The Cult

"Breakfast?" I offered.

Andrea shook her head, and Cindy glanced at the clock. "I'd love to, Joshua, but we've already overstayed our welcome. I want to follow your rules." She looked back at the clock and saw it was nearly ten o'clock. "Maybe next time."

She stepped forward and gave me a big hug and a warm kiss. Andrea's was a little more controlled, but not by a whole lot.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, not the joyful meeting it usually was. Lilith was acting sullen, and Bethany was walking around on egg shells. I was content, with plans and goals, and a full stomach.

I paid Lilith little attention, devoting most of my time to Bethany who slowly became less subdued. At the end of the meal, I pushed away from the table. "Many things to do. I'll be out most of the day, and again tomorrow. Don't hold lunch for me." I spoke directly to Lilith for the first time since the shower. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

She turned bright red. "The first lecture isn't that important."

I was quiet, staring at her intently. "Your sister works hard so that you can better yourself, and have the opportunities she never had. I would expect you to be diligent and responsible, taking advantage of this gift. How am I supposed to accept your guidance, if you won't do the right thing in your own life?"

Admittedly, that was harsh. The girl had excellent grades, her studies usually came first, and I couldn't remember her missing more than a couple of classes in the time I'd known her. But I was determined to take control of the situation.

She turned bright red, opening her mouth, and then closing it abruptly. I was amazed at her restraint since she rarely showed any. "I was just about to leave."

I nodded. "I believe Mario left your vehicle beside the garage. I think you'll find it runs much better."

That was a two-pronged attack. One, highlighting the efforts I put out for her and Bethany, and two, implying that she was not to take the Stingray, which she seemed to derive a great amount of pleasure from driving.

It was not a happy camper that left my house that day.

* * *

My projects were advancing, and with added pressure, I had commitments to finish several that week. My robes were complete, along with several additions I'd commissioned after talks with Bruce from the Illusion Warehouse, and with Dave from Top Dog Security. My custom electronics which I had placed so much hope in was demoed for me, and I was more than pleased. I was promised delivery of the final product within a week. Ronny, my source for illicit substances had acquired most of my needs and had a line on two of the more unusual and hard to find purchases. I offered him a substantial bonus to get it done. Ronny responded especially well to financial encouragement.

Negotiations with Min were completed for my most complex project. She would be visiting the house after midnight on Tuesday, and I would finalize my needs, and arrange for her access and delivery. The price she was charging me was exorbitant, and I was starting to wonder if I'd have to dip into my trust balance at the rate I was going. I believe it would be worth the cost.

I was offered no relief the beginning of the week, and I didn't seek out any. I kept my runs under control, and only Bethany was allowed to bathe me. I kept waiting for Lilith to snap, and when she was still being somewhat behaved by Wednesday morning, I started to wonder if I had read her right.

Over lunch, rung in by our kitchen chimes, Bethany broached the subject tentatively.

"Are you still mad at Lilith? You know she didn't mean anything bad."

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "I'm not mad, but I am disappointed. She's always pushing things, bending the rules, testing me. I don't need that, Bethany. I'm under a lot of stress. You help, and I deeply appreciate it. All too often, she is more a hindrance than a help."

"You know she means well, Joshua."

"Do I? Or is she taking advantage of the situation and my feelings for you? Does she still have problems with 'authority figures' and is that why she's always undermining me?"

Lilith's eyes opened wide, and I saw her lip trembling. "I don't believe that, Joshua. I can't. She makes mistakes. She's young, immature, and had a difficult time growing up. I hope you can understand that. She was changing, I could see it. I swear she means well. She loves you, Joshua, she wouldn't purposefully hurt you. Please, try to understand."

"I've tried. I'm no Job. My patience is not limitless. She does things you're not aware of. She says she's the Conscience, so I have to obey. I don't believe her demands are spiritually inspired. They are the machinations of a manipulative brat, and I won't have it. Not if it interferes with my work, or tries to drive wedges between you and me."

I could see she was shocked by my final statement. "She wouldn't do that. She ... she love us, you and me both."

"She insisted that she be allowed to do anything that I do with you, my companion, my koinônos. She said either she got to do it, or you had to stop. She invoked her rights as the Conscience."

Bethany was quiet, and the tears started to roll down her cheeks. "She's my sister, Joshua. More than that. She's my responsibility. We're all each other have. Please understand. She ... she's strong-willed, rebellious, and sometimes bratty. But she's good underneath. You bring that out in her more than any man ever has. Please, Joshua. For me?"

We had not resumed our intimacy and had lost much of our affectionate mannerisms, in the aftermath of the shower. I stood, pulled her to her feet, and enveloped her in my arms, holding her firmly. She broke down in a full-fledge crying jag which broke my heart. I lifted her in my arms and carried her to her bedroom. I laid her down on the bed, lying beside her, holding her until she calmed. I kissed her softly, brushing away her tears, caressing her.

Suddenly she was all over me, kissing me passionately, her hand entering my robe, reaching for me cock which was stone. "Joshua," she panted, rubbing against me.

I gently pushed her hand away from between my legs. "No, Bethany."

"Please? I know you must need it."

I did, but that wasn't the issue. "My love, I need you more than you can possibly imagine, but not this. Not now. Not yet."

"Just my hand. No lusting. I promise," she said, her hand twisting away from mine, seeking out my cock once again.

"No, Bethany. I need to be able to trust you on this. Help me, don't fight me."

She slowed down, sighing, her hand reaching around my waist as she cuddled in close. "I understand. For now."

We stayed together, holding each other, kissing, and a good bit of fondling, but that was it. Damn, I wanted her and was tempted to throw all my plans out the window. Instead, I stood firm and eventually peeled her arms off of me. "I need to work, and I imagine you probably have to get ready for work."

She nodded, gave me one last long kiss, then we both went off to our own purposes.

I had the house to myself for a couple of hours, most spent on the phone working my projects until I heard Lilith's arrival. She hadn't been home twenty minutes before she was standing in my doorway.

"Joshua, can we talk?"

I pushed the papers away, turning the chair to face her, giving her my undivided attention. "Always, Lilith. Now?"

She nodded. "In the living room?"

"Of course."

I noticed she'd set out a bottle of wine, my current favorite, and two glasses, half full. I noticed the bottle was mostly empty, and I had a strong suspicion she'd started without me.

She sat down, and I couldn't help notice she'd dressed down after school. Lilith was wearing an oversized t-shirt, and I'd guess not much more. She patted the couch pillow beside her. "Please?"

I sat down, interested to see where this was going.

She took my hand in hers, squeezing it tightly. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Sorry?"

She nodded. "I've had a lot of time to think about what you said. You're right. I've been pushing, testing you. It was wrong. You've been nothing but wonderful to me and Beth. Honestly, I wanted to make you happy. I really did. I thought the ... the handies and the, um ... oral would make you happy. I forgot that I was working against what you said you wanted. I thought I knew better. I'm sorry."

I'm not the world's best judge of character, but I believed her. I opened my arms, and she wasted no time climbing into my lap. I held her, kissing the top of her head. "You're forgiven, Lilith. I love you."

Then she was crying. Two crying sisters in one day. Damn it. I held her, caressing her back, kissing her softly, reassuring her. It only made her cry harder.

Before long I was on her bed, holding her, much as I had her sister a few hours earlier. She responded in much the same way, kissing me back, hugging me, her hands wandering. Unlike Bethany, she showed restraint. Her hand glided down to my cock, touching it briefly, before pulling away. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'll try to be better."

My hands weren't quite as well behaved, determining she was naked under her t-shirt, my hands caressing her delicious ass. She giggled, wiggling her hips. "You really do like my bubble but, don't you?"

"Lilith, I love everything about you. If not more my vow, I'm ashamed to think of the things I'd want to do to you."

Her hand ghosted across my cock once again, not much firmer than a breeze. "No shame, Joshua. I'm yours when you're ready. When your celibacy is no longer necessary, all you have to do is let me know. I'll make you happy, Joshua. I promise."

She sat up, peeling off her shirt, naked. She opened my robe and straddled me on the bed. Then she smiled. "I'm not teasing you now, Joshua. I'm telling you how it is. This," she waved her hands over her body, "is yours for the asking. I want you to be my first. Like I've never wanted anything else. I'll be patient, and I'll wait. I'll try to keep the teasing in check. But when you're ready, this is what you get."

She looked down to where she was sitting on my hard shaft, and moved back and forth on it, leaving a glistening trail across my skin. Then she stretched out on top of me, trembling. I held her, kissing her softly.

"Don't hurt me, Joshua. That's all I ask. Please don't hurt me."

"Never, my love. I'm looking forward to the time when we can be one."

She kissed my neck her hips moving, driving me a little crazy. "Anytime you want relief, just say so. You set the limits, and I won't bend or break them. Me or Bethany, whatever you need. I know it's not now, and I've let you down. Never again."

My hands were fondling her, touching her, feeling her soft smooth skin. She purred for me, an undulating mass of teen femininity. I stroked her back until she calmed.

"Soon, Joshua?" she asked nervously.

"I don't know. I'd like that."

Her smile was huge. Then she rolled off of me and gave me a playful swat. "Get to work unless you want me to take care of that," she said with a nod toward where my cock was standing tall. "The sooner you finish, the sooner you earn your just rewards." I got a quick hard kiss, and she was walking away, slipping her t-shirt back on. "Dinner in about an hour. Work!"

Damn it. And I thought I was getting thing back under control.

* * *

Things were going amazingly smoothly. The house was happy again, hugs and kisses were abundant. There was a low level of teasing going on, but nothing bad. I gave the appearance of working on my translation while knocking task after task off my list. Min made her late appearance and I introduced her to the secret walkway. I gave her a key to the garage entrance so she could carry out my plans. She seemed to get a kick out of the secrecy and skullduggery.

I had my electronics guys in Friday while Bethany was working, and before Lilith got home. Once they'd left, I couldn't spot the changes, and it wasn't for lack of trying.

We had guests Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Cindy was a fixture from Saturday lunch until Monday morning, only leaving to go to work with Bethany Saturday evening and returning in a great mood. I'll confess, she was one of my new targets. I felt she was susceptible, and damned attractive, even if she was a few years older than me.

Her arrival Saturday came with an apology. I told her none was necessary. We hugged it out, and I got the first of many delightful kisses that weekend. I initiated very few, and my overt affection met no resistance. None.

Sunday was blissful, with five young women in the house, a huge late lunch, open discussions about Mary and her life, answering any and all questions. Whenever it got close to what I was doing, my girls deflected them. We spent much of the time in the converted formal living room, me, perched on my throne, my girls at my side, Cindy at my feet, with an open view up my robe, and our additional guests gathered around her.

I felt a little weird, preaching about Mary Magdalene, and discussing her in the context of the Lost Gospels, and the Gospel of Mary, along with the four main ones. Oddly, it became something I enjoyed doing, spreading the word every weekend, and opening their eyes to something new.

Our rituals became a bit more formalized, our hours more fixed. The girls laid out my robes for me, and got everybody situated before I entered. I'd start with a reading that involved Mary Magdalene, to give us somewhere to start. Before long I'd be fielding questions. Whenever anything got interesting, I'd break out the original sources, and we'd hammer things out.

In the meantime, I began testing some of my new projects. A short distance burst transmitter I'd commissioned could activate devices in my presence. It had only taken a couple of hours of free time to replace the existing wall switches with the new controllable ones. I got a kick out of seeing their reaction when lights would turn on and off for me automatically when I entered an area, and for nobody else. I could hear the whispers and talk.

Another device caused a lot of commotion. I mean a lot. It wasn't that complicated, a simple remote device to light the candles in the formal living area when I entered the room. I had no idea I'd get so much mileage out of that one.

By Monday, I felt like I was ready for the next phase. I believed I had an understanding with Cindy, and the beginning of one with Tanya, another of our guests. Lilith was back to driving the Stingray while Bethany had commandeered the Hummer.

Wednesday through Friday we had workers in attendance, clearing out the additional two bedrooms in our bedroom wing. The Jack-and-Jill bathroom was walled off on one side, creating another bedroom/bathroom mini-suite, like Bethany and Lilith share. I believed it would have an occupant soon. The other room was made into my private study. It was soundproofed, filled with electronics, surveillance monitors, and household controls.

Cindy was a lunch guest twice, staying out from underfoot for the most part. I questioned her presence, and Lilith was blushing when she said that in her opinion, the eating area was not the 'living space' and it was okay to have someone join us. She also questioned what constituted a guest, arguing that Cindy was more. Hot damn, she was making my own arguments for me.

By the next weekend, I was getting a little crazy. I hadn't had sex in ages, and even the handjobs and blowjobs were gone. My own fault of course. Min had completed her project, and I was astounded by the results. A few more miracles were instituted, including my ability to know when guests arrived, and who they were while seating in the living area, surrounded by my lovelies.

"Open the gate," I asked Lilith. "I believe Tanya and Elise are about to arrive."

Not too difficult to determine with vehicle identification software, facial recognition, and a micro in-the-ear speaker, well hidden from point-blank range by my hair which was now hanging almost to my shoulders, after leaving it uncut for three months.

Nobody questioned my prescience, but I saw the looks. Everyone seemed to take the turning lights on and off in stride. The gazes I received from the more gullible - make that susceptible - were adoring and impressed. As they should be.

Yes, I'm one sneaky bastard.

* * *

Mid-week I felt everything was in place. I was ready. More than ready. Bethany would be mine. Then Cindy had to go and bollocks the whole thing up.

I was home with Bethany, supposedly working on my translation, which hadn't received a dozen hours of my time in the last three weeks. Instead, I was testing what I considered the instrument of Bethany's conversion. It worked flawlessly. I pulled my entire kit together, eagerly anticipating her 'revelation.'

Bethany received the terrified call from Cindy. It only took a minute for us to be on the road in the truck, me still wearing my robes and sandals. I made a call on the way, summoning the cavalry.

Cindy was 'involved.' Rafe was a two-time loser, abuser, and mean drunk. The call had been made from her bathroom, where Cindy was locked in while her boyfriend was trying to kick down the door. We kept her on Bethany's phone, listening to her scream at Rafe, telling him she'd called the cops, and to get out of the house.

Her place was only a couple of miles away, in an apartment complex where a few of the dancers from the Diamond Club lived. We had beaten the cavalry and took the steps to her second floor apartment two at a time.

We were almost too late. The bathroom door was broken and Rafe was standing over Cindy who was huddled in a ball, her arms over her head, squeezed in between the toilet and the bath tub. It broke my heart. More, it made me furious.

"Get away from her," I yelled.

The guy was big. I'm not small by any means, but he towered over me. He had a mad look in his bloodshot eyes, and I was hoping he wasn't hopped up on PCP or something worse.

"Who the fuck are you?" he growled, before looking over my shoulder and seeing Bethany. The smile he developed made me want to puke.

"Luke six thirty-one," I growled, moving forward.

"What?" he replied.

Bethany spoke from behind me, "Do unto others—"

I reached forward and touched the man in the chest. He fell back, collapsing into the bathtub shaking like a leaf. Ten million volts at double the normal amperage will do that to you. I tucked the end of the applicator back into its custom sleeve pocket. Bless you, Min and Dave.

Cindy was looking up at me in wonder as I held my hand out to her. She twisted and squirmed her way out of her hiding place, before leaping into my arms. I gave her a squeeze, keeping my eyes on the jerk that was still shaking.

Pulling her arms free, I guided her behind me. "Pack. Bethany will help you. I need to talk to the sinner."

The guy was moving again. Making sure my moves were covered, I gave him another touch of the custom Tazer, right in the crotch, making him scream. Then I turned the cold water on him. "Stay," I commanded. I turned to see how things were going to find Cindy watching me in awe.

"Everything will be fine. Please pack. I don't want you here any longer. You deserve better."

She nodded and turned away.

I faced the frightened man in the tub. "You screwed up today, Rafe. You went up against forces you can't understand, and which you have no hope of matching. Do you understand me?"

He was slow to nod.

"You will never talk to her, never even look at her. If you're in the same room, you leave. If I find out otherwise, your life on this earth will be the same hell you'll inhabit some day."

The cavalry, in the form of two of Dave's security minions, showed up, better late than never.

"Please ensure this cretin understands that he is never to have any dealings with the women packing. I'd like that message to be very clear. Crystal."