Promotions

Morgana returned to examining the map. Behind her she could hear Martin slowly counting, and she watched their reflections carefully. At ‘10’ Martin blinked himself awake to see Erica staring at him with a fierce, defiant smile on her face. “I’m going back to my room,” she announced, turning and stalking across the lobby, “alone.” Martin sputtered in surprise. His confused and exasperated inquiry was cut off as they passed through the glas double doors that led into the attached hotel at the end of the lobby. Morgana’s wicked laugh echoed in the now vacant lobby, and she returned her concentration to the map, noting with relief that her feeling of being watched had faded as they had left the lobby.

She found the maze of hallways, rooms, and small shops in the convention center daunting but not impossible to divine, and after several moments of examination and memorization Morgana turned away from the map. One escalator, two turns, and three corridors later she stood before a nondescript, half-open set of double doors: loud voices and louder music spilled out from within. She slipped through the door and found several groups of people occupying most of the tables and chairs scattered around the large room. Rock music blared from twin towers of speakers near the bar at the far end of the room.

Morgana suddenly felt again the sensation of being watched: as her eyes swept the room she spotted a woman staring frankly at her with what appeared to be one blood-red eye. Morgana turned to get a better look but the woman stepped behind a passing crowd of people and disappeared from view. Morgana scanned the whole room, searching for the mysterious woman without success, when an insistent voice from across the room called out “Dr. Black? Over here!”

Morgana turned in the direction of the voice. The man who had called to her stood out in his grey suit amidst the casual attire of the rest of the crowd, standing next to a blonde woman wearing glasses with pink-colored lenses in the center of the largest group of people. Aware that she was now the focus of attention, Morgana projected her utterly confident on-stage personality, all thoughts of the red-eyed woman reluctantly and regretfully pushed aside. She easily cut through the crowd and boldly approached the man, held out her hand out, and said “You must be David Bishop: nice to meet you in person.”

David shook her hand, staring at her: long glossy black hair framing a beautiful heart-shaped face highlighted by large, expressive dark eyes and a broad, amused smile. A head shorter than his own average height, voluptuous, and slender to the point of being called petite, Morgana still projected a definite strength of character and will and an air of total self-confidence that made her seem much taller. Impulsively he bowed and kissed her hand, which prompted a rich laugh from her.

David turned to the blonde woman beside him. “Carolyn, I’d like you to meet Dr. Morgana Black: Morgana, this is our Author Guest of Honor, Carolyn Knight.” Morgana held out her hand and Carolyn shook it warmly.

Morgana grinned eagerly and said “I greatly enjoy your Starchildren novels. Their premise of an immortal, mysterious, magickal race living among unknowing mortal humans is a fascinating one.”

“Morgana will be presenting her seminar on hypnosis here tomorrow evening,” David continued.

“You’re invited to come and watch, Carolyn,” said Morgana. “I’d like to hear your professional opinion of it.”

“I’ll do that,” replied Carolyn cautiously, releasing Morgana’s hand and eyeing her carefully.