The Cult

I'm a reader, a researcher, and a sponge for new ideas. During one period of my life, after my first completed degree, I spent an inordinate amount of time on self-help and motivation books. Using Mom's money, I even paid for 'personal' guidance from some of the biggest names in the industry. Strangely enough, it was one of the few times my father backed my ideas. A lot of what I learned I took with a grain of salt, but one pattern that I found common to a lot of what I learned, was to start your day right.

Tony Robbins suggests having an 'Hour of Power', where you reflect on the good in your life, and do some casual exercise. Brian Tracy recommends you eat a frog first thing, building on a Mark Twain's saying that, if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, you've got it behind you for the rest of the day, and nothing else looks so bad. Brian's take on that is to tackle that terrible, weighty thing you don't want to do first thing in the morning. Jack Canfield has his own 'Hour of Power', which includes equal quantities of exercise, meditation, and reading.

My version was a little different. I would spend the first ten minutes or so contemplating what I needed to do to further my goals. I commonly tried to think of these as I went to sleep, and again when I woke up. Basically a lazy cad at heart, I spent that time in bed, in that shady place between half-awake and half-asleep. Oddly enough, that seemed to help. It keeps me focused, which is important for someone like me who gets distracted easily, and doesn't always follow through like I should.

After that, I review my recent and long-term accomplishments, which gives me additional motivation. That's good for about two snooze buttons, one for goals, and one for accomplishments. Then I hop out of bed, do 100 sit-ups and 100 push-ups, head outdoors and do my run. During the run I sketch out my tasks for the day, in pursuit of my goals, and taking Brian Tracy's advice, try to tackle the harshest one immediately after breakfast.

That morning, the problem was I couldn't focus on what I should be doing. I'd been heading in too many directions. What started as a joke, a prank, had taken on a life of its own, and I was losing control of it. In many ways I thought I was taking it too seriously, then again, I was more dedicated to this farce than I had been to anything in a very long time.

I knew I'd been giving my work on writing the Gospel of Mary short shrift for at least a week. I'd been working on the house and my new security and monitoring additions for most of my time. I still had another dozen irons in the fire with all my outside excursion mini-projects. The girls had been right, I'd been so obsessed with my new ideas, I'd let my sleep and health suffer for it.

What was driving me crazy that morning, and was preventing me from starting my day the way I should, was the idea of those two new women in the house. I'd been playing with a crazy concept, and when I allowed my thoughts to stray in that direction, it took on a life of its own.

Sure, I'd been having fun playing my little role as God's spokesperson, religious antiquity translator, and Mary Magdalene advocate, mostly to screw around with Bethany, both in the literal and figurative sense. Her sister Lilith had been a fun and challenging addition, testing me, challenging me. And God knows I love a challenge.

Now I couldn't stop thinking about what it would be like to have more followers. Women like Cindy and Andrea, sexy, hot, and somewhat flaky women who appeared to be as open to my message and role as, well, whatever the hell it was I was trying to pass myself off as.

I tried to concentrate on what needed to be done for my writing, where I could take it once I was happy with the results, how to make it appear valid and real. Of course, I couldn't help but think about getting into Bethany's panties, and her sister's, naturally. Maybe it was time, I certainly needed to get laid. This whole celibacy thing, even with the hand-jobs and blow-jobs, was starting to wear thin.

Thoughts of how I could further impress my 'holiness' on the girls would creep in. Maybe I could perform some minor miracles, beyond the whole things 'mysteriously' appearing.

Additional ideas about converting Corycia into a religious retreat would spring up out of nowhere, along with plans for instituting more regular activities. Bible discussions, lectures on Mary, quiet times, perhaps some more warped things, who knows?

The problem was I couldn't decide on what I should be doing. I'd been bouncing around, reacting, improvising, diving deep into one thing after another, none of them getting completed, each spreading me thinner. And without that focus, I was having a hell of a time getting out of bed.

"Fuck it," I growled to myself, turning off the alarm and hitting the floor for my sit-ups. That was an easy effort that kept me from thinking of anything else as I counted them out. Rolling over I started in on the push-ups, knocking those out, the first 60 or so as easy as ever, the last dozen more of an effort than they should have been. I slowly became aware of some activity in the house and scolded myself for allowing the sleepover, one more distraction I didn't need.

I pulled on my running shorts and headed for the front door. I wasn't the only one awake, but I might as well have been, for all the attention I paid them. My ritual was broken, I had no idea what I was going to do that day, and I told myself that I'd work it out on the run.

I think I heard a morning greeting or two as I walked through the living area, and good ol' Hercules, who was dealing with a horde of intruders much better than I would have dreamed, scampered over, rubbing against my leg, following me out the door. I'd hit the track, and he'd inspect the grounds, doing his morning business and waiting patiently at the front door to be let back in after the run.

Too many things on my mind to respond to my house-mates and guests, I even skipped my stretching, taking off running before I'd passed the threshold.

The run was exactly what I needed. I blocked everything else out, ignoring the weather, which was dreary and sprinkling, oblivious to anything but the rhythmic pounding of my feet, as I reviewed all I'd done for the last few months.

Slowly things started to fall in place, priorities making themselves apparent, what I wanted to do, needed to do, coming into focus.

The writing and painful translation could wait. There was no time frame for when it had to be done, and nobody to report to. I could spend a few hours a day on it, instead of spending most of my waking hours. Besides, when I was finished, what was I going to do with it?

The house and grounds were mostly where I wanted them to be. Anything else that needed doing could wait as well. A list of additional tasks could be developed and delegated readily enough. That went to the bottom of my mental list.

Many of my external side projects were well-advanced in their progress. The sheer number of them was weighting me down. I needed to finish them, paying a premium if necessary, just to get them off my plate. Besides, several were essential to my progress in other areas. They moved close to the top.

Bethany. That had been my initial end-game, but I'd outgrown that. I still wanted to bang the daylights out of her, and oddly enough I was developing considerable affection for her, but that was no longer my primary goal. Still, it wasn't something I wanted to leave half finished. Like I said, the whole celibacy thing was starting to drag. I needed to get past that and move on.

Lilith was in the same boat as Bethany. Perhaps a bit more of a challenge, but nothing too daunting. Once I'd done Bethany, little sis would be in my cross-hairs.

No, what I really wanted was a house of Bethanys and Liliths. My own followers, my disciples, my personal harem. And to get there, I needed to build on my own image and to slowly lure the poor girls into my web.

With my new priorities coming clearer, I could focus on what it would take to accomplish each. How to nail Bethany and her sister, how to add to my following, and how to further develop my role as the infallible leader of my new congregation.

The ideas came hot and heavy, and I filed each away as they appeared, sorting, accepting, discarding, until I had a basic plan. And as it came together, I felt good, better than I had for a while. I had a purpose, goals, and things to do. Priorities. Focus.

My concentration cracked, as my calf started to cramp. My legs were covered in mud up to my knees, as the rain had intensified. I was chilled, and breathing hard, a stitch in my side forcing me to little more than a limping, slow jog. Approaching the house, I was vaguely aware of a gathering on the front porch, the four women watching me. Bethany appeared concerned, with Lilith talking to our guests. Even Hercules had the good sense to get out of the rain, but not yours truly.

I slowed to a walk, trudging toward the entrance. "... demons." I heard Lilith tell our two guests.

Bethany walked out into the rain, pulling my arm over her shoulders, wrapping a slender arm around my waist. "I'm here, Joshua," she said. "I'm here."

"Love you, Bethany," I mumbled, stumbling over the first step, and nearly falling. Then Cindy was on my other side, stabilizing me.

"He's freezing," she whispered as if I wasn't there. And in some ways, I guess I wasn't. I was thinking about eating the frog, and starting in on what needed to be done. I was dimly aware that I had overdone it again. I was aching, my tortured leg muscles twitching uncontrollably, and could barely stand.

It must have been an odd sight, my entourage of lovelies and I traipsing mud through the house, the four of them talking as if I didn't exist. Walking through the bedroom I was shocked to see the time on my clock. My run had lasted nearly two hours. No wonder I was totally wasted.

Lilith had run ahead and started the shower. In the bathroom, I leaned on Cindy as Bethany removed my shorts. I maintained my outward fuzziness, slowly becoming more aware of my surroundings, but doing my best not to show it.

"You say he's done this before?" Andrea asked.

"A few times," Bethany said. "Never like this, not this bad. I should have stopped him a while ago, but he looked so happy. All until that last lap."

Then I was in the shower, the torrent of hot water welcome and invigorating. Bethany was with me, naked, and Cindy stepped away. I guess I didn't realize how done I was, as soon as she released me, I started to fall, my leg unable to hold me up.

"Shit," she mumbled, stepping under the cascading water, and bolstering me back up.

Lilith joined us, filling the small space. "Can you hold him, while I clean his legs? He's filthy."

Cindy agreed, and I felt a little bad for her, stuck with supporting me, her clothing drenched.

Lilith was on her knees before me, natural sponge in hand, scrubbing my shins and calves, sluicing off the muddy water. At least the trembling of my legs was easing off, as I found myself slowly able to stand on my own.

Bethany noticed and started washing my upper body until my leg on her side started to give out. "This is bad, Lily. He's never been like this."

"Lean him against the back wall. That's what I do with Rafe when he's drunk off his ass," Cindy said.

"He's not drunk," Bethany hissed.

"I know," Cindy answered. "I'm just saying. It'll be easier to handle him. Trust me, I'm kind of an expert on this, unfortunately."

I allowed them to scoot me to the rear until my back was against the wall. It was cold against my skin, but I tried not to show it. The shower-head was lifted off its holder and Cindy was spraying me down while the sisters scrubbed away at my body. I was dimly aware of Andrea standing just outside the shower, taking it all in.

Cindy sighed loudly and passed the shower wand to Bethany. "Take over," she said, then started undressing down to her panties.

Now that was an interesting turn of events.

Our lovely all-but-naked guest started on my hair, her large enhanced breasts rubbing against me. Lilith's scrubbing had worked its way upward, past my knees and thighs, and stalling around my crotch. Bethany was rinsing me with the shower wand, her free hand rubbing my skin. As you might imagine, it all started to have an effect on me.

Lilith's hand encircled my shaft, stroking me slowly. "He's coming back, Beth."

Beth's hand moved down to join her sister's. "Come back to us, Joshua," she said softly.

Cindy took the shower-wand from Bethany and started rinsing my hair. I did my damnedest to ignore the stinging in my eyes from where some of the shampoo had strayed. "Crap," she mumbled, rinsing off my face, before going back of my hair. "Damn, he's really gone, isn't he?"

"He'll come back to us," Bethany insisted. She turned toward me, hugging me while her sister kept jerking me off. "Joshua," she said firmly. "Joshua."

Now those of you who think that what I was doing was easy, you have no clue. I had a nearly naked woman in my shower for the first time, who I desperately wanted to scope out. New breasts rubbing against me that I wanted to motorboat with a passion. Sexy young Lilith was stroking my cock more diligently, her mouth pressing against my skin, kissing my upper thighs, even teasing my balls. And Bethany, who I'd finally decided it was time to fuck, was fully naked, pressed against my side, calling out to me. Never mind that my eyes were still stinging, my legs felt like spaghetti, and my stomach was growling.

Cindy put the shower-wand back in its holder, tilting it away from us, so she didn't drown Lilith. Then she was mirroring Bethany, pressed against me, her hands rubbing my body, her lips dropping teasing little kisses on my shoulder. "Come back to us, Joshua," she whispered, echoing Bethany.

It was too much, and I started to come. I grunted shallowly, closing my eyes, while Lilith milked me dry, finishing with a tender little kiss on the head. Then she turned the shower-head on us, washing away where I had come on her face and chest.

I shuddered, making a big deal of standing more upright, encircling the girls with my arms before opening my eyes. "Big day ahead," I said, facing Bethany and smiling.

Her response was a huge toothy smile, then a quick pout. "You overdid it again, Joshua." Her little hand slapped against my chest. "You scared us."

"Sorry," I said, before slowly turning to look at our panty-clad guest. I think I did a pretty good job of acting surprised, jerking my arm away, averting my eyes, and turning toward Bethany.

"Uh ... good morning, Cindy," I said, trying to force myself to blush. I don't think it accomplished much, but I tried.

She giggled, which was cute. "Morning, Joshua. I hope you don't mind my helping. You were really out of it."

"I ... uh ... no ... of course not. I mean, it's ... I'm sorry."

Her giggle turned into a full-fledged laugh. "It's okay, Joshua. I don't bite. If you're uncomfortable with me here, I can leave."

"No! I ... I mean, uh, thanks, I think. I'm sorry. How did you get here?"

She chuckled, leaning against me, her significant breasts reaching me long before the rest of her did. "I spent the night, remember?"

I nodded slowly, trying to ignore the fact that our teasing troublemaker Lilith was back to stroking my cock, and having some success. "I know, I mean, how did you ... here?"

Bethany spoke up before Cindy could answer. "You couldn't even walk, Joshua. You really overdid it this time. She helped get you in here."

I'd been avoiding looking at our semi-naked guest, but she was kind of forcing the issue. I turned and looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry that you had to do that. Thank you."

She rose up on tiptoe and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "Anytime, handsome." I liked it, but I'll admit, it almost felt like cheating on the sisters. Almost.

Between the kiss, Lilith's activities, a couple of surreptitious looks at Cindy's body, which of course I'd seen before, but never so close, and so wet, I was getting hard again.

"Uh, Lilith, we shouldn't—"

Cindy ran her hand down my chest, stopping just before she hit the promised land. "I think I'll leave you guys alone. I don't want to interfere." Another surprisingly sweet little kiss on the lips, and she turned away, giving me a great view of her backside while she rinsed off under the shower again. I guess it was that view that put the final steel back into my shaft.

Our guests had left the bathroom, when Bethany finally spoke up, something I thought was way overdue. "Lily, that was wrong. We don't encourage him, we take care of him. And in front of those two?"

Lilith was a determined little monster, never ceasing her stroking of my now extremely hard shaft. "He needed it, Bethany. You saw how he was. There was nothing wrong with what we did. I'm the Conscience, I know things like that." She was smirking as she finished.

I saw it as an opening, for my future plans, which I'll admit were pretty convoluted. I pushed Lilith's hand away, accepting her pout, and turned off the shower which was becoming a distraction. "No, Lilith. That was completely out of line. Cindy is not part of us, and shouldn't be subjected to what's been going on. I won't deny it's partially my fault, I'm weak. What you and your sister have been doing, I'll admit, is very comforting, but wrong. I've told you, told you both, that I wanted to remain celibate while I'm working on my project. But you can't accept that it seems. First, you practically rape me, when I was unable to stop you—"

"No, Joshua!" Lilith whined. "I ... I told you I didn't mean it, that I was sorry."

"Of course. You were sorry. Sorry, you forced me the first time. And I suppose you're sorry now with this slow seduction. Making your sister suck me over and over again yesterday when I was too exhausted to fight it. Embarrassing me in front of our guests, openly trying to excite me."

She looked surprised, and I noticed that Bethany was pulling away, looking anxious. "I'm not," Lilith started. "You needed it, you were killing yourself, and you hadn't come in days."

"I'm not a slave to my hormones, Lilith. Before you and your sister entered my life, I could easily go weeks without needing relief." Alright, maybe not easily, but it had happened a few times in the last several years.

I turned to face Bethany. "Are you proud of what you're doing? Making me break my promise to myself? Making me lust for you, while letting my work slide?"

It was harder to do it to Bethany. She really did mean no harm, I knew that. To see her eyes water up while I lambasted her was tough. But it was a step forward in my plan.

"I'm sorry, Joshua," she said, her voice barely audible. "You're right. I thought I was just trying to help at first, but it is getting out of hand. I know you were lusting yesterday, and I did it anyway. I'm sorry, and hope you can forgive me."

I moved forward, embracing her. "I love you, Bethany. I'll always forgive you. But this needs to stop. Please. I'm too weak to resist you, you need to help me. Especially when I'm frazzled."

She leaned against me, nodding.

I turned toward her sister. "I love you as well, Lilith, but I think you should leave us now. I'd like to get ready."

I could see the conflict in her eyes, and her desire to challenge me. I knew it would hurt her for me to choose her sister to help me, and send her away. That was good. We needed to establish some priorities here, and I'd been letting her get away with murder for far too long.

Bethany fawned on me, and I finished in the bathroom and got dressed. Entering the main part of the house, I was greeted by Cindy and Andrea.