The Beast Jewel of Mars Reshone Read online

  * * *

  After that, Winters was not sure of anything. Her mind rocked, and there were periods of darkness. When she was conscious, she knew only a feeling of strangeness. But she carried one memory with her, at least part way down that eerie road.

  During a lucid period, a space of only a minute or two, she thought that one of the stones had rolled back to reveal a quartzite screen, and that through the screen a face looked at her, watching as she bathed naked in the beautiful flame.

  A man's face. Martian, highbred, with strong delicate bones and arrogant brows, and a red mouth that would be like a bittersweet fruit to kiss. His eyes were golden as the fire, and as hot, and proud, and scornful.

  There must have been a microphone in the wall, for he spoke and she heard his voice, full of a sweet cruel magic. He called her name. She could not rise, but she managed to crawl toward him, and to her reeling brain he was part of the unearthly force that played with her. A destruction and a fascination, as irresistible as death.

  To her alien eyes, he was not as lovely as Jim. But there was a power in him. And his red mouth taunted her, and the curve of his bare shoulders drove her to madness.

  'You're strong,' he said. 'You will live, until the end. And that is well, Berit Winters.'

  She tried to speak, but she could no longer form the words.

  He smiled. 'You have challenged me, Earthwoman. I know. You've challenged Shanga. You're brave, and I like brave women. You're also a fool, and I like fools, because they give me sport. I'm looking forward, Earthwoman, to the moment when you reach the end of your search!'

  She tried again to speak, and failed, and then the night and the silence came to stay. She took the sound of his mocking laughter with her into the dark.