Mara sat on a padded bench, completely nude. She had been sitting for quite some time. Mara wore no watch, so she had no idea how long she'd been here, but it felt like at least an hour. She was beginning to think that her hosts had abandoned her. Was this some kind of joke? Were they waiting to see how long she'd sit here, unattended, in this tent in the woods in the middle of nowhere?
As she sat, passing the time, waiting for something to happen, she began to wonder if she'd made a mistake. She had come to be here by a strange series of events initiated by her new friend Kristal.
Mara had always had an adventurous spirit, and one day, on a lark, she decided to visit the new Pagan bookstore and gift shop in her home town. She spent a little time scanning over the rows of books at the front of the store until she saw a door leading to a back room. Curiosity got the better of her, and she wandered through the open door. As she entered the back room, there were rows of plants and herbs on shelves on the walls, and racks of bright and colorful costumes, most of which had a medieval theme, but what immediately caught her attention was the back wall. It was lined with all sorts of fetish gear, from chains and straps to whips and floggers. She'd experimented a bit with bondage with previous lovers, but they had mostly been inexperienced, so those sessions always fell flat. She lost interest in those lovers, but she never lost interest in her BDSM fantasies. So as she moved along the aisle to the back wall, she felt a warm, tingling sensation between her legs.
When Mara rounded the last row of shelves to reach the back wall, a tall, attractive woman came into view. She had long, straight black hair, almost waist-length. As the woman turned to face her, Mara could see that she was wearing a leather bodice, accompanied by a flowing gypsy-style skirt of black velvet. The skirt was covered with sheer black lace. The entire outfit was accented by a red, sleeveless vest. Mara had seen plenty of attractive women before, but she had never entertained any sexual fantasies about another woman. That all changed when this woman spoke.
"Hi! How are you! My name is Kristal. Let me know if I can help you with anything!" The voice was deep, dark and husky. Something in it reminded Mara of moonlight, moss-covered forests. Its sound was at once seductive and inviting, and Mara replied, "Thanks, I'm just looking."
As Mara let her fingers wander over the gear on the back wall, Kristal made small talk, asking Mara if she was a Pagan, whether she was into the 'lifestyle' (from this, Mara assumed that she was referring to BDSM), and what her tastes and preferences were. This highly intimate conversation with a complete stranger would have been inappropriate in any other setting, but here in the back of this shop, facing a wall full of black leather and chains, it seemed perfectly natural. Kristal's warm and inviting personality attracted Mara instantly, almost as if they'd known each other forever. When Kristal suggested they go out for a cup of tea, she automatically accepted.
One thing led to another that evening, and as the full moon arose that night, Kristal introduced Mara to the pleasures to be had between two women. They soon became both friends and lovers.
As Mara spent more time with Kristal, she learned more about Kristal's Pagan beliefs. She called herself a Witch, with a capital 'W,' and told Mara that she had been studying her path for nearly seven years. Mara was intrigued by this new knowledge, and began to study under Kristal's tutelage. Kristal informed Mara that she was an adept at something called 'Sex Magic.' Every time they discussed the subject, Mara felt herself inflamed with desire. But every time the conversation got intense, Kristal would say, "I really can't tell you any more. You have to be initiated first." This went on for several months. As Mara's hunger for things Pagan intensified, Kristal's secretive ways became maddening. Finally, one Sunday evening at one of their frequent trysts, Mara found herself begging to be 'initiated,' whatever that meant.
Kristal was a member of a secret circle called the Grove of Eros. She explained to Mara that initiation involved a series of trials at a ritual of the Grove. If she passed those trials, she would be accepted into the circle and would be able to learn more. This idea of an initiation both aroused and frightened her, but eventually her desire overcame her fear and she asked, "What are these trials?"
Kristal's reply only heightened both her fears and her desires. "I can't tell you what they are. All I can say is that they are intensely sexual in nature, and you won't be harmed...at least not permanently," she said with a wry smile. "If you agree to petition for initiation, you may withdraw your petition at any time prior to the ritual. But once you set foot inside the circle, there is no turning back."
Kristal then told Mara to take a few days and think about it before actually committing. They were to meet again the following Saturday, but by Thursday afternoon she already had an answer for Kristal.
The night of the ritual came. Kristal met Mara at the bookstore. She was led into the back, and through the back exit. There in the alley was a windowless black van. Inside the van were three other people, dressed in white robes and animal masks. They never spoke. Mara was instructed to sit on the bench facing away from the front windshield. She was instructed not to turn around; not to try to see where the van was taking them. All she could see from her vantage point was the back door of the van, and Kristal and the other three people.
