el.angeleyes-第72节
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r voice。 Tears stream down her face。
〃 'KGB。 Keep calm。'
〃The man in the black leather trench coat drags her out of the path of his men； and they take my father away。 My mother offers no further resistance。 She does not even take a last look at my father as he is manhandled down the stairs of the apartment building。 Her eyes are blank。
〃The man from the KGB is about to leave； but at that moment his head turns。 He had heard something。 Me。 He moves slowly through the small apartment until he finds my room。 I hear him ing in； ing closer。
〃I am curled up in bed； hugging my pillow。 He is across the room in one long stride。 He pulls the covers back； exposing me。
〃 'Irina；' he says。 'Little Irina。'
〃I can't understand how he knows my name。 I am so terrified I don't know what to do or think。 His black leather trench coat is billowing around him like the wings of a gigantic bat。 I can feel my heart beating painfully； like a trip…hammer。
〃His white hand closes over my ankle so that I am stretched out across the bed。 'How old are you； little Irina？' he whispers。 The wide brim of his hat hides his face pletely； so that he seems to be a part of the shadows of the room。 A shadow that holds me fast。
〃 'Eight。' I hardly know how I squeezed that one word out
〃His hand moves up to my thigh。 He touches me there； between my legs。 'Take care of your mother； little Irina。 She needs you。'
〃 'What…What did you do with my Daddy？' I asked him。
〃 'Forget your father；' the man from the KGB says； straightening up。 'He's dead。' 〃
Irina had recited this horrific tale in a dispassionate； detached voice。 But as soon as she uttered the words 〃He's dead；〃 she broke down； sobbing hysterically into Mars's chest。
He held her； gently swinging her back and forth； as a mother will fort a child with night terrors； until at last her sobbing subsided。
''Irina；'' he said gently； ''tell me； did the man from the KGB force himself on you？''
〃You mean sexually？〃 Despite her best efforts； her voice cracked。
〃Yes。〃
She shook her head no。 After a moment's pause she said； 〃But； in a way； what he did was just as bad。 It made my flesh crawl； and when； years later； my first lover touched me there for the first time； I screamed just as if he had thrust a knife into me。〃
〃My God；〃 Mars said； 〃what a nightmare。〃
Mars was right； she thought； though the nightmare was continuing in the present in a way he could not imagine。 Her first instinct was to break off with Valeri。 Then； almost immediately； she saw why she absolutely must not break with him。 In the first place； she saw quite clearly that she must not give Valeri any reason to suspect that she had been spying on him； or that she knew what he really was。 If she broke off with him now； with no good reason； he would undoubtedly bee suspicious。 She knew well that paranoia was the KGB's middle name。
In the second place； she thought； Valeri is evil。 Just as the man in the black leather trench coat was evil。 They're one and the same； and if I run from Valeri； I'll just be giving them another victory over me。 I don't want that。 I 'd like nothing better than to give them back a measure of the pain they gave my father and mother。 I'd like to finally free myself from this nightmare。
She came to her decision： I'll give Valeri to Mars。 Of course； that means implicating Natasha； but perhaps that won't be so bad； what could Natasha mean to Mars？ If I give him Valeri； that's all he'll focus on。
〃I may have found a way to track White Star；〃 she said abruptly。 〃It concerns Valeri Bondasenko。〃
''What？'' Mars frowned。 ''Is this how you have been spending your time； koshka？〃 his frown deepened。 〃I know I told you that Valeri Denysovich is also looking for White Star； but you see he is dangerous； too dangerous for…〃
She said； 〃There's a woman Valeri Bondasenko secretly sees during the day。〃
〃Aha！〃 This clearly interested Mars。 〃A chink in the iron man's armor。〃
Irina said； 〃He obviously cares for this woman； so there is an obvious weakness there I believe I can exploit。 If I can find what Valeri Denysovich and this woman are up to； I think I can use it against him； get the information you want in return for my silence。〃
Mars looked dubious。
''I know what I 'm doing；'' Irina said； ''and I 'm doing it well。''
〃No； Irina。 I can't let you continue your surveillance of him； especially now that I know your background。''
〃You think I haven't the nerve； but you're wrong；'' Irina said。 〃I see now this is something I have to do； I have to face my fear of the KGB in order to overe it。 If you think me weak； Mars…〃
〃No； I don't think that。〃 He smiled。 〃Otherwise I never would have allowed you to follow your instincts in trying to find White Star。〃 He nodded。 〃So be it； koshka。 Well done。〃 The sudden look of admiration on his face flushed her with warmth。 〃My little dove；〃 he said； using the mon Russian slang for a female spy。 He embraced her； kissing her on both cheeks as she had seen Red Army generals do when they greeted one another within the precincts of the Kremlin。
Valeri said； 〃I hope you're not falling in love with Mars。〃
〃What an extraordinary thing to say。〃
〃Is it？〃 He eyed her。 〃He took you home to meet his parents。〃
Irina was startled。 〃Are you having me watched？〃
〃Only when you're with Mars；〃 Valeri said。 〃And only to make sure nothing happens to you。〃
''What could happen to me？〃
Valeri turned down the stove burner。 How much more bear…like he seemed to her now； almost like a Titan； the implied strength in his massive shoulders； chest； and upper arms so much more intimidating because he had the infinite power of the KGB behind him。 〃When it es to women；〃 Valeri said； 〃Mars can be dangerous。〃
Mars can be dangerous？ Irina thought。 Holy Mother； how he can twist the truth。 She was sitting in the kitchen of Valeri's apartment； watching him prepare breakfast。
He said； 〃Do you know； even I couldn't get peppers or zucchini at the street stand yesterday。 I had to settle for cucumbers； and they looked none too fresh to me。'' He poured the contents of a frying pan onto a platter。 The Toshiba puter was on； and he regularly consulted its screen while he was cooking。
〃How do you find time to get all those recipes in memory？〃 she asked； because she was unfortable now talking with him about Mars。
〃I get some help。〃 Valeri laughed。 〃There's a ghost in the machine。〃
Of course； Irina had a great deal of expertise with puters； that was one of the reasons she had been sent to Boston。 Now she was in charge of the new puter system at the Ministry of Education。 It was rudimentary by American standards； but still it made life so much easier。
Valeri said； ''I hope you're going to eat better than you slept。''
Indeed； for the first time since she stayed with him； she had not slept well。 In the middle of the night Valeri had reached over； put his arm around her。 Irina had gone rigid。 How could she possibly make love with him now？ And yet when he turned toward her and she felt his heat against her； his central core of hardness like a bar of iron pressed against her tower belly； she melted。 It was as if she were two women： one who was now terrified by Valeri； the other who had found something deep inside him； something not only tremendously exciting； but also； in a way she could not fathom； redeeming。
Valeri was so gentle； so tender as his lips covered her body； moving from the hollow of her neck to her breasts； her stomach。 By the time he reached her thighs； she was trembling in anticipation。 Her mind was on fire。 No； she realized later； not her mind。 For she had put her rational mind on hold； locking away for the moment her terror and her shame； while her heart seemed to merge with her sex at that precise moment Valeri's tongue found her open and wet。
She moaned； reached back； holding onto the brass bars of the bedstead while her head whipped from side to side。 When she felt on the verge of exploding； she reached down； ran her fingers through his thick hair to pull him up。
Mindlessly she guided him into her； arching up hard against his groin so that not one millimeter of him was left outside。 She was wild； wanton； so abandoned that she could not remember later what she had said or how long it had lasted。 It had seemed like forever； an endless moment； ripped from the cloth of time； when the both of them hung on the brink of ecstasy； their muscles tight and jumping。
At the end Valeri's lips sought hers； kissing her as the delicious； aching； febrile end came； as she groaned into his open mouth； tasting him as she cried out； their twined bodies spasming on and on and on 。。。
And in the long silence afterward； with Valeri still inside her； with her licking the aromatic salt from his shoulder； she could not help but think of Mars； beautiful； handsome Mars； and wonder why sex with him was so uninvolving； so disappointing。
She had fallen asleep on top of Valeri； his hulking body her bed。 And when she awoke at dawn； when her rational mind was again in control； she wept silent； bitter tears at the weakness of her flesh。
Now； as Valeri set their breakfast on the table； Irina found that she had no appetite。 Valeri watched her toy with her food； said； 〃I
