“Come in, Kanno, ” Leila said. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

She was reclining on the couch, dressed in a long, black, silky

gown slashed deeply up the side, exposing her perfect legs. It had a

plunging neckline that left nothing to the imagination. Her thick

red hair cascaded down her shoulders and her coppery skin seemed

to gleam in the torchlight. She was a vision that would have excited

any normal man to lust and Kanno was not entirely immune to it,

but he prided himself on his control. He was the master, not the

slave of his emotions.

“How did matters go with the police?” she asked, smiling.

“They are fools, ” said Kanno. “They suspect nothing.”

“And our work, it is receiving much attention? It is generating

fear?”

“The media is making a great deal of it, ” Kanno replied. “All

Japan knows of it by now.”

“Good, ” she said. “We must make them properly receptive.”

Kanno frowned slightly. Receptive for what? She had still not

revealed her plans to him. Perhaps now would be the time.

“You have been a faithful acolyte, Kanno. I am pleased with you.

And when the time comes, your loyalty will be rewarded. I will

make you my high priest.”

“Thank you, Mistress. ” High priest? What was she talking

about?

“But there is still work left to be done before we can assume our

rightful place, ” she said. “Before the others can arrive.”

The others? His stomach tightened involuntarily. She was talking

about others like herself, he realized The Dark Ones. How many of

them were there? And where were they?

“We have waited a long time, ” she said, partly to herself. “A very

long time. These islands, with their teeming population, will make

an excellent beginning.”

And he suddenly realized what she meant. It was with an

enormous effort that he kept the impact of that realization from

showing on his face. She was talking about subjugating the entire