gns.throwback-第28部分

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　　He　slunk　away　into　the　darkness；　breathing　heavily。　His　skin　burned；　there　was　a　roaring　in　his　ears。　Travelling　by　instinct；　stopping　every　so　often　and　sniffing　the　air。　He　was　on　the　right　trail。　Alert　to　every　sound；　once　climbing　up　into　the　boughs　of　an　oak　tree　because　he　heard　one　of　the　wild　dogs　close　by；　usually　they　fled　at　the　approach　of　humans　unless　it　was　a　hunting　pack　scenting　blood；　but　one　could　never　be　sure。　Down　below　him　he　saw　the　animal　cross　a　patch　of　faint　moonlight；　a　huge　shaggy　beast　that　bore　a　resemblance　to　an　Alsatian；　slobbering　mouth　wide。　It　did　not　even　pause　when　it　caught　his　smell　for　its　mind　was　on　other　things。　Just　as　his　own　was。
　　
　　A　long　night　that　seemed　an　eternity；　a　lost　soul　wandering　in　the　Stygian　blackness　of　the　forest；　several　times　losing　the　scent　he　was　following；　then　picking　it　up　again。　When　eventually　he　emerged　from　the　forest　dawn　had　already　broken。
　　
　　Eric　Atkinson　rested；　sprawled　in　the　soft　heather；　his　urge　temporarily　overshadowed　by　the　need　to　sleep。　His　body　cried　out　for　rest；　and　momentarily　the　trail　had　gone　cold。
　　
　　Sleep　came　with　the　warmth　of　the　rising　sun's　rays；　a　deathlike　slumber　that　only　the　exhausted　know　but　within　him　a　dream　was　struggling　to　surface；　a　fleeting　image　that　came　and　went　in　his　dulled　brain。　A　woman's　naked　body；　soft　and　hairless；　her　dark　eyes　sad；　searching　for　him。　Finding　him。　Calling　him　to　her。
　　
　　His　arms　reached　out　for　her　but　she　twisted　tantalisingly　away；　those　eyes　wet　with　tears。　Wisps　of　memory；　mists　floated　across　her　features；　hid　all　but　the　eyes。　Watching　him；　a　mute　plea。　e　back　to　me；　Eric；　I　need　you。　Eric？　Eric？
　　
　　The　familiarity　of　it　all　tortured　him；　dragged　him　into　realms　beyond　his　power　of　thinking。　A　creature　so　lovely；　not　his　own　kind　but　that　did　not　matter　because　they　had　copulated　before。　Where？　When？　He　didn't　know；　only　that　she　was　desperate　for　him　to　e　back　to　her。
　　
　　And　then　she　faded；　drifted　back　into　the　darkness　and　the　hot　sun　beating　down　on　him　awoke　him；　had　him　righting　his　way　back　into　the　only　world　he　knew。　He　tried　to　remember　but　it　hurt；　like　stones　pounding　on　his　skull。　But　the　scent　was　still　there！
　　
　　The　sun　was　directly　overhead　when　he　came　to　the　smallholding　on　the　Hill；　crouched　down　in　the　hedge　bordering　the　field　where　four　calves　grazed；　but　he　had　no　interest　in　meat。　Only　。　。　。　the　bitch　smell　was　very　strong　and　he　knew　that　she　was　here！
　　
　　It　was　difficult　trying　to　formulate　a　plan　because　his　brain　did　not　know　anything　except　basic　cunning。　Stay　hidden　here　until　it　gets　dark　then　go　in　to　her；　drag　her　out　if　necessary。
　　
　　An　hour　passed　and　he　could　stand　the　waiting　no　longer。　The　urge　to　mate　was　driving　him　crazy；　twice　his　fingers　had　strayed　to　his　pulsing　erection；　screaming　at　him　for　relief。　No；　it　was　a　waste　when　a　willing　mate　lay　inside　those　four　stone　walls。　She　wanted　him。
　　
　　Go　to　her；　then！
　　
　　A　frightening　thought；　one　that　posed　problems　beyond　his　prehension。　He　trembled；　nausea　churned　his　stomach。　That　face　from　his　dreams　came　back　again；　still　partly　enshrouded　by　fingers　of　mist。　I　need　you；　Eric！
　　

　　He　began　a　stealthy　approach　up　the　rutted　track；　kept　close　to　the　hedge；　wicked　thorns　tearing　at　his　rough　hide　clothing…go　back；　go　back　。　。　。　Ericl
　　
　　He　came　to　the　end　of　the　lane；　saw　the　open　yard；　hard…baked　clay　that　would　turn　back　to　mud　with　the　first　shower　of　rain。　The　house；　a　trickle　of　smoke　ing　from　the　chimney。　He　breathed　in　the　sweet　woodsmoke；　something　else　which　was　musky　and　did　things　to　him；　had　him　starting　forward　into　the　open。
　　
　　A　door；　he　ran　his　fingers　up　and　down　the　smooth　woodwork；　saw　how　the　paint　flaked　off。　He　caught　the　latch　accidentally；　it　clicked　up；　dropped　back　and　he　leaped　away　with　a　snarl　in　his　throat。　A　strange　place　but　she　was　indeed　a　strange　woman。
　　
　　I　knew　you　would　e；　Eric。
　　
　　He　backed　off；　there　had　to　be　another　entrance　somewhere；　one　that　he　could　just　walk　in　through　like　his　own　house。　Windows；　he　touched　the　glass　pane；　did　not　like　the　way　they　threw　his　own　reflection　back　at　him　like　still　water　when　you　stooped　to　drink。
　　
　　A　circuit　of　the　cottage　and　he　saw　the　outbuildings。　Perhaps　she　was　in　there　although　his　instincts　told　him　otherwise。　This　time　the　door　swung　open　at　his　touch　and　he　stared　in　disbelief　at　the　interior。　A　long　table　cluttered　with　all　kinds　of　implements；　sharp　knives；　knives　with　blunt　spreading　blades；　a　curved　spear；　he　tested　the　rusty　blade　with　his　finger。　It　was　sharp　enough。
　　
　　Weapons。　He　grabbed　up　an　assortment　of　hammers；　screwdrivers；　chisels　and　the　rusted　sickle。　With　these　he　could　break　into　this　place　。　。　；　no；　it　was　dangerous。　Surely　she　had　a　mate。　The　thought　was　disturbing；　began　to　make　him　angry。　A　male　lurking　in　there；　knowing　that　Eric　was　here；　why　he　had　e。　You　killed　for　such　a　reason；　because　if　you　didn't　it　was　you　who　ended　up　dead。　No　promises；　a　fight　to　the　finish。　It　was　the　law　of　the　wild。
　　
　　Eric　licked　his　bearded　lips。　He　did　not　relish　an　encounter；　had　avoided　such　skirmishes　so　far。　His　stomach　did　another　flip。　He　was　not　strong　enough　to　take　on　a　rival；　it　was　not　his　way。　He　had　not　challenged　any　of　the　other　males　when　they　had　mated　with　Marlene；　pretended　he　had　not　seen。　Marlene　did　not　matter；　they　could　have　her；　do　what　they　liked　with　her。
　　
　　I　need　you；　Eric。　I'm　waiting。
　　
　　He　drew　back　into　the　building；　did　not　want　her　to　see　him　skulking　like　this；　smell　his　sweat　of　terror。　Then；　in　gradual　stages；　an　idea　began　to　form　in　his　slow　muzzy　brain。
　　
　　With　help　he　could　overe　his　rival；　take　this　woman　for　his　own。　He　studied　the　various　implements。　The　men　back　at　the　camp　would　relish　the　prospect　of　owning　such　an　array　of　hunting　weapons。　Sharp　blades　that　would　pierce　and　slash；　blunt　ones　to　club　with　and　shatter　stubborn　bones。　They　would　follow　him　here；　smash　their　way　into　the　house　for　him；　kill　anybody　who　tried　to　stop
　　
　　them。
　　
　　Do　not　harm　the　woman；　she　is　mine。　That　was　the　promise。　You　have　the　weapons；　I　have　the　female。　But　could　they　be　trusted　when　the　mating　smell　hung　so　heavy　in　the　air？
　　
　　It　was　a　chance　he　would　have　to　take。　He　would　put　it　to　the　others；　weapons　and　tools　in　return　for　the　woman　who　was　now　taunting　him　day　and　night；　sleeping　and　waking。
　　
　　Reluctantly　Eric　Atkinson　left　the　Ouinn　holding；　heard　her　pleas　echoing　in　his　brain；　driving　him　crazy。
　　
　　Don't　leave　me；　Eric。　I　need　you。　I　shall　be　back；　that　I　promise。　Wearily　he　set　out　on　the　return　trip　to　the　settlement　beyond　the　Hill。
　　
　　That　night　they　were　back；　a　dozen　of　them　eager　to　get　their　hands　on　weapons　which　would　give　them　supremacy　over　the　other　tribes　in　the　hills。　If　they　smelled　the　bitch…smell　then　they　gave　no　outward　sign。　There　were　plenty　of　women　back　in　the　camp；　more　than　enough　to　satisfy　their　needs。
　　
　　The　house　was　still　and　dark；　no　smoke　ing　from　the　chimney。　Deserted；　like　every　other　dwelling　you　came　upon；　the　occupants　having　answered　the　calling　and　deserted　civilisation。　Except　that　Eric　knew　that　she　was　in　there　and　this　time　he　scented　her　man；　a　sour；　stronger　aroma　that　was　borne　to　him　on　the　soft　summer　breeze；　one　that　made　him　uneasy。
　　
　　Eric　laughed　softly　to　himself；　there　were　enough　of　them；　there　would　be　no　problem。
　　
　　They　crowded　into　the　workshop　outbuilding；　grunted　and　hissed　their　delight　at　what　they　found　in　there。　Tools　and　weapons　beyond　the　realms　of　their　limited　expectation；　scrabbling　for　possession　of　whatever　took　their　fancy；　examining　them　with　childish　glee。
　　
　　Eric　watched　them　from　the　doorway；　smelled　the　bitch…smell　again。　In　there；　she's　in　there。　Help　me　break　in；　kill　the　male　and　take　her。　He　clutched　at　one　of　them　in　his　frustration；　was　pushed　away。　They　had　forgotten　the　bargain；　were　not　interested　in　anything　except　what　they　found　in　this　treasure　cave。
　　
　　Anger。　He　grabbed　up　a　hammer；　swung　it　above　his　head　and　as　he　did　so　a　blow　from　behind　sent　him　reeling；　catapulted　him　against　the　solid　workbench；　an　agonising　blow　in　the　small　of　his　back。　He　fell；　showered　spanners　and　the　contents　of　a　small　tool…box　over　himself；　hit　the　floor。　Somebody　kicked　him；　doubled　him　up；　had　him　clutching　at　his　stomach。
　　
　　These　primitive　burglars　had　what　they　had　e　for。
　　
　　If　they　had　made　a　bargain　then　it　did　not　exist　any　more　because　they　were　incapable　of　thinking　beyond　the　initial　haul。　The　one　who　had　brought　them　here　had　obstructed　them　so　they　had　struck　him　down。　If　he　bothered　them　further　they　would　kill　him。
　　
　　He　lay　there；　watched　them　shuffle　back　out　into　the　night；　laden　with　their　loot；　he　was　already　forgotten　as　though　he　had　not　existed。
　　

　　Sometime　later　he　followed　them；　but　only　as　far　as　the　fir　spinney；　skulking　in　the　dark　shadows　and　staring　back　at　the　outline　of　the　house。　She　was　in　there。　He　didn't　know　who　she　was；　not　even　sure　what　she　loo