Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. _________________________________________ WARNING! This text file contains sexually explicit material. If you do not wish to read this type of literature, or you are under age Eighteen, PLEASE DELETE THIS FILE NOW!!!! _________________________________________ This story may not be reproduced in any form for profit without the written permission of the author. This story may be freely distributed with this notice attached, as long as no charge is made for it and it isn't changed in any way. If it is archived or displayed, it is done so with the understanding that the author will have unrestricted access to the archive or posting. The author may be contacted by sending email to: amaranta_fiore@yahoo.com _________________________________________ The Sacred Within Chapter 2: Awakening Author: Amaranta Fiore The priestess turned around and took Gwen's hand and led her away from the chair to the statue. The Goddess statue seemed to be emanating a sound like, "thrumm, thrumm." Gwen tried to pull back, but the priestess pressed her hand to the stone, against the foot of the figure. The noise exploded in Gwen's head, becoming a scream in her brain. She could hardly breathe, and she felt her heart would burst. Just as she was about to succumb to the void, the priestess pulled her from the stone. Gwen fell back, suddenly very cold in her nakedness, and closed her eyes to the darkness. The last thing she heard was the priestess' voice saying, "she is of the Lady." Gwen was immersed in darkness. There was no sound. She struggled against the darkness, calling, "Michael..." She called her husband's name but couldn't hear her voice. It felt as if all sound, light and heat were sucked from this place. Gwen was afraid. But then, in an instant, the emptiness erupted, with a flash of deafening sound that was like a wave crashing against a cliff. The sound crashed over her, forcing her into a reflexive pose. Curled around herself, Gwen heard the sound ebb until she was able to discern what might be voices. She felt her body relax now that her senses seemed ready to process the sounds around her. She tried to concentrate on the sound. It seemed closer than before. "Who's there?" "Where are you, she called?" Just as Gwen was aware of how cold she felt, a warm presence moved nearer. She stretched toward the warmth. Uncurling her body, she found the warmth was also light. She struggled to open her eyes. Through slits, she saw a rosy light that encompassed her whole field of view. In the light were shapes moving slowly. A shadowy shape moved forward from the light toward Gwen. She stretched toward it, and the light swelled, forcing her to blink. When she opened her eyes, a face hovered over her own. It was a face she knew. Gwen struggled to put a name with this face. It was a man with deep cocoa-colored skin and a friendly smile. His eyes twinkled as his face moved toward hers. Gwen blinked again, and the face kissed her. The kiss was warm and safe, and so sweet that she opened her mouth in response. In an instant, she knew the face to be her friend Steve Waters, from medical school. She kissed him back fervently. She had never before kissed Steve. She remembered that Michael, her husband, had accused her of sleeping with Steve while she was in med school and Michael was away on business, but Gwen and Steve had never been more than friends. Where am I, she thought? Steve's hands began moving about her body, caressing and kneading. She couldn't help but respond. She tentatively stroked Steve's chest, sliding her hands slowly down his well-defined, lean body. Steve's hands continued to explore. She found him irresistible, even his scent was intoxicating! He smelled like exotic spices, sweet like cardamom, yet crisp like mint. His fingers luxuriantly kneaded her arms in smooth sweeping movements, coming ever closer to her breasts. Gwen arched her back as Steve paused in his attentions, pressing her left breast firmly into his waiting palm. They both moaned as he cupped the soft tissue in his hand, rolling the nipple between his thumb and finger. She ached for him to bring the rigid flesh to his mouth, crying out for him to relieve her need, yet he continued to toy with the nipple, heightening her desire. Finally, he brought it to his mouth and she sighed, delighted. He suckled, nibbled, and flicked the nipple as she squirmed beneath him. She guided his hand to her mound and he began lazily caressing the downy hair. She moaned when his finger dipped between the labia, tickling her clitoris. His mouth left her breast as he shifted his body to lay beside her. He kissed his way down her body, his kisses finally falling upon the cleft of her mound. She gasped as his hands parted the lips of her labia, spreading her open for him to see. It seemed an eternity as he drank her in with his eyes, taking in the loveliness of the nested pink folds. With a quick movement, his finger slid into the deep well of her vagina. He fucked her with his finger, the motions rapid and insistent, leaving Gwen gasping. Gwen felt her pleasure rising toward release, as he added a second finger, opening her even farther. When she thought she could endure no more and that the pleasure would take her, Steve slowed his penetration, causing her to moan in complaint. He laughed and continued to slowly fuck her. He was savoring the feeling of her vaginal muscles rhythmically clenching in anticipation of orgasm. Steve lowered his head and lapped at her clitoris, Gwen thrusting her hips forward in response. He methodically nibbled and licked at her clitoris, driving her toward orgasm. She screamed out Steve's name as she came, riding the crest of the orgasm with her eyes tightly closed. It seemed like it would never end. Arching her back, her whole being felt inflamed. A coolness came over her forehead, making her aware that she had been thrashing her head side to side. The orgasm ebbed, and she collapsed into a limp posture on the floor. Her head felt as if it were floating, she had been so transported by the climax. She languidly opened her eyes, drowsily blinking to bring her vision into focus. It wasn't Steve she saw before her, but the priestess, and she was on the floor at the foot of the statue. What had happened? The priestess cradled the back of Gwen's head in her hand as she brought a small cup to Gwen's mouth. It smelt like water, so Gwen drank a sip. It cooled her throat and brought some fleeting clarity to her feverish brain. She smiled weakly at the priestess in thanks. After drinking some more, Gwen attempted to speak. "What happened," she asked? Of course she didn't expect an answer, as she spoke in English, but the priestess responded. "You touched the statue and then pulled back as if it had burnt you. Then you fell to the floor in a seizure. You called out in a foreign language, screaming and thrashing your body about. I was quite frightened for you. And then you went limp on the floor and finally awoke. I was surprised when you spoke, because when you were speaking before you touched the statue, I could not understand you." "I was speaking English," Gwen responded. "You were? You speak Greek as well," the priestess said. "But... I don't speak Greek!" said Gwen, her concern showing very plainly on her face. "Oh, I see. It is a gift from the Goddess. It must be. You have been given this gift, so you must be a favorite of Hers." "I don't know anything of the sort. What do you mean? I just stumbled in here by accident. You must be mistaken," Gwen said, having a great deal of difficulty holding back tears. "The Goddess knows us all, and she has brought you here to discover something." "But what could that be," Gwen sniffled?