Diana Racine 02 - Goddess of the Moon

first before satisfying himself. He fulfilled his training, too, for men were taught to give as much as they received, lest a woman wouldn’t respond.
    He kissed her neck and bit the lobe of her ear. “I’m sorry about the last time, Maia. At risk of sounding like a wartime underling, I was only following orders. I hated taking you and fought against the deception , b ut it was your fertile time . W ill you forgive me?”
    “I’ll never forgive you for not standing your ground, Seth. It was beneath you.”
    “I know now. Forcing you changed me forever. Please believe me.”
    “I believe you because it make s no sense for you to lie. You have me in bed, where you want me.”
    “ Let’s put the past behind us. This is another time. I love you, Maia. I always have.”
    She flung her leg around his middle, moving into his power. “Make love to me, Seth.”
    Yes, she loved him, but she would never bear him another child. She’d made sure of that.

Chapter Thirty- Four
    A n Unthinkable Conclusion

    A s much as Lucier tried to concentrate on his work, all he could think of was Diana. The desk phone ’s ring brought him back to the present, to his office and the ongoing cases strewn across his desk.
    “I’m calling from my cell phone, Lieutenant,” Dione Compton said. “I don’t believe my father fell for your story of running into me at Café du Monde because I’m still being watched.”
    “Can you lose your tail?” Lucier asked.
    “Not without raising suspicion. Ever since Maia pulled that stunt on July Fourth , I’ve been chauffeur - driven. My father is treating me like a child and I don’t like it. Not at my age.”
    Did she realize she just verified the break-in ? Forget it, Ernie. She’d deny she said it . “Is only one person following you?”
    “I think so. He’s the same man you saw the other morning. D o you think any harm has come to Maia?”
    “You know your family better than I. What do you think?”
    “ She’s not on a business trip. She would have told me .”
    “ Any idea where she is ?”
    Dione hesitated. “Um, yes … and no.”
    “What does that mean? You either know or you don’t.”
    “It’s more complicated. I’ll have to think about this. If my father finds out I’ve talked to you, I’ll be sent away too.”
    “Sent away where?” Lucier persisted. She didn’t answer. “What they’re doing is wrong, Ms. Compton. Practicing the occult is one thing; kidnapping babies is something else entirely.”
    “Oh, God.”
    “Ms. Compton?” He waited.
    “I knew nothing about th e babies . They’ve been suspicious of Maia for some time, and because we’re close, they’ve excluded us from their plans. Now, because of what she did, they’re circling me like buzzards over road kill .”
    “ Your father is looking at a long prison sentence. So is everyone else involved. ”
    A long silence hung in the air before Dione Compton spoke. “My father isn’t in charge.”
    “Then who? Your stepmother?”
    “I’ve said too much already. Give me time to think. I will tell you this. Something is in the wind . Watch out for Ms. Racine . ”
    Lucier’s nerve endings went on full alert. “ What? What are they going to do?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “ Can you find out?”
    “I’ll try, but I doubt I’ll be privy to the information. They don’t trust me now. That’s evident by my bloodhound.”
    “If you feel you’re in danger, I’ll pick you up and put you in protective custody.”
    “Not yet, Lieutenant. Let me see what I can find out. I’ll get back in touch.”
    “Ms. Compton.”
    “Yes?”
    “I’m going to give you my private number. Memorize it and then empty the numbers in your cell.”
    He did, and she clicked off.
    * * * * *
    “D on’t leave the house, Diana,” Lucier said when he called. “You’re on Compton’s agenda, but Dione doesn’t know what the agenda is.”
    “We’ll find out in a few days, won’t we?”
    “I’ll be over after work.”
    “I’m trying out a new recipe. Pork chops, apples and sweet potatoes.”
    “Sounds, um, interesting. Like I’ve always said, home cooking is better than a frozen dinner.”
    Diana hung up the phone and went back to the kitchen. Except for a couple of minor tiffs, she and Lucier fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle. She loved having him around, loved their intimate moments.
    The only drawback was whether she’d transferred from one over- protective man to another. From the shelter