“Come inside, I’ve beenwaiting for you.”
“I . . . I can’t, Onolyn willwonder where I am and it’s not safe to leave her alone.”
“Don’t concern yourself withher. You need a woman. I’ll teach you and give you pleasure.” Shegave him an unnerving smile as he entered the house.
Once inside he could see her moreclearly. Her bronze colored hair was fastened to her head with jewelsand her green dress had a pattern of skulls on it.
“You’re a very desirablewoman,” he stammered, disconcerted by her low-cut dress thatexposed the tops of her breast and clung alluringly to her body. “Butit wouldn’t be right. I . . . I don’t even know you.”
“Are you afraid to become aman?”
“No, of course not,” Zac saiddefensively, feeling young and inexperienced. “I mean I want you,but well, it wouldn’t be right.”
“You are mine, now. I’lldecide what’s right for you.” She put her hand on his chest andfire burned into his heart.
“No!” He backed into thewall. She drew him close and her lips captured his, taking from him,poisoning him. His desire to resist faded and he kissed her back, hislust aroused. He wanted her in a purely physical way.
She lured him into her bedchamberand lay on a large bed. Carved serpents curled around the columnsthat stood at each corner of the bed. Seetva reached out enticinglyand fear made his throat tighten. He knew he had to fight the spellshe wove around him. She wasn’t what she appeared to be. Herperfect face and body were deceiving. What was it Onolyn said?Something about protecting your Soul. His thoughts were cut off byher words.
“Come to me. I’ll make you aman.” She drew him onto the bed and started kissing himagain—demandingly, draining, yet kindling his blood, his passion.In spite of his uneasiness, he found himself wanting her with anuncontrollable burning desire and he kissed her back hungrily.
She bit his lip hard and laughedwhen he drew his head back, tasting blood on his lip. Her hands feltelectric as they ran up his sides. He knew he was coming more andmore under her power, but it no longer mattered. He had to have her,to dominate her, possess her.
Yet a higher part of himselfstood outside his body, observing and warning him to escape.
Seetva laughed, sending a chillto the very core of his being. With helpless dread, he knew he had tobreak away from her. She unfastened his belt and lust surged throughhim. He gave in to his desire to take her, no matter what the cost.
Onolyn awoke when her wristcommunicator started playing a cheerful tune. She sleepily pushed the“answer” button.
“Hello,” she said, holdingthe watch close to her mouth and pressing a finger into her ear soshe could hear.
“Onolyn, this is Hendora. I’msorry to awaken you. I’m afraid I have bad news.” She paused,then said in an unsteady voice. “Erling’s dead.”
“Oh God,” Onolyn gasped, herchest constricting. “I’d hoped you’d gotten the antidote to himin time.”
“I’m sorry, Onolyn, I know hewas your friend.”
“He was your friend, too. Areyou all right?”
“It hurts more than I expected.He annoyed me with his teasing and I didn’t like his easy way withwoman, but I trusted him as I do few men. I knew I could count onhim. He risked his life for me more than once.”
“He was a good man.”
“But a reckless fool. What washe doing fighting a duel anyway?”
Onolyn heard the hurt and angerin Hendora’s voice. “It wasn’t a duel. King Zanton attackedhim.”
“What happened isn’timportant now. There’s more I need to tell you. Samrat Condor’sair fleet attacked Jaipar. Find out what you can about King Zanton’splans.”
“So it’s begun,” Onolynsaid. “I’d better go tell Zac.”
She hung up and went through thedoor adjoining her room to Zac’s. He wasn’t in his bed. Sheglanced toward the bathroom and saw it was empty. “Oh no,” sheexclaimed, knowing instinctively that Seetva had lured him away.
She returned to her room anddressed, muttering to herself. “I knew she was after you. I felther hold on you. Better that I shared your bed than allow this tohappen. What am I going to do? I can’t fight a witch. I just hopeI’m not too late.”
She ran downstairs with her mindstill racing. Why hadn’t she done something when she sensed thedanger Zac was in? Why hadn’t she trusted her feelings? She checkedthe lot for the rental aircar and saw it was gone, then ran into thestreet and hailed an airtaxi. On the ride over, she wondered whatSeetva wanted with Zac. To control him certainly, but why?
Onolyn welcomed the androiddriver’s fast maneuvering as it flew through city traffic. The tallbuildings were lit up and the nightlife was nearly as busy as it wasduring the day. The driver dropped her off at the edge of the darkwoods near Seetva’s home and she wondered what to do now that shewas here. Dread pulsed through her as she made her way acrossSeetva’s lawn, going from tree to tree. When she got closer, shesaw the dark form of a man standing in front of the cottage. Itlooked like Zac. Perhaps she wasn’t too late. She hurried towardhim.
“Onolyn, you came,” Zac saidupon seeing her. There was something strange, unnatural about hisvoice.
She paused, uncertain, and hewalked over to her. She couldn’t see his face clearly in the dark.“Zac? Are you all right?” she asked
His fist swung toward her temple.
“No!” she screamed as herhead exploded in pain. Everything turned black as she crumpled to theground.
Michio walked into hisbedchamber, tense from the battle and from hearing the news ofErling’s death.
He found Leyran reading in achair. Toemeka was asleep on the bed, covered with an afghan. Leyranrose and put his right index finger to his lips, signaling him to notsay anything. They went into the adjacent sitting room.
“How did the battle go?”Leyran asked, worry wrinkling his brow.
“Samrat Condor’s space fleetretreated. Intelligence says they’re waiting for reinforcements.Most of
