ericlustbader.the ninja-第6章

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　'I　know。'　But　it　was　not　enough　because　she　had　said　it　like　a　little　girl　who　did　not　quite　believe　what　she　was　saying；　wanting　only　some　outside　reassurance　for　an　important　inner　act。
　She　broke　away　from　this　tight　orbit；　perhaps　feeling　the　increasing　magnetism　beginning　to　influence　the　balance；　and　went　across　the　room　to　stand　in　front　of　the　large　window。　The　outside　lights　were　still　on；　and　beyond　the　porch　and　the　fluttering　pitiful　moths　the　sea　broke　endlessly　onto　the　shore；　the　sand　now　as　dark　as　coal。
　'You　know；　for　some　reason　this　view　reminds　me　of　San　Francisco。'
　'When　were　you　there？'　he　asked；　ing　round　and　sitting　on　one　arm　of　the　sofa。
　'About　two　years　ago；　I　guess。　I　was　there　for　eighteen　months；　almost。'
　'Why'd　you　leave？'
　'I　…　broke　up　with　someone。　Came　back　here。　Returned　to　the　East；　the　prodigal　daughter；　into　the　bosom　of　her　family。'　For　some　reason　that　struck　her　as　funny；　but　the　laugh　seemed　to　strangle　and　die　in　her　throat。
　'You　loved　the　city。'
　'Yes；'　she　said。　'Yes；　I　did　that。　Very　much。〃
　'Then　why　leave　it？'
　'I　…　had　to。'　She　lifted　her　slim　hand；　then　looked　at　it；　surprised　that　it　was　in　that　position。　'I　was　a　different　person　then。　Not　at　all　secure。'　She　clasped　her　hands　in　front　of　her；　arms　extended　downwards。　'I　was　so　vulnerable。　I　felt　…　I　guess　I　felt　that　I　couldn't　stay　there　by　myself。　There　was　a　kind　of　wind　sailing　through　me。'　As　if　it　were　an　afterthought；　she　said；　'It　was　a　stupid　situation。　/　was　stupid。'　She　shook　her　head　as　if　she　still　could　not　believe　how　she　had　acted。
　'I've　been　there　twice；'　Nicholas　said。　'San　Francisco；　I　mean。　I　fell　in　love　with　it。　Its　size；　its　whiteness　viewed　from　Mill　Valley。'　He　was　watching　the　thin　line　of　phosphorescence；　almost　transparent；　that　marked　the　rise　of　the　surf　and　its　subsequent　fall　to　earth；　ing　in；　ing　in。　'I　used　to　go　down　to　the　shore　just　to　watch　the　Pacific　and　think：　Here　are　these　waves　rolling　in；　rolling　all　the　way　across　the　world　from　Japan。'
　'Why　did　you　leave？'　she　asked。　'What　made　you　e　here？'
　He　took　a　deep　breath。　'That's　difficult　to　sum　up　in　words。　I　suppose　it　was　an　aggregate　of　many　things；　a　slow　accretion。　My　father；　you　know；　he　wanted　to　e　to　America。　He　loved　Japan。　Fought　for　it；　always。　He　might　have　e　here　himself　but　…　it　wasn't　his　karma；　I　suppose。　It　was　something　he　regretted。'　The　spume　was　like　silver　lace　far　away　…　out　there　on　the　bosom　of　the　sea。　'If　there　is　a　part　of　him　within　me；　then　he's　here　now　and　that　makes　me　feel　all　right。'
　'Do　you　really　believe　that？　Life　after　…'
　He　smiled。　'Oh　yes。　Oh　no。　I　cannot　tell　you　truthfully。　East　meets　West　inside　me　like　swirling　currents　and　there　is　a　kind　of　tug　of　war。　But　about　my　father；　my　mother。　They　are　with　me；　yes。'
　'It　seems　so　odd　…'
　'Only　because　we　are　here；　standing　on　a　porch　in　West　Bay　Bridge。　If　we　were　in　Asia。。。'　He　shrugged　as　if　this　explanation　were　sufficient。　'And；　too；　I　came　here　to　prove　to　myself　that　I　could　be　a　Westerner　as　well　as　an　Easterner。　I　majored　in　mass　munications　at　college；　launched　into　the　atom　age。　Advertising　seemed　a　logical　choice　once　I　came　here　and　I　was　lucky　enough　to　find　someone　who　was　willing　to　take　a　chance　on　me　as　a　raw　trainee。'　He　laughed。　'It　turned　out　I　was　a　natural。'
　She　turned　her　body　sideways　to　the　surf；　facing　him　fully。　She　came　and　stood　next　to　him。　Her　long　hair　swirled；　a　link；　they　had　not　touched。　'Do　you　want　me？'　she　whispered　like　the　tide。　'Do　you　want　to　make　love　to　me？'
　'Yes；'　he　said；　watching　her　eyes；　their　expanded　pupils　darkening　the　green　to　black。　He　felt　a　tightening　in　his　stomach；　no　longer　quite　certain　of　his　own　ghosts；　feeling　a　filament　of　fear；　a　feather　brushing　the　base　of　his　spine。　'Do　you　want　to　make　love　to　me？〃
　She　said　nothing；　he　felt　the　nearness　of　her　hand　rather　than　saw　it；　mesmerized　by　her　eyes；　the　glowing　motes…e　people　nets。　He　felt　its　heat；　then　the　tips　of　her　fingers　touching　the　skin　of　his　biceps；　curled　around　the　muscles　there；　firmly　but　without　squeezing；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　simple　gesture　municated　so　much　that　it　was　as　if　she　had　never　done　it　before；　that　it　had　never　been　done　to　him　before　in　just　that　way。　And　that　first　contact　was　so　electrically　tender　that　he　felt　the　muscles　of　his　thighs　trembling；　a　sighing　in　his　heart　begin。
　He　wrapped　her　slowly　in　his　arms　and　he　was　quite　certain　she　cried　out；　a　tiny　burst　of　erotic　emotion；　'Oh　I'　the　abandoned　ardour　of　the　music；　just　before　his　lips　covered　hers。　Immediately　her　mouth　opened　under　his　and　he　felt　the　length　of　her　body　pressing　against　his；　building　heat　at　the　fulcra　of　breasts；　belly　and　the　juncture　of　her　thighs。
　How　hot　she　seemed　as　his　lips　caressed　her　long　neck；　tracing　the　rounded　edge　of　her　collarbone。　His　hands　pulled　at　her　shirt。　Her　lips　were　at　his　ear；　her　tongue　circling；　circling　like　that　last　hungry　gull　above　the　night…dark　beach；　and　she　whispered；　'Not　here。　Not　here。　Please　…'
　Lifting　her　arms　and　the　shirt　came　off；　his　fingers　stroked　her　spine；　the　deep　long　indentation。　She　shivered　and　moaned　as　he　licked　under　her　arms；　moving　slowly　to　her　full　breasts；　the　nipples　already　hard　and　puckered。
　Her　long　fingers　unfastening　the　snap　of　his　jeans；　her　nails　clicking　together　as　his　open　lips　covered　the　upper　slopes　of　her　breasts；　spiraling　inwards。　'Please；'　she　whispered。　'Please。'　And　brought　him　out　of　the　jeans；　already　half…erect；　stroking　him　softly　to　full　hardness　as　he　sucked　her　nipples。
　He　felt　the　fear　give　a　last　flutter；　like　a　tired　sigh；　before　it　evaporated　utterly。　They　sank　lower　and　lower；　twisting　and　trembling　with　anticipation　as　the　remainder　of　their　clothes　came　off。　Her　hands　moved　to　push　down　the　pair　of　thin　silk　panties　but　he　stopped　her；　picking　her　up　from　the　carpet；　one　hand　under　her　buttocks；　the　other　at　the　small　of　her　back；　lifted　her　half　onto　the　sofa；　moving　between　her　spread　thighs；　bending；　his　opened　lips　finding　their　soft　inner　sides；　moving　slowly　upwards；　towards　the　high　silk…covered　mount。　Her　fingers　were　white　as　they　gripped　the　front　edge　of　the　sofa's　pillow；　his　tongue　touched　the　moist　silk　and　she　moaned　again；　her　back　arching；
　He　began　to　lick　at　her　through　the　thin　barrier　of　the　silk　and　her　hands　flew　to　his　head；　stroking　his　ears；　her　wide　opened　mouth　making　small　involuntary　cries　as　the　tension　built　inside　her　rapidly。　Then　he　moved　aside　the　sopping　silk　and　buried　his　face　against　her。　Her　nails　grazed　his　back　as　her　long　legs　jerked　convulsively　upwards。　Her　ankles　locked　against　his　spine。　He　moved　slightly　upwards　to　her　core；　sucked　it　into　his　mouth。　Her　loins　rolled　upwards　in　powerful　thrusts　as　she　cried　out；　his　tongue　and　lips　constantly　moving　until　he　felt　her　shuddering　against　him；　heard　her　scream；　the　tenseness　dissolving　out　of　her；　and　wetly；　heatedly；　she　drew　him　up　towards　her；　her　fingers　seeking　him；　her　lips　wildly　on　his；　wanting　him　in　her　now；　at　this　precise　moment；　more　than　she　wanted　anything　else；　to　continue　the　exquisite　heat　she　felt；　to　give　him　pleasure　as　he　had　given　her。
　Her　sex　felt　like　a　furnace　as　she　guided　him　into　her。　She　rammed　her　belly　against　him　as　he　buried　himself　to　the　hilt；　they　both　groaned　with　the　sensation。　She　surrounded　him　with　her　arms；　languorously　twitching　her　upper　torso　so　that　her　lush　breasts　rubbed　back　and　forth　across　his　chest。　She　moaned　with　the　intense　stimulation　to　her　hard　nipples。　She　licked　at　his　neck　as　he　used　his　hands　on　her；；　all　over；　increasing　her　pleasure；　riding　high　within　her；　and　at　the　end；　when　she　found　the　tension　almost　unbearable；　when　the　sweat　and　the　saliva　ran　down　her　arms　and　between　her　breasts；　pooling　in　her　navel；　when　his　frictioning　against　her　was　so　intense　that　it　took　on　a　kind　of　third　dimension；　she　used　her　inner　muscles　once；　twice；　heard　him　gasp；　felt　herself　balancing　on　the　brink；　the　thudding　of　their　hearts　heavy　in　her　inner　ear；　whispering　to　him；　'e；　darling；　e　…　ohhh！'　gasped　out　as　she　felt　his　probing　finger；　slick　with　their　mingled　juices；　at　the　opening　of　her　anus　and　lost　all　control；　filled　with　fire　all　the　way　up　to　her　throat。
　Dr　Vincent　Ito　stirred　the　hot　chrysanthemum　tea　steaming　in　the　handleless　ceramic　cup。　Disturbed；　several　dark　bits　of　crushed　leaf　swirled　upwards　from　the　bottom；　circling　the　surface。　They　reminded　him　of　floaters。　They　were　ing；　he　knew；　had　been　for　a　month　or　so。　Those　bodies；　once　people　who　had　leapt　or；　unconscious；　had；　perhaps；　been　pushed　into　the　East　River　or　the　Hudson　during　the　long　whiter　months。　Consigned　to　the'deep；　they　had　been　preserved　by　the　chill　at　the　bottom；　undisturbed　by　the　sluggish　currents　until　the　beginning　of　the　summer　when　the　water　heated　up。　At　thirty　to　thirty…five　degrees　Fahrenheit；　bacteria　would　begin　to　breed；　causing　putrefaction　and　gases　that　would；　eventually；　bring　the　body　to　the　surface；　and　the　floater；　months　after　it　had　gone　in；　would　be　brought　to　him　at　the　Medical　Examiner's　building…
　That　certainly　did　not　bother　him。　Since　he　was　an　associate　medical　examiner；　it　was　merely　part　of　Vincent's　life。　An　important　part；　he　had　admitted　to　himself　long　ago。　The　morgue；　in　the　building's　basement；　with　its　steel…jacketed　doors　stacked　one　atop　the　other　marked　by　their　neat；　typewritten　cards；　the　scrubbed　grey　tile　floor；　the　great　scales　upon　which　the　corpses　were　weighed；　was　where　he　lived　most　of　his　days。　There　was　nothing　ghoulish　about　it；　passing　the　brown　and　white　bodies　laid　out　on　the　shining　trolleys；　bloodless；　the　great　T…shaped　incisions　across　the　chest　from　shoulder　to　shoulder　and　down　across　the　abdomen；　the　epidermis　thick　like　leather；　the　faces　as　peaceful　as　if　they　slept　the　sleep　of　the　innocent。　It　had　no　effect　on　him。　The　interest　and；　yes；　the　excitement　of　forensic　medicine　was；　for　him；　the　intricate　puzzle　of　death。　Not　so　much　what　it　was　but　rather　what　had　caused　it。　He　was　a　detective　whose　work　among　the　dead　had；　many　times；　aided　the　living。
　Vincent　stared　out　of　the　window　as　he　slowly　sipped　his　tea。　Darkness　still　spread　itself　before　the　ing　dawn：　4：25。　He　was　always　up　this　early。
　He　stared　out　at　the　city；　the　lighted　empty　streets　of　Manhattan。　Far　away　he　heard　the　grinding　of　a　garbage　truck　making　its　latitudinous　way　along　Tenth　Street。　Then　closer　by；　a　police　car　siren　cut　abruptly　in；　shattering　the　quietude。　But　it　too；　after　a　time；　was　gone；　evaporating　into　the　darkness。　Nothing　remained　in　the　night　but　his　thoughts；　twisting　upon　themselves。
　He　felt　trapped。　My　karma　must　have　been　very　bad　in　my　last　life；　he　told　himself。　Japan　seemed　as　inaccessible　as　if　it　were　in　another　time。　It　no　longer　seemed　possible　for　him　ever　to　find　it　again；　at　least　the　Japan　he　had　left　twelve　years　ago。　For　him　'there　was　no　more　Japan；　it　was　but　a　withered　flower　…　calling　him　still　like　a　siren　of　the　sea。
　Nicholas　awoke　just　before　dawn。　For　just　a　moment；　he　was　quite　convinced　that　he　was　in　his　old　house　on　the　outskirts　of　Tokyo；　the　Zen　garden；　the　oblique　shadows　on　the　wall　by　his　head　made　by　the　stand　of　tall　rustling　bambo