Chapter 4

Lasco turned off the water, more interested in what Lucilla was talking about than the hot shower. She'd been in before him, and he was curious to see what she'd been doing since.

He left the bathroom, a towel around his waist, and walked through to the living room. He was greeted with quite a sight. Lucilla was naked, and just climbing up from the floor. She'd pushed all the furniture to the corners of the room, and there was a pattern drawn on the wooden floor.

"It's salt, Zane."

Lasco had reverted to speech without giving it any thought. "Ah, Lucilla dear, what the hell are you doing?"

Bending at the waist, and turning away from him again, she demonstrated. She had a bag of table salt, and was carefully pouring it from a hole in the bag. The last crystals tipped from the bag as he watched, distracted though he was by the view. She looked over her shoulder at him then. "It's — well, hard to explain." She turned to face him. "In any case, you're too busy ogling to listen."

"Am not." He waggled his finger at her, pretending to be stern, and not doing too well. "Despite reports to the contrary, men can multitask. They just generally choose not to. By God, you are gorgeous, you know that?"

"See what I mean?"

"No, no. Salt. I heard. But what for?"

"Well, it's sort of your first lesson. Wait!. Please don't move. Not yet."

"I was just going to have a closer look."

"Well, don't."

"It's kinda like a crop circle."

"That's no accident. Stay there."

"Well, given that watching you is such a pleasure."

"Lose the towel, stud. Yellow is not your colour. Please toss it that way."

As Lasco threw the towel back towards the bathroom, Lucilla made her way slowly across to him, stepping carefully around the complex forms on the floor. Lasco stood where he was, and took her hand as she approached. She allowed him to assist her, but then resisted his embrace. "Not now, sweet man. This witch is working." She stood directly in front of him for a moment, her eyes closed. As they opened again, she sighed. "Okay, two choices. You can trust me, and promise to do as I ask, or I can explain, and miss the rendezvous."

"What do you mean, rendezvous?"

"See, that's it."

"Okay, okay. How can I refuse? You're naked."

And in your mind.

"You know, I rather like that."

"I know. Me, too. Shall we?"

"Shall we what?"

"Go."

Lasco paused, looked her close in the eye, and didn't move his mouth. Where?

Home, Zane. Come home with me?

"Lead, woman, and I shall follow."

"It's not that simple, actually."

"Oh?"

"You must go first. It's important this is done properly, but also very quickly. See between here and the centre of the pattern is a narrow path with no salt?"

He hadn't noticed. The breaks in the pattern were small. He looked carefully, and though the path wasn't straight, he could get there without crossing any lines. "Lucilla, I used to play this game when I was a kid. Is that all there is to it?"

"Not quite. Kiss me, and we can begin. After that, do not hesitate." Not, she emphasised mentally.

"Okay, boss. Do I get another kiss after?"

"I sure hope so. More than a kiss. Umm... remember what I said though? I'm not yours. Can't be. Not for more than an occasional adventure."

"Jealous husband?"

"I wish."

"I can take it." He grabbed her then, and tried to pull her into his arms. She pushed him away. "Hey!"

"Sorry, Zane. Just a kiss." She pulled his face down and quickly kissed his lips. "It's — important."

"Your game, your rules. Shall I?"

"Okay. It's important that you don't..."

"Yeah. Step on the salt. I know. I've read a little."

"When you get to the centre, wait there for me. Try to leave enough room for me. You really don't have a big enough living room."

Lasco suddenly realised that she was completely serious. No smiles, no laughter. He sidled carefully past the dark witch without a word, and started to walk carefully across the polished oak floorboards.

Lucilla had turned to watch him, but said nothing. She stared at his feet, and made sure he didn't overstep any of the boundaries she'd assigned him. Eventually he was standing in a small clear spot in the middle of the floor. He turned to face her.

"Okay, just here?"

"Yep. Thanks. Now listen, no smart comments, okay?"

"Me?"

"Yeah."

Lasco wondered what she was talking about until she turned away from him again, bending at the waist and walking backwards. Her supple body bent double easily, and her fingers lifted small quantities of salt from the floor, closing the various paths as she crossed them. Lasco had quite an eyeful, and was appreciatively silent until she had backed her way into the circle. As Lucilla got close, she had started chanting something Lasco couldn't quite hear, and she kept it up once she got there, communicating with him at the same time, without her voice.

She grinned as she straightened in front of him. I have no idea. My mother used to tell me that.

You, sweetie, are a bad woman.

Oh, no, I'm a great woman. I'm a bad witch.

Okay. Let me concentrate for a moment? Lucilla closed her eyes, her hands in his, and chanted a little more. Her eyes shot open. Now, Zane. Now.

What do I do?

Hold me close. Very close. Touch as much of me with as much of you as you can manage. No, and she grinned at him, not that part of you. Just press up hard... Oops. Hard against me, and wrap your arms around me.

Can I... ?

Kiss me? Oh, you must!

This is very nice, you know.

Yep. Now, when I say so, I need you to lift yourself up on your toes, like a ballerina, and don't drop me!

No, sweetheart. Of course not. We both are.

Suddenly everything shook, as though they were in the middle of an earthquake. Lasco could see the living room fade from his view, and when he looked down all he could see was the salt lines. A set of lines that shimmered and shone in the mist, a pure white construction of impossible neon.