"She's a close friend. In fact, these are the blueprints for the house I'm designing for her."

"Wow. I'd love to do an interview with her, but she's impossible to reach." Tayler sat back in her seat. "It's a funny thing about Sterling. None of her books carry her photo and I've never seen her on talk shows. No one I know, in fact, has ever seen her -except you." A thought suddenly crossed Tayler's mind. "She wasn't at the luncheon was she?"

"No," Erica laughed. "She's been out of the country."

"If you tell me you were in Greece with her I'll die of envy," Tayler squirmed.

"Okay, I won't."

Silence fell over the two woman like a blanket. Tinges of jealousy p.r.i.c.kled Erica's consciousness. Tayler had seemed unimpressed with celebrities but her comments and questions about Sterling threatened Erica. An elegant beauty surrounded by poise, a quick wit and charm, Erica suddenly feared the possibility that Tayler might fall for another woman before Erica could make her own feelings known. The thought haunted her like a predator.

When they reached Oaxaca, Mexico, and disembarked, it seemed like hours before they made their way through customs. A five minute drive brought them to a private airstrip where they boarded a small plane.

"Where are we going?" Tayler sighed .

" Aeropuerto de Arriga," came Erica's reply. "It's only an hour to Arriga. Once we're there we'll drive the rest of the way to Puerto Arista. Have you ever been to southern Mexico?"

"I spent two weeks in Acapulco last year, but that's as far south as I've gone." Tayler shrugged her shoulders. "Where are we staying?"

"At a hacienda located several miles outside of Puerto Arista. The ranch belongs to Ana Ariani. A friend of mine."

Tayler nodded. The image of a stocky, dark featured woman with the crude manners of a ranch owner came to mind.

"I think you're going to find Ana a very interesting woman." Erica smiled to herself.

The October sun beat down on the two women as they emerged from the plane and walked to a car waiting for them in Arriga. Tayler took in the terrain from behind her sungla.s.ses.

"Southern Mexico is part of the neotropics that span Central and South America and the West Indies. The neotropics include everything from lowlands to mountains." Erica explained. "Below the volcanic belt just south of Mexico City, there are jumbled ma.s.ses of mountains known as the Sierra Madre del Sur."

"I heard one of the flight attendants say that the volcanoes were 17,000 feet above sea level," Tayler added.

Erica nodded. "The Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range makes southern Mexico one of the most inaccessible, picturesque and undeveloped sections of the country." Erica pointed out the mountain range on one side of them and the Pacific Ocean on the other.

"Wow! It has something for everyone."

"Puerto Arista is also one of the last matriarchal societies in the world." Erica smiled as the car slowed down to allow a woman to cross the road. "It's been said that the two main attractions in this area are the women and the Pacific beaches."

Tayler sat back in her seat, her cheeks hot from embarra.s.sment. She wasn't aware that she had been staring until Erica commented on the beauty of the place and its people.

As they drove toward Puerto Arista, Erica pointed out the neat, short, stone walls that bordered Ana's property. The stones dipped and curved with the land and disappeared into the horizon. Ana's property stretched for miles.

"Is Ana from this area?"

"Not originally. She was born in Spain. Though she went to school in France, you'll probably notice that she's very, very Spanish."

"Why did she come to Mexico?"

"Ana inherited this land from her grandmother. I'm sure she'd love to give you a tour. She's fiercely protective of her land and her community. The people here adore her." Erica stopped herself from going on. "You can just barely see the hacienda from here."

Tayler followed Erica's outstretched arm. She whistled. "That's not a ranch, that's a palace."

The white stucco structure had giant pillars that supported a red tiled roof. Tropical vegetation including palm trees gave the house a great deal of privacy and protection from the intense sun. Pink bougainvillea spilled over the windowsills and cascaded over balconies. Beyond the house stood several small cottages. Past the deep green lushness, the blue Pacific Ocean glittered in the background.

"It's absolutely breathtaking," Tayler whispered, "and I've only seen the outside. I can just imagine what it looks like inside."

Erica chuckled, but when their eyes met, Ana's hacienda was momentarily forgotten. She reached for Tayler. Her fingertips burned against Tayler's cool skin, increasing the heat from the late afternoon sun. When their lips met, Tayler's excitement splashed wildly through Erica's senses.

"Welcome to paradise," she said, her voice low and breathy. She hungrily sought Tayler's lips until the limousine stopped in front of the hacienda.

"Seniorita Erica," a short, stocky woman squealed as she opened the car door.

"Hola! Buenas tardes!" Erica emerged from the car with Tayler behind her looking flushed. "Tayler, this is Marina," Erica winked at the woman, amused at Tayler's visible mistake. "She's responsible for running this ranch."

Tayler smiled and nodded. Her cheeks were red with embarra.s.sment.

"Bienvenido! Senorita. We are so happy you've come to stay with us." Marina's smile was warm. She turned to Erica. "Seniora Ana sends you her greeting. She's disappointed she couldn't be here when you arrived. The Senora was called away earlier this morning."

"Trouble?" Erica asked, her eyes moving rapidly across Marina's face.

"No, but you know the Senora. She must investigate everything. The people here are so reluctant to make decisions without first consulting her. She should be returning soon. Let's get you inside where it's cooler. You look like you could use a drink and, maybe, a swim, no?"

"Sounds tempting," Erica slid her hand around Tayler's waist.

Surprised by the obvious show of affection, Tayler allowed herself to be led into the house.

Once inside Tayler stood transfixed. The hacienda had a mult.i.tude of open, panoramic views of the ocean. The shaded openness allowed the ocean air to breeze through and cool the interior areas. Brightly colored woven rugs were scattered on the gray-streaked, white onyx floors. Marina led them through the rooms located around a large reflecting pool. Situated in the middle of the pool, amid several fountains, was a three-foot crystal pyramid.

"It's magnificent!" Tayler released the breath of air she had been holding.

"Ana's ancestors found this crystal in a nearby cave. The original house was leveled by an earthquake -this crystal was all that remained. When Ana asked me to design this house, I put the crystal in a prominent location to protect all those who live here." Erica turned toward Tayler and grinned. "I also combined Mayan architecture into the design, though the Mayans never made it this far west."

Tayler stared at the crystal, absorbed in its beauty. "Do they have earthquakes a lot?"

"No, but this house has survived one major earthquake." Erica said watching Tayler's expression change from fascination to concern. "Ana strongly believes that the casa protected by a crystal will come to no harm."

"Can they protect you from things other than earthquakes?"

"They have mucho powers," Marina led Tayler and Erica up the stairs to their rooms. They first stopped in Tayler's.

The huge, square bedroom had a contoured ceiling and the walls were textured. Tayler's eye was immediately drawn to her left where the bed stood on a raised platform. Its wood frame and posts were elegantly handcrafted from mahogany, while the comforter blazed with the colors of the rainbow. The predominant color in the room was a deep purple. Like the first floor, matching woven rugs were scattered on the onyx floors. Opposite the bed, next to the balcony doors, was a small sitting area with a love seat, chair and an intricately hand-carved writing desk.

Erica watched Tayler move around the room. When she came to a medium-sized wooden stand in the corner, Tayler stopped. On top of the tall mahogany stand was a large, hollow quartz rock with a crystal dangling inside. Midnight blue candles were placed on each side. The crystal began to turn slowly.

You'll be safe here, Erica thought to herself, at least for a while. She wanted to take Tayler in her arms and rea.s.sure her, but she couldn't. Erica cringed knowing that even the crystals in the house could not protect Tayler -or her -from the curse.

The cool water enveloped Tayler's tired body. After a few refreshing laps she swam to the edge of the pool and sat with her legs dangling in the water. Her royal blue swimming suit matched her eyes and its daring French-cut added a provocative look to her figure. She could feel Erica's eyes on her.

"The water's great," Tayler hoa.r.s.ely yelled out.

Erica tested the water with her toe and then dove gracefully into the pool. Tayler watched her swim and marveled at how strong and sensuous her movements were. Her Greek tan, emphasized by the black, one-piece suit she wore, revealed her curves and her muscles. Tayler could not take her eyes off the daring cuts in the suit, which accentuated Erica's full b.r.e.a.s.t.s and long, shapely legs. Drops of water delightfully rolled off her bronze skin each time she emerged from the pool and stepped up to the diving board. Her swan dive was executed with perfection. Tayler whistled to herself. It occurred to her she had never seen Erica use her pool at home - but then Erica was never home. It amazed Tayler how little she actually knew about Erica.

Tayler stood and walked to her lounge chair under a large, leafy palm tree. As she tried to relax, troubled images of the first attack crashed into her thoughts. She roughly adjusted the angle of the chair and leaned back. Sounds from the ocean filtered through the chaos in her head. Though the openness of the hacienda was impressive, it also made Tayler feel extremely vulnerable. The only thing familiar to her was Erica, and she'd only started to get to know Erica in the past few days.

Her mother's words echoed in her memory, "...if Erica's involved...it means witches, black cats, fires and curses..."

The gate opened, interrupting her thoughts.

Tayler turned her head and saw a tall, slender woman enter. She had very dark features and wore a black sombrero, which she threw on a nearby chair as she pa.s.sed. She untied the bun at the nape of her neck and walked to the shallow end of the pool. With a quick shake of her head, the shiny black ma.s.s of hair cascaded down her back. She wore a loose fitting white blouse and black leather pants. Black boots came up to her knees and she lightly tapped a crop against her right thigh. Slowly, she stepped into the water, descending two steps before leaning against the handrail.

"Ana!" Erica yelled and waved from the other end of the pool. She dove into the water, swam to the shallow end and walked up the steps. She paused for a brief moment before speaking. "Oh, Ana, I've missed you."

"Ricah," Ana opened her arms to the drenched woman.

Their embrace on the steps of the pool was long and tender. Ana held Erica's face between her two hands and kissed the tip of Erica's nose. It was difficult to see who was taller since Erica was barefoot and Ana was wearing boots. They spoke in subdued voices before breaking their embrace.

"Tayler," Erica called.

As she neared, Tayler realized why Erica hadn't described Ana to her earlier on their trip. She would have been intimidated by the immense beauty and power Ana possessed. Her pulse quickened. When Ana smiled at her, Tayler felt her legs go weak, but she neither took her eyes off Ana nor looked to Erica for rea.s.surance. Out of the corner of her eye Tayler saw Erica smile.

"Tayler Windquest, this is Senora Ana Catalina Galeano Ariani," Erica began the introductions.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Senorita Windquest, the pleasure is truly mine," Ana said kissing Tayler on both cheeks. "Welcome to my casa. Le gusta aqui?"

"Forgive me, Senora Ariani, my Spanish is very poor," Tayler couldn't help but stare at the color of Ana's eyes. Though she was extremely dark featured, Ana's eyes were a very light brown and appeared almost transparent. They were the eyes of seers and mystics. Tayler turned to Erica for help.

"Ana asked if you like it here."

"Mucho gusto," Tayler spread her hands wide. "Please call me Tayler." Ana took her hand and lightly kissed it. "As you wish." When she straightened, Ana's gaze took in the scar on Tayler's neck. Her eyes darkened. Tayler wanted to cover the imperfection with her hand. It's so ugly and visible, she thought. I'll go through life wearing turtlenecks if this d.a.m.ned thing doesn't fade.

"Ricah has told me about the attempts on your life. I am glad you are here. I will do everything possible to keep you safe. If you tire of Ricah's company, I would be delighted to entertain you. There is much to see here."

"Gracias," Tayler smiled wondering if she could get away with calling Erica 'Ricah.'

"Can you ride a horse?"

"Yes, I mean, si." Tayler saw Ana wink at Erica.

"Mucho bien. I'll see that we find a horse to match your spirit."

Through the entire discussion, Ana remained standing in the water. Her boots were soaking wet. Tayler saw Erica slide her hand around Ana's waist. She smiled at Tayler, tightened her grip around Ana, and suddenly jerked backwards into the water taking Ana with her.

"Ricah," Ana cried. The two women fell into the water. Ana broke the surface sputtering, "I'll get you for that."

"Is that a promise?" Erica taunted.

Erica dove into the water and tried to swim out of Ana's reach but she wasn't quick enough. Ana caught Erica by the foot and pulled the laughing woman to her. Ana cradled Erica in her arms.

"I've prayed for this moment, Ricah."

"I have, too, mi amor.'

Stunned by their words, Tayler realized she had made another mistake since arriving in Mexico. Ana was Erica's lover. Even from where she stood, Tayler could see the intense gaze in Erica's eyes.

"Ricah, I've never seen you in a suit. You gringos are so shy," Ana taunted.

Tayler walked to her chair and gathered up her things. Before she opened the gate, she turned and saw the two women still in the pool. Ana and Erica clung to each other hugging and laughing. "What am I doing here?" Tayler mumbled under her breath. She abruptly turned away from the scene. Before anyone noticed, she silently closed the gate behind her.

Twelve.

The morning sun bounced off the fluid surface of the ocean creating millions of sparkling diamonds. It was a hot, tropical October day. From where she stood, Ana was surprised to see Erica sitting alone drinking coffee, but the creases in her forehead told Ana why she was up so early.

Ana joined Erica at the table. She poured herself a cup of coffee and refilled Erica's cup. The morning breeze played with Erica's hair. Her eyes, however, were swollen and tinted with crimson. They had talked late into the night, but their discussion revealed minimal clues about the curse.

Ana searched her friend's eyes. "You didn't sleep?"

"No," Erica looked away. "With nine days left, how can I?"

"But this is exactly what Raven wants," Ana took Erica's hand. "You stop eating and sleeping and you become weak. Then slowly she tears you apart. Raven is a master at turning your own mind against you."

"I can't beat her. She's too powerful," Erica clenched her fists.

"She may be powerful but now we have the young one."

"But she knows nothing of the curse and I don't want to see her hurt." Erica dropped her head to the side.

"You're in love with her?" Ana let go of Erica's hand.

Erica nodded, her eyes spilling over with tears of pain and longing.

"She's a beautiful woman - " Ana looked directly into Erica's eyes. "So young and filled with fire. I'm sure with proper instruction she could become an adequate lover for you." She waved her hand in dismissal.

Erica sat up in her chair. "Ana, you're jealous!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ana said between sips of coffee.

"I never thought I'd see the day!" Erica's laugh was edged with disbelief. "What are you jealous of?"

"I'm not jealous." Ana's enunciation was precise. "I know you and I know when you've lost your heart."

Erica shook her head trying to understand Ana's reaction to Tayler. "You know more than anyone that Tayler and I can't be lovers."