〃You can't drive。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃You're drunk。〃
〃I'm not drunk。〃
I smile。 〃I gave you enough alcohol to make you drunk。 Face it； boy； you're trapped here for a while。 But if you want to sober up quick； then take a hot tub with me。 You can sweat the alcohol out of your system。〃
〃I didn't bring my suit。〃
〃I don't own a suit；〃 I say。
He is interested…very…but doubtful。 〃I don't know。〃
I step over and rest my palms on his sweaty chest His muscles are well developed。 It would be fun to wrestle with him； I think； especially since I know who would win。 I look up into his eyes； he is almost a head taller than I。 He looks down at me； and he feels as if he is falling into my eyes； into bottomless wells of blue； twin skies behind which the eternal black of space hides。 The realm of the yakshinis。 He senses my darkness in this moment。 I sense other things about him and feel a chill。 So much like Rama； this boy。 He haunts me。 Could it be true？ Those words of Krishna's that Radha had told me about love？
〃Time cannot destroy it。 I am that love…time cannot touch me。 Time but changes the form。 Somewhere in some time it will return。 When you least expect it； the face of a loved one reappears。 Look beyond the face and… 〃
Odd； but I cannot remember the last part of it。 I of the perfect memory。
〃I will not tell Pat；〃 I say。 〃She will never know。〃
He draws in a breath。 〃I don't like lying to her。〃
〃People always lie to one another。 It's the way of the world。 Accept it。 It doesn't mean you have to hurt with your lies。〃 I take his hands； they tremble slightly； but his eyes remained fastened on mine。 I kiss his fingers and rub them on my cheek。 〃What happens with me will not hurt her。〃
He smiles faintly。 〃Is that a lie to save me hurt？〃
〃Maybe。〃
〃Who are you？〃
〃Sita。〃
〃Who is Sita？〃
〃I told you already； but you weren't listening。 It doesn't matter。 e； we'll sit in the water together and I'll rub your tired muscles。 You'll love it。 I have strong hands。〃
Not long after； we are naked in the Jacuzzi together。 I have had many lovers； of course； both male and female…thousands actually…but the allure of the flesh has yet to fade in me。 I am excited as Ray sits with his bare back to me； my knees lightly hugging his rib cage； my hands kneading deep into the tissue along his spine。 It has been a long time since I have massaged anybody and I enjoy it。 The water is very hot。 Steam swirls around us and Ray's skin reddens。 But he says he likes it this way； so hot he feels he's being boiled alive。 I； of course； don't mind boiling water。 I lean over and bite him gently on the shoulder。
〃Careful；〃 he says。 He does not want me to leave any marks for Pat to find。
〃It will be gone in the morning。〃 I suck a few drops of blood from his wound。 Such a pleasant way to spend a night。 The blood flows like an elixir down my throat； making me want more。 But I resist the urge。 I pinch the tip of my tongue with my teeth and a drop of blood oozes onto the small bite。 It vanishes instantly。 I return to my massage。 〃Ray？〃 I say。
He moans with pleasure。 〃Yes。〃
〃You can make love to me if you want。〃
He moans some more。 〃You are an amazing girl； Sita。〃
I turn him around； slowly； easily； pleasurably。 He tries not to look at my body and fails。 I lean over and kiss him hard on the lips。 I feel what he feels。 His initial surprise…kissing a vampire is not like kissing a mortal。 Many men and women have swooned just from the brush of my lips。 Such is the pleasure I can give。 Yet there is the painful side…my kiss often sucks the breath from a person； even when I don't intend it to。 Inside； I feel Ray's heart begin to pound。 I release him before there is any danger。 The later it gets； the more I vow not to harm him； and the more inevitable it seems。 He hugs me； all slippery and wet； and tries to catch his breath while resting his chin on my shoulder。
〃Are you choking on something？〃 I ask。
〃Yes。〃 He coughs。 〃I think it's you。〃
I chuckle as I continue to stroke his back。 〃You could do worse。〃
〃You are not like any girl I've ever met。〃
〃You don't want just any girl； Ray。〃
He sits back； my naked legs still around him。 He is not afraid to look me in the eyes。 〃I don't want to cheat on Pat。〃
〃Tell me what you do want。〃
〃I want to spend the night with you。〃
〃A paradox。 Which one of us is going to win？〃 I pause； add； 〃I am a master at keeping secrets。 We can both win。〃
〃What do you want from me？〃
His question startles me； it is so perceptive。 〃Nothing；〃 I lie。
〃I think you want something。〃
I smile。 〃There is your body。〃
He has to smile； I sound so cute； I know。 But he is not dissuaded。 〃What else do you want？〃
〃I'm lonely。〃
〃You don't look lonely。〃
〃I'm not when I'm looking at you。〃
〃You hardly know me。〃
〃You hardly know me。 Why do you want to spend the night with me？〃
〃There is your body。〃 But he loses his smile and lowers his head。 〃There is something else； too。 When you look at me I feel…I feel you are seeing something nobody else sees。 You have such amazing eyes。〃
I pull him back toward me。 I kiss him。 〃That's true。〃 I kiss him again。 〃I see right through you。〃 Again； another kiss。 〃I see what makes you tick。〃 A fourth time； a hard kiss。 He gasps as I release him。
〃What is that？〃 he asks； sucking in a breath。
〃You love Pat； but you crave mystery。 Mystery can be as strong as love； don't you think？ You find me mysterious and you're afraid if you let me slip away you'll regret it later。〃
He is impressed。 〃That is how I feel。 How did you know？〃
I laugh。 〃That is part of the mystery。〃
He laughs with me。 〃I like you； Sita；〃 he says。
I stop laughing。 His remark…so simple； so innocent…pierces me like a dagger。 No one in many years has said something as charming as 〃I like you〃 to me。 The sentiment is childish； I know； but it is there nevertheless。 I reach to kiss him again； knowing this time I am going to squeeze him so tight he will not be able to resist making love to me。 But something makes me stop。
〃Look beyond the face and you will see me。〃
Krishna's words to Radha that she has given to me。 There is something in Ray's eyes； a light behind them； that makes me reluctant to soil them with my touch。 I feel it then； that I am a creature of evil。 Inside I swear at Krishna。 Only the memory of him can make me feel this way。 Otherwise； if we had never met； I would not care。
〃I care about you； Ray。〃 I turn away。 〃e on； let's get out and get dressed。 I want to talk to you about some things。〃
Ray is shocked at my sudden withdrawal； disappointed。
But I sense his relief as well。
Later we sit on the floor in the living room by the fire and finish the bottle of wine。 Alcohol has little effect on me； I can drink a dozen truck drivers under the table。 We talk of many things and I learn more details of Ray's life。 He plans to go to Stanford the next fall and study physics and art…an odd double major he is quick to admit。 The tuition at Stanford worries him； he doesn't know if his father can afford it。 He should be worried； I think。 He is a fan of modern quantum mechanics and abstract art。 He works after school at a supermarket。 He does not talk about Pat； and I don't bring her up。 But I do steer the conversation back to his father。
〃It is getting late；〃 I say。 〃Are you sure you don't want to call your father and tell him that you've been sitting naked in a Jacuzzi with a beautiful blond？〃
〃To tell you the truth； I don't think my dad's home。〃
〃He has a girlfriend of his own？〃
〃No； he's been out of town the last few days； working on a case。〃
〃What kind of case？〃
〃I don't know what it is； he hasn't told me。 Except that it's big and he hopes to make a lot of money on it。 He's been working on it for a while now。〃 Ray adds； 〃But I'm getting worried about him。 He often leaves for days at a time； but he's never gone so long without calling。〃
〃Do you have an answering machine at home？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And he hasn't even left you a message？〃
〃No。〃
〃How long has he been out of touch？〃
〃Three days。 I know that doesn't sound long； but I swear； he calls me every day。〃
I nod sympathetically； 〃I would be worried if I were you。 Does he have an office in town？〃
〃Yes。 On Tudor； not far from the ocean。〃
〃Have you been by his office？〃
〃I've called his secretary； but she hasn't heard from him； either。〃
〃That is ridiculous； Ray。 You should call the police and report him missing。〃
Ray waves his hand。 〃You don't know my dad。 I could never do that。 He would be furious。 No； I'm sure he just got wrapped up in his work； and he'll call me when he gets a chance。〃 He pauses。 〃I hope。〃
〃I have an idea；〃 I say as if it just occurred to me。 〃Why don't you go down to his office and check his files to see what this big case is。 You'd probably be able to find out where he is。〃
〃He wouldn't like me looking through his files。〃
I shrug。 〃It's up to you。 But if it were my father； I would want to know where he was。〃
〃His files are all on puter。 I'd have to go into his whole system； and there would be a notation left that I had done so。 He has it set up that way。〃
〃Can you get into his files？ I mean； do you know the password？〃
He hesitates。