Page 38 of Taken

Fontenot interrupted him. “The Joining is a weekly event that all the women attend in order to sexually please the men.”

My brows shot up. They had mandated weekly orgies?

Christ.

Fontenot went on. “This doesn’t just satisfy the men sexually. It also teaches the young women how to pleasure men and how to endure the pains of intercourse.”

I pressed my lips together. The pains of intercourse? It sounded like these guys were doing it wrong.

“We teach the women here that sexual pleasure is a sin for females,” Jacob explained. “If we didn’t do so, we’d probably have far more affairs happening, and things would go off-track quite fast.”

“I see. I think I remember reading something about that in my copy of His Word, actually. Lust and pleasure being a terrible sin for women and all.”

“Yes. Anyway, the best way to explain the Joining ritual is to simply take you to see one. Luckily, it’s Friday today, so one will be starting down here very soon, once everyone has come in from the bonfire.”

My heart began to thud. Something Fontenot said a few seconds ago was just registering with me. “You said all the women attend these events? Even the unmarried ones?”

He nodded. “Yes, of course. There are different rules for different women, but they are simple enough. We can go through them now,” he replied. “Firstly, married women are only to be used by their husbands, or by us—the Elders and the Prophet.”

Jacob smiled smugly at that.

“Prophet Jacob created this whole place, and we helped him along the way, so God has rewarded us with this gift,” Fontenot explained. “You understand, I’m sure.”

Yeah, sure.

I swallowed. “And the unmarried women?”

“They are the ones who satisfy all the single men. They can be used orally or anally, but never vaginally. We’re similar to you in that we believe that certain parts of a woman are for her husband only. If a man takes an unmarried woman’s virginity, he will be banished from the commune.”

Right, because fucking a woman in the ass doesn’t count as taking her virginity in any way…

I pictured a man using Jolie like that, and my insides felt like they were shriveling from the chill that immediately shot through me. It was fucked up that they’d treat any woman like that, but she was the one I felt the strongest connection with. The thought of anyone touching her made me want to punch a hole through a fucking stone wall.

“You let Jolie attend these rituals?” I asked, looking at Jacob. I hoped my question sounded casual rather than judgmental.

He nodded. “Yes. She must learn alongside the others, so she has been attending them for several months now.” He hesitated for a second. “I must admit, though, it is difficult for me to stomach the thought of the men taking her anally, given that she is my daughter, so thus far I have only permitted them to take her orally.”

Some of the Elders looked slightly annoyed at that—most likely because they wanted to fuck her in the ass—but they didn’t say anything. They probably couldn’t, because Jacob was the one in charge.

“Are there any other rules for these Joining rituals?” I asked.

“You must not maim the women. Other than that, anything goes.”

Christ.When the only real rule was that you must not permanently injure a woman during sex, you were at the wrong fucking orgy. Then again, it was hard to call these ‘Joinings’ orgies. More like ritualized rape.

“I see. And you said one of these is happening here tonight?”

“Yes.” Jacob glanced at his watch. “Actually, it would’ve already started. I didn’t realize how long we’ve been in here discussing everything with you. Shall we take you to the Great Room so you can see?”

I gritted my teeth. “Sure.”

Jacob and the Elders led me down a wide hallway lit by red candles sitting in sconces along the walls. At the end of the hall was a set of stone steps descending even deeper into the ground. Beyond that stood two huge double doors made of thick reddish wood. I took a deep breath as I pictured what lay beyond.

Jacob pushed one of the doors open. The heavy scent of sex, sweat, cologne and oil immediately filled my nostrils, and my eyes widened at the sight before us.

The room wasn’t even close to what I’d expected. It was huge and circular with dark crimson walls and a high ceiling covered in intricate paintings. It was like the Sistine Chapel, except every vivid brushstroke portrayed people in sexual acts. Every color of the rainbow was present in the murals, but red, gold, nude, and black were the most commonly used ones. It was all lit by tall black and gold candles which sat around the perimeter of the room.

Spreading outward from the center of the room was a seething mass of debauchery. Men and young women were embroiled in every hedonistic act the imagination could conceive, and the erotic sounds of slapping flesh and pleasured masculine groans echoed alongside pained whimpers from the women.

---