"But I won't. It's as simple as that," Raven seethed.

"You're wrong, Raven. As midnight approaches, the door between the living and the dead will open. For one minute - from 11:59 to midnight -you'll be stripped of all your powers," Erica sneered.

"And so will Tayler." Raven's eyes darted from side to side.

"No, she has found a way to prevent that." Erica vehemently lashed out. She held the cuff of her denim shirt to her face. "While you've been out enjoying yourself, Tayler has claimed your most cherished possession."

The pounding waves roared against the rocks. Raven seemed stunned by Erica's revelation. "Ana?" Raven blinked.

"Si."

Raven stamped her foot. "No! This is a trick. You're just saying this to get back at me."

"But I have proof. This morning before I left the hacienda, I saw Ana with her hands on Tayler's b.r.e.a.s.t.s."

"Nooo! You're lying-" fury and fire exploded in Raven's eyes.

"You think I'd lie about something like that? Raven, I saw it. Ana could hardly contain herself until after breakfast." Erica said gesturing in the direction of the hacienda. "I'm sure they've consummated their love by now."

"No. No, this isn't true. Ana is mine. Ana is mine!"

"We've both been betrayed," the wind took Erica's hair and threw it over her shoulders. "You couldn't kill Ana and you couldn't kill Tayler. They've overpowered you." Erica paused to let her words sink in.

"No. They are not together," Raven roared.

"Yes, Raven, they are. Bonds of love are the hardest to breakeven your curse withers in the power of love."

"You - you are responsible for this," Raven spat. "Tayler was supposed to be your lover."

Raven's words stabbed Erica's heart. "You made it impossible, IMPOSSIBLE for Tayler to love me. The one element to your curse that you overlooked was the union-the love -between Ana and Tayler. You're too late, Raven, you're far too late."

"No. This is a trick, this is a trick," Raven stammered.

"It's happening right now, Raven," Erica taunted. "In less than twelve hours, at the stroke of midnight, Ana and Tayler will spread your ashes from one sh.o.r.e to the other."

Raven hissed, "If you are wrong.. .tonight, I'll take you apart piece by piece - "

"Never," Erica screamed as Raven vanished into the shadows.

Twenty Four The full moon cast its light through the open windows. A strong breeze came up and blew out several of the candles in the library. Gabrielle got up from her chair and closed the windows. Dark clouds began to overtake the moon. Within fifteen minutes the clouds had shut out its brilliance. Thunder could be heard in the distance. The clock in the room chimed the hour - it was eleven o'clock-one hour to Hallow's Eve.

It had been a long afternoon and the night was just as agonizing. Erica sat alone on the sofa with a cut and badly bruised cheek. Raven's whip had been savage. Ev had tried to administer some first-aid when Erica had returned to the hacienda, but she had pushed Ev's hand away.

The clock ticked loudly.

Underneath the pain, Erica vowed to fight Raven with all her soul. I have deaths to avenge. She discreetly ran her fingers over the dagger she had concealed in her belt. The plain ivory handle was smooth and the hidden blade had a razor-sharp edge.

The clock continued to tick.

Erica stood up and walked to the patio doors. The pool's surface was choppy. Between flashes of lightning, the darkness beyond the doors turned the gla.s.s into a giant mirror, reflecting the double-doors directly behind her and the figures trapped in the room. Ev and Beth looked haggard and held on to each other for support. Sterling watched as Devin read Tarot cards looking for clues to the future. Luis and Carmen sat quietly in the shadows, silent sentries waiting to fight a stalking enemy.

At 11:15, the clock chimed.

Erica saw Ana, Tayler and Gabrielle in the gla.s.s reflection. They were standing together near Ana's desk. Their voices were too low to be heard and their dark expressions too difficult to see. She could, however, see Ana's fingers laced through Tayler's. Feelings of abandonment frayed the remaining fragments of Erica's nerves. On the desk, both old and new pieces of the curse lay scattered near the rock that held Raven's dagger. The blade glinted in the lightning.

As she turned away from the images reflected in the gla.s.s doors, Erica heard the bra.s.s handle on the door rattle. When she turned back, nothing was there except the wind and her own reflection. She saw that her hair was in disarray and the clothes she had worn for the past forty-eight hours were caked in dirt and soaked with perspiration. In the past, she would never appear in the presence of others dressed this badly, but now she viewed her vanity only as a vulnerability. She no longer cared about what the others thought. She touched her injured cheek, the pain fueling her rage anew.

Erica pressed her face closer to the gla.s.s looking beyond the figures and into the night. The wind continued to growl as it sped around buildings and swirled the water in the pool like a cauldron. A white lawn chair skidded across the patio and landed in the pool. It sunk to the bottom. She sought Tayler's face in the reflection, but when their gaze met in the gla.s.s, Tayler looked away. The brief exchange revealed finally an absolute truth for Erica - she had fallen in love with Tayler on the night of the first attack. Her mind had cautioned her against this love, but her heart wouldn't let go. It was this love that Erica vowed to take to her grave.

The clock in the hall announced the half-hour. The handle on the patio door rattled again. Another chair zipped across the lawn. It teetered at the steps leading into the pool before it finally toppled in. Like the other chair, it quickly sank to the bottom. Lightning pierced the black sky, throwing the room into total darkness. As Erica turned toward the room, the lights flickered and came back on. The wind groaned and howled, ripping open one of the patio doors behind her. The sudden gust of air sent papers flying around the room. Erica tried to close the door, but was pushed back by the wind.

Somehow, Gabrielle managed to make her way to the door and leaned heavily into it. "Let me help!" she screamed at Erica.

The two women struggled with the door. When they finally got it partially shut, the lights went out and another blast of air sent the two women to the floor. Erica groped through the darkness and gripped the leg of a nearby chair.

"Hold on to me," Erica yelled to Gabrielle.

The noise was deafening. Suddenly the lights came back on, and the wind abruptly stopped. Erica and Gabrielle collided into one another on the floor. The door slid shut with a loud boom. Erica looked at Gabrielle, leaning against the chair out of breath. The noise in the room settled into near silence.

"Buenas noches! Good evening."

Erica turned toward the double-doors and the unmistakable voice. She clenched her fists.

Raven stood in the doorway in a hunter green velvet, floor-length cloak. The hood was pulled up around her head, but Erica could see Raven's luminous green eyes. Whether the glow came from within or was the result of an eerie reflection, Erica couldn't tell. Wrapped around Raven's fingers on her right hand was a brown leash. At the other end was a black panther. It, too, had green eyes.

"I see you found a date for tonight's gathering," Erica stood. The panther snarled and crouched.

"Dama, senta.r.s.e." The panther sat at Raven's feet. It's teeth looked like sharp white daggers. Raven's lip curled. "I should have killed you this morning."

She lowered her hood.

From where she stood, Erica surveyed the room. It was in chaos. Papers and magazines carpeted the floor, furniture was askew and priceless Mexican vases lay in pieces. And it seemed as if everyone had stopped breathing, waiting for Raven's next move. Tayler appeared fragile in contrast to Raven's confidence and open sensuality.

Raven began to walk around the room, the panther following along at her side, its muscles bulging against its thin, shiny fur. "I'm happy to see everyone. Carmen, it's been a long time."

Carmen said nothing.

Raven stopped in front of Sterling and Devin. She towered over them in height and power. She abruptly reached out, wrapped Sterling's hair around her fingers and pulled Sterling's head back. "Sterling, my dear friend - "

"Raven - " Tayler interrupted.

"Silence," Raven barked. She looked at the clock. It was 11:40. "I have a lot to say and I don't have much time." She roughly released Sterling. "You should have translated my grandmother's book for me when I first asked. How dare you turn your back on me and refuse my request. Needless to say, I had to find someone else." Raven smiled wickedly. "Do you know what the pain of betrayal feels like, Sterling?"

Sterling hung her head.

"No, no you don't, do you?" With her index finger, Raven caressed Sterling's chin and then forced Sterling to look at her. "You will. Next year it will be your turn -Beware the Serpent."

Sterling turned her head away. Her jaw was set. "You won't live long enough to see it through."

Raven laughed. "How soon you forget. I need to succeed in only one of the curse's three parts. It matters little to me whether it's tonight or in a year or in two years. I WILL succeed. No one will ever deny me anything again. Ceaseless pleasures, unlimited riches, worldly control -will all be mine. You can join me now if you prefer." Raven looked around the room. "Anyone?" The panther yawned. "How about you Devin? Are you ready to join me?"

"I'd rather burn in h.e.l.l, witch." Devin stood.

"Believe me, I'd enjoy that." Raven reached out and stroked Devin's hair. "But, you're wrong, Devin, I'm not a witch. I have no belief in spiritual transcendence. I prefer the physical act of revenge." Raven stepped away. "Acts of betrayal can be reciprocated only with death -your death."

"What?" Devin's back stiffened.

"You turned my friends against me. You'll never know what it felt like to be alone all those years. I wanted friends and lovers, but you made me the enemy. I suffered endlessly because of you.

Devin shook her head. "No, Raven, your own actions made people turn away from you. You don't know what it means to love, you only know evil."

Raven's face burned bright red. "Enough. I know what I know. Beware the Cry at Night, Devin, in two years I'll be back to even the score."

Devin turned and threw herself at Raven.

Surprised by Devin's attack, Raven dropped the leash and tried to regain her balance, but Devin had her by the neck. Raven's face turned from a bright red to a deep crimson. Frantically, she kicked Devin in the shin with her right boot. Devin screamed. The panther crouched and bared its teeth.

"Dama, kill!"

Devin's scream exploded in the tense air. She fell on the floor. The panther took a swipe at Devin with its sharp claws. It ripped the arm of her shirt completely off. Blood spurted down her arm. She struggled to get up and get away, but the panther knocked Devin down again and pinned her to the floor.

"Raven, stop!" Ana screamed, her breath coming in gulps. "Take me instead!"

Raven whistled and the panther jumped off Devin. It quietly took up its post at Raven's side.

Ana ran to Devin and helped her up. "Are you okay?" she whispered. Devin nodded. Ev appeared at her side checking the Wound.

At a quarter to the hour, the clock chimed once.

Raven leaned against a chair, rubbing her neck. Devin's fingers left red blotches on her throat. Her smile turned to scorn. "Take you instead? Oh, my dear Ana. What sweet words." Raven slowly approached Ana and walked behind her. She ran her hands over Ana's shoulders, down her back and around her waist. "I want to hear it again."

Ana's mumbled two words.

"Louder," Raven taunted, "I can't hear you."

"Take me."

"Again."

"Take me."

"Why should I?" Raven roughly turned Ana around.

"Because I - " Ana enunciated her words carefully. "Because I love you."

Raven slapped Ana hard across the face. "Liar! You don't love me. You never did. It was I who loved you. It was I who sought your kiss, your touch, your love." Raven took Ana's hand and placed it on her cheek. She closed her eyes. "I wanted you to hold me in your arms and make love to me. All I ever wanted since we were children was for you to love me."

The room grew quiet.

"But I do love you, Raven," Ana whispered.

Raven opened her eyes. A tear raced down her cheek, but she brusquely wiped it away. "No, you don't love me, Ana. You loved HER." Raven pointed to Erica. "And now you've got HER." Raven nodded toward Tayler. "Do you really think I would still take you after you spent the morning sharing a bed with Tayler?"

"I'll do whatever you ask."

"No! Go to your lover and let me take what I came here for." Raven pushed Ana toward Tayler and then faced Erica. "Come, Erica, we have only a few moments left." She walked to the patio door.

Ten minutes remained.

The dark clouds dispersed and the full moon returned, casting a soft light throughout the room. Raven stood in front of the gla.s.s and turned slowly toward the women. She untied the strings at her neck, unb.u.t.toned her cloak and pushed it off her shoulders. It fell to the floor in a puff of air. The lights flickered and went out. When they came back on, a barely clothed Tayler stood in Raven's place.

Seeing her double, Tayler tried to move, but her body would not obey. Ten feet away from Raven and Erica, she frantically searched the room. Attempting to move, she realized that the light had somehow paralyzed her limbs and those of the people in the room. Horrified, she watched Erica take several steps toward Raven.

"Come to me, Erica," said the apparition. It held out its hands to Erica.

Erica took several steps.

"Yes, that's right. I want you, Erica," the breathtaking apparition beckoned Erica. "Come to me."

Erica took another step closer.

"Kiss me, Erica."

The words scorched Erica's mind. In a split second, she realized that they had all been misled. Raven had never planned on kissing Tayler, after all. It always was Erica who Raven was planning to kill. Tayler's nightmare of the cave, the one in which Raven had tried to kiss her, was nothing more than a trick.

Erica, don't, Tayler's mind was screaming. It's a trick, Erica. Look at me.

"Erica, come to me. I want you...I want you to kiss me," chanted the apparition in a soft, melodic voice.

Tayler watched as Erica took another step closer to Raven. She concentrated harder. Erica, stop. That's Raven, not me. Look at her. It's Raven, not me. If you kiss her you will die.

Erica turned her head and stopped. She looked at the real Tayler. Confused, she looked back at the illusion Raven had created.

"Erica, I love you. Come to me. I want to feel your hands on my body. I need you, I want to caress you, kiss you, make love to you." Raven chanted.

Two minutes remained.

Erica took another step. She was now only inches from Raven.

Carmen had told Tayler that, according to the curse, Raven could not draw Erica to her. Erica had to go to Raven of her own free will. Tayler searched her mind for any tidbit of information she could use. Erica, that's not me, it's only an apparition. It's Raven. She's become what you desire. Take a good look, Erica.

Tayler's words blazed through Erica's trance and lodged themselves in her brain. She stopped and took a step back.

The apparition's smile was beautiful. She spoke calmly. "Close your mind to her, Erica. She's really that evil Raven."

Raven's words struck Tayler like lightning. This was the key. Her eyes searched for the clock. Mere seconds remained. Tayler closed her eyes and rearranged her appearance. Her fingers began to twitch and tingle. She opened her eyes and felt the heavy fabric of the green velvet cloak. As Raven, the light had no numbing effect on her. When she looked back at Raven her heart froze. The long, silver blade of a dagger glimmered in the light.

"Come, Erica, it's time." The clock began to sound the hour.