Jeweled Serpent: The Complete Collection

by Silk, Nicole

  He’d be okay with that. She would think he’d be proud of her. In their five years of marriage, she’d had many moments where she’d thought he’d be proud of her if he’d only recognized the good she did. He rarely complimented her. All that had been pre-wedding. Once the vows were exchanged, she’d become the dutiful and pure wife.

  He’d gone from a flirtatious, doting, and curious man to a serious, bible-wielding, and cold soul who reserved no time for a wife. She thought of his roaming eyes, drinking in the long legged young women of his fold, and shoved away any remorse over dreaming of cops. Pulling into the driveway, she parked behind the garage.

  Easing her car door open, she scanned the home’s windows but saw no signs of life. Slipping onto the rickety porch, she winced at the creaking door and curled her lip over the rusty doorknob. Shouldering her way inside, she hissed, “Hello? Are you here?”

  A hand appeared. Sunlight streamed through the dirty window and winked off an object dangling from his fingers. Her eyes widened at the slender black- and diamond-encrusted jeweled snake. He wiggled his partially gloved fingers and said with a rolling French accent, “Pleasure Terri and her Dom with a meeting, Mrs. Collins. We know all about your circumstances.”

  His other hand thrust a card out as he replied, “Please accept our gift and know that the twin awaits you upon your meeting. I think you will wear them well and discover much interest in your future research, Melissa.”

  The way he rolled her name off his tongue sent chills over her skin. So personal and intimate that her flesh responded in kind. He lifted her hand and whispered, “Faith will lead you to your next destination.”

  Her eyes widened as he nodded and placed the jewel and card into her hand, folding her fingers over the items, before raising her hands to his lips for a kiss. Her heart slammed in her chest as his hot breath blasted over her bent fingers before stubble brushed them. She jerked her hand away and nodded, turning to flee as his gaze rose to hers. She made it to the car with memories of the knowing look in his eyes nagging at her.

  Looking at the card in her hand, his words Faith will lead you to your next destination floated through her mind. A black and silver serpent stretched across the bottom of the business card. Above it, the only other item was an address. She knew the road.

  Frowning, she muttered to herself, “The old abandoned strip mall?”

  Starting her car, she quickly pulled out. Still clutching the slender jeweled serpent in her hand, she set off toward the interstate. Three exits down, she merged off the highway and found the street. It was an industrial area that had failed, giving way to an abandoned stretch which was accessed by a thriving strip located off the main route.

  Making her way to the parking entrance, she drove over to the mall. When she shut the engine off, she spotted a beautiful statuesque blond with long hair at the door. As she approached, she couldn’t help but think that her husband would drool over this blue-eyed all-American morsel.

  ***

  The shapeliest of legs peaked out above her boots. Melissa lifted her gaze up and gritted her teeth while thinking God certainly makes some beautiful creatures.

  The woman thrust her hand out and said, “Hello Melissa. My name is Faith Lewis. How are you?”

  Melissa nodded, blushing as she realized that faith was someone’s name instead of her inner hopes. She muttered, “I’m great. How are you?”

  Faith smiled and thanked her for asking before leading her down corridors until they encountered a small boutique. Another serpent splashed across one wall while the other wall held the most gorgeous array of boots she’d ever seen in her life. Melissa’s fingers ached to touch them. The woman suddenly said, “We represent an elite group of people that fulfill a variety of fantasies.”

  She frowned and turned, “Fantasies? Martha said it was a sex cult.”

  Faith smirked, “Every woman has a certain fantasy. We cater to women wealthy enough to fulfill their fantasies. Some men utilize our services as well but the jewels and boots are strictly for women. Terri’s mother has held ill feelings towards us since her daughter refused to bow to her wishes.”

  Melissa smiled politely, suddenly more nervous than she’d ever been in her life. She couldn’t stop thinking What does this woman know about me!?! Is it just coincidence that I was looking at naked cop videos online and now she’s talking fantasies? How could she know this??

  With narrowed eyes, Melissa nodded distractedly and asked, “What kind of…? I mean…”

  She shook her head as her eyes widened. Still smiling, Faith stepped forward and lifted a jeweled serpent boot adornment from the shelf. As if in a daze, Melissa watched her lift a pair of boots as Faith said, “We gift these boots and specialized serpent boot gems. Once received, they signal elite status.”

  Melissa rolled the new slender silver and black gem in her hand, watching the light wink off its surface. She’d never seen something that looked so forbidden and naughty in her life. Her eyes widened as she asked, “Are those real diamonds?”

  Lowering her gaze and treating Melissa with the respect of a queen, Faith nodded as she knelt at Melissa’s feet. As Melissa’s gaze widened, Faith lifted her foot out of the shoes she’d worn to church and fit the boot to Melissa’s foot. Wrapping the serpents elegantly around the heels, she rested the magnetic jewel-encrusted head atop a short metallic adornment at the end of the zipper.

  The boots climbed up her leg as Faith drew the zipper closed, sealing her calf, knee, and lower thigh in suede. Melissa’s eyes widened as she realized that she was holding her skirt up to accommodate Faith. She dropped her skirt, blushing as Faith’s hand glided lovingly up the suede boot. To Melissa’s astonishment, Faith asked, “What are some of your fantasies, Melissa?”

  Shaking her head, Melissa said, “I’m just a devout preacher’s wife trying to find Terri Kale. Her mother is worried that a sex cult has stolen her.”

  Faith raised an inquiring eyebrow as she shook her head and responded, “With all due respect, I think we both know that’s not completely accurate.”

  The door opened. Melissa’s eyes widened as Terri entered. No matter how many times she saw her, Terri’s golden eyes always mesmerized Melissa. The woman immediately said, “I know my mother is searching for me.”

  Terri’s tone was firm but she had a caring expression on her face as she continued, “Let me tell you how things were with me and my mother, Melissa.”

  She dumbly nodded as Terri continued, “She would insist that I go to church with her. I can’t stand churches, Melissa. I owned an adult sex shop. Why? Because I was a hermit with a sexual toy fetish. My mother never even attempted to understand me. Robert understands me better than she does!”

  Backing up at the mention of her husband’s name, Melissa’s eyes widened. The high spiked heels threw her off balance and she plopped down in the chair behind her. Terri looked down at her as the gold of her eyes deepened, “My mother didn’t know about my business and would have freaked out if she’d discovered it. My business partner and I embraced this new lifestyle after we met its members. In essence, this lifestyle fits me outside of work and within my business. I have flourished. I implore you to stop listening to her. She does not need to worry about me any longer. I’m a big girl, Melissa.”

  Melissa frowned, “Why does she think this is a sex cult?”

  Terri shrugged, a hint of amusement entering her vibrant eyes, as she said, “Because we fulfill fantasies for people. Sometimes those people are beneficial to us. Other times, they’re wealthy enough to own shares of the company for a reason all their own. They enjoy what they do. Most of our employees are doctors, lawyers, corporate owners, policemen…”

  Air blasted out of Melissa’s lungs at the word policemen, causing Terri’s eyebrows to rise. She pinned Melissa with lively eyes and said, “Yes, we know that’s your thing, Melissa. How often do you fantasize about cops?”

  Trying to act innocent, Melissa haughtily reminded her, “I am the wife of a
preacher. I don’t have those thou…”

  “Everyone has those thoughts, Melissa. Do you really think we haven’t investigated you too?”

  Terri’s voice firmed as she frowned around those mesmerizing eyes. The effect was disturbing. Melissa’s jaw drop as she thought, Oh my God…they know! Who are these people!?!

  Terri tilted her head, cocking an eyebrow at Melissa’s surprise and mentioned a website before adding, “We sell handcuffs which you viewed on September 29th. The link led to various sites. Did I mention that we have members which are cyber detectives?”

  Melissa couldn’t draw anymore air into her lungs. Seeing sparks and feeling her cheeks burn, she shook her head. Terri suddenly said, “If you have any more questions, you can ask Frenchie.”

  When she swiftly headed for the door, Melissa said to Terri’s retreating form, “Who’s Frenchie?”

  Terri called over her shoulder, “He’s the one that gave you the first serpent and led you here. You’ll be meeting him again at The Jeweled Serpent, Melissa.”

  Terri didn’t stop, escaping through a door at the back. Faith calmly asked, “Are you ready to begin your journey, Mrs. Collins?”

  Melissa nodded, knowing she couldn’t turn back now and thinking Begin my journey? Martha launched me into this journey a while back! Damn that woman!

  ***

  She hooked an arm through Faith’s and carefully made her way out of the boutique on heels she’d never attempt to balance in by herself. Faith’s heels were of equal length but she’d become expert at it. She took Melissa’s arm and told her, “It’s all in the hips and knees. Use them.”

  There was no way that Melissa was going to swing her hips as Faith was doing. She shook her head, “My hips don’t work like that.”

  Faith smiled and bumped her with one of her hips. Melissa stumbled sideways, automatically correcting her gait by using her hips in an exaggerated fashion. Faith grabbed Melissa’s arm, steadying her as she said, “Very good. You have a swing to your hips after all.”

  Melissa twitched her ass, managing to walk in the heels but feeling her cheeks heat all the same. Faith nodded appreciatively, “Now you’ve got it.”

  She managed to walk slowly toward the door. After almost tripping due to the difference in texture underneath her feet, she slid gratefully into the backseat of a waiting limo. Terri was already seated within. She nodded at Melissa and asked, “Would you like a drink, Melissa?”

  Melissa nodded as Terri said, “I have a thermos of the most delicious imported coffee you’ll ever drink. It’s a house specialty blended specifically to calm nerves.”

  Melissa took the ornate lid of the thermos and sniffed. It smelled exquisite. She took a sip and smiled, “I love coffee. What’s this called?”

  Terri grinned, “We named it after Faith. It also holds a blend of strong aphrodisiacs.”

  Melissa’s eyes widened as she took a healthier sip of the strong brew. She blushed beet-red when a tingly feeling began between her legs, “Is there alcohol in it? It’s got some kind of a kick.”

  Leaning forward with a smile, Terri breathed, “Faith always has that kick, Melissa. You had faith in Robert…”

  Terri winced when Faith loudly cleared her throat. Melissa frowned, wondering over the knowing look that passed between the two. Faith smiled apologetically and, moving with the limo, she jokingly asked, “Is it true that preachers and their wives always have sex in the missionary position?”

  Melissa burst out giggling. Surprised at her own reaction, she pointedly looked at the thermos lid in her hand. Faith nodded, “It works rather quickly.” She leaned forward and asked with a secretive look on her face, “Now, what’s this about a cop fantasy?”

  The coffee made her body feel heavy but that pleasant tingling had grown into a full-blown ache. Melissa sighed and told them, “My sister-in-law…” She looked at Terri, “…your mom asked me to investigate this sex cult thing. I couldn’t sleep one night so I checked the internet. That’s where I stumbled over the link which led me to…”

  Appearing angered and impatient, Terri nodded and interrupted her, “My mother keeps trying to contact me. She’s finished controlling my life, Melissa. I respect her views but I have a life to live too.”

  Melissa understood but didn’t know the full dynamics of the mother-daughter relationship. She urged Terri through the newfound funk clouding her mind, “Maybe if you’d sit down and talk again, explain what it is that you do…?”

  Amusement laced Terri’s tone as the vehicle swayed, merging onto the interstate, “I’ve tried that route, Melissa. My mother must accept that I am on my own now. She’s met Jacob, my Dom, and he’s explained to her about the lifestyle we keep. We were very respectful. Unfortunately, she wasn’t.”

  Melissa’s eyes widened. She softly asked, “Can you tell me a little about this lifestyle? Maybe if she hears it from me, she’ll back off.”

  Terri had suspected that Melissa would have questions when she relaxed enough. Unfortunately, she didn’t think for a minute that Melissa could sway her mother. She leaned forward and explained that her life before The Jeweled Serpent was filled with isolation and depression. Owning an adult sex shop, Terri had stayed in the background out of fear that her mother would discover that her daughter was into evil, vile, and disgusting things.

  Terri shrugged and said, “I wasn’t happy. I knew what I wanted but you see how my mother is acting. She’s discovered that I yearn for a lifestyle which is forbidden and now spews garbage about Satan owning my soul. She knows that she can no longer control me.” Studying Melissa’s face, Terri added, “Jacob protects me as my Dom but he also shares me, unlike my mother. We have a connection where he listens to what I want instead of telling me what to blindly expect. Do you know that she reprimanded me every time I spoke in public as a child?”

  Melissa shook her head, reminded of Robert, her husband. They’d talked about everything at one point in their relationship. After the marriage, they rarely spoke. She couldn’t fathom having someone that listened. She asked her, “Does Jacob let you do whatever you want?”

  Terri nodded, “Within reason. If I’m taking a trip overseas, it might piss him off if I don’t tell him. I belong to him and he belongs to me but I am not his only sub. He is my only Dom because that’s what I want. If he wants me to please another Dom, I will as a gift to him. But it’s still my choice.”

  Melissa didn’t fully understand but, as the limo rocked her into a lulled state, she couldn’t stand the silence that hung in the air after such adamant statements by Terri. She blurted out, “Do you have many women ask for cops?”

  Faith grinned, “We have quite a few that ask for bikers and cops. My fiancé happens to be a biker and my Dom.”

  Melissa latched onto fiancé and breathed in awe, “You’re marrying someone connected to this?”

  Faith’s eyes widened at Melissa’s tone, “Why wouldn’t I? We love each other.”

  Realizing she’d offended the woman, Melissa said, “I didn’t mean it that way, Faith. I was just…I can’t imagine a true marriage when people share each other.”

  Faith pointed out, “Zach and I don’t share each other but I don’t judge others for it.”

  Melissa shook her head, “I don’t have a right to judge, do I?”

  Terri rolled her vibrant eyes and snapped, “No one has a right to judge each other!” She took a deep breath, appearing to control her temper as Melissa sipped the brew. Terri leaned forward with a compassionate expression and said, “I can imagine that being married to a preacher has its blowback, especially when…”

  Melissa gasped when the limo suddenly braked, causing her to brace herself. She completely missed when Faith kicked Terri’s leg with a pointed look. Terri’s gaze darted to Faith before muttering as an afterthought, “…beliefs are involved. You’re still human, right?”

  Melissa nodded quickly, worrying over what she was about to encounter. She second-guessed herself until Faith said, “Tell me abo
ut your sex life, Melissa.”

  Melissa gasped in surprise, eyes widening as she shook her head and blurted out, “I can’t do that!”

  Terri offered her more coffee but she shook her head, already feeling naughty enough for consuming what she personally deemed a drug. Faith told her, “It won’t go any further than this vehicle, Melissa.”

  She sighed heavily as her shoulders slumped but said, “We haven’t had sex for so long that I’ve forgotten what sex is like. After we were married, things just changed. I began to notice that his eyes wandered to young women during his sermons. Some of these women proudly displayed young legs, spreading them in an alluring fashion. I had no choice but to turn the other cheek.”

  Blushing furiously, Melissa bit her lip to stop the trembling. Terri nodded as compassion entered her voice, “Men of all professions can lapse in their vows. They’re only human too.”

  This did little to console Melissa. She brushed a tear from her cheek and moaned, “Why can’t he settle for me? Am I not enough?”

  Neither woman had an answer for her but both offered her a tissue. She took them and muttered a thank you. Before she had a chance to speak, Faith spoke up and said, “Melissa, I need to blindfold you. The location to The Jeweled Serpent is a well-kept secret. It has to remain this way.”

  She nodded as Faith leaned forward to tie a black blindfold around her head. As her anxiety rose, she said to Terri, “Can I have some more of that coffee?”

  Terri quickly poured it for her before wrapping Melissa’s fingers around the cap of the thermos. Melissa fumbled a bit but she managed to drink the brew with Faith’s help as the limo maneuvered toward the secret dwelling. When they came to a stop, Terri removed the blindfold as the driver opened the door. Melissa stepped out and looked around her.

  A wall of stone with a huge set of oak doors in the middle seemed to climb out of the hillside. She followed Terri up the steps and through the open oak doors. Terri and Faith led her on a tour of the facility, showing her a photo of the Serpent when viewed from an airplane. Leaning forward, Melissa’s eyes widened at the dazzling glint of sunlight off what appeared to be serpent’s scales stretching along the hillside.