Mad Monk's Priory

He had not expected Karen to be up for sex, so was not surprised when she simply stripped naked walking through their home and collapsed face first onto her side of the bed. He went through the house, checking locks and window locks and wishing he had purchased an alarm system. He turned the lights out, slipped a pillow under his side of the bed, and prowled the dark house until after 2 am before he finally joined Karen, and fell into a fitful sleep.

Chapter 12

Tague was up before his wife on Saturday morning. He checked her schedule, something he had not ever had to do before she had started 'going to church' and set about putting together a casserole. It was ready and being kept warm when she came out after 11am.

"Something smells wonderful," she said, then frowned at the empty breakfast bar and table.

"I had not realized it was Alexandra's dad," Tague explained, "I only met him like three times, but they've bene such good friends, I thought we should take them some food." Karen smiled and nodded.

They drove over and Karen hurried up the walk and rang the bell with Tague pulling up behind. Alexandra was delighted to see his wife, until she saw him coming up the steps behind her. Her smile faded. Karen seemed not to notice and a moment later Tague was shaking Jeff's hand and apologizing for bothering them, telling them there were available if the Winters needed anything. Alexandra shrugged.

"I don't even know why my father came here," she was almost talking to Jeff more than Tague or Karen, "He was just so... not even backwards. He was so stubborn and pig headed and uncompromising. He was almost racist, you know..." Tague started to tune out, then scolded himself. Alexanra was wanting to seem unfazed, but people under stress reveal things they did not want known. "He was frankly unstable. I was reluctant to let Dimitri go work with him, but Jeff pointed out he's an adult now, and he could help to keep dad from hurting himself." She sniffed theatrically, "And now I have to worry what finding him like that did to my sweet baby boy!" She dabbed at tears that were not there. "If it wasn't for that... it... it's almost better this way."

Tague was relieved to step back onto their porch; the urge to run was almost overpowering. Alexandra hugged Karen thanking her for 'thinking of them.' Karen assured their neighbor it had ben Tague that wanted to help. Alexandra stood a little taller, offering a fake smile toward Tague before glancing at her husband. Tague could tell some unspoken communication had passed there, like the cue he and Karen had at a party when one needed rescue.

Alexandra turned her attention back to Karen, hugging her and then holding her at arm's length.

"Well, thank you for finding such a generous man. I'll see you on Sunday."

Karen was silent on the trip back, and Tague chose not to ask 'did Alexandra seem all right to you?' This was not his Karen, but at least she was home. Of course, that changed before they had been home for twenty minutes. She was shouting goodbye and waving the car keys, not bothering to explain where she was going. Tague was left feeling very like a sitting duck.

Sunday Tague tried to go to church with Karen, who laughed, reminding him it was just for women, silly. He drove up shortly before 11, since that was when she had first gone to a service, thinking maybe he could slip in at the last minute, but Judith Sykes and an unpleasant woman Tague had never met stopped him before he reached the door, informing him it was a women's only facility.

"Don't endanger your wife's chance to have this time with her Sisters by your jealousy.' He dropped his head, appearing appropriately contrite, and shuffled over to the park bench across the street, taking out his phone as if he might call Karen. Instead, he sat there, playing a mindless game he did not care about, while keeping his head tilted toward the 'Church's' front door.

Inside, Judith repeated what she had told him, and he heard Alexndra laugh cruelly.

"It's too late for that lovesick fool, that arrogant self-important man," she cackled." He swapped windows on his Samsung and made sure the app connected to the 'hear what people are saying about you at a distance' microphone his brother had bought as a gag wedding gift years before had saved the conversation.

That small victory would not have been enough to keep him from finding a bulldozer to get into the imposing building if he had known what was happening at that very moment.

Karen was front and center in the celebration chamber, on her knees facing the fire, naked. Jeff held the pink robe she had handed him when he asked if she was prepared to give herself to the Sisterhood, 'heart and soul.'

He set his free hand atop her head, the ring heavy against her scalp, and thanked her mentors for showing her the path, reminded all of the Sisters it was their job to support one another, even when it meant corrections or punishments. Karen was trying to hold still, she was so afraid she had done something wrong.

There was a commotion and suddenly Judith and the city's public library head librarian appeared, leading Terri a step behind. Tears were streaming down the young woman's face.

"You spoke with an outsider about our Church," Jeff said solemnly. Terri shook her head no once, then sobbed and nodded.

"I did not say anything about the Sisterhood," she said, voice trembling, "You have to believe me."

"But you affirmed his questions." Terri trembled.

"I... I... I'm sorry. I did not think I was... He's been here so long, I assumed... Oh, I'm so sorry! Please, please don't make me leave." She broke down sobbing again.

Jeff paced the dais, hand on his chin. He stopped in front of Terri.

"The transgression is small, but the carelessness must be punished." Terri nodded, eyes locked on Jeff. "You remember your initiation?" She smiled, blushing. "You remember the joys everyone shared that day?" Another nod. He pointed to the hidden alcove where Karen had stood that first week. "Your punishment is exclusion from the day's rite. You will hear it, and renew your vows with Sister Karen, but you will not be able to take part in the celebration.

Teri cried out, but nodded, and shuffled, head down, to the passage and out of site.

"Thank you to those who have stepped up to help Sister Terri learn from her sin." He swept his arms toward Karen and again moved to stand before her, "Mentor, sponsor... your places."

Brenda stepped forward, robe covering all but her chin. She carried an earthenware mug, pausing to Karen's right Jeff's left. Judith, similarly garbed, as were the rest of the Sisters, took the spot to Jeff's left, a small plate in her hand on which sat a dark maroon, almost black disc the size of a homemade cookie.

"The Christian faith has its tokens of body and blood, and the church of the Sisterhood upholds that tradition," Jeff intoned, taking the disc off of the plate and holding it aloft. "May this sustain your body through the celebration," and he handed it to Karen, who took it, then glanced at Judith, who nodded that she should eat.

It tasted almost like a brownie, and Karen finished it, almost giggling at the thought it was somehow more than theater.

"My the 'blood' of our Sisterhood forever keep foremost in your mind your vows to your Sisters." Brenda handed her the mug, which was nearly full of a dark amber liquid. Karen could smell the alcohol. She waited until Brenda nodded, giving her a wink, then began to drink.

It was not wine, but was salty, and seemed heavy for a liquid. It tasted almost meaty. She nearly gagged, wondering for a moment if that was what blood tasted like. Anxious not to throw up, she stopped trying to guess what it was and focused on finishing it and finishing quickly. There were murmurs in the room when she handed Brenda the mug and her mentor turned it over, showing not a drop spilled onto her outstretched hand.

Jeff had stepped away from her and paced the stage back and forth, and without another look at Karen launched into his message, pushing the importance of exposing weakness and betrayal, and the benefits of forgiveness albeit with punishment. It grew hard for Karen to follow the message, and each time he passed, it seemed colors swirled in his wake. She noticed after a while he was pausing when he passed, hands moving over her before he moved on. She could hear movement and sounds behind her, but dared not turn around.

When next he paused, waving his hands again, Karen realized she was moving her head, following the comet like yellow tail that trailed from his ring. She realized he had stopped talking, and saw that he was smiling down at her. He lifted his arms wide, and her mentors and sponsor stepped up, pulling his robe off, leaving him nearly naked before her, a loin cloth the color of his robe doing little to hide his impressive erection.

He was speaking again, and swept her mentor and sponsor up, one at a time, into a passionate kiss. The women then turned and guided Karen to a cushion raised off of the ground to what she guessed was waist height. She settled back, smiling that the small pad beneath her ass was only enough to keep her sliding down the incline of the cushion at her back, reminding her of the tiny back seat on Tague's motorcycle the first year they had begun dating. She glanced around and realized all of the Sisters were now naked as well. Without a word they were moving into a circuitous line, and Karen wondered what would come next.

"... repay her for the devotion she has shown you, and show her the pleasures of the Sisterhood," she had looked back to the dais to hear Jeff say, wondering if he was going to mount her right there in front of the others.

The sour faced librarian who had brought Terri forward was the first to approach at Jeff's motion. Karen watched impassively as the woman stepped close, pushing Karen's knees apart, then bent, her dry lips encircling Karen's clit, which seemed to pulse it grew hard so quickly at the woman's touch. Karen heard herself moan, and the woman responded by licking her aroused button before thrusting her tongue into Karen's sex. A chime sounded, and the woman stepped back, to be immediately replaced by another.

The chain continued, each Sister in turn doing what Karen had done in the weeks before." Karen was panting after the third woman and could not contain her moans or control her body by the seventh or eighth woman. She stopped trying to see who it was licking at her aroused sex, marveling that she seemed to be cumming without pause. Her head lolled to the side to see Jeff watching it all, hands on his hips like a conquering hero. Looking out, Karen giggled at the clusters of women, in pairs and trios and more pleasuring one another. She absently wondered if she could die from pleasure, wondering how long it would take for every woman to have a turn. She could not seem to judge how quickly or slowly time was passing, the continuing waves of pleasure distracting her from holding on to any thought.

The chime rang differently after more time had passed. Karen was undulating on the cushion, body glistening with perspiration.

Jeff pivoted in front of her slapping his still loin cloth shrouded erection down against her sex. Karen moaned, leaving her legs spread wide, eyes glued to his. She whimpered when he stepped back, only to have Judith step between them. The older real estate agent moved up, and Karen giggled, because it looked like Tag looked when he was about to thrust into her. Judith bent over Karen, bending her head and alternately licking then kissing Karen's swollen nipples. Then her hips pumped forward and Karen gave a gasping moan, because as the women's pubic bones met, she could swear she felt a cock.. a big cock thrusting up into her. Judith pumped back and forth for several seconds before the chime rang and she stepped aside to let Brenda move into place.

The younger woman moaned loudly as she thrust herself against Karen, and Karen gave her own cry, the push of an erection into her hungry sex unmistakable and welcome.

She could not understand how it was happening, looking down her nude body when Brenda backed away after the next chime, suspecting a strap-on. But there was nothing.

After several Sisters had coupled, she realized that Jeff was fucking into each of them from behind as they moved against her. Karen giggled, knowing no man could be so well endowed to fuck both women at once, then licked her lips, imagining Jeff with a double cock. The thrusting movement of the woman between her legs began her next orgasm, then, and the image fractured into a thousand glittering shards.

The pattern was nearly unbroken, except when Karen managed to focus sometime later, to find Alexandra humping against her. She smiled, then lifted her head, kissing the other woman. The chime rang, but Alexandra just laughed, the sound a vibration passing into Karen's mouth as they continued to kiss and Alexandra continued to fuck her. Karen's arms came up, pulling the older woman close as she broke the kiss, crying out in release.

And then she was alone. Empty. Still on the cushion, legs spread lewdly, body slick with sweat. The women around her were moaning and crying out, getting one another off in various manners, but fewer in number than before.

Jeff approached, with Terri at his side, the woman's stricken eyes still rimmed by tears. He whispered to her and the young real estate agent dropped to her knees and began to eat Karen out as if her life depended on it. Karen sighed happily, running her fingers through Terri's close-cropped hair, then giggled, wondering if she could fall asleep while cumming...

She gasped, waking in the passenger seat of Brenda's car, dressed, as the nurse turned into their long drive.

"That was..." Karen blinked, trying to find words, "What was that?"

"That was your initiation, Sister," Brenda murmured, "Imagine all that pleasure always available to you." Karen's body shivered at the thought, but she was too tired to really be aroused.

"I feel drunk," she paused, "But I'm not slurring, at least."

"Love drunk," Brenda leaned over and kissed Karen briefly, "Go take a nap, you earned it." Smiling, Karen managed to get out of the car and up the steps. The door was unlocked, and she pushed inside, waved at Tague who was rising from his recliner, and staggered into the bedroom, flopping on to her side of the bed without bothering to undress, giving herself to a dreamless sleep.

Chapter 13

Karen was signing orders at work Monday when a hand touched the back of her neck, in just 'the right way.' It was one of the indicators of the Sisterhood, and she nearly gasped at how aroused she immediately became. Behind her Brenda Fowler giggled.

"Damn, sister," she whispered, "When you react like that, I cannot wait to see what you're like at this week's pool party.

"The pool is open?" Karen tried to remember, had Alexandra said something about it closing or had she just assumed.

"Oh, the pool is always open," Brenda assured her, "Sometimes it's cold or rainy and we go inside, but they have the whole thing heated, so you really can use it all year round."

Tague was home early on Wednesday. Just before lunch he had gotten a call from another firm's lawyer. It had seemed strange, and his receptionist had been wide eyed when she waved at him through the window instead of buzzing the call straight through.

"That private matter you've been working on," she whispered when he put his head out the door. He nodded, understanding.

"I'm sorry... I've never taken one of these, but I think it's related to that," she said, "He used the phrase we are given for Pokrovska cases. Tague thanked her and sat back at his desk, then picked up the call.

A lawyer calls warning someone from the 'Church of the Sisterhood' had called asking for recommendations of a divorce attorney.

"I heard you were asking about those cases, so I thought I would let you know... something's up."

"Wait," Tague asked, "I mean, thanks, but how do you know it was from them. The man laughed.

"They're so arrogant they don't bother blocking their number. Sorry man, but if you're looking into this for yourself, good luck!" Tague called Matthew, explaining he was going to have to act, and the junior partner echoed the nameless lawyers wish, assuring him he had all the time he needed.

"That idea you had?" he added, and Tague paused in packing his case, "The board loved it. You are officially a go." That was a relief.

"Thanks, that helps a lot," he admitted to his friend, "I should have listened when you warned me about Pokrovska... not that I had any real control about it. Did you see what I left for you?"

"I did... that's like the doomsday cult town of marriage dissolution."

"I'm heading up because I got a call," Tague paused, "I'm incredibly grateful for the early warning system the firms have, but is it..."

"Ethical?" Matthew laughed. "Is what that church or sisterhood or whatever they are doing moral or ethical?" Tague could not argue with that. "If it is unethical, it's little e ethics. What you're facing... it's orders of magnitude worse. Besides, he called about a call, not about a retainer."

Tague relaxed, seeing the difference. He thanked his friend and hung up, deciding to leave his things to maximize space in the Escape. He considered renting a bigger truck but reasoned that would create more attention.

On the way north he called Karen, but she was not at work. He ran inside, relieved it could be faster and easier, but she was not home, either. He hopped back in the car, skirted the highway and hospital, and parked blocks east of the church, walking up like any passerby, a cap carefully covering his face, along with a jacket he had purchased at the gas station just before the turn off. He tried the door, but it was locked. And there were no cards around the cold maroon building. He hurried back to his car, calling Karen again along the way. No answer.

He was getting anxious when he got back home, and stopped, blinking in surprise to find Karen in the kitchen nearly naked, her hair dripping wet.

"You weren't at work," he managed. Karen shrugged.

"Matty covered for me. He's such a dear. Alexandra had some of us over for a pool party." Tague realized Karen was wearing one of the impossibly revealing suits Alexandra had offered they day they had gone swimming... But not the one Karen had worn and brought home. And she was not wearing it the way she had that day... It took another moment before he understood, she had turned the top upside down, and the result revealed almost all of her breasts. She caught him staring and giggled, pirouetting in the kitchen.

"You like?" Tague could only nod.

"Be a good boy and make dinner and just maybe I'll let you take it off of me later." It was such over-the-top manipulation... so un-Karen-like, Tague wondered if it was really his wife. She flounced past, breast almost escaping the inverted triangles of the top, and went out onto the upstairs deck, announcing she needed some sun. Tague resisted the urge to point out it was cloudy. He also knew it was not the moment to grab her and flee Pokrovska.

Instead, he set about making her favorite meal, opened her favorite bottle of wine. As he expected she complained of being tired and needing to go to sleep, and he kissed her goodnight, copping a brief feel before she shooed him away and climbed naked under the covers, the bikini on the floor as if she might choose it for the next day's attire as well.

Once she was alseep, Tague quickly packed up everything that was 'theirs.' He was glad for a change not to have an alarm that might wake her as he loaded box after box into the Escape. It took a while and he was glad he had backed into the garage upon his return. He was confident he had made the right choice that afternoon, but was worried they were running out of time.