Author's note ~ This chapter contains scenes of a sexual nature. Reader discretion is advised. ;)
I hope you enjoy.
"What's going on?" Brandon asked, though all three hoped that they already knew the answer.
"We're on. Tomorrow night, we get this ball rolling." Adrian confirmed.
A fat, waxing gibbous moon rising in the clear night sky gifted the gladers with an eerily fluid light as they walked through the shadows of the forest. Sixteen clueless boys curiously followed their leader deeper and deeper into the woods at the south west corner of the glade, all but ready to burst from the mystery of it all. Little conversation was to be had as they traveled; the woods could be a tricky enough spot to wander during the full light of day, inky black shadows and a weak light source turned the terrain into a minefield, and made footing far more treacherous. Stumbling over branches, tripping on underbrush or divots in the ground, the boys could only focus as best they could on where they put their feet and hope their questions would be answered soon.
Alby strode ahead, by all appearances calm and confident as he lead them all through the woods. Firmly in control of himself and conscientiously schooling his features into an expressionless mask, he stepped into the modestly sized clearing, unsure as to what to expect. The meadow was truly unremarkable; a roughly forty by sixty foot break in the trees, the floor covered by a thick ankle high carpet of short grasses, flowers and small leafed plants. At the approximate center of the area a mostly circular section had been cleared down to the raw dirt and a small ring of stones surrounded a mound of firewood, already set and ready to light. As the others emerged from the trees behind him, he pointed at the simple fire pit and grunted.
"Get it lit. We wait here."
Settling himself back against the trunk of a tree, attempting to shrug off a growing sense of unease, he tried to mentally prepare himself for whatever the man had cooked up in that strange mind of his.
What the shuck is he up to this time?
Despite a decided lack of information Alby had done exactly as the man bade; carefully and painstakingly going boy to boy and speaking one-on-one to each, until he had reached out to about half of his fellow gladers. Following Adrian's instructions Alby gave no reasons, no explanations, no information at all – he simply informed each boy that they were to meet him at the south gate at full dark, to come alone, and to keep the meet to themselves. He'd seen the confusion in their faces as they gathered, watched the uncertainty and excitement spread as more and more arrived. Once everyone was accounted for and he lead them into the woods, he could almost hear the questions being mentally shouted at his back as he walked. Only their unshakable trust in him had stilled their tongues, he was sure.
A warm yellow glow flickered weakly as the boys managed to spark the fire to life. The ones who'd started it, and the rest standing around watching, now turned to their leader as one.
"Well?" Hank, one of the builders, called expectantly. "We're here, right? What are we doing, Alby?"
"Yeah, we're well away from the glade now. Tell us what's up." Fynn coaxed.
"Why are we out here in the middle of the shuckin' night in these spooky freakin' woods?" A third asked.
"Aww, poor baby." Another crooned to the boy who made that comment. "Afraid of the dark? Gonna scream and klunk yourself if a squirrel runs by?"
"Shut up you stupid – "
"Slim it, everyone." Alby snapped, cutting the growing hubbub off in an instant. "You shanks are here because I told you to be here. You'll find out why shortly. What's the rush? Do you really have anything better to do right now? Try to find a little damn patience, would you? It'll be worth it."
"What are we supposed to do?" Hank asked, cowed a little by his leader's terse order.
"For now? We wait."
Adrian checked over his comrades briskly, adjusting the line of a garment here, smudging paint a little here, straightening their hair and securing their fastenings tightly. When everything was as close to perfect as he could make it, he walked over to the door and opened it to the night, standing with his back to the others for a long moment. For all the hours and hours of sweat and toil, the rigorous training and thorough tutoring, three measures of determination had yet to be tested – it all boiled down to tonight. He spoke without turning around.
"If anyone is having doubts, or second thoughts, if anyone wants to back out, or doesn't feel like they can do this...now's the time to say it. No hard feelings."
One voice rang out. Then another, and a third.
"We're right behind you. All the way."
"Absolutely."
"Ready and willing!"
The man turned, a pleased and wicked smile on his painted face.
"All for one, one for all. Let's go."
Moving silently through the darkness, the four made short work of creeping up on the meeting spot Adrian had arranged with Alby. They moved with confidence, as the man had had the foresight to run them through the route a handful of times in the past week in preparation for the big event. Hushed voices faded into absolute silence as the orange shimmer of flames became visible through the brush. Adrian pointed definitively, sending the boys to their prearranged positions to wait. Once alone, he took a minute to assemble his thoughts – and to psych himself up for what was to come. He reached behind hims head with both hands, lifting his hood up and delicately settling it in place over his hair and face.
He was ready.
The boys were starting to get restless. The fire had started to burn down and a full hour passed, yet there was still no sign of...anything. Gladers sat in twos and threes, gossiping, gaming amongst themselves, trying to kill time until the purpose of this whole endeavor was finally revealed. Alby never moved from his spot at the edge of the meadow, trying to project an air of casual composure that was in direct opposition to his growing irritation.
Where the hell iss he? Is this supposed to be some kind of idiotic joke?
As he stood and waited Fynn, keeper of the sloppers, grew fed up with the mindless hand game two of his friends were playing and walked over, obviously trying to keep the impatience out of his voice.
"Any idea how much longer we'll be waiting?" He asked, irked. "It's getting late, and I need to be up at the crack of dawn with the boys to work on that project for you."
"I told you." Alby said, with a forced air of superiority. "We wait."
"Yeah, fine, well, if you want to wait here all shucking ni – "
It took Alby considerable effort to not jump as a sudden sharp scuffling sounded in the brush behind them, barely ten feet away. Conversations and games cut off as everyone looked around, trying to pinpoint the origin of the sound. The scuffling got louder, started to sound more aggressive, and began coming from multiple points around the clearing. The boys bunched up a bit, instinctively moving closer to each other as they searched for the source of the noise.
Fynn spun back to where Alby was still slouched against the tree, looking distressingly dismissive of the possible threat.
"What the shuck are you playing at? What the hell is this?!"
Before Alby could consider answering a low smoky laugh drifted into the air, raising goose flesh on every one who heard it. The darkly amused sound grew in volume and seemed to bounce off the surrounding trees, echoing right back to them and making the hair stand up on the back of their necks. High, childish giggles joined the laughter until it felt as though they were completely surrounded. The muscles in Alby's back were tighter than a fist as he forced himself to do nothing, just maintain his impassive posture and non-nonchalance. His head screamed for him to jump in but he fought the urge, trying to show a measure of the trust the man had requested.
"Who the shuck is out there!" Fynn demanded angrily. "Show yourselves! If this is some kind of moronic prank, I swear to God!"
The laughter cut off abruptly, and silence held for a dozen heartbeats before the figure stepped out of the shadows. The boys were rendered utterly speechless at the sight before them.
It was a woman.
Though her face was completely shadowed by the hood of a long supple cloak, she'd flipped the edges of the material behind her as she walked towards them, putting her full figure on display. Made black and white by the bleaching shine of the moon, color crept back in to her image as she stepped into the light of the fire. The boys stood petrified, mesmerized.
It had to be a woman – no man walked like that, hips swaying, taking those graceful steps in knee high soft leather boots. Boots that rode high enough to meet the buff colored cotton of her skin tight pants, both highlighting her long shapely legs.
It had to be a woman – no man had those ripe curves, clearly accentuated by a black leather waist cincher, the long ends of the ties swaying hypnotically from the asymmetrical left side closure. The leather had a dull shine to it, and it was laced tightly over a flowing crimson shirt that left her shoulders bare, puffing out into wide sleeves that gathered back at the elbow.
It had to be a woman – no man had breasts like those, two very specific assets that rose proudly for all to see. The very sight of thin dark straps on those bare shoulders, and the hint of (Mother of God!) black lace peeking up over the rouge of her top made more than one boy present clear his throat a little uncomfortably.
Moving wordlessly through the stunned boys, the woman walked over and stood right in front of Alby, cocking a hip and remaining silent, clearly waiting for a reaction. Alby swallowed mutely a couple of times before he was reasonably sure that he'd have his voice under control.
"You're late."
The woman threw back her head and laughed her sultry laugh, shaking the shapeless hood back and swirling the cape off dramatically, smiling down at the leader. Her hair was a riot of rich dark curls and waves, picking up glints of shine thrown by the fire. Bloody red lips curved wickedly, showing a teasing hint of white teeth behind the cupid's bow. From brow to lower cheek bone, her face was covered in a thin, painstakingly hand carved mask, painted in black and made elaborate with tiny beads and sleek black feathers.
"I am apology." She said clearly in a husky, accented voice. "The moon, she is so close to full, it is too easy for to be...distracted."
"This is Adrian's surprise?" Alby muttered quietly, far too low to be heard by the others. "What in God's name is this supposed to be?!"
"Something he must surely think that you – all of you – badly need." She replied at a similar volume, her flawlessly unaccented voice suddenly of a much more familiar cadence. When she stepped closer, her chest almost touching Alby's, the boy could only stare into the heavily made up eyes that flashed behind the mask. Too staggered to say it out loud, he mouthed the word.
Adrian?
She leaned close to speak in his ear, her breasts brushing his chest and making him shiver involuntarily.
"Not tonight, I'm not. I'd appreciate if you'd remember that – for everyone's sake. A little wilful suspension of disbelief tonight is going to make everyone else very, very happy."
The curve of lips against his ear, the warm moist breath against his neck made him shiver again, harder than before. Even being fully aware of what - and who - lie beneath the paint and costume, Alby could feel a flicker of heat begin deep in his belly as his body reacted to the sudden stimulus. Two beads of sweat dripped down the side of his face.
Just as quickly as she'd moved in the woman pulled away, spinning easily to face the flabbergasted boys as they stood and watched, at a loss as to what to do.
"I am called, this night I am called here. The name of mine is Althea. It will be pleasure to meet you all."
The words in the thick accent were delivered immaculately, the voice she used was low pitched and undoubtedly sensual. As the others began to glance back and forth between themselves, they started untangling their tongues.
"Who are you? What do you want with us?" Hank called out, trying to sound confident and manly.
"I have told you this. I am named Althea." She replied, amusement lurking in her voice. "I am called here. One, who knows you, he found to call to me, tell to me that I am to be needing to come here."
"Why?"
She laughed again, gesturing at the gathered boys airily.
"It is as I am told, many many males – boys." She corrected herself, looking at each in an appraising sort of way. They started to shift uneasily, not sure where this was going. "Yes, many boys, but no females. Boys are needing the females, just as so females are needing the boys, yes?"
There was a sudden urgent need, shared by most of the boys - a need to suddenly study the sky, the surrounding trees, or their own feet.
"That's a...generous offer, Miss...Althea?" Fynn answered cautiously, gazing over her shoulder and not looking at her directly. "But, as there's only one of you, and like forty of us, I don't see..."
She waved him off, laughing again at the embarrassed color in his face.
"No, no, you are to misunderstand. I am not in need of males...of boys." She grinned wickedly, the expression terribly mischievous. "Not for me." She turned and called to the woods in a high, joyful voice.
"Rebenok! Rebenok, idi syuda! "
As if they materialized out of the dark itself, three girls stepped into the circle of firelight. The boys gasped at the incredible apparitions in front of them.
One was tall and pale, with delicate curves and a shoulder length rain of icy blonde hair.
Another was short and lightly tanned, with luscious curves and a halo of reddish gold curls.
The third was dark as the night itself, with a modest figure and a mass of ebony hair in an explosion of tiny, tight braids.
All wore intricate brown feathered masks. All wore very tight, very brief shorts that showed off a great deal of smooth, tempting thigh and leg. All wore very smug, utterly confident female smiles.
The three girls swept into low bows, their shirts gaping and giving a glimpse of lacy bras and bare flesh beneath.
Every mouth in the meadow went dry.
"Mother." They said in unison, their voices clear and sweet. "We are here."
"Rebenok, my daughters. These are the males we are to meet." She walked over, turning to face the boys and introducing the girls one by one.
The blonde, in a sage green top that showed off several tempting inches of bare midriff.
"My Ashley, bright and bold."
The brunette, pixie like in soft shades of pink, her generous bosom causing many a blush to rise.
"My Sarah, soft and sweet."
The dark skinned beauty, glowing in a thin white confection designed to flame the imagination.
"My Brianne, strong and fearless."
Each bowed again in turn, their lips stretching in feline smiles of anticipation.
"They know more to speak as you do, but they are shy, you see, with words they are shy. For now, as is said, words are not needed. They will learn from you, and you will learn from them."
"And what, exactly, are we going to learn?" Alby asked faintly, almost afraid of the answer.
Althea walked over to him, stepping into his personal space and slowly trailing a finger tip from his collar bone down to the buckle of his belt, watching his eyes go glassy from the contact. Sweat began to bead on his upper lip.
"You are leader here, yes? We will...demonstration for you."
Cupping the back of his neck with her hand, she tilted his head up and brought hers down to meet him, crushing their lips together in a hot tangle of teeth and tongue. Humming appreciatively, she slithered that glorious body up against his as she pressed him back against the tree. Abruptly and achingly hard, his arms wrapped around her back like vines, pulling her closer as she did incredible things to his mouth. He gasped for air when she broke the kiss, promptly letting out a lightly muffled groan as the friction between her body and his arousal sent delicious little tremors up and down his spine. He was unable to maintain his composure and let out a full-throated moan when she nibbled on his ear, scraped her teeth gently against the tender curve of his neck. Suddenly he felt a second pair of hands sliding between them, reaching for the clasp of his jeans. He protested weakly when she stepped back, breaking contact.
"Ah!...w-wait...I..."
She just smiled that same dangerous smile, touching her pale pink tongue to her top lip in a shockingly sexual way. She kept watching him as Brianne succeeded in unsnapping his pants, running a dark hand naughtily up and under Alby's shirt, fearlessly exploring the leader's work hardened physic with both hands and mouth. Alby was panting now, his erection bulging through the gap in his jeans as Brianne continued where Althea had left off.
"She wants to learn." The woman said, matter-of-factly. "Do you wish to learn? Is this...agreeable for you? You will teach to her?"
He knew, in the back of his mind, that all of these 'girls' HAD to be gladers, boys he'd worked with, sweat with, for a year and a half. He knew that other guys had never held any kind of sexual appeal for him, though he had no particular issues with those who leaned that way. Alby knew he should say no, should say stop.
He knew he wanted this.
"Yes...God, ah! Yes!"
Knowing, not caring, willing tonight to believe only his eyes and his body and leave the rest for tomorrow, he hauled Brianne up and into a noisy, sloppy kiss. Her mouth wasn't as skillful as the woman's - there was a good deal of experimenting on both sides, but when her hand closed over the thin cloth still covering his member he bucked into the touch and let out a high pitched whine, too desperate for release to be embarrassed. Tugging him free from his shorts, she fisted his erection in her wide soft palm and lay wet open mouth kisses over the side of the neck as she slowly pumped him, blowing softly on the damp skin as he held on to the back of her neck, grabbing her hip in a white knuckled grip. He was actively thrusting now, groaning and panting as his hips moved faster and faster, her steadily moving hand tightly trapped between their bodies. Breathing quickly from her own excitement, she flicked her thumb lightly over the exposed head of his sex, moaning and gasping in his ear.
"Yes, ahhhh, yes! I need you, Alby... Now, ahh, A-Alby, now! Ah!"
He cried out as he came, his hips frantically jerking as he emptied himself into her hand.
Spent, exhausted, he lay pinned between her firm and appealing body and the hard support of the tree. His hand slid off her hip to lay limply at his side, and he buried his head in the curve of her shoulder as they both tried to regain their composure.
Althea nodded approvingly, turning back to the obviously aroused and eagerly waiting boys.
"This is to learn. Are others willing? To learn, and teach?"
There were none who refused the allure of the girls. While a few proved unsure or hesitant (or downright shy when it was their turn) no one straight out declined the services being offered. Before the night was even close to half over, all seventeen present gladers had been gratified in a way they'd barely dreamed of before. The girls, willing and eager and quick to learn, used the friction of their bodies and their already skillful hands to make sure every boy was taken care of. With the fire down to barely glimmering embers and the boys sitting or lounging around, all but asleep, Althea stopped to whisper a last few words in Alby's ear. Then, with a sultry laugh, she turned and disappeared into the liquid indigo shadows of the forest, followed closely by her three girls. None of the girls looked back, but every pair of eyes followed them. Every male present wondered if this was all some crazy dream, and if they would ever see the girls again.
Every one of them fervently, desperately hoped they would.
Author's note ~ The gladers are, at the time my story takes place, in the age range of 15 - 16 years old. Yes, still minors, but frankly I don't think it's terribly realistic to believe that a bunch of hormonal teenagers could be trapped in close quarters for an extended length of time with NO sexual encounters at all occurring. Just sayin'. ^.~
Happy New Year everyone, and see you next chapter!
~Ruby