prevent a roar of anger and trembled with fear and unwanted desire. I said a prayer; pleading for forgiveness for the sins I was committing and decided that my best way forward was to continue to play along.
“I do,” I replied, lying once again. My voice sounded shaky as that bony hand continued to massage my shaft. Oh, I knew it then, I was going to hell!
Then to my growing alarm, the two acolytes either side of me each took an end of the coil of rope on Blake’s arm. It had been coiled in such a way that when each end was tugged it would unravel in opposite directions. The result of this was that when the rope was pulled to its full length, there was a noose of red rope remaining on Blake’s wrist of the hand that rubbed at my shaft. He loosened the rope and threaded it onto his erection. Then to my growing alarm, he poked my stiff member through the hole to stand beside his. Then one by one the other acolytes tied a noose around their cocks and passed the remaining rope, tugging and tightening as they went on until we were all joined by this thin red rope. The two men at the ends of each strand tied them together.
“As this knot is tied, our lives are now bound. We are linked in unity, brother-to-brother. We vow to share our seed and our souls. These gifts we share willingly.”
“Bless-ed is the seed”,
My new brothers crawled closer on their knees to surround me, and the pure horror at the sudden proximity made my skin burn in a way I was sure I could not stand for much longer. I was trapped, tied by my manhood and the hands of devilry that caressed my burning skin. This predicament was my idea of hell on earth. I was certain that I was to be devoured, body, and soul. A man I believed to be Charles Ashe thrust his hand into my hair and groaned with pleasure as he pulled my head back. He moved in to kiss my throat. I did not want this, no, not at all.
A sharp knocking on the door made all action cease as if a switch was flicked.
“WHO IS IT?” Blake roared.
“I’m sorry sirs, it is Monkman sirs.” The simpering voice said.
“Damn it! What the devil does he want?” Ashe harrumphed, breaking the near otherworldly spell the ritual had cast. The acolytes moved back and I took deep breaths to try and calm my fear.
“Hush,” Blake instructed. He untied his prick, stood, and strode to the door. He opened it a crack and I heard the harried voice of Monkman but could not discern what he said.
“What do you mean he’s not arrived?” Blake’s voice was sharp and echoed with frustration. There was a murmured response and then Blake closed the door.
“Brother Ashe, you said Leo would be along soon, but Monkman said he hasn’t arrived?”
“Oh, I assumed it would be so. Brother Hannan said the boy was traveling alone.”
I had not said those words, Ashe had made an assumption. I was for it now. All eyes turned to me. The prisoner tied to the pommel horse, the man we had ignored for some time let out a muted sob at hearing my name.
“You were his bed partner on the night of the ball.”
“I was, yes”, I lied and noted that lying was becoming all too easy for me since partnering with a master thief!
“You took him to your home afterward, is that correct?”
“No. That wasn’t the case.”
“What, where is he?”
“I don’t know. His friend, Mademoiselle d’Harcourt was with us at the ball. She was extremely drunk and fell asleep on the settee in our bedroom at Devonshire House. After we had… engaged in congress, Leopold suggested that we take Evie home. He didn’t want to leave a lady in such a condition. And so, we carried the woman to a carriage, and then to her lodgings, just off Oxford Street, if I remember correctly. The carriage took us to my home, but Leopold refused to come in.”
“What?” All of the men said in unison.
“He told me he had another engagement. He is a very special young man. I did not want to force unwanted affections on him and make him unhappy.” I said with fake sheepishness and hoped they would believe my lies.
“I bloody knew it was a mistake to bring him down to London!” A voice I recognized