The Sea Priestess, page 1
The Sea Priestess
By Dallas Jessica Owen
Amazon Edition
Copyright January 2019 D J Owen
Amazon License Statement
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Cover licensed under CC0 Creative Commons
Original cover photograph here
https://pixabay.com/en/woman-naked-act-femininity-art-2497206/
No changes were made apart from adding a title and author name.
Check out the very talented photographer Jonny Lindner as well.
https://pixabay.com/en/users/comfreak-51581/
Table of Contents
The Sea Priestess
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Excerpt from Banshee
Excerpt from Wolf & Raven
Contact Me
The Sea Priestess
Chapter 1
“Eve,” don’s voice spoke to her through the phone and Eve immediately felt her heart beat faster. Is this about the new album she thought excitedly? It’s about time the label pulled out their finger and funded a new one. Two weeks back from a tour is long enough to drive me insane with boredom! The empty bottle of Jack Daniels that stood forlornly on her flats front room table, stared at her as a testament to that fact.
Don, come on. Tell me the good news. Tell me the label has agreed to a new album deal so I can get back to work. I’m over the last tour. It’s dead and done, finished. I need something to do.” She paced backward and forwards in her flat, wandering until she got to the windowed east wall that looked out over the valley. It was nine in the morning and the sun shone fiercely as she stared down into the brush below, waiting impatiently for what she knew was coming.
“Eve, It’s not good news, it’s bad. The label is dropping you. With all the bad publicity you have had with your partying you needed a good tour and you didn’t get one. The receipts from the tour are weak and the last album didn’t exactly light up the charts either. We have to talk strategy here now, see what your next step is but you should prepare yourself for the worst.”
She leaned against the glass, her breath fogging up the panes. Bright Los Angeles sunshine filtered down but she shivered despite the heat. “But the tour went well. Ok, there were some empty seats here and there but I kept them going. By the end of the night they couldn’t get enough of me,” she tried to think of what she could say but nothing came to her, just an emptiness that threatened to eat her alive from the inside out.
“No doubt Eve, I’ve seen you in action and live you are one of the best. You can keep an audience spellbound with just that voice but studio wise it just doesn’t work the same. For some reason the spark that you have, that magic something just does not come across. The last album just didn’t sell well and the label only just broke even on the tour. I’m sorry Eve but it’s over with them. You’ve been caught too many times puking into a gutter for them to gamble anymore.”
“Come on Don, this is what I pay you for. You’re supposed to make my case for me. Go back and tell them what we both know. With the right push, I could fill stadiums for them. Just get me on live T.V or something and I’ll pull that magic out and have the world talking about me again.” She was panicking she knew. She could hear the slight uptake in the tone of her voice; see the redness of her words as they escaped her mouth.
“Eve, it simply isn’t happening. I’m sorry but the label has made up its mind. They are no longer going to be pushing you and your last paycheck will be your last. As your manager, I have to be honest with you Eve. Smaller labels may take a chance on you, but only if you clean up your act. Even then don’t expect the huge tours you’ve had so far and only limited releases for any music you put out.” The voice on the other end of the phone was soft, placating and fatherly but Eve felt her blood pressure rise at the words.
Blood pounded behind her eyes as she heard the words continue. “You have to understand Eve. You’re twenty-six and had a good run but you’re old for the pop market. Only the very special keep going when you reach these ages. You had the right look at the right time, could hold a beat when dancing and as I said, live there is none better. But studio wise, your voice comes across as nothing greater than could be found on any number of starlets coming off the bus. I’m sorry Eve but that market is over for you unless you can come up with a new angle.”
Eve slapped the glass angrily, the thudding echo resounding through her flat. Taking a few deep breathes she tried to calm down but her face remained just as angry, just as red. “Ok Don, so what about my own material? I’ll transform from a pop starlet into a credible singer-songwriter. That’s what a lot of others do right? I mean the label must have heard something they liked on the demo I sent them and that was all my own stuff.”
She heard a sigh on the other end of the phone and knew without him speaking what his response would be. “That’s a no go as well, Eve. The label picked you up because they liked your look and you had that desire and that spark to succeed. I would be surprised if they even listened to your songs. Your entire career you have never used an original song written by yourself, only songs chosen by the label and written by other people. That is the trouble with that angle. You have no credibility as a songwriter or musician.”
“Then what the fuck do I do now Don? This has been my whole life since coming here. I don’t know how to do anything else but sing.”
On the other end of the phone she could hear a door open and whispered words then her manager came back to her. “Look, Eve, I like you. You caused me problems but they were never jail time ones and you always apologized afterward. You were always straight with me so I’ll tell you the truth as I see it. If you want to try for another label we are going to have to up your profile first. That means going on another tour but this time we play more intimate places, smaller venues so we can show a definite profit. Appeal to the nostalgia crowd rather than the new listeners but it won’t be cheap and you will have to fund it yourself.”
“You want me to do a nostalgia tour? Fucking hell Don is that what it comes down to? Freshly booted and already I’m begging for listeners.” She leaned her forehead against the glass. “Do you have any other ideas? If I’m looking at funding this myself I’m not exactly swimming in savings here.”
There was a pause on the other end of the phone. “Just in the interest of putting it all out there you could, you know, perhaps play nicer with a few people in the industry. I’ve heard more than a few higher execs express an interest in you. If you’re willing to do a few favors we could get a small album deal.” There was another pause and he whispered, “A few hours of sex and you could be back in the recording studio again.”
“Don, don’t even joke about that.” Her voice was quiet, strained but inside she raged like a storm, lightning bright and thunder loud. “I will not fuck some old lecherous cunt just to get an album deal.” Turning from the window she stalked across the room, her expensive silk robe wrapped around her.
“Eve, I wasn’t joking. Unless something drastic happens you are over. No label is going to touch you when there are other brighter stars they can employ for less. Stars that are willing to do the things you are not. It’s horrible but it’s a fact of life. You know that. The pop circuit is disposable and you have reached the end of your natural shelf life. You’re going to have to do something drastic to extend it or change career.” Phone to her ear, she listened with growing anger and dread. Her face showing her feelings perfectly as it turned an ugly shade of red.
“Fuck you, Don!” She screamed down the phone at her manager as she felt her anger finally bubble over. “I am not going to whore myself out. I pay you a ridiculous amount to make sure I’m out there and now you’re saying you can’t do the job? Fine, you’re fucking fired!” Shaking with anger and unable to contain it any more Eve hung up on her agent and then flung her mobile across the room. It hit the wall and shattered into a thousand pieces, each a piece of light that reflected the end of her career.
“Whore myself out or become part of the nostalgia market. Fucking hell where did my life go?” She moved gracefully over to the bar that lay against one wall of the living room wall. Reaching for a fresh bottle of jack she poured herself a double and tipped it back. The golden liquid flowed down her slim throat, a throat that barely recognized the biting harshness of the drink anymore.
“My last album bombed because they didn’t push me properly. Where were the T.V gigs and the interviews, where was the radio push?” Pouring herself another shot she let it slip down her throat. “And whenever I tried to use my own songs I was turned down and now they're dropping me for that?” Pouring herself another shot she took the glass and the bottle through to the pristine cream colored master bedroom of her flat and sat on the edge of the bed.
Downing the third shot she felt the fiery liquid finally send soothing tendrils throughout her body and sighing she slipped off the robe and walked naked towards the full-length mirror that faced her. With bottle in hand, she looked at her reflection. Long dark hair tumbled over her shoulders in waves and her eyes, once described by a critic as smoky and demonic stared back at her. They were ringed with dark shadows that had nothing to do with makeup giving them a sunken and broken look. Lips that were once sensuous and pure were met with small lines at the corners, made worse by the frown that marred her face.
At least my body isn’t too bad. Eyes scanned her body critically. She had to keep in shape; the slightest blemish would be picked up by the gossip rags and tabloids. Well, they would have been once. Now even that was seemingly gone. Once she would have pulled up at a red carpet and all the cameras would have turned towards her. Shaking her head she sighed. Now I would be lucky if they even noticed me. Give me ten years and I will appear in a “Where are they now,” segment.
Her skin was warm and golden, thanks to religious tanning sessions. Here and there her bones pressed against her skin but she barely saw it anymore. Muscles on her legs once toned from dancing now seemed shrunken and turning a once shapely calf she stared at the curves of her body. Once, those curves would have had fans screaming for her but those screams were now going to disappear.
Dropping the glass on the floor she raised the bottle to her lips and gulped the liquid letting its influence calm her down. “I’ll just re-invent myself. Go online, hire a recording studio myself. Have complete control over my career for once.” Smiling she looked over to the drawer of her bedside table. “Yeah, nothing is going to fucking stop me. I’m Eve. I’ve had number ones and sell out tours.”
Walking unsteadily towards the bedside table she opened the drawer and took out the small bag of white powder that lay inside. Holding it up Eve peered at it with a lover’s stare. I deserve a hit. It will help me get through the rest of the day. Shaking the bag the white powdery scintillating snow settled once more. Going to have to get some more soon. Zeke will spot me some if need be.
Raising the bottle of jack once more she took a big gulp and then put the bottle down. Grabbing a book she placed it down on the bed and took the packet of powder. Upending it on the book she watched dry mouthed as the powder fell out. There doesn’t seem like a lot. Pushing her shaking finger towards the powder she felt the micro fine whiteness against her skin before lifting her finger to her mouth and licking it. Her tongue tingled and she laughed madly. There will be enough.
Slowly she separated the powder into lines before staring at it. Zeke said this batch is good. It should be. I paid plenty for it. The lines stared back at her hypnotically, beckoning her in and she felt her heart thump in her chest painfully. It fluttered like a caged bird as if anticipating the destruction of the darkness she felt welling up inside of her.
The alcohol in her system made her face red. “I’ll do this then go and hit up some of my old contacts. See what they can help out with.” Bending her head she pressed one side of her nose closed and snorted the powdery white lines. Instantly the drug exploded in her head and her heart began to race. Falling back onto the bed she felt the initial rush of euphoria hit.
Giggling she stared at the ceiling. The light from the window filled the air with motes that she breathed in and the giggles turned to laughter. “I’m fucking Eve, singer of songs and weaver of dreams.” She shouted it loudly as the drug rushed around her brain. “Nothing is going to fucking stop me!” Her words hung heavy in the air, green and blue they were lit with a fiery joy as she laughed madly.
Her heart raced, faster and faster as she lay still. Closing her eyes Eve fell into the drug haze. It felt like there was a bird trapped in her chest and placing her hand on her ribs she felt her heart crash against them painfully. The euphoria slowly began to change as worry wormed its way into her head and the frantic smile that crossed her face turned into a frown.
Eyes flashed open as a lightning strike hit her arm. Red lace crisscrossed the whites as she gasped in pain. What the fuck she thought as her breath was freed from her body and she had difficulty replacing it. Her confused brain ran in all directions as she lay on the bed and she stayed still indecisively as the pain increased. The light that streamed all around her became blinding as her heart stuttered losing its rhythm.
Another lightning bolt struck. Larger, sharper and brighter it shot down from the heavens and encased her in agony. Groaning loudly Eve rolled, trying to get her feet to the ground. They touched the carpet and she barely felt them as numbness washed over her limbs. Falling to the floor Eve barely felt the sickening thud as her head bounced off the bedside table. There, on the bedroom floor, she lay still, unable to move as her body became a battleground for survival.
Wave after wave of pain flooded her system and dark spots floated in front of her eyes. “No,” she gasped “Not like this. You, you,” Whispering she fell backward into herself as her heart screamed inside of her. Closing her eyes one last time Eve felt one last bolt of pain and then nothing as darkness reached out, claiming her for itself.
Chapter 2
Signals flew down her nerves to enter her brain but they were signals Eve could not consciously understand. Drug-induced darkness kept her still, kept her asleep so that her body could repair itself. She missed the doctors that occasionally came into the private room she lay in, checking her chart before shaking their head and walking away. She missed the nurses who came in to take vital signs before gossiping with their work colleagues about the singer’s drug and alcohol-induced calamity. She missed it all, as the hospital she lay in, and the world at large moved on from her.
“It was quite a severe attack,” The words floated in the air, entering her ear but her sleeping brain could not understand them. “Your sister is lucky to be alive.” Female, soft and reassuring the person spoke to someone but she could not see who. Eyes closed she lay still. “We’re going to stop the drugs now so she should be coming around in a couple of hours if you want to get a cup of coffee.”
“Thank you, I’ll wait.” The voice that replied was cultured, male and English and if she was conscious Eve would have rolled her eyes at the way the female voice giggled flirtatiously in response. Instead, all she could do was lay still and sleep as her body began the process of purging itself of the artificial soporifics that kept her asleep.
As she began to come round, sounds began to filter inwards. She could hear the hum of machinery next to her ear and she sighed restlessly at it. An aching pain began to push its way through the darkness and demand her attention. Shifting slightly in the hospital bed her eyes flickered open. Immediately light streamed in, harsh and vivid and more pain blossomed in her head. Her eyes closed without her conscious command and tiredness pulled at her, trying to send her back to the safe space, the place where nothing hurt once more.
A weight settled on her bed. She felt it abstractly as the male voice spoke. “Eve,” it said softly, “Eve it’s me. It’s Robert. You’re in a hospital. Can you remember anything?” The voice that spoke to her was recognizable as it whispered her name. She knew that voice, she was sure of it. Slowly she struggled upwards, swimming against the darkness of sleep.
“Robert?” Her voice hurt her throat. It came out in a soft croak that sounded nothing like the rich melodious tones she was used to. Panic made her heart beat faster and the machines by her side began to beep in an alien way. “Robert, what’s going on?” She began to struggle to move and hands gripped her shoulders gently pushing her back while that male voice attempted to soothe her with soft words and gentle nothings.
“Eve, take it easy. You’ve had a heart attack. You have to calm down.” Through the panic, she recognized her brother’s calming voice, the one he used to calm her down and the touch of his hands against her shoulders brought back memories she had missed. Her eyes opened, squinted against the light as she fought to move past the pain in her head. The things she saw began to take shape began to make sense and then eyes she thought she would never see again peered down at her along with a gentle smile. Smoky grey, they shared the same color, a quirk of genetics that linked them forever.
