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er mind。 She was wondering if all of him was that big。 Soon she would find out。
While she tended to the deep purple bruise on her leg； Rock made dinner； a stew utilizing the fresh meat he had brought back。 When die pot was simmering； he set about scraping the inside of the hide to prepare it for tanning。 While he worked； he wondered about her long nails； something one would never see on a farm girl。 His sixth sense … what the Japanese； under whom he had studied hand…to…hand bat； called haragei； the divine energy … began to flood his mind with the clarity of insight。
When he looked up； he saw Mai standing naked just outside the flap of his tent。 He stared at her； thinking。 This one is special。 His hands and forearms were covered with blood。 He could feel himself getting hard。 It had been some time since he had been with a woman； but seeing Mai； he knew that it wouldn't have mattered if he had had sex an hour ago … he would still be hard。
He dropped his enormous Marine bat knife onto the red underside of the skin and stood up。 He saw Mai's gaze lower from his face to the place between his legs。 He stood out a country mile。 Then she turned and went inside the tent。 Rock followed her； bent over slightly from the fierceness of his erection。
Inside； she was kneeling in the dimness。 She beckoned him on； then held her cupped palms in front of her breasts。 Rock unbuckled his belt； and she did the rest。 She held him tenderly in both hands。
Her head bent； the cascade of her lustrous hair fanned his naked thighs； the flutter of a nightbird's wing。 She touched him first with the tip of her tongue； then laved him with the flat of it。 At length； she used her lips。
She engulfed him； and as he watched with slitted eyes her cheeks hollow； Rock had that flash of insight that the Shan call the Ruby。 He knew by her skill and her expertise who she must be。 He knew where she had e from； and who had sent her。 He knew what he must do。
She sucked slavishly at him。 One hand gently squeezed his scrotum； the other snaked between his thighs to probe his other opening。
Rock bent over and； encircling Mai's tiny waist； slowly inverted her until her breasts pressed against his lower belly； her thighs resting on his shoulders。 He felt as vibration her moan as he plunged his face into her humid mound。
She tasted of mango and spice。 He tongued her while her loins tensed expectantly； then all through the spasms caused by her contracting muscles。 And again。
She sucked all the harder； moaning for him to e。 Rock put her on the floor of the tent and entered her。 It was not easy。 He was very big； and she was small。 But； gradually； she accustomed her engorged flesh to his。
Rock began to stroke long and hard； feeling her thrusting up on him with what seemed genuine desire。 Even as his eyes began to glaze； he was in touch with haragei； connected with the treachery and deceit spun like a web around him。
He was about to e； and he let her know it； grunting and thrusting even harder。 Felt her lifting her right hand from his shoulder where it had been gripping him with sweaty abandon。 Saw； out of the corner of his eye； a bright gleam； like a darning needle； the metal jacket fitted over one long nail； its tip dark and lustrous with poison。
He grabbed for her hand； but he misjudged her quickness； or his willpower was not quite strong enough； and he began to ejaculate into her。 He lost his hold on her wrist； saw the nail； curved like a scorpion's tail； blurring in toward the side of his neck and his carotid； knew he'd be dead within seconds。
Devoid of conscious thought； afloat in the void of haragei； he smashed his elbow into her face； feeling with some satisfaction the crack of bone； feeling the heat of her inner tissue； the smell of her blood like a rose bursting open。
Then he had her right wrist and； taking hold of her forefinger； plunged the poisoned nail into her solar plexus。
The next morning； he made the steep； grueling ascent into General Quan's territory。 It had rained during the night； and the day was hot； unusual at this high elevation。 Rock was sweating by the time he sighted the first of General Quan's patrols。
He put down his bundles； set himself against the bole of a tree； and ate a bit of dried fish in the cool shade。 He took some water from his canteen。 When he was finished； he set about making a fire； hanging up his stewpot。 He poured the contents of one of his bundles into the pot。
By that time； General Quan's patrol had spotted the smoke from his fire。 They were ing； AK…47s at the ready。 There were five of them； he saw。 Perfect。 He began to whistle the Doors' 〃Light My Fire。〃
Wild Boy got out his rocket launcher； fitted the pieces together。 When the patrol was in range； he loaded； fired； and took three of them out in a brilliant blaze。
〃Get me General Quan！〃 he yelled in their peculiar dialect。 〃Tell him Wild Boy wants to see him。〃
The remaining two soldiers scrambled away； and Rock settled down to wait。 An hour later； they were back with someone of some rank。 The two Shan kept their distance。
〃Who are you；〃 the mander said； 〃to demand General Quan leave his pound？〃
It was a matter of face； Rock knew。 In Asia； it was always a matter of face。 The man who forgot that； or thought he could circumvent it； would never survive in this part of the world。
〃I am Wild Boy；〃 Rock said； hefting his rocket launcher。 〃I demand nothing。 I requested an audience with General Quan。 I am a courteous man。 To demand is to act the barbarian。〃
The mander； who had heard of Wild Boy； was nevertheless impressed by this speech。 He grunted。 〃The general may grant you an audience if some concessions are made。 For instance； repense must be made for the three men you killed。〃
〃An unfortunate mistake。 I was merely attempting to defend myself。〃
〃General Quan will not accept this explanation。 There are now three families who will go hungry。〃
〃I will pay so that they will not go hungry；〃 Rock said； knowing the drill。
〃Do you have gifts for General Quan？〃
〃Certainly。 Only a barbarian or a witless man would e empty…handed to an audience with the emperor of the Shan。〃
Thus mollified； the mander waved Rock upward。 Rock packed his gear with great care。 He made a show of breaking down his rocket launcher； stowing it away； to further allay whatever fears the mander might still harbor。
The mander led the way； the two soldiers flanking Rock on either side。 He had no fear of them at all。 He was now under the benevolent protection of General Quan。 If the patrol was attacked at this moment； the men were bound to safeguard him even at the expense of their own lives。
General Quan's pound was bristling with armed men when the patrol arrived。 It seemed as if every available man had been ordered to be in attendance at Rock's arrival。 This rather primitive display of territorial superiority impressed Rock。 It meant that he was being taken seriously。 That boded well for the interview。
General Quan had been dispatched to the Shan five years ago to begin to runnel the fabulously rich vein of illegal merce to be had here in the direction of his terribly impoverished country。 He knew he had more to fear from the Chinese o