by Viola Grace
None of the women were in heat and all had an attention to detail that would have been admirable if her skin didn't have a pulse of its own. "What is in that lotion?"
"Just a mild stimulant to make you more sensitive to the touch of the priest who engages in the sacrifice." The woman's voice was calm. "Flip over, please."
Ah, a simple stimulant. No wonder her spine was shivering and the backs of her calves were more sensitive than they had ever been. Tia turned over and lay still as the clinical hands smoothed over her skin and woke her breasts and belly in turn with the lotion and steady massage.
Tia heard a humming in her ears, part was her pulse and the rest was a low-toned chant coming from her attendants. Hands helped her sit and she was taken to stand in front of a mirror as a gown was draped over her form and belted around her waist with a jewelled cord.
Makeup was applied around her eyes and her lips were darkened to a full pout. Her hair was in a twisted arrangement, leaving a thick swath down her back, but the rest lifted to expose her neck. If she and Jenner were alone, he would be all over her, but that was not tonight's plan.
"Are you ready?" the eldest of her attendants bowed diffidently.
"I believe so."
"Have you made your peace with the gods?"
"As much as I am able." If her body hadn't felt so alive, her fear would have had a better chance at making itself known.
"Then the priests await. This way." The women formed around her, two in front, two to the sides and two behind. Her honour guard was ready and they started to move.
Her feet were bare. It was the first thing she noted as they walked through the halls. She supposed a sacrifice did not need shoes.
Oritia stumbled when she saw the collection of priests of Lassing, including two in the half-masks of the god. In a desperate move, she touched the minds of the men in the masks and trembled with relief when it was Jenner and Morrer behind them.
The masked men were wearing short wraps around their hips and
nothing beyond that foot of fabric and the masks.
"The sacrifice is ready." The women bowed and handed her over to the priests, just like that.
The twins took her hands and when the other priests took up positions in front and behind, they started walking to the large door that led to the ritual space of the temple.
This was the moment that Tia had spent her life dreading and she was surrounded.
Lassing would have her sacrifice today, one way or another.
Chapter Eight
They won't hurt you, they won't hurt you, they won't hurt you. Oritia kept the chant going as the two priests escorted her to the sacrificial stand. The crowd was silent as she stepped up and they eased the gown off her shoulders, letting it slither to the floor.
The masks that they wore partially covered their faces, but the bodies tying her to the stand were those of Jenner and Morrer. She kept reminding herself of that little fact. When the twins moved so that one was in front of her and the other behind, the crowd murmured in surprise.
From behind her, Morrer spoke. "Lassing, we call you on this day to come to this vessel and we hope her sacrifice will allow your mate to find her way home."
His voice echoed and carried in the silent hall. Tia shivered in the view of the audience, including the glares of the priests from her home world. They were next to priests that had orders to watch them for any signs of violence or even casual movement.
The audience was going to hear every noise she made and the large vid screens were going to display everything done to her in larger-than-life detail. Jenner and Morrer loosely bound her to the altar at wrist, ankle and thigh. She swallowed heavily as they waited for the starlight to stream through the focussing window in the ceiling.
The man in front of her stood poised and waiting. The one behind her had his hands on her hips.
The light struck the far edge of the stage she was on and with the gasp of the audience, the show began.
Eyes glowed through the mask in front of her, hypnotizing her and awakening her senses. With her mind enthralled, two pairs of hands started to caress her naked flesh. A whimper escaped from Tia's throat and she heard it magnified around her.
Her gaze was locked on the eyes of the man in front of her as the light spilling out went from onyx, to lavender, to blue, to silver. The glare of light held her transfixed as her arousal climbed radically.
The light poured into her, warming her from the inside out and she sent her mind out to find the identity of her lover. She blinked as her mind touched his and found nothing that she recognized as a mind. A swirling vortex of power greeted and welcomed her, ratchetting her body's response out of her control.
The man before her shed his clothing and his hands took on an urgency that created a wet eagerness between her thighs. Parted as they were, it was easy for him to slide two fingers into her.
She could smell her own heat and when her body was hovering on the edge, he bent his knees to thrust into her.
The hands from behind cupped her breasts and as her cries grew in volume and intensity, the male behind her turned her head and kissed her deeply, his tongue slipping into her mouth and stealing her cries an instant before he poured molten fire along her nerves in the form of psi energy that had her vibrating on the edge of release. Lassing was pleased with her sacrifice.
The man in front of her stroked the front of her sex and his whisper was the final straw. "Come for me, Tia. She's waiting."
Her scream echoed through the room and the power that had been poured into her came out as her body shook in the grip of the gods. She heard a shout from in front of her, felt the seed spill into her, but her mind was swirling through the stars, searching.
A voice came to her as she examined every darkness she came across. Lassing? Beloved? Is that you?
Searaline, my beloved, I have found you. The relief of eons of searching broke Tia's heart.
Is this your vessel?
It is. Her name is Oritia and she is generous in heart and spirit.
An exhausted voice came to her and she saw the star that was hovering on the edge of space. Will she guide me home?
Tia's soul smiled. Come with me. We will all go home.
Tia and Jenner-Lassing reeled in their presence, drawing Searaline with them. She followed and latched onto Tia the moment before she re-entered her body.
The crowd was gasping in lust and shock. The masks were gone. Jenner was in front of her and Morrer behind.
Tia could feel her eyes glowing as Searaline looked up at the vessel that contained Lassing. "Beloved, it has been so long."
The silver eyes looked down into what Tia knew to be eyes glowing gold. She was a passenger in her own body and didn't mind at all. "My dearest, it has been too long."
The bonds unravelled and she stepped forward to greet her lover.
Tia-Searaline reached out her hands to touch Jenner-Lassing. It was a touch that went beyond skin and he shuddered in reaction as their energies met and mingled with their kiss.
The priests that had haunted Tia since her childhood were staring in horror. "Beloved, those priests of yours have perverted your will. The soul of my avatar tells me that many generations of psi's have been slaughtered on her home world. How will you deal with them?"
Jenner-Lassing turned to the priests and with a flick of his fingers, they hovered in the air over the edge of the stage. "Answer for your crimes."
Tia-Searaline held still as her beloved touched the minds and determined the guilt or innocence of the priests in question. Only one survived the process, the others simply stopped.
They stopped thinking, breathing and living in a second.
To the survivor, he spoke. "Take this message back with your deceased brethren on Morvigeth. Stop these practices or I will come and stop them for you."
The man bowed, grovelled and stayed on the floor as his god confronted him.
"Now, beloved. Where were we?" She lifted off the ground and fl
oated to him, twining around him as ivy would an oak.
He slid into her physically and psychically and they came together in a rush of light and sound.
Their passion lit the stage and cascaded through the population of Emicar IV, energy radiated clearing water, invigorating plant life and sending all animals into heat. The seasons would allow for a bountiful harvest and the stars joined together for the first time in over two thousand years. Husband and wife met and melded, relieved and overjoyed to be in each other's arms once again.
With their avatars spent, they simply held each other on the stage in the ritual hall. "Will your avatar allow you inside again?" Jenner-Lassing rubbed his chin on the head of the woman in his arms.
"She will. She understands the pain and loss we have both felt better than I could imagine. She also loves your avatar very much. They are true mates, it would be best if you did not use his twin by mistake."
"Ah, the priest brother. Yes, I can see the problem. These flesh-and-blood creatures are perfect vessels, but they do pair bond fiercely."
"If you do interfere with her bond, she will likely not let me back in." Tia-Searaline smiled up at her spouse. "I am marking her as mine and I hope that I can join you soon so that my light may shine with yours."
He smiled down at her, his silver eyes gleaming, "Are you moving?"
"I am on my way. Only empty space divides us and I will not let a little nothing keep us apart. I just didn't know where to look." Tears streaked down her face as she gazed up into his face. "Your focus is fading."
"I can hold it a little longer."
"It is hurting your avatar. I will see you here one year from now."
He laughed. "And now I know where to find you, I will watch for you and light the way."
"Mark your chosen as I mark mine, just so you don't get confused on the return." She caressed his cheek and smiled. The swirling stars were appearing under the skin of her avatar and when the matching swirls started to mark her mate, she grinned. "You always were agreeable."
"Only with you, love. Only with you." They held gazes as their power trickled away with the coming dawn. They knew where to find each other and that was what mattered. Life could begin again.
Tia slumped in Jenner's arms as the dawn filled the room with light.
They were both naked and exhausted. The priests quickly threw cloaks over them and took them to the infirmary.
Tia touched Jenner's mind and confirmed that he was alive and sane.
"I am sorry, Morrer. It was supposed to be you, wasn't it?" Tia whispered it to the man who held her.
"I serve Lassing. He took Jenner because Jenner was your mate and I am very glad for that." Morrer grinned. "Besides, he will hate the markings Lassing gave him and that is plenty of ammunition for mocking. I can be satisfied with that."
She giggled weakly as he eased her into a cot and put in an IV for fluids.
"You were up there most of the night and your body is suffering from dehydration. Don't worry. Jenner is getting the same treatment." He smiled and drew a sheet up over her naked body.
"The priests are going to want to question you when you are up to it. The holy books are getting new additions as we speak. Lassing and his bride have finally found each other and we are ecstatic."
"They were pretty happy as well." Tia chuckled and her eyes got heavy. "There is more than just fluid in that needle."
Morrer chuckled. "Yes, there is, but you can worry about that later. I promise you can punch me out."
"Excellent. I look forward to it." It probably came out slurred, but she meant it. She hated being drugged for her own best interests.
Chapter Nine
The cots were narrow, but when Jenner crawled over to wrap her in his arms, it felt just right. She sighed happily as they cuddled together and she resumed the even breathing of sleep.
Hours passed before flashes of the night started to intrude on her mind. Light was everywhere, the priests were shrieking in her mind as they died.
"It's over, Tia. Shh. Don't cry." A thumb caressed her cheeks and wiped away the tears that were seeping from beneath her lashes.
"I'm alive."
"Of course and very fit if I do say so myself." His hands wandered gently over her curves, but there was none of the frenzy of their first couplings, this was a slow exploration.
"I never expected to survive the sacrifice, even though you promised I would."
He nuzzled at her temple, pressing soft kisses along her cheek and jaw. "I know, but nothing I said could change your mind. It had to be experienced."
She snickered and sniffled at the same time. "That's one word for it." She relaxed into his grip and thought about the world outside.
"We have to speak to the priests. They have not met a vessel for a very long time and little, if anything, is known of Lassing's wife."
Tia whispered, "She has been lost for a very long time."
"And we need to know more about her so that we can help Lassing find her by every means at our disposal."
"She is coming to him now and the stars will shiver with joy as she passes." Tears were pricking her eyes and sliding slowly down her cheeks. "What about the Morvigeth priest?"
Morrer swept back the curtain and cleared his throat at their cuddle. "I need to speak to you about that. An acolyte is bringing clothing."
Jenner sat up and pulled a sheet tightly over Tia's body. "Why do
you need to speak to her? Why isn't he gone?"
Morrer stared at him and they shared their private communication. Tia listened in and understood something about a journey and information. She sighed and sat up, hanging her legs over the edge of the cot until she was able to stand with the sheet wrapped around her.
The acolyte stumbled into her field of vision, looked at her face, blushed and handed Morrer the clothing before running away. She could feel the tingle in the left side of her body and looked down at her hand, admiring the swirls and patterns on her flesh in darker blues and silvers.
Morrer sighed and gave her the white dress that he had been handed. She slipped it over her head and tugged it into place before dropping the sheet. The priest looked disappointed and Jenner laughed.
She grinned. "I have sisters and brothers and had to live in a relatively small house while being watched by the priests at random intervals. I can get dressed, undressed and cook a meal with little to no skin showing."
The dress was opaque and it exposed her right leg from hip to ankle. "I need shoes."
"If the acolyte gets up his nerve, he will bring them in." Morrer tossed his brother a pair of trousers and nothing else.
She couldn't help it, Tia turned to watch Jenner get dressed and enjoyed every second of it.
He noticed her watching and it took a little effort to tuck his cock into his trousers. She was so enthralled, she didn't even register what she was seeing until she yelped and ran to him, sliding him free of the fabric. "You have a spiral on there!"
He blinked at her in surprise and she took in the markings beneath his skin, masculine marks that made his eyes look fierce and his jaw seemed to be made of bronze-blue granite. His cock was still in her hand, but she traced the swirls up from his groin, across his chest and up his neck. He was vibrating with tension and when Morrer cleared his throat, she released Jenner's erection and stepped away.
"Your marks look just as beautiful, Tia." He smiled and gave her a quick kiss before retucking and fastening his pants.
"Please set aside the mutual admiration society. We have to speak to the priest council and the magistrates. Jenner, they are unsure of whether to allow you to continue in service."
Jenner came up behind her and took her hand. "Come along then. We need to get this over and done."
They walked with Morrer and ended up in a room with a series of tables arranged in a circle. Every seat was filled and all eyes were on them when they came into the room.
The elder priest smiled with an excited light in his eyes. "Welcome. Pl
ease, be seated."
Acolytes moved a table so that they could enter it. They sat in the chairs that the acolytes brought in, perched in the centre of the ring.
"Now, we have many questions, but first, we have to ask you about Morvigeth, Avatar Oritia."
She didn't tense—her sacrifice and her heat were over. "What do you wish to know, Elder?"
"Will they trust the surviving priest, or do we need to send a representative to your home world?"