Chapter 9

For the next five months Renee was beside herself with pleasure. Her new youthful body was the perfect compliment to her raging sexuality. She reveled in admiring herself in the full length mirror in her bedroom, often stripping naked just so her eyes could feast upon the beautiful and erotic woman who stared back at her. Her appetite for lovers was all but insatiable. She even took Martin to bed several times a week although he usually had to wait while Renee finished with her "catch of the day". Twice she had taken three women to bed with her at once and often brought in the Labrador for her companions to provide her with a little extracurricular entertainment.

Since she had become a recluse during the six months of waiting for the Luaki to mature, not even her doctors were aware of how far the disease had progressed before she initiated the "renewal" with Emily. Even so, her doctors were amazed, not only that the disease had completely disappeared, but that she exhibited such an overall excellent state of health. She was young, she was healthy, she was vibrant and she was reveling in such a state of debauchery that even Martin was becoming concerned that the sheer number of women which Renee was bedding, was causing talk. He talked with her on numerous occasions, but despite her reassurances that she was being discreet, the endless parade of feminine bodies in and out of her bedroom was creating rumors and, in fact, two important social occasions came and went without an invitation to the Tylers.

The situation was eradicated, however, when the wife of a noted philanthropist who had not originally included Martin and Renee on her guest list for a charity dinner fund raiser, was asked by Renee for tea, whereupon the beautiful young vixen seduced the wife and introduced her to a secret life of sexual slavery. The wife, in turn, assisted in seducing three more influential wives. From that point on, the Tylers were back on the guest lists and Renee was free to indulge her sexual appetite without fear of social consequence.

Martin still fought his guilt over Christine and Emily. He tried talking with Renee, but it became evident she did not share his remorse nor did she possess any trace of a conscience. For the first time since he had married her, Martin privately began to question his feelings for Renee.

It was not long afterward that Renee, one morning, noticed two very small lines around her eyes. The lines were hardly noticeable and a quick checkup revealed still no sign of the disease. She was pronounced absolutely healthy and told the lines were normal for a woman her age. In fact, she was advised that women ten years younger than she probably had as many, if not more, age lines around the eyes than she. Yet for Renee, this small indicator was all that was needed to make her determined to erase any signs of aging in her otherwise perfect face.

"Get me a girl, Martin," she ordered after they had finished supper.

"What?" he asked, thinking for a moment she was asking him to become her procurer of sexual bed mates.

"I need the renewal again."

"What do you mean. The doctors pronounced you healthy as a horse and you couldn't be more beautiful... or desirable.

"Not so, I am beginning to show lines around my eyes."

"Then what about a little cosmetic surgery, if it's that important to you?"

"Martin you know I don't want my face to be cut upon, especially when there is a better, painless way."

"Do you know what you're asking?"

"Not very much really. You just make a phone call, pay a little money, your man handles all the details and your wife is beautiful once again."

"And some young girl loses her life."

"Martin, if you no longer love me enough to..."

"No, no, I'll make the call. It's just that it's only been seven months. The Chieftess told us you wouldn't need to go through the ritual again in an entire lifetime."

Her voice became icy.

"I'll go through it as often as necessary. Now are you going to make that call or not?"