Page 5 of Ceremony of Lust

“You said you wanted the Wolf to come out. He’s here. Now, get on your fucking knees, Leann, before I change my mind.”

Underneath the streetlights' garish yellow glow, her eyes seem to glitter with both fear and desire. She obeys me, dropping to her knees and then waiting. My hands work quickly to unbuckle my belt and unfasten the fly of my trousers.

“Take out my dick.”

Her hand trembles as she reaches forward to tug down my black briefs. My hard cock springs free, the tip already glistening with precum. She grasps the shaft in her trembling hand and peers up at me for permission.

I give her a sinister smile. “Take it all in your mouth. Every inch of me, Leann.”

My hands latch onto either side of her head, my fingers digging into her scalp as I drive my cock deep into her throat. She sputters and gags from the force and looks up at me with watery eyes and a red face.

“This is what you wanted, right?” I pull back, barely giving her enough time to recover before ramming my cock back between her lips. If I keep up this brutality, I won’t last much longer. I inhale deeply before letting the breath out. My eyes land on Leann, on her knees, saliva dripping from the corners of her mouth as she chokes on my length.

I’m not a man who gets off on violence, but tonight, something inside me is begging for release. Maybe it’s the idea of tomorrow, of being matched with a pretty, young innocent girl who could be my salvation. Maybe it’s my frustration at constantly being used. To the Elders of Ripley, I’m nothing more than a powerful weapon they use to exert their will. No more. I’m done.

Distracted, I don’t even realize I’m about to explode until my cock erupts and Leann gags. Milky white cum leaks down her chin.

“Tsk tsk, Leann. You’re very messy.”

She sits back, letting my cock fall from her lips, and spits on the ground. “Fuck you,” she hisses.

“I’m sure you’d like to but not tonight. Maybe not ever.” I tuck my dick back into my underwear and zip up my pants.

She swipes her hand across her mouth and spits one more time. “That’s it? You’re really ending this?”

I chuckle at the dramatics of her desperation. She is so hungry for wealth, she’s willing to keep degrading herself. Did she expect I would marry her one day? Pathetic. “There was neverthis. There was you, and there was me. We were never a couple, never together.” I pause as she struggles to her feet. Dark patches of gravel stick to her knees. “Good-bye, Leann.”

As I sit in the back of my chauffeured sedan on the way back to Ripley, the enormity of tomorrow’s ceremony hits me. Normally, I’m not nervous about these events. They happen so frequently, and I’ve managed to escape being chosen thus far. Tomorrow feels different. Tomorrow feels as if the tables have turned, and my future will soon change.

3

Yael

The soundof my door squeaking open is immediately followed by the soft shuffle of my grandmother’s feet against the hardwood floor. The bed dips slightly from her weight as she settles herself on the edge.

“Happy Birthday, Yael,” she whispers as she brushes her fingers through my hair. “I have a present for you.”

“Thank you, Grandmother.” I push myself up and lean against the headboard. She hands me a white porcelain plate with a pink frosted cupcake on it.

Cake for breakfast is a tradition in my family. This is how we’ve celebrated my birthday for the last ten years. My grandfather used to join her, and they would sing to me in some ancient language. But three years ago, he passed away.

I swipe a finger in through the sticky, sweet frosting and lick it off. Today is the last day for many things, including this tradition.

My grandmother reaches into the pocket of her floral-print robe and pulls out a black velvet ring box. “I have another gift,” she says.

“Oh, Grandmother, you didn’t have to get my anything,” I tell her with a heavy sigh.

“Hush. I’ve been saving this.” Her wrinkled hands fumble with the lid until she manages to push it open. Nestled on a bed of creamy white silk is a gold ring with a large, square ruby set between two smaller round diamonds. My mouth drops open as I gasp. “It belonged to my mother. She gave it to me when I turned eighteen, and when your mother turned eighteen, I gave it to her. I’ve been saving this for you because I know she would want you to have it, too.”

“This is too much.”

Her mouth forms a thin line. “This is not enough. Take it, Yael. You shouldn’t enter your marriage empty-handed. A penniless wife is a worthless wife.”

My hand trembles as I take the ring out of the box and study it. My grandmother’s words echo over and over as I turn the ring in the sunlight.This is my safety net, my way out if I need it.

As a new bride, I am supposed to enter my marriage without anything. Everything from my “old” life must be abandoned, and my husband will provide me with everything I need for my “new” life. The only exception is assets bequeathed to me by the oldest male in my family.

My grandmother pulls an envelope from her pocket and places it between us. “From your grandfather.”