GODDESS OF THE MOON (A Diana Racine Psychic Suspense) (50 page)

“Sorry, love,” she whispered.

Half a dozen keys hung on Seth’s chain.
The key on the fourth try
turn
ed
the lock. She
marked the key with
a small piece of tape so she wouldn’t have to hunt for it again. She glanced
back
at the sleeping figure, resisting the urge to undo what she’d already done. The plan
must
go forward, for her children. For all the
children
,
a
nd for the two people
w
ho shouldn’t be here whose lives were in jeopardy. She cracked the door and listened. It was after midnight. Low light illuminated the quiet hallway.

Anat’s suite was clear across the vast compound. One thing in Maia’s favor: no one expected any
mischief from her
. She scanned the corridors
, checking for cameras
.
No
ne
in th
is
guest wing.
Visitors wouldn’t approve of someone watching their every move, especially those
special men, and women too,
Silas or Phillip lured into their fold with promises of sex and wealth in exchange for their superior genetic material
. Maia marveled at how many were willing. Did they agree before they knew they were
selling their souls
?
In the end, did it matter to them?
She cringed at the thought while she hustled down
the hall and out the back door.

After waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dark, she went over Anat’s directions. The compound
resembled
a small town, cross-hatched with narrow
paved
streets. The
road she’d take avoided them, in favor of a path at the edge of the forest. L
ights went out at midnight, leaving the area black as coal. Only leaders and guards had the authority to
breach curfew. Maia saw no one.

Anat gave her specific directions to Cal’s building, situated on the
border
of the inner compound. Maia wasn’t sure she could follow them in the dark
. T
hey’d constructed new buildings
since her last visit which challenged her sense of direction.

Go to the end of your building, turn left
onto the path
, and go until you can’t go any farther
.

She’d never heard such silence
. Was she being watched? Were
there
hidden
cameras?

When you get to the end, a narrow road
branches
to the right.
Take it
.

There. She almost misse
d it in the dark.

Go
for about
three quarters of
a mile.

Maia made her way carefully along the
dirt path
. She tripped on a fallen branch, swore
, and kicked it out of the way.

You’ll be
behind
three buildings at the end of the road. Cal’s is the
farthest
.

Things had changed. As the group multiplied and the complex grew, the younger children lived in dormitories, like they would
at
sleep-away camp, always with an older member who acted as leader. Cal lived separately on the outskirts of the compound. He had free rein during the day but was locked in at night. What did they think he’d do?
She found the master key, turned the latch
, and slipped inside.

Up the stairs.
End of the hall.
On the right.

Maia
had
failed to ask if Cal expected her. Was he even awake? She opened the door just enough to slip through. Classical music played softly in the background. She moved into the apartment. Cal sat in bed reading, oblivious that someone had entered his domain. It gave Maia a chance to look around. His residence was much like her sister’s: a two-room suite with a large balcony. Crammed bookcases lined the walls; a computer s
at on the desk.

When he saw her,
Cal hopped from the bed, wearing nothing but cotton drawstring pants. “There are no microphones,” he said, “so no need to tiptoe.” Though still thin, sinewy muscle replaced the softness she remembered, and he was more handsome than ever. He sauntered toward her and wrapped her in his arms
, whispering
in her ear.

“I hoped you were coming
.
” Moving back, he said,
“
You
heard
about Diana Racine and the cop?”

“Yes.”

“Bad enough they’re kidnapping babies
;
this may wind up being murder. They can’t let either of them go.”

“How do you know everything, Cal?”

“I come and go as I please,” he said, “except at night. The group isn’t threatened by me, so no one has his guard up.” He focused on her. “They think I’m a wimp. They think I’m a lot of things I’m not, and that’s exactly the way I want it. Plus, I don’t see any sense in resisting unless it’s a means to an end.” He moved back to the bedroom. “I need to get dressed. If I
’d known
for sure you were coming, I’d have been ready, but
I
honestly
doubted Anat could talk you into this.”

“I wasn’t sure myself.” She followed him. “If you can go wherever you want, why do you live out here all alone?”

“Being away from eve
ryone else has its advantages.”

Cal changed in front of her without inhibition. She guessed he retained some of the group’s teachings. The body is a temple to be worshiped, and one should never feel embarrassment. Maia always thought the temple bit corny, but the philosophy had been drummed into her too.

He pulled on a pair of faded jeans and shrugged into a
T-shirt. “This place is huge
and
growing
until recently
. I’m not sure why
things are at a standstill
, but I
’ve got
an idea.
Not that it matters now.
We
need
to get out of here, and
the only way is by
plane. One thing I do know
―w
e’re in the middle of fucking nowhere.” He grabbed the keys from Maia. “Come on.” He locked his door from the outside and checked the halls. “You came in the service entrance, didn’t you?”

Maia nodded.

“Good girl. Now all we have to do is get to Anat without being seen.”

“I thought everyone was asleep by twelve.”

“
The big guys can do whatever they want.” Cal took Maia’s hand. “
Follow me
. I know where they
’re keeping
the Racine woman and have a pretty good idea
where the cop
is
.”

“You’ve been paying attention.”

“Hasn’t done any good until tonight,” he said. “Stay close.”
H
e stopped
short
. “Are you sure Seth will
be
knocked out for a couple of hours?”

“More like till morning
, a
nd is he ever going to be pissed.”

“Tough shit.”
He gazed at Maia apologetically. “Sorry. I forgot you and Seth were more than egg and sperm. He’s better than most.”

Maia wondered what
Cal
meant, but she didn’t want to
ask
right now. She felt guilty enough.
This man taking charge, showing
no fear
,
was
not who
Anat described.
M
ore
was
going on than
what
they
confided in
her. Was she being used in some way? Too late
to ask questions.

Cal led her down the stairs, stopping to check every time they came to an intersection. “I thought no one else was in the building.”

“They use these buildings for mating.
If something’s going on,
I
always
―
shh
.”
He pushed Maia back against the wall. “Someone is checking the perimeter,” he whispered. “He usually makes his rounds earlier. Damn, why is he late tonight of all nights?”

Mating.
Sounded like the birds and bees or animals in season. The group was expanding. Last time she saw
more
women from
outside
the family. Maia felt sick. They had upped
production
. Cal utter
ed
an obscen
ity.

He held her back until the coast was clear
, t
hen they crept silently down the hall to
a
back exit.
Cal
opened it.
They
kept to the side of the building.
N
ow that they were outside the building, Maia didn’t have a clue where she was. She’d be lost without
Cal
.

“Anat’s building is near the river,”
he
said.

“I know. Her balcony hangs high over it.
A sheer drop.”

“Her only escape is to jump over and kill herself
―something she’d never do
now that she has Chloe.”

Maia struggled to keep up. “
Tha
t’s a cowar
d’s way out
, not
Anat’s. She’s
too strong.”

Cal turned. “She
certainly
is.
One amazing woman.”
He latched onto her hand. “Come on.
We’ve got
more than
a mile
to go
, and there’s a new moon.
Dark as pitch.”

T
hey hugged the backside of the building and headed toward the woods.
A
s they were about to clear the paved area and veer onto the path, Cal pulled her down behind a line of shrubbery
. He pointed ahead.

Two men came out of the last building. One second earlier and Maia and Cal would have been standing right in front of them. She
’d never seen
the big guy
before
, but she recognized Edward Slater. “What’s
he doing here?” she whispered.

Cal
’s face
pale
d noticeably
, even in the dim light. His body went rigid, and his
upper
lip curled in
distaste. “Didn’t you know?
His so-called mission is the conduit
to recruit
the surrogates.
He
also
convinced everyone to bring Diana Racine here.
He and Phillip.
Slater is Phillip’s grandfather’s
prime
disciple.”

Maia needed a minute to digest what Cal said.
“Disciple?
But Phillip’s grandfather
has
to be long dead.”

“He was very old when Slater met him. I doubt
he’d
approve of what
Slater
’s become.”

“What do you mean?”

“Later,” Cal said.

Maia
always thought of
Slater
as an opportunist, sucking up to the rich guys for money to run his mission
, but a major disciple? Cal’s reaction upon seeing him told her there was more to Slater than he
r
impression
of him.

“I’ll be damned,” she said under her breath, then realized she probably already was. “Who’s the other guy?”

“He’s Ridley Deems’
s
replacement.
A
couple more do the dirty work
. T
hey’ve
stopped k
idnapping babies
for the time being
in favor of
taking care of anyone who gets in the way, like the New Orleans cop.”

“How do you know so much?”

“I told you. I’ve created a persona they
belie
ve
. I’m innocuous.
I don’t matter.” He forced a tight smile, his eyes on Slater’s back, waiting until he
disappeared
. “Of course, if we succeed tonight, they might change their o
pinion
.
” He winked.
“
Come on, Maia. Let’s go.”