relentless ferocity of a true predator. The vampire was close, so close.
Tonight was the night. He would find her this time. She could no longer hide. There was no point resisting any longer. She would only exhaust herself.
Fear lanced her. She knew that if even a flicker of her own power revealed itself the creature would seize it in jaws of raw energy. She would be trapped forever.
Closer. Closer. Why not have done with this terrible game of hide-and-seek? Why not surrender to her fate? It would be so much easier that way.
She felt the powerful draw of the vampire's talent. It reached into the smallest hiding places on the metaphysical plane, searching for prey. She saw one of the tentacles of para-energy unfurl toward her with hungry intent.
Tonight was the night.
She screamed.
'Orchid. Damn it, wake up. Now.'
Rafe's voice cut through the unnatural darkness of the dream, cleaving impossible shadows with the blazing efficiency of a sword.
Orchid opened her eyes to the natural shades of night that filled her bedroom. Moonlight spilled across the bed. She could feel the dampness of perspiration under her breasts and on the back of her neck.
She looked up into Rafe's taut face. His hands were clamped fiercely around her shoulders.
'Sorry.' Her voice sounded thick. She swallowed a couple of times and tried again. 'The dream. Bad. Very bad.'
He hauled her into his arms, cradling her against his bare chest. 'The same one?'
'Yes.'
'Damn.' She dashed the back of her hand across her eyes to get rid of the tears of frustration that welled there. 'I didn't have it last night at your house. I was so sure that the stupid dream had finally finished.'
Rafe rocked her gently. 'I guess this blows my theory that great sex is a sure cure for nightmares.'
She gave a choked cry, half laugh, half sob, and wrapped her arms around his hard, warm body. 'It was a good theory while it lasted.'
'Yes, it was. One of my best.' He stroked his fingers through her hair. 'Maybe it's time to see a doctor.'
Orchid tensed. 'No.'
He eased away from her and searched her face. 'Why are you so averse to getting some help?'
'Two reasons. The first is that I don't think there's much a syn-psych shrink can do about weird dreams.'
'What's the second reason?'
She bit her lip. 'I think I know the advice I'd get. I wouldn't follow it, anyway, so there's no sense listening to it in the first place.'
'What advice would you get?'
'The first thing a doctor would do is consult my para-psych profile.'
'So?'
'As soon as he or she discovered that I'm an ice-prism, I'd be referred back to that research lab where Theo and Morgan and I went through all those stupid tests.'
Rafe framed her face in his hands. 'What makes you so sure of that?'
'It's only logical. No one knows much about ice-prisms. The folks at that lab are considered the leading experts in New Seattle. They've got all my old records. Any syn-psych doctor worth his or her diploma would suggest that I go back there for help.'
'And you won't go back there, not even as a last resort to get rid of the nightmares?'
'No.' She curled her hands very tightly until she could feel her nails biting into her palms. 'I wouldn't go back there if my life depended on it.'
'Take it easy.' Rafe held her head still and kissed her.
It was a gentling caress, not a passionate overture. Orchid felt some of the cold evaporate from her chilled body. She relaxed slightly.
'How do you feel about eating leftovers at three o'clock in the morning?' she said against his mouth.
'I can eat leftovers at any time.'
She smiled. 'I think I have some lasagna in the freezer. We can thaw it in the ice-wave.'
'I'm drooling already. But then, I do that a lot around you.'
The following afternoon Orchid stood on the gently bobbing dock that functioned as a front walk for Morgan Lambert's shabby houseboat and leaned on the front doorbell. There was no answer.
She stepped back and glanced around at the small, floating community. The neighboring houseboat was several yards away. There was no sign that anyone was home there, either.
Beneath her feet the dock heaved. Overhead gull-fins wheeled and soared ahead of the approaching storm. Heavy, dark clouds pressed down on the city.
Orchid could see a sheet of ram sweeping across the downtown highrises. It would reach this sheltered section of Curtain Lake in a few minutes. She wanted very much to be inside Morgan's houseboat before the deluge struck.
She pressed the doorbell again.
Still no answer. To ward off a sense of growing unease, she reminded herself that Morgan was an artist. He kept strange hours. Chances were good he was sound asleep inside.
She knocked loudly. 'Morgan? Are you in there? It's me, Orchid. I got your message.'
She had found it waiting for her on her answering machine when she walked through her front door forty-five minutes ago. He had left it earlier in the day while she had been out grocery shopping. After watching Rafe polish off her leftover lasagna last night, it dawned on her that she ought to keep more food in the icerator while he was around.
Morgan's message had been short and to the point and it had sent a jolt of alarm through her.
Orchid, this is Morgan. Listen, something kinda weird just happened. I picked up my mail on the way in a few minutes ago. You aren't going to believe it, but there's a letter from Theo. It's dated the same day that he drove off that cliff but the postmark is from yesterday. It says in the letter that he left it with a neighbor. Told the guy to mail it if he didn't contact him in a couple of days.
I'm not sure what to make of it. It's sort of typical Theo, you know, a little paranoid. Maybe I should turn it over to the police or something. But before I do anything like that I need to talk to you. Maybe I'm overreacting.
Give me a call when you get in. I don't care what time it is. Feel free to wake me up.
But awakening Morgan Lambert was proving difficult. Orchid wondered if any of his neighbors had a key. There was a deserted feel to the small houseboat marina. It was a few minutes past two o'clock in the afternoon. Everyone was either at work or out running errands.
She rapped sharply one last time.
'Morgan?'
Still no response. Tentatively she put her hand on the doorknob. It would be too much to expect that Morgan had forgotten to lock his door.
The knob turned easily.
Cautiously, half expecting an alarm to sound, she pushed open the door. 'Don't panic, Morgan. It's me, Orchid.'
She put her head around the edge of the door.
And caught her breath at the sight of the small, cluttered living room.
It was a shambles. Ripped cushions were scattered on the floor. Books had been pulled willy-nilly from the shelves. They lay in a small heap next to an overturned lamp. The drawers of the desk had been yanked out and emptied on the carpet
'Oh, my God.'
Orchid started to step quickly back out onto the dock. She froze when she noticed a shoe lying in the short hall that connected the living room with the kitchen.
It was a man's shoe. There was a foot in it. The leg disappeared around the corner.
