The Priestess by Frank Lauria

Author:Frank Lauria [Frank Lauria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sf_mystic, religion_esoterics
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Royce felt like a tigress.

She'd experienced many levels of reality during her life, but nothing as pure as the primitive desire to protect her den from intruders. Perhaps because she'd never had anything to protect before, not even herself. Her fierce love for David had torn the curtain from her mind, awakening instincts that had lain dormant for a lifetime.

She'd never felt as sure of herself, or as strong, not even when her nude body had been endowed with the ultimate baptism of La Ocha, the Lecumi faith. Royce perceived clearly that Val Valentine and Pearl were not true santeros, but outlaws. As for Mojo Pay ... There was just no way to understand the sheer sexual hunger he generated. She'd seen women literally throw themselves at his feet many times. She'd always managed to control herself, but only because she'd never felt worthy of releasing the animal needs gnawing at her belly. Her padrino had made sure she was a docile apprentice.

Val did a thorough job of destroying her self-image, using alternate bursts of guilt and humiliation. But she wasn't in awe of him any longer. She even dared ask the supreme Babalocha, Mojo Pay, to take her name from the rolls. Because David loved her.

She'd never known anyone who was as sensitive and as strong. And certainly he was unlike any gambler she'd ever met.

David had the natural, loose-limbed grace of a beautiful colt, and she'd been right about him in a way. He wasn't really a gambler, he was a winner. He didn't spend his life hustling the circuit, trying to connect with the smart money. In that sense, David was an amateur. But he sure was smart. He didn't blow time on nonessentials, he just won what he needed and let the whole scene go at that.

As Royce prepared herself, her memory caressed an image of his darkly sculptured features and brooding green eyes. She'd been strongly attracted by his bony handsomeness and quiet manner, but it was the grave wisdom in those jade eyes that she loved.

Royce understood men. It was one of the dubious fringe benefits of her profession. Some girls claimed they could read a John on sight, but Royce knew better. It took at least two or three hours. And after five days with David Clay she knew that he was totally honest. Even though he wouldn't reveal much about his true past, it didn't matter. She knew she could trust him, and that was enough. In fact, it was more than she'd ever expected to find in a world where truth was measured by profit.

Royce knotted the white cloth around her braided hair and glanced into the mirror.

A spotless white dress covered her body to the ankles, and eight strands of beads hung from her neck. Each strand was a different combination of colors and represented the eight major saints of the Lecumi faith.

All white was the necklace of Obatala; the red and black beads represented Eleqqua; crystal and blue

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