most men don't, I might add—she'll try to convince you that the difference in

your ages means nothing, that she prefers older men with more experience and

wisdom. Younger men act as if they have so much to prove, after all, and they

can be such beasts. And if that doesn't work, she'll—"

"Stop, please," said Royce. He looked down at the floor, embarrassed. "I owe

you

a debt of gratitude, Mr. Damon. The fact is, she did attempt to seduce me. To

be

quite truthful, I was sorely tempted, but I knew that it would be unwise. I

didn't want to act the fool, and I had no confidence in my willpower, so I

fled

like a nervous schoolboy. However, I've had a few drinks in the interim and

was

starting to wonder if I hadn't been too hasty, if it wasn't terribly unkind

of

me to run out on her like that, and if perhaps I shouldn't go back and

apologize...." He grimaced and shook his head. "I'm afraid I might have made

a

very bad mistake if not for you. There's no fool like an old fool, eh?"

"I wouldn't be too hard on yourself, sir. She's made a lot of young fools as

well, if you'll excuse the pun. That's one woman who comes loaded for bear."

"Yes, indeed," said Royce. "She let me have both barrels."

"It's a wonder you're still standing."

Royce chuckled. "I wouldn't be, if not for your timely intervention. I gather

you're collecting evidence against this Carfax chap? Must be quite serious

for

the Bureau of Thaumaturgy to be involved."

"We've been investigating him for quite some time now. We're convinced he

makes

felonious use of sorcery, but we haven't been able to prove it yet. He's

quite

clever. We know he uses sexual entrapment, through women such as Miss Clancy,

but unfortunately that does not come under our jurisdiction."

"But surely the police could help you there," said Royce.

"I'm sure they could, if we wanted to convict him of a lesser offense.

However,

we're after him on the charge of illegal use of thaumaturgy, and if we're

very

lucky"—he looked around and dropped his voice lower still—"we might even be

able

to get him on necromancy."

Royce stared at him with disbelief. "Necromancy!" he whispered, deeply

shocked.

"Dear God! You don't actually mean he kills people?"

"We don't know that for certain, but we've heard some very disturbing rumors.

It

seems that Carfax uses these gala affairs of his to recruit people into his

inner circle of initiates. As the party wears on and inhibitions start to

fall

away, he allows certain people admission into a private sanctum of his here