Richard Johansson stood at the pulpit watching his congregation settle in for his sermon. He loved preaching and loved the gospel. It gave him a rush to be standing in front of his flock warning his people. He felt like prophets of the Old Testament, "voices upon the towers" seeing the dangers and telling his people how to keep safe.
He loved being a preacher more than anything. He and his wife were both strictly religious; both loved praying, reading the bible together. They had met in church in fact. Both were exhilarated by the other's love of religion and fell in love because of it. His wife in fact had encouraged him to leave his former job and seek a life as a preacher. She had been instrumental in helping him not only make it through divinity school but to establish a thriving congregation.
That congregation was a powerful influence in the community. At one time the place had been filled with adult shops, bars, and tattoo parlors. Men and women lived riotous lives. Adultery, stealing, hating could have been the local motto. Richard helped clean it up. It wasn't that he forced the community to change. His sermons were powerful. People started attending them because of their power. As they listened they began rethinking their lives. Men and women came to him to change their behavior. Soon community leaders were adjusting the laws. Influential individuals were reaching out to others to help them. Richard spent many long nights counseling husbands and wives who'd torn their lives apart to help them put their lives back together. Neighbors began helping each other and crime rates dropped dramatically.
Through it all Richard's wife had been a key partner encouraging him when discouraged and helping in the many community events that had turned things around. He and his wife adored each other and had a powerful intimate connection. Neither one had ever had sex with anyone else. As far as they both were concerned that was not only good enough it was wonderful. Their unique connection to each other gave them a powerful bond in intimacy and made their sex much more fulfilling. When they made love it was truly magic and both understood and filled each other's physical needs. Both had sex to fulfill the other's desires and in doing so both were left entirely sated.
He was about to begin when a young lady came in. She was dressed in a sundress that exposed her long, tan legs. She wore a wide hat that hid her face from full view. Richard could still see she had dark red lips with blonde hair that hung down below her shoulders. He sun dress was loose covering from just below her neck to her knees but it couldn't hide her ample breasts and thin waste. Richard felt cold watching her beautiful figure stride through his church. She smiled at him as she walked confidently down the aisle and took a seat next to his wife on the front row. She smiled and took his wife's hand for a moment. His wife smiled back her face radiant...as if she had met an old friend. Richard was certain he'd never seen this woman before. Why hadn't his wife told him about her? Richard began his sermon certain he'd be meeting her after the meeting.
After he started a man walked in wearing a dark suite. He had heavy black hair and a somber expression. He looked powerful, and deadly and Richard paused his sermon while his body shuddered as the man strode in the church. The man walked to the front and sat next to the woman in the sundress. "Her husband" he thought regaining his composure before he continued on. He struggled through the rest of his sermon. He felt a gnawing pain in his stomach whenever he looked at his wife and the couple sitting next to her.
After church Richard moved to the front of the building to shake hands as people left. His wife was already engaged in a lively conversation with the woman. Both were smiling and laughing. He tried to smile but felt uneasy. He felt refreshed after saying goodbye to everyone. His wife and the couple hadn't left so he went back inside his church to meet the couple. He searched the building but was unable to se them.
He started walking outside to see if they'd already left when a silky voice called to him from behind. "Reverend Johansson." It called. He felt his soul stir with a strange, dark passion. He felt fear listening to it. He turned around there was the woman who'd been sitting with his wife.
"Yes?"
"You have such a lovely wife. I and my husband have really enjoyed getting to know her. My name is Jezebel. My husband is Mr. Balaam. We found your sermon very effective in motivating people to do good." Her skin was bright and flawless. Richard felt himself feeling a physical attraction for this lady. At the same time something in his heart was revolted by the sight of her. He thought he'd remembered her sundress going beyond her knees while sitting; now it rode high above them exposing her softly tanned thighs. He felt his cock stiffen slightly at the sight. He refocused his eyes on hers.
"Thank you." He said weakly.
"Oh that's not a compliment." She smiled. "We aren't particularly fond of that particular brand of preaching."
Richard looked confused.
"Balaam and I, well, we aren't part of the local community. We don't serve your god. We serve another master." Her voice was smooth and relaxing as she spoke. Richard felt his eyes slide down her lovely face to her breasts. He could see her cleavage. His cock twitched. He wanted to touch them; expose them. He quickly shifted his eyes to hers and noticed they were a deep blue. He felt he could swim in them. He wanted to drinks from them. He felt a desire to touch her lips, for his tongue to enter her mouth... Richard shook his head and fought off the thoughts. He looked down at the floor.
"In fact," she continued, "that's why we're here. To stop this."
Richard looked up as what she said registered in his brain. "Never." His voice was full of resolve as he realized what she was saying. His face grew dark. "This community, these people, I will not abandon them. You can kill me if you wish but I will not abandon them."
The woman laughed with a voice that sounded like wind chimes. "Kill you! Goodness no, that would not accomplish our purpose and it send you to heaven. It will be much better to convince you to think otherwise. Were you to die a martyr it would give these people strength in their religion. We found that out long ago but often failed to apply that principle. Killing is much easier than changing hearts. But yours will change."
"Listen, I don't know what you're thinking but it won't work. Bribing me, or pressuring me is only going to reconfirm my resolve."
"Three million won't do it huh?" she asked slyly.
"Never."
"Good. That means I will have some fun with this." Her voice chimed with lust.
"Do you see your wife?" He looked over into the chapel. He was amazed to see that the benches were gone and a large bed covered with white silk sheets was in the middle of everything. Bouquets of blood red flowers adorned the walls. The crucifix at the back of the room was gone. In its place was a spear and a large golden cup. Richards wife was sitting on the bed watching the man Balaam who was stripped to his waste. He had a muscled bronzed body and was looking in her eyes.
"What? How?" Richard stammered.
