The Burning Man

10

On the blasted heath beyond the Court of the Final Word, above the river of blood, they made love with a degree of tenderness that surprised them both. Afterwards, Hunter traced his finger down between Laura’s breasts to her navel, but there wasn’t even a hint of a scar.

‘So have we worked out exactly what you are?’ he said.

‘Fabulous, and that’s the end of it.’ She rolled over and grabbed her cloak.

‘We could run away together,’ Hunter said. ‘I’d water you twice a day.’

‘Do you really think it would work?’

‘I’m just being charitable. Who else would have you?’

She surprised him with a passionate kiss, then pushed him away. ‘Could you really deprive the world of men of this body … these brains … this wit and intelligence? Hunter, dude, you’d be Public Enemy Number One.’ She held his gaze for a moment, then turned away to dress. ‘Besides, we’ve got work to do.’

‘I had a horrible feeling you were going to bring that up.’

‘I know you, soldier-boy. You were giving me the chance to say it before you had to.’

He didn’t reply.

‘The way I see it,’ she continued, ‘we can both head back to our world, but that leaves the A-team a bit mob-handed. Now, I’m not one to denigrate the power of womanhood, but Mallory could use a little old-fashioned, thick-headed male brutality on his side. And let’s face it, you might as well trademark that description.’

‘We split up.’

‘Not for ever. I still haven’t completely sucked the life out of you yet.’

Hunter realised she was dressing slowly so he couldn’t see her face.

‘Just till this whole thing is over,’ she said.

The sentence hung for a while, but its weight was too great.

‘Fair enough.’ He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice; he was sick of responsibility and obligation, sicker still because she was right. ‘But you’d better not try to skip out on me, ’cause I’ll only have to track you down. In our world, or this, or any other you care to mention.’

And then she did glance back, her gaze challenging, teasing and blase all wrapped into one. ‘Looks like we’ve got ourselves a deal.’