Hex by Rhiannon Lassiter Page B

hardly recognized her own apartment. Rock music pounded out of huge speakers and the four main rooms were packed solid with celebrities. Even Zircarda was a little intimidated. Instead of trying to approach someone like Yannis Kastell or Elohim, two of the most popular artists of the day, she clustered with the rest of the clique in the corner of the room sipping champagne and pointing out celebrities to each other.
    Just as Ali wondered if she would be spending the entire evening as a wallflower, her father caught sight of her and waved. Smiling, Ali went to greet him, followed closely by Zircarda. Bob slung an arm around his daughter’s shoulders and ruffled her hair.
    â€œThis is my daughter Ali,” he said to the man he had been talking to. “Ali, this is Gideon Ash. He’ll be hosting a program on the new channel.”
    â€œPleased to meet you, Mr. Ash,” Ali said politely, shaking hands with the presenter, before a movement beside her reminded her to introduce him to Zircarda. Listening to a somewhat desultory conversation about the new channel, the two girls were ideally positioned to catch the first glimpse of Bob Tarrell’s star guest, as she entered the apartment.
    â€œElizabeth!” he called and, forging a path through the other guests, went to greet her, followed by Gideon Ash, Zircarda, and Ali. “I thought you were never coming!”
    A glance sideways told Ali that Zircarda’s face had the same frozen look she could feel on her own. She had an instinctive feeling that she wasn’t going to like Elizabeth Black. The girl looked younger than she did but she had an utter possession that made Zircarda’s self-confidence seem weak in comparison. She wore a skin-tight black catsuit that displayed to advantage a perfect figure, covered by a loose mesh tunic of platinum chain-links. A cloud of black hair framed her face and her black eyes were outlined in gold. It was several moments before Ali even noticed her two companions. Kez, dressed simply in dark red, and a tall man with perfect features, dead white skin, and starkly white hair, dressed entirely in black cycle leathers. Elizabeth stepped forward and took Bob Tarrell’s outstretched hand, supremely unconscious that people were turning to look at her.
    â€œHow are you, Bob?” she smiled. “This is my cousin, Kez, and my friend, Ryan. Ryan’s a holovid producer.”
    â€œI’m pleased to meet you,” Bob told them both, shaking hands earnestly. “And, Elizabeth, you look incredible tonight. Truly electric, as my daughter would say.” He motioned Gideon forward. “This is Gideon Ash, one of my presenters.” He paused to allow Ash to offer an admiring greeting. “Zircarda Anthony, one of my daughter’s friends, and my daughter herself, Ali. Ali, this is Elizabeth.”
    â€œI’m fascinated to meet you, Ali,” the black-haired girl told her, looking directly at her with the darkest eyes the girl had ever seen.
    Ali froze. She couldn’t have explained the fear that had consumed her. But as the young researcher’s eyes had met hers the thought had leaped into the forefront of her mind. She knows! It was inescapable. Those obsidian eyes had looked straight through her, had seen her soul. Now Elizabeth was laughing in response to something Bob had said. In another few moments she had moved on to the dance floor, joined in seconds by Elohim who was wasting no time in introducing himself. It wasn’t until Zircarda had been speaking for some time that Ali connected with reality again.
    â€œCan you believe that outfit?” her friend was asking with a barely concealed jealousy.
    â€œWhat about the way Elohim’s all over her?” a voice chimed in from behind and Ali didn’t need to look to know that it belonged to Caitlin. “She’s younger than us, for God’s sake!”
    Ali wasn’t listening. She was frantically studying