《Kaiba's Prostitute》Chapter 78: Rectory
Advertisement
Chapter 78: Rectory
Joan followed Father John through the courtyard and into an alley. John paused in front of a green door to remove his alb and dig his keys out of his cassock. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, but Joan wedged herself between the door and the frame before he could close it.
John stared at the determined whore on the threshold of his home. He'd known her for a decade, watched her grow into a young woman as she volunteered for countless church activities, sometimes alongside her mother and often on her own. He'd heard good things about her from the catechists, but she also had a reputation for asking them tough questions. They'd always said she was bound to do something special in life, but why this, of all things? "What do you want?"
"I want to know why you just up and abandoned your congregation like that."
"Because they're not mine anymore; they're yours. Isn't that what you came here for? You may have the congregation fooled with your sugar daddies' holographic technology, but I did some research on them after your mother asked me to pray for you."
Joan stared straight into his brown eyes and kept her lips still. «No. None of that was holographic. We're still figuring out how it works. We came here looking for answers.»
John sighed and released his grip on the door. "Come in."
Joan popped into John's small living room, followed by Tamara. Joan glanced around the cramped quarters and turned to her bodyguard. "Take a break. I'll call you when we're done."
Tamara nodded and left.
John plopped into a faded brown armchair, too emotionally exhausted to entertain elementary etiquette. "So, how many years has it been?"
Joan moved a pile of newspapers off another chair and sat down. "Since I stopped going to church entirely? Two or three."
Advertisement
"All that time, I was under the impression that you'd found a church closer to wherever you're living now. What changed?"
"A lot of things. First of all, I fell in love." Joan told him the same story she'd told her mother about her asexual boyfriend, adding how long she'd stuck with the church in her college town even after she'd abandoned the constraints of monogamy. Several minor incidents later, she'd reached a point where she no longer felt any value in attending church and gave up going through the motions.
The conversation drifted to philosophy, to Joan's growing sense that the people in her life mattered more than any gods worshiped by ancient peoples. They mused over examples of polygyny in the Bible and how Jesus didn't actually say much on the matter. Mary had responded with surprising warmth to the circumstances surrounding Joan's "immaculate" conception, which raised a new series of questions Joan hadn't had time to ask during the brief encounter. Did Adonai have a physical body? If so, did that body have contact with Mary's body? Did she go on to copulate with Joseph later? Did Jesus have siblings? Mary seemed adamant that those things didn't matter, but in a society without modern medicine, those things probably mattered a lot more. Where was Joseph during the Crucifixion? Was he dead, or had he abandoned his family? Joan wondered if the Holy Family had faced similar issues to the Aurelios. They might not have been as perfect as they seemed on the surface.
As John listened to Joan speculate, he found himself running out of answers. His resolve slipped a little with every second. "And you weren't as perfect as you seemed on the surface either."
Joan shrugged. "People say that God made us all perfect, so in theory, perfection should look different on different people. I just follow my heart and go where it leads me."
John contemplated this as he gazed at the woman before him. Perfection depended on a set of ideals based on beliefs, and Joan had thoroughly shattered his beliefs. "So you're proud of being a prostitute?"
"Yes. Prostitute is so formal, though. I prefer Whore."
John threw back his head and laughed. "All right, Whore. How much for a blowjob?"
Advertisement
BreakDown
Six years after being orphaned, twenty-two-year-old Christina Bolen is finally getting her life in gear. With a business degree, Chris will finally be able to afford the life she wants for herself, but more importantly for her sister. Unfortunately, things don’t turn out the way they were supposed to. Chris is accused of a murder she didn’t commit and before she knows it she is a pawn in a game within a game. The only way out is learning to dominate in the virtual world humanity is losing itself in. A game world so widespread that it is replacing the real one in every aspect, including, or especially, the financial one. She might have never been a player before, but Chris vows to earn a spot on the gameboard. Even if that spot doesn’t exist yet.
8 171Rogue Dungeon: A LitRPG Adventure
From James A. Hunter, author of Viridian Gate Online and War God's Mantle! Check out my first attempt at a Dungeon litRPG Novel! Roark von Graf—hedge mage and lesser noble of Traisbin—is one of only a handful of Freedom fighters left, and he knows the Resistance’s days are numbered. Unless they do something drastic … But when a daring plan to unseat the Tyrant King goes awry, Roark finds himself on the run through an interdimensional portal, which strands him in a very unexpected location: an ultra-immersive, fantasy video game called Hearthworld. He can’t log out, his magic is on the fritz, and worst of all, he’s not even human. Now, he’s a low-class, run-of-the-mil Dungeon monster. Some disgusting, blue-skinned creature called a Troll. At least there’s one small silver lining—Roark managed the grab a powerful magic artifact on his way through the portal, and with it he might just be able to save the world after all. Unless, of course, the Tyrant King gets to him first …Hey everyone, so as most of you know, I write books for a living, and I just put this title up on Amazon (and enrolled it in KU). Because KU requires exclusivity as part of their terms of service, I have had to pull the majority of the content from this site. I left the full novel up for as long as possible, so I hope everyone got a chance to read it. If you haven't had a chance to read it in its entirety (sorry!) you can pick it up on Amazon. Thanks again for coming on this journey with me, and I so hope you enjoyed it. The book will be out on Tuesday July 24th. Best, James Hunter
8 126Epoch
Law was reincarnated into the world of Desolate Era as the twin brother of Ji Ning. Follow him on his misadventure on the three realms. "An Illusion Master? hmmph, bow down to the greatness of I, your father rinne-sharinggan." "A Primaltwin? Accelerated Learning? Boy, take a look at my Tajuu Kagebunshin no Jutsu." "A Secret Technique? I your father can use Super Saiyan Forms." "Ooh a Grand Dao, let me imitate it using my Rinne-sharinggan." "All Seeing Eye? Lets compare it with this emperor Tenseigan." "Hundreds Wives, Thousand Concubines and Millions of Girlfriends? Sensei Oshiete Kudasai!!!" - Updated Once or Twice A Week - - A Fanfiction of Desolate Era, Reading the Original Source is not Necessary to Enjoy this Fiction -
8 81The Queen's Rogue
Magic Control Regiment Official Magician's Laws 1. Magic/mana may only be manipulated in a controlled or private setting, and only with the license of an official MCR magician. 2. Magic/mana may not be used for insidious purposes or murderous intent. This includes threatening, torture, and practical jokes. 3. Any user of magic/mana must be attending or have attended an MCR affiliated University. 4. Any user of magic/mana that does not adhere to the above rules shall be deemed a rogue. Rogues will be hung. Beau's a rogue. Let's find out why. "I would reread this at a later date: favorited." - LordRavensNest "I'm intrigued." - scorched100 "I quite enjoy this web novel, and I would like to see more" - selexie
8 213Wish-Fulfilling System
On Earth, it always seems like people have everything figured out. Perhaps they have talent or a set of optimistic goals. In the worst scenario, they would at least have a sense of self. In such a world, Buyao Lian is a misfit. He's cynical and lacks any understanding of himself. Despite wild ambitions, Lian also lacks the courage to do anything. This... is until a bizarre encounter he has on one fateful night. Join Lian on his journey of self-discovery, immortality, and complete mastery of all skills human-kind has to offer! Other useful information: Side-note: the goal of this novel is to explore the themes of growing up in the current generation, understanding ones' self, and facing one's fears. But, there's also some some entertaining aspects like the system, skills, comedy, and adventure. Hope you enjoy!
8 158Office Job
Buildings that reach further than the eyes can see and crowds of dead eyed white collars, This is a story of a first-timer working at an office job. Daily Updates
8 322