Chapter 12: Investigation

The day after her announcement, Melissa walked into Livia’s office. She was still in Gloria’s old house. One of the bedrooms had been converted for her use. The living room, kitchen and rec room were now classrooms.

The senior high priestess knew she was coming. She embraced her former apprentice. “It has been too long. What has it been, six months?”

“More like seven,” Melissa said with a smile.

“I have brought a surprise.”

Through the doorway walked Eric, the high priest.

Livia let out a shriek and hugged her elderly friend. “It has been too long! How are things going in New York City?”

He shrugged, “Nothing new since my report last week.”

Eric ran the main church in Manhattan, and helped Livia with administering the church.

Livia no longer led the worship services. Now she was in charge of training new acolytes and priests. With the rapid expansion of believers, the need for new priests and priestesses had put great pressure on her. She had to balance the time needed to train with the number of people waiting to get in her school.

Livia stopped and looked at her two co-leaders. “All three high priests together. I don’t think we have been together since ... your initiation, Melissa.”

The twenty-four-year-old nodded, “I think that is right.”

The senior priestess frowned, “It must be important if you called us together, Eric.”

The red head held up his hands, “It wasn’t me who called us here. Melissa came into my office yesterday, just before she went to the award show, and said we needed to go see you today, and I needed to get us both tickets to fly.”

“I hope I wasn’t that brusque,” said Melissa.

“But I do need to tell you what my plans are, now that my days as a singer/ actor are over.”

The other two nodded. “We were both surprised by your announcement,” said Eric.

“I knew it was coming, I just didn’t know when. Aphrodite had told me that she would tell me when the time was right. Yesterday morning, when I was in prayer, she told me.”

Her audience of two waited, not wanting to interrupt her.

“We know from our teachings that Venus used to wander the earth among us. That hasn’t happened in over 2500 years. She, and the other ancient gods, are trapped on Mount Olympus, unable to manifest in our world.”

This was all news to Livia and Eric. “How did this happen?” asked Livia.

“At first, they got complacent. They took for granted that there would always be worshipers, giving them power. They did not see the need to walk around amongst the mortals, renewing their faith.

“Suddenly, Emperor Constantine happened. He outlawed the worship of all gods but the Christian one, and executed all who would not convert. Suddenly Aphrodite had no power. She could not crossover.”

“But she managed to reach me, Eric, and our late founder Anna,” said Livia.

Melissa nodded, “Venus gets her power from love, both acts of pure love and making love. Whenever someone does something out of love or makes love to another person, she gets some power. After Constantine, most of these acts were not done in her name, so she got just a small dribble of power. Acts of love done for ulterior motives and fucking, animal sex, do not help her. That eliminates much of what would seem to power her. But over the millennia, with the increase in population, it accumulated. Finally, she was ready to reach out to the mortal world. That is where Anna’s conversion happened, and the reestablishment of her church came in.”

Eric opened his mouth, about to speak, but he decided to let Melissa finish.

“Since the Church of Love’s founding, Venus has been overflowing with power, but she still cannot crossover. It is like a rubber membrane is blocking her. She can take control of people for short periods, like the you and me, Livia. She gave some power to her son, Eros, so he could inhabit you for a short time, Eric. But after a few minutes the membrane pulls them back.”

The two senior clergy paused to think for a minute. “I suppose our goddess has a plan to pierce the barrier,” said Eric.

Melissa smiled, “That is where I come in. Aphrodite needs four things to fully manifest in our world. The first one was enough worshipers to give her enough love. My publicity tour the last eight years was designed to do just that. Venus’ message yesterday told me that I had accomplished this task.

“The next two tasks are her tokens or talismans. Each god and goddess had a talisman that allowed them to crossover. Mars had his spear. Eros/Cupid had his bow and arrow...”

Livia pointed to the idol sitting on her shelf. “And our goddess has her shawl and mirror.”

The pop star nodded, “They are somewhere in this world. It could be under meters of rock. My task is to find them. They are not easily destroyed, Venus says she can feel their presence, but not their location.”

Eric let out a whistle, “That sounds like the ultimate scavenger hunt. Do you have any idea where to look?”

Melissa gave him an enigmatic smile, “I have a few ideas. The last place Aphrodite knew the shawl to be was in that old temple near Athens, where our goddess first manifested, inhabiting Anna. I went and visited Athens on my last concert tour. It is no longer there. I guess it was taken by some Roman soldier who looted the temple.”

“Maybe it’s still there, but buried deep under some rubble,” said Livia.

“One of the gifts I got from my special preparations before becoming a priestess is the ability to sense Venus’ talismans. If I am within a hundred meters of it, I’ll know it.”

Eric spoke up, “What is the fourth thing the goddess needs?”

Melissa shrugged, “Me, of course. Only I can track down the talismans, and only I can perform the ritual that will bring our goddess into our world.”

“It sounds like you’ve known all about this long before you were initiated,” said the high priest.

She nodded, her eyes starting to tear up. “I was told all this when I hit puberty, and Aphrodite spoke to me for a second time. My whole life has been on a trajectory to accomplish this task for my goddess.”

Livia took the young woman into her arms, “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked.

“She told me not to. I think, at first, she was not sure I would be able to do all that I had to do to become a consecrated priestess. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure I would be able to do it either. Those years of chastity, while everyone around me were humping each other like weasels in heat nearly broke me. After that, I think She didn’t want to get your hopes up.

“Yesterday, Aphrodite finally freed me of my vow of silence. Let me tell you, it feels like a ton of bricks has been taken off my back.”

“I bet,” said Eric.

“Is it okay to tell other people?” asked Livia.

She did not give me restrictions on who I could tell. I figured I should tell you first.

“I’ll write up a summary of what I told you. Send it out to all the priests and priestesses. I am going to need all the prayers I can get to find those talismans.”

About an hour later, Melissa stood in front of her parents, Henry and Ember, and her fourteen-year-old half-brother, Andrew. She had just spent a half hour repeating what she had told Livia and Eric.

“I wish you would have told me,” said Ember. “But I understand. If I had been told by the goddess to keep a secret, I would have done what you did.”

Andrew, who shared his mother’s red hair, bounced up and down on the sofa. “So Eros is also missing his talismans?”

“That’s right.”

“When I become a priest, I’ll find his bow and arrow.”

Melissa hugged her half-brother, “That’s a wonderful ambition. But to do that you’ll have to be a virgin when you become a priest.”

The young man blushed, “I’m just now going through puberty. I’ve jerked off a couple times, but no real sex yet.”

“Then you can still achieve your goal. Talk to either your grandmother or grandfather. They will tell you what to do next, if you are serious.”

Andrew nodded, “I am.”

Ember hugged her son. “Venus told me, when I got pregnant with you, that you were going to be special, for a special purpose. Maybe that is what she meant.”

Henry’s eldest child looked at him, “I will start my search tomorrow. Can I sleep here tonight?”

“Of course,” he said. “Your room is still there. It is now our guestroom. You can stay there any time.”

Later that night, Henry was woken to the incredible sensation of someone sucking his cock. It had been a while since Ember had surprised him like this, so he closed his eyes and enjoyed this treat.

But something was not right. The technique was not the same. He opened eyes to see what was going on. The only light in the room was a nightlight in the bathroom. Between his legs her saw a head moving up and down on his shaft. Golden glints of hair could be seen in even this dim a light.

“Melissa?” he said hoarsely.

“Shh,” she whispered. “We don’t want to wake your wife.”

Ember was lying next to him, but he could not tell if she were awake or not. Melissa had pulled all the covers off the bed, and his wife was a light sleeper. That should have awakened her, but he could not be sure.

Henry’s cock throbbed from his daughter’s masterful technique. He moaned his appreciation.

Melissa crawled further up until she was straddling his erection.

“I love you, daddy,” she whispered to him, as she lowered herself onto his aching cock.

He moaned again as she ground her hips against his hard shaft.

She moaned in reply, her golden hair glistening as it swayed in the faint light.

“I’m about to come,” Henry warned.

“Oh yes! Come in me!” she cried.

He jerked his hips upward, as he came, spurting his cum into his daughter’s pussy.

Melissa came with him. She arched her back and cried out as her vagina clamped down on her father’s dick.

For about a minute, she stayed on top of him, with his wilting erection inside of her. “I have always wanted to do that,” she whispered. Melissa lowered herself, so she was lying on her father’s chest. “That was very hot. Thank you, daddy.”

She kissed him. Her tongue briefly flicked inside his mouth.

She then climbed off the bed and walked out of the room.