The Network Chapter 8 Priestess

Chapter Eight

Sheila changed into the soft cotton and silk gown she favored sleeping in. It was comfortable, recently purchased on one of her many shopping trips.

Her eyes felt heavy, craving the precious sleep she seemed to require more of lately, while getting far less. Her now active lifestyle with The Network was catching up to her.

I wouldn't trade it,

she thought, hugging her arms to her body.

Joshua had pushed her nearly to her limits the last few days. She felt as though they had put her through every scenario they could imagine. It was obvious the inadequate condition of the Network was to blame. They were starving, as Istar had pointed out. It was clear to Shiela that this was true.

Ishtar had been with her in spirit through most of it. The strength of her being there helped to make Sheila's tasks far less daunting.

"Who wants to live forever?" The words of a song drifted through the air, asking from her bedside audio dock. The song had lately become one of her favorite songs. An old one by the band Queen that held far more meaning for her now.

I do,

she thought smugly.

Forever sounds wonderful if I can be young.

Sheila slipped between the crisp, white sheets and dropped her head onto her favorite down-filled pillow. In mere moments she faded off to sleep, dreaming of forever.

* * *

Wake up my precious one.

The voice seemed to live in the haze and warm comfort of Shiela's sleep.

"lshtar," Sheila formed the word, never waking.

Sheila stood on a beach looking out across a vast ocean. Her feet were pushed down into wet, black sand. The warm caress of the earth beneath her filling her spirit through the bottoms of her feet. Taking a deep breath, she filled her lungs with the pungent salt air which toyed with the loose strands of her ebony hair.

Time runs short, Priestess.

Ishtar's voice seemed to be carried On the wind. Coming from some mysterious place Sheila couldn't find.

"Where are you, Ishtar?"

Sheila began to feel anxious though she couldn't understand why. Where was this beach she stood on? How had she gotten here? She felt out of place.

Alone.

Abandoned.

Sheila gasped, bolting upright in her bed. Her sweaty hair tickled the edges of her face in tight wet curls.

It had only been a dream. The sadness. The despair. A tremendous feeling of longing and loneliness. She felt so far from home. Her heart hammering as she struggled to catch her breath in gulping sighs.

It was only a dream, a terrible, terrible dream.

Ishtar?

She reached out to her goddess. Feeling for her in her mind.

Had Ishtar's voice been a dream too?

I'm here, my love.

Ishtar embraced Sheila's spirit. Soothing the emptiness she found there, filling it with love.

I was so alone.

A tear measured Sheila's cheek.

You'll never be alone again.

Ishtar held her mind.

Sheila never felt more loved or protected. They intertwined mentally, spiritually.

Come to me.

Ishtar whispered to her preistess's soul.

Its...

Sheila looked at the large, glowing, blue numbers on her bedside clock.

... one fifteen in the morning.

Get up, Preistess.

Ishtar's voice in her head suddenly became stern. She didnt seem angry, rather she seemed impatient.

Sheila shook the remaining haze from her mind, and climbed from her warm bed. She swiped the lone tear from her cheek.

I don i t have time to explain. Please, do not ask.

Ishtar sent a feeling of urgency to Sheila.

I'm sorry, Goddess.

Sheila sent, still trying to wake up.

Touch the crescent piercing I gave you as a gift.

Ishtar directed her.

Now, wish to be with me. See me in your mind. See me before you.

Sheila touched her finger to the small, gold. crescent—moon piercing, and imagined that she stood in front of her goddess Ishtar.

The room began to shimmer Sheila felt as though an electric charge enveloped her body. Suddenly She was aware of each individual molecule the room was made of as they expanded into a universe of countless particles. Sheila was the light; She was the energy.

As quickly as the particles of her bedroorn had dematerialized, something else formed before her, or more accurately, she formed into it.

Ishtar stood before her. She stood on a natural, rough-hewn stone floor. As Shiela's world became solid again.

The dimly lit chamber Sheila now occupied was completely cut from glossy black stone. The masonary work was of a monumental quality. Blue light flickered from unearthly blue flames dancing in torch mounts near the ceiling. Tapestries depicting scenes of Ishtar hung from the vaulted ceiling and fell to the polished floor. The walls were windowless and more than fifteen feet in height.

It reminded Sheila of a very large tomb, though cleaner.

"There you are, my precious one." Ishtar's voice echoed off of the polished stone surfaces.

"What... What just happened?"

Sheila's flesh felt as if tiny, itchy bugs were crawling all over her. No, more than that, throughout her entire being. Starting in her deepest bones to the tip of each and every hair, she tingled.

"It is hard for me to explain to you, but I will try," Ishtar said.

Ishtar walked to the other end of the chamber and sat on an ornate throne as sge decided on how best to explain.

Sheila followed, taking in the symbols and artwork on the walls, though not understanding any of it.

The craftmen who created this place were truly skilled in their art; It was beautiful. Gold and silver were inlaid onto the carvings in many places, and a large statue of Ishtar stood overlooking a shallow, square pool.

Sheila dragged her fingers along the surface of the statue. It felt warm. She found it difficult to move after her sudden experience and decided to lean against the stone form for support.

Ishtar considered her words briefly, dragging a finger along her cheek.

The thin layers of shear material her inner gown was made of were nearly transparent. It wasn't difficult to see all the curves abd points of Ishtar's body beneath. A plush white robe trimmed in garnet covered her back and shoulders elegantly.

"All things are created from energy, all matter, all space, everything," Ishtar finally said.

Ishtar searched for words Sheila would understand.

"Energy can be transferred from one place to another by flowing through the existing space between all other things." Ishtar added, wrinkling her brow and continued, " All energy is interconnected, usually static, yet transitional."

Ishtar shook her head with a searching expression.

"It is not important now. There are more pressing issues at hand. In time you will understand, My preistess. For now know that energy and spirit are closely related. "

Sheila stood motionless, stunned and unable to understand at all. From her point of view the impossible had just taken place. In mere seconds her bedroom had melted away to be replaced by the cold, stone floor under her feet. She fixed her gaze onto her goddess, sitting on the jeweled throne in front of her, She was beautiful.

"It's Technology?" Shiela asked.

"Yes," Ishtar said calmly. "But not like you think of it. Your science ignores spirit as an unprovable quantity."

She appeared to watched Sheila for a reaction to the sudden event.

" Yes, in essence it is technology," she added in an explanatory tone. "Don't be afraid, Priestess."

Sheila approached Ishtar and reached out a trembling hand. She needed to make sense of what had just happened, seeking the comfort of her protector. Her life had now changed in ways she couldn't have anticipated, and she struggled to come to terms with it.

Rosa would accept it.

"I wish there were more time, my precious one, but there simply isn't. I need you to be strong for me. Can you do that?"

Ishtar held Sheila's hand firmly in hers. She appeared to know all of this was overwhelming for her consort.

Shiela could feel Ishtar directing calming energies to her mentally.

How many times has she done this with a new Priestess?

Sheila nodded her head quietly, still unable to muster the strength or ability to speak.

Eventually, her body felt solid again, once the tingling arc of electricity had ceased. She still had trouble shaking the feeling of being one with everything, while at the same time being nothing. It was unsettling, but she would be strong. She would be Rosa.

"Take a deep breath," Ishtar directed. "It will pass. You will become accustomed to traveling this way in time." She smiled confidently.

Of course,

Sheila reasoned.

Travel.

She finally spoke, "Why can't you travel home this way?"

Ishtar looked relieved, apparently realizing that Sheila did somehow understand the basic idea, and said, "I can't create the required energy. The distance is too great."

Starting to feel more like herself again, Sheila Looked around the beautiful granite chamber.

"What is this place?"

"My one remaining temple."

A look of sadness colored Ishtar's features. She glanced around the room half-heartedly spreading her arms.

"From a different time. A better time."

Ishtar seemed far off as she reflected on the past.

"Speaking of time, my love. We have little."

Ishtar stood, draping her large arm over Sheila's back.

"What's happening, Goddess Ishtar?"

It was the first time Sheila had addressed Ishtar this way. She had no trouble with the title, as she thought she might. She adored Ishtar. Ishtar was her goddess.

Clearly pleased by being addressed in such a way, Ishtar took Sheila's face in her hands and kissed her gently.

"I must teach you to take an offering, dear one. It's imperative for a Priestess to be adept at doing this."

"Offering?"

Sheila was ready to please this powerful creature in any way she could. She loved her.

Ishtar took her hand, leading her to the far corner opposite the throne. The large chamber was more than one hundred feet long and had writing on the walls between the tapestries.

It was unlike anything Shiela had ever seen. It appeared to chronicle Ishtar's life and deeds at different times.

Stopping at a wall that appeared as solid as the rest of the walls, Ishtar placed her hand on black polished stone section and spoke a Hunic word in a low tone.

The section slid back smoothly after a slight hiss of pressure, the section then slid to the left revealing a passageway.

"After you, precious one."

Ishtar indicated the passageway with her right hand. Her erect nipple traced the thin material of her gown as she moved her hand.

Sheila entered the well-lit corridor after tossing a crooked smile in Ishtar's direction. She trusted Ishtar implicitly and would go anywhere her Goddess desired.

A polished metal door gleamed brightly from the wall at the end of a ten foot long corridor. The walls heading up to the door were made of the same smooth, but in this case, seamless granite. As if the entire corridor had been hewn from one large glassy stone. Only the blue-flamed torches on each side of the walls broke up the solid appearance of the surface.

Once the pair stood before the shining door, Ishtar said, "Touch it."

The door didn't have any handles or latches Shiela could see. The blue flickers of light from the torches glittered off of the polished silver surface and danced across the polished walls.

She slowly placed her hand onto the surface of the door. It was warm against her fingers.

"Will it to open." Ishtar directed, watching her beloved preistess.

Sheila thought about the door opening. Wanting it to open. She concentrated, but nothing happened. She twisted her mouth into a pout as she looked up at Ishtar.

Feeling she had let her goddess down, she dropped her hand.

"Speak it." Ishtar directed Sheila in an understanding tone.

"Open the door." Sheila said the first thing that came to mind.

The polished door opened as smoothly as the one entering the corridor had, whispering quietly out of the way.

Sheila gleamed up at Ishtar like a child that had taken a first step, proud of herself.

The room contained several padded chairs made of the same polished metal as the door.

Sitting on one of the chairs was a young man in his twenties. His face became suddenly joyful at their appearance.

He stood, clasped his hands together, and fell to one knee. "My goddess, Ishtar."

"Rise, Marius." Ishtar gestured for the young man to stand, touching his cheek. Marius was dressed in the regalia of a Roman soldier.

"His first vocation, " Ishtar said and dragged a finger along one of his very muscular, though heavily scarred arms "I saved him from death."

"Forever my gratitude, Goddess Ishtar," Marius added solemnly.

Sheila couldn't conceal her surprise as she took in Marius's form. He appeared so young and vibrant. If he truly had been a Roman soldier, forever was a possibility for Shiela.

"He protects the temple when I am not here, Ishtar placed her hand on his back and continued, "and me when I am here." Then she smiled proudly. " Now he protects you as well."

"A task I would return to if permitted," He said. Marius stood rigid and proud. He seemed confused by his current idle state. As if not sure why he was even here. He glanced at Sheila briefly.

It was clear to Sheila that the degree of closeness Ishtar and herself shared was even present between the goddess and Marius. Though the bond appeared to be more in line with queen and her subject with him. Clearly, Marius lived to serve Ishtar. The way he looked at her told everything.

"I have no time for subtlety." Ishtar moved to Sheila taking her hand. "We only have the time when you normally sleep for you to gather offering. You must be back by morning so that the network won't miss you.

Shiela started to protest, not believing she could take on another task as yired as she had bern lately. She thought better of it and said nothing.

"We need to move quickly. I've disconnected you from their device while you sleep. It's the only way," Ishtar explained.

"Another priestess, goddess Ishtar?" Marius seemed suddenly happier, even anxious as he spoke.

Ishtar turned to Marius, nodded, and said, "Yes, my loyal one, then smiled. "I will be taking offering very soon again."

"Thank the Mother of the gods. It has been so very long," Marius said. "I had feared the world come to complacent ruin."

Marius bowed his head. Not to Ishtar, but to Shiela. "How shall I address you, my Priestess?"

"Rosa," Sheila blurted. She was shaken and surprised by his actions.

"High Priestess, Rosa," Ishtar corrected Shiela.

Marius clasped his hands into a ball in front of him as he had before.

"May I serve you forever, High Priestess, Rosa."

He bowed slightly at the waist when he spoke her title. He seemed absolutely beside himself with enthusiasm.

"You must train her to take offering from subjects to come," Ishtar directed Marius. She nodded to him. "Be seated Marius."

Marius abruptly disrobed, dropping all of his fine, soft, embroidered garments to the floor, casting them aside like yesterday's newspaper. Clearly eager to do the bidding of his goddess, he took a seat on the plush chair.

His body was muscular from head to toe. He was scarred in too many places to count. If self concious of this fact or that he was nude, he showed no sign of it. He simply sat awaiting direction, although his partially erect manhood hung heavily in anticipation of his approaching task.

"Bring him to sexual peak, High Priestess Rosa, as I have taught you." Ishtar pulled Sheila over next to the chair. "I will guide you."

She then turned her attention to Marius and said, "Prepare yourself to make offering."

"Yes, Goddess."

Marius took his already thickening shaft into his right hand and began slowly pulling his foreskin back and forth over his shining head. It began to fill with blood as he slowly stroked the thin skin over his smooth round, and now, purple top. In mere moments he sat on the soft blue cloth of the chair fully erect and waiting.

"Remember, anticipation builds the required energy for an effect harvest upon release," Ishtar said to Sheila, then sat in the soft chair to Marius's left and looked down on his rigid, eight inch tool.

It had a slight curve to the left and huge, bold viens stood out along the shaft. Pulsing, it steadily bounced in time with each clearly excited beat of his heart.

Shiela could sense that it felt odd to Ishtar, after so long, becoming a spectator instead of active participant with Marius. He had bern loyal, kept her alive for so very long.

Sheila knealt in front of Marius, which made him visibly uncomfortable. He directed a questioning look to Ishtar, not knowing what to expect.

"The world is a bold new place, Marius. Women are bold now as well." Ishtar winked.

"I should like to embrace this new world, Goddess Ishtar," Marius said looking down on his most sensitive parts, now held in Priestess Rosa's hands.

"Did I tell you to speak?" Rosa asked Marius sharply.

"No, my priestess." Marius said. He then looked suddenly startled and cried out in pain. His eyes bulged in surprise, but he kept his seat.

Sheila gripped his balls tightly in one hand and his cock in her other. The head of his cock was deep purple and swollen tight. Viens surrounded it, looking as if they might burst, She applied as much pressure as possible, squeezing both in a vise-like grip, while watching him.

A few seconds later she released the pressure on his balls a little, but not totally and said, "If you feel like you are going to cum, you will tell me. Do you understand?"

Marius nodded his head without speaking, either unable, or choosing not to. Relieved to have the pressure on his balls reduced.

Sheila stroked his, still raging-hard, erection gently a few times. "I can be appreciative, Marius, but by my rules," she warned him, wearing a deviant smile.

Ishtar chuckled. She was proud of the way Sheila had come along. She shared this with her priestess mentally.

Sheila understood being in control.

Now priestess, you simply need to learn to absorb the offering. That will be easy for you. Everything else has been. This will be no different.

"Do you like your new Priestess, Marius?"

She watched as Sheila took Marius's full length deep into her mouth, slowly stroking him at the same time.

"Yes, Goddess." Marius watched his new priestess intently.

Rosa slid the foreskin from Marius's swollen, purple head, still squeezing his shaft in a fierce grip. She still cradled his vulnerable balls in her other hand.

Looking up at Marius she said, "I will need to shave you."

Marius visibly shuddered as he considered Priestess Rosa holding a razor near his balls. Sweat formed on his brow as he asked, "Do you require a razor, my Priestess?"

Sheila could get used to this. She liked being in control and as a Priestess she now had total control. She continued to meet Marius's eyes as she allowed him to worry over her response. It was clear to her the thought troubled him greatly. She allowed him to think about it briefly then said, "Have it removed by the next time, or I will remove it all."

"Yes, Priestess Rosa."

She liked that. Priestess Rosa. She could get used to being called that. That is who she would be from now on she realized. She was a priestess to Ishtar, her goddess.

She stroked his hard cock in brisk, rough strokes, pushing the skin on his shaft hard against his balls.

To have as subjects, how many people, she wondered. As many as she could have she decided quietly.

Rosa will have many, many subjects.

Yes, rny love,

Ishtar spoke ih her mind.

We will have subjects numbering in the thousands.

Ishtar sent a feeling of pride to Sheila, clearly pleased with her priestess.