GODDESS OF THE MOON (A Diana Racine Psychic Suspense) (24 page)

“I’m blessed to be able to afford it.
As you may know, I acquired my wealth the old-fashioned way: I worked my ass off.”

Diana smiled at the
comment
that
brought to mind an old
TV
commercial.
“I
’m
honored you’re allowing me to see
them. After all, we’ve just met.”

“
Y
ou
’re special,” he said.

Compton
’s
touch
on
Diana’s arm gave her the willies, almost as if he were trying to hypnotize her. She moved closer to the pastel, freeing herself from his hold.

“
I
came from a poor family
in a restrictive Catholic environment,
” he continued,
“
but I questioned the dogma when I became more exposed to the outside world. I’m always seeking answers to questions
that have no
definitive answers.
”

“Some things have no answers,”
she said. “I speak from personal experience.”

“True. That’s what so challenging about the
fascination with mysticism
Edward and I share
.
We’ve spent
many evenings of deep philosophical conversations.
He mentioned you have similar curiosities.”

Was Compton feeling her out, and if so, in what capacity? She’d been right.
He
liked living on the edge; otherwise, why would he risk expos
ure
? Because he thought himself above everyone, with no boundaries
, able
to pursue whatever he
wished
.

Diana decided to play his game.
He
wanted
to determine
if she
’
d be amenable to his dark philosophy.
She glanced at Slater, now expressionless. A slight doubt crept over her, like a fleeting cloud
obscuring
the sun.
Am I
playing the game with one person…or two?

“When I was younger,” she said, “I became interested in the occult.
C
ertain things are almost a rite of passage in the young―reincarnation, preoccupation with death, belief or disbelief in God. Maybe that’s why I was so sensitive to the goings-on in your house on Parkside Avenue, Mr. Compton.”
She walked farther into the room, taking in the expensive accessories, searching for anything to
shed light on the
Comptons
’ dark side. She saw nothing.
“When I saw the
symbols
on the wall, I felt the connection. My childhood was out of the ordinary, but I still went through the stages
of curious exploration
. The occult seemed like the next step.”

“What do you mean?
The next step to where?”
Slater
asked
,
his face bright with interest
.

“Obviously, I possessed a gift apart from the perceptual or intellectual, with direct access beyond the external world, a subjective force, if you will. I wanted to explore it more thoroughly.” She couldn’t decipher what she saw
in
Compton’s face
―
curiosity, anger, or was it smugness?

“What happened?” Compton asked.

“I found the study interesting but never
a
path
into
the spiritual world beyond. No witches or magic. No resurrections. Most
discoveries
fell into the realm of hoaxes
―
charlatans sucking their poor marks into paying a small fortune to see their dead husband or child
, phony
séances
. No, Mr. Compton, I’m afraid there is no other side. A
t least no
portal
I can enter.”

Compton’s face
froze
into a smile, disturbed only by a twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Slater’s
furrowed brow
now
sent
a clear
warning.

“So you believe the occult is hogwash,” Compton
probed
. “That there is no dark force?”

He’s forcing a response. How far can I go before I push his warning buttons?

“Oh, there is a force
, s
omething unexplainable. I’m a perfect example of that. And, yes,
sometimes
it is
dark. Times in my past I
’
ve been burdened with feelings so black I couldn’t breathe. But is it the work of Satan? I hardly think so. One
must
believe in
Satan
, and I don’t. Do you, Mr. Compton?”

Compton broke into a broad grin, but there was no mirth in his eyes. “No,
Diana
, I don’t. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to connect me with the
s
atanic cult operated by the man who rented my house.”

“Not at all, sir
, b
ut you do seem inordinately fascinated
by
my
abilities
.”

Slater stepped forward.
“I’m sure Silas
’s curiosity is
more
about
the mystical aspects of your gift, Diana
.
”

His voice sounded tense and cautionary. Diana sensed he intervened to
redirect
the
prickly di
alogue between her and Compton.

“Ah,
gift
.
Such an elusive word.
Many times I thought it more a curse than a gift. R
emember,” she said, trying to smooth things over, “I was very young and idealistic.
Most of all, inquisitive.
Why did I have this
gift
? I couldn’t imagine the force that created it. I still don’t understand why or how
it works
. Sometimes people have difficulty separating my psychic powers from the mystical. As I told Edward, I stopped intellectualizing
my
abilities long ago, gave up searching
,
and let things fall into place wherever they landed.”

“You’re a fascinating woman, Diana. I
’m
honored to know you. I hope we can
delve more deeply into
these subject
at a more convenient time.”
Compton
paused, but his eyes never left
hers
.
“Just the two of us.”

A darting glance toward Slater revealed nothing. “It would be my pleasure, sir,”
she
said. They started toward the main hall. “Is your wife interested in mysticism, Mr. Compton?”

“Selene is interested in everything. That
’
s why I married her. She’s much like you, without the psychic ability.”

“Only taller,” Diana said.

They all laughed, but when they got to the main room, Compton left them to tend his guests. Slater
blocked her way
and spoke in hushed tones. “
D
on’t provoke Silas Compton. It’s unwise.”

“Is that what I was doing?”

“You know damn well you were. He’s not an idiot.”

“What’s going on here, Edward? What do you know?”

“Not now.”

“When?”

Selene approached, Lucier on her arm. She clung to him like rooted ivy.

“Diana, you have a very interesting friend. He’s kept me entertained while you got the grand tour. I hope we get to see more of you
both
. I’m so wrapped up in my boards and charities and foundations I forget everything else. Do let’s make plans for another get together.”

“Sounds terrific,” Diana agreed, hoping she sounded like she meant it.
“Let’s.”

Selene squeezed Lucier’s arm and flashed a smile
sensual enough to
ignite a forest fire. Diana felt her own fires burning, and she hoped the
steam
wasn’t
shooting
out her ears. Selene lingered on Lucier a moment longer,
then
moved away with the grace of the Degas dancer in the pastel that hung in her sitting room.

Bitch
.

Break
U
p or Make
U
p

L
ucier read Diana’s anger, but he wasn’t sure he understood it
, a
nd he sure as hell
didn’t know
how to approach her sulk on the ride home.

“Okay, let it out
,” he said
.
“
You’re pissed because Selene Compton was all over me while you were
sounding
out her husband. And if you’re listening, I said
she
was all over
me
.”

“You didn’t have to enjoy it so much.” Her words were clipped and she kept her eyes straight ahead.

“Aren’t you the one who accused me of being jealous of Edward Slater?”

“Edward’s…different.”

“Well
,
I didn’t know that at the time.
Even though I have two advance
d
degrees, h
e made me feel I wasn’t smart enough to be in your conversation.
Y
ou don’t have to be sexually
attracted to
a woman to be interested. An intellectual
connection
can be just as powerful.”

Diana didn’t answer.

I
f she’s going to be that way, let her. Two can play the same game.
He pulled up in front of her house, put the car in park
,
but didn’t shut off the engine. He waited for her to get out.

“Aren’t you coming in?” she asked.

“
We
’ve
both
had a trying day,”
he
said. He kept his words
as tight as hers,
faced front
. “
G
et some rest
.
I’ll call you tomorrow.”

She didn’t move. A few moments passed. “I’m sorry.”
Another minute.
“Don’t go.”

Lucier turned to her. “I love you, Diana, and a woman who means absolutely nothing to me flirting for one night isn’t going to change that
,
n
ot even your childish reaction to something so insignificant.”

“I’ve never been jealous before.”

“I don’t play games. Yes, I was upset about Slater because you reacted to him. He’s a damn attractive man, and he has a connection to you I don’t have
.
I wish I did
,
but
I
don’t.”

“Selene Compton isn’t attractive? She’s drop-dead gorgeous, and she
clung to
you like flypaper. Edward is attractive, and yes, we
share
things in common
, b
ut I’m in love with you.
”

H
er hand
stroked
his arm
, and a
ripple of need skittered through him.

“
Turn off the car and come inside
,
”
she said.

“It’s been a long time for me
. Ei
ght years long. I t
old you once that I’m just an ordinary guy with no extras. I didn’t know about Slater’s problem, but he hit me where I’m the most insecure. As far as Selene, I was playing her game. Isn’t that what this evening was about?”

“
Yes. I’m wrong, you’re right, and
there
’
s nothing ordinary about you. Now shut off the
car
and come in, or I’ll really get mad.”

“You
really know how to get under my skin
.”

“I know.
I’m a brat.
You can spank me.” She grinned and he shook his head.

He turned off the ignition. When he got around to the other side and opened the door, she took his offered hand and led him into the house. A low light glowed from a lamp in the living room. She didn’t turn on another.

“Stand there and don’t move,” she said.