cb.coldheart canyon-第41节

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　 Then；　in　her　sleep；　she　murmured　something。　He　held　his　breath；　trying　to　catch　the　words。　It　wasn't　English　she　was　speaking；　it　was　an　Eastern　European　language；　probably　her　native　Romanian。　He　could　make　no　sense　of　what　she　was　saying；　of　course；　but　there　was　a　softness　to　the　syllables；　a　neediness；　which　suggested　they　were　supplications。　She　turned　her　face　up　from　the　pillow；　and　he　saw　that　her　expression　was　troubled。　Her　brow　was　furrowed；　and　there　were　tears　welling　beneath　her　lids。　The　sight　of　her　distress　bothered　him。　It　brought　back　memories　of　his　mother's　tears；　which　he'd　watched　her　shed　so　often　as　a　child。　Tears　shed　by　a　woman　left　to　raise　her　sons　alone。　Tears　of　frustrated　rage；　sometimes；　but　more　often　tears　of　loneliness。
　 〃Don't。。。〃　he　said　to　her　softly。
　 She　heard　him　speaking；　it　seemed。　Her　entreaties　grew　quieter。　Then　she　said：　〃Willem？〃
　 〃No。。。〃
　 The　frown　nicking　her　brow　deepened　and　her　lids　began　to　flutter。　She　was　waking　up　now；　no　doubt　of　that。　He　got　to　his　feet；　and　began　to　retreat　to　the　door；　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　on　her　face。　Only　when　he　reached　the　door　did　he　finally；　regretfully；　relinquish　sight　of　her　and　turn　away。
　 As　he　slipped　through　the　door　he　heard　her　speak。　〃Wait；〃　she　said。
　 He　was　sorely　tempted　to　exit　rather　than　turn　and　face　her；　but　he　resisted　his　cowardice　and　looked　back　towards　the　bed。
　 She　had　pulled　the　sheet　a　little　way　up；　to　partially　cover　her　nakedness。　Her　eyes　were　open；　and　the　tears　her　dreams　had　induced　were　now　running　down　her　cheeks。　Despite　them；　she　was　smiling。
　 〃I'm　sorry；〃　Todd　said。
　 〃For　what？〃
　 〃ing　in　here　uninvited。〃
　 〃No；〃　she　said　sweetly。　〃I　wanted　you　to　e。〃
　 〃Still；　I　shouldn't　have　stayed。。。watching　you。　It's　just　that　you　were　talking　in　your　sleep。〃
　 〃Well　it's　nice　to　have　somebody　listening；〃　she　said。　〃It's　a　long　time　since　anyone　was　with　me　when　I　slept。〃　She　wiped　the　tears　from　her　cheeks。
　 〃Are　you　all　right？〃　he　asked　her。
　 〃Yes；　I'm　fine。〃
　 〃Were　you　having　a　bad　dream？〃
　 〃I　can't　remember；〃　she　said；　glancing　away　from　him。　He　knew　from　his　acting　coach　what　such　glances　indicated：　a　lie。　She　knew　exactly　what　she'd　been　dreaming　about；　she　just　didn't　want　to　tell　him。　Well；　that　was　her　business。　God　knows　everybody　was　allowed　their　share　of　secrets。
　 〃What　time　is　it？〃　she　said。
　 He　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Almost　four…thirty。〃
　 〃You　want　to　go　for　a　walk　before　it　gets　too　dark？〃　she　said。
　 〃Sure。〃
　 She　threw　off　her　sheet；　and　got　up　out　of　bed；　glancing　up　at　Todd　as　she　did　so；　as　though　to　assure　herself　of　his　scrutiny。
　 〃I'm　going　to　bathe　first；〃　she　said。　〃Would　you　do　me　a　little　favour　in　the　meantime？〃
　 〃Sure。〃
　 〃Go　back　to　the　Gaming　Room；　where　we　met　last　night；　and…〃
　 〃Don't　tell　me。　Fetch　your　whip。〃
　 She　smiled。　〃You　read　my　mind。〃
　 〃As　long　as　you　promise　not　to　be　beating　me　with　it。〃
　 〃Nothing　could　be　further　from　my　mind；〃　she　said。
　 〃Okay。　I'll　get　it。。。but　no　beating。〃
　 〃Take　your　time。　There's　still　plenty　of　light　in　the　sky。〃
　 He　left　her　feeling　oddly　light…footed；　pleased　to　have　an　errand　from　her。　What　did　that　say　about　her　relationship；　he　wondered　as　he　ran？　That　he　was　naturally　subservient？　Ready　to　do　her　will　at　the　snap　of　her　fingers。　Well；　if　so；　so。
　 He　found　his　way　back　down　to　the　big　house　without　difficulty。　Marco　heard　him　in　the　Gaming　Room；　heavy…footed　as　ever；　and　came　to　see　what　all　the　noise　was　about。
　 〃You　okay？〃
　 〃That's　all　you　ever　ask。　Am　I　okay？　Yes。　I'm　better　than　okay。〃
　 〃Good。　Only　I　heard　from　Maxine…〃
　 〃Fuck　Maxine。〃
　 〃So　it　doesn't　bother　you？〃
　 〃No。　We　had　a　good　run　together。　Now　it's　over。〃
　 He　picked　up　the　switch　from　the　mantelpiece。
　 〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃
　 〃What　does　it　look　like？〃
　 He　beat　the　air　two　or　three　times。　The　switch　was　beautifully　balanced；　he　could　imagine　learning　how　to　use　it　with　considerable　cunning。　Perhaps　she　would　let　him　stroke　her　body　with　it。
　 Marco　studied　him　in　silence　for　a　few　moments；　then　he　said：　〃You　never　told　me　why　you　took　your　bandages　off。　Were　they　too　tight？〃
　 〃I　didn't　take　them　off。　She　took　them　off。〃
　 〃Who's　she？〃
　 〃The　woman　who　owns　this　house。　Katya　Lupescu。〃
　 〃I'm　sorry；　you've　lost　me。〃
　 Todd　smiled。　〃No　more　explanations；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　meet　her　later。　I　gotta　go。〃
　 He　left　Marco　standing　at　the　door　with　a　befuddled　expression　on　his　face；　and　headed　out　into　the　light　again；　climbing　the　slope　towards　Katya's　house；　aware　that　he　was　behaving　like　a　man　who'd　just　been　given　a　new　lease　on　life。
　 He　didn't　call　her　name　as　he　entered　this　time。　He　simply　made　his　way　through　the　rooms　of　fake　relics。
　 The　sound　of　running　water　came　from　the　room　adjacent　to　the　bedroom。　Apparently；　Katya　was　still　running　her　bath。
　 He　paused　and　looked　around　the　bedroom。　There　were　several　enormous　posters　on　the　wall；　which　he　had　not　noticed　until　now。　Framed　posters：　one…sheets　for　movies；　many　decades　old　to　judge　by　the　stylized　graphics；　and　the　yellowing　of　the　paper　they　were　printed　on。　The　same　image　dominated　all　seven　posters：　that　of　a　woman's　face。　She　was　represented　in　two　of　them　as　a　waif；　a　child…woman　lost　in　a　predatory　world。　But　in　the　others　she'd　matured　beyond　the　orphan；　and　these　were　the　images　that　reminded　him　of　the　woman　he'd　met　last　night…an　exquisite　femme　fatale　glowering　from　the　frames　as　she　planned　her　next　act　of　anarchy。　There　was；　of　course；　no　question　who　the　woman　was。　Her　name　was　on　the　posters；　big　and　bold。　The　Sorrows　of　Frederick；　starring　Katya　Lupi。　The　Devil's　Bride；　starring　Katya　Lupi。　She　is　Destruction；　starring　Katya　Lupi。
　 What　the　hell　was　he　to　make　of　this　new　piece　of　evidence？　Of　course　it　was　possible　that　Katya　had　paid　to　have　seven　posters　representing　fictitious　films　printed　on　aged　paper　and　framed　to　look　like　objects　of　antiquity；　but　it　wasn't　very　likely。　Was　it　possible　this　Katya　Lupi…who　bore　such　a　resemblance　to　the　Katya　he　knew…was　hardly　the　same　woman　at　all　but　a　granddaughter；　with　an　uncanny　resemblance　to　her　older　relative？　It　was　a　more　plausible　solution　than　any　other　he　could　think　of。　Certainly　the　flawless　woman　he'd　seen　naked　minutes　before；　her　face　without　so　much　as　a　wrinkle　upon　it；　could　not　be　the　woman　who'd　starred　in　these　movies。　There　had　to　be　some　other　explanation。
　 He　was　about　to　call　out　and　announce　his　presence　when　he　heard　a　soft　intake　of　breath　echoing　off　the　bathroom　walls。　He　went　quietly　to　the　door；　and　glanced　in。　In　a　large；　old…fashioned　ceramic　bath；　half…filled　with　water；　lay　Katya；　her　legs　spread；　her　hips　lifted　clear　of　the　water　so　that　he　could　see　how　her　fingers　slid　inside　her。　Her　eyes　were　closed。
　 Not　for　the　first　time　this　afternoon；　Todd　could　feel　the　head　of　his　dick　tapping　out　the　rhythm　of　his　pulse　against　the　inside　of　his　pants。　But　he　had　no　desire　to　interrupt　Katya's　game。　He　was　perfectly　happy　to　watch　her：　her　face　in　ecstasy；　her　breasts　clearing　from　the　water　as　her　body　arched；　her　legs　lifted　up　and　straddling　the　sides　of　the　bath。　The　mysteries　of　who　she　was　and　how　she　came　to　be　here　suddenly　seemed　absurdly　irrelevant。　What　the　hell　did　it　matter？　Look　at　her！
　 〃Did　you　bring　it？〃
　 He'd　had　his　eyes　on　her　cunt；　but　when　he　looked　back　up　at　her　face　she　was　staring　at　him；　her　expression　fierce　with　need。
　 〃The　Teroarea。　Did　you　bring　it？〃
　 He　was　mortified　with　embarrassment；　but　plainly　she　couldn't　have　cared　less。　She　had　other　priorities。
　 〃Yes；〃　he　said；　showing　her　the　switch。　〃I　brought　it。〃
　 〃So　use　it。〃
　 〃What？〃
　 She　lifted　her　hips　even　higher；　spreading　her　legs　to　give　him　a　full　view　of　her　sex。　It　was　ripened　by　her　own　touches；　but　also；　he　knew；　from　the　anticipation　of　his　return。
　 〃Touch　it；〃　she　said。　〃Lightly。〃
　 His　target　stood　proud　of　its　hood；　presented　for　his　delectation。
　 〃Please；〃　she　begged。
　 He　took　four　steps　to　the　bottom　of　the　bath；　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　upon　her。　He　felt　the　weight　of　the　switch　in　his　hand。　He'd　never　done　anything　remotely　like　this　before；　but　something　about　the　way　her　body　was　contorted　to　offer　her　sex　up　to　him　lent　him　confidence。
　 〃Are　you　ready？〃
　 〃Just　do　it！〃
　 He　lifted　the　Terror。　Her　clitoris　looked　as　hard　and　as　red　as　a　ruby。　He　lay　the　switch　on　it　with　a　short　little　stab　that　made　her　sob。
　 〃Again！〃　she　demanded　immediately。
　 The　ruby　was　already　a　little　redder。
　 〃Again！〃　she　said。
　 He　struck　her　again；　twice；　three　times；　four　and　five　and　six；　while　every　muscle　in　her　body　went　rigid　so　as　to　be　his　perfect　target。　〃More？〃　he　said。
　 There　were　tears　on　her　face；　but　she　simply　growled　at　him　between　gritted　teeth。　He　took　it　to　mean　yes；　and　went　to　work　again；　until　the　sweat　was　running　from　his　face；　and　down　his　back；　his　breath　was　rough　with　exertion。　But　she　would　not　let　him　stop。　Her　gaze；　her　sneer；　her　offered　body　spoke　the　same　demand；　and　he　dutifully　answered　it；　over　and　over　and　over　and…
　 Suddenly　her　eyes　rolled　up　in　her　head。　Her　mouth　opened。　He　could　barely　make　sense　of　the　words；