Xanadu Stories - Ritual

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree :
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea."
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The Xanadu may not be the 'Stately Pleasure Dome' of Kubla Khan's poetic decree but it is probably the best members-only sex club in the world. It is dedicated to the erotic pleasure of its clientele who are universally rich, often beautiful and who share a taste for the erotic and the sexually adventurous. This is what brings them to one of Central London's most up-market areas, through the discrete doors and into the well appointed surroundings in which the club has its home.

The staff of the Xanadu, both male and female, are recruited for their combination of youth, good looks, discretion, customer service and sexual prowess. They are the best of the best. The club eschews the dangerous and the illegal but within those boundaries fosters the free expression of the sexual urge, in all its many and varied forms. These are the stories from the Xanadu...

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Ritual has had a place in human society since the beginning of recorded history and, within its many forms, the erotic has a long pedigree.

The Xanadu periodically explores this aspect of sexuality by performing a ceremony of its own devising in which the joys of the human sexual act are celebrated by an enthusiastic congregation of members.

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The Rite of Xanandu

It is evening and the great hall of Cranhowe glows in the light of hundreds of candles, its lofty ceiling shrouded in flickering shadows and its stone pillars softened by the soft light of myriad small flames. The hall is empty save for a raised platform at one end on which stands a small table, covered in a spotless, white linen cloth. Next to the table, a few feet away, stands a large, wooden, St Andrew's cross; its solid wooden arms splayed, starkly illuminated by a single spot lamp, fixed to the ceiling high above. Neatly arranged on the table are a glass vessel containing an amber liquid, four lengths of thick white cord and a curved dagger in gold with a jewel encrusted handle. They glitter in the same pool of light. Heavy, dark coloured drapes cover the great windows of the hall, muffling sound and shutting out the external world.

The great doors slowly swing open and though them a procession slowly advances. At its head are a tall couple; the man, dressed in a hooded robe of burgundy colour, richly decorated with arcane symbols in gold appliqué. The woman is similarly dressed but in the reverse colours. Both are barefoot and they make no sound as they process with measured steps towards the platform at the far end of the room. Following a few paces behind are more people, first three couples dressed in white robes, and following them, in turn another forty or so people, in pairs, wearing plain black robes. All are hooded and all barefoot. Deep in shadow their faces would be invisible to any onlookers, but there are none. The silence is almost complete.

As the lead couple approach the table they mount the platform before turning to face the congregation. The four white clad figures arrange themselves in an arc on either side of the two central figures, also facing the congregation. The rest of the couples fan out into loose formation facing the central table. There is a minute of silence, all are still. Then, as if at some signal, the central couple fold back their hoods. The sudden movement seems shocking after the stillness that precedes it. This is clearly a sign and the rest of the congregation follow suit. The rustle of material breaks the silence.

The lead man is tall with fine features, piercing blue eyes and a head of short, dark hair turning to grey. He looks to be in his mid forties. His partner is also tall and slim. She has a smooth pale skin and full lips, parted slightly to reveal even, white teeth. Her almond shaped eyes are dark and mysterious. She wears no make-up. Her hair is shoulder length and black; it shines in the flickering candle light. She gazes steadily at the congregation arrayed before her. She is beautiful and mysterious.

As the hall lapses into silence the leader speaks, "Welcome, fellow members of the Xanadu"; the leader's voice is rich and deep, he spreads his arms in a gesture of inclusion.

"Welcome brothers and sisters. I am the Master of the Xanadu. We gather here tonight as we have done many times before to celebrate the gifts of body and mind; to drink from the cup of sensuality and to give and receive pleasure. Let no-one here deny the essence of their being. Let your desires be known, that they may be fulfilled. Share your longings that they may be assuaged. Share your fantasies, that they may be realised. Here you are among friends, here you are free to be yourselves."

So saying, the Master lowers his arm and looks to his partner. She nods slowly to him and then, lifting her head, she also spreads her arms, saying, "I greet you Master of the Xanadu. I greet you fellow travellers on the road to ecstasy. My name is Alph, the sacred river. My desires are many, I will make them known. My longings are for union in all its many forms. I will share them. I trust that my fantasies will be realised in what is to follow. I know I am among friends and I am free to be myself."

A murmur of "Xanadu" rises from the black-clad audience which Alph acknowledges with a small dip of her head. She lowers her arms. After a moment of silence the leader declares in ringing tones; "Let the ceremony begin."

As his words the doors at the back of the room open once more to reveal a woman, dressed in white, flanked by two men. The men wear burgundy, hooded robes with little ornamentation. Their hoods are thrown back to reveal impassive faces. The woman is dressed in a simple white tunic which covers her from the neck downwards. The tunic stretches to the floor covering her entirely but it is made of a sheer, almost translucent material, which clings to the curves of her body. The congregation watches as the trio enter the room and walk slowly towards the table. The woman walks between the two men, her head raised, her eyes focused on the Master who waits silently beside the table. The three make no sound as they walk barefoot down the length of the hall, passing between the ranks of the congregation. The woman in white is tall and slender. She has dark hair, pinned up on top of her head. Her face is pale in the candlelight and she looks neither right nor left as she moves slowly through the room. As she walks, the white shift flows over her body, revealing the curves of her breasts and thighs. The congregation watches her appreciatively, they seem almost hypnotised by the sight. As she approaches the platform her escort slows and stops while she takes two or three further steps, mounting the platform and halting, facing the Master.

The tableau remains motionless for a second or two, the atmosphere ripe with expectation, the congregation absolutely still. Then, looking directly at the woman standing before him, the Master speaks. "Welcome Sister, do you come freely to this ceremony as an equal in a company of equals?" She answers in a soft but clear voice, "I do." "Are you ready Sister, to be our chalice, to give yourself to pleasure, to live completely in this moment, to lose yourself in desire and to give delight to this company?" The Master indicates the assembled congregation with an inclusive gesture of his arm. Again she answers, "I am." The Master's steady gaze holds her eyes, it is as if they are alone in the room. She returns his gaze unflinchingly. Speaking more quietly now the Master asks, "Are you also ready to receive my seed as Master of the Xanadu?" Her response is immediate. "I am." The moment of intimacy between Master and Chalice is tangible. The Master turns to the two white clad couples arrayed by the table and says, simply, "Prepare her."

At his command the escort turns and moves to join the congregation; two of the white-clad aides approach the Chalice and taking her by the arms, lead her to the cross. In front of it is a low wooden step, onto which she mounts, turning so that she faces the congregation. The aides each take an arm and lift it against the upper sections of the cross. They hold her there while the other two aides approach the table and each take up a piece of the white rope. Walking round to the back of the cross, they wind the rope round the woman's wrists and the cross three times and knot the rope behind. The woman's white shift and pale skin are ghostly in the illumination of the spotlight, her shift is translucent in its beam and the contours of her body are obvious beneath the flowing material.

The first couple now kneel and taking one ankle each, spread the woman's legs against the lower limbs of the cross while the second couple return to the table for the final two pieces of rope. As the woman's legs are held in position, the rope is wrapped around her ankles and tied. The couples return to their places by the table, leaving the woman bound securely to the cross.

The congregation remains silent although the tension in the room has palpably increased.

The Master turns to his partner, Alph, saying, "Sister, she is yours."

At this, Alph, her gold and burgundy robe glowing in the spotlight, takes the knife from the table and holds it up so that its golden blade glitters. She walks slowly to the cross where she halts, facing the woman tied there. Then, reaching above her head she places the blade of the knife in the end of the left sleeve of the shift and, with a flowing movement, cuts up the sleeve from wrist to shoulder. The sleeve falls away, revealing the Chalice's arm, pale in the light. Turning to the other arm, Alph repeats the performance slicing, apparently without effort, through the other sleeve. The sense of excitement in the room mounts and, as the congregation looks on, the Chalice shifts slightly in her bonds. Now, placing the knife blade directly in the neckline of the shift, the woman begins to cut slowly and evenly downwards, from the neck, between the taut breasts, over the belly and down between the legs cutting the shift in two. It parts slightly and the congregation is rewarded with a tantalising glimpse of belly and the small tuft of dark pubic hair before it closes again. Now the shift is held only by the two small strips of material remaining over the shoulders of the Chalice.

Replacing the knife on the table, Alph beckons two of the four aides from their places. They position themselves, one on either side of the cross, while Alph, facing the Chalice, reaches inside the shift and begins to caress the body beneath. Alph's hands move rhythmically over the shoulders, breasts and belly of the bound Chalice, remaining within the shift so that the congregation gets only the briefest of glimpses of her nakedness. As the massage continues the Chalice begins to moan softly. She struggles slightly against the bonds, her lips parted and her face slightly flushed. Alph concentrates on the woman's breasts, the movements beneath the shift suggest the gentle teasing and rolling of the erect nipples. As the Chalice becomes more aroused her gasps of pleasure become louder. The congregation is engrossed; their state of excitement mirrors that of the Chalice. Even the candlelight seems to flicker to the rhythm of the Chalice's growing passion. Alph continues caressing the Chalice for some minutes. She whispers softly to the woman. What she says is inaudible to the congregation but its general sense is clear. She mirrors with her voice the actions of her hands as she caresses the other's body.

Alph looks over at the Master and receives a slight nod. She withdraws her hands from the Chalice's body and steps back. At this signal, the two aides standing by the cross grasp the shift at the Chalice's shoulders and with a single movement tear the thin strips holding it in place, sweeping it away, exposing the gleaming body splayed on the cross in all its naked loveliness.

The congregation gasps. The Chalice is beautiful. Her full, firm breasts are taut, her nipples erect from the attentions of Alph. Her belly is flat and smooth, her pussy moist and inviting beneath a small patch of dark pubic hair. Her legs are long and shapely, her hands and feet slender with long fingers and toes. She is pale skinned but slightly flushed now and breathing rapidly.

Alph takes the flask of oil from the table and returns to the cross. The two aides, a man and a woman, slip off their robes. They make a handsome couple as they stand naked, with cupped hands outstretched. Alph pours oil into their palms. The aides take over the massage; anointing the Chalice with the aromatic oil they begin to pleasure her with a double handed massage. They work in long sweeping movements, from head to toes, using fingers, palms and nails, and as the congregation looks on, they massage, caress and tease every available inch of her skin. Their lithe bodies move together. It is an exquisite combination of dance and sensual massage, graceful and entrancing to watch. The Chalice groans with pleasure.

Alph watches for a while and then turns away, returning to face the Master. She looks him in directly in the eyes and without taking her eyes off his face, slowly unties the chord that holds her robe in place. An aide approaches and, standing behind her, eases the robe over her shoulders leaving her naked. Alph is slim, her body toned and her breasts small with pale pointed nipples. Her pussy is completely shaved. Her skin is darker than that of the Chalice. She stands confidently seemingly at ease with her nakedness. The Master looks at her with obvious approval. She reaches up and brushes away a strand of hair that has fallen across her face. Taking a step forward she unties the chord around his waist. Sliding her hands inside his robe and placing them on his chest she brings them up to his shoulders, easing his robe off and into the waiting arms of the aide positioned behind; both are naked now, his body muscled and hard, hers soft and inviting. They are yin and yang, man and woman. They come together in an embrace; they kiss, at first gently, then harder and longer. His hands explore her body, running down her back and over her buttocks then up to her breasts. He cups them in his hands, teasing her nipples erect with his fingertips. His cock is erect, pressed against her belly as they kiss. She places a hand around it and begins a rhythmic movement, with her other hand she massages his balls. A small groan of pleasure escapes his lips. Without stopping the movement, she begins to suck and lick his nipples. He moans with pleasure running a hand through her hair holdings her head to its task, encouraging her. With his other hand he caresses her breasts and nipples, rolling them between finger and thumb, teasing them into pinnacles of pleasure.

At the other side of the table, the pleasuring of the Chalice continues. The dancers caress her body in a sensual ballet. Her body gleams with the oil that they use; its exotic perfume permeates the hall. As the dance continues, the dancers focus their attention more and more on the Chalice's ultimate pleasure centre. Her legs held apart by the bonds holding her to the cross, her pussy is open, the moist pink inner lips clearly visible. At first, their hands pass fleetingly over and between her legs, gently brushing her outer lips. At each touch the Chalice gasps with pleasure. Then the hands become more focused, the fingers linger and begin to probe. The intermittent gasps merge into a more coherent moan of pleasure as the lips of her pussy are teased apart and two pairs of hands begin to work. Fingers work on her clitoris rubbing and squeezing the small hypersensitive bud while other fingers enter her pussy, seeking her G spot. The rest of her body is not forgotten, the dancers now use their lips and tongues as well as their hands. The Chalice's breasts and nipples are sucked, and circled with the dancer's tongues while fingers continue their work below.

Increasingly passionate cries from both Chalice and Master herald their approaching moment of orgasm. The Chalice strains against her bonds, arching her back, thrusting her pussy against the fingers that continue their rhythmic movements. The Master's body jerks convulsively each time his partner's hand moves over the sensitive head of his cock. Suddenly, as if at a signal, the Alph stops her stimulation and steps aside -- her face flushed, a sheen of perspiration covering her body. The Master moves towards the Chalice. Seeing his approach the dancers move aside. The Leader positions himself between her splayed legs places the tip of his cock against her moist, open pussy. The cross positions her perfectly and with a single thrust he enters her deeply, the hard shaft of his cock buried in her softness. A simultaneous groan of pleasure fills the room. The Master runs his hands over her face, neck and down to her breasts, slick from the scented oil. He begins to thrust, slowly and deeply. She grinds her pelvis into him and he reciprocates with small circular movements of his hips, stimulating her clitoris with the base of his cock. She moans more loudly as her passion mounts. She is shouting, "yes, oh yes." His groans punctuate her cries. They move faster and faster, his hands caress her breasts and roam over her belly and sides, his cock deep inside her. They move as though they are one being, joined in ecstasy. They look deep into each other's eyes, oblivious to their surroundings. Their cries grow louder and then reach a crescendo as, with a great groan of release, they orgasm together. She arches her back and he shudders as his seed is released deep inside her body. The waves of orgasm sweep over them, they jerk and writhe in a joint paroxysm of pleasure. The congregation shouts its approval.

As the waves of pleasure gradually subside, the Master and the Chalice slow their movements, they become quieter, speaking to each other in words that are inaudible to the congregation. After a time he slowly withdraws his cock allowing his seed to drip from her wide open pussy. She hangs from her bonds, now limp and sated. The Master looks at her with great affection. He places his hand beneath her chin and lifts her face to his. He kisses her gently on the lips and whispers something to her. She smiles, beautiful and wanton.

The Master turns to face the congregation saying, "The Rite of Xanadu is completed. Let what you have experienced tonight guide you in your lust for life." He then turns to his partner. "Alph -- I offer you the dancers for your pleasure, do you accept them?"

"I do, most willingly," she replies and, without further ado, she and the two naked dancers entangle their bodies so that it is soon almost impossible to distinguish the flesh of one from another.

"Turning to the other two aides the Leader says, "Take care of the Chalice -- she has served us well." The Aides begin to untie the Chalice from the cross, massaging her wrists and ankles where they have been held by the ropes.

Finally, the Master speaks to the expectant congregation. "Brothers and sisters, cast aside your robes and be free to share your deepest desires. Give and receive pleasure in the spirit of the Xanadu and let your desires be sated." They need no further encouragement and the leader looks on benignly as the real business of the evening begins for the members of the Xanadu.