Luckily, before panic could grip her completely in its clutches, she spotted a recessed area in the tangling growth ahead. Pointing the canoe toward the bank, she examined the place.
A three-sided square was hollowed out between the vines, the fourth side being the open space facing the river. Irregularly shaped beige stones made into a fence seemed to hold back the creepers and bushes.
Violet shook her head at herself. Someone had to keep the jungle plants from overtaking what she would call a shrine. In the center of the square, a weathered statue sat atop a tall, rectangular block of stone serving as a pedestal.
Paddling closer, she ran her eyes over the figure. It was a small statue of only two feet in height, and seemed unimpressive at first. The statue was rough looking. Its face was so worn the features were indistinguishable. It was a woman, draped in a robe, her arms held wide. A mane of hair flowed down the stone garment--the only reason Violet knew it was a woman. Well, and the fact that it was supposed to be the River Goddess.
She had thought it a simple carving made by the natives, but wondered about that upon closer viewing. There were fine lines in its formation, something you'd expect from a good artisan. But the harsh conditions had left the stone figure in poor shape. One thing for sure, it was very old.
Stopping the boat some dozen feet from shore, as she'd been instructed, Violet stared at the statue. She felt completely stupid. What had she been thinking when she made the decision to come? She did have the chance to withdraw from the whole thing when she made the contact in Manaus with a large man dressed in a business suit. He had given her detailed instructions and told her where to meet Caio. Of course, not without payment.
Pity hit her system like a shock wave and the boat rocked as she half-turned to look behind her. Violet glanced all around, as if for the source. Her insides quivered. She never felt sorry for herself--she was too busy. Was the Goddess sorry for her? She snorted in disgust. What a bizarre thought! She must be coming down with jungle fever. Yes, that was it, or maybe she was just tired. The heat took some getting used to.
Remembering why she'd decided to come, Violet latched onto that thought. Adventure and a chance to experience something few people did in their lifetime. The opportunity to live out a fantasy. That's what the River Goddess legend promised--to fulfill the petitioner's fantasy.
If her friends knew about her fantasy, they would think she was weird. Not that her female friends probably hadn't dreamed similar ones, but she doubted they really wanted their fantasy to be reality.
Violet had grown up on science fiction and horror movies. Those genres were mainly the books she read too. But her favorite stories were about vampires. As she matured, handsome vampires had slipped into her lustful dreams. Her fantasy was to be kissed by a vampire in a romantic setting, and for them to make wild, passionate love. She smiled inside. Always the romantic, she had to call a vampire bite a vampire kiss.
She did not want to become a vampire. An eternity of killing people didn't appeal to her. Besides, she loved sunlight and everything that went with it. And, she didn't believe vampires were real, but did wish her fantasy would become reality. She wanted a one-time encounter that would rock her ordered world. Just thinking about a sexy vampire nipping her neck made her lower lips throb.
Violet shook free of her thoughts. She had been willing to believe in all this when faced by the challenge back home. But now she doubted everything, including her sanity. She must calm down if this was going to work.
Placing her hands in a relaxed position on her knees, she meditated. It worked. Her body and mind came together in a mellow flow. It was a good thing Jane had made her learn and practice this ancient art with her before starting on this venture. Jane knew her. She probably guessed Violet would be stricken with panic and question her reasoning when she neared the River Goddess. The legend said if you faced the Goddess full of doubt, she would not gift her promise.
By the time she had calmed her breathing and lowered her heart rate, Violet was ready for the next step. Out loud, she chanted, "I believe" over and over.
In a self-induced trance, she removed her grandmother's ring from her hand and held it toward the Goddess. She repeated a carefully rehearsed speech, a description of the fantasy she desired.
Afterward, she turned her hand, letting the ring slip into the brown water. She blinked, coming out of her meditative state. Staring at the small ripple where the ring had hit, she trembled.
That ring had been her last link with her beloved grandmother. It was her favorite gift anyone had ever given her. The ring's price wasn't much, since it was a simple silver band with a small ruby embedded into the metal. But it was priceless in sentimental value. That's what the River Goddess demanded in exchange for her gift--an offering that held special significance to the petitioner.
A shiver ran down her spine as she gazed at the statue. Was it her imagination, or did the small form seem to glow?
Feeling a Little awkward and unsure, Violet started paddling back. She'd been instructed to make her wish and throw the River Goddess' gift into the water, then leave. How would she know if it worked?
When you meet a vampire, silly. She shook her head at herself. As she neared the spot where Caio stood, the whole ritual seemed more and more preposterous.
