"This is our storeroom," he said, opening the first door along the hall.
Marion peered inside and saw a room full of tables and chairs; boxes of pamphlets were scattered everywhere.
"I'm afraid things are in a terrible state of disorder," he said, "but we have so much to do. In these times, it seems one must work ceaselessly to combat the pressures that surround one from all sides. Do you agree?"
"Yes… yes…" she stammered, gazing into his dark eyes, "it's so confusing nowadays."
"Ah, confusing! That's the very word. You put it so well." He smiled warmly.
Marion felt flattered. He took her hand and led her further down the hall. They came to another door, and when Raoul opened it, Marion went inside. She found herself in a very dark chamber, and when Raoul shut the door it was pitch black. She began to panic in the darkness and everywhere she turned she seemed to be enveloped by heavy, velvet drapes. She turned, frightened, and suddenly brushed against Raoul's semi-nude torso. In the suddenness of their embrace her hands had inadvertently felt the wiry, slim outline of his back and hips. His skin felt cool and silky and Marion felt her breath come faster at actual contact with this exotic young man.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry," she said, "I can't see…"
She pulled away, embarrassed.
"Don't be afraid," he said, soothingly, "everything is going to be all right."
He pulled apart the drapes, revealing a room within the folds of the heavy velvet. It was the room of worship with the low platform and heavy carpeting. Marion moved into the room, at once caught in the heavy fragrance of sandalwood incense and almost hypnotized by the flickering of the candles which lit the interior.
"This is where we hold our ceremonials in honor of Vallus," Raoul said.
Marion moved wonderingly about the room. She suddenly saw the huge, smoky-glass mirror, and was shocked by her reflection in its surface. She seemed so out of place in this bizarre atmosphere. Dressed in her tight skirt and blouse, with a light sweater, she felt she looked ordinary and common. Raoul and Alida were strange and had the look of mystery about them, even their clothes and carriage seemed to carry a hint of other worlds, other realms. Marion felt suddenly ugly.
Raoul watched Marion hungrily as she wandered, awestruck, about the room.
God, look at those tits, they look so soft and huge; would I like to get my lips around those.
Indeed, even in her plain clothes, Marion's supple, well-developed body was outlined perfectly.
I've had more than enough of Lorraine, and I've been just itching to get my prick into some new piece of tail…
"Tell me about Vallus," Marion said, turning to him. "Who is he? How do I worship him?"
"Vallus is the ancient God from Sumeria. Do you know Sumeria?"
"It flourished about the same time as Babylon, but whereas Babylon was devoted to sin and cruelty, Sumeria was the seat of true knowledge. And Vallus, the God of Darkness and Night Creatures, was their primary object of worship."
"How… how did they worship…"
"Sacrifice."
"Sacrifice?" Marion gasped… "What do you mean?"
"The sacrifice was a symbol of surrender to the God. Anything could be sacrificed… an animal, part of a harvest… even oneself."
"Oneself?" Marion said, shocked. "How?"
"Don't worry," Raoul said, smiling, "in the olden days there actually were human sacrifices, but Vallus no longer requires it. He does require, however, that you surrender yourself to him totally, to give of yourself, to sacrifice your ego and worldly identity for his sake."
Give up the ego? Marion thought to herself, that sounds like something Ed could use! And something I could use too! I get so sick of myself sometimes. How wonderful it would be to lose yourself completely, to give up completely to a strong figure like Vallus. The thought excited her a great deal, and she felt on the verge of thrilling discoveries.
"I… I want to know more…" she stammered. "There's so much I need to know."
"Trust me," Raoul said, moving slowly, steadily, towards her, "trust in what I say and you shall know the joys of full surrender, the joy of sacrifice."
He was standing close to Marion now, his eyes seemed to be penetrating hers with incredible intensity. She could not avert her gaze… the power in his eyes seemed to make her hazy, slightly dizzy. She felt somehow she was being taken over by another power… her will was weakening…
"Hail, Vallus…" Raoul began to intone, "Hail, Vallus, Hail Vallus…"
As he repeated this phrase over and over still gazing into her eyes, Marion could feel a giddy lightness overtake her. She began, unconsciously to repeat the same phrase over and over…
"Hail Vallus, Hail Vallus, Hail Vallus…"
The effect seemed to put her into a lightheaded trance, and she began to feel exhilarated and almost as if she could float off the ground. Raoul began to sway before her, undulating like a snake, as he kept repeating the phrase over and over.
"Hail Vallus… Hail Vallus… Hail Vallus…"
Caught up in the hypnotic rhythms, Marion began to sway also. They had broken their gaze, but she still felt caught in the spell Raoul had created for her. She tried undulating her body as he was doing, repeating the phrase over and over again. She felt very strange, very excited. She was lost in the bizarre feelings that coursed through her. All this, combined with the incense and flickering candles created an atmosphere that was incredibly unreal, dreamlike, and Marion gave herself to it willingly and completely.
But suddenly she was brought back to reality for as she turned she saw Raoul slipping out of the tight velvet pants, exposing himself completely. Instantly she panicked, and sweat broke out on her forehead.
What's happening, she thought, what's going on? Is this some kind of horrible joke?
She felt she had made an enormous mistake coming to this strange place. Here was a young man she had only met moments before completely nude and undulating in a manner that she could only describe as obscene despite the talk of purity and spirit. Was it all a fake? Was Ed right?
"No… No…" she cried, and tried to run out of the room. But she was unable to find the opening in the velvet. Everywhere she went the heavy drapes seemed to bar her way.
"Do not be frightened," Raoul said soothingly, "no harm will come to you. Surrender to Vallus. Hail Vallus."
Marion turned to him, fear in her eyes. "Why… why have you…"
"Why have I divested myself of all clothing?" he asked calmly.
"Y… yes," she stammered.
"Are you afraid of being naked?" he asked. "There is nothing wrong with the body. Vallus wants nothing to separate him from his worshipers, not even the superficial cloth that is forced upon us by society for modesty's sale. If you are afraid, then go, leave us. Run away into your terror and fear. If not, stay, and do as I do. Worship Vallus in all of your natural beauty."
Marion was torn by his words. One part of her screamed for her to run as fast as she could, to get away from this degenerate place as quickly as possible. But another part whispered that her fear was her own barrier, her own unwillingness to open herself to the strange new truths that she was about to discover.
I mustn't run away she thought, that would only mean that Ed is right. I've got to carry this through to the end or I'll never be a better person.
"Hail Vallus," Raoul was saying, as he moved about the room, performing ritual dances with his naked body, running his hands shamelessly over his own skin and genitals, seeming to abandon himself to his self-pleasure. "Are you afraid?" he asked suddenly. "Are you afraid of Vallus?"
"N… no… no…" she whispered. "I don't think so."
"This is the moment of truth for you," he said with compelling conviction. "Either you surrender completely to the will of Vallus or remain forever in your closed little world of terror and gross materialism! Which is it to be? You must decide now! Now! Now! NOW!" He was chanting hypnotically and the words came pounding into Marion's head.