“What did he say?”
“Something about danger andcoming to me in the Inner Worlds. He said to protect my Soul with theLight and Sound.”
“Erling was delirious. Iwouldn’t put too much weight on what he said,” Zac replied,though the warning made him uneasy as well.
“I don’t know . . . still,being here . . . I am aware of a strong negative force. Maybe he sawsomething and was trying to warn us.”
“He couldn’t know the future.He doesn’t have prophetic abilities.” Zac turned the steeringwheel sharply, barely missing another vehicle.
“Slow down!” Onolyn gasped.“We want to get to the hotel in one piece.” She returned to theirconversation. “Erling may not have prophetic abilities and yet hesaw something in the future. Maybe he tapped into the future timetrack. Maybe he was warning us about Seetva? Why did she give us theantidote?”
“For the jewelry.”
Onolyn shook her head, causingher strawberry-blond curls to bounce. “She didn’t do it just forjewelry. She’s evil and had some ulterior motive.”
“She might have an ulteriormotive, but I don’t think she’s evil.”
“She’s evil all right;couldn’t you tell? I hope we never meet up with her again.”
“I’d like to,” he said,just to annoy her.
“Zac!”
He was pleased by her reaction.“I think you’re jealous.”
“Of her? You’ve got to bekidding. Why would I be jealous of a witch? Besides, why would I carewho you’re interested in?”
“You care.” He hoped she didcare.
“Not likely!”
“You don’t believe whatHendora said about me, do you?” he asked, bothered by her flippantremark.
“You mean that you’reshallow?”
He nodded.
“No, I don’t think that. Idon’t know why Hendora said it. She doesn’t seem to think much ofmen. It’s hard to get to know her. She’s private and never saysanything about her past. It’s unusual for a person of the Feniodrace to leave their people and set out on their own. They’re aclannish race. I wonder what caused her to leave the Gorn Terra baseto work at the Coalition Headquarters.”
“It’s hard to know.” Zacswitched his full attention back to flying. Once he found a break intraffic, he flew the aircar down several grids and landed on theroad. He pulled a lever by the steering wheel and drove the rest ofthe way to the hotel.
At the tall, cylinder-shapedGalaxy Hotel, Zac drove into the underground parking garage. Onceparked, Zac retrieved their travel bags from the trunk.
A uniformed android doormanopened the door for them and they walked into the hotel lobby. Itshigh ceiling was painted to look like outer space with constellationsagainst a black background.
“You know I don’t care whatHendora thinks about me,” Zac said, “but I don’t want you tothink badly of me.”
“You know I think highly of youfor joining the Coalition and for the undercover work you did onJaipar to save your people.” She approached the front desk.
“I think highly of you, too.Let’s get one room.”
Onolyn scowled at him, then saidto the android on duty. “We have reservations for two rooms.”Once they’d checked in, they took an elevator to the fifth floor.“What would you have done if I requested one room?” Onolyn asked,cocking her head inquisitively.
“I don’t know . . . risen tothe occasion, I guess.” Zac grinned, pleased at his doubleentendre.
“You’re in quite the moodtoday.” The elevator stopped, they got out and started down thehall.
At the door to her room, Onolynsearched her pocket for the room key card. Zac stood facing her,leaning down with one arm braced against the wall behind her. She wasalmost as tall as he was, but so slender he could probably span herwaist with his hands. Being this close to her, he could smell herfragrant perfume. He hadn’t noticed her wearing any before, butthen they were usually in uniform on base where women wanted to beaccepted as equals and not draw attention to their femininity.
“Here it is.” She pulled outthe key card. “I knew I couldn’t lose it that quickly.” Shelooked up, her head almost hitting his. She jerked back as ifflustered by his closeness.
“Going to invite me in?” heasked suggestively.
“Maybe Hendora’s right aboutmen.”
Zac laughed. “You can’t blamea guy for trying.” He brushed a wayward strand of hair out of herpretty face, wishing he had the nerve to kiss her. “Good night,Onolyn.”
Later, Zac lay on his airbed withhis fingers interlaced behind his head and gazed up at the ceilingpainted to look like the night sky. He reflected back on hisconversation with Onolyn, wondering what she would have done if he’dkissed her. Would she have been angry or kissed him back?
He drifted off to sleep. In thedream worlds he found himself back in the swamp. Seetva appeared outof the mist. “Come to me. You promised to give me what I want. Iwant you.”
Onolyn appeared beside him. “No,Zac, she’s evil. We must get away from her.” She moved away fromhim into the fog. He turned to go after her, calling her name.
“Stay, you are mine.” Seetvasaid in a haunting voice.
“No! Onolyn don’t leave me!”Zac ran after Onolyn. He couldn’t find her anywhere. He searchedblindly through the murky fog.
Seetva appeared before him again.“You can’t escape me.” Her voice was husky, compelling.
He swallowed past the lump in histhroat, wanting to flee. He sensed her dark power trying to takeahold of him. “What do you want?” he asked, trying to keep fearout of his voice.
“I want you.”
“No!”
“I will give you pleasure.”Her unearthly loveliness contrasted with the negativity surroundingher. Part of him desired her while another part fought the hold shehad on him. He woke up in a sweat.
In a trancelike state, he dressedand left the hotel in the rental aircar. He could feel her drawinghim, pulling him into her web. He tried to resist but the urge to goto her was too strong. He parked in the same place they had earlierin the day and walked slowly toward the house. He felt as if he wereon a planet with dense gravity that made taking each step an effort.He passed twisted trees on the way to the house
He knocked on the front door, andwhen it opened Seetva stood there. “You promised me anything Iwant,” she said. “I want you.”
A chill washed over
