- •Independence, intelligence, and unique beauty of modern women. My heroes all have one thing in common:
- •375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, usa
- •I would like to thank Mark Stelljes, the rosarian I consulted as I researched this book. Mark, your information
- •Incredibly erotic dream of my life. I really didn’t give a damn what his face looked like.”
- •Instead of answering her, Mikki twirled an errant strand of thick, copper-colored hair and bought time by
- •It was a solid friendship, founded in trust and mutual respect. And Mikki had no idea why she was so hesitant
- •Intended to turn his face to hers—to open her eyes and to finally, finally see him. Then she had touched them.
- •I was crossing the street, and I heard something weird behind me.”
- •Incredibly articulate like ‘Whoo-hoo! You are one hot mamma, Red.’ That effectively killed the fantasy.”
- •I’m more horny than horrified.” She bit her bottom lip. “Is that awful?”
- •Vibrant, deep blue. If hope had a color, it would be the blue of the old woman’s eyes, and Mikki was struck
- •Very hardy. It makes a great hedge, and it blooms for almost four straight months.”
- •Is your name, my dear?”
- •Its light. Slate blended with mauve and coral in the fading day. Mikki knew the colors would wane quickly,
- •I aothing cd hide within it for long. Mikki opened the knife. The little blade was honed to a razorlike edge,
- •Volunteers at the Rose Gardens noticed it, Mikki would simply smile her way through their admonishments
- •In the psychic? I don’t remember Nelly saying anything about that.”
- •Insightful and well educated. They create worlds filled with strong, passionate women and honorable, heroic
- •It was exhilarating!
- •Intrigued, she searched her memory for details of Medea’s story. She vaguely remembered that the play was
- •I will love my sons and daughters, and adore the gods.”
- •Into her throat, so that when she continued the invocation, her voice strengthened and magnified. Had she
- •It took several minutes for Mikki’s cheeks to cool down. She could easily imagine the blazing red of her
- •Imposingly between the archway she had just walked beneath and the second stone archway, which framed
- •It only took a second for her to work the Band-Aid free from her left palm. The cut was already scabbing
- •It was so silent that Mikki imagined a soundless bubble had been formed around her made of roses and cool
- •It’s just a delusion, she reminded herself firmly. Nothing more than a symptom of my overactive imagination.
- •Inviting suddenly beat against them in a frenzy of scent and sound. They were caught in a vortex of
- •Impossible. Home was a nice little apartment in a great location, not a room fit for a princess. Mikki’s
- •Intermingled with ornate trees, hedges, fountains and statuary. In the heart of the gardens she thought she saw
- •If that were true, then it didn’t matter whether she chose to stay or return. Either way she was screwed
- •It smelled like home.
- •If you understood who we were when Nera and I welcomed you, but surely you know who we are now that
- •I had no idea I was a Priestess of Hecate until the goddess told me so herself. So it’s not just that I don’t
- •Voluptuous. Her body was lush; the blue silk lapped around her like translucent waves. Petite Aeras wore
- •In the center of the circle near the heart of the goddess’s flame.”
- •I think of movement and invisible power. It is a contradiction—a paradox. It cannot be contained, but it can
- •Inspired by the element’s personification, Mikki continued, “Fire is passion and heat. It consumes, but it also
- •In warmth and security, as if her mother’s arms were once again around her. With a catch in her voice, Mikki
- •Impulse or hesitate until she could second guess herself. Mikki danced. Within the circle she twirled and
- •In the midst of the sacred circle.
- •In his arms as the power of the goddess transported them to Hecate’s realm. He closed his eyes and leaned
- •In response to the flexing of his muscles, pain shot through his arms and chest. He welcomed it. The pain
- •Vigilant. He had been tireless in his devotion. And he had been alone, even during the brief moments when he
- •In the casting of a circle. She would not know that she must ground herself and use food and drink to
- •It was only when she stopped dancing that Mikki felt the return of her sick dizziness. So many women . . .
- •Illuminate. Its light danced off a crystal goblet filled with dark red wine. She lifted it, admiring the elaborate
- •In the darkest shadows, washing around her and causing the hair on her body to prickle. “It is a belief to
- •It was totally fucking Loony Tunes.
- •Is not appropriate. What I did for you is out of duty. It is why Hecate called me into her service. Do you
- •Instantly, he halted. “Have care where you step. The glass can cut through the soles of your slippers.” The
- •Impossible that I was aware again. At first I sensed you, but I could not see you. I only knew your presence.”
- •It was so beautiful that it weakened the disbelief and cynicism she had learned from a very young age to carry
- •Intelligent gray eyes looked unnaturally mature and out of place in the goddess’s smooth young face. “I rarely
- •I may be older, but that also means I’ve lived through more experiences, so I suggest they watch their silly
- •Important in either her mother’s or her grandmother’s life. Not that either of them hadn’t been wonderful,
- •Interior? Now she was saying that beauty was everything.
- •Vast forest, a kind of netherworld, which is the crossroads between reality and magick. On one side of the
- •Instincts, Mikado. Allow your spirit and the knowledge held in your blood to guide you, and you will do well .
- •Various other types of mantles.” Taking a wide, soft brush from the vanity dresser, Gii fussed with Mikki’s
- •Voice rumbled intimately between them. If‘Ђfro
- •Inexperienced young girl, had called him back to her without knowing for sure what she wanted to say.
- •It’s your turn to listen and answer.”
- •I can’t do it on my own, so the women are going to have to help me.”
- •Ignored the lingering soreness in her body and the vague nausea she seemed unable to get rid of and looked
- •Ignoring Gii’s sudden surprised intake of breath, Mikki tilted her head in what she liked to think was a
- •I have to finish up here and then take a bath or something because I am definitely a mess and—”
- •It seemed that these roses were greener and healthier than those in the rest of the realm. Beyond the beds of
- •It was true, but she squelched the thought, pulling her mind from the beast to the mystery that surrounded the
- •I’ll definitely need you in the morning. I’m going to have breakfast with the four Elementals. Could you be
- •Instead of being included in one of their groups at lunch . . .
- •In handy in your line of work.”
- •If he was afraid of crushing it.
- •It’s a great resource for me. Now I don’t have to worry about not knowing my way around.” She couldn’t
- •In entering her bed, the very thought of which was abhorrent to her. The sight of me was a constant reminder
- •I should not be here with you.”
- •It was impossible between them because he was making it that way. It was as if there was some kind of
- •If she asked the goddess outright and Hecate commanded her to stay away from him, then what would she
- •In return; she had shivered beneath his lips.
- •If he would be the only one to pay the price, he would gladly do so. He knew it for truth, even though the
- •Imagined that she was preparing to summon the Elementals and begin her day. He, too, must begin his. She
- •Ink, and she’d drawn her own considerably less-attractive lines to quarter the blueprint. “As I said before,
- •In the dirt as she demonstrated exactly how the earth needed to be worked around the roots of the bushes.
- •It had taken Mikado longer to inspect the southern section of the gardens. The roses were more ill there,
- •Its shadows to him and attempt to cloak himself from prying eyes. There he would rest and perhaps drink
- •Intoxicating than wine could ever be. Then he realized what she had said and commanded himself to stop
- •It was the exact green of her eyes. She knew it flattered her, just as she knew Daphne had brought it to her at
- •It was okay for her to touch him. But his only movement was the pounding of his heart and the drawing of his
- •View of the torch-lit gardens. The north side of the hall held door after door, each ornately carved with mystic
- •If they like the wish, they turn it into a dream.”
- •Is a dream you will grant.”
- •In Tulsa when you started coming to me in my dreams—and I didn’t even know the man within you then.
- •It was not enough! The beast within him roared.
- •Into stone. She pulled away, but only by a hand’s width, so she could meet his eyes.
- •Into the marble troughs that stretched from its base outward and all the way to the four corners of the
- •Invoked the spells?” Gii said.
- •Imagine what was going to go on in the women’s wing tonight. I wish the same thing was going on in my
- •Is that Crete?”
- •Into the realm.”
- •In the middle of which sat a huge pallet covered with more pelts. This is where he sleeps. The thought sent a
- •Voluptuous swell of her ass.
- •Imagined knowing the joy of.”
- •It is your love that sustains us.” He closed his eyes and buried his head in her hair, willing himself not to
- •In the mundane world. He would still be without her, but Asterius could live with that. He would miss her for
- •Inhumanly feral grace that the comparison was jarring. She didn’t desire the golden man, but she did feel a
- •In some harmless flirtation. And why not? She felt amazingly pretty and completely loved. But that didn’t
- •It is not. Perhaps he will choose to keep you to himself while we visit the women in the rest of your pathetic
- •Instantly, Asterius checked his attack.
- •It is the goddess you must beseech in the future.” Without another word, the Titan disappeared from the
- •Very much alive. Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet her lover’s.
- •Victory for them. If they can taint your life, even after they’ve been banished, then they haven’t truly been
- •Idiot! Do you have bandages? Ugh—some of these look like they need stitches. There has to be a doctor in
- •In the barely controlled strength of his thrusts. Mikki didn’t close her eyes. She wanted to see him, to watch
- •Violently. Mikki pulled back to see that his eyes were closed and tears were slowly tracking their way down
- •Violence was left to disturb you.” Gii’s voice shook, and her face was deathly pale. “They’re dying, Empousa.
- •Varieties, with their double blooms and abundant midseason and fall repeat blossoming. But why had these
- •Irrigation for the realm. Is that true?”
- •In the spring they would grow back and be healthier and hardier than before. Roses were survivors—not the
- •Imagine it, and so she refused to think about it. She would do what she had to do when the time came. Until
- •Into the walls of the cave and lighting more torches until the bedroom was alive with warmth and light. He
- •Into the heart of the gardens. Mikki didn’t allow her mind to wander. She hurried up the stairs, barely glancing
- •Into Asterius’s bed . . .
- •I began to hope that perhaps Hecate had allowed me to live for so longt o±ђ† for another reason.” Sevillana’s
- •Is only part of my name. I rarely use my family name—it is too difficult for me to hear it and to know that I
- •Very least, forced me back to face Hecate’s wrath. Instead, he said one small thing and then stepped aside and
- •It all made horrible sense. Asterius’s behavior when they first met and were attracted to each other . . . How
- •Into the meadow, followed by a group of young, beautiful women. Their flowing chitons were draped
- •In the shadows, Hecate smiled and patted one of her great beasts on his dark head.
- •Into eyes that were so big and blue and beautifully dark lashed that she suddenly and moronically forgot her
- •I’m not sure whether to get her another dog, get her some Prozac or take her for a visit to the pet psychic.”
- •Interested in women like me.”
It was only when she stopped dancing that Mikki felt the return of her sick dizziness. So many women . . .
she put a hand to her sweaty forehead and brushed back a mass of tangled hair. And every one of them had a
word of welcome for her, just as they each wanted to dance and twirl and laugh with her. She was breathing
hard and her legs felt wobbly. She was definitely all danced out.
“Empousa?” Nera peered into her face. “Are you well?”
“I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”
“Come with me.” Gii was suddenly beside her, tucking a steadying hand into her elbow. The handmaiden
began to lead her in a weaving path between the revelers, heading back in the direction of the palace.
“Do you wish the other handmaidens to accompany you, Empousa?” Gii asked when Nera, Floga, and Aeras
noticed they were leaving and paused ie o D‡n their celebration.
“No!” Mikki said hastily, gesturing at the young women to stay. The last thing she wanted right now was to be
fussed over. Actually, solitude and something to drink sounded perfect. “And you don’t have to leave, either,
Gii. I’m sure I can find my way back to my bedroom.”
“It is my honor to accompany you,” Gii said firmly. Then she smiled and spoke the Empousa’s regrets to the
women who would have drawn Mikki back into the celebration, smoothly extracting the High Priestess from
the throng. Mikki sighed and resigned herself to Gii’s mothering.
The well-lighted palace looked warm and inviting, and Mikki was incredibly glad to see it grow quickly closer.
She wrapped her arms around herself. Now that she wasn’t dancing, she was all too aware of the chill of the
night air as well as her hunger. When was the last time she’d eaten a real meal? Had dinner at The Wild Fork
only been last night? How did time work in this magickal realm? Little wonder she was starving and felt so
sick and shaky inside . . .
Mikki stumbled up the marble stairs that led to her balcony. Gii halted suddenly, almost causing Mikki to trip
and fall over her. The handmaiden was staring at a lovely little table someone had placed near the open doors
leading to her room. It sat invitingly in a pool of light on the otherwise dark balcony. A thick blanket was
draped over the back of the single wrought iron chair, and a pair of slippers was placed strategically in front
of it. The table was, blessedly, laden with food.
“Oh, man! Whoever did this is my new hero.” Ignoring Gii’s reticence, Mikki hurried across the dark balcony
to slide her cold feet into the slippers. Then she groaned aloud with the pleasure of a woman who truly loves
her food. There were several platters on the table, each filled with delicacies. Aromatic cheeses, olives, thin
slices of meat, and a loaf of bread that was still warm from the oven. Before she fell into the food like a
starving fool she remembered Gii, who was still standing near the entrance to the stairs. Oddly enough, it
appeared that the handmaiden had forgotten her. Gii’s attention was focused on the deepest of shadows that
nested at the far side of the balcony. Mikki cleared her throat to get the girl’s attention. The handmaiden
jerked, as if Mikki had startled her and, though she was too far away for Mikki to be sure, she thought Gii
looked almost frightened when their eyes met. She smiled at the handmaiden, wondering what was bothering
her. Had she committed some kind of cultural faux pas by rushing to the food without inviting Gii to join her?
She certainly hadn’t meant to be rude to the person who had shown her the most kindness in this world. So
even though she preferred to be left alone to eat and relax, she gestured to the table.
“I know there’s only one chair, but we can pull another out here from my room.” Her mouth already
watering, Mikki looked back at the table. “And there’s plenty for two. Why don’t you join me?”
Slanting one more nervous glance at the shadows, Gii returned her smile but shook her head. “No, Empousa.
You are weary. It is best that you are given the privacy to eat and then sleep.” The handmaiden started to
depart. Then, changing her mind, she turned back and took a few hurried steps toward Mikki until her delicate
face was more clearly visible. “Mikado, please forgive my impertinence, but I cannot remain silent.”
“What is it, Gii?”< apСs it, Gii/font>
The young handmaiden closed the distance between them and knelt beside Mikki, taking her hands in her
own. Though her voice was hardly louder than a whisper, she spoke with quiet intensity that demanded
Mikki’s attention. “Your destiny and that of this realm are now woven unalterably together. The choices you
make affect more than you know.”
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Though she was feeling like a fish out of water, Mikki did recognize Gii’s concern as real.
“I’ll remember, Gii.” Not knowing what else to say she added, “I’ll be careful. Promise.”
Looking relieved, Gii nodded and squeezed her hands before letting them go. “You did well tonight,
Empousa. Welcome to your destiny.” She curtseyed deeply and then padded softly to the stairs and
disappeared as swiftly and silently as if she really had been only a dream.
Finally, she was alone. What had that been all about? Too damn tired to give Gii’s weird behavior and cryptic
advice much thought, Mikki stretched and then rolled her shoulders. Her neck was killing her, and her body
felt stiff and sore. What the heck was wrong with her? She should spend more time in the gym (who
shouldn’t?). But she didn’t think she was in such bad shape that frolicking about for an hour or so should
make her feel like an old woman, or like a young one who had just taken a beating.
Her hands shook as she forked cheese and meat onto her plate, but as soon as she’d swallowed a few bites of
the delicious fare she began to feel more settled. Mikki shivered and pulled the blanket off the back of the
chair and wrapped it around her shoulders. Warmer, she broke off a hunk of bread and sighed happily as she
bit into the soft center. She imagined that it somehow fed her soul as well as her body. A beautiful
candelabrum sat across from her place setting, like a silent dinner partner who came to the table just to