Gift of Fire

wind was too cold to make further hiking pleasant. She swung around and started back to the villa. It was time to give Maggie a hand with lunch preparations.
    But Maggie wasn’t in the kitchen when Verity arrived. Doug Warwick had not yet returned from his trip to town, either. Crump and Spencer were in the salon, but Verity decided not to strike up a conversation. She headed up to her room.
    Jonas was not in the bedroom and she assumed he was busy earning his consulting fee. Verity decided to see how he was doing. She was on her way down the hall when she ran into Maggie Frampton.
    “Here now, you looking for Mr. Quarrel?” Maggie said, surprisingly helpful. “I believe he decided to check out the dungeons. Saw Little Miss Sunshine with him.” Maggie was obviously eager to impart that last tidbit.
    “Thanks, Maggie.” The thought of Elyssa and Jonas checking out the torture chamber together was annoying. “Was Preston with them?”
    “Nope. Mr. Yarwood is in his room. He’s not in a good mood, I can tell you. He and Little Miss Sunshine appear to have had a falling out, haven’t they?” Maggie observed with relish.
    “Something like that,” Verity agreed dryly. “Excuse me, Maggie. I think I’ll see how the big treasure hunt is going.”
    “You do that. But I’ll tell you right now, there ain’t no treasure here. Just a big lonesome old house that no one but me and Digby really loved. Now Digby’s gone, and I’m not gonna get a chance to stay on to take care of the old place.” Maggie shook her head and moved off down the hall. She was wearing another of her seemingly endless supply of housedresses. The dull overhead light gleamed briefly on the plain metal chain she wore around her neck. “Reckon I’ll see about lunch.”
    “I’ll give you a hand in a little while,” Verity called after her. Then, with a determined stride, she headed for the stone staircase.
    At the top of the stairs, something made Verity glance back over her shoulder. She caught Maggie watching her with a curious expression of anticipation.
    She knows something
I
don
’
t know,
Verity thought. But she had a feeling she would soon be let in on the secret. She found her way down into the bowels of the villa without much difficulty, using the route she and Jonas had followed to return to their room the preceding evening. When she reached the door of the torture chamber, she found it ajar. She was not particularly surprised to hear Elyssa’s sweetly cajoling voice from within.
    “I have received guidance in this decision, Jonas. I have opened myself fully to the positive forces that prevail within me. I have gone inside myself and consulted with the spiritual side of my nature. Saranantha has helped me understand that what I seek is right. She has assured me that I am on the proper path. I am quite certain about what I am doing.”
    “Well. I’m not.” Jonas’s voice was impatient. “if you don’t mind, Elyssa, I’ve got a lot of work to do here. Your brother is paying good money for my report, and I’d like to get it done on time.”
    “You don’t understand, Jonas. I feel I’ve been building toward this moment for several lifetimes. All the power of my woman’s body has been developing for thousands of years, growing stronger, more fertile, more perfectly adapted as it prepares itself for the perfect mate. You are my psychic mate. You’ll see. When we are joined in true harmony, there will be no doubts in your mind.”
    Jonas’s voice cut in, sounding a trifle hoarse. “Look, Elyssa, I’m sure you believe everything you’re saying, but the fact is, I’m not what you think. I’m not your perfect psychic mate. Trust me on this, Elyssa. I know what I’m talking about. If you want a psychic stud, go back to Yarwood or one of the others.”
    “No, Jonas, you are the right man for me. I know it as surely as I know the sun will rise tomorrow morning. You’re just nervous, that’s all. But you have no need to be. I have envisioned everything. I have seen it all on a psychic plane that transcends this level of reality. I have seen us making love, Jonas. Beautiful, free, uninhibited love. On that other plane, I’ve felt your hand on my breast. Our mouths have touched. I’ve felt your seed pouring into my body. Now it is time to unite the reality of the higher plane with the reality of this one. This afternoon is perfect. I’ve checked all the astrological charts and meditated with crystal. Everything is