Gently； he coaxed her over and they fell side by side across the bed。 She pushed the robe off his neck； while his fingers worked at the button at the top of her jeans。 She made no attempt to assist； liking the look of concentration he wore。 It would be so good to be pletely naked with him： skin to skin。 But this wasn't the time to risk that。 Suppose he saw the bruises and the needle marks； and rejected her。 It would be unbearable。
He had successfully undone the button and unzipped the fly； and now his hands were in her jeans； sliding under the top of her panties。 There was urgency in him； and much as she loved to watch his intent； she aided the undressing now； raising her hips from the bed and sliding the jeans and panties down； exposing her body from nipples to knee。 He moved over her； leaving a trail of saliva to mark his way； licking at her navel； and lower now； face flushed； his tongue in her； not expert exactly； but eager to learn； nuzzling out the places that pleased her by the sound of her sighs。
He slid the jeans lower； and when she didn't resist； all the way off。 Her panties followed； and she closed her eyes； blotting out everything but his exploration。 In his eagerness he displayed the instincts of a cannibal； nothing her body fed him would be rejected； he pressed as deep as anatomy allowed。
Something itched at the back of her neck； but she ignored it； too concerned with this other sport。 He looked up from her groin； with doubt on his face。
〃Go on；〃 she said。
She wriggled up the bed； inviting him into her。 The doubt on his face persisted。
〃What's wrong？〃 〃No protection；〃 he said。
〃Forget it。〃 He needed no second invitation。 Her position； not lying beneath him but half…sitting； allowed her to watch his sweet display； pressing the root of his cock until the head darkened and glossed； before entering her slowly； almost reverentially。 Now he relinquished hold of himself； and put his hands on the bed to either side of her； his back arched； a crescent within a crescent； as his body weight carried him in。 His lips parted； and his tongue emerged to lap at her eyes。
She moved to meet him； pressing her hips up to his。 He sighed： frowned。
Oh； Jesus； she thought； he's e。 But his eyes opened again still raging； and his strokes； after the initial threat of mistiming； were even and slow。
Again； her neck irritated her； it felt more than an itch。 It was a bite； a drill hole。 She tried to ignore it； but the sensation only intensified as her body gave way to the moment。 Marty was too intent on their locked anatomies to register her disfort。 His breath was jagged； hot on her face。 She tried to move； hoping the ache was just the tension of this position。
〃Marty 。 。 。〃 she breathed； 〃roll over。〃 He wasn't sure of this maneuver at first； but once he was on his back； and she sitting on him； he caught her rhythm easily。 He began to climb again： dizzy with the height。
The pain at her neck persisted； but she thrust it out of focus。 She bent forward； her face six inches above Marty's； and let saliva fall from her mouth into his； a thread of bubbles that …he received with an open grin； pushing up into her as deep as he could go and holding himself there。
Suddenly； something moved in her。 Not Marty。 Something or somebody else； fluttering in her system。 Her concentration faltered； her heart too。 She lost focus on where she was and what she was。 Another set of eyes seemed to look through hers： momentarily she shared their owner's vision。 She saw sex as depravity； a raw and bestial exchange。
〃No；〃 she said； trying to cancel the nausea that had suddenly risen in her。
Marty opened his eyes to slits； taking her 〃no〃 as a mand to postpone the finish。
〃I'm trying； babe 。 。 。〃 he said； grinning。 〃Just don't move。〃 She couldn't grasp what he meant at first： he was a thousand miles from her； lying below in a foul sweat； wounding her against her wishes。 〃OK？〃 he breathed； holding on until it almost hurt。 He seemed to swell in her。 The sensation drove the double vision out of her head。 The other viewer shrank away behind her eyes； revolted by the fullness and the fleshiness of this act； by its reality。 Did the intruding mind feel Marty too； she half…thought； its cortex plumbed by a cock…head that was swelling to cream even now？
〃God 。 。 。〃 she said。
With the other eyes in retreat； the joy came back。
〃Can't stop； babe；〃 Marty said。
〃Go on；〃 she said。 〃It's all right。 It's all right。〃 Flecks of her sweat hit him as she moved on top of him。
〃Go on。 Yes！〃 she said again。 It was an exclamation of pure delight； and it took him past the point of return。 He tried to stave off eruption for a few more trembling seconds。 The weight of her hips on him； the heat of her channel； the brightness of her breasts； filled his head。
And then somebody spoke； a low； guttural voice。
〃Stop it。〃 Marty's eyes fluttered open； glancing to left and right。 There was nobody else in the room。 His head had invented the sound。 He canceled the illusion and looked back at Carys。
〃Go on；〃 she said。 〃Please go on。〃 She was dancing on him。 The bones of her hips caught the light； the sweat on them ran and ran； glowing。
〃Yes 。 。 。 Yes 。 。 。〃 he answered； the voice forgotten。
She looked down at him as imminence infested his face； and through the intricacies of her own flaring sensations she felt the second mind again。 It was a worm in her budding head； pushing forward； its sickness ready to stain her vision。 She fought it。
〃Go away；〃 she told it； under her breath； 〃go away。〃 But it wanted to defeat her； to defeat them both。 What had seemed like curiosity before was malice now。 It wanted to spoil everything。
〃I love you；〃 she told Marty； defying the presence in her。 〃I love you； I love you…〃 The invader spasmed； furious with her； and more furious still that she didn't concede to its spoiling。 Marty was rigid； on the threshold； blind and deaf to anything but pleasure。 Then； with a groan； he began to spurt in her； and she was there too。 Her sensations drove all thoughts of resistance out of her head。 Somewhere far off she could hear Marty gasping 〃Oh； Jesus；〃 he was saying； 〃babe 。 。 。 babe。〃 …but he was in another world。 They weren't together； even at this moment。 She in her ecstasy； he in his； each running a private race to pletion。
A wayward spasm made Marty convulse。 He opened his eyes。 Carys had her hands glued over her face； fingers spread。
〃You all right； babe？〃 he said。
When her eyes opened； he had to bite back a shout。 It was； for a moment； not her who stared out between the bars。 It was something dredged up from the bottom of the sea。 Black eyes swiveling in a gray head。 Some primeval genus that viewed him…he knew this to his marrow…with hatred in its bowels。
The hallucination lasted two heartbeats only； but long enough for him to glance down her body and up again to meet the same vile gaze。
〃Carys？〃 Then her eyelids fluttered； and the fan of her fingers closed across her face。 For a lunatic instant he flinched； awaiting the revelation。 Her hands dropping from her head； the face transformed： a fish's head。 But of course it was her： only her。 Here she was now； smiling at him。
〃Are you all right？〃 he ventured。
〃What do you think？〃 〃I love you； babe。〃 She murmured something as she slumped on him。 They lay there for several minutes； his cock diminishing in a cooling bath of mingled fluids。
〃Aren't you getting a cramp？〃 he asked her after a while； but she didn't reply。 She was asleep。
Gently； he slid her sideways； slipping out of her with a wet sound。 She lay on the bed beside him； her face impassive。 He kissed her breasts； licked her fingers； and fell asleep beside her。
32
Mamoulian felt sick。
She wasn't easy prey； this woman； despite his sentimental claim upon her psyche。 But then her strength was to be expected。 She was Whitehead's stock： peasant breed； thief breed。 Cunning and dirty。 Though she couldn't know precisely what she was doing； she'd fought him with the very sensuality he most despised。
But her weaknesses…and she had many…were exploitable。 He'd used the heroin fugues at first； gaini