Chapter 38

Cindy knew she should be sleeping. Her body was certainly tired enough to sleep. She was completely sated and ached in the most delicious way. Even the soft sheets caused her to be well aware of the welts on her body. For the first time, Tina had actually made her bleed. Not much and not in a lot of places, but the fact that she had, just made Cindy feel things she'd never experienced. Made her feel owned. Loved. And content in a way she just didn't think she could ever describe to anyone. Well ... maybe Jane would understand.

She'd never forgotten seeing Jane tied in the play room that one time, and wished with all her heart Tina would do those kinds of things to her. Cindy wanted to talk to Jane, to ask her all kinds of things about ... well ... about her interest in pain and sexual service. She knew they were on the same wavelength, but the woman awed her in ways she couldn't define. She was a little afraid of Jane, and knew she wasn't the only one. Cindy could sense Fionna was somewhat afraid of her as well, although the two spent a fair amount of time together.

Fionna. There was a woman Cindy would love to be used by. Tina wouldn't mind -- she had the same thought herself, but Fionna was not into BDSM. At last as far as anyone knew, but for some odd reason, Cindy was pretty damned sure it was the truth.

Where minutes ago she'd been as content as a purring cat, now lust began to bloom in her body again. Thoughts of serving Fionna made her horny. Tina stirred, her fragrant hair shifting a little where Cindy had pressed her face. She wondered if Tina would be interested...

Cindy almost jumped out of her skin as a warm hand touched her. Instead of jumping though, she froze, then slowly looked to see who it was.

It was Jane. Jane, completely naked, and holding one finger to her lips.

Once she saw she had Cindy's attention, she smiled and beckoned Cindy to come with her. Cindy could see just well enough to know it was Jane, but the other woman evidently had better night sight, and led Cindy around a pile of books and clothing that someone, no doubt Sally, had deposited in their room. Cindy and Tina were pretty tidy for teens, but they'd been in a hurry earlier and had left their stuff in the study. Dinner had been eaten in the kitchen -- Cindy, bound on her knees and being fed by Tina and Arianwen -- then the girls, exhausted, had retired to listen to some music and drift off to sleep.

Once they were outside the door, Jane closed it and looked at Cindy.

"There's someone you need to meet." she said.

"Oh?" replied Cindy with confusion.

"Yes, sweet," said Jane. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"To the Garden," replied Jane.

"I should get some clothes," said Cindy, starting to pull away, "it's cold out."

Jane took her arm in a grip that was like steel. She wasn't violent about it, but it was clear that there was no way Cindy was going to break that grip.

"You need to come as you are," said Jane, her voice low and steady.

Cindy thought for maybe a second. Somehow, she sensed that Jane would let her get clothing. She sensed that she could, in fact, refuse to go. Or go wake Tina. But to do anything other than follow Jane's orders would be to fail a test. What kind of test, she didn't know, but she did know it was important. She shrugged and followed.

It was chilly outside, to say the least. Not quite at the freezing mark, but damned close. Her teeth chattered and her feet almost felt numb by the time they made it to the area where they usually did ritual. Jane didn't even seem to notice it was cold, even though she was as naked as Cindy. Oddly enough, once inside the Garden, it seemed to get warmer. A lot warmer. In fact, it no longer felt like the dead of winter, but a spring night.

They didn't walk very far before someone appeared in front of them. This whole situation felt very, very strange, and that strangeness didn't abate because Cindy realized that it was getting lighter as well. She knew morning was quite far away, and it was clear the light wasn't artificial, so this was more than a little confusing. Then all thought, indeed, all capacity for thought disappeared as the other person became fully visible.

"Hello Cindy," smiled Lea.

Cindy fell to her knees, almost unable to breathe, experiencing the purest form of lust she'd ever felt. Not even her imagination could have produced sensations like this. She was dimly aware of Jane kneeling next to her, but her brain just refused to focus on anything but how her body felt.

"My Priestesses have come to me to ask that you be allowed to serve me," said Lea. The words penetrated, despite what her body was going through. "I can be a cruel Mistress."

Cindy didn't care about cruel. She liked the idea, in fact. The woman smiled.

"You and Jane are truly sisters," she said.

Cindy watched as Jane stood, and the woman ran her fingers over Jane's naked body. Jane screamed, her cries of pleasure loud as Lea spiked levels of pain through her body that would have fried the nerves of a normal human. Jane barely kept her feet, but managed it.

"Is this what you want, little girl?" asked Lea, looking down at Cindy.

Few things humiliated Cindy more than being called a little girl. Humiliation was a major turn-on for her, and so her lust rose to levels she'd never conceived of.

She couldn't speak, but was able to nod. Unfortunately, her nod didn't mean she'd serve Lea, and Lea knew it.

"Ah," smiled the woman. "You think you have room for only one in your heart."

Cindy was confused. She loved Tina with every fiber of her being. She firmly believed that given more time, that love could only grow. But something in her mind recognized that just because she loved Tina, didn't mean she couldn't love others. But there was, of course, yet another complication. She had pledged herself as a slave to Tina, and had no authority to give herself to anyone else. The woman smiled while still running her fingers -- each with a blue corona around them -- over Jane's skin. Jane could no longer even make a sound.

"Tina serves me as a Priestess," said Lea. "You will as well. In time. I understand your devotion to her and would not have it any other way. I will not make you a Priestess anyway, as my Avatar has decreed you are too young. But I can offer you something else."

She removed her fingers from Jane, who slowly folded to the ground. She had just enough energy to end up kneeling with her forehead on resting on the ground. She was trembling and her skin shone with sweat as she panted.

The lust running through Cindy's body abated, and she could think clearly again. The first thing she realized was that she did, indeed, want to serve this woman. No, this Goddess. All the rituals she'd attended came to the fore in her mind. All the things everyone in the Mansion did everyday. The little kindnesses they showed each other. The regard they had for other living things, even the plants. How Sally whispered Lea's blessings over the meals she cooked, how they were all quick with a kind word and slow to anger.

She wanted, needed, to belong to that and almost cried when she realized she was denied because of her age. But the Goddess had offered something else, and as long as it didn't interfere with Tina's ownership...

Besides, Tina already served this Goddess. Cindy remembered -- now -- seeing them together during ritual. Watched as Lea had kissed, even made love with, each member of the Circle. She longed for that kiss almost as much as she longed for Tina's kiss.

It turned out to be easy to accept what the Goddess was offering. Despite the fact that she never remembered everything that had gone on during rituals in these couple of months, her mind had stored all the details. It just had never been able to access them before. She wanted this. She wanted it badly.

"Then take it," whispered a voice. "Accept. It won't change a thing between us. Except that physical love will be even better."

It was Tina's voice, although Tina was nowhere in sight.

Cindy looked at the Goddess and nodded. She smiled, and the arousal that had left Cindy's body returned with a vengeance.

"Welcome, Servant of the Circle," said Lea. "You are the first, but will not be the last."

Lea kissed her, and thought left Cindy almost completely. She was floating as fingers of fire stabbed through her nervous system, igniting pleasure and creating orgasms that were indescribable. There was, however, one molecule-thin thread of thought that kept hold of a question:

What was holding her up?

Gary was looking around the small building. He'd originally wanted to use it as a workshop, but it was easier to use some of the rooms on the lowest floor of the mansion. Besides, from the day he'd seen this space, he'd had an idea of what he wanted it to be. His discussion with Ken today had been ... interesting. Interesting in that Ken was already treating Gary as if he were a Priest of the Circle.

"You are, in all but name," said Lea, making him jump, "and soon even that will change."

He spun, surprised that his thoughts were clear in Her presence.

"I have a request of you, Craftsman," She said.

Gary smiled, "Your wish is my command."

"You are so ... dramatic sometimes," She said with a surprisingly girlish giggle. "It is my hope that when you come to me, you will be pleased to be with someone who isn't a slave."

Gary cocked his head. That hadn't ever been a consideration. If for no other reason than the fact that he'd never thought to make love to a Goddess.

"Oh, you will," She said, obviously following his thoughts. "When you are raised to your rightful place. But for now, this is what I would like you to create. I would like you and Annette to work on it."

Lea held out a rolled up piece of parchment and Gary took it from Her. After unrolling it, he examined the piece it showed. He didn't think it would be difficult to make, even considering the inlay work.

"I don't want standard workmanship on this, Gary," She said. "I want your magic in it. Yours and Annette's. And I need it by Solstice."

Gary looked up. That wouldn't be a problem, he knew. The piece would take time, but it wasn't overly complex. Lea smiled, and whatever had been protecting him from Her power failed as She wrapped Her arms around his neck and kissed him. By the time his vision cleared, She was gone and he was standing there on legs that didn't want to support him. He looked down.

"Shit," he muttered, "now I gotta go change my pants."

"You did what?" asked Ken, his voice steady. Steady or not, it was clear he was angry though.

Jane and Ari were kneeling on the rug. Cindy, of course, was upstairs with Tina, having skipped school today. Ken didn't really care all that much about that, as long as they weren't falling behind, and he didn't want either of them involved in this conversation anyway.

"If you cannot trust your High Priestesses, then we will have problems, Kennith," said Lea, appearing in the room.

"Cindy is too young," he said.

"Only in your estimation. Both of your High Priestesses and your Goddess believe otherwise," said Lea, her voice sharp. "It is only because I do not wish to undermine my Avatar that I have created this position. It is a compromise."

"Lea, this isn't the Middle Ages," said Ken. "There has to be a line."

"I agree," She replied. "However, that line should be drawn on an individual basis. You have been infected by the ideas of your government, who treats everyone the same, regardless of their maturity or abilities. The 'lowest common denominator', is the phrase, I believe. We are not your government. You have pledged yourself to me, to building my works and my society." Lea paused. "Unless you believe that my judgment is not sound?"

Ken leaned forward, putting his chin on one cupped hand.

"You know that's not the case," he replied. "It's just that it makes me very uncomfortable. When does she get the chance to be a child? To explore being a kid? If we are going to liv..."

He cut himself off, and immediately wished that he'd told Ari and Jane about what kind of lifespan they now possessed.

"I just don't understand the rush," he finished lamely.