Burning Lamp Read Free

virginity?”
    Rosser was clearly startled. “But that’s what you’re paying for.”
    “Stupid woman. This concerns a vastly more important attribute. I made a bargain with your employer. I intend to hold him to it.”
    “I just told you, he is no longer among the living. I’ve got a new employer.”
    “The business affairs of crime lords are of no interest to me. The girl is now my property. I’m taking her out of here tonight, assuming the experiment is completed to my satisfaction.”
    “What’s this about an experiment?” Mrs. Rosser was outraged. “I never heard of such a thing. This is a brothel, not a laboratory. In any event, you can’t have the girl and that’s final.”
    “It appears that the test will have to be conducted elsewhere,” Smith said to Adelaide. “Come along.”
    He jerked her out of the wardrobe. She tumbled to the floor.
    “Get up.” He used his grip on her arm to haul her to her feet. “We’re leaving this place immediately. Never fear, if it transpires that you are of no use to me, you’ll be quite free to return to this establishment.”
    “You’re not taking her away.” Rosser reached for the bellpull just inside the door. “I’m going to summon the guards.”
    “You’ll do nothing of the kind,” Smith said. “I’ve had quite enough of this nonsense.”
    He removed a fist- sized crystal from the pocket of his coat. The object glowed blood red. The temperature dropped another few degrees. Adelaide sensed invisible ice-cold energy blazing in the chamber.
    Mrs. Rosser opened her mouth but no sound emerged. She raised her arms as though she really were a great bird trying to take wing. Her head fell back. A violent spasm shot through her. She collapsed in the doorway and lay very still.
    Adelaide was too stunned to speak. The Vulture was dead.
    “Just as well,” Smith said. “She is no great loss to anyone.”
    He was right, Adelaide thought. Heaven knew that she had no fondness for the brothel keeper but watching someone die in such a fashion was a horrifying experience.
    Belatedly, the full impact of what had just occurred jolted through her. Smith had used his talent and the crystal to commit murder . She had never known that such a thing was possible.
    “What did you do to her?” Adelaide whispered.
    “The same thing I will do to you if you do not obey me.” The ruby crystal had gone dark. “Damn things never last long,” he muttered. He dropped the stone back into his pocket. “Come along. There is no time to waste. We must get out of here at once.”
    He drew her toward the table where he had left the artifact. She could feel the euphoric excitement flooding through him. He had just murdered a woman and he had enjoyed doing it; no, he had rejoiced in the experience.
    She sensed something else as well. Whatever Smith had done with the crystal had required a great deal of energy. The psychical senses, like every other aspect of the mind and body, required time to recover after one drew heavily on them. Smith would no doubt soon regain the full force of his great power, but at that moment he was probably at least somewhat weakened.
    “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she said.
    He did not bother to respond with words. The next thing she knew, icy cold pain washed through her in searing waves.
    She gasped, doubled over and sank to her knees beneath the weight of the chilling agony. So much for thinking that he had exhausted his psychical resources.
    “Now you know what I did to Rosser,” Smith said. “But in her case I used far more power. Such intense cold shatters the senses and then stops the heart. Behave yourself or you will get more of the same.”
    The pain stopped as abruptly as it had begun, leaving her dazed and breathless. Surely this time he had used the last of his reserves to punish her. She had to act quickly. Fortunately he was still gripping her arm. She required physical contact to manipulate another individual’s dreamlight