- •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.”
Incredibly articulate like ‘Whoo-hoo! You are one hot mamma, Red.’ That effectively killed the fantasy.”
“As it would any fantasy that took place anywhere except a trailer park,” Nelly said.
“Ugh.” Mikki nodded in agreement. “So am I bananas?”
“I don’t think ‘bananas’ would be the medical term I would use.”
“Nuts?”
Nelly shrugged. “Clearly, you’re some kind of fruit.” Then her expression turned serious. “All kidding aside,
Mikki, I need to know how this is making you feel. Are you afraid?”
Mikki answered slowly, maintaining eye contact with her friend. “I’ll admit it makes me nervous. I wonder
what’s going on inside my head, but I’m not afraid. It’s never made me feel afraid.” She drew a deep breath
before she finished her answer. “Honestly, I don’t want to sound like a freak or some kind of a pervert, but
the dreams have become incredibly sexy. Hell, even the weird vision made my heart pound and gave me that
fluttery feeling like I’d just been kissed by someone who really knows what he’s doing. I hate to admit it, but
I’m more horny than horrified.” She bit her bottom lip. “Is that awful?”
“Nope,” Nelly assured her quickly. “I’m glad you don’t feel anxiety or fear. Actually . . .” She gathered up
her purse and checked her lipstick. “My professional opinion—although you didn’t technically ask for it—is
that your imagination is working overtime because it has been forever since you’ve been laid.”
“That’s what you’d tell one of your patients?”
“You are not one of my patients. And my friend, you are not crazy.”
“I’m just creative and horny?”
“That’s my guess. Or I could write you a referral to a good neurologist.”
“A neurologist!” Mikki’s panic caused her voice to go shrill. “Do you think I have a brain tumor or
something?”
“Please do not freak. There are a variety of neurological problems that can cause symptoms like you have
been experiencing.” She stood, grabbing her briefcase from beside the chair. “If it gets worse and is really
bothering you, you might want to have some bloodwork run or whatnot.”
“Is ‘whatnot’ another medical term?”
“Just like ‘bananas’ and ‘nuts.’ ” Nelly leaned down and gave her a quick, hard hug. “Don’t worry about it.
Just go on with your life as you normally would, because you are normal. Oh, and don’t forget that I’m fixing
you up with that professor who is in town to lecture at TU.”
file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Mary/LOCALS~1/Temp/Rar$EX00.281/P%20C...
18 of 181 1/14/2009 9:43 PM
Mikki groaned. “Now I really do wish you thought I was nuts.”
“Stop it. This date will be good for you. Just don’t act like you hate all men. It really doesn’t make for a good
first impression.”
“I don’t hate all men. I even like men. In theory. It’s just that the past thirty-five years have trained me to
believe that they will eventually disappoint me.”
“Uh, that’s not such a positive attitude either.”
“Fine. I’ll try to be good.”
“I didn’t mean for you to be good—just don’t be cynical, and don’t worry. You’re totally okay.” Nelly
hugged her again and then hurried out the door.
Mikki frowned and checked her watch. She’d have to get going soon, too. Drinking the rest of her coffee, she
muttered to herself. “Don’t worry? Oh, sure. I saw Phenomenon. John Travolta thought aliens had visited
him—until he died from his brain tumor. Aliens . . . a sexy beastlike dream lover . . . what’s the difference? I
think we’re both screwed in more ways than one.”
file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Mary/LOCALS~1/Temp/Rar$EX00.281/P%20C...
19 of 181 1/14/2009 9:43 PM
CHAPTER THREE
“NURSING Services, how may I help you?” Mikki answered the ringing phone as she glanced at the clock. It
was just a little past noon. Would the day never end?
“May I speak with Mikki Empousai?” the man asked.
“This is she.” Mikki tried to keep the impatience out of her voice. It was probably another drug rep trying to
schmooze her so he could get to her boss. As executive assistant for the director of Nursing Services at St.
John’s Hospital, it fell to her to screen salesmen and other time-wasters from her director. But it certainly was
an annoying part of her job. Didn’t those guys ever give up?
“Mikki, this is Arnold Asher. I’m calling to confirm our date tonight.”
“Oh! Uh . . . oh,” Mikki stuttered.
“You sound surprised. Did I record the date wrong in my Blackberry?”
Through the phone Mikki could hear him tapping the little electronic screen.
“No, I haven’t forgotten. I’ve just had a really busy morning,” she lied. The only thing on her mind after her
breakfast with Nelly had been her brain tumor and getting through the rest of the day at work without some
kind of tragic, foaming-at-the-mouth psychotic episode. Briefly, she tried to recall if her bra and panties
matched. God, it’d be embarrassing to be admitted to the psych ward wearing tacky lingerie . . .
Arnold’s voice intruded into her musings. She’d almost forgotten she was on the phone with him. Almost.
“Our mutual friend, Nelly Peterson, told me your favorite restaurant is The Wild Fork, so I made a
reservation for seven o’clock. Will that work for you?”
Mikki stifled her urge to break the date. She really was being unfair to the guy. He had a nice voice, and Nelly
wouldn’t fix her up with a guy who was anything less than attractive re less t† and interesting. She ignored the
thought that attractive and interesting always seemed to hide arrogant and irritating under their onionlike
layers of nice clothes and good manners. She could practically hear Nelly yelling at her, Give the guy a
chance!
“Yes, dinner at The Wild Fork sounds wonderful, and it is one of my favorite restaurants,” Mikki said, forcing
her voice to be enthusiastic.
“Great! How about I pick you up at about six thirty?”
“No!” she said a little too quickly, and then to cover her abruptness, she laughed gaily like she’d lost every
one of her brain cells. “There’s really no need. I live just down the street from the restaurant. I’ll meet you
there.”
“I understand completely. Whatever would make you more comfortable.”
Was his tone patronizing?
“That’s what I prefer,” Mikki said firmly.
“Then it’s a date. I’ll see you at seven o’clock at The Wild Fork. How will I recognize you?”
Mikki rubbed her forehead, already feeling the beginning of a tension headache. Or was her brain tumor
acting up? She seriously hated blind dates.
“I’ll be the redhead with the rose in my hair.”
Warm laughter filled the phone, surprising Mikki with its allure.
“Well, I definitely won’t mistake you for another woman,” he said, still chuckling softly.
Hoping he could hear the answering smile in her voice, Mikki said, “That’s the idea. And I hope you’re as
charming as your laugh. I’ll see you at seven.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
“I am, too.”
She hung up and smiled at the phone, realizing that she really was looking forward to meeting the man behind
the voice. She was still smiling when her boss, Jill Carter, rushed out of her office.
“Mikki! Call all the other directors’ assistants. There’s been a major accident on the BA Expressway. A bus
filled with senior citizens on their way to Vegas rolled. They’re bringing old people in here in droves. We’ll
need all the hands we can get to process them.”
“I’m on it,” Mikki said. She was punching phone numbers before Jill finished speaking.
file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Mary/LOCALS~1/Temp/Rar$EX00.281/P%20C...
20 of 181 1/14/2009 9:43 PM
Three hours later the ER still resembled a geriatric battlefield, but at least Mikki thought it was finally
beginning to seem like the hospital staff was on the winning side.
“I think the only ones who haven’t been processed yet are those two little old ladies over there.” Patricia,
executive assistant to the director of security, nodded her head at the far corner of the ER waiting room.
Mikk ph Qze="3">Mi sighed. “I’ll take the lady in the red skirt if you take the one in the orange polyester
pantsuit.”
“Let’s do it,” Patricia said, already heading to her charge.
Mikki nodded. Man, she was tired. She felt as old as the ancient grandma she was approaching. Reminding
herself firmly that even though she was tired and stressed, she hadn’t just been through a bus accident, Mikki
plastered a friendly smile on her face. The old woman’s eyes were closed and her head was tilted back against
the sterile tile of the ER wall. Her wealth of silver-white hair was caught up in an elegant French twist, and up
close Mikki realized that the long, full skirt was made of rich-looking cashmere, as was the matching sweater.
A thick, iridescent strand of pearls hung almost to her waist, and elegant pearl drops decorated her ears. A
white silk scarf was wrapped around her left hand. The middle of the scarf was stained brown with dried
blood.
“Ma’am?” she asked softly, not wanting to startle her.
The woman didn’t respond.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” Mikki said a little louder.
Still no response.
A horrible sinking feeling nested in Mikki’s stomach. What if the old lady was dead?
“Ma’am!” Mikki tried unsuccessfully to keep the panic from her voice.
“I am not dead, young lady. I am simply old.” The woman’s voice was husky and attractive, rich with a soft,
rolling accent. She enunciated the syllables of each word carefully.
But she didn’t open her eyes.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I—I, uh, I didn’t think you were dead, I just thought you were asleep. It’s your turn. I can
take your insurance information now.”
She opened her eyes, and Mikki blinked in surprise. The old woman’s eyes were startlingly clear and a