Page 61 of Sincerely, Butterfly

The moment we walk in, the chanting stops, and everything becomes eerily silent. The only sound that can still be heard is the crackling of the torches that adorn the room.

“Welcome, brothers,” a deep voice booms as a man steps forward. “Tonight, we gather together to celebrate the ancient gods and all the good fortune they’ve bestowed upon our ancestors and us. Tonight, we offer beauty, purity, and innocence. Let us grace the gods in the form of a blood offering.”

“Here, here,” the group echoes back, my guys included.

Hopefully, the innocent part isn’t a huge requirement, or there’s a very good chance I’ll be upsetting the gods. Oops?

Something brushes against my back, and I suck in a surprised gasp. “Jumpy little rabbit,” Sylas chuckles low. “You are a fun one, aren’t you?”

Swallowing hard, I try to steady my breathing. My heart is beating so fast I feel like I might pass out. I’m not jumpy because I’m afraid, but because I’m just not used to being touched like this so much.

This is the longest that I’ve been in the same place as these three in years. And apart from posing together at graduation for thatphoto and bumping into Wesley that day in class, I’ve never been touched by them.

The anticipation of what's about to happen next consumes me. Whatever they have planned, I know at least two things are going to occur.

I will no longer be a virgin by the time I leave, and I will bleed. Probably in more ways than one.

They walk me toward the center of the room, where a large circular stone slab sits.

“Are you ready?” Wesley purrs in my ear, his voice a soft whisper. My eyes flutter closed as my body starts to tingle. “I can’t wait to hear you scream.”

The three of them take a step back, their dark presence still towering over me. I tilt my head back to look up at them, licking my lips as I wonder what is going to happen next.

My heart nearly stops in my chest when they start to remove their cloaks.

I drink them in, chest rising and falling quicker with every glorious inch of their bodies they reveal to me.

Stunning, intricate tattoos decorate their skin, each man with a different set of designs, but all are equally as gorgeous.

All of them are fit, but while Sylas is more on the lean side, Jasper is ripped. His muscled arms have those sexy veins, making my mouth water, and I want to trace every inch with my tongue. Wesley sits somewhere in the middle of the two, not overly ripped, but enough of a build, thanks to the years that he played football.

Their looks aren't a factor in why I’m in love with them, just a blessed bonus.

“Strip.” Jasper’s voice echoes throughout the room. “Bare your body to the gods and the Brotherhood. Show us how pure you are.”

I really hope the gods don’t have the power to read minds, or we’re all fucked.

Taking a small breath, I reach behind my back, my eyes not wavering from their masked faces, and unhook my bra from underneath my nightgown.

Lowering my arms, I let both pieces of fabric fall to the ground. The cool air around me causes my nipples to pull tight.

I shimmy out of my panties, letting them pool at my feet before stepping out of them and kicking them to the side.

The three of them take another step back, as if they need more room to drink in my body.

I resist the urge to wrap my arms around myself, to hide from the eyes of the men around us. So I focus on the three in front of me.

I’ve never felt so exposed in my life.

My body is theirs to do with as they please. They own me. I give myself over to them willingly.

I’m ready for whatever is about to happen. In some kind of fucked up way, I trust them. Maybe that's foolish of me; they don’t know it’s me who stands before them. But I have this deep guttural feeling that no true harm will come to me. At least, not by their hands. The men around me are a completely different story. One I don’t want to dwell on.

“Lay down on the altar, little lamb,” Jasper instructs. “Present yourself to the gods. Let them see what we have brought them.”

Turning around, I focus on the stone slab in front of me and do my best to ignore the room full of men. I can feel their eyes on me, but I’m not here for their pleasure. They don’t get to touch me.

At least, I hope that’s the case.