Russell Twyce

Chapter 2 of Loki’s Trojan

Flotsam in a Rip Tide

“Lyra Droski.” A young woman who closely matched the exotic female in Tariq’s fantasy nightmare flipped through her newest passport and said the name as if tasting a succulent flavor.  Her sculptured chin rested lightly in a cupped palm and her graceful fingers touched her high cheekbones as her sapphire eyes read the fictitious Eastern European surname.  “~Tell me about my father again.”  She spoke in the Russian of her fake nationality but in truth, Lyra had never lived there.  She and her mother were multi-lingual and used any known at a whim.

“~You know how much pain that story gives me.”  Jinder Droski was of Anglo-Hindi extraction.  Her hair was deep mahogany, her skin was of a polished teak hue and her almond-shaped eyes were coconut brown.

“~You’ve never explained to me why it hurts.”  The daughter had one-quarter heritage from India but little of that showed.  Lyra’s waist-length hair was the exact tone of her mother’s flesh but her clear complexion was as coffee with a triple dollop of cream liqueur.  The description with an alcoholic flavoring was apt as her burgeoning beauty was of intoxicating intensity.  “~Other parts of your life were horrid, so what could be worse?”

“~Do you mean having my innocence snatched from my violently murdered family or my living in a harsh world of virtual slavery, forced prostitution and drug addiction?”  The mother’s ironic voice betrayed no horror at that.  Although she was now working independent from organized crime or pimps, chemical dependencies still ruled her life.  “~Let me just teach you more Tantra instead.  I won’t have you unprepared as I was.”

“~Why not both.”  As the girl negotiated, she stripped to the buff to perform body techniques and mental routines.  Some Tantric instruction may even extend the session of reminisces.  “~How could experiences with my father be worse than those nightmares?”

“~Feel the tingling of your imagination traveling over your skin in flows of energy.”  The exercises Jinder taught had originated in India and included sexual instruction as well as a variety of moves and meditations.  She called it Tantra but the mother was schooled in a number of eastern spiritual disciplines that were not connected with any particular faith.  “~Worse is the wrong word.  I couldn’t take the happiness I had with your father.  That makes my memories of him less easy to deal with.”