Page 39 of Sinful

“Yes. We’ve had two consecutive blood moons over the last two months. The third is happening in a week, and the final one is four weeks after that.”

“So you’ve already completed your ritual, then?” I asked, tipping my head.

“No. There are four Blood Moon idols altogether, and I was the last to be born, so my ritual will take place during the final blood moon,” she replied. “The first woman, who completed her ritual seven weeks ago, was ninety-two years old. The second, forty-seven. Next week’s is thirty-two.”

“Ninety-two. Wow,” I muttered, shaking my head. “I guess it’s quite rare for a woman to die in childbirth. Even rarer for it to happen during an eclipse.”

“Exactly.”

“What about the other celestial virgins? The ones of lesser importance?” I asked. “Do they come from women who died in childbirth when there wasn’t an eclipse happening?”

Rose nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

“So what happens during this tetrad ritual? Can I watch?”

She shook her head. “It is sacred. No outsiders may attend.”

“Can you tell me what happens, at least?”

“I can briefly describe it for you,” she said, raising her chin. “The whole town gathers at the Red Rocks, and the virgin submits herself to the Entity there. It is a truly wondrous experience. I cannot wait for my own.”

I noticed she suddenly looked horny as fuck, eyes gleaming with anticipation and lips slightly parted. It was no wonder. She was twenty-four and had to see the other Covenant members fucking all the time, never getting a single piece to herself. That would drive anyone up the wall.

“What exactly happens when you submit to the Entity?” I asked, wildly curious.

“Well, it is extremely effective at keeping the Darkness at bay. Once the tetrad rituals are complete, it will be pushed even farther back into the cave where it lurks, and it will have much less of a chance to escape.”

“Sorry, I meant… what doyoudo during the ritual? What exactly does submission mean?”

“All I can tell you is that we submit… physically.” Rose pressed her lips together. “I cannot say more. As I said, it is a sacred ritual.”

Given the comment about the physical aspect, along with the lusty glimmer in her eyes, I had a feeling all these virgins werelikely ‘submitted’ to various men during these rituals. But she clearly wasn’t going to be forthcoming about it, and neither was anyone else in this place. I’d have to find out for myself.

I made a mental note of the ‘Red Rocks’ Rose had mentioned. Later, when I had internet access again, I needed to research the geology of this area. If I could find locations where red sediment existed around here, I might be able to pinpoint the exact position of the ritual spot.

Rose looked over at a couple going at it doggy style. Her brows pulled downward, and she bit her lip and snapped her gaze away again, one hand roughly pinching at the tender underside of her arm. Clearly, she was trying and failing to stop the onslaught of sexual feelings inside her. She wanted to be fucked so badly, but she wasn’t allowed, and it was killing her.

A charge of excitement zipped through my blood, my dick twitching again. The thought of her fighting her horniness all the time in her attempt to retain her society’s twisted notion of purity was driving me insane. I would be the one who made her finally give up that fight, and I couldn’t fucking wait.

I stood and offered her a hand. “I can walk you home, if you like.”

“You want to leave?”

“Yeah. I’m kinda tired.”

She smiled faintly. “All right.”

No one seemed to notice us leaving together. They were all too busy, either fucking or watching all the fucking.

Our walk back to town was perfectly chaste. Right up until the moment we arrived at the Trudeau’s front door, and Rose turned to look up at me, eyes wide and mouth slightly open as her gaze came to rest on my lips.Christ,she was the perfect blend of innocent and sexy. So sweet yet so tempting.

I reached out, gently cupping her jaw in one hand. “Has anyone ever kissed you, Rose?” I asked, eyes lingering on her plump lips.

“No,” she said breathlessly. “Except…”

“Except?” I arched a brow and slightly tilted my head, goading her to continue.

“Sometimes in my dreams,” she murmured.

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