Page 44 of He Who Sleeps

"You nervous?" he asked her with a grin. "You don't have to be. It's all on us, right now."

“Curious,” she said. “It’s a constant wonder for me what you guys do after I leave.”

"Well, it's nice for us to draw back the curtain a little," he said, sounding genuine. "If you're going to stick around, you should know how and why we do all this."

“I guess I should.”

Emerson caught up with them moments later as they started their descent, the stone steps flanked by bushes and plants, night blooming datura which was odd, considering where they were. It was proof that where they were was outside of the norm, magical. Her feet hit the stones, slightly warm, and she was grateful for it.

She saw the flames of candles before them and stopped when the guys stopped in the doorway to a space she hadn’t been before. A rotunda, a dome over the space that soared, but wasn’t complete, the stars peaking through small slats. Off from center was a circular stone well, moody and glowing light coming from it.

“There she is,” Jack said, his Goblin mask off.

The others were all there already, Devil coming down the steps just behind them.

"Come and stand over here." Stitches led her off to one side where she could watch what was happening, but wasn't in the way of the men forming up around the well.

She looked to each of her guys, curiosity and pride filling her. They disrobed, standing in soft black pants, but no shirts, and she noticed each of them had a specific tattoo, a roman numeral for seven, on different parts of their torso. Considering she hadn’t seen them all naked, it made sense she was only just noticing them.

"It's time," Devil said quietly as pale light began to filter into the eastern sky. "The God will soon descend beyond the veil. Let us render unto Him that which we have gathered."

As one, they drew gleaming silver blades from sheaths concealed in their pants, and sliced their own palms, without hesitation. She gasped, but they were all fixated on the well as they stretched out their arms, letting trickles of blood fall into the water beneath, which was glowing and bubbling as though it boiled with magic.

"From her blood to ours, to the service of the one God, the true God, He Who Sleeps. Accept this, our Lord, our sacrifice from the blackest night and the eve of all souls. Be nourished by our devotion and grant us, we beg of you, the rewards that you promised in return for our service." He bowed his head and tendrils of light began curling up from the well, coiling around each slashed hand. The men shuddered, some of them closing their eyes, and she noticed that more than one of them was sporting an erection. Whatever the light was doing to them, it was pleasurable.

Sunlight broke the mountain tops, as the curl of magic dissipated, leaving them standing there, the color of the well dimming as the light grew in the sky. She watched as they each flexed their hands, the slice they had made healed. Much like she was after drinking the tea.

“He is pleased,” Kendrix said and looked to Devil. “Can you feel it?”

She could feel it, something spinny and sparkly, like sparks from a sparkler.

“He chose luck,” Emerson said. “Luck...”

She was quiet while they looked at each other and then walked forward when she was beckoned by Devil.

“What do you mean, luck?”

Emerson smiled. “He Who Sleeps will offer a specific reward for the year ahead. Luck is the most coveted, and the least given. We haven’t received it before.”

“What did you get before?”

“Growth, and peace,” Jack offered. “Those are what are normally given.”

"What that means," Leo explained in simpler terms, "is that His gifts will come in the form of luck this year. Lottery wins. Success in the tenders we pitch for. Opportune alignments of things all coming together at the right moment for us to benefit. A new artist to be discovered for your gallery, just as they hit the big time, for example."

“Oh,” she nodded, understanding the concept. “That’s cool.”

Emerson grinned at her. “And it’s all thanks to that stunning responsive body of yours.”

“And how accepting she is of us,” Jack said. “He is pleased because of her.”

"Which is a good sign for our approach to the Elders." Devil sounded reassuring, but she'd known him long enough outside of these walls in her day job to recognize the tightening around his eyes as the concern that it was. "Come, you must be exhausted. We should get you home to bed."

“I normally sleep a full day after this.”

“We know. We watch you, make sure you are okay,” Jack said. “Now...well...”

She looked to Devil and then to Kendrix. “I have to ask. You keep saying you are going to approach the Elders about me. Does that mean I have to wait to see you all again?”

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