#granted all the co workers who have caught it stopped wearing masks as soon as the mandate was dropped

[kkoongie]

I think covid tests shouldn’t cost anything if you’ve come into close contact with a positive case. That being said, my co worker who I was sitting with 2 days ago called in for their shift today because they tested positive. This is the 7th co worker to do so and yet every day I wake up and continue to go in to work. I don’t want to spend 40$ on a test only to be told I’m negative but I also don’t want to be asymptomatic or spread it to my roommate etc. lol

[thefanficemporium]

Exo Supernatural AU!

Title: Blood

Author: thefanficemporium

One Shot

Rating: MA

Warnings: Explicit Language, Adult Themes

Summary: The reader moves to a new city and is invited to a masquerade party by her wealthy co-worker. Once she arrives to the event, she meets a handsome stranger that flips her life upside down. (Reader x Luhan)

Word Count: 10096

Your name: submit What is this? // <![CDATA[ function replaceAll(find, replace, str) { return str.replace(new RegExp(find, 'g'), replace); } function myHandler() { var input = document.getElementById("inputTxt").value; document.body.innerHTML = replaceAll('Y/N', document.getElementById("inputTxt").value, document.body.innerHTML); } // ]]>

~~~~~~

The sound of your fingers tapping on the letters of your keyboard blended with the somewhat quiet ambience of your job’s office. There were a few murmurs from gossiping colleagues and the occasional ring of a phone, but you felt nothing but content in your small cubicle.

It had been a month since you left your native country to pursue your dream career. Once you finished grad school, you decided you wanted a change of environment, so you searched for a city that could provide you with multiple opportunities.

That city turned out to be London.  

Quite naturally, your parents were a bit nervous knowing fully well that their beloved daughter would be finally leaving their nest. Nonetheless, they supported your decision with the comfort of knowing that you would be fine on your own.

A small smile decorated your face as you complimented yourself mentally for making such a big move towards a brighter future. You just knew your life would be amazing.

As you finished typing up a report for your latest project, you felt a tap on your shoulder. You stopped momentarily and turned around to see your good friend Gina grinning at you.

“Hey, Gina. I see you’re in a great mood today,” you mentioned, returning a grin of your own.

“Absolutely, because I’m dragging you out this weekend!” Gina exclaimed somewhat loudly, clearly excited about something.

Gina was often known to be very moody and rather strange. She didn’t like to socialize with her co-workers unless she was forced to interact with them regarding work matters, but something about the manner in which she carried herself was quite alluring. She attracted attention wherever she went, even though she clearly did not want it. Men seem to stumble over their tongues when speaking to her and women blushed coyly in her presence.

Plus, she was freaking rich.

Like, “I could buy Queen Elizabeth and her family freaking rich,” as stated by Gina herself. You weren’t actually sure that was possible, but then again, Gina usually told the truth.

And yet, she chose to work here and associate herself with you. You have no idea why she liked you, but you weren’t complaining. It was nice having a friend here in London.

“What did you have mind?” you asked.

“Remember how you told me a while ago that you always wanted to attend a masquerade party?” Gina asked as she watched your eyes grow wide.

“Oh my God! Are we going to one?” you squealed happily as your friend giggled at your behavior.

“Yes, I was recently invited by a good friend of mine. He’s the one who’s throwing the party,” Gina replied.

“I didn’t know you had other friends besides me,” you joked causing Gina to poke you in the shoulder.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Gina responded somewhat seriously, “but I like you, so you’ll definitely learn more things.”

You smiled at your friend’s small confession. You felt a little warmth in your heart, happy that you were making a decent impression on Gina. This was definitely going to be a great weekend.

But before your friend could leave your cubicle, there was a question lingering on your mind.

“Gina, I was wondering about something. Why do we always go out at night? I literally never see you during the day.”

A neatly-shaped eyebrow lifted on Gina’s face.

“What are you talking about, silly? Yes, you do. Aren’t I here at work right now?”

“Yeah,” you sighed exasperatedly, “but I mean like outside, walking-down-the-street-when-the-sun-is-out. I mean, you literally get picked up in the basement and you only go out when it’s cloudy or pitch dark.

You felt a manicured finger on your lip and blushed. Even Gina had you flustered with her actions sometimes.

“Shush and just accept it, woman,” Gina smirked mischievously. “The sun isn’t kind to everyone.”

You pouted at your friend and watched as she winked and walked away. Yeah, you’re going to drag her ass outside one of these “sunny” days.

Friday had finally arrived and as soon as the clock hit 4:00pm, Gina snatched you up from your cubicle and led you straight to the basement of your job’s building. There, her driver waited patiently and opened the door to the back of the limo once you were close enough.

As soon as the limo had pulled off, you had learned that the masquerade party that you both were invited to was a word-of-mouth thing. Only the wealthy, powerful, and most attractive people were invited by the host. The only way you had a chance to be included was if one of these people brought you along as a “plus one.”

Luckily for you, you were just that.

After a while, the both of you were dropped off at a high-end fashion boutique. Once you walked into the store, you were absolutely blown away by the beautiful formal wear (and prices) being displayed. One dress in particular caught your eye.

It was a lacy dress that was short and playful in the front and long and luxurious in the back, almost like a modern-day ballroom dress. The top of the dress was heart-shaped and it hugged the waist of the mannequin as the bottom portion billowed down towards the floor. The back of the dress had a rather dramatic plunge line, which displayed the milky back of the mannequin.

It was perfect, but with the salary you had, it was impossible to buy it.

“That’s a beautiful dress. Do you like it?” Gina asked as she examined the material.

“I do, but I’m going to have to find something more within my price range,” you sighed as you stared longingly at the dress.

“Excuse me,” Gina called out to one of the saleswomen. “Can my friend fit on this dress?”

You lifted an eyebrow at Gina’s question.

“What’s the point of me trying on a dress I can’t even buy?” you grumbled slightly. Gina simply giggled at your behavior.

“Did you think I was just shopping for me? I can’t be the only one just stunting on all these people.”

“Holy shit, are you serious?” you looked at her in shocked. “Plus, I didn’t even know they used the word stunting here…”

“Of course, I’m serious,” Gina said as she flipped her hair smoothly, causing the nearby saleswomen to sigh dreamily. “Like I said before, you’re my friend and I take care of people I like.”

You brought Gina into a bear hug, causing her to hug you back even tighter.

“You’re freaking awesome, you know that?” you complimented as you pretended to cry dramatically.

“Hell yes, I am.”

~~~~~~

The next day was spent prepping for the party. You went to a relaxing spa with your wealthy friend where you both got your nails, hair, and makeup done. It felt so nice to be pampered for a change.

Eventually, the sun said its farewell for the day and moon and stars came to greet all those whom they shined upon. The limo that both you and Gina were currently in pulled up unexpectedly to rather large castle. You were rather surprised, previously assuming that the party would be held at a public building or at a fancy estate, but never a goddamn castle.

Magic was truly in the air tonight.

“Nervous?” Gina smirked as she watched your face with amusement.  

“Honestly, a little. I didn’t know it was going to be in a castle...” you trailed off, admiring the beauty of the ancient building.

“Oh, that…the host lives there.”

“WHAT?!” came your surprised response.

Once the driver had opened the door to the limo, both you and Gina put on your elaborate masquerade masks and stepped out of the vehicle. The two of you walked over to the entrance where bodyguards were checking guests off their list. Gina briefly mentioned both of your names and guards granted you both access inside the lavish castle.

As you followed Gina towards the area where the party was being held, you marveled at the sheer size of the castle’s interior. The hallways were wide and spacious, but the guests who chattered and laughed among themselves filled the potential emptiness. The walls and ceilings were as pristine as marble and the intricate gold patterns that resided on the hard surface showered the building in richness. Old portraits of people long gone hung with pride along the walls as lit candles bathed the building in warm light. Smooth red carpet ran along shiny floors, leading you both to the area of the main event.

You couldn’t believe the room that you had stepped into. Your friend’s claims about a masquerade party was actually a masquerade ball along the lines of a circus. Scattered across the room were acrobatic performers who put on wondrous acts on their circular podiums. Some were fire breathing and swallowing swords while others contorted their bodies in odd and sometimes erotic poses. As you walked among the guests who seemed to float about the room in their colorful carnival masks and outfits, you almost missed the aerial silk performers that hung from the ceilings.  

Everything was absolutely pleasing and marvelous to your eyes. Never have you thought something as amazing as this place had existed. Even the food on the banquet tables and the wine that swirled haphazardly in glasses of guests were enticing.

“So what do you think, Y/N?” Gina asked as she pulled you out of your daze. “Is it what you expected?”

“Is it what I expected?!” you choked, your excitement getting to you. “This place is freaking amazing.”        

“Well, expect more parties like this. My friend is always hosting these,” Gina winked.

Before you could ask who exactly her friend was, a dark-haired man with a black and white mask approached her.

“Ah, Gina. Looking beautiful as always,” the man complimented with a smooth accent.

“Hey, Renaldo,” Regina replied as they both greeted one another with a kiss on the cheek. “How was the Maldives?”

“Fantastic. Just what I needed to get away from this place,” Renaldo explained as he gave a dazzling smile. “It’s been hectic since my partner and I decided to merge our company.”

“I hope the weather treated you well,” Gina grinned as the man chuckled. “I heard the sun is quite harsh over there.”

“It is, but I was well accommodated, so I had very little to worry about,” the man winked before setting his sights on you. “So, I see you brought a friend along.”

“Yes, indeed I have. Renaldo, this is my good friend Y/N. We work at the same company together.”

The man nodded at you and you smiled back somewhat shyly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” you said politely.

“Likewise, Ms. Y/N,” Renaldo smirked. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a dance with your companion. I missed her dearly.”

“Oh, Renaldo. Always the dramatic,” Gina laughed. “Make sure to have fun while I’m away, Y/N!”

Before you could say anything more, you watched Gina being whisked away into the boisterous crowd with her friend. The multitudes of colors and dancing guests prevented you from seeing where they had both gone.

And just like that, you began to feel small.

The people around you were unnaturally attractive. You weren’t sure whether it was from possible plastic surgery or being fed the healthiest of food, but it was strange how there were a lack of people who looked…well normal. Power and wealth radiated off them, as if they were all above the common masses. Yet the way they presented themselves made you briefly wonder what it would be like in their shoes.

Nonetheless, you felt like you did not belong there, regardless of being invited by one of the elite themselves. You really liked Gina, but you weren’t like her and the people who danced around you. You were so caught up in your small moment of distress, you almost didn’t feel the gentle tap on your shoulder. Spinning around, your breath became trapped in your chest once your eyes landed on the stranger before you.

Never in your life had your eyes beheld a man so beautiful. His all black suit contrasted sharply against the pale color of his skin as shaggy brown hair sat atop his head. A single earring hung from one of his ears as rings graced his slender fingers. The crowning piece of his formal outfit was the metal mask that covered the top portion of his eyes. The mask had several sharp, jagged edges as opposed to the gentle curling lines that ran along the surface of the mask. It was made quite beautifully, as if a master blacksmith had created it himself, but what really sold you was the man’s eyes.

Scarlet red eyes, framed by black eyeliner stared deep into your soul, causing you to grow bashful from their intensity. A boyish grin grew on his lips, seemingly pleased with the effect he had on you.

“I’m sorry, miss. I saw you standing alone and couldn’t help but think that a gorgeous woman such as yourself should be having fun,” he complimented, causing you to grow warm.

“Gorgeous?” you questioned, not expecting that sort of comment from a man that would slay you in a beauty contest.

“Absolutely. What? You don’t think you are?” the man teased, causing you to blush.

“It’s not that…it was just a bit unexpected,” you admitted as you watched him carefully.

“If that’s the case, could I continue to lavish you with compliments for the rest of the night?” he asked confidently, moving closer to stand in front of you.

At this point, you weren’t even sure you were going to survive the night. This man didn’t even give you a damn minute to get acclimated with the place.

“But I don’t even know you,” you said somewhat hesitantly, even though you already knew you wanted to spend all night partying with the guy.

You felt his hand slide into one of your own as he brought it up to his face. Your eyes widened at his subtle movements.

“My name is Lu Han,” he replied as he brought soft lips to the back of your hand. “If want to know me, say the words and I promise you won’t regret it.”

You felt eyes from some of the guests watching the interaction between you and Lu Han. What was so interesting about watching a guy romancing the dress off some random woman? You decided to say the magic words, regardless of the looks and whispers that swirled around the two of you.

“Can I get to know you, Lu Han?” you asked, entranced by the ethereal being that stood before you.

“You will,” Lu Han smiled as he pulled you slowly through the crowd of partygoers, “but first, let’s dance for a bit.”  

The two of you arrived at the center of the room where a flurry of people spun to a classical song. Lu Han carefully guided you to an empty spot before placing a hand on your hip while holding your hand with the other. You were grateful that Gina had prepared you for this sort of dance although it had been difficult getting the footwork down.

The two of you blended among the swirling guests as the music took control of your bodies. The tension between you and Lu Han gradually faded as a much lighter tone filled you both with delight. You weren’t expecting to have this much fun with a man you just met, but you couldn’t help joining in with his contagious laughter. It was as if the two of you were drunk on pure bliss.

Song after song, you twirled around the room with Lu Han, forgetting that you were among other guests. The glee that graced his angelic face as the two of you danced made your heart skip harder than any man had done.

After a while your aching feet brought your dancing marathon to a stop, but you still had all the intention of getting to know Lu Han. The two of you found yourselves at a relatively quiet part of the room where some guests lingered away from the ruckus of the party. Seeing an empty loveseat, both you and Lu Han walked over and sat down. A contented sigh left your lips as a small chuckle came from Lu Han. You looked over at him curiously, wondering why he had laughed.

“What’s so funny?” you asked as his eyes met yours.

Shifting in his seat to face you, you watched as a smile danced on his face.

“You’re all tuckered out although the night is still young,” Lu Han snickered as he watched you pout.

“Of course I am. We’ve been dancing back to back without a break,” you responded. “I mean, why aren’t you out of breath?”

“Simple. I don’t get as tired as you do,” Lu Han replied smartly, holding back another laugh when he seen you frown.

“Oh, so you’re one of those smart alecks, always cracking wise-ass remarks,” you said.

Quickly clamping a hand over your mouth, you felt embarrassed, thinking you had insulted the mysterious man. You were having so much fun, you completely forgot you were in a room of people that could actually make your life a living hell if you rubbed them the wrong way.

Lu Han smirked at your reaction and slowly pulled your hand away from your mouth. You watched him quietly as he held your hand in his for the third time that night.

“I see you’re both beautiful and bold,” Lu Han smirked as his thumb rubbed the back of your hand soothingly. “A lovely combination, I must add.”

“Lu Han…” you began, unsure of what to say next to the attractive male.

“Would you like to start getting to know me?” Lu Han asked with a subtle tone of eagerness, almost as if he wanted to please you.

Smiling at him, you nodded.

“I think that’s a great idea. Should we take off our masks?” you questioned, anxious to see his entire face.

Lu Han answered your question by removing his mask, causing you to follow suit. Once the masks had been removed, the two of you looked up and locked eyes. The tension between the two of you slowly returned as the both of you stared at one another.

Seeing him without the mask, in your opinion, was a blessing. You knew he was attractive to begin with, but this was definitely unfair. His features were soft and delicate like that of a prince and you wanted nothing more than to run your fingers along the smooth surface of his cheek. You were left breathless, not understanding how this masterpiece was sitting in front of you.

“Wow…” was all you could say. It was impossible for you to form words at the moment.

“I thought I was the one giving compliments tonight…” Lu Han whispered, seemingly caught in a daze as well. You noticed his cheeks becoming slightly pink, causing you to wonder if you had done that to him.

“Um, so it seems we accomplished step one,” you mentioned, trying to recover from your daze. Lu Han laughed at your comment.

“It seems we have, but before we continue, I would love to get your name.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” you exclaimed, realizing that you hadn’t shared that important information with him. “It’s Y/N.”

“Y/N…” Lu Han spoke quietly, relishing how it sounded on his tongue. “What would you like to know about me?”

“Hmm, what do you do for a living?”

“I travel the world and host elaborate parties for the wealthy,” Lu Han replied, watching as your eyes widened in surprise.

“That sounds pretty cool,” you gasped excitedly. “Did you just happen to throw this party too? ‘Cause I mean, it’s pretty elaborate.”

“I did,” Lu Han answered proudly. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” you nodded. “I bet the guy you threw this for is certainly pleased.”

“Oh, I am. I got to meet you because of it.”

You froze suddenly, the statement throwing you off guard. Lu Han smiled mischievously, loving all the reactions that you had been giving him throughout the night. He found you entertaining.

“You mean to tell me that you’re the owner of this castle?” you asked carefully, not prepared for the answer you knew you’d receive.

“Yes and you are welcome to visit anytime as well as attend any party I throw,” Lu Han replied genuinely.

“Holy shit.”

As the night went on, you continued your conversation with Lu Han. The party raged on without any signs of stopping, but it had been long forgotten by the two of you. The eagerness of wanting to know each other was on a much deeper level then spinning around the room and being in a drunken stupor.

You learned that Lu Han had moved to London from Beijing years ago. His services were often in demand in Europe, so he decided that it was wise to move to London. He mentioned that it had taken him a while to adjust to ways of his new environment, but he eventually grew to love it. Still, Beijing was his ancestral home, so he bought a flat in the bustling city just in case he had grown homesick.

He had continued to mention that he had come from a long line of merchants. His family’s wealth had been established due to their success in the wine industry. As for Lu Han, he was more interested in attending and hosting lavish parties that brought together people from far and wide. Using his family’s wealth, he created a professional hosting business that attracted all types of people who simply wanted to have a good time.

The secret to his success was the “word-of-mouth” aspect of his business. The public wasn’t aware of it due to the fact that it was secretly spread among the elite as well as anybody else that had connections. It was a rather risky move, considering that most businesses relied on the public, but Lu Han didn’t appear to have a problem being successful. People were naturally curious and usually liked the idea of being involved in something that the public had no inkling of.

After a long night of deep conversation and excitable dancing, the masquerade party came to a gradual end. You watched from the crowd as Lu Han thanked his guests for such a marvelous time. You didn’t miss how his red eyes landed on you as the guests erupted into a loud cheer for their charming host. As the guests began to file out of the room, you heard your name being called.

“I see you met my friend Lu Han,” Gina teased as she walked over to you. “The two of you seemed quite cozy over there on that loveseat.”

“We were just talking,” you said bashfully. “He’s a really cool guy.”

“He can be quite the flirt, so watch yourself,” Gina warned jokingly. “A lot of women are interested in him. They wouldn’t hesitate to throw themselves at his feet.”

You pouted slightly at her comment. Of course women would be attracted to Lu Han. He was handsome and rich; someone you knew you didn’t stand a chance with. Maybe you were a little in over your head thinking he would be interested in you.

As you and Gina prepared to leave, you felt someone tap your shoulder. You turned around and found Lu Han smiling at you. His mannerism now slightly different from when you had met him earlier.

“I hope you had a wonderful evening,” Lu Han said as he watched your face light up.

“I did! Thank you so much for having me and keeping me company for the night, unlike someone,” you teased, causing Gina to roll her eyes playfully.

“I see you’re friends with Gina,” Lu Han mentioned. “Make sure she doesn’t get you into trouble.”

“I should be telling her that,” Gina laughed. “You’re the one who’s a handful. I’ll have to keep you from corrupting her.”

The three of you chuckled. You felt that all of you were bonding nicely. Maybe, you could all hang out sometime in the future.

“Well, I guess we should be heading out,” you began, although you wanted to continue talking to Lu Han.

“Can I see you again?” Lu Han inquired as he stepped closer to you.

Gina snickered as she watched you grow shy under Lu Han’s piercing stare.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” you answered truthfully.

Maybe you did have a chance with him.

“Then I’ll see you at the next party,” Lu Han grinned.

~~~~~~

From that very night, you had received several personal invites from Lu Han to attend his wild and fantastical parties. You found yourself getting dolled up almost every weekend with Gina until it had become routine.

The parties that Lu Han had were never boring. It was like every party that he threw had a different theme: Roaring Twenties, Arabian Nights, All-White Affairs, etc. You couldn’t understand how someone could come up with so many ideas. Even the forms of entertainment that he provided amazed you because you hadn’t even heard of some of them. No wonder so many people hired him to host their parties.

Although the parties were always a blast, you had the most fun partying with Lu Han. It astonished you as to how he was able to find you each time in a large crowd of party-goers. Your outfits and hairstyles were different each time, making it difficult for any average person to recognize you. But then again, Lu Han was anything but average.

You and Lu Han had become inseparable. Gina purposely began to leave you as she ran off with Renaldo for the night. She had slyly mentioned more than once that you and Lu Han would be cute together, causing your face to heat up each time. From that point and on, she made it her mission to leave you alone with Lu Han. Regardless, it didn’t bother you. You never had an uncomfortable moment with him.

As you spent more time with Lu Han, you realized that he was much more than just a confident flirt. He always took the time to chat with you after dancing and never left you out of any conversations with his flamboyant friends. He was a good listener, always paying attention to the small details of your life and never finding anything that you said boring.

His affections also didn’t go unnoticed. Back hugs became his way of greeting you whenever you came to his parties. At first, it had scared you, causing you to almost scream bloody murder in the middle of his ballroom. As time went by, it was expected and you were more than happy to have his slender arms wrapped around your body.

Another night had come and you found yourself back at Lu Han’s castle for another event. Once you had reached the ballroom with Gina, she ran off with Renaldo. You were pretty sure they were dating at this point, although Gina had repeatedly denied this. As you looked around the room for Lu Han, a man with red hair approached you.

“Hello, madam. Would you care to have this dance with me?” the man asked sweetly.

You were a little disappointed that it wasn’t Lu Han, but you obliged anyway. One dance with a stranger couldn’t hurt and plus, he seemed pretty nice.

You danced to a couple of songs with the red-headed man, idly chatting with him as you both spun around the room. You were somewhat distracted, looking around as you tried to get a glimpse of your favorite party host. Once the current song came to an end, you excused yourself, mentioning that you needed to use the restroom.

You left the noisy ballroom and headed down a dimly lit hallway. You had never needed to use the bathroom at Lu Han’s home, considering that you were invited to other parties at different locations. You knew it was stupid not asking for directions to the bathroom, but you were slightly curious about the castle in which Lu Han lived in.

As you wandered along the spacious corridors, you noticed this part of the castle was much older compared to where the party was being held. It also felt much chiller in the area, causing goosebumps to appear on your exposed arms. Moving further into the castle, you noticed that the end of the corridor was much darker and you could barely make out anything. The only thing that caught your eye was the sliver of light that shone through the crack of a slightly ajar door. Hearing a bit of commotion coming from that direction, you cheered quietly knowing that you had been successful in finding a bathroom in such a large building.

Walking closer to the door, your steps began to falter from the strange string of sounds emanating from the room. It wasn’t the familiar sounds of bathroom gossip, flushing toilets, and running water. These sounds were more provocative and sinful, causing your face to grow warm.

Maybe you were just hearing things? Or maybe someone was here in the castle watching television? Still, it didn’t explain why they weren’t at the party. From what you knew, no one but Lu Han lived here.

Curiosity gripped your being and you forced yourself to move in order to investigate the odd noises. After what felt like a century, you found yourself at the door. Your heart began to race as anxiety replaced your curiosity. Quietly, you peered through the small crack of the door and almost bit down on your lip to silence yourself from what your eyes beheld.

You saw several people within the room as loud moans came from those who were tangled up in rather compromising positions. Desire permeated the room as women and men kissed, touched, and fucked one another in a lust-drunken orgy. Although the amount of sex that took place was filthier than anything you had witnessed, it was the amount of blood that covered the participants that left you coated in cold sweat.

The smell was repugnant, fresh and drying blood coated the walls, the bed, the floors, and the people who seemed unbothered as they vocalized their pleasure. Had they just killed someone and decided to fuck each other silly in the copious amount of blood from their victim? There had to be a dead body in that room. That was the only explanation for this horror show, but the small puncture wounds on the necks of some of the lusty participants had you questioning your sanity.

Trails of scarlet trickled down from the small wounds as people in the room abandoned all inhibition with their lovers. You couldn’t control the rapid flicker of your eyes as it darted from one shocking thing to the next in that disgusting room. Your eyes only stilled when it landed on someone familiar.

Long hair bounced against a woman’s back as she rode a man beneath her vigorously on the bed. Others laid sprawled out around her, seemingly tired from blood loss or possibly from having their turn with the energetic woman. Broken moans fell past her lips as the man below gripped her waist tightly and thrusted into her sharply. Finally reaching her peak, she tilted her head back as an inhuman growl echoed from her throat. Baring a pair of razor sharp canines, she lowered her head and plunged her fangs into her lover’s neck. A deep groan left the man’s mouth as he slapped her ass sharply.

“God Gina, you really know how to fuck someone,” praised the man who turned out to be Renaldo.

“And I’ll continue doing so until I break you,” Gina purred as she licked the blood that began to dripped down the side of her lip.

Having seen enough of the nauseating event that took place, you were about to leave until you heard a familiar voice.

“Off dancing with other people? I’m hurt,” came Lu Han’s joking tone, unaware of what you saw.

You screamed loudly, frightened by how close Lu Han was to you as well as by what you had witnessed. It grew even louder when you also noticed the unnatural glow of his eyes in the dark hallway.

Alarmed by your behavior, Lu Han took a step back so as not to make you uncomfortable. Concern settled on his face as his eyes roamed over you to make sure you were alright. Wanting to comfort you, he reached out to you, but you stepped further away from him.

“Y/N, what wrong?” Lu Han asked as he tried to remain calm.

“Stay the hell away from me!” you yelled, your fear appearing as utter rage.

Before Lu Han could say anything, the door to the room opened and several people looked out to see the commotion that had ruined their private orgy. Pushing some people aside, Gina came out angrily in a bloody robe as Renaldo followed close behind. Apparently, he couldn’t be bothered to cover himself up.

Gina’s glowing eyes widened when she realized that you were the one who had screamed. An unsettling feeling cramped her belly, fearing that you had possibly seen the raunchy activities that she had often indulged in.

“Y/N?” Gina called out gently, not wanting to upset you further.

“Don’t…” you began as you looked at her sharply. “I don’t know what you people are, but don’t talk to me again. The both of you.”

“But…” Lu Han started, wanting to clear up the situation, although he knew that the damage had been done.

You didn’t even let him speak as you ran past him. Lu Han and Gina called out to you in a desperate attempt to stop you, but you ignored them. You ran as fast as you could in your heels and exited the castle, despite getting odd looks from some of the party-goers. As soon as you felt that you were at a safe distance from the castle, you pulled out your phone from your clutch purse and called a cab. Growing nervous, you prayed that one would arrive before Lu Han and Gina came looking for you.

You were done with everything. You were done with the partying and with both Lu Han and Gina. All you wanted to do was just make friends and have fun. You didn’t leave your home just to come here and have everything go to shit because your “friend” liked to take part in bloody orgies or maybe even murders. Even worse, the host allowed that to go on in his own home.

Back at the mansion, Lu Han and Gina tried to figure out how to clean up the mess that they had made of their friendship with you.

“You shouldn’t have let her go, Lu Han,” Gina said angrily, not at the fact that he had let you leave, but because she might have destroyed a bond with someone that she had cared about.

“And what? Hold her hostage?” Lu Han bit back, failing miserably at keeping his demeanor calm. “You shouldn’t have used that room for your activities. That’s what the upper floors are used for.”

“She might go to the police and tell them what she saw,” Gina countered. “She probably thinks we killed someone, especially with the way that room looked.”

“She won’t,” Lu Han replied, mostly trying to convince himself that you wouldn’t do such a thing. “And if she did, do you think anyone would believe her? They’d probably think she had a little too much to drink tonight.”

“Still, as much as we care for her, we can’t have her roaming around with a secret like this,” Gina spat out nervously. “Hell, only a small amount of people in this castle know what we are.”

“Fine. I’ll talk to her,” Lu Han convinced, not liking where the conversation was going. “But killing her or turning her is out of the question.”

“Jesus, Lu Han. Kill her?” Gina asked incredulously. “The most I would do, is probably turn her, but I’m not a freaking monster nor I would insinuate anything regarding killing her. I would never hurt her.”

“Good, because we can’t have shit going down like we did in the past,” came Lu Han’s cryptic tone as he recalled many memories of violence.  “And she doesn’t deserve to suffer like that.”

“You really like her, don’t you?” Gina asked quietly, watching as Lu Han balled his fists in frustration.

Lu Han sighed heartbrokenly and nodded, causing a small smile to appear on Gina’s lips. He did have feelings for you and because of that, he was determined to make things right with you.

~~~~~~

You sat alone at a table in the small café near your apartment as you waited for your order. It had been three weeks since you had last been at the castle. You had trouble sleeping, the images of what took place had invaded your dreams and turned them into complete nightmares. You were no longer dreaming about dancing with Lu Han, but instead of monsters that torn you to shreds with their teeth and splattered your blood on the walls of your bedroom. It didn’t help that Lu Han was still sending invitations which seemed more like handwritten apologies as he begged to speak with you.

Work was also terrible. You could no longer enjoy your dream job since you still had to work in the same office with Gina. Although Gina had respected your wishes to keep her distance, you still tried to avoid her as best as you could. You didn’t dare look in her direction, afraid of seeing those glowing red eyes that haunted you every day. You never saw the expression of loneliness that was written on her face, but you always caught the bouts of anger she displayed towards the other workers in the office.

The waitress brought over your coffee and you mumbled your thanks. As you drank the hot liquid, you ignored the bell that rang as the door opened. Too agitated to worry about other people, you barely registered the person who had entered the shop and was making their way over to you.

“Is this seat taken?”

Your blood ran cold at the sound of the gentle, but familiar voice. You swallowed hard before looking up to see blood red eyes staring back at you, carefully gauging your reaction. Without a word, you stood up quickly, grabbed your bag, and walked past Lu Han without giving him so much as a glance. You ignored the cashier at the register who tried to tell you that you hadn’t paid for your coffee.

Exiting the shop, you began to make your way down the sidewalk hurriedly. Before you could get any farther, you felt a warm hand grab your arm. You began panicking when you turned around and saw Lu Han holding you. You wanted to scream, but you didn’t want to cause a scene in the middle of the busy sidewalk although people were glancing at the two of you. They probably thought the two of you were having a lovers’ quarrel.

“Please don’t go, Y/N,” Lu Han pleaded with you. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Let me just explain myself.”

“Are you stalking me now? There’s nothing you can say that will make this better,” you argued, not wanting to hear him out. “Let me go.”

“No, I won’t,” Lu Han responded firmly. “Not until you let me explain what happened. If you decide you don’t want to be around the two of us, then we won’t bother you anymore.”

You studied his face for a moment with a bit of uncertainty. You weren’t convinced he’d stop bothering you, considering the fact the he ignored your request to leave you alone. Plus, the two of you were in public, so he wouldn’t dare try anything.

“Fine,” you answered begrudgingly as you snatched your arm out of his grip, “but if you try anything, I swear I will contact the police.”

Lu Han let out a shaky breath, grateful that you were finally giving him the opportunity to speak. The two of you headed back to the somewhat empty café and entered the building. Before going to your original spot, you went to apologize to the cashier for running out. When you were about to pay for your unfinished coffee, Lu Han took out a few bills and paid for you. You wanted to yell at him, but you kept your mouth shut.

Finally, the two of you sat down at the table and there was a couple of seconds of silence between you both. Getting tired of waiting for him to explain himself, you were the first to talk.

“Is that something you and Gina normally engage in?” you asked, somewhat disgusted.

Lu Han’s eyes widened, not expecting you to ask him that. He was expecting a question along the lines of “What are you?”

“That’s more of Gina’s kind of fun. I’m pretty monogamous,” Lu Han explained.

“And the blood? How exactly do you explain that?”

“Um, about that. There’s really no good explanation for that,” Lu Han admittedly sheepishly, “but I promise you we didn’t kill anyone. A lot of it was actually animal blood.”

“That’s really weird, you know that right?” you asked him, thinking he was a complete psychopath at this point. “Why even do that?”

“Let me put it this way. As vampires, we like to indulge ourselves in pleasurable things. One of those things is blood, for obvious reasons.”

“Are you serious?” you asked a little too loudly causing Lu Han to shush you. You rolled your eyes, but lowered your voice. “Vampires? I don’t believe you.”

“Well how else do you explain the puncture marks in those people’s necks? Or even our eyes?” Lu Han replied defensively.

“Make up and contacts, genius,” you responded, causing Lu Han to huff loudly.

“You’re so unbelievable, Y/N. I’m trying to explain this to you and all you do is just brush me off.”

“You’re calling me unbelievable? You’re the one calling yourself a vampire and having bloody orgies in your damn home.”

The both of you looked at each other heatedly, not knowing what to say next. The whole situation was ridiculous and hard to believe, but you knew deep down that Lu Han was telling you the truth. It bothered you to no end.

“Why do you allow that to go on in your home?” you asked much quieter, hating how loud your voice sounded in such silence.

“I’m a person that aims to please himself and others. If my guests and customers want to indulge in something pleasurable such as orgies, I will allow it. If they want a night of drunken revelry, I will provide them with wine. If they want to get away from their troubles, I’ll create a place in which they can forget them. Everyone has something that makes them happy.”

“So what do you want Lu Han?” you asked the vampire before you. “What makes you happy?”

“You,” Lu Han answered confidently as he took in your surprised expression.

The feelings of butterfly wings tickled the inside of your stomach as his confession repeated over and over in your head. You had missed the sensation of warmth that his words always seemed to give you. Why the hell are you acting like a little girl? You supposed to be pissed at him.

“Yeah right,” you replied, causing Lu Han to shake his head.

He could read you clear as day. He knew that you liked him just as much as he liked you. He wasn’t about to give up just because you were being stubborn.

“Fine. Let me prove it.”

“How exactly?”

“Let me date you.”

“Wait, what?” you sputtered, causing Lu Han to smirk.

“Are you afraid to date a vampire?” Lu Han teased, causing you to frown.

“No! That’s not it!” you countered although your flushed appearance gave you away.

“So it is true,” Lu Han chuckled. “My Belle is afraid to date the big bad Beast.”

“Oh my God, just shut up!” you whined as covered your face to hide your embarrassment.

“Alright, I’ll stop teasing,” Lu Han said as he stood up, causing you to look at him in confusion.

“Where are you going?” you asked.

“Home, but don’t worry,” Lu Han grinned mischievously. “I’ll be picking you up this Friday at 7.”

Later that week, you found yourself waiting for Lu Han to pick you up for your first date. You had no idea where he was planning to take you. You were a bit nervous, wondering both if you dressed up for the right occasion or if you would wind up dead in some random ditch. I mean, you were going out with a “so-called vampire.” Either way, you knew you couldn’t back out of this date.

Since you were forced to give Lu Han another chance, you’d figured out that maybe you should try to patch up things with Gina. Oddly, despite everything that had happened, you missed her a bit. Still, you weren’t sure how you were going to get over the fact that bloody orgies were one of her guilty pleasures.

How did your life come to this point?

The doorbell rang, signaling that someone was at your apartment door. Taking in a deep breath, you prepared yourself for the night ahead. After you grabbed your purse, you made your way towards the door and opened it.

Lu Han stood there with a small grin on his face until his eyes landed on you. His eyes raked appreciatively over the dress that hugged your body, causing you to grow warm.

“Eyes up here, Lu Han,” you scolded lightly, although you were happy that you had made such an impression.

“Ah, so sorry,” Lu Han apologized with a blush on his face. “You’re just so pretty.”

“Um, thanks,” you responded as a small smile formed on your face. “So, are we ready to go?”

“Yes, but before we do that, I brought these for you.”

Pulling his hands from behind his back, Lu Han presented you with a bouquet of Peruvian lilies.

“I hope you don’t think it’s too cheesy…” Lu Han trailed off, feeling somewhat shy.

“No, I really like them!” you reassured him. “Thank you, Lu Han. Let me just put them a vase of water and then we can head out.”

A few minutes later, both you and Lu Han were in his car as he took you to an unknown destination. You wanted to ask where the two of you were going, but you figured that he wanted to surprise you. Several minutes later, the car pulled up in front of a small estate. You furrowed your eyebrows, wondering where had brought you.

“Where are we?”

“We’re at a small estate that I own,” Lu Han replied.

“Damn, how many homes do you own?” you gasped. Lu Han chuckled at your question.

“A couple.”

Stepping out of the vehicle, Lu Han came around to your side to open the car door for you. After taking the hand that he offered, you stepped out of the car and let him lead you inside of the estate.

The place was cozy, nice for a weekend getaway with friends. As you walked through the estate with Lu Han, you noticed that he never let your hand go. You looked to where your hand was being held and couldn’t help how your heart seemed to flutter. His hand was so soft and wrapped perfectly around yours.

You felt the cool night air against your skin and you shuddered slightly. When you looked up to see where he had taken you, you gasped unexpectedly.

The two of you stood in a spacious backyard. Large floral bushes enclosed the backyard, shielding you both from the world outside. There was small fire pit with a circular couch surrounding it. Colorful pillows and blankets decorated the couch as a bottle of expensive wine, a wine glass, candies, and popcorn sat on top of the fire pit. In front was a large television screen that placed on top of a stone foundation. To top it all off, white lantern lights hung above your heads, casting a dim glow throughout the yard.

“Wow. Did you really plan all of this?” you asked Lu Han as you took in the scenery.

“I did,” Lu Han chuckled as he brought you over to the couch. “Is this okay with you? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“No, this is fine,” you reassured him as you gave him a bright smile. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I just want you to enjoy yourself.”

The two of you settled in as Lu Han poured out some wine for you to enjoy during the movie. After deciding on a movie to watch, you both grabbed a blanket and watched as the movie began to play. It was a silly little movie, leaving you both giggling at some parts. As the both of you became more engrossed in the movie, you barely realized that the two of you had moved closer to one another.

As time went by, you grew a little thirsty. You absentmindedly reached towards the fire pit to pick up your glass of wine, not noticing how close you had placed it towards the edge. You realized too late when you heard the shattering of glass against the paved concrete.

“Oh my God! I’m so sorry!” you panicked slightly, feeling terrible for destroying his things. Bending over, you quickly began to pick up the shards before Lu Han could say anything.

“It’s okay, just leave it-” Lu Han began before he was interrupted by a small yelp.

Looking down at your index finger, you saw that it had a small gash that began to bleed. You were about to get up so that you could find a bathroom to rinse your finger off, but you were stopped by Lu Han grabbing your wrist. Without any warning, he placed the bleeding finger into his mouth.

You stopped breathing as soon as you felt his warm tongue sliding against your injured digit. A low groan rumbled in his chest as he closed his eyes, savoring the taste of your blood. Your eyes stayed on his mouth, briefly wondering what it would feel like on other parts of your body.

Lu Han’s eyelids fluttered open as he stared at you with hazy scarlet eyes. You heart began thumping rapidly in your chest as you burned from his heated gaze. Never had a man looked at you in that manner. Slowly, Lu Han slid your finger out of his mouth, licking his lips as you caught sight of sharp fangs.

There was a moment of silence between the two of you, the buzzing of the movie the only sound in the yard. It was as if you were both daring each other to make the next move. Although you believed Lu Han’s actions were purely out of bloodlust, he had ignited something deep between you both. A craving that you wanted satisfied since you first met.

And tonight, it would be fulfilled.

Before you could react, Lu Han swiftly pulled you towards him, crashing his delectable lips against your own. You let out a pleasantly surprised moan as you wrapped your arms around his neck. Greedy hands grabbed your waist, giving you an appreciative squeeze for how responsive you were. Wanting to feel more of you, Lu Han hoisted you effortlessly above his lap, making you straddle him on the soft couch.

Your hands ran down Lu Han’s chest, feeling the body that laid beneath his thin sweater. Gripping your hips tightly, Lu Han grinded his erection against your clothed center, causing you to gasp loudly and break the ardent kiss.

“Mmm…make that sound for me again,” Lu Han purred, repeating the erotic motion. You cried out louder, gyrating your hips in sync with his.

“Don’t tease me, Lu Han,” you whined.

Peppering your neck with feathered kisses, Lu Han moved his hands down to your thighs. Playing with the edges of your hitched dress, he chuckled when you wiggled on top of him.

“Tell me what you want, sweetheart,” Lu Han mumbled as he began to leave dark marks on your sensitive skin.

“I want you…” you blushed, not wanting to give an explanation of the sinful things you wanted him to do to you. Lu Han wasn’t having any of that.

Giving a sharp slap to your ass, you yelped causing Lu Han to smirk devilishly at you. You bit your bottom lip, annoyed that he wouldn’t get straight to the deed.

“You can do better than, Y/N,” Lu Han peered at you as he rubbed your sore cheek.

“Lu Han, you better fuck me especially after all the shit you put me-” you began before Lu Han cut you off.

“Stand.”

You looked at him questionably, worried that you had upset him. Not wanting to cause a problem, you got off Lu Han’s lap and stood between his spread legs. The next thing your heard was the sound of your panties being torn to shreds by Lu Han’s hands. You were stunned by his actions, but it didn’t stop you from getting wetter.

“Much better,” Lu Han responded before pulling you back on his lap, “but we’re not quite finished.”

He continued his small rampage on your clothing, ripping your dress’s straps and tearing your flimsy bra into pieces with such swiftness. He admired how vulnerable you looked, loving the way your breasts moved from your heavy breathing and how your nipples hardened against the cool night air. Cupping your left breast gently before giving a small squeeze, he dug his fangs into his bottom lip at the way your heart raced for him. Your blood just had to be delicious with all that adrenaline coursing through your veins.

Placing his other hand between your legs, you moaned when he dragged his digits along your soaking slit. His red eyes stayed focused on your face, enjoying as pleasure washed over your entire being. You dug your nails into his shoulders, gasping as he slid two of his fingers into your heat.

“Remember how you asked me what makes me happy?” Lu Han asked as his fingers pumped into you languidly. “As well as what I wanted?”

“Y-yes,” you stuttered. Your mind was in no shape to answer any questions.

“Add pleasuring you to the list of things that makes me happy,” Lu Han replied, rubbing your clit rapidly with his thumb, “because I want to do this to you every night.”

You felt your walls spasm uncontrollably around his fingers as you reached closer to your peak. You bucked messily against his hand, no longer moving in tandem with his pumps. Just a little bit more and he would have you screaming his name for dear life into the night air.

Pulling his fingers from your wetness, you wanted to cry in utter frustration at his merciless teasing. You narrowed your eyes at him as he dragged his tongue along his glistening fingers. He watched you wickedly, reveling from both your anger and sweet taste.

“Everything about you is delicious,” Lu Han mentioned as he cleaned up his fingers with his pink tongue. “Just like I thought the first time I saw you.”

“Lu Han…” you whined, on the verge of tears. “I really need you.”

“Don’t worry, Y/N,” Lu Han cooed as he gave you a gentle kiss. “You’ll have me now.”

Moving slightly to give Lu Han some room, he began to unbutton his pants before pulling down the zipper. He wore nothing beneath, easily pulling out his hardened length from its uncomfortable confines. Adjusting yourself on his lap, you braced yourself as you felt him line himself under your aching heat.

Carefully, he pushed himself in, groaning as your walls welcomed him in a tight embrace. He captured your lips once more as he gave you a moment to adjust to the new sensation. Craving more, you bucked your hips into his before gyrating slowing against him.

Lu Han wrapped his arms around your moving body as you rocked languidly against him. He couldn’t believe you still wanted him, considering all that you had witnessed and had now known. He loved how your head fell back from the pleasure you were experiencing. He was amazed by the way your skin heated up from his touches and by how your body took him so well. Even more pleasing, he enjoyed watching the way your body moved as you got off to riding his cock, using him to achieve your release. Moving his hands to grab your ass firmly, he wanted to take control.

Nibbling on your lips and sliding his tongue into your mouth, Lu Han began pounding into your soaking heat. You held onto his shoulders, moaning loudly against his mouth as his thrusts became merciless. You felt him smirking against your lips, clearly pleased with the noises that escaped your lips.

Speeding up, Lu Han started thrusting into you at an inhuman speed, causing you to briefly wonder if he would break you in half. You had no choice but to hold on tightly to him as he fucked you senseless. Animalistic growls poured from his mouth as he pulled away from your lips to stare at you. You couldn’t break the gaze that he held you in, the small amount of fear that gripped your heart increased the euphoria that you felt from him stroking your walls harshly.

The agonizing sensation of Lu Han’s fangs piercing your neck and the mind-numbing orgasm that ripped through your body was indescribable. You didn’t realize you had screamed your ending to the stars as tears leaked from the corners of your eyes. Your sore walls massaged his cock roughly, causing him to coat your insides with his desire as he snarled against your broken skin.

You slumped over Lu Han’s shoulders, trying to remember how to breathe again. You felt exhausted and light-headed. You weren’t even sure if any of your limbs worked anymore or if you still knew how to form words. The only thing you seemed to register was Lu Han’s tongue gently caressing the bleeding wounds on your neck.

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” Lu Han said as soon as the bleeding had slowed. “I got carried away.”

Forcing yourself to sit up, you pecked his lips softly, causing him to stroke your cheek.

“It’s alright. It was a rather interesting feeling. You know…combined with my…well you know what I mean,” you admitted sheepishly.

Lu Han gave you a fanged smile, satisfied with how his relationship had progressed with you. You made him happier than any party he had thrown.

“Thank you for giving me another chance,” Lu Han spoke, “and not just seeing me as a monster.”

“I should be thanking you, Lu Han,” you replied as you held both of his hands in your own. “You didn’t give up on me even when I rejected you that night at the castle. I was just so scared.”

“I want to make this thing work between us,” Lu Han said with a small blush on his face. “I really care about you and I want us to continue building this relationship.”

“I feel the same way, Lu Han,” you smiled as you planted a kiss on both of his hands. “Let’s start over.”

When you had looked towards the future, you only saw yourself living in London, doing what you loved the most. Going out and having fun with friends was also an expected part of your future, but it was the unforeseeable parts that had truly flipped your life upside. Meeting Lu Han and Gina was a pleasant surprise, filling your life with such fun that you had never known existed. Although it had frightened you to learn that the two of them were vampires, Lu Han convinced you to live your life more freely without judging others. Therefore, you accepted that it was good to embrace others, despite what secrets they might have. 

[newstfionline]

The Prayer Circle: Texans Rebuild After Harvey as a Practice of Faith

By Kevin Sack, NY Times, Sept. 9, 2017

“In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit …”

WHARTON COUNTY, Tex.--Jeff Klimple, head bowed and eyes clinched, had locked his meaty mechanic’s hand into the trembly, creased fingers of his 80-year-old mother, Angie. She, in turn, held the right hand of her 24-year-old granddaughter, Natalie. Natalie was clutching a box of Hefty Ultra Strong garbage bags with her left hand, so the Lutheran pastor standing next to her, Lee Kuhns, wrapped one arm around her and draped the other over the shoulder of the gray-haired woman on his left, Rosalie Beard.

In all, there were 17 Texans linked in a ring on Angie Klimple’s front yard last Saturday afternoon, a circle of prayer broken only by the hay wagon that would soon carry away the putrid, sodden remnants of 50 years of her life.

“Father, we come to you and thank you for all of these people you sent us,” Mr. Klimple continued.

The group gathered in what had been a tidy yard on Blanche Street, one house away from a cotton field, an hour’s drive southwest of Houston. Wharton County, bounded on the northeast by the San Bernard River and bisected by the Colorado, has some of the state’s most productive farm and ranch land. But by Aug. 30, the deluge brought by Hurricane Harvey had lifted water levels by five to 10 times their norm and both rivers had breached their banks.

Recently harvested cornfields and pastures became vast lakes, traversable only by boat, and Peach Creek and Boughman’s Slough, each less than a mile from Mrs. Klimple’s house, sent water coursing into her neighborhood with destructive abandon. Mrs. Klimple managed to drive out just in time with Natalie, who lived with her. When she returned on Saturday, shortly after the water receded, she found its telltale calling card, a black horizontal line, some 20 inches up the whitewashed garage wall.

Across the flood zone, the water’s victims have endured the first two weeks of dislocation with the help of Samaritans of all cloths--family members, friends, co-workers, volunteers from near and far, and an array of faith-based groups. With homeowners racing against time to limit the advance of rot and mold, the availability of free manual labor can make all the difference.

Those who appeared within hours outside Mrs. Klimple’s house, as if by spontaneous generation, ranged in age from 6 to 77. Rancher Robert Spitzmiller and his daughter, Sarah, put aside cleanup efforts on their 8,000 acres and headed over in his pickup. Gary and Bonnie Pflughaupt came in from nearby El Campo, and brought along their son, Travis, 27, and his wife, Kassandra, 23, newlyweds who lived near San Antonio.

Many were evangelical Christians, and so it made sense that the circle included Mr. Kuhns, the pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in El Campo. Less predictable was the presence of Michael Vowell, the bearded, yarmulke-wearing senior rabbi of a messianic synagogue in Houston, along with his wife, Lauren, and their three children.

Some did not know one another, or for that matter the Klimples. It mattered little. Each felt called by faith to lend their hands--and legs and backs, which would soon ache with soreness--to an elderly woman in distress.

For Mr. Klimple, 59, a solid, sideburned engine mechanic with grease under his nails, the outpouring of support for his mother was too much to absorb. As he prayed aloud, his eyes reddened. Tears fell onto a white T-shirt already stained with sweat and grime. He paused to compose himself, without success.

“I thank you, Lord, for the things that you’ve given us, the grace and mercy that we take for granted.”

Since the days of the Bible, all manner of natural disasters--floods and earthquakes, pestilence and famine--have tested the devotion of the faithful and provoked the most fundamental theological questions. Is God benevolent or retributive or both? Why is there so much human suffering and why does it afflict the righteous as well as the unrighteous? Does everything in fact happen for a reason, and if so what divine purpose could there possibly be in leaving an old widow like Mrs. Klimple homeless?

Many of those in the prayer circle allowed themselves to wonder, but not for long. There was too much to do. And nothing that had happened, not the deaths or destruction of homes or loss of crops and livestock, had shaken their faith. In fact, to a person, they said the flood and its aftermath had strengthened it.

At least part of God’s plan, each said in subsequent interviews, could be detected in the formation of the prayer circle itself. Here were strangers and friends, aged and innocent, rural and urban, coming together to humble themselves before God and put their faith into practice.

It was a scene repeated time and again in the aftermath of the storm, from Bay City to Beaumont, as cleaning crews hauled mountains of possessions to the curb. It was just stuff, they told themselves, the accumulations of this earthly life, not an eternal one. Everyone was safe. God was still good.

“Lord, I want to thank you that we’re not in worse shape than we are, because we know that others have suffered even more.”

And yet, it was bad enough. After soaking for four days in calf-deep water, the single-story house reeked like a high school bathroom. Floors and carpets were sludgy with mud. It took hours of sweeping to force the remaining water out the door.

The four bedrooms were wrecked, along with most of the furniture. Some of Mrs. Klimple’s most cherished photographs, like those of her late husband, Jesse, in uniform during the Korean War, were beyond salvaging.

There had been flooding in Wharton County (population 42,000) twice in the previous 16 months, but never like this. It arrived late, a full four days after Harvey inundated Houston, and it caught the Klimples and many others off guard. Remarkably, no one in the county perished. But much of a bumper crop of cotton sat moldering in the fields, and livestock losses were substantial.

Mrs. Klimple, who built the blond brick ranch with her husband in 1968, oversaw the emptying of her house from the kitchen. She gripped a soaked brown towel as if it were a security blanket, first wiping her face, then burying it, as her belongings paraded past: the box springs and bed frames, the rocking chair, the lamps, the bedroom drawers still stuffed with clothes.

Some of the helpers wore blue surgical gloves but no one had brought masks. Four hardworking children, Sarah Spitzmiller, 11, and Hazel, 6; Seth, 9; and Orah Vowell, 11, took out the picture frames and vases and the coffee pot. Hazel sang Cinderella songs to herself as she mopped.

They came across the triangular case holding the flag presented to Mrs. Klimple by the Army after her husband died, and the intricate models of covered wagons that he built from scratch as a hobby. It felt like a privilege, like they were honor guards.

“I’m so sorry this happened to you,” Seth Vowell told Mrs. Klimple. “Thanks for letting me do this,” he added. “I really needed to get out of the house.”

She had to fight back the tears. “We’ll be all right with the help of the Lord,” she told him.

Michael Beard, a family friend who had recruited the volunteers from among kinfolk and friends, designated one trailer for refuse and another for items worth saving. Mrs. Klimple’s sentimentality ebbed into resignation as the afternoon wore on.

“How about this chair, Angie?” someone asked.

She gave it a glance. “Junk it,” she said.

“We pray for all the animals and things that we need in our world, our cattle, our people that work on the farms.”

At Robert Spitzmiller’s ranch, passed down from his great-great grandfather, the water stopped about 75 yards shy of the old plantation house. But the high ground in his pastures and pens was not very high, and some of his dazed livestock--650 head of cattle and 11 horses--confronted water up to their bellies.

During the worst of the flooding, Mr. Klimple, his friend, brought his boat to the ranch and they skimmed in the dark above fields and fence posts to search for his animals. He cut wire and herded horses and cows through the gaps, sometimes lowering himself into the gut-high water and guiding the stubborn beasts on foot. Floating clusters of fire ants feasted on his legs.

He and Sarah could not, however, find her prized mare, Holly, a champion cutting and roping horse. After they searched frantically for two days, the horse wandered up a watery path to the corral, sporting a gash on her right hock and other cuts and punctures.

Elsewhere in the county, Mr. Beard, 50, struggled to get feed to his 50 cows stranded in water 100 yards from his barn. Fortunately, he had a canoe, and could paddle out with hay--four bales at a time, five round trips per feeding, twice a day--until the water receded.

Yet there was no hesitation when Mr. Klimple, a shirt-off-his-back kind of friend, asked the two men to pitch in at his mother’s house. In the prayer circle, when Mr. Klimple became too emotional to proceed, Mr. Beard stepped in. He spoke of his conviction that God must have a reason, even for the most horrific of tragedies, citing a 3-year-old girl found clinging to her dead mother in swirling floodwaters.

“Father, somehow, some way, you can turn it out for good. I don’t understand it. I can’t wrap my mind around it. I cried out for you, Lord, why did you let that happen? Why?”

The two clergymen in the circle approached that question from different angles. For Mr. Kuhns, the Lutheran pastor, the answer concerned man’s original sin. “We broke the world, and so we see the ramifications with earthquakes and floods and wars,” he said. “We’re the ones that brought it about.”

That interpretation of Scripture, he acknowledged, was not an easy one for those already suffering. “It doesn’t come off sounding very loving,” he said. “And yet the truth is we all deserve death and destruction. That’s what we deserve. But by the grace and love of God, he has blessed us with not total suffering.” Harvey’s devastation, he said, served to remind believers that heaven and not earth was their true home, the place where all would be perfect.

Rabbi Vowell had brought his family to the Klimple house at the request of Mr. Beard, who attends Congregation Beth Messiah in Houston with his wife, Kim. Ms. Beard had learned she had Jewish ancestry and became interested in messianic Judaism, which recognizes Christ as a spiritual savior within a context of traditional Jewish practice.

Raised Jewish in Houston, Rabbi Vowell, 41, had himself come to Christ as a young man as part of his escape from drug abuse and dealing. These days, he bears a resemblance to the popular iconography of the prophet he calls Yeshua (if, that is, Yeshua had worn snakeskin boots and a Texas star belt buckle).

“My theology is that if I can see God moving through people, neighbors helping neighbors, I can shelve the bigger question of why is this happening,” he said. “That there are still people caring for each other is evidence enough that God is in this world.”

Rabbi Vowell spoke of tikkun olam, the Jewish imperative placed on “repairing the world.” Perhaps, he said, the kindnesses shown to the Klimples would create new memories to replace those in Angie’s discarded photo albums.

“The purpose of this may be as simple as future generations looking back and seeing how caring and giving and sacrificial people were,” he said.

For many in the prayer circle, the testing of faith was the whole point. “It’s easy when something bad happens to shake your fist at God,” said Kassandra Plfughaupt, 23. “But how often in everyday life do you see a miracle, the miracle of a baby born, of love between people, or the way that people unite and come together in tragedy.”

“Father, we know that you have all of our angels looking down upon us, all of our ones that have left us, all of our family.”

For Jeff Klimple, the deepest emotions welled when he remembered his father, and all the meaningful moments in that house, now in ruins. But his tears also flowed from the unexpected arrival of so much help.

“To me, it was a gift from the Lord,” he said. “You know, bad things happen to good people and we don’t know why. But this is what the Lord wants, for you to love your brother like yourself.”

Angie Klimple, who gets by mostly on Social Security benefits, is now living with relatives nearly two hours away. It makes for long days when she drives to Blanche Street to work on the house.

She misses her gardening, and even mowing the yard, which she still does at 80 despite pain in her joints. She did not have flood insurance. And while she filled out forms this week for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, she does not know whether it will be enough to make the house habitable.

In 2008, when Hurricane Ike blew through Galveston, she went there with a church group and spent three days clearing out houses. “I felt so blessed to do it,” she said. She never imagined, of course, that the tables might turn.

By midweek, some of Mrs. Klimple’s despair had lifted, and her sense of humor had returned. “When I first saw it all, it upset me,” she said in her barbed-wire twang. “But then I thought, you know, I needed to clean the house anyway. Too bad I’d just dusted everything.”

She nodded at a new set of volunteers who were prying out drywall and disinfecting the house with bleach. They were what mattered. “When I saw the crew that came in, all those wonderful people and friends, I was just so thankful,” she said. “I feel like the Lord’s trying to bring people together. He wants us to be nicer to each other.”