Chapter 36: The Chamber of Lust

March 1999

It became apparent to me that Tayla and I had not spoken in a while. I supposed that she had just been listening to my thoughts as we walked. As we had walked in silence, only our footsteps and our breathing had been the only audible sounds. I had to ask the question and I knew that she knew I would.

“I have to know where we are going to next. How far down are we?” Surely, she knew I was curious to ask the question, but Tayla did not answer for a minute. She only kept walking with the torch of fire in her hand. Her blond wavy hair had changed to a more straightened style.

Finally, she stopped in the hallway, at the edge of the rotunda. She was standing between two of the columns. There was an iron ring driven into each of the columns, about eight feet above the floor. She turned to face me, as the torches began to burn much brighter. She smiled to me, as if she knew a joke and could not wait to tell me.

“My dear Malcolm, do you remember when I was late the night Necro and Dread told you I was in a feeding frenzy, and that you were responsible for it?” She walked over to one of the columns, wrapping her arms around it. One of her hands stretched out, reaching up to grasp the iron ring.

Nervously I said, “Yes I remember that. You were in the middle of taking the blood and sex of eight men I believe you said.” I began to visualize in my mind this sexual event happening, an activity of a defiling nature. Then it came to me, that when I would think of this, Tayla would tap into my thoughts and visions. This apparently was having an erotic effect upon her, as she had familiar expressions on her face. I was feeding her fantasy by simply imagining it! I tried to think of my angels and focus my mind upon something else. Tayla’s expression turned to one of frustration.

“You never give me any satisfaction, never any remnant of tenderness or affection! Do I not arouse you at all? Do you not find me attractive?” The demure, but hungry look upon her beautiful face was obvious. “This place you stand in now, this is where that event took place. I call this place ... my Chamber of Lust. I say lust because I cannot love them, not like I do you!”

Her voice, with its alluring, whispering echoes, had grown louder. Perhaps it was because I was standing a distance from her. The torches were burning like furnaces on the walls. There was much energy of a different kind in this room. This was seduction at its highest intensity. I knew I must resist, but I felt myself getting very weak. I had not seen Rachel in a while. I can resist any mortal woman, partly because I feel Rachel is better than any mortal woman I had ever known, and because I knew it would be wrong. However, I was not dealing with a mortal. I was face-to-face, nose-to-nose with the queen of seduction, a woman with eight hundred years of practice at the art. Moreover, I was outgunned. Well, maybe not, because I did have four angels with me. Where were they now?

I remembered how they had sustained me in the cavern passage while I had waited for Tayla to bring me warm clothing. It was I, who had drawn my sword first, pulling out my Bible, to show and rebuke evil in its tracks. In addition, those Angels sustained my defense. God really is good! Again, I needed make a stand for righteousness. I know most of us would not have been able to make the decision to turn from evil at this point, because I too, felt that this was more seduction than even I, who loved Rachel more than any woman, was at risk of succumbing to the scent of sexual allure. The enticing look of Tayla’s eyes caught my eyes in a deadlock, as would a cobra to a mongoose. The scent of her sensuous body, exuding its pheromone spell upon me, chipped away at my will, as would a sculptor carving a bust gently, delicately, but deliberately! I knew she was whittling away at me like a stick, for she had captured me by my own lust, and loneliness. How weak we are as men! How strong is the weapon of sex! Most of all, women wield it expertly! I wanted to speak, and even rebuke her, even though part of me wanted to run over to her and take her in my arms. For about ten seconds, I imagined the things we could do together, if I were to allow myself the indulgence of infidelity with her. The passion, the heat, the boiling chemistry of lust and love all mixed! However, I knew that to act upon that thought, would be a recipe for disaster to my mission. I shook my head, closed my eyes, and fell to my knees. I felt so guilty because I knew that I had just lusted in my heart. I knew that I had sinned. She had won.

“Do you not find me attractive, and desirable, Malcolm?” she asked. She glided over to me. A mist began to form all around me. My skin tingled, as I knew she was trying to touch me. Then, I saw the mist blown away from me as if a fan were blowing. “Oh yes. I cannot lie and will not lie to you. I find you most attractive. You are the most attractive, beautiful woman I have ever met but I cannot let this happen. It isn’t right! This ruins my testimony and witness as a Christian to be able to tell you of salvation. How are you able to believe me, if I am as weak as that I can be tempted to cheat, to lust after someone like you?”