Part 14 (1/2)
Tayler cringed trying to remember. ”She said I had no choice.”
”No choice in what?”
”She wanted me to kiss her. She said if I kissed her the world would be mine.” Tayler shut her eyes. ”But then she said she would destroy me.” She leaned against Erica's shoulder and hoa.r.s.ely pleaded, ”Please don't leave me alone tonight.”
The waxing moon lit the bedroom and cast shadows on the walls. Tayler laid on her side studying Erica's long dark eyelashes, listening to her breathing, soft and steady. The impulse to touch the velvety skin was strong. Instead, Tayler resigned herself to a visual caress of Erica's body.
Her eyes wandered over Erica's face. Dark half-moons attached themselves below the sleeping woman's eyes. Tayler could see the lines of worry stretched across the surface of Erica's face. Tayler gently lifted her hand to touch Erica, but stopped. She didn't want to disturb the sleeping woman.
”Why the hesitation?” Erica's voice was as soft and lush as the sheets that enclosed them.
Tayler looked into two black pools. ”Did I wake you?”
”I wasn't asleep,” Erica took Tayler's hand and guided it to her face.
The feeling of her dry hand on the smooth, moist skin pierced Tayler's composure.
”You've fallen in love with a woman who could kill you.” Ana's earlier warning stopped Tayler's hand. She looked away.
Erica brought Tayler's head up so she could look into the younger woman's eyes. ”I frighten you.”
”No -well, maybe a little,” Tayler confessed.
”Why?” Erica leaned on her elbow so she could look into Tayler's eyes.
Tayler looked away. ”I'm not sure how long I can be near you without making a fool of myself.”
Erica again lifted Tayler's face. ”I can't imagine that happening,” Erica's voice was soothing.
Tayler laughed. ”I come from a long line of fools. Look at my mother.”
”Your mother's not a fool.”
”She let you go,” Tayler countered. ”I think that was pretty foolish.”
Erica sighed. ”No, it wasn't foolish. I was too young to understand what was happening. Christina wanted an explorer, an adventurer. I was still learning how to put one foot in front of the other.”
”You've done very well for yourself,” Tayler felt her cheeks grow warm.
The room was quiet. ”Professionally, yes, I have. My personal affairs, however, have been far from ideal.”
In the moonlight, Tayler saw Erica frown. ”Because of Raven?”
”Yes.”
”How long has she been affecting your life?” Tayler ran her fingers along the blanket's satin border.
”It seems like an eternity,” Erica closed her eyes. ”Twelve years.”
”Why haven't you stopped her?”
”I've been trying to find a way. I've traveled everywhere for help, but it's not so simple. The pieces are only now falling into place.”
”And I'm one of those pieces?”
”Yes,” Erica's reply came in a whisper, ”you're the key.”
”The key?” Tayler asked surprised. ”But I also could get killed?”
”Only if we make love,” Erica sat up.
”Is it just with me or with anyone?” Tayler propped her pillows and faced Erica.
”Anyone.”
”Including Ana?” Tayler held her breath.
”Yes.”
Tayler grew quiet, weighing this new information. ”I don't mean any disrespect, but this sounds like some gothic tale -an evil sorceress, a beautiful lady in distress, an uneducated key person.”
”I wouldn't describe you as uneducated,” Erica tried to smile.
”But I have no idea what's going on or how I'm involved.”
”You will after Ana explains everything.”
”Why can't you tell me?” Tayler asked reaching for Erica's hand.
Tears fell down Erica's face and dropped on the blanket. ”Because she's the reason I'm in this predicament.” She leaned into Tayler's shoulder and breathed deeply.
Tayler wrapped her arms securely around Erica. Her mind flew from one question to the next. From fatigue and the late hour, she simply asked, ”Does another piece of this puzzle happen to be that this key person falls madly in love with the beautiful lady in distress?”
Erica chuckled and rubbed her eyes with her fingers. For a long moment, she peered at Tayler. ”It would appear so, but I just don't know if they'll live happily ever after.”
Their eyes met.
Tayler pulled Erica down on to the bed. ”I want to make love to you, Erica, so they better.” Silence blew in through the open balcony doors. ”Good night, beautiful lady in distress.”
”Good night,” Erica whispered.
A willowy shadow with green eyes stood on the balcony and watched the sleeping women. The crystal in the room began to spin furiously, but when the sun peeked over the horizon the shadow vanished. The crystal stopped its spinning.
Fourteen.