CHAPTER 9

DESTINY

“Well, hello, precious.” A creepy, somewhat familiar voice said as it emerged next to me as I picked up a few things at the grocery store. “Long time no see.”

My heart leapt from my chest when I saw that it came from Jezebel Black, the woman who led Malcolm Reed to my apartment the night he tried to rape me. She was wearing a long, flowing, black dress that had an abundance of lace. Along with black lipstick, she looked very much like the witch that she was.

“What do you want?” I asked, looking around nervously for Reed to join her.

“An old friend of yours wanted me to look you up,” she said in her seductive, malicious voice. “He got out of prison recently and was hoping you two could hang sometime.”

My blood chilled at her words. My skin crawled at her dark, inhuman eyes, as her black lips curled into a sinister smile.

“Get away from me,” I told her as I briskly walked away.

Jezebel followed me and watched me check out from a distance. I went to the food court area, and with trembling fingers, I called Brock. I relaxed a little bit when I heard his steady, calm voice in my ear. He told me to stay put until he got there. It felt like days, but seventeen minutes later, I received a text message from Brock. He told me that he could see both of us. He instructed me to leave the store, take a right, walk to the end of the building, and then take another right. Jezebel followed me out of the store. When I made a right turn at the end of the building, I anticipated seeing Brock. He wasn’t there! I spun around and saw Jezebel walking toward me with that sinister grin plastered on her face.

 For a second, panic began to surge, but Brock rounded the corner right behind her and I smiled with relief. Jezebel’s imposing presence was dwarfed with Brock behind her. His muscular chest looked like it might rip through the charcoal T-shirt he wore.

“Oh, are you gonna take me on, missy?” Jezebel drawled with her crazy, black eyes glued on me. “You’re getting a little big for your britches, aren’t you?”

“Um, not really,” I said, looking over her shoulder and trying not to shake, despite Brock’s presence. Jezebel spun around and noticeably jerked when she saw Brock.

“You!” she spat in accusation. Her eyes grew wide. “What are you doing here? Malcolm said you live Miami.”

“Why are following Destiny?” Brock demanded. “Did Malcolm put you up to this?”

Jezebel seemed to relax, and her sinister grin returned with even more malice.

“Oh, he’s gonna love this,” she drawled. “He didn’t think he could put a hit on you in Miami, but here …”

“Thanks for the heads up,” Brock said. “Now I know to be prepared even more than I already was.”

“Malcolm’s paying me for information,” Jezebel said with a shrug, “and to put a little scare into your girlfriend here. I have no loyalty to him. But she can’t be your girlfriend, can she? No, she likes to do the nasty with other cute, little ladies.”

“Just so you know Jezebel, I’m a Christian now,” I told her as her head snapped toward me.

Something came over me right then with my fear seeming to dissipate. Strangely, I became aware of Jezebel being in bondage to evil and I felt a surge of love for her, or at least for her lost soul.

“I’ve given my life to Jesus Christ,” I told her with a gentle voice as I took a step toward her. “You should do the same, Lydia.”

Her face looked shocked for a second. Then that inhumane countenance came back into her black eyes at full force.

“How do you know my given name, whore?” she spat.

“I don’t know,” I replied meekly. “It just came to me.”

She backed away a couple of steps and looked almost frightened. Then she composed herself as she began a tirade. I actually felt concerned for her when I considered that she was very likely demon possessed. Oh what the love of Jesus can do for our hearts. I had never felt love for an “enemy” before.

“You can never do for your new master what you’ve already done for mine,” she said with a vicious sneer. “You and your dirty dozen will always be on the web, tantalizing thousands of sex enslaved men, no matter how sickeningly saintly you have become. Your dirty deeds will be easily accessible with the stroke of a few computer keys. The powers of darkness are gonna rain down on you for betraying them.”

“I never embraced any powers of darkness,” I told her. “True, I lived in deep sin, but I did it for worldly gain, not because I followed any powers of darkness on purpose. I didn’t even fully believe in a God or a devil until a month or two ago.”

Your intent doesn’t matter,” Jezebel said. “The fact is your actions served the god of this world a thousand times more than you can ever do for your new master. That’s why darkness will win; it’s infinitely more powerful.”

“Wrong,” Brock declared. “The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation.”

“You two are disgusting,” Jezebel said as she slowly backed away from us. “You’ll get your just due.”

Then she turned and walked briskly away from us. I fought back tears as a whole range of emotions circulated in my brain. Fear began to creep back into me as I realized the dark forces hated me and wanted to destroy me. Jezebel was right about at least one thing. I could never undo my porn career.

Provocative videos and pictures of me could be accessed around the world forever. I could never repay my sinful debt, but what human being can? That’s why we desperately need Jesus. He alone is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the only escape from this diabolical world. And it starts here! The kingdom of God is within you!

“Are you okay?” Brock asked tenderly as he stepped toward me.

Although we will be assailed by evil in this world, we are not alone. I don’t just mean God is always with us, either, which of course He is. But He puts people in our lives that love and protect us. I threw myself into one of them right then, wrapping my arms tightly around him and clutching him securely. His arms enfolded around me.

“You need to stay with me until this is over,” Brock insisted. “And I mean don’t leave my house, okay?”

“Okay,” I mumbled into his chest.

“It’s gonna be alright, Dee. The way I understand Mary Gold’s dream, if we stick together, you’ll be safe and we come out the victors.”

I began to cry and clung a little tighter to Brock. I marveled at how well our bodies fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle. There also was another element that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I don’t how to describe it other than to say he felt like home.

Then I realized he was marrying another woman in a couple of days, and I was to be her maid of honor, no less. Disappointment caused my emotions to shift gears, and I began to sob from a sense of loss or something akin to it.

“Easy, Dee, I got you,” Brock said just inches from my ear. He assumed my fragile emotion were just from the situation at hand

This was not a fantasy – this was real. I pulled my face from the crook of his neck and looked at him. I never wanted to kiss another human being more in my life. But Brock belonged to another woman. A look of confusion came across his countenance, and I returned my face to the crook of his neck.

What Brock did next sent a jolt of electricity through my entire being. It was both exhilarating and comforting, but only added to my confusion. He squeezed me a little tighter and very tenderly he kissed the top of my forehead, letting it linger a little longer than someone who was just a friend should have.

“I got you,” he told me one more time as I melted into him.

I sardonically thought to myself, that Brock rescuing me, holding me afterward, and saying ‘I got you,’ was a once in a decade occurrence. Maybe next time it wouldn’t be ten years, and maybe next time his words would be, ‘I love you.’

EVIL MEETS IN MINNEAPOLIS

It was a dark, stormy night in Minneapolis. In the underbelly of a seedy downtown bar, two sinister humans met in a dank office. Malcolm Reed sat behind a desk, his cigar smoke swirling in the light emanating from the desk lamp. Jezebel Black stood in front of Malcolm’s desk and lit a cigarette.

“Have a seat,” Malcolm offered, waving a hand at a sofa with dark red leather upholstery.

Jezebel eyed the red leather couch with disgust. “I’ll stand,” she said. “I heard you’ve had a revolving door of gals since you’ve gotten out of prison. I don’t want to get any residue on my new dress.” Jezebel waved a hand over her flowing, black lace dress, which almost could be considered her uniform.

A low rumble emanated from Malcolm’s barrel chest. His shaved head seemed to glow in the lamp light, and his pointy goatee gave him a devilish appearance as he laughed.

“New dress?” he drawled. “Could have fooled me. And yeah, it true that I been making up for lost time with the ladies. I’ll even give you a turn on the couch if you want.”

“No, thanks, you’re not my type,” Jezebel replied.

“Why, cause I’m not a satanic high priest?”

“No, you’re more evil.”

The rumble from Malcolm’s barrel chest seemed to echo off the walls. “There be no such thing as good and evil. We just be dogs scrappin’ in this life.”

“Oh, if you only knew,” Jezebel said with a malicious grin. “And you of all people should know.”

Malcolm frowned and waved a dismissive hand. Then he opened a desk drawer, retrieved an envelope, and handed it to Jezebel. She pulled out the cash and counted.

“Don’t trust me?” Malcolm wanted to know.

“About as far as I can throw you,” Jezebel replied.

Malcolm laughed again. “Actually, I gave you a little bonus,” Malcolm drawled. “I just wanted you to put a scare into Destiny Knight before I have her offed, and you done found me Storm. Now I be puttin’ a hit on him, too.”

“Anything else you need?” Jezebel asked.

“I think I’m good. Thank you for your services.”

“When are the hits going down?” Jezebel wanted to know.

“Was gonna send my guy today,” Malcolm said. “Now that Storm’s in the picture, gonna need another hired gun, maybe two. Gotta give Storm his due; he pretty good.”

“I’ll say,” Jezebel purred, recalling how Brock’s hard muscles filled out his tight T-shirt. But she knew that wasn’t what Malcolm was talking about. But Storm was one guy she might prefer over her smoking hot girlfriend. Nora was something else! If it hadn’t been for her, she never would have been able to play murder broker with Malcom Reed. It was Nora who had told her how to find Destiny.

“Piece of advice,” Malcolm said. “I’d stay outta the way when this go down.”

“Trust me. I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

“You’re a pretty good manipulator, though.”

“Guilty,” Jezebel said with a cocky smirk. “I do like violence from a safe distance. Well, now that our business is done, I’m gonna get out of this classy joint.”

“Go on and get then,” Malcolm said with a wave of his hand. “Go do whatever it is you satanic high priestesses do.”

Jezebel sauntered to the door, turned, and gave Malcolm a sinister salute.

“See ya around, big fella,” Jezebel said. “I’m gonna get back home now and put some curses on people.”

Malcolm grinned at Jezebel and shook his head as he looked at something on his desk. When he heard the door click shut, he looked at it and frowned. Although he scoffed at anything spiritual or supernatural, there was just something diabolically off with Jezebel. It was her eyes that gave her otherwise pretty face a feral demeanor.

The next day, Jezebel was back home in her old gothic house outside of Des Moines. She was on the phone with her girlfriend Nora Medora. They were discussing her trip to Minnesota and Malcolm’s intent on sending a hit on both Destiny and Brock.

Nora’s grip on her phone tightened at the mention of Brock. What if he found out about her involvement with Jezebel, and ultimately, Malcom Reed? What if Jezebel found out she genuinely loved Brock? She had led her to believe agreeing to marrying him was just a ploy. What would happen if the marriage actually happened? But that’s why success often involved risk.

Jezebel and Nora met not long after Nora moved to Des Moines from Miami. Nora had come to the Midwest to become an investigator with the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation. Jezebel was an informant for the IDCI and considered an expert on the occult.

Nora had driven to Jezebel’s home to discuss a case, and the two women hit it off immediately. Jezebel found Nora’s intense and aggressive nature attractive. Nora found Jezebel’s charm, charisma, and knowledge appealing. She was also aware of her connection to Brock, Destiny, Malcom Reed, and the attempted rape.

Nora listened attentively as Jezebel explained her philosophies. Jezebel had explained that Christianity embraced weakness, surrender, and denial of self. In contrast, the occult emphasized power, control, and a love of life with a zest for all carnal pleasures. Jezebel claimed that pursuing the unfairly labeled dark powers could do more in fulfilling one’s earthly desires. The term ‘selling the soul’ flickered across Nora’s mind.

So the two women became close fast. Jezebel soon found out that Nora was more interested in her career than the letter of the law. She could use a corrupt cop! And Nora could use Jezebel’s criminal activities to bring down worse criminals, and thereby secure a possible, even likely, promotion for herself.

Nora only needed to convince Jezebel that she was genuine. This was the riskiest situation she had ever been in for work. If Jezebel discovered she was being fake, there could be dire consequences. The first and biggest test would be how she handled becoming Jezebel’s lover. Could she pull this off?

Nora had always been bicurious, but not enough that she ever thought she would act on it. Fortunately, Jezebel was quite attractive, and she found their intimate activities rather enjoyable. There was something magical in doing something she had always considered forbidden. But why forbidden? Nora wasn’t religious. Was it society? Was it because she saw Jezebel as evil? Was it a demon giving her sexual thrills? No, she didn’t believe in devils. To her, people were devils. She did believe in a higher power though, and that was what drove her to do her job. The end justified the means, she told herself over and over.

A few days prior to Jezebel’s trip to see Malcolm, Nora was initiated as a full-fledged member into Jezebel’s satanic cult and witches’ coven. When Nora willingly participated as the main subject of a ritual, Jezebel was convinced that she could trust her completely. When Nora disrobed in front of the group and submitted to being securely shackled to an altar, it also proved to Jezebel that Nora trusted her. But she underestimated Nora’s determination.

“I will be staying with Brock and Destiny,” Nora explained to Jezebel over the phone. “I will be sharing a room with Destiny to guard her. Can you let the guys putting on the hit know that I will leave the window unlocked, as wells as instructions on how to get in it? Also, how they can find Brock?”

“I certainly can,” Jezebel cooed. “I see now what a smart move it was to agree to marry Storm.”

Nora hung up the phone with mixed feelings. She truly loved Brock, didn’t she? She chewed her lip, uneasy at putting Brock at risk. He was the best of the best, but how would he fair being set up? She would have to somehow have his back. But what if it went down too fast, and with too many gunning for Destiny and Brock?

Oh well, if he ended up a casualty, at least she wouldn’t have to get married. Anyway, this was for a higher purpose. This was the best way, the only way to achieve the results she wanted.