CHAPTER 27
THE BONDING CEREMONY

WARNING: MATURE SCENES AHEAD

CORALINE scrubbed her body until it burned. She made sure every part of her was squeaky clean, but still took a few moments to sit in the hot tub and contemplate her decisions. Pulling her knees to her chest, Coraline wondered what would happen tonight. Would she be the same person? Was Michael using this gift she had just so he could initiate the bonding ceremony, only to kill her later on? Somehow, she felt he wouldn't use her like that. If the Michael she was knew was still in there, he wouldn't hurt her. He would never let a flame touch her.

She was playing with fire now. Tonight, she danced with the Devil.

With an aggravated sigh, Coraline stepped out from the tub and got dressed. She left her hair down, but continued to nervously play around with it until she got annoyed – again. She decided to not bother with a corset that night. Her whole body felt tense enough; she didn't need a corset to squeeze her more. She pulled on a dark mauve silk dress, littered with various beads in different shades of purple. Looking in the mirror, she pulled at the short sleeves that hung off her shoulders.

She wasn't sure what time it was, but considering that it was two hours since he slipped the envelope under her door, she had an inkling that it was nearing eight o'clock. Time was of the essence. If there was anything he took from her, it was to never be late.

Opening her door, Coraline felt herself swallow hard as she eyed his suite from across the hall. Her legs ached, pulling her like gravity towards his room. She felt her anxiety rise to an all-time high, and it caused her to look over her shoulder several times to check if someone was watching her. The last thing she needed was someone seeing her walk to the Head of the Cooperative's room at night.

She blinked then, realizing that a force had swept her dress all the way to his door. Her feet moved quicker than she wanted. Coraline stared at the intricate designs carved into the wood, breathing in deeply, before opening the door.

Nothing had changed. The room was dimly lit by several candles. His desk sat idly in the corner, along with a few chairs by the fireplace. Stacks of files resided on the table, begging to be opened. As Coraline closed the door behind her, she noticed the office was empty. Raising a brow, she spoke aloud, "Hello? Anyone here?"

No answer. She turned to the pair of large double doors that led to his bedroom, and found herself swallowing down the bile rising in her throat. Coraline began to walk over to the double doors, careful not to make a sound. She was afraid to even breathe. Coraline hesitantly reached out to knock on the doors, but her hand stopped suddenly.

The doors were opening on their own, causing her to step back. Coraline whole body was frozen in place. She didn't know what to do, so she stood by one of the doors, clutching the wood tightly in her fingers. Slowly inching her head inside the bedroom, her eyes went wide at the sight of Michael standing in a large circle of candles. A dark red button-up hung on his torso, while a pair of untied black pants clung loosely to his hips. The light from the fireplace in front of his setup made him look like some kind of Greek god, but she refused to say that out loud.

He sensed her presence immediately, turning to look at her over his shoulder. "Come forward," he said, averting his eyes away.

Coraline slowly walked into the room and shut the doors behind her, allowing her back to rest against them. Anxiety took over her entire body as she watched him tear off his shirt and throw it on the bed, which was placed a few feet from the circle of candles. Coraline didn't know what to do. She was staring at him while he undressed. Confusion wracked her brain, and she tried her best to straighten up, but it was hard the second he turned. Her eyes went immediately downward, right to his crotch.

Her conscious was suddenly interested: Christ almighty —

"Coraline," he called, gesturing with his finger for her to walk forward.

Her eyes met his again, feeling her cheeks flush. The inside of her thighs grew hot, making her want to squeeze them shut. The threads were calling her to him. She fixed her posture and tried to keep up with her cold demeanor as she finally stepped into the candlelight. She stopped right before the large circle, afraid of her dress catching on fire. With a sigh, Michael stepped over the candles and strode forward.

Coraline couldn't breathe when he stood in front of her, glaring down behind his long lashes. He smirked, knowing the effect he had and the confusion cornering every part of her body. He began to circle her, like a predator stalking its prey. Michael watched her swallow hard, hands lingering across the fabric of her dress. Eventually, he stopped to stand behind her. He was completely naked, while she was fully clothed, and somehow, he still dominated the room.

"So," Coraline finally breathed, "how are we going to do this?"

She felt his hands on her spine, causing her eyes to grow wider than ever before. "Just follow my instructions," he whispered, breathing hitting the back of her neck. Their electric connection made her brain go into a frenzy. Michael pulled down the zipper of her dress, allowing it to fall down her bare body. With a quick hand, Coraline held the front of her dress to her chest. She watched him walk away and back into the circle, not bothering to ask her to leave the dress off. He wouldn't push her comfort levels. He knew she would come when she wanted to.

Michael kneeled in the middle of the circle and closed his eyes. Coraline watched him with a confused expression. He reached for a blade that laid in front of him, and before Coraline could do anything, he dug the weapon into his arms. Her mouth opened, but no words could emerge as she watched him drag the knife down his arms, his blood beginning to coat the floor.

"May you rise from the void, Father," he whispered, hardly phased by the pain of his wounds.

Coraline rushed towards the circle, holding her dress to her chest and fisting the fabric in her hand. "Michael, I –" Her voice was louder now – louder than the fire burning in the hearth, louder than his chants. "I'm not sure about this anymore. Why are you hurting yourself?"

"It's the only way," he replied in a groan, making Coraline step back. He almost dropped the blade in his hand when she spoke. "We can't back out now."

She rubbed at her eyes, chest heaving as she watched him continue to stab his arms. Anger flashed in her eyes. "I'm not saying that. Are you listening to me? Stop making yourself –"

"May your darkness guide us through the ceremony," Michael persisted in a low voice, choosing to ignore Coraline's questions. She'd realize soon enough. "Power in Satan to oversee this bond. Power in your name to seal the Trinity."

Tears rolled down his cheeks as blood covered the floor, but didn't venture from the circle of candles. Coraline's mouth trembled, staring at his bleeding arms as they hung at his sides. Michael finally opened his eyes, smiling at the sight of his blood on the wooden ground. Coraline realized that he wasn't dying. He wasn't weak. That was evident by his quick movements: he used his hands to draw a symbol with his blood.

It took Coraline a moment to realize that it was a pentagram. She swallowed down her nerves. This was what her mother said she needed to do. She made a deal and she had to stay by his side. There was no doubt now: Coraline Avery was selling her soul, and she wasn't scared.

Without any fragility, Michael stood to his feet, as if his blood wasn't coating his bare body. Coraline kept her eyes trained on his, daring not to move them down again and make a fool out of herself. He laid out a hand, and she was hesitant, despite the electric threads of their connection reaching out to him.

"Come into the circle," he whispered.

Coraline raised a brow, tilting her head to the side. She wasn't afraid anymore; she was simply teasing. He sighed in an annoyed tone, and as if by magic, her dress pooled to the floor. It fell completely out of her tight grasp. She suddenly regretted not wearing any underclothes, afraid of the constriction. Coraline bit her lip, looking down to the dress, and then back to him. He cocked a brow too, mocking her expression.

She had to just suck it up now. Biting the inside of her cheek, Coraline kicked her dress across the floor and slowly walked forward. She stepped over the candles, feeling their warmth hit the bottoms of her feet, and stood in front of him. She almost forgot how warm he was. Even though both of them were completely bare in front of each other, no goosebumps rose on her skin. The electric connection between them pulled her closer, causing their shoulders to bump into each other.

Coraline searched both his eyes, wondering if she should say something. He was staring at her mouth again, but neither refused to touch each other. Coraline licked her bottom lip and asked, "Are you sure you want my lifeline tied to yours forever?" She was surprised at the amusement in her voice, even when she could barely breathe in his aura. "Seems like quite a commitment."

Michael's lips curled, and before she could respond, he grabbed both sides of her cheeks and pressed his mouth onto hers. The energy flooded through her like a fucking train, making her eyes immediately open. The memories ran through her mind, reminding her of their first kiss, and how he barely knew what to do. It was so different now. His hands gripped her firmly, pulling her closer. Coraline forgot how good it felt to kiss him. She felt revived. She felt everything all over again.

He carefully brought them both to the ground. Coraline kneeled, but arched her back so she could have the upper hand. She wondered if this was truly her betrayal of God. They were suddenly in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Michael had the kiss of Judas.

Her fingers tangled in his hair, mimicking the electric thread that was currently tying around their joined bodies. The energy flowed between them as his tongue invaded her mouth, and she felt every hair on her skin stand up. She had wanted this for so long, even though her conscious had denied her of it. This was what she had been dying for, the sick, sweet warmth of his mouth on hers. She had to admit her truth: the second she saw Michael again, her anger had made her longing for him all the more powerful.

Michael's arms wove around her waist, but one hand continued to inch downward, sliding down her thighs. She was completely caught off guard when she felt one of his fingers enter in her. Her mouth suddenly left his, and he smirked ever so casually. Coraline's eyes stayed closed and she clamped her teeth down on her bottom lip, refusing to release a moan as he pumped his finger in and out. Jesus fucking Christ, she thought, pressing her face into his sharp cheekbone, where did he learn this?

Another finger entered. And then another. Her bare skin was all over his, allowing the blood from his wounds to create a mess on her chest. She didn't care. The stickiness didn't both her one bit as she finally let a moan escape her lips. She wanted nothing more than to seal the bond and fuck him senseless, like how she wanted to weeks ago.

But then she opened her eyes when she felt his fingers slide from her folds. Wetness coated her thighs, dripping like holy water. In his free hand, Michael lifted her right arm, watching her with lust-filled eyes as his mouth dragged across her skin, stopping at the cross tattoo on her wrist. Coraline's lips parted when he kissed the tattoo, and then nipped at her skin. She didn't yelp, but a scream almost clogged in her throat when he moved his lips away from her wrist.

The tattoo was gone.

He was grinning again. Licking her lips, she shoved him to the floor covered in crimson blood. Coraline straddled his lap, breath hitching in her throat as she began to ride his erect member. She closed her eyes, feeling his hands snake around her waist. She gripped his shoulders, moving back and forth on his lap, digging her nails into his shoulder. She couldn't believe that she was doing this. She couldn't believe that she was fucking Michael Langdon.

This was her ex-boyfriend. This was her Satanist neighbor. This was the man she had looked for in every partner she found. And now, he was in the palm of her hands.

His hands roamed her chest, spreading the blood all over her. He bit on different areas of her neck and claimed his territory. His lips then hovered over hers, and he realized they still tasted like candy. She breathed hot and heavy into his mouth, puncturing his skin with her nails. He was sure she'd draw blood. Her moans were inescapable as she moved faster, filling her core with his length. He could feel the bond bringing them closer – close enough that the blood on their chests was mingling and bubbling.

The room felt like a blazing fire. Sweat coated Coraline's brow, but she couldn't stop. Random pieces of hair stuck to her forehead, and she didn't bother to push them away. Michael enjoyed the sight of her frenzy, mouthing turning upward. His nose brushed her own, and she heard him whisper into her open mouth, "Ave Satanas."

Coraline couldn't form a coherent word. The room was filled to the brink with her hisses as pulled him closer, riding him recklessly, as if the Devil was chasing her.

"Say it, Coraline Rose," he hissed, dragging his tongue across her lip. "Say it or the bond won't be sealed."

Coraline panted heavily, grinding her teeth together and lifting her chin. "Ave –" She paused, voice growing thick. "Ave Satanas."

The blood below them began to boil. The crimson enveloping every part of their skin bubbled on the surface, burning Coraline's flesh, but she didn't pull away. Snakes emerged from the red pool, slithering underneath the surface. Their hisses were louder than Coraline's moans as she felt her core about to burst. She knew they were there, but she wasn't afraid of them.

She wasn't afraid of anything anymore.

As they disconnected, Coraline felt her climax spill all over his leg. She sat on his right thigh, gripping his shoulders and laying her head in the crook of his neck. Biting into his shoulder, she felt her eyes glaze over. They had turned fully white, while his were nothing but an eerie black. Coraline entered a dream-like trance and felt everything all at once, relishing in the warmth of his body. She wondered if this was what an addict felt when they consumed their drug of choice. Did they feel so powerful that they could withstand a raging bullet? The blood around them began to seep into the floorboards, but their skin was still covered in dark red.

The bond had been made. Coraline knew how it felt to kiss him so long ago; she knew just the smallest amount of energy from his mouth could drive her crazy. But this was different. This was something so powerful; something she could never feel before. She saw a brilliant, bright light in her white eyes, showing her a red thread that connected her life to his. The red string of fate.

As Michael's arms snaked around her waist, Coraline felt her soul abandon God. Her eyes returned to their normal grey state, but her entity was tainted red. She twisted her right arm around, staring at the wrist that was now free of a cross tattoo. It was then that she realized her life was suddenly changed forever.

•••

A/N: AS YOU CAN NOW TELL, I AM NOT A SMUT WRITER AHAJSJSJA

ALSO THIS CHASE ATLANTIC SONG WAS 100% THE ONLY THING INSPIRING ME TO WRITE THIS B Y E

IF THERE WAS A THEME TO THIS CHAPTER,,,,,,WELL GUESS THIS WOULD BE IT

https://youtu.be/qCODuUkp8tg

CHECK OUT THE NEW HUNGRY HEART MANIP THAT luciangemini MADE!!!! WE SAY THANK YOU ALETIA!!!!!!!!!! 💖