Shameless Exposure

by Robert Fanshaw

  “Angus, I need to get onto Mura. My wife’s in danger. I thought Regina might have changed when she found religion, but she’s as devious as ever. She’s splitting us apart.”

  “Impossible. They will nae let ye on.”

  “Is there somewhere else you could land me? Round the other side of the island?”

  “No.”

  “We could let them get started with the ceremony and then you could slip me over under cover of darkness.”

  “That wee boat’s not safe in the dark. It would be madness in this weather.”

  “I could pay you extra.” Robert reached for his wallet.

  “The trouble with people today is they think they can buy anything they want.”

  “This is not about money, it’s about love. Regina’s got into Caroline’s head with some nonsense about being her mother. Now I’ve had a text from Caroline saying she’s going through a ceremony to become a priestess.” Angus didn’t comment. “At least let me buy you a drink.”

  “Now you’re talking sense.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  The great hall was decorated so heavily with holly, ivy and mistletoe that it resembled a medieval forest. At the end of the clearing, a log fire burned brightly, compensating for the lack of moonlight on a cloudy night. The circular dais in the middle of the hall, overhung with foliage pinned to the wooden ceiling, was ringed with flickering flames like a gas ring on simmer. Synthesized jungle music was turned up loud. Many of the acolytes packed into the hall had started dancing spontaneously, filled with the thrill of anticipation and the joy of celebration.

  A huge cheer erupted when Regina made her entrance, mounted the dais, and ritually disrobed. She gave the audience permission to do likewise. Regina nodded to a Wimple, who turned the gas up a little. The flames around the platform danced six inches high. Regina said it was a night for celebration, not sermons, but gave a twenty minute lecture nonetheless on the importance of respecting the vagina spirit. On this one night of the month, everyone must come, or the spirits would be angry. In fact, because it was the solstice as well, they would be absolutely livid.

  Regina described the progress made over the past thirteen months and the need to maintain momentum for the push into the States. The work had become too much for one body. The spirit wanted her to appoint a High Priestess, and tonight the spirit would choose who it should be. Two candidates had put themselves forward for initiation. Only one would pass the test. The oak doors opened on cue, revealing Joni and Caroline in their yellow robes and a Wimple by their sides. Linda pushed forward.

  “Caroline. I need to speak to you. Robert…”

  “Who are you? Can’t you see I’m busy?”

  Linda tried to walk along beside Caroline, who towered above her in extravagant footwear.

  “It’s important. Robert’s found out that…” Her words were cut off by a sharp shove from Caroline’s Wimple, and Linda fell back into the crowd of proselytes.

  The contenders entered the ring. The Wimples undressed their charges, apart from the eight inch platform shoes which Regina had told them were necessary so that everyone in the packed hall could see them clearly. Regina called the contenders forward and they teetered into the centre of the ring, Joni with the confidence of an experienced model. She gave some last minute instructions and tossed a coin. Joni called tails and won the toss.

  “I’ll go first. I want to get it over with,” said Joni, shouting into Caroline’s ear to be heard above the music. “I bet I’ll win. The man hasn’t come for twenty seven days. He won’t last five minutes. One look at me in these killer shoes and he’ll be spurting all over the canvas.”

  “They say he’s no ordinary man,” said Caroline. “Greta says he’s developed tantric powers and that he’s incredibly strong. Have you seen him?”

  “No,” said Joni. “But I have heard him, grunting and bellowing when he does his exercises in the dungeon. I just hope he keeps his mouth shut tonight. Then I can pretend he’s someone else and pass the test.”

  “You’d better not pretend he’s Robert. I heard about you seducing him.”

  “That proves you’re not ready to be High Priestess,” said Joni. “You don’t understand, do you? This isn’t about owning people, it’s about owning yourself.”

  “We may as well try and enjoy this. I don’t believe there’s a man on the planet that could resist both our charms. May the best girl win.” She gave Joni a goodwill hug. “I’m glad you’re going first. He should be warmed up nicely for me.”

  “You seem confident.”

  “Something’s changed,” said Caroline. “Even in a couple of days I’ve learnt something about myself from Regina. I used to be full of conflict and doubt but now I feel this power rushing through me and carrying me off into the future.”

  “Well here comes the future,” said Joni. “Oh my God… I’ve changed my mind, you can go first.”

  The Wimples had opened the huge oak doors at the back of the hall to admit a giant. The naked audience parted wide like the Red Sea to allow Ness free passage to the dais. He walked steadily, eyes fixed on the two initiates. Their eyes flicked over him, taking in the massive muscular limbs, the narrow torso, the shaven everything, the violent dark blue tattoos, the biggest set of male equipment they had ever seen, like a stone age phallus etched on a chalk hillside had been miraculously brought to life.

  There were no polite introductions. A heavy solemnity descended on the proceedings. Regina smiled and left the dais. She walked round the thick stone column which hid the gas tanks and opened the tap another turn. Flames leapt to three feet or more, appearing to consume the actors on the stage in a devilish fire.

  Ness looked to the women to indicate who was first. They pointed at each other. He walked up to Caroline and stood very close. Even with her platforms he was more than a head taller. He stared down into her eyes as if he wanted to see into her soul. He took her hand and examined it carefully. She saw the word hate tattooed on his massive knuckle. He let go of her hand and took a step back as if weighing her up. She breathed heavily.

  He turned to Joni. When Ness stood in front of Joni, she disappeared entirely from the view of half the audience. He repeated his examination, but didn’t let go of Joni’s hand. Her legs began to tremble, and not just because it was hard to stand for long in those shoes. She didn’t need to stand for much longer. He pushed her to her knees and thrust his third leg and his huge swinging bollocks towards her face. Caroline shrank to the edge of the dais, as close to the flames as she dared, and hugged her knees to her chest.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  “Aye, another double if ye don’t mind.”

  Robert fulfilled the order and finished telling Angus the true story of Regina’s past as the cruel Madame, Melody Bigger.

  “So you’re saying it’s all bogus? Well I could have told ye that. But it’s good for business. There’s not a lot else going on up here.”

  “It’s worse than bogus,” said Robert. “It’s fraudulent, it’s criminal. And she has tricked my wife into making her think she is her mother. Regina is mad. I must get over there before Caroline’s lost forever.”

  “You’re too late now. They’ll be starting the solstice moon ceremony. All hell breaks loose – well it did in June. And Miss Heart said she’s doing a pagan initiation tonight to admit one lucky soul to the priesthood. You could call it a sacrifice, but she uses a man – a very big man. Let’s put it this way, I din nae think the woman will ever be the same again.”

  “Who are the victims?”

  “One of them lanky models, the blond one.”

  “Joni?”

  “And there’s another candidate, a new girl. Attractive woman. Long red curly hair.”

  “That’s Caroline.”

  “Aye, I think so.”

  “Give me the keys.” Robert waved his hand towards Angus. “The keys to start your boat.”

  “The keys are in the boat. But you’ll not make it as sure as my name’s Angus. Ev
en if you made it over the Sound, how would ye get ashore? I can just see ye leaping from the boat straight into the icy water.”

  “I’ve got to try.”

  “Oh bugger it; I can nae let ye drown. I’ll come with ye.” Angus and Robert drained their glasses, shouted thanks to the barman, and ran off back to the dark dock.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Linda winced as she watched Joni try to accommodate Ness’s massive member in her button mouth. However widely she opened her jaw, Joni could only admit the tip. She did her best to lubricate it with her tongue. The audience was so absorbed in the spectacle that Linda was able to pick up her robe and slip out of the hall without attracting attention. She worked her way through the practice rooms and to the dark, deserted tower. She ran nimbly up the stone stairs.

  Once in Regina’s room, she made sure the curtain was pulled tight and risked turning on a lamp. She worked her way through Regina’s desk drawers. Paperwork was neat and minimalist. Judging by the black sacks of white confetti by the desk, extensive use had been made of the paper shredder. The largest drawer contained a number of small boxes of neatly sorted paper clips, drawing pins, flash drives, and rubber bands. One box was full of paper tags from individual herbal teabags. She took some of them out and put them in a row on the desk. The sentiments were familiar. Where had she seen them before?

  She opened up the laptop on the desk. She tried Robert’s suggestions for the password and struck gold with her third attempt, melbig. The screen defaulted to the Dunlaggin experience promo. She watched the first minute before remembering her purpose. She pressed pause with the mouse. How strange. It had stopped at the image of an otter. She pressed play, let it run for a few seconds, then pause again: a raven. The third time a vixen came up. She watched another full minute without pausing but could see no more animals, spirit or otherwise.

  She found the documents file on the hard drive. A folder labelled Donations had records of every tax dodger who had subscribed to the avoidance scheme. She zipped the files and emailed them to herself in London, her foot tapping impatiently as the large files oozed through the slow connection. When at last the sent message appeared, she turned off the lamp and crept out the room, shrieking when she bumped into a ghost, two ghosts.

  The Wimples seized her and she struggled. They kicked her and she fell down the first flight of stairs. She thought she was dead, but she knew she wasn’t when the Wimples bumped her down the remaining flights into the dungeon, ripped off her robe, and pushed her through the steel door into Ness’s empty cell. Wimple One fixed a strip of packaging tape across Linda’s mouth, and completed the package with wrists and ankles. Wimple Two went back into the undercroft to write a note, and returned to the cell. She held the note up in front of Linda’s face. Ness will see to you later.

  The Wimples floated off back to the great hall where Joni was still struggling to make a significant impact on Ness, though his prick was now fully extended and pointing upwards. He decided to move things on. He picked Joni up like she was a balsa wood model and lowered her onto his prick. Her vagina, as tight a buttonhole as her mouth, clamped shut. She slid off him. The massive stick nudged her other hole and she squealed. He laid her on the floor, placed his arms either side of her, placed his penis at the entrance to her vagina, and began something that resembled a hundred press-ups.

  Millimetre by millimetre, the oversized penis gained admission. Ness was in no hurry. A hundred press-ups was nothing to him. He loomed over her, blocking out the light. Her raven appeared. It seemed to fly out of her chest and up into the rafters. She sighed and melted. Ness sank into her, a large portion of the improbable penis disappearing from view. The audience craned their necks to see between the dancing flames.

  Caroline had an unobstructed view. She was sure she could satisfy Ness better, the thought making her wet with nervous anticipation. She was cross again. Why did he bother with Joni? She wanted to get on with being bad to the bone, like she was born to be. She would show Regina who should be High Priestess.

  Ness rose in and out of Joni like the bow of a ship in a force nine gale. Joni’s prediction that he wouldn’t last five minutes was entirely wrong. She screamed with surprise as the first wave of orgasm crashed through her body. The wave receded, swallowed up into an ocean of sensation. But before long, another high roller began forming in the sea of her million nerve endings. It gained in height and mass, approaching her shore with potent force. It grew ever larger, the crest of wave began to tumble and foam, and finally engulf every part of her mind and body with a rush of wet energy. She gasped for air and clung tight to the lump of wreckage that towered over her. But there was no sign that the storm was about to abate.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Angus pointed the boat in the general direction of Mura and fought the wind and waves.

  “Madness, complete madness.” As if to confirm his words, a wave swept over the boat and filled it with water.

  “Ye can be first mate,” said Angus. “Get to work or we’re doomed.” Robert bailed furiously with the bucket, but it was the rigid inflatable construction which kept them from going under. Robert pointed to a faint light in the distance escaping from the high windows of the great hall. Angus nodded, glad of something to aim for. When they approached the ramp it was obvious the boat would not be able to tie up. The swell was too great, waves smashing over the concrete ramp.

  “You’re gonnae have te jump,” Angus shouted to Robert. “I’ll get in as close as I can but ye’ll have te tak ye chance.”

  Three times the boat was pushed near to the ramp and Robert prepared to leap, but three times the back swell pushed the boat too far away just at the moment he had decided to jump. Angus, not one to give up easily, turned the boat and accelerated towards the ramp. A wave caught the boat and propelled it even faster. It smashed into the concrete ramp, ripping a hole in the rigid hull, and catapulting the crew into the seething black brine.

  Under the water, Robert stared death in the face before realising it was the white visage of Angus. They clung to each other and surfaced near enough to the ramp to crawl onto the submerged portion. Despite the continued battering of the waves, they inched their way to a sodden safety. Angus stood dripping and watched his livelihood being pummelled to pieces on the rocks of Mura.

  “I said it was madness.”

  “Now for the difficult bit,” said Robert, pulling a length of seaweed from his hair.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Joni shook her head to indicate she could take no more, or at least needed a half-time break.

  “Your turn,” she said to Caroline. “It’s yours to win or lose.” Joni staggered to the edge of the dais and pushed Caroline into the middle. Regina caught Caroline’s eye and smiled encouragement.

  Caroline had been having second thoughts. She knew it was late in the day to allow doubts to creep in, but the sight of Ness so totally overpowering the slim wisp Joni was troubling. Caroline liked to be in control, even when pretending she wasn’t. With Ness, there could be no pretence. The audience pushed closer, as near to the dancing flames as they dared. They wanted to see how the monster would tackle the second, more voluptuous challenger.

  Ness prowled around the dais, sizing Caroline up from all angles. A tongue darted out from between his teeth in anticipation of prey. His muscular body, slick with sweat from his efforts with Joni, shone in the flickering light. She made out one of the gruesome comic book tattoos: King Kong and the woman on the Empire State building.

  Ness stood still, stared at her, held his member in one hand and worked it up to its fullest dimensions. Caroline stared back, as defiantly as she could manage when her stomach was swarming with butterflies and her breathing was short. There didn’t seem to be much chance of sensuous foreplay. She told herself to focus on the job in hand. She had this opportunity to be a High Priestess in a worldwide movement. How many people could say that? She just had to make him come. She’d always managed to achieve that with men before. All it took was a bit
of teasing and temptation.

  She shook her hair and swept it behind her head with her hands. She placed her fingers in her mouth, sucked them, and used them to circle her nipples. He stood and watched without the trace of a smile. She pushed her breasts up towards him and then turned her back on him, legs close together. She turned and looked at him over her shoulder, and ran her hands lightly over her buttocks, pushing her arse towards him.

  She turned again and traced a single finger down between her breasts to her belly button and then to her pussy, miming pleasure. Ness watched and worked his member. She increased her movements, inserting fingers in her warm wet hole, and massaging her clitoris. Her acting became more of the method school; to act it you have to live it.

  Ness was no novice, however. He had been practising alone in his cell for more than six months and was merely biding his time. He would deliver his payload of double cream when and where he wanted to. He allowed Caroline’s show to continue for a while and then decided to change to another channel. Out of the blue, he took two giant steps towards her, picked her up, held her high over his head and spun her round five times. The audience applauded the bold move like it was Strictly Come Dancing.

  He ignored her cries of alarm and her flailing arms and laid her gently on the canvas. He pushed her legs apart, ready now to experience her delights. He balanced above her on one hand, and with the other positioned the broad tip of his phallus at the entrance of her vagina.

  Caroline closed her eyes and took a deep breath in anticipation of an immense violation, hoping the vagina spirit was willing to ease the path to the priesthood. But the moment of truth was interrupted with a loud clash as the oak doors at the back of the hall swung violently open.