Embrace the Night

Page 91



something?"

"I don't know what he is, but he isn't human."

"You're letting your imagination run away with you," Sara chided. "It was cold and foggy last night, that's all. He probably turned a corner and you lost sight of him."

"No!" Maurice grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Listen to me, Sara Jayne, you've got to stay away from that man. He's evil."

"Maurice, you're hurting me!" She twisted away from his grasp, then stood rubbing her shoulders. "This isn't funny."

"Damn right it isn't!" He took a step toward her, then stopped when he saw the warning in her eyes. "Has he… have you… ?"

Sara glared at him, her eyes narrowed. "Have I what?"

"Never mind, I can see that you have. Why, Sara Jayne? What is there about this man that attracts you? Can't you sense the evil that surrounds him?"

Sara sat down on the sofa and smoothed her skirts. "I think you should go now," she said, her voice coolly polite.

Maurice took a deep breath. "Sara Jayne, please listen to me." He began to pace the floor, too agitated to stand still. "I know you think I'm overreacting, that I'm just jealous because you've been spending so much time with him, but that's not it, I swear! You're in danger. Promise me you'll be careful. Next time he comes here, forget your infatuation with him and…"

Maurice's voice trailed off and he stared at her. She didn't believe a word he was saying. "I'll see you later, at the theater," he said, thoroughly disheartened. "Please be careful."

She saw Maurice to the door, then stood there for a long moment, watching him walk away. He'd always seemed like such a level-headed young man, his feet solidly planted on the ground. This babbling about Gabriel disappearing in the mist was ludicrous. Evil, indeed! Gabriel had never shown her anything but kindness…

Evil… unbidden came the memory of the peculiar red glow she had seen in his eyes when they made love. But that had been nothing more than a trick of the light…

She had never seen him during the day… But surely a man of Gabriel's wealth was extremely busy. Even on the Sabbath? taunted a small voice of doubt.

With a shake of her head, Sara thrust her troubling thoughts aside, refusing to give heed to Maurice's foolish accusations. Gabriel was no more evil than she was!

He was waiting for her outside the opera house that night. She studied him carefully as they walked the short distance from the theater to her apartment. Elegant was the first word that came to her mind. As