. He had other daughters and sons in the sect, but he cared for them and never showed any favoritism until me. I felt no need to flaunt it because I loved my brothers and sisters.

.

UNION OF THE SOULS

.

Late the next night, I heard the chanting and looked out the window to the blazing bonfire—July and August were the most fertile months in the sect. Summer was a time for joy and cleansing.

The Unity of Hearts ritual by all couples was private, with no children or other sect members participating. The bonfire activities were obscured from view from all but Magnus’s house.

After he had taken me to the heavens last night and filled me with his seed, I asked Magnus if he would approve of Coral or me. He gave some thought before telling me of the ways of Tiberius. Rituals with sexuality, to some extent, were regular. Only after Magnus became an adult was he made aware of the secret practices amongst the followers. Since he knew, they still went on under Tiberius’s doctrine. “I am fine with that continuing and wouldn’t think to put a stop to them,” he said.

I looked out the window, wondering if this was one of the secret rituals.

The Shadowed One stepped forward carrying the torch. As he touched the flame to tinder, the bonfire crackled to life, flicking shadows dancing around the circle of onlookers.

They disrobed and slowly began moving clockwise around the growing blaze, bare feet shuffling through the grass still wet with evening dew. The chant started low, ancient words swelling as the fire’s energy intensified.

The scent of burning wood and the warmth of the fire permeate the air, enveloping the gathered members of the sect in a comforting embrace. Cloaked only in the flickering golden glow of the bonfire, they moved faster in a rhythmic dance around its circumference. Bodies touching, they swayed and twirled, their movements synchronized with the hypnotic beat of drums and the enchanting melody of chanted hymns.

They begin to dance with each other, bodies intertwined. Some stopped and joined together, starting the beat again. Others twirled into a different partner. Their illuminated faces revealed expressions of arousal and lust.

Those that were joined chanted and kept the rhythm with the pounding drums that became louder and swept me into the tempo. I tossed my dress and stood at the darkened window, watching the resonant drums pulling at my sex.

The bonfire’s light becomes more than just a physical glow; it takes on a more profound significance as a beacon of sexual renewal and intimacy. The crackling embers represent the purifying power of fire, burning away past darkness and illuminating the path toward a brighter future.

I watched strangers become connected and partners share with others.

Hands raised to the sky, the chant becomes louder as naked bodies drop to the ground and join together. Voices rise as they fly to the heavens with each other.

Under the vast night sky, the bonfire’s brilliance continues to illuminate the clearing, the writhing bodies.

“I find my daughter naked and sexually intoxicated from watching,” he said, walking up behind me. I leaned into him, and he kissed my neck while he removed his clothing.

I moaned when he reached around and kneaded my breasts. His stiff cock pressed into me from behind, and I spread my legs. He removed the pin from my hair, and it cascaded around us.

“Father, please,” I begged, bending over my cheek against the cool glass.

He easily slid into me, and I arched my back to take him deep while he pinched my nipples until I cried out in pleasure. The bonfire reflected on the glass, the bodies locked together on the ground, just as their leader of The Church of the Divine Light was planted deeply inside his daughter, the Shield of the Sacred.

“Oh, Zara, you were made for me.” He slid his hand down my belly and between my legs. His fingers were magic, and I cried out a shuddering release.

Still impaled on his stiff shaft, he picked me up and placed me on my hands and knees on the bed. He held my hips and began to thrust into me to the pounding of the drumbeats. His balls slapped against me, causing me to shout out my release. He groaned, increasing his speed as the drum also increased.

My breasts swayed and jerked the harder he pounded into me. He wrapped my hair around his fist and suddenly growled from deep in his body, a series of window-vibrating grunts each time his cock throbbed, spilling its seed into me.

I lay in his arms on the bed, stroking his long hair that fell over his shoulder.

“I’m surprised I never heard you like that before,” I smiled.

“Before? Oh, with Orla?” I nodded. “No one has ever pleasured me like you do, Zara.”

“Coral?”

He smiled. “No, my love. Just you. You bring out the wild beast within me. You are the fuel to my fire.” He hugged me closer, tucking his leg between mine. “You ignite a fierce passion in me that I never realized, didn’t know I was lacking until you.”

We kissed passionately, and Magnus brought me to another earth-shattering release.

.

PURIFICATION RITUAL

.

Members gather at dawn and bathe in the river as the sun rises, cleansing mind/body to ​give thanks to the bounties of the summer.

​The adults in the compound gather at the edge of Tiberius Springs for the Purification Ritual to commence before dawn and be immersed while the sun rises on us. We remove our clothing and wait for Magnus. His massive body is thick and muscular, and silver and black curls glint on his broad chest. Long hair falls across his shoulders. Thickly veined cock at rest, hanging heavy in front of his two plump balls. Although I see and touch him like this, I will never get over his impressive sight. A glance at the women tells me they feel the same.

​Magnus, my Father, the leader of the Church of the Divine Light and the Order of Shadows ​, st​r​ides to​ the edge of Tiberius Spring. His commanding presence ​has their attention. With his arms raised towards the heavens, his voice resonates with unwavering conviction, and he speaks words that stir the hearts of those who have gathered to hear him:

“Beloved ​f​followers of the​ Divine Light, I stand before you today, a vessel of both illumination and shadows, to remind you of our sacred purpose. We are the seekers of balance, the custodians of cosmic harmony.​ Light and shadow.”

“In the radiant embrace of the​ Divine Light,​ we are beacons of love and bearers of healing, spreading warmth and understanding​ to each other.”

“Yet, let us not forget the profound truth that within the embrace of the shadows lies profound knowledge and the secrets of self-discovery. The Shadows Veil’s Embrace teaches us to acknowledge our inner darkness, for it is only by embracing our shadows that we achieve true enlightenment.”

“As we raise our arms to touch the heavens, we bridge the gap between the realms of light and shadow, unifying them in divine harmony. Our journey is ​but a simple one. To coexist, spread joy, and love each other.”

“We shall be warriors of love and emissaries of truth. Through our shared dedication, we shall bring light to the darkest ​of our corners, and in the shadows, we shall find the brilliance of hidden knowledge.’

“Let the Divine Light guide our steps and the Shadows Veil’s Embrace embolden our hearts. As we forge ahead, hand in hand, we shall be thankful for the bounty of this summer.”

“In the name of the Divine Light, let us embark on this sacred journey together, for we unite as one.”

We waded in the cool spring water and submerged, watching the sun rise over the mountain.

As I climbed up the bank from the water, a fellow young follower lent me a hand.

“Thank you,” I smiled.

He was a young man, older than me though. Darkly tanned from the waist, he indicated he was a field worker. They toiled daily in our crops and fields of wheat and corn. They tended to stay to themselves because of their long working hours. They were our most important volunteers.

Brilliant white teeth, a broad smile, and a thick shock of blonde hair created a pretty handsome man. While we stood dripping water, he said, “Zara, right?”

“I am, yes,” I smiled back.

“You’re the Shield of the Sacred.”

“Right again,” I laughed.

“Well, you have a significant job caring for our Magnus.”

“Yes, it is. He is a good leader to us,” I agreed.

He nodded. “Nice to have met you,” he said, walking off.

He somehow sensed I was off limits. Since we were unclothed, we felt more open with each other. There are many girls here the marrying age, so he has much to choose from.

I walked in the door to the house, closing it behind me. As soon as I turned, Magnus’s body pinned me against the wood.

“Oh, you startled me,” I squeaked.

His face was close to mine. “I saw that boy out there talking to you.” He pinned me between his body and the door, his cock throbbing.

“You did, yes. One of our field workers,” I said innocently. “Are you jealous?”

He rocked into me. “I was. Now I’m aroused beyond belief.”

“Mmm,” I said, his words going straight between my legs.

He rucked my dress up to my waist and kneed my legs apart. The look in his eyes was pure wild lust. He grabbed my legs, pulled them around him, and drove into me.

I grunted the first thrust. I grabbed his shoulders, hanging on, my nails digging into his bare skin. He growled with each hard deep thrust. My breasts mashed between us, my nipples aching. I kissed him, deeply and passionately. Open-mouth animalistic kisses eat at each other’s mouths.

He pulled away, grunted hard, and pushed in for his final release taking me with him. My legs were locked around him, keeping him inside me.

Magnus walked me to the bed that way, lowering me to my back and coming down over me.

His chest heaved, and he gasped, “Did I hurt you, love?”

I shook my head, still panting. I still hadn’t let him go, locking him until he would no longer stay in.

“Magnus,” I went to my side when he rolled off me. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Zara. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. I WANTED TO KILL HIM when I saw him touch you this morning.”

“No,” I said, stroking his lengthening beard. “I’m yours. I always will be.”

He gathered me against him, and we slept.

.

MYSTIQUE CABARET

THE SUMMER OF MY REBIRTH

.

It was late July, and it had been over a month since we went to Coral. One morning after breakfast, I brought it up.

“Have you seen Coral?”

“No, never, not without you.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Now you do.” He smiled. “I suppose you’d like to see her?” I nodded, smiling. “Should I be jealous?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. I shrugged. “I think Coral will agree. She likes you, love.”

“I like her too. A lot. I want to dance too.”

He thought for a while before answering. “I can’t say I won’t be jealous, but you can. I know it’s important to you and you like it. I see no reason to stop just because we—”

“Fuck?”

He looked as shocked as I expected him to. “You must have learned that from Coral?” I giggled. “Oh my, that woman is corrupting my daughter.” He laughed. “Okay, we will plan a visit to Coral at the Mystique Cabaret.”

We fucked every day, sometimes twice, since Orla left. Since I became the Shield of the Sacred. His ecstasies weren’t coming as often, and I didn’t know if it was good or not.

On the drive to see Coral, he asked, “Are you all right with Coral and I now?”

“I don’t see a problem,” I said, thinking about it. “I don’t want you fucking her.” He let out a loud laugh in the car. “But I do like to watch you with her otherwise. You know, kissing and stuff.”

“I still can’t get used to that coming out of your mouth, but I have to say I like it. A lot.” I leaned over and slid my hand up his thigh, squeezing the growing bulge. “Mmm, you’ll have me fired up before we get there. Anyhow, no, I have no intention of fucking Coral anymore, love.”

His silver-black hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, and his beard filled in. He wore a black leather jacket and his usual black pants. He was breathtakingly handsome, and I was the tiniest bit worried that Coral would see the change in him and like it.

She met us at the back door, kissing Magnus quickly before sending him to the front. She took my hand and pulled me to the dressing room.

“I’ve missed you a lot, Zara,” she said, hugging me tightly. I returned the hug. I loved feeling her softness against mine. She set me away from her, holding my upper arms. “I have to ask you something. Are you happy with the sect? I mean, do you want to stay willingly?”

I looked at her for a moment piecing all that together, then smiled. “I appreciate your caring for me, but yes, I’m very, very happy there. Happier than I’ve been. Magnus and I live together now, and I can look forward to these visits with you and having some time in your world.”

She looked relieved. “Okay, baby, we’re going to get you made up and ready to hit the stage, and I know just what you’re going to wear. You’ll kill ’em tonight!”

I was a little more nervous as I waited in the darkness at the back of the stage, watching one of the girls dance. Coral would follow me tonight, whereas last time, she was first. But I knew I could do it.

She came out just as my cue came up. We both nodded, and I stepped into the lights. A roar came up from the crowd, and I did a long-legged stride down the runway. I put my hands on my cocked hips and shimmied, getting the tassels hanging from the black sequined pasties twirling.

“Oh yeah, babyyyyyyyyyyyy”

“I just wanna eat you up, honey!”

“Shake those titties for us, baby!”

All the cheering, shouting, and whooping only fueled me even more. I walked the edge of the runway, so one side saw the black g string side, and the other my swaying and swinging bare breasts as I leaned over and palm slapped each one. My hair trailed over my shoulder as I kissed my red lips.

I grabbed the pole, lifted my leg high, and swung into a split. They went nuts shouting and clapping.

“Nice bush, baby!”

“Oh yeah, don’t ever shave that!”

“I wanna bury my face in that sweetheart!”

I lowered myself into a split on the floor, sat with my legs in a wide V, swung around, and did the same to the other side of the runway. The music thundered, and I sat back on my heels, my legs spread, rocking my hips up and down. The response was deafening, and I was in heaven.

I crawled down the runway, swaying my breasts below me, the shiny tassels catching the flashing-colored lights. Money littered the runway as I crawled, catching the eye of every man that sat there as I went by. I heard the cue that my song was ending, and I rolled to my feet, giving another spin on the pole.

I backed down the runway, shimmying my breasts as more money showered the runway.

“Fucking A, girl,” Coral hissed as I passed her. “You’re going to be a star!” Her music cue started, and she was gone.

I went out to find Magnus and was stopped by almost every man I passed. They wanted to tuck the bills in my g-string and talk for a moment.

I jumped in his arms when I saw him. “How’d I do?” I asked, giddy with excitement.

“Like I wanna fuck you right here right now. You got every cock hard in the place, Zara.” I loved his words when we were away.

The bouncer came with a wad of bills for me. “You’d be a millionaire if you’d do this every night,” he chuckled, shaking his head.

“Those pasties,” Magnus said, shaking his head. “You looked nearly naked up there.”

“You’re not mad, are you? Jealous?”

“Not at all! I know who gets that hot pussy tonight.”

“Oh!” I said, my cheeks flaming, and he laughed.

Coral had lap dances to end the night, and we waited for her. The last customer left, and they locked the place up, telling her to lock it behind her.

“Phew, what a night!” She put her arm around my shoulders. “What do you think?” He just smiled. “Had she been our daughter…”

“I’ve thought of that. What a life change that would have been.”

“Let’s go shower. I need to get this off me.”

I held the handheld shower and rubbed the glitter off her skin. “Mmm, glad you’re here to help me with this, baby.” I moved to her other arm. “Magnus, get your ass in here and help,” she hollered, and I giggled.

“I thought you’d never ask,” he said, joining us.

“I got her back. You get her front,” I said, handing Father the bottle of body soap.

“My pleasure,” he said, grinning at me, and I blew him a kiss.

“Oh, Magnus, your hands are pure pleasure,” she moaned as he rubbed her chest and breasts.

I pressed against her back, sandwiching her between us. I could hear our collective hard breathing. It was amazing to feel her soft body against mine and her against my Father. The dual life I was leading fit me perfectly. I couldn’t give my life up with the sect, and it would devastate me to give this up. Unbalanced as my lives were, I loved them both.

I watched Father kiss Coral and felt nothing but joy for them both. He had found her at a time he needed someone. She was there for him as she’d been for me. No judgment.

She pulled me around to them, and we formed a triangle, all kissing. Our tongues teasing and playing. Dad’s cock stood out, throbbing and an angry red. She dropped to her knees and gripped his cock in her fingers. Sliding them up and down. His head fell back, and a loud groan as she wrapped her lips around the tip. I learned from Coral. Watching her take her cues from Magnus, she would repeat what she did if he responded. She played with his fat balls and took his cock into her mouth.

He grabbed and kissed me, stroking his tongue in and out of my mouth while he kneaded my breasts. I gripped his hair in my fingers, angled my head, and kissed him hard. I ate at his mouth, not sure if it was him or me making the animalistic sounds.

Suddenly he grunted hard and pulled me against him, crushing my breasts to his side, as a husky growl increased in volume as he filled her mouth with his seed.

She stood up, pulled me against her, and kissed me, passing his seed to me. The first taste I’d had of him. But not the last.

We continued to kiss, her hand moved between my legs and unerringly found the heart of my pleasure. I shuddered as she quickly made her magic on my body. She fell back against Father, his hand between her open legs. I watched his fingers push inside her and stroke rhythmically and hard, pushing her body up each time. She hung onto his arm, and her eyes closed as she cried out.

They pinned me between them as we all rinsed off again. Her kisses made promises for next time.

On the way home, Magnus said, “Coral wants to taste you, Zara.”

“Hmm?”

“Like she tasted me? She will do the same for you. Her mouth on your sex, her tongue teasing, until you orgasm.”

“Mmm,” I said, imaging that and feeling the wetness between my legs again. “I’d like that.”

“I’m glad, love. I’m thrilled.”

.

ECSTACIES

.

The school would start at the end of August, and I liked having everything I wanted to go over with the students. I had the children this year and was happy because I had so much to show them. Teach them. I was busy with that, and fortunately, Magnus was meeting with the elders. They would care for him in the event of any ecstasies.

The following day Magnus led a circle of spirituality with a circle of followers. I had a difficult time concentrating after last night. When I looked at him, I could see him naked and the look of euphoria on his face when he pumped out his seed. He glanced at me several times, knowing my attention was elsewhere.

When we got back, we went into his office. “It seems I didn’t have your full attention, my child.”

I thought I was being admonished. “I’m sorry, sir.” I lowered my gaze.

“Yes, you should be,” he responded. “Remove your clothes.” I had nothing to take off but my shoes and dress. “Now, come over here and stand before me.”

I was nervous about my punishment. My hands shook.

He lifted me onto his desk in front of his chair. He stroked my legs, his eyes locked with mine. I awaited my punishment with angst. He hooked his hands behind my knees and pulled them high so quickly that I fell on his desk, papers flying, scattering on the floor as I flailed my arms when I fell.

His tongue flicked the spot, and I moaned, my head rolling from side to side, my arms whipping about. His fingers slid inside me, and I panted like a caged lion, ready to leap. His mouth and his fingers had me thrashing on his desk. I spread my legs wider, opening for the pleasure my Father was giving me.

I felt the familiar tingle, then the bolt-like lightning hit, and he held my hips to keep his mouth on me. My chest was heaving. Never had I felt anything like that. It was rapture.

Clothing rustled in the silence of the office. “Sit up, Zara.”

I pushed to my elbows. Father was naked in his big leather chair. He grabbed my waist and slid me off the edge of the desk directly onto his stiff cock. I shouted at the pleasurable shock of being filled and stretched in a breath.

My legs were on each side of him, and I instinctively began to rock, taking his cock deeper inside me. His eyes were lust filled. I kissed him to taste myself in his mouth. I swept my tongue through his mouth, wanting more. He squeezed me and pulled me forward and back, each time rubbing the base of his cock.

I whimpered in his mouth, and he increased the speed until I shuddered out a mewing orgasm. My muscles squeezed the stiff shaft.

His breath was loud and harsh, and he climbed each step higher and higher. Suddenly his body went rigid, and he shouted, “Shamandalia illux via coronda Practia sanadora imania trexico reveala” Then even louder, “Shamandalia illux via coronda Practia sanadora imania trexico reveala”

His cock was hard inside me, and his eyes were looking to the heavens in the ecstacies. I held his face between my hands. My thumbs rubbed the softness of his beard. His eyes were a fierce passion. His teeth gritted, his cock surged inside me, and I thought he would orgasm. His fingers dug into my hips almost painfully, pulling me onto the fiery stiffness inside me.

A vibrating bass started low and deep inside him, getting louder and more savage. His head tipped back, and his mouth opened on a loud roar I feared the sect would hear. I was hit with a typhonic wet heat that swept me into a shuddering ferocious scream.

He blinked several times, cleared his eyes, and hugged me tightly. “The ecstasies while I was inside you were heart-stopping, Zara.”

“I know. You took me along with you,” I smiled. I heard a pounding on the door and slipped off Father’s lap, sliding my dress over my head. I opened it to ensure that Magnus was fine, just another ecstasy.

I returned to him on the bed, his head resting on his hand. His dark body against the white spread, his semi-hard cock lolling on the bed, his smile all designed to pull me in. I smiled, ran across the bedroom, tossed my dress off, and jumped on the bed. He pulled me to him, and we wrapped ourselves in each other’s arms.

.

GIVING THANKS

.

The nights were turning cool, a sure sign that fall was coming soon and the harvest.

“This was a bountiful summer for our crops,” I said.

Our table was laden with fresh vegetables. Most were delivered to markets and mills to support our community. All summer extras would be sent to the food bank in the city. Fall harvest would commence soon, indicating the end of the growing season and a rest time.

“Yes, we have been blessed,” Magnus said. He put his arm around my shoulders and tucked me into his side. “In many ways.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and lay my head on his chest. “Do you think we can continue on like this? Living two lives, I mean.”

“We can only try. We are under the same doctrine that we may leave at any time. Our activities in the city do not affect our lives here.”

“Maybe only in this house,” I grinned, looking up at him.

“Yes, in this house, we are between both worlds. I am happy in both worlds as long as I am with you.”

I stood on tiptoe and kissed him. Our kisses turned passionate, and he bunched my dress over my head. I unzipped his pants, crouching down to pull his boots off. We stood naked in the kitchen, locked in an embrace. The windows had dangerously had no covering, and Magnus picked me up and carried me to our bed.

Needing to taste him, I twirled my tongue around the thick ridge. He pulled me over and teased me with his tongue and mouth. I moaned around the head of his cock, sliding my lips to the base. The heat and thump of his heartbeat filled my mouth.

I tongued the ropy veins that mapped the shaft, then grazed the silky skin with my teeth. Each move drew a response from Magnus, who replied with his magic on me.

I cupped his full balls and caressed them with my fingers, and he groaned, slipping two fingers inside me while his tongue flicked the hard bud. Each move brought a move, and we climbed to the pinnacle together.

Just ahead of him, I moaned my orgasm around his cock, still deep in my mouth. It jerked and began to pump its seed to his muffled grunts. I swiped my tongue across the shiny head to pick up the last few pearls.

“This is our world no matter what,” I said, my head on his shoulder. He hugged me tighter and kissed the top of my head. “Thank you for showing me what’s out there. I truly hope we can live between the two worlds because I could not make a choice.”

.

GIVING THANKS FOR OUR ABUNDANCE

.

As the vibrant colors of autumn adorned the mountains, it was time for the annual Fall Harvest Ritual, a celebration steeped in tradition and gratitude. The community gathered under the watchful gaze of the setting sun, their hearts filled with appreciation for the abundance bestowed upon them.

In the heart of the enclave, a circular clearing was adorned with intricate patterns of dried leaves and flowers created by the children. At its center stood a large wagon overflowing with a harvest of vegetables, fruits, and grains. Surrounding the cornucopia were baskets of freshly harvested crops, offerings from the fertile land they tended with care.

The black-robed elders, led by Father Magnus, assembled in a semicircle, their faces radiant with anticipation.

The Shadowed One took her place at the center. Her regal presence was accentuated by flowing robes of a brilliant golden hue, seamlessly merging with the warm, autumnal colors around her. The intricate golden embroidery adorning her garments sparkled as if ignited by the dancing flames of the surrounding fires. Her aura of mystery and allure drew the gaze of all who beheld her.

The soft notes of a wooden flute began to drift through the air, signaling the commencement of the ritual.

With graceful movements, the Shadowed One started her dance, a rhythmic ode to the seasons. Her swaying actions mirrored the wind’s gentle caress, and her twirling spins embodied the cycle of nature. As the dance grew in intensity, the community members joined in, forming a circle around the abundance.

With each step, they raised their hands, palms open, to the skies above, offering thanks to the divine for the fruitful yield. The chant of gratitude swelled, their voices rising in unison.

​”In nature’s grace, hearts ablaze,

Harvest’s gift, our spirits raise.

Golden fields, blessings sown,

Thankful hearts, love is shown.​”

​”With each dawn, growth unfolds,

Nature’s wonders, stories told.

With hands that toil, seeds we sow,

Bounteous harvest, joys bestow.​”

​”Our chant resounds, nature’s ground,

Grateful hearts, unity found.

In praise, we raise our voice,

Embracing abundance, we rejoice.​”

Magnus began distributing the last harvested crops to each community member with a smile. A sense of fulfillment and connection filled the air as the fruits of their labor found their way into their hands.

As the ritual drew to a close, the community was filled with a profound sense of connection. They recognized that their relationship with the land went beyond passively receiving its bountiful gifts. Instead, they were active stewards, tending the Earth with care and giving back through sustainable practices. In this way, they saw themselves not as separate from nature but as integral participants in its endless cycles of growth and renewal. This realization brought a feeling of wholeness, of belonging to something greater than themselves.

Though the summer’s celebrations had ended, their role as guardians of the enclave’s legacy would continue, just as the wheel of the year turns on and on.

.

THE END

.

*Eroticism is a complex and subjective concept that revolves around themes of sexual desire, passion, and sensuality. It can be described as the art of arousing or evoking intense sexual feelings, physically and emotionally, through literature, art, or any form of expression.

In literary works, eroticism often uses vivid and suggestive language to create sensual and intimate scenes. It aims to awaken the reader’s imagination and engage their senses, exploring intimacy, desire, and pleasure themes. However, it is essential to note that what one person finds erotic may differ from another’s perspective, making it a profoundly personal and diverse human experience.

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