The Game Ch. 03

Dr. Julie seemed the most excited about being at this place and gladly explained what she knew of the sacrificial ceremony.

"The Mayans were very religious people and frequently made offerings to their gods to help with good weather for bountiful crops. When they offered a goat or even a chicken they prayed for favorable growing conditions, especially if the weather had not been good. They sometimes added some holy blood from their women as part of the ceremony. They believed that a small amount of blood from the woman's genitals was special and offered spiritual power. The woman would be laid out on the alter then bled from the lips of her vagina into a small cup or chalice made of gold. I brought an example in my bag."

She has a device here? Shivers ran through Danielle's body as she thought about what she should do. Everyone was looking at her now.

Dr. Julie Keller could see the fright in Danielle's eyes. "Oh don't worry dear. We won't cut you. We'll just pinch you instead to dramatize the idea."

While that was somewhat comforting, Danielle was still feeling like a lamb being led to the slaughter. The idea of human sacrifice sent a shiver through her body. There were three of them with whom to contend. She had forgotten about the game since boarding the cruise ship and believed that this was just another vacation. Now she was about to have her limits tested again. Where could she go at this point in the Belize jungle? She noticed that Dr. Steven had opened the camera bag and was taking a black fabric bag from within the camera case. Jack took her by the arm and started to walk toward the alter. He gripped her forearm tightly as he led her to the stone slab. She noticed that not only was the alter cleaned up but there were lengths of rope neatly wound next to the supports. She knew what that was for, and gulped nervously. She saw that the others were coming over beside the alter too.

Jack positioned Danielle against the center of the alter with her upper legs pressed against the stone slab.

"This will require you to undress," he instructed softly into her ear. "I'll be at your side the whole time."

He began unbuttoning her blouse as she remained still, watching the Kellers. She noticed the doctors conferring about fifty feet away and pointing toward the valley below. Jack slipped her blouse over her shoulders and slipped it from her arms. Removing it felt good as the heat of the mid-day sun had begun to make her hot. He unfastened her bra and slid if down over her arms too. Danielle felt self-conscious being topless in front of the anthropologists. She wondered whether the driver could see her too, although the SUV was to her back and not visible from the top of the pyramid. Jack opened her shorts and inserted his thumbs into her waistband as he slid them down. He left her thong in place for the moment. She was staring down and hadn't noticed the doctors had joined them.

"Place her head there," Dr. Steven said, pointing to the right-hand side of the alter.

Jack laid out a bright gold-colored beach towel over the sun heated stone before helping her sit down on the slab, then pivoted her before laying her down on her back. The stone still felt hot through the towel. Her bare skin felt tender as she was now being positioned by all three of the others. Jack was at the bottom where he slipped her panties down her legs and over her feet. Jack and the Kellers switched places. Each of the doctors took hold of one foot. They gently positioned her so her ankles could be tied to grooves that had been cut into the corners of the slab. Taking the rope, they each tied her ankles to the corners. This position left her groin hanging just slightly over the edge of the slab. Danielle saw the golden cup for the first time as Dr. Steven opened the black velvet bag and brought it out into the sunlight. It shone brilliantly as she watched anxiously. He laid it on the platform directly beneath her slit.

"This is what they used to collect the sacred blood," he explained.

Danielle winced at the thought. They bound Danielle's wrists to the supports beneath the alter, passing the ropes through holes that had been bored through the stone. Danielle found the positioning to be awkward and very uncomfortable. The sunshine warmed her body. She waited for the experts to reenact the ceremony. She hoped it wouldn't take too long as her tender white skin was unprotected from the sun.

"I have a clamp that we're going to use in place of the dagger that the Mayans would have used for the ceremony. I even have genuine Mayan dagger for authenticity."

Dr. Steven presented a small knife with an ornate handle and a small curved blade that came to a sharp point. Danielle tried to see the object in his hand. He laid it on the alter beside her where she could barely see it when she strained to look to the side and down. The doctors quietly left the site, leaving Jack alone with Danielle.

"I'm going to preside over this ceremony now," declared Jack as he stood over the helpless Danielle. "This is too intimate to be left to strangers."

Jack took a bottle of sunscreen from his pack and flipped the top open before squirting a liberal amount over her breasts and belly. It was warm from the sun's heat too. Rubbing it into her skin he ran his hands all over her naked body, including a remarkable massage of her spread pussy. The lotion was soothing and relieved the fear of burning. When he finished he set the bottle aside. Danielle gulped as Jack picked up the dagger. He had that mischievous look as he held it by the handle. Bringing it down to her neck, he touched her skin with the sharp point. She could tell that it was very sharp. Using almost no pressure, he dragged the blade tip down her chest, between her breasts, then all the way to her navel. She held her breath to keep her belly as still as possible. He ran the knife from her navel down to her clit before lifting the knife, just barely touching her skin. She focused on his eyes as he played with her. He placed the dagger back on the slab.

Jack produced a bowl from his pack. When he removed the plastic lid she could see that there was a sticky yellow substance in the bowl. Jack stirred it with a slender spoon. He scooped a liberal amount from the bowl and spread it in a line on her forehead. He made several lines on her cheeks as well. Next he moved down to her left breast, creating lines that radiated outward from her nipple. He made a total of six such lines on each breast to represent the sun's rays. The yellow clay was hot like everything else.

"This is the yellow clay that was used by the Mayans for the markings to be displayed on their women," he explained.

Jack then turned his attention to her vagina as he placed his fingers into her opening. She felt something hard as he inserted the clamp into her opening. It had been warmed by the sun too and felt hot. He turned the thumbscrew until she could feel it pinch her clitoris and vaginal lips. It was uncomfortable but not too painful. He continued tightening it until she gasped aloud. She squirmed against the ropes as the pain shot through her groin. Jack raised the chalice above her as if to show it to the where people would have gathered at the base of the pyramid.

"I have no idea what they would have said at this point," explained Jack, "but I'm thinking there would have been some incantation. May this woman be worthy," he said in jest.

He placed the golden cup on another tall stone that stood beside the alter. Jack pulled a bottle of red wine from his pack and opened it. He poured an ample amount into the golden cup. He raised the cup and took a drink. He offered some to Danielle. She eagerly took a sip as he held her head off the slab. Danielle had tears in her eyes from the pinching in her groin. Sensing that she was more than ready to finish, Jack immediately unscrewed and removed the clamp. He stroked alongside both lips of her vagina as he tenderly soothed the stinging. Taking advantage of her helplessness as she lay tied to the alter. He then bent down to tenderly kiss her clit. His tongue darted about along her opening, heightening her arousal. Danielle pulled her legs together as far as the ropes would allow.

"I am now going to decorate your sacred place," he announced as he opened the drawstring on a velvet bag and proceeded to pour its contents into the palm of his left hand.

He showed her a beautiful golden piece of jewelry that was roughly oval in shape with a lot of decorative edges around the outer edges. Some fine black straps with golden catches on the ends dangled from the ornamental piece that resembled a broach with a hollow center. It wasn't until Jack placed the object over her vagina that she realized where it was designed to fit on her body. The polished metal lay on her mound, surrounding her clitoris. Two of the straps were brought up to her waist where he wrapped them around and reached beneath her body to connect them just above her butt cheeks. A third strap was pulled between her legs and also fastened to the other straps in the center of the small of her back. She was unable to see it in place on her body but she could feel that it fit perfectly.

"Very nice," he exclaimed as he traced his finger around her clit. "Now I'm going to make you cum in front of the gods and the people," Jack proclaimed.

He removed his shirt and took advantage of her captivity. She felt defenseless, sprawled out like this. He ran his hands over her inner thighs and touched her in the places that he knew would elicit the most erotic reactions. When he saw how wet she had become he ran his tongue along her slit, lapping up her juices. The snug-fitting jewelry added to the pleasure. He proceeded to kiss her on the mouth to share the fresh nectar with her. He knew how much she enjoyed having her breasts and clit fondled. With his hand running over her breasts and his mouth attacking her clit she screamed as she came almost violently. The scream drifted into the jungle with all the other sounds of the wild animals. Danielle wondered whether the others in their party could hear her from high atop the pyramid. He made her scream a second time when he made his technique more aggressive.

He knew that it was getting to be time to go. As much fun as he had pleasuring her in such an unusual manner in this exotic place he had to stop. He checked the water in his canteen. It was warm but not too hot. Danielle was startled when her poured water over her breasts before washing the markings from her skin. The sticky material washed away easily on her suntan oiled flesh. He released her bindings and helped her rise to a sitting position with her legs draped over one side of the alter. Jack arranges the straps that held her new jewelry in place once she was sitting. He then handed her underwear back to Danielle and instructed her to get dressed.

"I feel honored to be in the company of the chosen one," Jack said as he extended his hand to escort her back to the Range Rover. "I think we forgot to sacrifice an animal though."

"And I feel gratitude to have been spared being sacrificed on the alter," she replied.

They walked back to the SUV where they found the driver resting with his radio turned on and the two doctors resting in the shade of an enormous tree. The driver looked so peaceful that they hated to wake him but they needed to get back.

"It's too bad we can't stay for a few days," said Danielle. I'd like to see more of the sights.

"Maybe next time," answered Jack. "You never know what's in store for you in the next port. By the way, how are you feeling?"

"Okay I guess, just a little sore."

"I'll have to examine you when we get back on board. I won't take no for an answer," he told her sternly.

She smiled. The comment about the next port brought up all sorts of questions about what would happen there. She had nearly forgotten that there was another stop before they reached the everglades in Florida.

An afternoon rain storm looked to be moving in as they departed. The skies suddenly turned dark and the rain came down in buckets, filtering through the canopy of the jungle. The underbrush made it very dark even with the headlights turned on. New streams formed all over the roads as they traveled through rushing torrents of water on the driver's mad dash back to the port. The rain then let up as quickly as it started as they reached the pavement of the city.

"We have one more stop before we return to the ship," announced Jack. "You can go ahead without us," he told the Kellers as the vehicle stopped in the downtown area.

Jack and Danielle walked into the small cluster of buildings that made up the port city. Tourist shops were built near the pier but this was the real downtown where the locals did their business and shopped. The buildings were colorful, both architecturally as well as from the wares that were on display and the cheerful people who went about their business. Some tourists from the two cruise ships that were in port remained in the town but most had returned to their ships as it was getting within two hours before the ships departed. There were no more storm clouds in the sky and the tropical breeze felt good under the hot sun. After they had walked a few blocks in a zig-zag fashion through the buildings, Jack suddenly opened the door to a nondescript shop. Still holding hands, he brought Danielle along as he walked into the shop.

"I'm looking for Gabriele," Jack told a boy who was standing behind the counter. "Please tell her that Jack and Danielle are here."

Without saying anything, the boy ran through the shop into a back room. When he returned, a woman with dreadlocks and colorful clothing appeared. Her face lit up when she saw Jack. It was obvious that they were acquainted from somewhere before.

"Jackie" she exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around him. "What can a lowly island woman like me do for you? I see you brought a pretty lady friend. Is she your wife?"

"No, nothing like that," Jack replied. "She is a good friend of mine. Gabriele, I'd like you to meet Danielle. Danielle, this is my old friend Gabriele. Gabby, we have come for one of your island souvenirs. Can you fit us in right now?"

"Patience man," she said, "Well okay since you're a good customer and friend and besides I'm not really doing anything right now anyway. What do you have in mind?"

Jack asked, "Can we look through your catalogs and decide from that."

"Sure Mon, you da customer," she said. "Follow me but be careful of my stiff. It just might bury you in my shop."

She laughed as she headed back between the aisles. Jack looked at Danielle who looked a bit puzzled and concerned.

"She whispered to Jack, "Haven't we had enough adventure for one day?"

"Oh, we're just getting started, Darling. But, you need a permanent reminder of your adventure here before we leave this place. Gabby has just the thing."

They went into the back room of the shop. A desk was covered with mounds of papers and beverage containers in one corner. Piles of papers were stacked on piles of wooden and cardboard boxes. Beyond al the clutter stood a closed door. Gabriele went ahead to open the door and turn on a light. They followed her into the room in the back of the storeroom. A clean wooden bench stood in the center of the room under a bright ceiling light. Gabriele hurriedly spread a clean white sheet over the table and produced a small pillow from beneath the table. There was a small but tidy desk on one side of the room. Gabriele pulled out a three-ring binder and placed it on the desk with the covers open.

"These are some of the most popular ones," she explained. "Take a look and see what you like. I do have some other books if you can't find the right one in there."

Once again, Danielle felt like she was out of the loop on the plan. The books seemed to contain images of tattoo artwork. Was he going to have her tattooed?

"Come over here and tell me what you think," Jack encouraged her. "Which of these traditional Mayan symbols do you like best? The Mayan sun is a classic but there are some others that are really cool too."

He still hadn't told her what he had in mind so she was a little reluctant to say much. The symbols were all very bold with their patterns defined by a lot of heavy black areas. There were two pages of them with short descriptions of what each represented. Two others that caught her eye were one called the Hunab Ku which stood for peach, unity, balance wholeness and the universe. The other was a figure of a dragon or lizard eating its own tail. According to the book, this tattoo symbolized regeneration, rebirth or the process of constantly recreating oneself to adapt to new surroundings and situations. Danielle decided that the symbolism of the dragon suited her best. She didn't say anything right away however.

"Why do you want to know?" he inquiringly asked Jack.

"I'm going to get you a nice remembrance of your experiences here," he answered casually.

"Oh really," Danielle said indignantly. "Don't you think that I should have some say in the matter of permanently marking my body?"

"Of course," he said, "That's why I'm asking you which one you like. I would have maybe gone with the sun myself but if you want the dragon, you shall get the dragon."

"And where exactly did you have in mind to place this piece of art?"

"Well. We need to discuss that next." He answered without missing a beat.

"How about on your body?" she answered curtly.

"Maybe I should get a matching one but we don't have much time, Danielle. "I would suggest that we place it in an inconspicuous sport like on your lower back, off to one side. What do you think Gabby?"

"Lift your blouse, Danielle," she said.

Gabriele made a photocopy of the picture in her book. She cut it out from the piece of paper and placed it onto her back.

"About here I think."

"That looks awesome," Jack responded. "Don't you think so Danielle?"

She could see herself in the mirror and turned her body back and forth to get an idea of how that would look.

"It does look pretty sexy I think," she said with a smile. "Will it hurt?"

"Only a little," replied Gabriele. "I can finish in about an hour"

Caught up in the excitement of the adventure, Danielle suddenly agreed.

"Come lie down on my table and I will get you decorated before you leave in an hour," Gabriele told her reassuringly. "Let Mr. Jack help you up onto the table.

"You go wait outside," Gabriele told jack in a firm voice. My lady and I have some business to attend to in here. I'll bring her out when she's ready."

Jack knew better than to argue with Gabriele. He stepped out of the room and walked back out to the narrow street to look around. He checked his watch as he left, noting when he would return.

Things had happened so fast again that Danielle wasn't sure whether she was doing the right thing. Would she regret this by tomorrow? She lay still on the table as Gabriele prepared her needle. Another young girl appeared to help with the procedure. She wiped Danielle's back off and arranged her blouse so it would remain out of the way. They set the pattern on Danielle's back and began to lay it out with the inking pen. The buzzing sound made Danielle nervous before she felt the first stick.

"Relax, darling," coached Gabriele. "I'm going to make this a little smaller because there are so many thick lines in this pattern. Here have a little rum to take the edge off."

She gave Danielle a medium glass filled with spiced rum. Danielle took a small sip that immediately spread warmth through her body.

"Just keep sippin' the juice," Gabrielle instructed.

It wasn't too long before she announced that she was done. Danielle looked up and saw Jack standing quietly in the doorway.