Chapter 11: Celebration

Melissa sailed through the winnowing process that brought 137 contestants down to twenty, ten men and ten women.

After that came the six month wait. The show producers went about editing the footage and spacing the proceedings into weekly hour-long segments.

During that time, she went back to Kansas City, working at the new church there. Occasionally, she would go back to Omaha, to visit her parents and the church headquarters.

As the recorded shows started airing, the young priestess watched the show and monitored social media. It became evident that Melissa was an early favorite. Her beauty, charm, and wit charmed everyone.

Reporters from all forms of press lined up to interview her. Graciously, she accepted almost all requests.

While she could not talk about the outcome on the show, she was allowed to talk about herself and her life. She told about the Church of Love, and their beliefs. Attendance skyrocketed, not only in her church, but all the churches in the US and Canada.

Livia half complained that there was a shortage of priests. The demand for new churches outstripped their supply. Melissa’s step-mother, Ember, though she was no longer a priestess, was helping to run services at Omaha’s satellite church, and run the main office. All the regular clergy, including Gloria, had been sent out to other cities.

Two weeks before the live shows were to start, Melissa flew to Los Angeles to prepare. She talked to show’s style and music consultants. She told them that she was willing to listen to, and follow, all their suggestions, except that she would not get rid of her bracers and pendant, and she would sing songs in any style, but they needed to be about Love. With so many songs about the topic, that did not prove to be an issue.

During the first live show, Melissa’s popularity became even more evident. The number of signs showing support for her, equaled all the other contestants combined. While all the other singers got their share of cheers, the whole auditorium erupted when she was introduced, and again when she sang. The judges’ critiques of her performance were all positive, with only a few suggestions.

As far as Melissa could tell, her closest rival was cute girl from Texas with honey blonde hair, named Allison. She was a country singer, about a year older that the priestess, who reminded Melissa of Carrie Underwood.

On that first week, two contestants, one of each sex, was eliminated. Neither Melissa nor Allison were selected.

Two days after the elimination show, Melissa was kneeling on her bed, praying. She was naked, eyes closed, with her arms and knees spread. Her idol of Venus was on the headboard. The traditional incense was burning on the nightstand.

She had spent the morning working with her coaches on what her song for next week would be. It had been approved by the producers. They worked on the song for a couple of hours, and planned her recording it the next day. It would be available for download after the show. “I wish all our contestants were so easy to work with,” sighed one of the coaches, after her practice.

Melissa had planned to spent an hour in prayer, worshiping her goddess. She felt Aphrodite’s love embrace her. She knew that her actions so far had met with her approval. She was about to masturbate to her, when there was a knock on the door.

The high priestess opened her eyes and smiled. Maybe the Goddess had provided her with someone to love. That would please her deity greatly. She put on a white terrycloth robe, tied it closed, before she went to see who it was.

She opened the door to find Allison standing there. She was wearing a blue cowgirl outfit with white fringe. It was a short skirt with white cowboy boots and white leather stars sewn on the collars.

The Texan was a little self-conscious. “I just got done with my photo shoot.”

“I see. Mine is not until two days from now.

“Nice dress, by the way.”

“Thank you.”

Melissa smiled, “Is there something I can help you with?”

The dark blonde shifted uncomfortably, “I just thought I should get to know you.”

“That makes sense. After all, we are front-runners.”

Allison shook her head, “You’re the front-runner. I’m the bridesmaid, you’re the bride.”

“The finale is a long way away. We’ll see what happens.”

“I also wanted to talk about your faith. You’re a-a Pagan...”

“And you’re a born-again Christian.”

Allison nodded, “Our beliefs are so different. I think we should learn from each other.”

A light dawned in Melissa’s mind. She is going to try to convert me.

“If we’re going to talk, let’s not do it in the doorway.” The high priestess opened the door.

The older woman entered.

“What’s that smell?” Allison asked.

“Just some incense I was burning.”

“It’s very nice.”

“We’re not so different, you and me. We are both blondes from the Midwest. We both love to sing Country music.

The seventeen-year-old smiled, “You’re right.”

“Now you were talking about the differences in our beliefs. I think you will find them to be not so different. Did you know that I Corinthians 13 is in my church’s teachings, almost word-for-word?”

“No I didn’t,” she exclaimed.

“The main difference is you Christians limit how you show your love to just your heart and actions. We pagans show our love with our whole being.”

“That’s not the only difference.”

“True, but that is the main sticking point you have. You get along with other faiths whose means to salvation is different from yours.

“You’re a virgin, right?”

Startled by the abrupt change of subject, Allison paused. Blushing slightly, she nodded. “You can tell?”

“Some, but mostly because you are a devout Christian. You walk the walk.”

Allison smiled, “Thank you.”

“Did you know that I was a virgin until I became a priestess?”

“Really? I’m surprised.”

“It’s not typical.

“One thing I can’t tell though, is have you ever had an orgasm?”

Her blush deepened, “Maybe. I’m not sure.”

“But you have felt the rush of arousal. Your body tingling, and you lady parts getting moist.”

“Oh yes.”

Allison was feeling those sensations at that moment, courtesy of the incense.

Melissa smiled, “Let’s try something. Don’t worry I’ll not take your virginity. I don’t have the equipment.”

Leerily, Allison nodded her head. “Okay.”

“Close your eyes.”

With some trepidation, she complied.

The priestess stepped forward, and gently placed her lips against her competitor’s lips.

Allison gasped and involuntarily parted her lips.

Melissa increased pressure on her new friend’s lips, causing her to open her mouth even wider.

Tentatively, Melissa inserted her tongue into the virgin’s mouth, flicking it against her teeth.

Allison’s eyes flew open, but she did not push the priestess away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Melissa’s torso, pressing her small breasts against her friend’s large ones. Involuntarily, she wrapped her lips around Melissa’s tongue, sucking on it.

The couple started taking turns sucking and wrestling tongues.

Melissa reached under her girlfriend’s short blue dress and rubbed her soaked panties, stroking her swollen labia.

After just a few minutes, the Texan’s legs gave way, collapsing on the bed, saliva covered her lips. “I think I just had my first orgasm.”

Melissa smiled, “Not yet.”

The priestess sloughed off her robe and knelt beside Allison’s sprawled body, and moved quickly between her legs. She grabbed the sides of her panties, and pulled them down over her knees.

The dark blonde lifted her hips, making the removal easier. “Oh God, Oh God,” she moaned.

“Goddess,” Melissa corrected her.

Allison looked up and saw the statue of Venus standing over her, on the headboard, holding a shawl in one hand and a mirror in the other. “Goddess,” she whispered.

Pulling the underwear off completely, the priestess crawled onto the bed and gently licked the virgin’s erect clit.

The Texan cried out, and her hips bucked violently against Melissa’s face.

“Now, that was an orgasm,” she said with a smile.

Allison panted, “More, I want more!”

“Cry out to Venus, and I will.”

The young woman looked up to idol with pleading eyess, “Please, Venus, I want to come some more!”