Hive

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge with a word limit of 300.

The prompts: This story must contain the line: "You don't belong here."

Hive

Todd screamed at the first bite.

After that, the others seemed little more than irritable nibbles.

By the time the last few took their turn, he found himself writhing in ecstasy.

None of this was according to plan.

It had taken months of tracking to find the Hive. They were extremely secretive and distrustful of outsiders. Rightly so since most societies recoiled at the thought of a black magic cult rife with blood rituals and … sacrifices.

Finally, he’d gained entrance to a gathering. A lot of money had changed hands, but it would be worth it. To write an expose on the Hive as seen, not third hand, but from a view near the inner ring, would cement his career as an investigative journalist of substantial merit. There would be a Pulitzer in it for sure.

All had gone well until that witch had stopped in mid-chant; her crooked nose lifted to sniff the air filled with the musk of sweating bodies and incense. Todd watched her from under his hood. There was no way she’d find him.

But she did; lifting an aged finger and pointing directly where he sat, hunched against the outer wall.

“You don’t belong here,” she’d hissed.

Every head turned his way. Without a word being spoken, robbed figures closed in around him. They lifted him over their heads as he was passed to the circular table in the room’s center. There, they held him firmly down. 

Todd struggled to escape; pleading for mercy.

None of that mattered as the Rite of Inclusion began.

Bite after bite, each drew just enough blood to get a taste.

In minutes, it was done.

The service continued where it had left off. The hive had grown yet again.

It wouldn’t be long now. Not long at all…