Chapter 22 #2
Finn paused, clearly trying to get his words in order before he asked his question.
"We are unclear how the transfer to the Dark God works," he explained, very carefully not making it a question.
"The book was not clear on any ritual aspect of the pact, just the basic concept of it.
We dripped her blood into the well, but that was a guess based on our understanding of other sacrifices we have made.
If there is a means and method to maximize the sacrifice given to the God, can you describe it to us? "
The High Oranari looked pleased. “In options past, before the modern age, when He was closer to mankind, and dreams, she would have been branded an eternal sacrifice through devout ritual. Sadly, that is no longer possible, as He has retreated deep.”
“Energy must be transferred through the flesh, though whose is...negotiable,” the second said. He looked to them all. “This day and age is too volatile, and something this precious, it would fall to Those Who Sacrifice in order to ensure potency.”
Emerson looked to Finn. There was information there, but there was also doublespeak.
He took his shot. “You are saying we must be the ones to transfer the energy.” He nodded and it was something he figured, as they had the connection to He Who Sleeps.
“Were we wrong in having her offer her blood to Him?”
The third answered. “Not wrong, crude, though with your limited information, it was the best you could do. He was not offended, and while there is power in the blood, there is more in the essence.”
"How do we act as channels?" Carter asked, blunt as always. "And cut the bullshit fancy talk, guys. Please. I have all the respect in the world for you, but if you want us to do this properly then you need to speak plainly."
The third looked to him. “As she would have had to be...branded into service, you all will be in her place.”
The second smiled. “In this day and age, a tattoo would suffice, one that ties you all together, it’s also the most optimal way to ensure His essence is inside you all.” Holding up a hand, he went down the hall and returned in moments with a small vessel in his hands.
“Inside resides His essence, bound in smoke and ash,” the High Oranari said. “It will be mixed with the ink to tattoo.”
"Then let's do this." Finn nodded with grim purpose. "Where do you want us to set up?"
“Are you absolutely sure this is the route you will take? Once you do, things change,” the High Oranari said.
Emerson looked to Jack who blanched. “What...what changes?”
“Your ability to feed him,” the third said. “Sacrifice must be through the female you chose today.” He walked forward to them and walked around their physical bodies. “There is enough of her still inside you to bind the pact. How you go forward once it is done, however, is on you.”
“Are you saying that if we choose pleasure, it is only her own going forward if we do this?” Kendrix said, interest in his voice. “Or ours as well?”
“There must always be balance, Lord Kendrix. Essence comes from the lowering of the aura, and potent essence is both the Yin and the Yoni. He prefers a balance there.”
"But then what role does the pain play?" Finn asked, giving up on the one question rule since they weren't giving full answers and he wasn't leaving until they knew everything.
"That was the one aspect of the journal that was actually pretty clear—she must hurt as much as she must find pleasure in it. "
"And what happens if she nopes out or dies in a car crash?
" Easton asked, speaking up for the first time.
"Life isn't guaranteed. She could walk in front of a bus tomorrow for all we know.
Just because she accepted the pact this year doesn't mean she isn't scarred mentally from it and would rather die than come back next year. Does that mean we're all fucked?"
"He has a point," Finn agreed, his sudden fire to get the tattoo extinguished. "Do we have to get the tattoos now? Can we watch over her instead and then come back, say next July, for the tattoos if it looks like she's okay?"
"And you still haven't answered all our questions anyway," Carter pointed out. "You haven’t told us what the tattoos even do. Do we have to give blood? I'm not jumping into this with both feet until I know everything."
Emerson looked to Leo, who had been extremely quiet through all of this. “Leo? You okay there, man?” As their most...emotional of the seven, he was always a wild card, from his decisions to his kinks.
The High Oranari sighed. “Lords, we are but servants to His will, we can only answer what we know, and admittedly what we know is steeped in the times they were conceived in. Truth is we do not know what would happen if she died in an accident of the modern world’s making.
“In the past, she was protected by her sacrificers, and Him as well, becoming a Daughter of the Blood. It has been a very long time since that has happened, and as to her mental capacity to accept this, that is for you to decide. Surely you will not allow her to live her life without your influence, however hidden?”
"Of course we can be in her life," Finn said.
"Some of us already are, which is kind of weird.
I knew I recognized her from somewhere—she's the receptionist at the gallery I'm the accountant for.
But I'm not going to get into fate right now.
The point is, we'd need to be right there next to her to prevent accidents, and she'd notice that.
If you say the God is distant and can't protect her, why would we take the risk? "
“The pact binds completely her to him, her to you, you to her. The tattoos with her essence involved, and you are all rolling in that, would extend safeguards to her. I do not believe he would allow for his Eternal Sacrifice to be harmed.”
Number three looked up from a book he had picked up. “It was only after the age of Those Who Sacrifice passed and a new group was instituted in the past that the woman was released from her service.”
"That could easily be another twenty or twenty-five years," Easton pointed out. "None of us have even been called to breed yet. Does it have to be a legacy group or can someone else take over?"
The High Oranari smirked at him. “Is she not a woman you would want forever as a victim?” He chuckled.
“It is written that certain women are made for this, they were, back in the times of high belief, anointed early through our old customs, and raised to become. It has been many, many ages since that happened. If you found, or were gifted a woman that would make your sacrifice dynamic, different and...a return to the old ways...would you not take it?”
"I'm not sure that's what my brother was getting at," Carter sighed.
"The kind of pain we give is a lot. As she gets older and her skin gets more fragile, she's not going to heal as easily from bruising or scratches.
It could get debilitating for her, taking that kind of damage in her late forties or fifties. "
"Exactly," Easton agreed. "She's no good to us broken."
“Sadly there is no precedence for that, either, given how long people lived back then as well,” the third offered.
“Though, by your own fifties, you should have passed the torch to a younger group,” two said.
“Are there any accounts of what happens to the woman after they left the service?” Emerson asked.
“Three,” the third said.
“And?” Kendrix asked.
He just smiled. “Do not believe answering that at this junction would help your cause,” he offered. “After your fourth year, ask this again, should this experiment continue.”
The second went to a shelf and pulled a book, starting to look through it. “Lord Easton,” he said, “your question about legacy is a no. Technically you are not legacy, though you must have some old blood for him to accept your sacrifices.”
"So we can retire her and ourselves at any time?" he clarified, letting out a sigh of relief when the priest nodded.
"Well that seems a whole lot less terrifying all of a sudden," Carter snorted.
"I still think we need to watch her," Finn cautioned them. "We need to be sure she can handle it."
“Provided others are able to pick up the good work,” the Head Oranari said.
“Which isn’t a problem as there are at this point up to six almost of age.
My suggestion with your Eternal Sacrifice is to keep her safe, and to seal this pact with the tattoos as soon as possible.
The more of her still in you, the deeper the devotion each year. ”
––––––––
B y the second year they were ready for her, and for what would be the maximum output for he whom they worshiped. She had taken it, not with resignation, but curious intent, and in some instances, true enjoyment, her gifts to them energy and slaked lust.
Gods, they had lusted over her...each of them had lost a little bit of their minds to her that second year, where she not only endured but was amendable to what it was.
And now, post fourth sacrifice year with them, she was as infatuated as them, if not more so, and down for all of it.
Did that make her a little crazy, a little off?
Absolutely, but he had decided he didn’t want it any other way.
The woman was perfect for all of them, even Easton with his hangups. It was like she was a true gift from below, a woman that spoke to their collective darknesses, but also their souls as a kindred spirit. She was rare, and the priests had made that very clear.
She needed to be protected and he was going to be damned if they didn’t do just that.
Sadly, being away since their weekend had left him largely on the outside, aside from a few texts and a very sexy video chat two days before.
Only a few more hours and he would be back in the mix.
Thoughts turning to what he was going to do when he saw her stopped as his phone rang. Stitches.
“Leo...” he said softly by way of greeting. “How’s it going?”
"Pretty good, brother! And you? When are you coming home?" Even with the expensive phones and relays, he still sounded slightly muffled.
“Touchdown is less than an hour. How’s our little sex pot?”
"Surprisingly domesticated for such a wild little savage," Leo laughed. "She's been enjoying time with the guys. Carter took her dinner, and I know she's seen Easton at the gallery."
Odds were she saw Jack at her yoga seeing as it was weekly. “And have you been meeting her for her morning run like normal?”
"Of course!" Leo snorted. "Like I'd miss out on it."
He laughed at that. “So, for the most part we have all been keeping her occupied. She did seem happier on the call we had.”
"Yes, but in less perverted ways than our annual fuck fest," Leo laughed.
"We're just letting her get to know us. Really know us.
Peeking behind the curtain, so to speak.
That's actually why I was calling." There was a pause and Emerson heard a can being opened in the background, followed by the gurgle of several long swallows.
"It's your birthday soon. I was thinking we could plan a weekend away somewhere with her.
Spend some time all together that isn't in the service to the Dark Lord. "
It wasn’t something they normally did, ever since they turned eighteen they didn’t really celebrate birthdays.
..or anything really. But if it was a weekend with her.
..he smiled to himself. “My dad’s place in Chesapeake is still empty,” he offered.
“And I recently had it upgraded. Safe house and all. Big enough for all of us, and her, and secluded enough as well. Also, Elders think it burned down.” It wasn’t a secret that he didn’t trust them, and that Stitches was right there with him.
"That sounds perfect," Leo said. "Leave it to me then. I'll order in some food and drinks. Can you take care of the travel?"
“We can take my Denali,” he offered. “Unless the guys wanna drive by themselves. You know Rix when he doesn’t have to play sweet, helpful vet would rather drive his Ducati...”
"I suspect Carter will want to take his bike so Brutus can come along," Leo said thoughtfully. "And you know Easton isn't going to sit in a crowded car for that long. More space in the Denali for champagne then, I guess."
And presents for their girl. It might be his birthday, but there wasn’t a better gift than that woman.
“Just gotta make sure she can take the weekend. I will have the place aired out and ready for us soon. You going to mention it to her? I mean it would be super ego if I’m like ‘hey, Pet, come to my birthday party. There will be cake and ice cream,’” he laughed.
"Sure, I'll call her this evening when she's home from work," Leo said.
"I don't think she'll have a problem taking it off.
Her boss at the gallery owes us plenty of favors and the shelter is a volunteer thing.
I'll make sure all the others are free, too.
You know she's going to pout like fuck if someone can't make it. "
Emerson grinned at that. Gods, how the hell did they get so lucky?
“She totally will...but honestly, I wouldn’t wanna do this without all of us.
We are a unit, especially when it comes to her.
Seeing her individually is smart, it strengthens things, but it wouldn’t be right without everyone.
And I’m going to be honest...I like seeing her eyes light up with all of us. ”
"She seemed really into the multiples this year," Leo agreed. "It'll be fun to see how she plays when it's not all set up and pre-planned."
“I have no doubt this is going to turn into some wild shit.” He laughed. “And it will be interesting to see how much of her we retain this weekend...to see if it is true that it’s just Samhain weekend that we can worship and tribute for Him.”
"Yeah," Leo sounded thoughtful. "It would almost be worth coming back to the city to sacrifice right afterwards, just to see what happens. I mean, I'm not saying we should do it every time we have a wild orgy, but a few times a year, maybe? If it works?"
“You know I’m down with whatever works. Finn and the guys would be, too.” Hell, he thought she would be okay with it as well. “I mean if it works? Knowledge is power.”
"Power is power," Leo snorted. "Okay, brother. Get yourself safely on the ground and I'll go start organizing this shindig. I'll catch you later."
“Stay safe,” he said as he hung up. Visions of their girl at his father’s house, dug in like a tick, at home in the space, hit him. The idea was heart warming and he realized that this woman had her claws in him in ways he didn’t think were possible. He would have to see her, and soon.
“Sir? Please strap in...”
He grinned. “You got it.”