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e angels alike。 Both are divine in my illumined vision； and all color is erased in the infinite abyss。
There is another piece of papyrus； torn in two。 It is much thinner than the others。 It speaks of Kalika。
She is the Dark Mother； all consuming and not to be trusted。 She brings the light of the red stars； and a wave of red death flows from her fingertips。 She is the scourge of the child； not its protector as she claims to be。 Her name is Kali Ma； and it is her name that matches the dark age。 All who know her will fear her。
〃Suzama；〃 I whisper； shaking。 〃You don't know how you curse your old friend。〃
But does it matter what she says about my daughter？ Wasn't tonight proof enough of my daughter's demonic nature？ She laughed as she killed； and no doubt drank the blood of many of those who slumped to their deaths。 Suzama can tell me nothing new about my own child。
But what about the holy child？ Where is this mirror in the sky； where shoes move without feet and the emerald circle is seen in the morning light？ It is difficult to imagine Suzama being any more ambiguous。 I almost curse her。 The last thing I need now is more riddles； and all the stuff about dark angels and mistaken angels confuses me。 Even worse are Suzama's references to the Setians。 They were destroyed when Suzama was destroyed； in the great earthquake of ancient Egypt。 Why does she go on about the war？ That war is over as far as I am concerned。
〃I will wait here for you。 I will be here when you return。〃
But there was no one there when I returned。
Suzama's last prediction to me was wrong。
I call to James and he returns to the basement quickly。
〃There are people outside on the street pointing at the center；〃 he says。 〃I think the police will be here any minute。〃
〃We will go then。 Gather up what is left of the scripture and take it to your father。〃
〃Aren't you going with me？〃 he asks。
〃No。 I need some time alone to think。 Do you have an extra car？〃
He grimaces。 〃We have plenty of extra cars now。 You can take any one you want。 Should I go to your house？〃
〃Yes。 I will join you there shortly。 Go out the back way so you won't be stopped。〃
He is dying to ask the question。
〃Did you find out anything useful？〃 he asks。
I give a wan smile。 〃Only time will tell。〃
12
On the spot where Paula's child was conceived； on the sandy bluff in Joshua Tree National Monument； I lie in the shade of a tall Joshua tree and stare up at the sky。 It strikes me as a small miracle how the sky has not changed in five thousand years。 Why； I could be lying on my back in ancient Egypt； beside the Nile； and there would be no difference in the sky。
But it is not easy for me to remember。
Suzama took me in； into her home； her heart。 She shared a small shack with her parents。 It is ironic that the greatest seer of all time should be born to a blind mother and a blind father。 Neither of them ever knew what I looked like； yet they treated me with great kindness。 They even tolerated the strange hours I kept。 For in those days I needed to drink blood almost every night to quench my thirst。 It was still difficult for me to feed myself and keep my victim alive。 I lacked the control that was to e with age。 Yet many people naturally died in those days during the night； especially the old； and I tried to confine my feeding to them so as to raise fewer suspicions。
When I returned home from one nightly sojourn； I found Suzama awake。 At that time I had been in Egypt a month。 There was pain in Suzama's large soulful eyes。 She sat outside beneath a blanket of stars。 I sat beside her。
〃What's the matter？〃 I asked。
She would not look at me。 〃I followed you tonight。〃
I drew in a sharp breath。 〃What did you see？〃
〃What you do to people。〃 She had tears。 〃Why do you do it？〃
I took a while to answer her。 〃I have to do it to survive。〃
It was true。 She of almost perfect clairvoyance could not see what her friend really was。 When she had first met me； she had only suspected。
She was horrified。 〃Why？〃
〃Because I am not a human being。 I am a vampire。〃
Even in those days they had a word for creatures like me。 Suzama understood what I meant。 Yet she did not flee from me； but instead held my hand。
〃Tell me how it happened；〃 she said。
I told her the entire story of my life； which even though it had just begun； seemed awfully long to me。 Suzama heard of Yaksha and Rama and Lalita and Krishna。 I told her every word Krishna had said to me； of the vow he had placed me under to make no more vampires； and of the vow he had made Yaksha take to destroy all vampires。 Suzama listened as if in a dream。 When I was finished she whispered aloud。
〃I have seen this Krishna in many visions；〃 she said。
〃Tell me what you see？〃
She spoke in a distant voice。 〃He has the whole universe in his eyes。 The sun we see in the sky is only one of many。 All these stars…more than can be counted…shine inside the crown of his head。〃 She paused。 〃You must be a very special kind of monster to receive his grace。〃 I was able to relax。
Suzama was telling me she was still my friend。 It was shortly after that night that she began to heal others。
The cures started innocently enough。 Suzama was fond of collecting herbs。 Even as a child she had had a knack for knowing which ones to prescribe for which illnesses。 It was normal for a handful of ailing people to stop by each day for medical advice。 Sometimes Suzama would have the sick person stay。 She would have the person lie on his or her back and take long； slow deep breaths while she held her left hand above the forehead and her right hand over the heart。 Invariably the person left better afterward； or at least they said they did。 Then came a crippled man。 He had not walked since a massive stone had fallen across his hips five years earlier。 He had no feeling from the waist down。 At first she prescribed some herbs and was about to send him away when the man begged her to bless him。 Reluctantly； as if she knew this act would forever change the course of her life； Suzama put him down on the floor and had him take deep breaths。 Her hands shook as she held them over the man； and there was sweat on her face。 I couldn't take my eyes off her。 A milky white radiance had begun to shine above her head。 Even when the man's lower legs began to twitch； I couldn't stop staring at her angelic face。 For the uncountable stars were shining through her now。 The man was able to walk home。 After that there was always a line outside Suzama's house。 She continued to perform many healings； although only a few matched her healing of the crippled man。 For many seriously ill people she was unable to do anything。 It is their karma to be ill； she would say。 They had the word karma in that part of the world at that time； and they understood its meaning。
More than healing； Suzama preferred to foretell the future and to teach meditation。 A series of special meditation techniques had e to her in visions and each of them was related to the worship of the Goddess Isis； the White Goddess； who shone in each soul above the head。 Suzama taught m