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Melissa Etheridge singing 〃Chrome Plated Heart。〃
He came up close behind her； said in her ear； ' 'How did you know I work for the Mall？〃
Tori closed her eyes。 〃It wasn't just one thing。 The Japanese who just happened to be in the tunnels。 You said of them； 'If they catch us； they'll kill us！' Then； just now； you said you'd rather work with the Japanese。 What would you know about the Japanese？ But the biggest mistake you made was in not showing sufficient surprise at what I did down there： finding our hiding place； killing the rat； keeping you from making a sound when they were still out there waiting for us。〃 At last she turned to face him。 〃I think it's about time you tell me what this is all about。〃
〃Later；〃 Ariel said。 〃When there's plenty of time。〃 his lips covered hers； and this time she knew she lacked the will to break away。
She felt him around her； his arms coiling； a great masculine figure； hard and strong； a sanctuary within the heavenly aerie he had created for himself。 And it was as if she had been dropped into me center of a whirlpool； in the grip of forces she could no longer hold in check。 She was out of control； she knew it； and still the exhilaration rose in her； blotting out everything but Ariel。
She crushed herself against him； feeling her nipples erect； feeling the long dormant liquid heaviness in her thighs and pelvis。 She trembled in his embrace； and he lifted her off her feet。
The taste of lust was in her mourn； the fire in her body given full reign； conscious thought driven away on the wings of her passion。
She was so hungry…not only her loins but her empty heart yearned to be filled again； to throb at the sight of a precious lover； to anticipate his love like the ing of night； and then to feel it gushing through her like a mountain stream at the first thaw of spring。
She wept as he kissed her breasts； her thighs； her wet sex。 She murmured endearments when she； in turn； took him in her mouth； feeling him growing； growing； the taste of him intoxicating。
She cried out when he entered her； her nails scoring his back as he slid all the way up her and she was filled to bursting； her heart thundering； her thighs lifting； enclosing him。 Their breaths mingled； he kissed her ears； her nose； the ers of her eyes where her flesh was as thin and soft as a baby's。 He inhaled the musk at the hollow of her throat； licked the swelling tops of her breasts。
And； oh； it was good。 Not only the pleasure they were creating together； but the letting go； like dancing in the rain or rushing naked into the sea。 Tori's heart sighed； contented； as she was buried breathlessly toward an ending； a thunder in her soul； the sun in her eyes； the rain of their sweat flying as they ground together； the sweet collision of flesh and emotion that only making love can produce。
Then he was gasping and heaving。 She felt him shudder； arch into her； and something touched her core。 Everything shattered； like walking into and through a mirror； arriving at a new reality； a plane of existence once only hinted at。
〃Oh； my God。 。 。 Ohhh！〃
She moved…when she could gather herself to stir again…to the beat of his heart as well as her own。 The feeling was so sweet； so intense； that she felt tears e again。 It was something to feel like a woman once more； soft and vulnerable。 It was so different from how she had been trained： she had been instructed to bee as hard as a man； so she had bee harder； she had been instructed to replace emotion with logic； so she had bee harder； she had been instructed to replace logic with instinct； so she had bee harder still； so immersed in her studies she had no time for personal considerations。 An economy of movement； speech； thought had overtaken her； defining her new life。
And everything else had withered within her。 She had seen this as good； a purging； an exorcism of the toxins that had embittered her previous life； that had driven her to Japan； to a land and a philosophy that was as far as she could get from what she had once been。 Up until this moment。
Now she saw the other side： how the forging of her spirit in the crucible of her extraordinary training had distanced herself from everything…the good as well as the bad…that had dwelt inside her。 And she was immensely grateful to Ariel Solares for giving her back that part of herself she knew she could not live without。
She wanted to make love again； now； before thought crept back through her drunk mind； but her bladder was bursting； and she staggered naked off the sofa； down the hallway； into the bathroom。
She was finished； splashing cold water on her face； when she heard the sound。 Or； perhaps； felt it would be more accurate。 Her first thought was that an earthquake had hit。 She lurched； grabbing onto the cool porcelain of the sink。 Ariel's toothbrush rattled in its holder and a bottle of cologne crashed to the tile floor。
But dimly Tori was aware of the aftermath of a percussion。 Alarm flooded through her。 She pulled open the door； leaped over the shards of glass； ran down the hall。
All her senses were alert。 The air was thick。 Plaster dust； smoke； and me smell of burning filled the air； choking her。 She smelled the acrid chemical by…products of plastique explosives。
〃Ariel？〃 she called。 Then more urgently； 〃Ariel！〃
She found him crouched on the other side of the room。 The sofa on which they had been making love but moments before was demolished； charred as if in a fire。 Its pieces had been thrown halfway across the floor。 The doors to the balcony had exploded outward； shards of glass glittered in the city light。 There was a hole in the wall behind where the doors had been； and the cruel San Francisco evening wind whipped the tattered drapes； impaling them on the iron…tipped Amazonian spears。
Tori threw herself down beside Ariel。 He was making hideous gasping sounds； he was covered in blood。 She tried to hold him； but he shrugged her away； and she saw that he was desperately trying to get to something。 his fingers scrabbled at a cabinet door。 He fumbled it open； then seemed to lose all energy。 his shoulders slumped heavily and his forehead rested against the carpet。
Tori turned him； stifled a scream。 There wasn't much left of his chest。 How he was still breathing； let alone able to open a cabinet； was beyond her。
Her mind refused to work。 It was as if she were stuck in tar。 What had happened？ How could this have taken place in the few moments she had been at the other end of the house？
Ariel Solares was dying； but he did not seem focused on that； he had more urgent business。 Still in her arms； he flopped like a landed fish until his right hand could reach into the cabinet。 He drew out a hardwood box。 It trembled in the grip of the spasm that racked him。
Then Ariel pressed the box into her hand。 his lips moved； his eyes searching hers； and Tori bent down。
〃What is it； Ariel？〃 she whispered。 〃Oh； my God； my God。〃
Because his mouth was suddenly filled with blood。 Bubbles formed at the corners of his lips as he drowned in his own fluids。
And there was nothing Tori could do but hold him； rocking him gently； looking down at him to let him know she was there； thinking of the last line of the