Carnal Rites

by Ines Johnson

"I don't care about any of that." He couldn't help himself, he smoothed a lock of her hair from her face. She leaned into his hand. "Are they going to move forward?"

  Merlyn frowned. "I don't know. I don't care. I left while they were debating."

  "This was your big contribution to the field of science. You have to go back."

  "I told you, Liam. I don't care about any of it. All I care about is—"

  The front door creaked open.

  "Jaspir."

  Merlyn tore from Liam's arms and threw herself into Jaspir's. Jaspir gathered her to him without a question. "Hello, my love."

  "I don't want to ever be parted from you again," Merlyn said into his chest.

  Jaspir pulled Merlyn away from him so that he could look in her eyes. "Then you won't be." He took the nape of her neck in his hands and pulled her in for a kiss.

  Merlyn moaned in ecstasy. Jaspir answered her with a growl. They backed into the house, the screen door slapping closed behind them.

  From the bottom of the steps, Liam stood rooted to the spot, staring at the closed door. He could hear their sounds of love from behind the closed screen door. The wind kicked up. It blew by Liam's ears, whispering words from his childhood when he'd watched his father stare at a shut door. It rattled the door open and then slammed it closed once more. Liam was left standing on the outside, his heart paralyzed on the ground.

  22

  The sound of Merlyn's voice coming through the door hadn't shocked Jaspir. It hadn't surprised him. It fit. It made perfect sense to him. When he saw her standing at the bottom steps of his house in Liam's arms, he didn't feel an ounce of jealousy. He felt a sense of peace. When she flew up the steps and into his arms, he felt whole.

  Jaspir carried her into his home as though it were rehearsed. It had been rehearsed. In his mind he'd done this a thousand times. The only thing unexpected was Liam.

  Liam had always been the farthest thing from his imagination when he dreamed of Merlyn. But now that he'd had them both, in reality, the moment was all the sweeter.

  Jaspir felt the wind on his back through the screen.

  "Liam shut the door behind you." He didn't wait for Liam to follow, he carried Merlyn straight to the bedroom. He'd expected to have Liam on this mattress in a few hours. His dick had throbbed to pierce that virgin skin. It could wait. They had an eternity after all. All three discarded from that great house. Now they had this piece of land and home to share. A home where they were free to do and be as they pleased, a home where no one could ever kick them out or tell them they couldn't be together.

  Jaspir set Merlyn down on the bed.

  "You were right," she said.

  "I was right about what, my love?" Jaspir pulled Merlyn's shirt over her head.

  "You said you'd bring me to your house."

  "Our house." He unclasped her bra and pulled it forward, relieving her breasts.

  "You said you'd grow me a garden."

  "I will." He unbuttoned her skirt.

  "And I'm here." She looked shame faced. "I didn't believe you."

  Jaspir captured her face. "I didn't ask you to believe me. I would never ask that of a scientist. I said I'd prove it. And I have." Jaspir captured her lips. The kiss wasn't slow nips, it was a fast claiming. He lifted her hips and pulled the skirt off along with her underwear.

  "Liam?" Jaspir said when he came up for air. Jaspir didn't turn to see him, but he knew Liam stood in the doorway. "I need a moment alone with her."

  Jaspir laid Merlyn down on the mattress. He looked down at her body, planning his attack. The sound of retreating footsteps brought Jaspir's eyes to the empty doorway.

  "Liam," Jaspir called. "Where are you going?"

  Liam reappeared in the doorway. His face a mixture of emotions. On the top most layer was confusion and despair.

  Jaspir thought he understood where the despair came from. So he addressed the confusion he'd caused. "When I said I needed a moment alone with her, I meant without you in the bed with us. Not without you in the room."

  The despair thawed somewhat, but the confusion remained on Liam's face.

  "You've been inside her before," Jaspir explained. "I've only kissed her twice."

  Merlyn reached out her hand to Liam. With heavy feet, he entered the room, and closed the door behind him with a soft click. Liam crossed the room and took Merlyn's hand. The confusion cleared, but the despair remained just below the surface. Jaspir would have to investigate that later. He had the love of his life naked before him to contend with first.

  Jaspir stripped his clothes off quickly. "This will likely be a poor performance, my love." He knelt on the bed, aligning himself with Merlyn's entrance. "But I will spend my life making up for it."

  Jaspir leaned down and kissed her, thrusting his tongue in time with his hips. Merlyn squirmed beneath him. Without breaking the kiss, he guided himself into her. It was the first time he'd ever been inside a woman without a cock ring. The pleasure hit him like a blast of heat. He couldn't catch his breath. He couldn't slow down. Jaspir's hips had a mind of their own as he pumped into her.

  Merlyn met him stroke for stroke. She wrapped her legs around his hips, urging him deeper, faster. He told himself that he needed to last for her, but it was a mute argument. The joy in his heart was too loud. The taste of her on his tongue was too sweet. The feel of her around him too much. Jaspir felt his world explode into her. He emptied his soul into her, ending his climax on a sob into her neck.

  Merlyn waited for him to recover himself, running a hand up and down his back. When Jaspir was able to pull free, he peered down at her. She smiled up at him.

  "Marry me," Jaspir said.

  "Of course," she smiled. "That is the natural conclusion to the events of our lives."

  Jaspir kissed her, pulling her to him. One of her hands went into his hair. When he remembered what the other was tethered to, he pulled away from her. "Liam you'll need to redeem me in front of our wife." Jaspir pulled out of Merlyn and rolled to the side. "Show her what I taught you. Let her know that there will be pleasure in this union."

  Liam stood frozen. "Our wife?"

  Jaspir nearly laughed at the expression on the other man's face. Then he remembered the despair he'd seen earlier. He remembered Liam's words by the well. He thought Merlyn didn't love him, and would therefore not want to bond with him.

  "Merlyn," Jaspir's eyes never left's Liam's. "Tell your husband-to-be to please you."

  Merlyn freed her hand from Jaspir's hair and reached out to Liam.

  Liam came to her, a bewildered expression on his face. "You want me?" he asked.

  "No," she said. "I need you. I spent a day without you and I was miserable. I didn't realize how much I depended on you until you weren't there."

  "As your assistant?"

  "As my partner, Liam. In life as well as in love. I can't imagine my life without you."

  "To be clear, you're saying you love me?"

  Merlyn cocked her head in that bird-like fashion of hers. "Should we do the math?"

  Liam's head tilted in the opposite direction. For a moment, Jaspir thought the two would actually whip out calculators, pencil, and paper to triangulate the proof of affection.

  But then, Liam crushed her to him. Jaspir watched the man shed his clothes while not breaking away from Merlyn. Liam was naked in under a minute. Jaspir took a moment to admire the lean physique of Liam.

  Liam spread Merlyn's thighs and gazed down for a moment before grabbing his dick.

  "Wait," Jaspir placed his hand between the two. "Turn her over."

  Liam did as instructed. Merlyn lay on her belly, face turned towards Jaspir. Jaspir ran his hand down the side of her face.

  "Take her from behind. You'll get a deeper penetration and hit a different spot."

  When Liam entered Merlyn they both gasped. Merlyn closed her eyes in ecstasy. Liam looked over at Jaspir, eyes impossibly wide, mouth shaped in an ‘O’. Jaspir smiled knowingly.

  "Take your time," Jas
pir said to Liam. "I want to watch."

  And watch he did until he noticed himself growing stiff watching Liam pump in and out of Merlyn. Jaspir leaned over and kissed Merlyn. She was in such a state of ecstasy that she barely noticed.

  Jaspir came to his knees. Liam opened hooded eyes and gazed at him. Jaspir ran his hand down the other man's chest and then down his ass, asking for permission. Liam's eyes showed that he understood Jaspir's intent. Jaspir saw excitement flair there.

  Jaspir climbed off the bed and went to his pack. From inside a small bag of toiletries he pulled out a jar of oil. He went behind Liam, oiling his dick. Dipping his hand once more into the oil, Jaspir ran it between Liam's ass cheeks. The other man tensed. His thrusting slowed and then came to a stop.

  Jaspir lined himself up to Liam and began to push. Liam gasped and tensed more.

  "Relax," Jaspir coaxed.

  Liam did and Jaspir slid in further. Liam gasped again, but this time there was an edge of pain.

  "Shh," Jaspir hushed him. "It'll pass." And then he tilted Liam's head back and kissed him. When Jaspir felt Liam's body relax around him, he released Liam's head and began to thrust.

  Jaspir retreated, pulling Liam back with him and halfway out of Merlyn. When Jaspir thrust once more into Liam, Liam went deeply into Merlyn. All three cried out at the impact. And so it went, Jaspir set the pace, his thrusts going into both Liam and Merlyn.

  Jaspir put his hand over Liam's chest as he thrust deeper. He felt the other man's heart beating against his palm, the rapid beats in time with his own.

  Jaspir heard Merlyn whimper below them. Her climax was imminent. Merlyn and Liam came together in a heated rush. Hot on the trail of their climaxes came Jaspir's. Jaspir withdrew from Liam and collapsed onto the bed. The sound of both of their pleasure was music to Jaspir's ears. Jaspir reached over and turned Liam's head around.

  "Welcome home," he said.

  Liam smiled back at him, no confusion, no despair. There was peace in his eyes. The two reached down and pulled Adom's blanket around themselves. Arms and legs wrapped one around the other and they all went peacefully to sleep.

  Epilogue

  Merlyn looked through her scope. "I think I've found something."

  "Found what?" Liam came up behind her and planted a kiss on her neck.

  Merlyn shuddered and momentarily lost her focus, until her hand grazed the cold metal of the scope. "Since beginning our study on the health benefits of the female orgasm, we learned that the muscle contractions can improve bladder control and calm inflammation."

  Liam flicked his tongue out at her ear lobe. "Hmmm."

  Merlyn cocked her head to the side to give him better access. "Well, I'm noticing increased antibodies in the immune system of Goddard 356."

  Liam's lips paused. "Really? That's fascinating." He leaned over her to peer down into the scope.

  Merlyn straightened and looked down at Liam's red head of hair. The sun chose that moment to shine into the lab and she noticed a golden tint to his hair. She had the urge to run her fingers through it. It was such a silly notion. But she did things like that now, silly things. And so she ran her hand through his hair.

  Liam straightened with a smile. "This is a brilliant find, Merlyn. I'll get started on some calculations."

  Merlyn's hand traced down the side of Liam's face to the stubble on his chin. Liam caught her fingers in his mouth. He sucked one in, running his tongue over the pad of her finger.

  Merlyn gasped. The sensation went straight to her core. "I was thinking we could redo the orgasm experiment. But this time with a human test subject."

  Liam grinned, his green eyes glittered. "Who did you have in mind?"

  Before she could answer, Liam leaned down and captured her lips with his own.

  "Get a room."

  Merlyn felt Liam groan. She smiled against his lips as he turned and glared over his shoulder at Jaspir.

  "We're in a room. And we're working in here," Liam said.

  "Yeah," Jaspir slapped Liam's ass. "Working hard, I see."

  Merlyn felt Jaspir's fingers encircle Liam's waist as his chin came to rest on Liam's shoulder. Jaspir winked at her and she leaned in for a kiss.

  "Come outside," Jaspir said when he released her lips. "I want to you show you two something."

  Jaspir led them outside. The garden he was tilling looked far more vibrant than it should for only three months of work.

  He led them to a bench Adom had crafted for them on his last visit. Before the bench was a stone garden. At the center of the stone garden was a familiar plant.

  Merlyn gasped as she went to it. It was her plant. Her impossible starbust, that had survived so many winters without a place to take root. In the light of the day it looked healthy and vibrant. And there was another color there she hadn't seen before, a stripe of purple. Merlyn reached out to it.

  "I've been working on this for weeks," Jaspir said. "I've grafted on a third plant." He looked over at Liam. "It can thrive now that it has a place to take root."

  Jaspir handed Liam a watering can, to Merlyn he gave fertilizer. Together they put the plant firmly into the ground.

  They sat down at the bench and spent the rest of the day gazing at their creation.

  The story continues with Alyss, Adom and Emet

  in Sacred Rites.

  Sacred Rites SNEAK PEEK!

  As dawn continued its break from dusk, a burst of orange from the rising sun bled into the deep blue of the previous night's sky. The blood orange tinted the clouds a vibrant shade of purple. When orange and blue mixed, the colors made a berry shade of red similar to that of a strawberry. Orange, purple, blue and reds. Alyss marveled at nature's unique canvas. The Goddess was, indeed, the ultimate artist. She always got her color mixing just right.

  Unlike most humans.

  The pale pink adorning Lady Milysa's skirts was a disservice to the color palette. Her top was a darker shade of red -fuchsia, Alyss guessed. And the pattern at her waist? No, it couldn't be. But they were! Polka dots.

  Polka dots?

  Alyss cringed. Who wore polka dots after adolescence? In fact, what self-respecting, little girl had ever donned polka dots outside of a nursery? As though the solid circles weren't enough, there were Lady Milysa's gold shoes. Alyss shut her eyes against the assault on good taste.

  Lady Milysa, oblivious as ever to her fashion faux pas, stood in a huddle of young women, her hand outstretched, a smug smile on her pinched face. The flash of a huge diamond surrounded by two indistinguishable stones momentarily blinded Alyss as the young woman came nearer.

  "I barely made it in today," Lady Milysa said. "They dote on me so. They don't know what to do with themselves without me there to tell them which foot to place in front of the other."

  The ladies all nodded their heads in understanding, though none of them were bonded themselves. Young girls who were considering a lifetime of service in the Sisterhood held off on bonding until they were certain of their place inside the hallowed halls. Service to the Sisterhood required a woman's full attention, and the care and attention of men was far too much a distraction for a woman to do the Goddess' work on Earth.

  The women of the Sisterhood often did not take husbands or have children. In a society such as theirs, where female births were so scarce, joining the ranks of the Sisterhood was a heavy decision. And so it was impressed upon the young dames who entered this sacred space of the inner sanctum to think carefully about the decision of giving their lives over to Her service.

  It was a decision Alyss had been certain of for as long as she could remember. She wanted neither men nor children in her life. She was a perfect candidate for advancement in the Sisterhood.

  "And the wedding night?" one of the hangers on of Lady Milysa asked tentatively.

  Alyss was certain she was the only one who caught the slight grimace that slid across Lady Milysa's face before the newly bonded girl plastered on a superior smile.

  "It was over in a snap. Re
ally, all the fuss for a few moments of discomfort. I shouldn't be surprised if I were already with child now and we won't have to do it again for another year."

  The girls around her sighed as though Lady Milysa alleviated some great fear of theirs. Alyss had little knowledge of the physical aspects of bed sports. But she did know that her sister, Merlyn, and her cousin, Chanyn, enjoyed intercourse enough to sleep with their bondmates every night. Alyss had once visited Merlyn during the day and caught her sister in an embrace with both of her husbands at the same time. The same time!

  Intercourse was an experience Alyss was never likely to have. Not one she had ever been interested in having. But she was certain Lady Milysa's husbands were doing it wrong if their bride was happy to wait a year before engaging in the activity again.

  "Hello Alyss."

  Alyss turned to the young lady who'd appeared at the entrance of the door she stood before. Lady Eryka greeted her with half a smile, her body half hidden behind the doorway of the Chamber of Arts and Culture. From behind her, Alyss got a peek into the large room. A rainbow of color washed over her senses. Multicolored lights hung from the ceilings. Metallic sculptures of silver and gold winked in the sunlight. The smell of dried paint wafted to her nose like a rare perfume.

  "We're you coming in?" Lady Eryka asked.

  Alyss shook her head left to right while her eyes held fast to the scenery behind LadyEryka. Inside the door, the young novices pulled a sheet covering off a new painting. Alyss tilted her head to the right for a better look.

  Eryka opened the door wider, as though she knew Alyss's eyes yearned for more access to the room. "Did you have documents for Sister Mychelle?"

  "Hmm?" Alyss blinked and focused on Lady Eryka.

  Eryka's eyes sang with mischief as she played with the door, swinging it to and fro.

  Alyss focused on her friend. "I was just passing by and..."

  Eryka opened the door wide and leaned against the door frame, giving Alyss an unobstructed view of the treasures within. "We're preparing a new bill. Its to mandate the teaching of the arts to discards. Namely music and painting."