Another set of arms grabbed her around the waist. The smell of Alex’s Old English aftershave assaulted her and she promptly vomited on his shoes. Grabbing a handkerchief, Alex cursed, pressed it into her hand and demanded she clean his shoes.
She spit in his face. Alex grabbed her breasts and squeezed until Lilly screamed, “Stop!”
Minutes later, his soft voice crooned into Lilly’s ear, “Lilly, I’m so glad I finally found you. I’ve been so worried, I haven’t been able to sleep. The whole family is distressed about the way you left. Your mother and Rex are worried and want to talk with you as soon as possible.” Lilly moaned.
As they sped down North Peters Street, a voice from the front seat asked, “Where we going, boss?”
“Let’s go to Guiseppe’s warehouse over on Tchoupitoulas Street. This girl needs to be taught a lesson before she sees anyone.” Alex squeezed the nipples of her breasts again, delighting in her screams. His eyes shown with malice as cruel laughter twisted his mouth. The moment he laughed, Lilly’s fingers came alive, tingling with power. She took a calming breath and the tingling grew more insistent. The Cadillac slowed for the red light at Canal Street and came to a stop behind a mule drawn carriage filled with tourists.
Lilly saw her opportunity. The tingling power in her fingers moved into her hands. Grabbing Alex’s arms, she focused on one thought, ‘Release me!’ Alex screamed, his arms flew open, as the bolt of power delivered a white-hot shock to every nerve in his body. Lilly drove her elbow into his stomach, while she pointed a finger at the locked door. She pushed the heavy car door opened and jumped into the street.
She ran toward the crowded sidewalk on Canal Street. As she past the huge, gray government building on the corner, she glanced over her shoulder. The thugs were running around the corner of the building, with Alex trailing behind them.
Movement at the front door of the government building caught Lilly’s eye. A group of naval officers were coming through the door, talking among themselves. Lilly followed her gut instinct, plunged up the steps between the men and entered the building.
She was in a huge room, ‘Too exposed,’ she thought. Her footsteps echoed as she ran over the marble floor. Ignoring the woman sitting at the front desk, she found the stairs and ran up flight after flight.
Out of breath, she stopped, bent over and put her hands on her knees. She took a moment to recover her breath, then stood and looked around. The wide hall was lined with glass doors leading into offices. ‘Where can I get help, which door should I open?’
Her breath caught in her throat, as she heard footsteps running up the stairs. Lilly turned, opened the first office door and quickly closed it behind her.
A young woman, in a navy uniform, looked up in surprise as Lilly burst through the door. Seeing the girl’s head was bleeding, the receptionists quickly asked Lilly to sit down. She came out from behind her desk, as Lilly declined to sit.
“What has happened? Were you in an accident. Did you trip on the stairs?”
Lilly shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. “Where can I hide? There are dangerous men chasing me.”
“What?” The receptionist asked, “Who is chasing you?”
Lilly shook her head and spoke to the confused woman, “There are dangerous men following me, where can I hide? Is there a phone I can use?”
The young woman nodded and flipped the lock on the office door. Guiding Lilly by the elbow, she led her through a heavy door, down a long hallway, and into an office. “Admiral Schleinker is out of town, you can hide in here and use his phone. Dial nine for an outside line.” As she stepped out of the office, she locked the door and went back to her desk, hoping she had not let a crazy girl into the Admirals office. She picked up the phone and alerted the security team to be on the lookout for suspicious characters running around the building.
In the Admiral’s office Lilly picked up the receiver, dialed nine and heard the dial tone. Holding the phone, she knew exactly who to call. The morning she ran into Tulane Hospital flashed in front of her eyes. It was the lowest point in her life. She had no one to call, not a friend or a relative she could ask for help. Nurse Trudy saw her crying and invited her to coffee. Lilly felt a pang of guilt. She hadn’t gone back to see Nurse Trudy to thank her for her three steps to freedom.
~
Jolene picked up the phone, “Panthea’s Pantry.” Tears welled in Lilly’s eyes. She couldn’t find her voice.
“Hello, is anyone there?” Jolene repeated several times.
Lilly fell to her knees. Her hands shook and she was having trouble catching her breath. Cradling the phone, she found her voice, “Jolene, it’s Lilly.”
“Thank the Goddess you’ve called. We have been worried. Where are you, ma chere? Are you okay?”
“I’m in Admiral Schlienker’s office in the big gray building on the corner of Canal and North Peters Street.”
“Stay there, I will get help! Do you know which floor you are on?”
“Uh, I don’t know, maybe the fifth floor?”
“Okay, Lilly, stay where you are.”
Hanging up the phone, Lilly released a sigh that turned into a huge yawn. She lay on the carpeted floor and closed her eyes. Her ordeal was over. The worst had happened and she had survived. The power in her tingling fingers had served her well. She had been doubtful when Jolene and Sabine told her to direct intention through her fingers. Today she had no choice, her fingers and hands had saved her. Emotionally drained and exhausted, she fell asleep on the floor of the Admiral’s office. The next thing she knew, James was shaking her shoulder, gently. She opened her eyes to see him standing over her, Jolene next to him and three military police standing close by.
“Are you ready to go?” James asked softly.
“Are Alex and his thugs still outside?” Lilly asked.
Jolene shook her head, “No, the military police escorted them out of the building and made sure they left the area.”
James helped her stand and put his arm around her as she began to shiver. The military policemen escorted them to the front door and made sure they got into their cab safely.
Sitting around the oak table in Jolene apartment, they drank tea in silence for a few minutes. “We started to worry when you didn’t return from your lunch break,” Sabine said in her gentle voice.
Jolene nodded in agreement as she stood, dampened a paper towel and began to blot the dried blood from Lilly’s face. You’ve had a bad scare, ma chere. Take some time to get body and soul back together. We can hear about your dangerous encounter when you are rested and grounded.”
Lilly nodded in agreement. She turned before she opened the kitchen door, “It was my tingling fingers that saved me. I am so grateful for your guidance. Using my own power to escape felt good. I don’t have to be Alex’s victim. Those days are in the past.” Lilly walked slowly up the winding stairs to her apartment, closed the door and flipped the lock. Within five minutes, she was soaking in a warm bubble bath.
~
The scent of coffee and warm croissant drifted up through the floor boards in Lilly’s bedroom. She stretched, inhaled the tempting scents of breakfast and readied herself to go downstairs.
She knocked on the door of Jolene’s kitchen and opened the door.
“Come in, come in, have a cup of coffee.” Jolene rose from her chair and put her arms around Lilly. James and Sabine smiled and invited her to join them at the table.
Lilly finished eating the last crumbs of her croissant. She sat staring at the empty saucer and sipping coffee. The elders waited until Lilly was ready to talk.
Sabine broke the silence, “How are you feeling this morning, Lilly?”
“Happy to be home. I had a close call yesterday.” She sipped her coffee and began relating the events of the previous day. As she told them about the hidden courtyard, Sabine looked pensive. How did you know about the hidden courtyard?”
“I went over and scoped
out the Place D’Arms hotel right after I moved into Panthea’s. I thought it was a good idea to have an emergency place to hide if Alex showed up. It didn’t do much good. The thugs hid themselves in a doorway down the street and waited to see for me to would step out.”
Jolene’s eyebrows rose as she asked, “Did you remember to activate your protective egg before you left Panthea’s?”
Lilly’s face blanched, “No, I was in such a hurry to see Roland and hear the band, I went running out the door without a thought for my safety.”
Sabine’s mouth puckered, “I bet it will be the last time you forget your protection.”
Jolene spoke gently, “You could have come into Panthea’s. Our wards are strong, he would not have entered.”
“I didn’t want him to know where I live. I thought hiding in the Place d’Arms would be a good solution. You can bet I won’t forget my protective egg. The worst has happened and I survived. There is a positive lesson in this miserable event, I learned to trust my power.”
Jolene nodded her approval and picked up her keys. “Time to open the doors to the shop,” she said.
Looking at Lilly, she asked, “Do you feel like working, or would you like a few days to recover?”
“I want to get back to work, no need moping about,” Lilly said.
~
Tourists, housewives, hustlers and hippies poured into Panthea’s as Mardi Gras day grew closer. The list of clients waiting for appointments with Jolene and Sabine extended through the weekends and late evenings. Evening classes were suspended until after the Mardi Gras vacation.
Throughout the brisk morning business, Lilly rang up purchases and answered questions from curious customers. After lunch, the rush of customers slowed. By late afternoon, Lilly had tidied all the displays in the shop and had time to think.
She suppressed a moan as Roland’s eyes, full lips and gentle touch, filled her mind. She may have read too much into their lovemaking. Had she been foolish? Had she imagined their connection? Her head ached as she berated herself for falling for the first smooth talking musician she met.
An hour later, the bell on the shop door jingled and Roland sauntered in. Lilly’s tight shoulders relaxed and the tense frown between her brows smoothed. She put her hand over her solar plexus and smiled. Roland returned her smile, and casually asked, “Hey sweet lady, how’s it going?”
She couldn’t answer or take her eyes off him. He was more beautiful than she remembered. His gentle dark eyes, long black hair cascading in waves down his back and his sensuous lips mesmerized her. Weak knees forced her to sit quickly on the stool in front of the bookcase. Roland stood close by “Are you okay?” She nodded and felt his fingers beneath her chin, as he leaned over and brushed her lips with his.
Jolene cleared her throat loudly, getting Lilly’s attention. She raised one eyebrow with her “What’s going on?” stare.
Jumping off the stool, Lilly walked over to the counter and quietly said, “It’s Roland, he’s here.” Turning towards her handsome lover, she waved him over to the counter and introduced him to Jolene and Sabine. The elder priestesses were sufficiently impressed and encouraged Lilly to go on and enjoy the rest of the afternoon with Roland.
Pulling her floppy hat over her face and putting her oversized sunglasses on, Lilly went flying out Panthea’s front door with Roland behind her. Walking up Rue Chartres, Lilly took a minute to silently invoke her mirrored-egg protection. Leading Roland around a corner onto Rue Ursuline she continued her roundabout journey to an Italian Deli on Decatur Street.
Roland gave her a puzzled look and she explained, “I’m changing the usual routes I take. Alex and his thugs grabbed me yesterday. It was terrifying and I don’t want it to happen again.”
Roland shocked, stopped and turned to look into her face, “Are you okay? What happened?”
Lilly told him briefly about the incident, trying to play it down. She didn’t want him to think she was a drama queen with endless troubles and sad stories.
Roland put his arm around her and drew her close to him, “You are cool with me. No one will harm you while I’m around.”
Lilly smiled up at him, “Thank you, that means a lot to me.”
Shaking off the bad vibes from her encounter with Alex, Lilly grabbed Roland’s hand and led him to an old fashion Italian deli on Decatur Street. The moment they entered, the delicious aromas made their mouths water.
Turning to Roland, she said, “You are about to experience a magnificent delight, the joys of the Italian muffuletta.” Picking up one of the huge sandwiches stuffed with ham, cheese, three different salamis and tons of olive salad, she grabbed a couple of root beers and headed for the river bank where she felt safe.
The wake of passing ships slapped the shoreline as they shared the big juicy sandwich. Olive oil dripped from the thick bread and ran down Lilly’s chin. Roland kissed and licked it away, making his way to her mouth. Olive oil slipped through her fingers as she squeezed the sandwich tight with one hand. They separated and Lilly smiled looking up at Roland wondering if he could hear the wild beating of her heart.
They finished the last of the Muffuletta and sat sipping Barque’s root beer, watching tiny tug boats move huge barges up the river. In tune with one another, they stood, joined hands and walked along the river’s edge, leaving the crowds of the French Quarter behind. After a bit, Roland exclaimed, “Hey man, let’s go sit under that big old oak tree and have a smoke.”
“A smoke of what?”
“Red bud” he replied as he led her to the ancient oak.
They sat together on the lowest limb of the oak, their feet brushing the ground. Roland pulled a small, tightly rolled joint out of his shirt pocket, lit it and took a deep toke. He handed the joint to Lilly. She took it between two fingers, put it to her mouth and immediately coughed.
“Wait, wait, let me show you how to do this, Miss Lyla,” Roland said in his best southern gentleman impersonation. “Take a tiny inhale, hold it in for a few seconds and blow it out.” Lilly tried again and after a few more coughs and sputters was able to hold the potent smoke in her lungs for a few seconds. She relaxed as they passed the joint to one another.
They sat beneath the oak tree for hours. Roland told her about life in San Francisco, the music scene at the Filmore West and Haight Ashbury.
His face grew animated as he recounted the night The Green Man Band had opened for Jefferson Airplane at the Filmore, the time he met Janice Joplin at a party in Redwood City and the magical evening he jammed with Johnny Winter at a hole-in-the-wall club in the Haight. His stories made her want to run away to San Francisco right away.
He sighed deeply, the corners of his mouth turned down, “Unfortunately, things have taken a downward turn in San Francisco. The drug scene has gotten heavy and people are dying from overdoses of heroin and other nasty concoctions. There was this brief period when everything was perfect and magical and we were all part of something new and wonderful. Eventually, the whole scene became a caricature of itself. Busses arrived in the Haight carrying throngs of tourist pointing to the “crazy” hippies and disparaging our way of life.”
“The tourists, ridicule, noise and bus fumes slowly destroyed our tranquil haven. The magick dissipated and one day it was gone.”
Lilly spoke softly, “I’m glad you came to New Orleans. I think there is magick here in the French Quarter.”
Roland threw his head back and laughed, “Miss Lyla. You are right. I am happy I came to New Orleans too.” He put his arm around her and gently drew her to him. Her arms reflexively went around his neck. He kissed her gently on the lips, kissed both of her eyes and made his way back to her full lips kissing her deeply.
Lilly could feel his kiss through her entire body. Her knees relaxed, her back arched slightly and she leaned closer to him.
Returning to Panthea’s through Jackson Square, Roland was full of energy. He talked to tourists, artists and musicians along the wa
y. Digging a handful of papers out of his back pocket, he began handing out the flyers advertising his band’s premier gig at The Cave on Bourbon Street.
Soon after arriving in Lilly’s apartment Roland dramatically stuck his nose in his arm pit and pulled an embarrassed face. Lilly couldn’t help herself, she giggled uncontrollably.
“I haven’t had a good shower in a couple of days, do you think I could take one here?”
“Of course, make yourself at home,” she offered trying to stop giggling.
As he closed the door to the bathroom, Lilly retreated to the living room with a cold Dixie 45. Sipping the beer, she sat listening to the shower run when Roland called out, “Lyla! Lyla!”
Running to the hallway she yelled through the bathroom door, “Are you okay in there?”
“No” Roland cried in a petulant voice, “I’m lonely.”
Lilly laughed, cracked the door a couple of inches and said, “I’m lonely too, hurry up and come on out here.”
Two minutes later Roland stepped out of the bathroom. Clouds of steam swirled around him, streams of water poured off his hair and beard. A drop of water dangled on the end of his nose. Lilly giggled as he took her face in his hands and drew her to him. He kissed her and she responded enthusiastically as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
His warm, moist body engulfed her. Gentle hands found her breast and his full lips tenderly kissed each nipple drawing one into his mouth as his hands explored the contours of her body. Lilly’s hands moved over the muscles of his back as she pressed herself against his naked body. One of his hands made its way to the waist band of her jeans, quickly unbuttoned and unzipped. In mere seconds her clothes were on the floor.
Jewel of Inanna (Perils of a Pagan Priestess Book 1) Page 10
