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ung at the sight of her。
〃I love you；〃 he said。
The words came out with such ease that they were said before he had chance to spoil them by making a performance out of them。
Of course he'd said it before； plenty of times （too many times； in truth） but never like this。 It sounded； for the first time； simple。 Simple and true。 She raised her head from the ground； until her lips were almost touching his。
〃I love you too；〃 she whispered。
〃Yes？〃
〃You know I do。 You're the one I've waited for； Todd。 All these years。 I've been patient； because I knew you'd e。〃
She pressed her hips up towards him； sheathing him pletely。 Then； still holding onto him； she began to pull herself off him a little way； just until the head of his dick was about to find the air； then smothering it again； down to the root。
There was a heavy reverberation in the ground。 Todd could feel it through his palms。
〃The hunters。。。〃 he said。
〃Yes；〃 she said； as though this was of little consequence。 〃Goga's close。 We should stay very still until he's passed by。〃
She drew Todd down on top of her。 He couldn't see the huntsmen yet； but the noise was getting louder nevertheless。 The reverberations made the little shards of rock around her head； decorated with tiny fragments of fossil； dance。
Finally； they came into view； rising over the crest of a hill some twenty…five or thirty yards from where they lay； locked together。
There were five of them in the Duke's party； and they looked as though they'd been riding for a very long time。 Their horses shone with sweat； and the men…all of whom were dressed in tattered tunics…showed signs of extreme fatigue。 But even their exhaustion had a kind of livid beauty to it。 Their skin was as bright； or brighter； than the bone that it concealed； their eyes； which were sunk deep in their sockets； had a fevered brilliance in them。 Todd wasn't surprised they looked so harried； given the orders of beast he'd glimpsed here。 Yes； there were wild pigs and stags； but there were other kinds of creature； far less easily categorized； things that looked as though the Devil had had a hand in their design。 Lethal quarry； no doubt。 Indeed there were signs that the party had been recently attacked。 One of the horses had a number of deep gashes on its rump； and its rider had dearly suffered in the encounter。 His left arm hung limply； and a large dark bloodstain had spread from a place under his arm across a third of his upper body。 His lips were drawn back from his teeth in pain； his eyelids drooping。
Even if Katya hadn't named the leader； it would have been clear to Todd that he was of a higher social standing than his panions； his horse a more finely bred animal than those the others rode； its mane and tail braided。 As for the man himself； he was almost as beautifully coifed as his mount； his full； dark beard well…shaped； his long hair a good deal cleaner than that of his panions。 But these cosmetic polishes aside； he was in no better shape than his fellow riders。 His eyes were sunk deep into his skull and his body； for all the upright position he held in his saddle； was full of little tics； as though he were unfortable in his own skin。 In his left hand he held the reins of his horse。 His right rested on the golden pommel of his sword； ready to unsheathe the blade in a heartbeat。
Todd had never played in a medieval movie…his face was far too contemporary； and his acting skills too rudimentary for an audience to believe him as anything but a modern man。 But he'd seen his share of epics： the kind Heston had made in the fifties and early sixties： all rhetoric and pose…striking。 The men approaching them looked nothing like the well…fed heroes of those epics。 Their bodies were wizened； their looks so intense they looked more like escaped lunatics than hunters。
Goga raised his right hand （which was missing two fingers） and with a silent gesture slowed the advance of the party。 The men…sensing their leader's apprehension…proceeded to scan the landscape around them； looking for some sign of their enemy； whoever； or whatever； it was。
Todd stayed very still； just as Katya had instructed。 Had these men been gun…slingers； he would have described them as trigger…happy。 Plainly they were nervous and exhausted； not men to meddle with。
But even as he lay there； barely daring to breathe； he felt Katya reach down between his legs and proceed to stroke his balls。 He gave her an astonished look； which she returned with a mischievous little smile。 She stroked him back to full erection； and then subtly maneuvered her body so that he was once again fully sheathed by her。 The sensation felt even more extraordinary than it had a few minutes before。 Without seeming to move her hips she contrived to make waves of motion move up and down her channel； massaging him。
All the while； the horsemen approached； and the closer they came the more desperate they looked。 These were men who apparently lived in a constant state of fear； to judge by their expressions。 One of the Duke's four followers； the oldest and the most scarred； mumbled a prayer to himself as he rode； and in his hand he clutched a plain wooden cross； which more than once he kissed； for fort's sake。
Todd was somewhere between ecstasy and panic。 He didn't dare move； even if he'd wanted to。 Katya； meanwhile was free to play havoc with his nerve…endings。 He didn't move his hips； he didn't need to。 She had all the moves。 Her internal manipulations were being more elaborate all the time； driving him closer and closer to losing control。
Todd had always been a noisy lover； sometimes embarrassingly so。 （A memorable night with a girlfriend in a suite at the Chateau Marmont had been brought to a premature halt when the manager had called up his room to regretfully report that the guests in an adjacent suite couldn't sleep for all his moans。） Now the best he could do was bite his lip until he tasted blood； and will himself not to let a sound escape him。
The horsemen were so close now that he did not dare move his head to look at them。 But he could just see them from the corner of his eye。 The Duke gave an order； in Romanian： 〃Stai！ N…auzi ceva？〃 The men brought their horses to a halt； the Duke no more than four yards from where Todd and Katya lay on the ground。 Had it not been for the fact that the eclipse rendered the light here so deceptive； the pair would surely have been seen； and dispatched： a single blade skewering them both in an instant。 But as far as Todd's limited vision could tell； the men were looking further afield for their quarry； scanning the distant landscape rather than the ground yards from their horses' hooves。
There was another exclamation from the Duke； and this time a response from one of his men。 Todd had the impression that they were listening for something。 He listened along with them。 What could he hear？ Nothing out of the ordinary。 The cry of birds； wheeling overhead； the coarse breathing and snorting of the horses； the slap of the reins against their massive necks。 And closer by； the breathing of the woman beneath him； and…a smaller sound still…the rhythmical click of a beetle as it made its clockwork way over the small st