gns.throwback-第25部分

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ng　up　her　soft　nipples。　But　she　dared　not　cry　out　aloud　for　he　would　surely　have　beaten　her；　perhaps　worse。
　　
　　Jackie　felt　the　thick　warm　liquid　filling　her　up；　knew　that　Kuz　was　almost　finished。　His　withdrawal　was　followed　by　a　vicious　thrust；　the　force　of　it　throwing　her　against　the　side　of　the　stone　bed。　Blinding　pain　as　her　forehead　took　the　impact；　red　spotted　blackness。　His　hands　sought　her　again；　roughly；　angrily　pulling　her　up；　hurling　her　back　on　to　the　pile　of　hides。　She　rolled；　bounced　off　the　stone　wall；　lay　still。
　　
　　Then　he　was　beside　her；　stretching　out；　turning　away　from　her。　Another　need　had　to　be　satisfied…sleep。
　　
　　Kuz　was　sleeping　very　deeply。　Her　pain　simmered　to　a　dull　ache　and　then　she　found　herself　thinking　about　the　prisoner　in　the　pit　again。　A　strange　creature；　so　different；　flesh　that　was　white　and　soft；　hairless。　An　absence　of　muscle。　Clothes　that　stifled　his　body；　barely　allowed　it　to　breathe。　And　yet　she　found　him　fascinating。　So　。。。　gentle；　harmless。
　　
　　Something　flickered　in　her　brain　like　a　spent　torch　bulb　trying　to　reignite　itself。　A　dim　flash；　then　it　went　out。　A　spark；　a　faint　memory　stirring　for　a　fraction　of　a　second；　showing　her　a　face　then　cutting　out　before　she　could　recognise　it。　Her　pulses　raced；　her　heart　speeded　up　a　beat。　Features　similar　to　those　of　the　one　the　menfolk　had　brought　home　from　their　hunting　trip；　deep　blue　eyes　that　pleaded　with　her；　lips　that　moved；　formed　words　she　understood。　/　need　you；　Jackie。　Please　e　back　to　me。　Disturbed；　she　jerked　back　into　full　wakefulness；　thought　about　the　captive　again　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears。　Pity　was　a　new　experience　for　her；　one　that　she　had　had　no　use　for　before。　Strength　predominated　amongst　her　people；　one　did　not　show　weakness　because　there　was　no　place　for　it。　She　had　never　cried　before；　the　threat　of　tears　made　her　afraid　because　she　did　not　understand　them；　only　her　feelings。　That　man　down　in　the　deep　hole　meant　more　to　her　than　any　of　those　around　her；　more　than　Kuz。　Fear；　in　case　her　slumbering　man　so　much　as　guessed　her　thoughts。　He　would　do　more　than　just　beat　her；　she　was　certain；　he　would　kill　her！
　　
　　And　she　knew　that　she　had　to　go　to　the　prisoner。　The　idea　set　her　whole　body　trembling　and　she　inched　even　further　away　from　Kuz。　Her　heart　was　pounding　wildly　and　sensations　which　Kuz　had　failed　to　arouse　within　her　were　making　themselves　known。　An　instinct　beyond　her　prehension　was　calling　her；　and　she　had　no　choice　other　than　to　answer　it。
　　
　　She　moved　slowly；　fearfully；　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　sleeping　form　by　her　side。　She　already　had　an　excuse　in　case　he　suddenly　awoke；　I　need　to　squat。　Maybe　he　would　believe　her；　grab　her　again　by　the　hair；　drag　her　back；　shake　her　until　her　brain　slopped　from　side　to　side。　You're　lying；　woman；　you're　slinking　off　to　fuck　with　one　of　those　men　out　there；　aren't　you？　I'd　sooner　kill　you　than　have　you　mate　with　one　of　them。　She　knew　he　would；　too。
　　
　　But　he　didn't　stir；　not　even　when　she　straddled　over　him；　eased　her　trembling　right　leg　clear　of　the　bed；　dropped　to　her　knees。　She　was　trembling　violently；　opened　her　mouth　to　stop　her　teeth　chattering。　If　he　sees　me　now；　I'm　done。
　　
　　She　crawled；　drew　back　when　an　ember　brightened；　burst　into　yellow　flame　then　died　down　again；　eyed　her　redly；　wickedly。　See；　Kuz；　your　woman　sneaks　off　on　a　mission　of　infidelity；　awake；　and　beat　her。
　　
　　Kuz　half…stirred；　grunted　in　his　sleep；　then　his　breathing　lapsed　back　into　its　former　rhythm。　Jackie　scuttled　like　a　crab　surprised　by　a　rock…pool　fisherman；　a　desperation　about　her　ungainly　movements。　If　he　wakes　now　I　shall　flee　into　the　darkness；　hide　from　him。　I　would　sooner　be　dead　than　let　you　take　me　again；　Kuz。
　　
　　The　settlement　was　still　and　silent；　the　stone　houses　starkly　silhouetted　against　a　quarter　moon。　The　inhabitants　slept；　had　no　need　to　mount　a　guard。　She　kept　to　the　shadows；　ran　from　building　to　building；　glancing　back　fearfully；　but　there　was　no　pursuit。　How　long　before　Kuz's　instincts　warned　him　that　he　was　alone　in　his　bed？
　　
　　Before　her　she　saw　a　patch　of　shadow　that　was　blacker　than　the　rest：　the　pit！　New　fears　assailed　her。　The　strange　man　who　lay　in　its　depths　might　resent　her　visit；　might　shout　a　warning　that　would　bring　the　others。　She　was　an　enemy；　he　might　attack　her；　kill　her；　if　she　went　to　him。　No；　he　was　not　strong　enough；　her　own　strength　was　greater　than　his。
　　
　　She　lay　full…length；　used　her　elbows　to　propel　herself　forward。　Her　arm　brushed　against　something　and　she　recognised　it　as　the　ladder；　to　free　him　would　be　simplicity　itself。　No；　first　she　must　look；　see　him　again。　She　had　to　be　sure。
　　
　　Nervously　she　edged　her　head　and　shoulders　over　the　rough　brink；　narrowed　her　eyes；　tried　to　adjust　them　to　the　dense　blackness　below。　Nothing　but　darkness；　the　pit　might　have　been　empty；　the　prisoner　somehow　having　scaled　the　sheer　sides　and　fled。　Despair；　even　if　this　was　so　then　she　was　not　going　back　to　Kuz。　She　would　die　first；　by　her　own　hand　if　necessary。
　　
　　Wait！　She　could　just　make　out　a　shape　huddled　in　the　bottom；　pale　flesh；　a　curled…up　sleeping　form。　Her　acute　hearing　picked　out　his　breathing；　soft　and　regular。　She　continued　to　stare；　waited　for　her　eyes　to　bee　accustomed　to　the　blackness　as　they　surely　would；　felt　her　body　tingle　with　anticipation。
　　
　　A　noise　which　she　identified　at　once；　a　dislodged　pebble　sliding；　bouncing；　rolling；　hitting　something；　ing　to　a　standstill。　Jackie　caught　her　breath；　knew　that　she　had　knocked　against　a　loose　stone；　that　it　had　struck　the　slumbering　captive；　was　stirring　him　uneasily。　He　sat　up；　glanced　about　him；　then　looked　upwards。　And　saw　her。
　　
　　'Who's　there？　What　do　you　want？'
　　
　　Inprehensible　words　in　a　strange　tongue；　but　fear　rather　than　anger。　His　face　was　upturned　and　she　saw　the　hopelessness　in　his　wide　eyes；　a　hand　flung　up　to　protect　his　head　as　though　he　expected　to　be　stoned。
　　
　　Jackie　rose　to　a　kneeling　position；　wished　that　in　some　way　she　could　municate。　See；　I　am　a　woman；　naked　because　I　have　just　left　my　sleeping　man's　bed。　Do　not　be　alarmed　because　I　mean　you　no　harm。　I　。。。　I　。。。　she　could　not　express　her　own　feelings　even　to　herself；　but　something　inside　her　seemed　to　say；　'I　have　met　one　like　you　before；　I　know　I　have。'　But　she　could　not　be　sure　。　。　。　that　face　with　the　blue　eyes　had　been　only　a　dream　and　now　it　was　gone　forever。
　　
　　He　stood　up；　and　they　looked　at　each　other　uncertainly；　warily。　Phil　Winder　thought；　Is　this　some　kind　of　a　trick？　He　recognised　her　now；　the　girl　who　had　been　the　chiefs　woman；　too　damned　attractive　for　this　lot　of　gorillas。　What　was　she　up　to；　though？
　　
　　She　drew　back；　disappeared　from　view。　He　sighed；　leaned　back　against　the　side；　told　himself　that　she　had　probably　only　sneaked　down　here　out　of　curiosity。　God；　I　wish　I'd　got　some　clothes。　He　sensed　that　he　might　be　blushing　which　was　bloody　silly　considering　the　predicament　he　was　in。
　　
　　A　scraping　noise　had　him　jerking　his　head　back　upwards；　she　was　here　again；　struggling　to　drag　something　along　the　ground。　He　gasped　as　he　saw　a　criss…cross　of　uprights　and　rungs：　the　ladder！　Christ；　she　was　strong；　that　thing　must　have　weighed　several　hundredweight；　huge　boughs　cut　from　growing　timber；　crosspieces　roped　on　to　it。　It　could　still　be　a　trick；　though；　let　the　poor　bastard　think　he's　going　to　escape　then　chase　him　like　a　pack　of　beagles　after　a　hare；　set　him　up　for　some　sport。'
　　
　　He　didn't　have　much　choice；　though。　The　ladder　was　being　eased　slowly　over　the　side　and　now　he　could　reach　it；　take　the　strain　and　help　her　to　lower　it。　If　I　stop　here　I'm　at　their　mercy；　at　least　in　the　open　I　do　have　a　slim　chance；　better　than　dying　like　a　badger　in　a　baiting　pit。
　　
　　The　ladder　was　down；　resting　firmly　on　the　bottom；　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　climb　up　it。　He　grasped　the　rungs；　looked　up　at　her　again；　the　reflection　of　the　faint　moonlight　showing　pity　and　。　。　。　pleading。　Please　climb　up　because　I　need　you！
　　
　　He　moved　slowly；　uncertainly。　It　could　still　be　a　trap；　they　had　forced　her　to　lure　him　up　against　her　will。　Somewhere　in　the　distance　dogs　were　howling；　their　eager　primitive　tongue　sending　a　chill　up　his　spine　as　though　they　had　already　scented　him　and　were　straining　at　their　leashes。
　　
　　Phil　Winder　scrambled　out　of　the　deep　hole；　knelt　there　looking　at　his　rescuer。　She　was　beautiful　all　right；　but　why　was　she　naked？　These　people　wore　rough　clothing　so　she　didn't　have　to　e　to　his　aid　in　the　nude。　Again　his　inhibitions　troubled　him　as　her　gaze　ran　over　his　body；　her　eyes　wide　with　amazement。　I've　never　seen　anybody　quite　like　you；　mister；　but　I　like　what　I　see。
　　
　　She　glanced　around；　raised　a　finger　to　her　lips。　He　listened；　heard　only　the　pounding　of　his　own　pulses　（or　hers）　and　that　constant　canine　noise　that　reminded　him　of　the　howling　of　wolves　in　those　north…west　movies　which　they　showed　on　TV　periodically。　She　pointed　away　to　the　skyline　where　he　saw　a　black　uneven　outline　that　could　only　be　a　forest。　Pointing　again；　grasping　his　arm　urgently。　We　must　flee　to　the　woods　before　they　find　out　that　we　are　missing。　Both　of　us；　I'm　goin