Keep Evolving - Episode 2: Paradise Lot, #7

By R.E. Vance

Keep Evolving - Episode 2 ...

The world shook, the sky fell and the wine went sour. And these signs that the end of the world is nigh? Jean-Luc is skeptical, but when seven seemingly normal looking children try to eat their mother even Jean-Luc has to admit that something is going on.

The gods are gone. All of them.

Since they left, mythical creatures of all shapes and sizes have been forced to Earth as refugees dependent on the goodwill of humans. Trouble is most humans don't have much goodwill ... 

Then there's Jean-Luc, a struggling hotelier who promised to help these wayward 'Others' live in this new GoneGod world. It's a promise that just might get him killed. In the past year alone, his hotel was blown up, his best friend - a drunk fallen angel - picked a fight with an Other hating gang and, oh yeah, the world almost ended (again). 

But things are finally starting to look-up for Jean-Luc. He’s dating Medusa, most Others respect him and his new hotel has just been booked for the biggest event of the century. Sadly his good fortune takes a turn for the worse when his guests accidentally set off the apocalypse. 

It seems that when the gods departed, they left behind their WMDs: Weapons of Mass Destruction—or rather, ATDs: Apocalypses of Total Destruction. 

Now Jean-Luc is forced to face-off against Ragnarok, Revelations and a creature he’s pretty sure is the Kraken. 

All in a day’s work in Paradise Lot. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.E. Vance
• Release date: Aug 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9781536554311

Book preview

Prologue

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Five Thousand Years Ago—

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The world is young.

The gods reign over humanity using fear and superstition, miracles and curses. And even though the methods are effective, they know that fear only works on the ignorant and superstition on the weak. As for miracles and curses ... those are the tools that lesser gods use.

As humans evolve, the gods learn that with time such tools will be harder to use. They know that they will need to find new methods to control the AlwaysMortals. But that will be later. Now ... now their rule is absolute.

Among their ranks is a young succubus who, although not yet a god, stands on the threshold of godhood. Unlike her kin, she need not employ archaic tools or arbitrary rules to keep her followers faithful. Her ways are more direct and far more pleasurable.

Humans and Others alike are always welcome to indulge in the most obscure of pleasures in Astarte’s temple. Nothing is taboo in Astarte’s world, nothing is off-limits ... and how the mortals flock to her!

Couples embrace, lovers entwine, orgies commence—soon the line between life and ecstasy is blurred as delighted lips cry out her name in lustful pleasure. And with every homage paid to the godling of lust, her powers grow.

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Astarte has hosted god and Other, human and monster in harmonious engagement. All who walk through her doors enter with the quickened heartbeat of anticipation. All, except one—Astarte’s sister, Atargatis, the goddess of fertility and love, mother to the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, does not approve of Astarte’s ways. Atargatis believes that the secretion of fluids should be reserved for procreation and for expression of love. Pleasure is neither, and neither is lust. But does Astarte care? Let her prude of a sister believe what she wants—this is Astarte’s temple.

Atargatis stands at the door of her temple. Astarte, she says in her usual condescending tone. Let me in. Now.

In the past, to hear her name uttered with such contempt would have sent Astarte in a fit of rage. Such is the power her sister has over her.

But Astarte is not angered by her sister’s curt tone. She is delighted. One of her acolytes arrived earlier this day to warn her of Atargatis’s approach, but he also informed her as to why Atargatis is visiting after nearly two centuries of silence—information that Astarte rewarded as she rewards everything that pleases her: with lust.

Atargatis, Astarte says, suppressing her joy. She opens her temple doors wide and gestures for Atargatis to enter. The goddess of fertility instructs her children to stay outside. Then, pulling her arms in tight around her lest she accidentally touch a body in the throes of desire, she enters.

Your family needs you, Atargatis says. No preamble, no pleasantries. No foreplay. Just straight to the point. But that is Atargatis’ way. She is a blunt instrument, a functional being. She knows not the subtleties that enrich life with so much delight.

Do they?

Indeed, Atargatis mutters. It seems your little parties have caught the attention of The BisMark.

Astarte allows the corners of her lips to curl up ever so slightly. Have they? the succubus moans, and with her moan the temple trembles in anticipation, swelling with the impending climax to which so many are near. But not yet. Astarte wants to prolong her pleasure, and thus her acolytes must contend with being close ... oh, so very close.

As you know, Chaos and Nature are at war. We worship Chaos, but the Greek gods with their Hellenistic ways gain power every day. And they have just allied with Nature.

Bahh ... Nature is a foolish principle that cannot hold power over the humans. It is too—

Predictable?

"I was going to say boring, but predictable is a suitable word."

Stupid little thing, Atargatis snorts. Do you honestly think that the humans don’t want boring and predictable? They do! How else can they grow their crops and tend to their needs? She looks around the cornucopia of entwined bodies. Their other needs. Their needs that actually help them survive. Maybe you would see that, if your mind wasn’t so clouded with ... with—

Orgasms? Many, multiple, continuous orgasms?

Atargatis cringes. Have you not noticed that humans love predictability? Need it, even. They are slowly finding ways to control their environment and shape it to their will. They are learning and, in learning, weaning themselves off our teats.

"Yours, maybe. My tits are still very much in demand."

Again Atargatis cringes at her sister’s crudeness. There is little doubt that eventually Nature will win.

Astarte growls, Do not utter such blasphemy in my—

Nature will win, and we will lose our reign ...

This is not how the conversation is meant to go. Atargatis was coming to tell Astarte that her temple has garnered her so much worship, it has guaranteed her family’s reign. She is here to tell her that Astarte is to be the new head of the family, that ...

Damn it! Her acolyte lied. The bastard did not want to displease her and thus said what she wanted to hear. Why? Surely he knew he would be punished. But a moment of pleasure in this place is worth a lifetime of pain. Astarte knows this. She shouldn’t have been so stupid! She’ll deal with him later. For now she must concentrate on her sister, make sure she does not best her.

Sister ... we are at war, and—Atargatis stops speaking, distracted by a pixie that has just mounted a minotaur. Astarte follows her glance to the tiny face, the unsmiling expression of joy. How—? Atargatis starts.

I honestly don’t know, Astarte says.

Atargatis laughs, and so does Astarte. It has been a long, long time since the sisters shared anything, and even though both are too proud to admit it, there is a sense of warmth in their smiles.

But it is short-lived. Atargatis shakes her head, and when it stops moving, her smile is gone. In a soft, nurturing voice, Atargatis says, We are losing. Our time is coming to an end, and soon, too. You do not understand this because you are sheltered in your temple, surrounded by creatures that will not say or do anything to displease you. But I promise, before the end of this century, we will all lose our god status. Unless ... She lets the word linger.

Unless? Astarte asks, narrowing her eyes. Unless what? Obviously, her sister needs her to do something. But what? Seduce a great power? Throw an orgy as a lure to kill rival gods? What?

Astarte may have a troubled relationship with her sister, but she will not allow the family to fade into obscurity. Her sororal bond is too great to let petty rivalry stop her from doing her duty.

Unless, Atargatis starts again, you marry one of the Greek gods.

What?! Astarte growls. "Marry? I am