Two Sides of the Same Coin (52 page)

I parked the truck, and we got out. I put my jeans on over my costume and put on my jacket. I could see a bonfire with several people near it a bit behind the house, so we all walked over. Mary Grace came over to us.

“Mary Grace, this is our friend, Smitty. He was interested in joinin’ your circle tonight. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, everyone is welcome. Only thing we ask is that anyone who comes in the circle comes in perfect love and perfect trust.”

“My pleasure, ma’am.” Smitty shook her hand.

“I can tell you’re a good person, just like these two.” She hugged Mike and me in turn.

“Come over. We’ll get started. I’ll explain what we’re doing as we go through the ritual. That way you boys will know what’s happening.” We followed her to an area that had a bonfire in the center. The area was set out in a circle with a boundary of four large stones at the cardinal points and smaller stones forming a circle. In the north central part of the circle was a flat stone, which must have served as an altar. It had several candles and incense, along with other things which I couldn’t make out.

“What we are about to do now is cast our circle. The circle is really a sphere of energy which surrounds us and creates a sacred space for our rites and our magick.” She walked over to a man who was standing by the little altar. I recognized Rick. They kissed, and then she picked up a knife and a bit of burning sage. Rick had a bowl of something in his hands. I found out later it was salt water. They began walking around the perimeter of the circle. Mary Grace started chanting.

“I purify this space with air and fire.” Rick followed her sprinkling the salt water.

“I purify this space with earth and water.” Mary Grace took up the chant.

By the earth which is her body

By the air which is her breath

By the bright fire of her passion

By the living waters of her womb

In the name of the Goddess this circle is cast

A sacred space between the worlds

For our ritual and our works of magick

All here within have come

In perfect love and perfect trust

Blessed be.

“Okay, now we’re going to call the four elements, earth, air, fire, and water.” She walked over to the north stone and lit a green candle. It was odd, but after she had cast the circle, the candles flickered much less in the wind.

I call to the spirits of the north

The spirits of the earth

You who dwell in the mountains

And in the fertile plains

Show us your stability

Come if you will to our circle tonight

Hail and welcome

She moved to the east stone and lit a yellow candle and then recited a similar call to the spirits of the air. Then in the south, she lit a red candle and called the spirits of the fire. Finally in the west, she called the spirits of water and lit a blue candle.

“Now I’m going to ask the Goddess and the God to join us in our circle.” She stood in front of the altar and held her arms up. She invited the Goddess in her role as crone to the circle. She also recited a poem in honor of the Goddess. Then she folded her arms across her chest and beseeched the God, calling him the Lord of the Dance and the Antlered One. It was interesting to see, and the poetry and symbolism were very beautiful.

The group then chanted an explanation of their holiday of Samhain. From their words, I gathered that they believed in reincarnation. They chanted some more and then invited the spirits of their dead friends and family who had not been reincarnated yet to join us. I was a bit shocked to hear Mary Grace invite my father. Then she asked the group to listen in silence for any messages from beyond. The feeling in the circle was interesting. It felt warmer and less windy. Other than the crackle of the fire, it was silent. The waning moon shone down on us. It was peaceful, tranquil, and calm. I reached for Mike’s hand. As I took it, I heard a little voice in my head. It sounded like my father. A warmth and feeling of happiness, of understanding, and a knowing that he cared for me, was proud of me, and was very happy for me and Mike, came over me. It could’ve been just wishful thinking, but something did feel very different. After about twenty minutes, Mary Grace thanked the spirits of the dead for visiting us. She then turned to us.

“Jeff, Mike, we know the two of you have been the victims of some horrible crimes, including attempted murder. We are going to cast a spell for protection for you. Since it is a waning moon, we are going to banish the things that prevent you from being safe. Then we are going to do a spell to reflect the bad energy from the attackers right back on them. The things we do in the spells are a way of harnessing the energy from the universe, programming it to do what we ask, in this case to remove the forces against you, and also to reflect the bad energy against them. Then we send that energy out to the universe to do our bidding.” She smiled at us.

“Can you step up to the altar? Oh, and you can keep holding hands, the Goddess and God represent good love in any form.”

“So gay people are okay?” Mike was looking at Mary Grace.

“Of course, the Goddess and God don’t discriminate.”

We stepped to the side of the altar. Rick put some incense on the burner and lit a black candle. He sprinkled some herbs on the candle flame. I could smell pepper and garlic and others I couldn’t recognize. Mary Grace asked Mike and I to put the hands we were holding out and hold them loosely. She put a bit of dried root, and two sprigs of dried plants, which looked like pine, in our hands and asked us to hold them.

“I just put a piece of ginger, a sprig of rosemary, and a sprig of cypress in your hands. All three are powerful herbs for banishing and protection. I want you to close your eyes and visualize the issues and negativity facing you as a foul black cloud. Picture yourselves in a gleaming cone of bright light, a peaceful place where the black cloud cannot penetrate. I’ll let you visualize that for a few minutes.” Mike and I both closed our eyes. I actually began to see in my mind a cone of silvery blue white light surrounding us. Outside of it was a noxious, foul black cloud trying to penetrate the light, but it couldn’t. That picture was firmly entrenched in my mind, and I held it there. Finally, I felt Mary Grace’s hand on my shoulder.

“Well done. Now we are going to chant the spell and raise energy. When I yell, “Go!” throw the ginger, cypress, and rosemary in the fire, all right?”

“Okay.” We stood closer to the bonfire. Mary Grace began to chant.

Warrior Goddess

Shadow of the night

Protector of all

Wield your sword

And guard our beloved friends

Evil rises against them

Hidden enemies plot against them

Evil hides

Protect them Lady

Keep them safe

The people in the circle began to chant with her the last two lines. The chanting seemed to intensify. I felt a strange sort of electricity, like I touched something and got a shock, but it was coursing around us. It seemed to strengthen with the chant.

“Go!” Mary Grace threw her hands up. Mike and I threw the herbs in the bonfire. Mary Grace chanted alone.

Protect them Lady

Keep them safe

As I will so shall it pass

As I will so mote it be.

“That should keep you safe! Now what we are going to do is ask the Goddess for justice against those who are trying to hurt you and those who killed Pedro and that biker.” She took a little doll made out of black felt from her pocket.

“This is a poppet or a magick doll. I sewed it and stuffed it with cotton, tobacco, graveyard dirt, and nightshade. All those plants will return harm to the sender. Then Rick and I anointed it with banishing oil.”

She took the poppet and placed it on the altar in front of a little mirror. She put a black candle behind the poppet. The candle was just a bit bigger than a birthday candle. She lit it and began to chant.

Dark Mother

Lady of the abyss

Crone

Horned Lord

Leader of the wild hunt

Sage

Evil is being done

Evil deeds are committed against our friends

You! You who commit those deeds are foul

What you have done shall come back to you

It returns to you three times over

Your evil will stop

Lady, Lord, I ask for justice

Return the evil to sender

Sit in judgment

Dispense justice as you see fit

I beg of you

To stop the sender of evil and hate

By your divine justice

As I will it so shall it pass

As I will it so mote it be.

I could feel that same buzzing swirling around. As she finished chanting, she threw her arms up. A thunder clap filled the sky. She turned to us and smiled.

“It seems the Lady and Lord will dispense justice.” The rest of the ritual went fairly quickly. Mary Grace blessed a goblet of sweet wine she said was mead and poured some on the ground. Then she passed the rest to everyone, who took a sip. She did the same with some cookies. We each took one. She then thanked the Goddess and God and elements. Finally, she took a broomstick and swept counter clockwise around the circle.

“Merry did we meet, merry do we part, and merry shall we meet again. This circle is open but unbroken, blessed be.” She came over and hugged us, including Smitty. Rick did the same and so did the other folks. It had been an interesting experience. The black candle on the altar had burned out, and the wax was on the little doll she called a poppet. Mary Grace handed it to me.

“Throw this in the river when you go over the bridge on your way home. That will complete the spell.”

“Thanks, Mary Grace!” We got in the truck and headed home.

“That was interesting; thanks for lettin’ me tag along.”

“No problem, Smitty. I thought it was interestin’ too. What about you, buddy, what did you think?”

“It was a whole hell of a lot more friendly than Reverend Spencer’s ‘Christianity’.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” As we came on the river, I stopped the truck in the middle of the bridge, and threw the poppet over. We continued on home. Smitty said good night and headed to the bunkhouse. Mike and I went into the ranch house. I remembered to turn off the newly installed security alarm. I had just done so when Mike slammed into me.

“Jeffy, you had me goin’ all night. I want you bad now.” He put his arms around me and began kissing me pretty aggressively.

“Get those contacts outta your eyes. The red makes you look just a bit too freaky. I’ll take off my jeans and coat.” Mike ran upstairs to the bathroom to get the lenses out. By the time he came back, I had taken off my jeans, coat, and the yellow briefs that covered all the detail. I noticed he brought down condoms and lube. I grabbed him and pulled him into me in a rough kiss. My chin was all stubbly, and I rubbed it against his lips hard. He’s have beard burn tomorrow. He moaned and pressed against me.

“You want it rough tonight, don’t ya boy? Wolverine’s gonna fuck Gambit good, ain’t he, gonna use Gambit’s sweet ass.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna get fucked good. Have you inside me.” He came back in for another kiss. I grabbed his hair and shoved his face into mine. His hands found my crotch and began rubbing and fondling through the thin, clingy spandex. I had a hold of his ass in those tight leather pants. He let go of me and started to undo his belt.

“Hold off a few minutes.”

“Jeffy, these pants are so tight it’s uncomfortable bein’ so hard. You really got me goin’.”

“I said hold off. You’ll survive.” He moaned and stood back. He was looking at the outline of my cock.

“That’s incredible. You can see detail.” He dropped to his knees and began nuzzling me. He really got off on me talking to him.

“You’re gonna get fucked, buddy; I’m gonna fuck your sweet ass good.”

“Fuck me, Jeffy. Show me how much you like my ass.”

“You want my dick, don’t ya? You been thinkin’ about it all night.”

“I have. I want it so bad. Fuck me, please, I want your cock in me, Jeffy. Fuck me.”

I pushed him down on his knees. There was a little zipper Renee had put in, hidden in a seam of fabric. Mike had it undone in no time. He reached in and pulled me out. That was a bit difficult because I was halfway down my leg, but he managed it. He began licking and finally swallowed my cock. He was trying to take it in his throat and making himself gag.

“Get it all wet, buddy. It’s goin’ up your ass.”

That only made him go at it harder. After a few minutes of an incredible blowjob, I pulled him up to his feet. I kissed him hard again.

“You ready to get fucked, boy?”

“Yes, sir! I want it, Jeffy. Fuck me, fuck me hard, please.” I turned him around so his back was to me. I reached around him with one hand and twisted one of his nipples. With the other hand, I grabbed his hair and turned his face to mine. We shared a deep kiss. He was grinding his leather clad ass into me. I let go of his head and groped his dick and balls. He was hard. He had arched his back, and his ass was sticking out right against me. I reached around with both hands and undid his belt and pants. I pulled them down around his hips. He moaned with longing and pushed his bare ass into me even harder.

“You ready to get fucked? Ready for my cock? Gambit’s gonna get fucked good, ain’t he? He’s gonna get fucked real good by his buddy, Wolverine.”

I lubed myself up, unrolled the condom, and put on more lube. I rubbed some on his hole; he whimpered and pushed against my finger.

“Please, Jeffy, stick it in. I need it.”

“You been waitin’ on this all night, ain’t ya?”

“I been thinkin’ about you fuckin’ me all night, thinkin‘ about your big cock. You got me so horned up. I really need it bad.” I pushed and slid into him. He said my name with a satisfied sigh. We’d moved a bit, and he leaned forward and put his hands on the couch to balance himself. I began thrusting kind of aggressive like. From his reaction, he loved it.