A History of Witch Hunting

Ding-Ding.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has illuminated the seatbelt sign. Please return to your seats, fasten your seatbelts and refrain from moving about the cabin at this time."

Thomas closed his book and placed it on the tray table.

A HISTORY OF WITCH HUNTING

He reached down to check that his seatbelt was on. It was a pointless gesture as he hadn't removed it the whole flight. Pulling on the strap, Thomas tightened it a bit more anyways, nearing the point of discomfort. It wasn't that he was afraid of flying, he had flown a couple times as a teen, but this was his first flight without his parents. It was also his longest flight to date by far. Toronto to Frankfurt, overnight.

Once satisfied that he was secure in his seat, Thomas reached for his book again. The plane lurched unsteadily and he decided better of it. The sudden movements would surely give him motion sickness if he tried to read. He gripped the armrests and closed his eyes, thinking about how he ended up on a flight to Europe to distract himself.

The trip itself had been his dad's idea. "You know, I went backpacking around Europe when I was your age. Met my fair share of young ladies doing it too," his dad told him in a slightly inquisitive tone.

Every time his dad mentioned girls Thomas felt like his dad was trying to gauge if he was gay. He had never had a girlfriend or even mentioned a girl to his parents all through high school. Not by choice however. Thomas was deeply introverted, and it didn't help that he was into things other kids found weird like the occult and cults and stuff. It also didn't help that he grew up in a small town and was the only one that dressed in all black. Maybe in a bigger city with a bigger high school he would have found a clique of alt or goth kids to hang out with.

"Don't be gross." Thomas rolled his eyes at his dad like he did every time girls were mentioned. "Did you fly over on a zeppelin back then?"

He chuckled at his own joke even though he knew his dad wasn't particularly old. Certainly no older than any other kid's dad. "Your mother and I would pay for the whole trip. You're turning 18 soon so it could be a combined graduation and birthday present. Plus, since you're going to be 18 you can travel by yourself... go to bars... maybe meet girls... Help get you out of your shell."

Thomas' dad was gentle with his words and deep inside, Thomas knew he meant well. "I'll think about it," was all Thomas gave his dad with another eyeroll due to the mention of girls. He worried for a second that he came off as ungrateful. A paid trip to Europe was an amazing gift and he knew that his parents had always been supportive, even if they didn't share or understand his interests.

"Thanks dad, I'll think about it," Thomas corrected himself and his dad smiled at him.

The plane jostled again as it hit a fresh patch of turbulence and Thomas gripped the armrest tighter, trying to take his mind off the fact that he was flying through the air in an aluminum tube over the Atlantic Ocean.

The idea for the trip had been his parents but the idea for the location came from his best friend. Or rather, his only friend, Danny. They had met in elementary school and both being intensely introverted, bonded over their shared love of video games. While the other boys were discovering girls, Thomas and Danny were in his basement taking turns trying to kill a boss on their latest game.

"You should go to Transylvania!" Danny had told him when Thomas mentioned his parent's offer.

"What?"

"Think about it man. You're into all that black magic and occult shit... And you are going off to university in the fall... There's going to be all kinds of goth girls there."

Thomas just stared at him as Danny continued, "Those kinds of girls are going to eat stuff like that up. Imagine being able to tell them that you just came back from Transylvania... Saw Dracula's castle with vampires and all that shit. You are going to be drowning in goth baddie pussy!"

There was a certain idiotic genius to Danny's ideal. Having a story about going to Transylvania would sound a lot better than telling new people at university that he spent the summer in his friend's basement playing video games. He didn't hate the idea of goth baddies either, not that he would admit that, even to Danny.

"Really? Are you sure? You wouldn't want to go to France, or Spain, or Italy?" Thomas' parents were apprehensive when he told them.

"Nope, I want to go to Romania. You said I could go to Europe and didn't specify where."

His parents, glad Thomas was at least willing to get out of the house, quickly acquiesced. Thomas had his 18th birthday, graduated, and then ended up on a flight from Toronto to Frankfurt, then onward to Bucharest.

The seatbelt sign turned off and Thomas loosened his seatbelt, realizing it was digging into his hips. He was pretty thin and had very little to cushion the belt against his hip bones. Thinking about picking his book up again, Thomas decided to try and get some sleep instead. He would have a couple hour layover in Frankfurt, clear passport control into the EU and then jump on a regional flight to Bucharest. He dozed off and spent the rest of the flight being woken up only to fall asleep again.

The Frankfurt layover went very smoothly, everyone spoke at least a little English, and besides the high prices for buying food and water, it was a painless experience. The flight to Bucharest was another experience. It was a much smaller plane than he came to Frankfurt on. It was also a much older plane and it showed. Thinking back to his zeppelin joke to his dad, he wondered if it was a similar plane that his dad flew on decades ago.

Landing in Bucharest was a bit of a culture shock. People were still quite friendly but less spoke English and signs looked stranger, being written in Romanian with a slightly different alphabet than he was used to. Thomas collected his backpack, which was his only piece of luggage and moved through customs.

After customs it would be a 30 minute bus ride to the main bus station, then an 8 hour bus ride to Cluj Napoca, the historic and cultural capital of Transylvania. Thomas was glad he had his cell phone, a travel eSIM his mother insisted on, and the Romanian to English setting on the translation app. He was able to communicate quite well, even with people that didn't speak English.

The bus to Cluj Napoca was surprisingly a modern cruiser bus. Thomas wasn't sure why he was surprised. He envisioned an old style soviet-era eastern European bus like from the movies. He settled comfortably into a seat near the back and drifted off.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Thomas awoke to the people murmuring and talking around him in disapproving tones. The bus was stopped and he could hear the driver cursing at the front. The old bus driver made some kind of announcement that Thomas didn't understand and everyone started making their way off the bus. Being one of the last to de-bus, Thomas approached the driver to try and ask what was going on.

"Bus broken; New bus come in... errr. 1 hour," the old man said in broken English.

"Do we all have to wait here?" Thomas asked him. They appeared to be in a very small town and the old building and architecture seemed interesting so he wanted to look around.

"You stay; You go; It's ok." The old driver shrugged.

Thomas threw his backpack on and began walking through the village. Everything seemed so historic and interesting he didn't bother to check his phone to see what the name of the village was or even what time it was. He wandered the area before finding a bench in front of a historic church and sat down to read his book. After a whole chapter he suddenly realized he was supposed to go back to the broken down bus.

A moment of panic struck him as Thomas grabbed his backpack and hurried back. He found the bus locked and abandoned, any trace of the driver or other passengers long gone.

"I'm such an idiot," Thomas said to himself. He tried asking the few locals that walked by about the bus but they mostly just shrugged or ignored him and went on their way. Finally accepting the realization that he must have missed whatever replacement bus that came, Thomas pulled his phone out and began looking at the map of the area. Luckily he had good cell reception here and the data worked.

Thomas found a bus icon on the map nearby and hurried to the building. His brief moment of hope was dashed when he discovered the old building locked up tight. Gesturing to the old lady that was sweeping the front steps, he was able to discern that it was closed for the rest of the day and it would be open tomorrow. At least it was still used and he could probably buy a new ticket and catch another bus tomorrow.

The problem now was that he had to wait until tomorrow and the sun was already starting to dip behind the surrounding mountains. Checking the map app again, Thomas was surprised to find a hotel nearby and started making his way to it. After a 5 minute walk he discovered that calling it a 'hotel' was a bit generous. It was more of a hostel that resembled a medieval inn, attached pub and everything.

Thomas went in the front doors and found an older looking lady sitting at the front desk. Using the translation app, Thomas was able to rent a room for the night. She led him to his room, describing what he could only assume were the meager amenities of the lodging as they went. All of it was in Romanian of course so he didn't understand a word. They arrived at the end of a narrow hall and the lady opened a door with what looked like a comically large, old-timey key before handing it to him.

The room had a small bed opposite a small wooden desk and a low dresser. It was a single room with no bathroom. Only a basin and large jug of water sat on the desk. The lady walked away before he could ask about a washroom and he was too shy to chase after her. It must be some kind of shared washroom behind one of the doors they passed getting to his room. She probably explained all that as they walked, albeit in a language he didn't understand.

Thomas thought about having to go back to the front desk and ask about the bathroom or hold it all night. In his introverted mind, both options were equally unappealing. He finally resolved to go to the attached pub to try to get some food and read his book until it was time to go to sleep. There would surely be a washroom there so he didn't have to hold it nor take the daunting step of talking to the older lady again.

It was quite dark by now so walking around the village would be pointless, even though he was interested in the area. Thomas left his backpack in his room and made his way through the narrow halls to the front entrance. He passed the front desk and saw that the lady was nowhere to be seen. This somehow validated his original idea of not coming to ask her, as if it was the correct choice and not one grounded in his introverted insecurity.

Exiting the front door, Thomas made his way to the pub that, even though they were physically attached, didn't seem to actually have a way to go from one to the other without going outside. Maybe there was a way in some adjacent unseen hallway. Thomas walked into the pub and scanned his surroundings. The interior was old and dimly lit, but not dirty or unkept. There was a large bar with shelves of mugs and various colored bottles. Opposite the bar there were small booths lining the whole wall and random groupings of wooden tables and chairs in the middle of the pub.

On the far side of the pub there was a large stone hearth with a roaring fire. The stone went all the way to the ceiling and there was a boar's head mounted above the fireplace. Thomas was amazed; it really was like he had stepped back into the middle ages.

The pub only had a few other patrons. Two old men played chess at one of the central tables and three men that could have been medieval lumberjacks sat at the bar with beers in front of them. They turned to look at Thomas when he came in, scanning him with their eyes for a moment before one of them said something in a language Thomas didn't know and all three laughed. Thomas thought about leaving but they turned back to their beers so he didn't think they would cause trouble.

Thomas went to the bartender and tried to ask the rough looking man for a menu unsuccessfully. He tried using the translation app but whatever the man was saying didn't translate as Romanian. It must have been some local dialect. Thomas tried showing the phone to him so the bartender could type into the app but the man didn't seem interested and waved Thomas off. Finally, Thomas decided to just point at one of the taps at the bar. The bartender nodded and began pouring what looked like a dark ale into a glass.

Not knowing how much it cost, Thomas took out a larger bill than necessary and gave it to the bartender after the man set the full beer in front of him. The bartender quickly made change and placed a small pile of coins onto the bar, which Thomas slipped into his pocket. He took his beer and moved to one of the booths near the front door. At least if there was trouble from the three men he could make a hasty escape.

Thomas sipped at the dark beer and made a face. He didn't have a taste for beer and the big glass looked daunting. At least he could nurse it while he read. He was immediately engrossed in his book again. The beer was still only a quarter drank when a young woman stopped in front of Thomas. He hadn't noticed her come in, but with his nose buried in his book that was to be expected.

"You're English?" The girl asked him with a smile and gestured to the book.

Thomas looked up at her. She looked to be slightly older than him but still in her early twenties. She was shorter than him and wore a simple blouse and a traditional looking skirt that went a little past her knees. She had an olive-toned complexion and Thomas was immediately captivated by her green smokey eyes.

"Uhhh, yeah... well, Canadian," He finally managed to get out awkwardly.

The girl smiled widely and sat down opposite Thomas. "What is your name?" She spoke with a fairly heavy accent and in a manner that made each sentence sound more formal than he was used to.

"Ummm, I'm Thomas," he paused as if trying to remember his own name before adding, "but my mom calls me Tommy." He immediately regretted saying that. Thomas always thought being called Tommy made him sound childish and only offered up the info out of awkwardness. He silently prayed the mysterious woman wouldn't call him Tommy.

"Hello Thomas," she finally said and he let out a breath of relief. "I am Nadya. It's very nice to meet you." Nadya held out a slender hand which Thomas took nervously.

Nadya smiled at him through her green eyes and held his hand for what seemed a bit long to Thomas. Not that he minded of course. He rarely spoke to women and never to one as attractive as Nadya. She finally pulled her hand back and Thomas thought about her warm touch against his skin.

"What are you doing here in Romania, Thomas?" Nadya smiled and made Thomas uncomfortable with her deep eye contact.

"I'm... uhm... just here visiting," Thomas was flustered. "I am going to Cluj Napoca."

"To look for witches?" Nadya gestured at his book that was now sitting face up on the table.

"Maybe... Maybe I am a witch hunter," Thomas didn't know why he said that. He wanted to sound confident but didn't have any experience talking to women.

"That's silly, there are no witches in Cluj Napoca," Nadya giggled and Thomas' face went red. He took the statement as her thinking him to be childish.

"Uhhh, no. No, of course not. I know witches aren't real. It was just a dumb joke," he tried to back pedal.

"If you are traveling to Cluj Napoca, why do you sit here in this small village?" Nadya had a friendly tone and Thomas was getting lost in her eyes.

"I was on a bus, but it broke down, and then I missed the replacement bus. So now I am staying here," he gestured through the wall at the hotel on the other side of it, "until morning so I can catch a new bus."

"Oh, I am sorry Thomas. The bus to Cluj Napoca doesn't stop in this village normally."

Thomas got a slight sense of panic from not knowing how he would get on track.

"But you are very lucky," she kept smiling, "I am driving north tomorrow and can give you a ride to Cluj Napoca."

He changed from panic to excitement in a moment. Not for the ride, but for the chance to spend more time with Nadya. Thomas would probably have gone all the way back to Bucharest if she said that was where she was going.

"Oh, that's great. That's amazing." He was flustered again.

"I will stop in front of here at 8 o'clock tomorrow to pick you up."

Thomas smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "I'll be ready."

Nadya got up and touched his shoulder with her hand. "It was very nice meeting you, Thomas. I will see you tomorrow morning." Without waiting for a response she turned around and walked out the door.

He put his hand on the spot that she touched him, savouring the warmth as if he could keep that feeling forever. Thomas' mind raced with possibilities. He would be in the car with her for hours tomorrow. Did she like him? Surely she didn't go around giving rides to just anyone? Then the excitement turned to worry. It would be just him and her for hours. What would he talk about? What if he said the wrong thing and ruined any chance with her? Did he even have a chance with her?

Thomas took another sip of his beer and immediately put it down again after frowning. There was no way he was going to put himself through drinking that whole thing. He snatched up his book and went to the washroom that he saw in the back of the pub. Once done there, he made his way straight out the front, leaving his beer at the table. He needed to go get ready for the trip. Thomas was already packed of course, but he needed to prepare things to say so Nadya would like him.

Heart racing with excitement at the coming day, Thomas had a difficult time falling asleep. The bed was small but comfortable; he just couldn't turn his brain off. When he did finally fall asleep, he dreamt of Nadya's green eyes staring at him and smiling at him. It was a lovely dream he thought when he awoke, but it was still quite early.

Thomas wished he could have a shower but didn't want to go looking for the washroom in the building or risk running into the lady that worked there. A change of clothes and deodorant would have to do, he thought.

Thomas packed his bag back up and went out front to wait a good 30 minutes before 8. Every time one of the few cars that went by turned a corner on his street, his heart skipped a beat hoping it was Nadya. The anticipation was killing him. Finally, just before 8, an old red car turned onto the street. Thomas could practically hear it before he saw it.

It was a make and model that Thomas didn't recognize, not that he knew much about cars. It may have been a collector car if it was taken care of better, looking about 30 years past its prime. Thomas began to get apprehensive about the trip but his anxiety was quickly erased when he saw Nadya's smiling face and green eyes behind the wheel. Her eye shadow contrasted with her bright eyes and it made her look dark and mysterious, even in the bright morning sun.

"Good morning, Thomas," she practically yelled at him, "I am very excited for our trip."

Thomas pulled his water bottle out of a pouch on his backpack before gently tossing the bag in the back seat then climbed into the front passenger seat.

"Good morning, Nadya," Thomas did his best not to sound nervous, "Thank you so much for this ride."

"This will be so much fun," Nadya put the car in gear and Thomas was startled by a backfire as it started trudging along.

They weren't far down the street before Thomas had a sudden urge to pee. He hadn't gone in the morning and the vibrations from the older car exacerbated things. He didn't want to ask to stop for a bathroom break in the first minute of their trip so he thought of something better.

"Do you want to stop at a gas station on the way out of town?" Thomas asked calmly, not wanting to give any indication of the pressure that was building in his bladder. "I could buy some snacks for the road."

"Of course, Thomas. There is one just up the road." Her tone always sounded formal, which Thomas attributed to how she learned English.

Thomas tried his best not to run into the gas station once the car stopped. He was relieved to find the bathroom quickly and happy that it was unoccupied and clean. It was as if the tension flowed out of his body while he relieved himself. Washing his hands he had a sudden realization. He just left all his stuff in the back seat of a car driven by some woman that he only knew the first name of. He checked his pockets and realized he did have his phone, passport and wallet but a sudden panic that he might be getting robbed took him. Why else would a beautiful older girl like Nadya show any interest in him?

Practically running out of the gas station and back outside, his fears were calmed when he saw the old car sitting there, still running. Nadya gave him a quick wave. Now he had another issue. Thomas didn't buy any snacks. He had run out of the gas station in a panic and if he went back in, Nadya might figure out that he didn't trust her. He decided to go back to the car and tried to think of a reason to tell Nadya why he didn't buy any snacks.

Luckily for Thomas, Nadya didn't ask and besides a quick giggle, she didn't make any indication that anything about the situation was weird. With another backfire from the muffler they were on their way, slowly pulling onto the two-lane road out of town.

The countryside looked picturesque in the morning light, but Thomas found himself staring at Nadya more than out the window. There was something about her that he couldn't put his finger on, and something that had him captivated. He was nervous about making conversation but luckily Nadya took the lead there and asked him about himself and his life in Canada. Thomas embellished a bit, saying that he liked doing outdoor stuff with friends instead of video games in the basement. Without any snacks, he lazily sipped from the straw of his water bottle and settled into his seat for a long drive.

They had barely been on the road for 30 minutes when Thomas found his eyelids feeling very heavy. There was something about the vibration of the old car and the poor sleep from last night that was catching up to him, and his head started to slump. Nadya didn't mind and just smiled at him as his eyelids closed.

Thomas was startled awake by the car hitting a small bump. He looked out the window and saw they were driving on a dirt road through the forest, maybe a shortcut he thought as he fought the head bobs and struggled to remain awake. Checking his phone, he realized they had been driving for a couple of hours already, but the phone didn't have any signal. With eyes half closed and a slightly open mouth he looked over at Nadya. How could he be so tired? Nadya smiled at him and held the water bottle out so the straw touched his lips. Without thinking, Thomas took a long sip before falling back into a deep sleep.

***

Thomas woke up laying on his side on a small bed. His mind struggled to catch up as he realized that he was no longer in the car. Trying to reach down to push himself upright he found that his arms didn't respond. They were behind his back, palms to opposite wrists and bound together with some sort of ribbon wrapped around the lengths of both forearms. Thomas' clothes felt different too. Instead of his jeans and a t-shirt, he was in some kind of apron-like outfit that looped over his head and was folded over and tied behind his back. There was a thick leather collar around his neck. He tried angling his head to see his surroundings.

The room was very small, barely larger than the small bed against one wall and a small table and two chairs against the other. The windows high on the wall were covered with thick fabric curtains. Something moved in the corner of his eye and Thomas jumped.

"Welcome back, Thomas." The voice was familiar and his eyes struggled to focus towards the direction it came from.

His eyes went wide as he realized it was Nadya but she looked different. Her knee length skirt was replaced by a much shorter and simpler wrap around her hips that barely covered her upper thighs. Her olive skin was illuminated in a beam of light and Thomas realized she wasn't wearing a top, just a couple of beaded necklaces that looped down towards her small perky breasts. Thomas' mind struggled to understand. On the one hand he was clearly bound and in an unfamiliar room, while on the other he was faced with the first breasts he had ever seen in real life. Nadya saw his bewilderment.

"Stay calm and rest, Thomas," she smiled at him gently, "You are safe here with me."

Thomas doubted her but found her eyes and smile disarming. "What happened? Where am I? What is going on?"

"There will be time for that. For now, just rest." Nadya sat at the table and watched him, the smile never leaving her face.

A few minutes passed as Thomas took account of his body. The position his arms were in behind his back was tight but thanks to his small frame it wasn't particularly uncomfortable. If he was more muscular it might have been too much pressure on his shoulders. The collar around his neck was attached to some kind of leather strap that was itself attached to the wall limiting his movement to only staying on the bed. He felt a pressure within and realized he needed to pee quite badly.

"I... I think I need to pee," Thomas said groggily.

"Of course, Thomas. My sisters will help you but go slow. Your legs may not have all their strength." Nadya walked over to the bed and pulled on a thin string that hung against the wall. A small bell rang outside with each pull.

After less than a minute two other young women came in. They could have been Nadya's twins if not for looking a couple years younger. Thomas stared in shock as they wore the same outfit as Nadya, a short, wrapped skirt and only a couple of necklaces on their necks. Their small breasts were equally exposed.

Nadya said something to them that Thomas didn't understand, and they giggled a bit and moved to the bed. The leather strap was disconnected from the collar, which stayed around Thomas' throat and their soft hands were gently helping him get up. Each young woman hooked one hand under his armpit and steadied him as he got to his feet and under their guidance, moved to the door.

Outside the door Thomas scanned his surroundings. The building they had just come out of was an old, single room shack. It stood around the edge of a large clearing in a forest, flanked by similarly old buildings. In the center of the clearing there was a larger building that may have been an old church a hundred years ago. It looked overgrown with vines and other green stuff and he doubted a congregation met there.

The three of them moved slowly, locked to each other with Thomas in the middle until they were in the tree line at the very edge of the clearing. They stopped expectantly and looked at Thomas.

"You... You need to release my arms. I need them to pee." Thomas looked at one, then the other pleadingly.

The girls either didn't understand or ignored him. Thomas' face went red as the one on his left lifted the front of the apron outfit and the one on the right gently grabbed his penis between thumb and forefinger. He felt the blood pumping in his ears and if not for the steady hands on him may have fallen over. This was the first time that anyone but him had touched him there.

"No, I need my hands. This won't..." He pleaded with them. The pressure on his bladder fought the embarrassment of being helped in this way.

The young women just smiled, still not understanding and Thomas could see they were suppressing a giggle. They hadn't even really looked down at him so he wondered if this situation was as alien to them as it was to him. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the need to pee, trying to find relief but all he could focus on was the delicate touch of the fingers on his dick.

Just when he thought there was no way he was going to be able to go, the girl on his left started humming a gentle melody. Thomas didn't recognize the tune but it was strangely soothing. He tilted his head back and focused on the sound. After a brief moment his body relaxed and sweet relief started to flow. When the flow stopped the two fingers gently massaged him, forward and back a few times, coaxing every last drop out of him.

Thomas' head swam with the sensation and another second or two might have triggered something in him. Instead, the girl released him and the other let the front of the apron fall, covering him back up. With another giggle to each other the girls guided him back into the single room building he came out of. Thomas was placed back on the bed, and the collar was reattached to the long strap with some sort of old lock.

Nadya was nowhere to be seen and Thomas sat there alone, his head flooded with images from various horror movies he had seen. Surely, he was going to be part of some sort of sacrifice or something, maybe some kind of black magic ritual. What kind, Thomas didn't know but he was certain he would meet his end here and started to despair.

He jumped when the door swung open and Nadya came in carrying a small wooden tray. She set the tray down on the table and moved towards Thomas. The room was suddenly filled with a delicious aroma and Thomas' stomach grumbled.

"You have not eaten all day, Thomas. Please, come sit with me." Nadya was polite, as if Thomas had a choice.

She unlocked the strap from his collar and guided him to one of the chairs at the table. There was a large bowl of what appeared to be a hearty stew and a small mug of water. Nadya sat across from Thomas and took a small spoon full of the stew. It was steaming slightly and Nadya pursed her lips and blew on it to cool it before moving it towards Thomas' mouth. He was still staring at her soft lips when he realized he needed to open his mouth. Nadya slowly and patiently fed him, blowing on each spoonful so as not to burn him. Every time she pursed her lips to blow, he felt a shiver down his spine.

When the surprisingly delicious stew was done, Nadya offered him the mug of water. He nodded and she slowly brought it to his lips so he could drink at his own pace. Only after he had finished and she set it down on the tray did Thomas look into her eyes.

"Why am I here? What's going to happen to me?" Thomas couldn't mask the fear in his voice.

Nadya touched his cheek with her hand and he felt at ease. "Do not worry, Thomas. You will be my guest here for a short time and no harm will come to you... For now, just rest for tonight."

"What's going to happen tonight?" Thomas asked as Nadya guided him back to the bed and locked the strap to his collar again.

"Tonight, mother will administer the test to determine if you are..." Nadya paused for a moment as if deciding the word to use, "Suitable. But this is nothing you need to worry about now. Just rest."

Nadya took the tray and left, leaving Thomas alone in the small room again. Thomas thought about the warm touch of Nadya's hand to comfort himself but in the back of his mind he still thought that he wouldn't be leaving there.

What felt like a couple of hours went by as Thomas sat alone on the bed, thinking about the decision he made to get himself in this situation. He tried moving around the room but found the strap attached to his collar only let him go to the edge of the bed and to either side. He tried to look out the windows to see if anything was going on outside but couldn't reach them.

Thomas was startled again when the door opened and Nadya and the same two sisters from earlier came in. Thomas wondered if they were sisters by blood or if it was like a convent or something where they just called each other sisters.

"My sisters will wash you now to prepare you for the test," Nadya said in a gentle tone and the two girls moved to help him up again. He was led to another small building that appeared to be a sort of wash house. There were a few tubs inside along with a large, old looking stove that was being used to heat water.

Thomas' mind raced as one of the girls untied the strings at his back and removed his apron, leaving the ribbon binding his arms and the collar as the only items of clothing that he wore. He was guided to stand into one of the shallow tubs as the other girl brought a large bucket of steaming water.

They took turns dipping a washcloth into the hot water before gently rubbing his body with it. The water and their hands on his body actually felt soothing as they cleaned one part of him before moving on to the next. He thought they were almost done when one of them took the warm washcloth and began gently but thoroughly massaging it onto his balls. The touch was invasive but thrilling at the same time. This was the second time, after earlier today, that someone was touching him there and his body reacted to the touch as a young man might.

Thomas' face felt hot with embarrassment as his dick slowly stood upright, coaxed by the gentle massage of the area. The girl that was washing him seemed to pay no mind to his body's reaction to her touch but the other, younger looking girl, kept sneaking glances and giggled to herself. Thomas guessed she must have been around his age or maybe just slightly older.

There was a moment of both disappointment and relief when the job of washing was finally finished. Thomas was thoroughly clean but left exposed, with his member standing at attention. He suddenly gasped as the younger girl, with outstretched index finger, pushed down the head of his erect cock a little and released it, giggling as it sprung back up. Her face went serious as she was met with a disapproving glare from the other girl.

Their faces back to looking serious as dried him off with some towels. Only when he was being led outside did his erection begin to subside. Thomas couldn't shake a feeling of impending doom, as if he was being prepared for something sinister.

Instead of going back to his room as expected, Thomas was led to the central building. Nadya was there waiting for them at the front door with something in her hands. She smiled at him and without a word put a small wooden bit into his mouth before wrapping a strap from the end around his head and attaching it firmly on the other side. The bit was firmly between Thomas' teeth and despite still being able to breathe reasonably well through his mouth, the words of protest were nothing but muffled cries. Panic started to seep in.

Thomas was led through large double doors of the church-like building. Once inside, Thomas could see that although it may have been a church a long time ago but it hadn't been for a long time. The pews, if there ever had been any, were long gone and there was what appeared to be a large, overgrown stone altar. Candles illuminated the interior of the large room.

Nadya grabbed Thomas under the right armpit and the other woman, who looked about Nadya's age, grabbed him by the left. As dread set in, Thomas thought about running before the large doors closed behind him. He couldn't even open the door let alone run through the now darkening woods. His eyes darted back and forth, and he saw other people standing in the room. There were two other young women that he didn't recognize, but seemed oddly similar to Nadya. All five were similarly dressed from the waist down and nothing but beaded necklaces from the waist up.

In front of the altar there stood a taller, older looking woman dressed in a dark robe. Nadya did mention someone she called mother. Was she their actual mother or just something they called the head of whatever kind of group this was. Images of ritual sacrifice flooded Thomas' mind as he was led before the altar. Thomas was made to kneel on a small, padded pillow before what he guessed was a long dowel or walking cane was placed against the back of his knees. Nadya and the other girl took their spots on either side of him, in a sort of kneeling position themselves, with the cane across their chins. Their weight was on their knees, but they could easily shift it onto the cane, which would then press down on the back of Thomas' calves, pinning him in place with a bit of pain and pressure.

Two of the girls stood facing him on either edge of the altar and the youngest kneeled in front of him holding some kind of crudely carved wooden bowl. The tall, dark robed woman turned to him and began speaking in a language Thomas didn't understand. It didn't sound like Romanian either though, maybe something different, something older.

Thomas studied the woman's face. The shadows cast by the dancing candles made it look dark but her skin was surprisingly pale and youthful. He couldn't tell her age but guessed she was at least 40. Every little while as the woman spoke, she would pause and the five girls would repeat a word, or a phrase in unison. Darkness fell over Thomas' heart. He felt tears welling up in his eyes from fear of his certain impending doom.

The woman's speech got much quieter, no more than a whisper when Thomas suddenly felt hands on him in an unexpected way. Nadya had reached her right hand and gently took his dick, shrunk as it was from fear, while the girl to his left gently cupped and caressed his balls. Tears threatened to erupt from his eyes and Thomas was filled with confusing emotions. All five girls smiled at him as Nadya began gently moving down his length and back, increasing then decreasing the pressure.

A feeling of warmth flooded Thomas' body as he felt the blood rush to where the two women kept a delicate but firm grip. The pleasure he felt fought the emotional dread as the older woman looked on. He shook his head in a violent no motion as the tears threatened release. Fear had won over and blood slowly started to escape his parts, getting slowly softer.

The older woman looked down at him disapprovingly and slowly walked behind him and out his vision. He struggled to stand but the pressure against the back of his calves locked him in place. He pictured a blade at his throat and the tears finally released. He couldn't cry fully due to the bit in his mouth but a couple of tears rolled down his cheeks.

Thomas couldn't have guessed the next sensation he felt and it was more surprising than the cold blade of a knife. A warm, oily finger slipped between his ass cheeks and he felt a jolt as it slowly rubbed around his opening. His eyes went wide and the tears ceased due to shock and the slender finger firmly pushed against him before slipping inside without resistance due to the warm oil.

His body shuddered with the alien sensation as the finger gently pushed an unknown spot and the two hands resumed massaging his manhood. It only took a few seconds before he was rock hard again. Thomas closed his eyes tightly as the sensations threatened to overwhelm him. If he wasn't being held up by a young woman on either side of him he may have collapsed.

In Thomas' mind he tried to fight it, fight whatever these women wanted from him, but his body betrayed him. The gentle pressure on some unknown spot behind his dick caused waves of pleasure to crash over him.

"You can come, Thomas," Nadya was whispering in his ear, "You can come for me."

Thomas bit down on the wood in his mouth as his entire body shook with explosive release. Each tiny movement the finger inside him made amplified the sensation of Nadya's hand on him. Wave after wave crashed down on him until he felt the finger retreat and the two women withdrew their hands. Thomas opened his eyes and saw the youngest woman in front of him holding the bowl at an angle in front of his still pulsing cock. She had caught every drop in the bowl.

The older woman came back into view and in front of the altar. The girl handed her the bowl, and the older woman began studying the contents in front of a candle. Thomas watched as she slowly tilted the bowl one way, then the other, as if trying to divine some sort of hidden meaning in the white contents. Finally, and to Thomas' shock, the woman brought the bowl to her lips and with a single quick motion, drank the contents.

What the fuck, was all Thomas could scream in his own head. There was an eerie quiet in the room before the woman said an unknown statement. Thomas didn't understand but the girls seemed to react positively, smiling at each other and then Thomas. Thomas didn't understand but at least it looked like he wasn't getting sacrificed tonight.

Nadya and the other girl stood up before helping Thomas up. He was quietly led back out of the building, with Nadya only taking out the mouth bit once they were outside. He stared at her for a moment but couldn't think of what to say; a million thoughts were running through his head. Nadya said something to the other girl and she went back into the old church.

"Come, Thomas," Nadya smiled at him sympathetically, "This has been a big day."

Thomas couldn't argue, he allowed himself to be led, still naked back to the one room building he was kept in. The warm summer air felt nice against his skin as they walked. Going inside, Nadya guided him to the bed before attaching the leather strap with a lock to his collar. She gestured for him to turn around before slowly unwrapping the ribbon that bound his arms. He stretched as blood rushed back into them before making small rolling motions with his shoulders.

"Nadya, was that the test?" Thomas asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, Thomas. That was the test."

"And I passed, didn't I?" Thomas read the expressions of the girls when the older woman said those unknown words.

"Yes, Thomas. You passed." Nadya had a genuine smile that included her green eyes.

"Nadya..." Thomas hesitated for a moment, "What would happen if I failed the test?"

Her expression changed to a serious look. "If you had failed the test, then my face would be the last you would ever see." Nadya managed a second of looking serious before she broke into a fit of laughter.

"That's not funny!" Thomas practically yelled at her, his emotions running high.

Nadya's face got solemn. "You are right Thomas. That was a cruel joke. Please, will you forgive me?" She waited expectantly.

Thomas almost couldn't believe it. This woman had kidnapped him, just subjected him to some sort of ritualistic test, locked him naked to this bed, and yet asked for forgiveness for a bad joke. He stared into her green eyes and found he couldn't stay angry at her. "Yes, Nadya, I do forgive you."

Nadya's solemn eyes lit up and she beamed.

"But Nadya, what would have happened if I failed?"

"If you failed the test, Thomas, then your time here would come to an end and you would find yourself back where you wanted to go. Things are not like the old days..." She trailed off a bit and Thomas didn't want to press his luck with more questions.

"Now, it is time for you to rest, Thomas. If you need anything in the night, just ring this bell." Nadya gestured to the string that she used to call her sisters when he needed the washroom.

Thomas didn't have a chance to argue. Nadya turned around and walked out the door, with the sound of a lock being shut once the door closed. He laid on the bed and despite only having a pillow but no covers, the summer night meant he wasn't cold. As Thomas fell asleep, he couldn't get the image of Nadya's green eyes out of his head.

***

The next morning, Thomas was still sleeping when Nadya came into the small room. He sat up cross legged on the bed with his hands in his lap to hide his manhood. Even though Nadya had clearly already seen everything he had, he was still shy. She brought a tray that seemed to have a bowl and mug of something. She set it on the table and went to him on the bed.

"I need to bind you arms again, Thomas." Nadya said matter of factly, with a hint of an apology in her tone.

Thomas thought for a second. She was close enough for him to grab, maybe he could overpower her. Maybe he could escape, but to what? He was naked and would have to run into the woods. Plus there were at least five other women that he knew of. He decided better of it and simply stood up and turned around, placing his palms on opposite wrists behind his back, the same way he had been bound before.

Nadya wrapped the ribbon around his hands, then arms. The pattern seemed oddly intricate. She wasn't just tying his hands behind his back. It felt like some practiced criss-cross pattern that doubled back on itself multiple times. Only when his hands were firmly secure did Nadya unlock the strap from his collar and gestured to the table.

Thomas sat and saw what seemed to be some sort of porridge with chunks of cut up fruit and berries in it. Nadya fed him with a spoon, slowly and patiently before giving him the mug of what turned out to be milk. It was actually a very good breakfast and he was grateful. Thomas then felt an impending problem.

"Nadya, I think I need to go to the washroom." Thomas said nervously.

"Of course, Thomas." She smiled. "My sisters will help you."

"No, I, uhh. I need to go number two."

Nadya smiled sympathetically. "It is ok, Thomas. My sisters will help you." Thomas understood what she was implying.

"It's just that; I don't think; It's too weird..." Thomas stammered a bit.

"If you were in the hospital, Thomas, then a nurse would help you do these things. Maybe even a man nurse. Is it so much worse to have my pretty sisters help you."

Thomas thought about arguing. He wasn't in the hospital obviously, but in another way, he couldn't see a flaw in her logic. He just resigned himself to his fate and nodded silently. Nadya rang the bell with the string and the same two sisters came within a minute. It was so fast Thomas wondered if they were all just waiting outside his little room.

Nadya said something to them and they giggled before leading Thomas out of the room, still stark naked. He was led to a small outhouse on the edge of the clearing. At least they allowed him to sit and closed the door to give him some privacy. There was no way, he thought, that he could have gone if they were watching. What happened next he wasn't prepared for though. The girls gestured for him to turn around before wiping him and then washing him with a rag and wash basin that was nearby. A week ago Thomas might have died from embarrassment but after last night, this didn't even seem like the most embarrassing thing that happened to him lately.

"Would you like to come for a walk, Thomas?" Nadya asked him when the girls brought him back to the room. There was something odd but endearing in the way she always used his name when she addressed him.

"Uhhh, like this?" Thomas asked and gestured to himself, still completely naked.

"Of course, Thomas. Nature is nothing to hide your natural form from," and to Thomas' shock, Nadya released the wrap-around skirt and let it fall to the ground.

His eyes went wide and the other two girls giggled uncontrollably at his reaction. There before him was a beautiful young woman wearing nothing but a few bead necklaces. He was surprised at her full mound of dark pubic hair. Any time he looked at naked women online or in porn they were always trimmed, if not shaved completely bare.

"Let us walk, Thomas." Nadya took him by the arm and they slowly walked through the forest, the morning air feeling cool and refreshing against their naked bodies. Thomas was surprised that even being barefoot, the soft moss cushioned his steps and it was a very pleasant walk.

Neither spoke and they simply walked whichever way Nadya guided him, on no path or previously used trail. After 30 minutes or so, they arrived back at the small building, apparently having walked in a wide loop. Nadya wrapped the skirt around herself again before taking Thomas inside. She bound his collar to the tether and told him to rest before lunch. Thomas sat on the bed but couldn't get the image of Nadya's naked body walking through the woods.

***

At lunch time Nadya came in and brought a tray of food as well as an old leather bound book. She fed him lunch with care, which turned out to be a simple meal of fresh fruit, some dried meats and fresh baked bread. After he was done eating she gestured him to the bed before pulling up a chair and opening the large book.

Nadya read some kind of story that sounded like a children's tale. She would read a passage in whatever language it was written in before switching to English and, instead of translating, would describe the passage she just read.

"This is where the old woodsman warns the young man about cutting too many trees." She read another passage.

"Oh, and this is where the young man goes into the forest, never to return again." The story was read and described, passage by passage. Thomas concluded it was a children's story about respecting nature. Even though it wasn't particularly captivating in the way it was read, Thomas was glad for Nadya's company. He was effectively her prisoner and could have just as easily left him alone in that small room. He appreciated that she didn't.

Before dinner time, Thomas had to pee again. The same two sisters came to take him and he wondered if they had assigned roles to take care of him. It seemed to always be the youngest two that washed him and helped him with his bathroom needs. Going pee this time was almost as embarrassing as last time but he couldn't help but feel a certain level of familiarity with the girls. He even stopped staring at their perky breasts, something that surprised him when he noticed.

Nadya fed him a dinner of hearty stew again and told him to rest before it was time to get washed before the ritual. He tried asking about it or what would happen but besides assuring him that no harm would come to him, she let nothing slip. Eventually the two girls came to take him to wash and he found himself reveling in their touch. He closed his eyes while they washed his groin and he pretended he wasn't some sort of prisoner of theirs. This may have been almost every young man's fantasy under different circumstances.

The girls seemed to act a bit different too, a bit more excited. The youngest one in particular, he caught staring at his inevitable hard on multiple times during the bath. When he was brought before the doors of the old church, even putting the bit in his mouth didn't phase him. Thomas seemed strangely resigned to his fate. They hadn't mistreated him seriously, he thought, last night's invasive orgasm aside, so if they were to sacrifice him to some unknown force now, he had no more fight to give.

Thomas was brought into the church and made to kneel on the same pad as before. The cane was placed behind his knees and the same two women took his flanks, Nadya on the right and the second oldest on his left, but he had no intention of fighting. He watched the five pairs of breasts in the flickering candlelight, wondering what this evening would bring.

"You are doing great, Thomas," Nadya whispered into his ear before the older woman began speaking. The compliment lifted his soul and he had a bit of regret not being braver last night.

There was similar chanting and words being repeated as last night but instead of a bowl, the youngest looking woman stood up in front of the altar. The older woman said unknown words and the youngest woman released her skirt, letting it fall to the ground. Thomas stared at the mound of pubic hair and felt something in him stir.

A bowl and some sort of small brush was taken off the altar and the older woman began drawing mysterious symbols on the youngest woman's stomach. The other girls, Nadya included, whispered some kind of chant or prayer in unison. When she was satisfied the older woman put the brush and bowl back on the altar while the youngest woman turned towards Thomas. He made eye contact with her and could tell she was stifling a smile. He closed his eyes as he felt two hands on his manhood. There was no fear now and he instantly got a throbbing hard-on.

The girl with the painted stomach approached him until she was close enough to reach out and touch, if he had the use of his arms, and then turned her back to him and got on all fours. Thomas's eyes went wide as he saw a bright pink slit in her dark pubic hair as she moved backwards toward him. Holy shit, this is really happening, Thomas thought as he looked down and saw Nadya angle his cock towards the incoming girl.

Thomas felt the warmth of her mound before he felt the texture. The girl backed her hips all the way until he slipped inside with Nadya's guidance and felt her ass cheeks against his groin. He moaned and to his surprise, the girl moaned back. They stayed locked there, in bliss, as Thomas wondered if he was supposed to do anything. Was it his job to actually fuck her, he thought.

Before he could decide, the girl beat him to it. She began slowly rocking her hips, then making circles with them as she arched her back. They never broke contact of her ass cheeks to his groin, and instead of doing an in and out motion, the girl's hip circles were causing his dick to swirl inside her. Thomas' head, free of any fear, was swimming in pleasure. He groaned into the bit in his mouth and the girl below him started making rhythmical whimpers.

Thomas looked to his right with half closed eyes and caught Nadya staring at him. Their eyes locked and he couldn't look away. After what may have only been a couple of minutes, Nadya mouthed something that seemed to include the word cum. Thomas' body convulsed as he exploded into the girl. Her gyrations slowly subsided and she lowered chest to the ground, their sexes staying locked in place. Everyone in the room seemed to be staring at them with a look of approval.

Holy shit, that was intense, Thomas thought as he caught his breath and felt himself starting to get soft. The girl lowered her chest and stayed in that position, her ass up in the air in front of Thomas. He could smell the mix of their juices and it was intoxicating. He moved to back out of her but a firm hand on his butt stopped him. Only when he got soft enough to slip out by itself was he allowed to back his butt up slightly. Looking down he could see the dark pubic hair of the girl specked with white droplets. It was hotter than anything he had seen on the internet.

After a few minutes, with his body starting to tire in that position, Thomas was finally helped out and led to the door. The girl that was before him appeared to have moved onto her back and had some kind of pillow under her hips. Three of the other girls surrounded her and Thomas heard the faint sound of chanting.

Only once they were out of the door did Nadya remove the bit from his mouth again. It wasn't like he was going to say anything but it seemed like they were making sure he didn't speak inside the church-like building. For whatever reason Thomas couldn't guess. They began walking back to the single room building, Thomas not needing to be led and Nadya simply walking beside him.

"You did very well today, Thomas," she smiled at him and gave him a light tap on his bum. Thomas felt himself blush. Whether by spell, or simple infatuation, Nadya held a certain power over him. The remainder of the evening went as he expected. He was locked back to the strap to the collar and then Nadya undid the ribbon binding his arms.

"How long am I going to be here?" Thomas asked when he was fully unbound.

"Are you in such a hurry to leave me, Thomas?" Nadya asked playfully. It was an obvious joke since he was what amounted to her prisoner. She didn't wait for him to answer the joke before continuing, "The ritual must be completed four more times."

Thomas did the math in his head. "Are you going to be part of one of the rituals?"

She had been at his side both times but they both knew what he was asking. "Would you like it if I was, Thomas?" Nadya smiled at him slyly and he found himself blushing deeply.

"Sleep now, Thomas. Tomorrow is another day." Nadya exited the building, leaving Thomas there alone, thinking about Nadya's green eyes.

***

The next three days went exactly as the previous had gone. The same two youngest women helped Thomas with his hygiene requirements and Nadya spent much of the day keeping him company, whether on a nude walk through the forest or reading to him in his room. Thomas was becoming strangely accustomed to the routine, besides a few minor things like having a young woman hold his penis while he peed.

On the day of what would be the fifth ritual, Nadya came to him in the morning as he was used to. Whenever their eyes met there was a knowing understanding and Thomas couldn't wait until tonight. She bound his arms behind his back as he was used to but was surprised when, telling her he needed to pee, she didn't ring the bell to call the other two sisters. Nadya simply walked with him to the edge of the clearing and looked at him expectantly.

Thomas blushed and nodded before Nadya gently took his penis in her fingers. It took everything Thomas had mentally to not get aroused at the situation for fear that he wouldn't be able to go. He did run into an unexpected issue though. Strangely, he had gotten used to the two girls that would help him. The one girl's soothing humming almost triggered his ability to pee in that situation. Without her Thomas stood and waited, but Nadya seemed to have infinite patience for him. She stood beside him, staring out into the forest until he finally released the anxiety and was able to go.

Nadya remained with him for the remainder of the day, hardly leaving his company. It made Thomas feel really good, as if she was maximizing the time they spent together. He had come to love their time together, as unconventional as it may be. Thomas was excited when the young women came to bathe him. He no longer needed to be guided around, he knew the routine and what was coming next. His heart began to beat faster as he was finally led to the central building.

The next oldest woman waited at the door for them. Thomas wondered if there was some kind of preparation for the participating sister and that's why Nadya isn't waiting there, ready to put the bit in his mouth. The prospect excited him. The other sister was just as gentle though, holding out the bit for him. Thomas willingly opened his mouth and accepted it. He wanted whatever was to come next. He entered the church.

The room was identical to the past four times he had been led there, candles flickering, casting dancing shadows about the room. Nadya stood in front of the altar, beside the older woman she called mother. His heart quickened again. Something felt different, but he couldn't think of what. As he was led before the altar and kneeling pillow, he met Nadya's eyes and realized it was him. Everything was the same but Thomas felt different. It was different because it was Nadya.

Everything seemed a blur. The same words were said but they seemed a haze to Thomas. He stared intently at Nadya as she let her skirt fall. He had seen her naked every day when they went on their walks through the woods but this felt different. His heart raced with anticipation.

Their eyes met as Nadya turned to walk towards him, her green eyes staring into Thomas' very soul. She got on all fours in front of him just as the previous four sisters had done. He stared at her ass as it backed up towards him, not even noticing the hand that had grabbed his now hard dick. Thomas thought about that moment in the pub when he looked up from his book and saw her green eyes staring at him.

Thomas entered her and felt a wave of warmth wash over his body, culminating on his dick inside her. He wished his hands were free so he could grab her hips; to feel her skin. Nadya's hips began moving and he was in heaven, moving his own hips with her rhythm. The chanting around them seemed to amplify everything he was feeling. It wouldn't be long.

Nadya looked back at him over her right shoulder and as soon as their eyes met his body shuddered and released. If the women that held him at the arms had not been there he would have collapsed onto her.

They shared a long moment of ecstasy as he stayed inside her until he was finally soft enough to slip out. Nadya stayed in that position as he was helped up. He wished he could stay with her, to hold her.

***

Thomas was brought back into his room, locked to the strap by the collar and his arms were unbound. The young woman leading him remained silent but he knew the routine and got in the appropriate positions without prompting. He sat naked on the bed, wondering what would happen next. He was told there would be five rituals, and now those were complete. A feeling of fear crept into the back of his mind. Had he served his purpose and would now be disposed of? He couldn't sleep.

Hours must have passed when Thomas heard the door slowly open and a dim beam of light moved into the room. His eyes struggled to focus until he saw green eyes in the lantern light.

Nadya set the lantern on the table and sat in a chair facing him. Thomas sat on the bed, cross legged, with his hands in his lap hiding himself as if there was anything left unseen.

"Nadya," Thomas finally asked, "What's going to happen to me?"

She smiled at him with a gentle look on her face. "You will go back to where you came from, Thomas."

Thomas sat in silence for a moment, thinking about the last week and the prospect of going back to his life. Even though it had only been a week, he felt like a completely different person.

"What if I don't want to go? What if I stayed here?"

Nadya looked at his expression in the dim light and her face got sad. "This is not a place for you. You don't belong here," she tried to cushion her words with a sympathetic smile, "but a part of you will be here forever."

Thomas saw her hand move, whether consciously or unconsciously, to her stomach and he knew what she meant. He lowered his head as sadness overtook him. He had been essentially a prisoner here, but he never wanted to leave.

Nadya stood up and walked towards him. "You are a sweet boy, Thomas." She leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

Thomas looked up at her and their eyes met again. She smiled and bent down further to kiss him. Their lips lingered on each other for a moment before Nadya broke the kiss and took a step back. Thomas' eyes went wide as he saw her skirt fall around her feet and she stood naked before him in the dim light.

Nadya slowly moved onto the bed and sat in his lap facing him, her legs wrapping around him. Thomas wrapped his arms around her, finally getting to feel her soft skin as she did the same. They kissed again, eyes staring into each other. Thomas felt himself stir and start getting hard between their pressed bodies. Nadya smiled and kissed him deeper, slipping her tongue into his mouth.

He felt her warmth as she angled her hips, aligning them to his throbbing member and he gasped as he slipped inside her. Nadya maintained her deep kiss and he felt her lips smile against his.

Legs wrapped tightly around him, she began slowly rocking her hips in tiny circles. Thomas felt himself move around inside her, filling her, exploring every part of her. He moaned loudly into her mouth. "Nadya..." Thomas tried to say but it just turned into another moan into her mouth.

She rocked her hips more and his body instinctively met her rhythm until they were writhing in each other's arms. Nadya let out a moan and, closing her eyes, tilted her head back. Thomas looked down at the increased space between their chests and at her small, perky breasts. Her pink nipples were hard and beckoned him to touch them.

Thomas slid his hand onto her chest and cupped them gently. Nadya moaned and accelerated her hips movements.

"Nadya..."

"Thomas..." she interrupted him, "Thomas..." Each time she said his name her words were faster and more ragged.

Thomas pulled her back against him and found her open mouth with his. He felt her body shudder and begin to shake on him. Her body involuntarily gripped him inside her as a shaking orgasm overcame her. Thomas couldn't hold back, the extra tightness and intensity pushing him over the edge. They held each other tightly and moaned.

Thomas never wanted to let go. He never wanted to lose this moment. After what seemed an eternity, Nadya opened her eyes and met his. She smiled and slowly moved to get up, gently kissing Thomas on the forehead as she got off him.

Thomas watched as she put her skirt back on and moved to pick the lantern up.

"Goodbye, Thomas." Her eyes were filled with both joy and sadness.

Thomas couldn't say it; He couldn't say anything. He just stared as she disappeared through the door. He laid down on the bed and thought about Nadya until he fell asleep.

***

Thomas awoke and looked around the room. It was empty and quiet. He waited for a while, expecting Nadya to come into the room as she had done every day. Nothing. Finally, Thomas sat on the edge of the bed and saw his water bottle sitting on the floor next to the bed. Instantly, he knew what it meant. The same water bottle that had been used to bring him here would be the end of this place for him. He picked it up and took a long, deep sip from the straw; Then another. He felt tired. Unnaturally tired. Thomas laid back down and closed his eyes.

The sound of bustling people around him woke Thomas up. He was slumped on a park bench in a large park. Looking down at himself, he realized he was dressed in the same clothes he got into Nadya's car a week ago. His backpack sat on the bench beside him.

Thomas looked around and besides a few disapproving glances from passing people, nothing seemed off. To them he must have looked like a tourist that had drunk too much and passed out on a public bench. A car backfired and he scanned the street beside the park. Thomas barely caught the image of an old red car turning the corner and slipping out of sight.

He sat on that bench for a long while, thinking about what had happened to him. Thomas thought of his parents and wondered what they were thinking. He hadn't contacted them since he got on the bus leaving Bucharest. What would he tell them? What could he tell them? Nadya never mentioned that he couldn't tell anyone what happened, but who would believe him? He had been held captive and lost his virginity against his will. Was it against his will though? Did it even count? Did it mean anything?

That last night with Nadya, he thought, that counted. That meant something. Thomas went to get up and felt something against his chest under his shirt. A small, crudely carved wooden charm that he couldn't identify hung from a string around his neck.

Thomas touched it and closed his eyes. He imagined deep green eyes staring into him and smiled.