Good To Be Bad

“I don’t know for sure yet but I think—”

“Hey, Karrie, Madison.” Sonya waved them toward the bedroom. “Madam Zora is waiting for you.”

“Great,” Madison muttered as she finished off her drink.

Chuckling, Karrie led the way, although she wasn’t quite as enthusiastic about the reading as she had been a few minutes ago. Her heart started to race as soon as she stepped into the dimly lit room. Sonya had put up some curtains to hide her bed, and made the area for the reading intimate and exotic, especially given that the only light came from the soft glow of twin candles. At the far end of the room sat Madam Zora. She wasn’t quite the perfect stereotype of a parlor psychic, but she came close.

Her eyes and short hair were so black that she seemed to blend into the draped walls. Even the caftan she wore was black but still couldn’t hide her large, languorous form as she lounged on a burgundy velvet love seat. Giant gold hoops glinted from her ears, tugging at the misshapen lobes with their weight.

Behind them, Sonya closed the door making Karrie jump.

“Do not be nervous, child. Come. Sit.” Madam Zora motioned them to the two chairs opposite her, her smile displaying the flash of a gold tooth.

Karrie sat first, and then gave Madison the eye when it looked as if her friend might bolt.

Madison didn’t even try to hide her reluctance as she finally sank into the other chair. She slid Karrie a look of barely disguised repugnance.

Madam Zora laughed softly. Hard to tell her age. Her skin was smooth but she had old eyes. Kind eyes that immediately put Karrie at ease.

“Tell me why you’ve come to see Madam Zora,” the woman said, looking at Karrie.

She shrugged, and said bluntly, “This isn’t something I’d normally do. I don’t really believe in this stuff, but I figured that since you’re here and I’m not paying for it…”

Madam Zora laughed again. It was a surprisingly soothing sound. “You needn’t fear me. You have a very bright future.” She leaned forward and reached for Karrie’s hand.

Karrie jumped just a little at the first touch, but Madam Zora’s fingers calmed her as no words could.

“Work is going well for you,” the psychic said with her low, slightly accented voice. “A promotion is in your future. I see—” She stopped, briefly closing her eyes.

Karrie slid a peek at Madison, who still looked as if she was at a tent revival and Madam Zora was the snake.

“B.A.” Madam Zora’s lids lifted. “You know someone with these initials, yes?”

Karrie nodded slowly.

“Brian?”

“Yes.” Her heart somersaulted. How could this woman know her brother’s name? Sonya couldn’t have told her. She didn’t know. “What about him?”

Madam Zora squeezed her hand. “Not to worry. He’s fine, and happy to soar like a bird.”

Karrie coughed, her gaze flying to her friend. Madison knew Brian was a pilot and she looked a little taken aback, too.

“Why do you bring him up?” Karrie asked.

“He is someone close to you and he’s on your mind.” She shrugged her thick shoulders. “Just as your job is.” She stopped, frowning. “Who is R.P.? Your boyfriend?”

Karrie shook her head. “Me? Boyfriend? Uh, no.” Madam Zora looked surprised, and then she closed her eyes. “You know this man. From long ago. But you will soon cross paths again.”

Not likely. Karrie sighed. She rarely met eligible men in Manhattan, much less someone from her past.

Madam Zora, her eyes still closed, started fanning herself. Perspiration beaded above her upper lip. Yet it wasn’t hot. In fact, cool April air slipped in through an open window.

“Oh, my, child. It will be hot when you meet again. Very hot. But you are used to the desert heat, yes?” Her eyes opened, her gaze spearing Karrie with a knowing look.

She straightened. This was very bizarre. Someone had to have told the woman Karrie was from Nevada. She rubbed a palm over her jeans, suddenly feeling too warm in her blazer. The thing was, she had no intention of ever returning to the Southwest.

At least the spell had been broken, and she could see the psychic for the fraud she was.

Karrie forced a polite smile, wishing the woman would turn her attention to Madison.

No such luck. If anything, Madam Zora’s interest intensified. After staring at Karrie for another minute, she closed her eyes, amusement lifting her lips as if enjoying a scene playing out in her head.

“What?” Karrie asked in spite of herself.

The woman took her time, making Karrie squirm. When she finally opened her eyes, her wary look had Karrie swallowing hard.

“It will not be an ordinary affair you will be having with this man.”

Madison chuckled and Karrie fought the urge to laugh herself. Madam Zora was so off base. Going back to the desert to have a hot and heavy affair? She thought of her work calendar and how booked she was clear into next year. Not a chance in hell.

“No, my dear. It’s not a joke. I see this quite clearly. Your relationship will be very physical at first,” the psychic continued, her eyes sparkling. “Very sexual, very raw. Primitive,” she whispered in a husky voice.

Karrie shivered and her smile died on her lips. Something about the woman’s voice, the way dark eyes flashed made her words almost plausible.

“You won’t be able to keep your hands off each other, even though you will both try hard to stay apart. But the chemistry between you won’t allow it. Even the desert heat will not diminish your passion.”

“I’m sorry,” Karrie said, ready to turn the focus of the session to her friend. “This is all very fanciful, but there’s definitely no desert heat in my future.”

“So you believe today.”

“I do.”

Madam Zora’s smile made Karrie’s heart beat a little faster. “It will happen sooner than you could possibly know. You will go back to the desert. You will meet this man once more. And you will try very hard to disbelieve your heart.”

“My heart?”

“That, my dear girl, will be the only thing you can truly count on. Remember these words.”

“I will.”

Madam Zora chuckled softly. “Yes, I know. Although you’ll try to deny it, but there are strong forces at work here.”

Karrie nodded as if she were serious, then decided to move things along. “I don’t mean to change the subject, but do you happen to see anything in my future about a new apartment?” Not that she’d believe her.

The psychic sighed, shook her head, making the gold hoops dance in the candlelight. “I’m sorry, there will be no new apartment.”

Karrie glanced quickly at Madison, then her gaze went back to the charlatan in front of her. “No?”