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�That�s not true,� Ralin replied warmly. �I sleep in silk boxers�what could be more personal than that?�
His smile mocked her. �It�s not your boxers that I�m interested in.� She looked around the extravagant hallway then looked back at him. �What are you a Lord over? Why no phones? Why the big secret about living in total seclusion?�
Ralin turned to face her and smiled warmly. He looked deeply into her eyes. �I�ll be completely honest with you, Kate,� he began gently. �I like you�I like you a lot. But if I were to tell you everything you wanted to know about me, you would be immediately turned off.� He raised a brow along with a tiny smile. �You�d no doubt turn and run from this house.�
Kate stared back at him with peaked curiosity. �You barely know me, but you presume to judge my character. What could you possibly be hiding that would cause such a turn off? Are you the leader of some underground cult?� she asked with a hint of mockery.
Ralin stared at her with little emotion. Kate searched his eyes and immediately became concerned by his lack of response. Kate slowly pulled her hand from his.
�That was a joke,� she announced gently.
�The only way I could possibly explain myself to you, Kate, is if you�d agree to spend several weeks adjusting to my way of life. Once you�ve gotten to know me, my lifestyle wouldn�t shock you nearly as much as it would right now.�
Kate backed up a step and slowly shook her head with a nervous look in her eyes. �I�m familiar with cults, Ralin,� she informed him firmly. �I�m also aware that remaining here wouldn�t be a very good idea.�
Ralin took a step toward her. Kate immediately stepped back another step to keep distance between them. �You�ve got the wrong idea. Cult is a strong word.�
�What would you call it?� she snapped lowly.
Ralin ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled deeply. �The more I say, the worse you�ll think of me,� he replied and looked at her with sympathetic eyes. �I just have to hope that you�ll decide to take a chance and return after you�re gone.� Ralin backed away from her with a defeated look upon his face. �I�ll have Parker show you to your room. I�ll make arrangements for your safe return to town in the morning.�
Ralin turned and walked away from her down the long hall. Kate watched him until he disappeared around the far corner. Kate quickly turned and headed back for the ballroom in more of a hurry.
Kate entered the ballroom and froze in the doorway. The ballroom was completely empty. The buffet tables, reception decorations, band, and people were all gone. The room was completely cleaned. Kate took several steps into the ballroom and looked all around. She felt a presence behind her. Kate spun with a startled gasp and came face to face with Parker. She sighed and relaxed slightly.
�Sorry, Madam,� he announced simply. �I didn�t mean to startle you. Would you like to be shown to your room?�
�Where did everyone go?� she asked firmly.
�They went home, Madam,� Parker informed her.
�Everyone?� she asked with confusion. �We were only gone a few minutes.�
�I�m sorry, Madam. Was there someone in particular with whom you�d wished to speak?� Parker asked.
Kate looked around the room once more with that same bewildered look. She slowly shook her head. �No, I suppose not.�
Parker then smiled gently. �In that case, I�ll show you to your room.�
Kate paced the elegant upstairs bedroom wearing an oversized shirt with the sleeves rolled up. She paused every few minutes to look out the large window into the darkness of the woods. There were no signs of life as far as the eye could see. She looked to the king sized, canopy bed that remained neatly folded down for her. She hadn�t considered sleeping. She paced the length of the room again. There was movement in the hallway. Kate hurried quietly to the bedroom door and listened. Someone walked down the hall. Kate looked to the clock on the wall. It was three in the morning. Who was wandering around at that hour? She looked back to the door and slowly turned the knob. The door opened with a slight creak. Kate held her breath a moment then looked into the hallway. The hallway was dimly lit with small wall lights.
In her bare feet, Kate left the room and quietly crept along the upstairs hall. She looked around with some concern then walked down the broad, wood carved staircase. The down stairs was also dimly lit. The entire house had an elegant but eerie feel about it. Kate paused at the bottom of the stairs and listened a moment. She could hear someone further down the hall, perhaps in the adjoining hallway with the many suits of armor. Kate quickly and quietly hurried toward the adjoining hallway and looked down it. The many suits of armor lent a creepy series of shadows. At the very back of the hallway, Kate could see someone turn the corner. It was the same direction Ralin had gone earlier that night. Kate waited a moment then walked along the broad hallway. She eyed each suit of armor as she passed. They looked like soldiers on guard, waiting to pounce on her with every step. She paused at the end of the hall and looked in the direction the unknown person had traveled.
There was a beautifully carved door at the end of the short hallway. Kate hesitated then slowly approached the door. She paused before the door and listened a moment. There was no sound. A cool draft brushed past her feet from the space at the bottom of the door. This cool air convinced her this might be an entrance to a basement of some sort. Kate contemplated a moment longer then slowly opened the door. It creaked slightly, causing Kate to hold her breath and stop pulling. She then pulled it open far enough to peak inside. The lighting beyond the door was even poorer than the rest of the house. She could just barely see the narrow, stone steps leading down. The walls were an old stone. A damp, musty smell filled the stairwell.
Kate stared at the steps for a long moment then pulled the door open further and slipped into the small landing before the steps. She listened a moment from her position at the top of the steps and remained by the security of the partially opened door. The sound of dripping water could be heard. Something about the sound caused Kate to shiver. Soft voices could be heard echoing faintly somewhere beyond the stairs. Kate held her breath a moment and considered returning to the safety of her room. She would then have to hope that Ralin kept his word and took her to town. Still, she stood at the top of the basement steps staring down them. Something peaked her curiosity, despite having had enough excitement for one night. She wanted to know what Ralin was into. What if they were doing some sort of sick human sacrifice? What if she was to be that human sacrifice? She ran her fingers through her hair and looked from the door to the steps. Was she being a little paranoid? What sort of cult was Ralin into?
The door creaked and closed behind her. Kate turned with a soft gasp and attempted to open the door. It wouldn�t open. She hesitated then looked back to the basement steps. She released a nervous breath and slowly proceeded down them, taking each step with great caution. The steps were cold and damp beneath her bare feet. There was no railing along the wall, so she ran her hand along the damp stone to keep her balance and sense of direction. The sound of dripping water and voices seemed to get louder as she approached the bottom of the spiraling, stone steps.
