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scriminately。' He did not have to ask if Nicholas was following his line of thought。 Darkness； now； the clouds obscuring the moon。 Only man…made lights shone。
'To be a true champion； Nicholas； one must explore the darkness； too。'
That evening； Cheong took Nicholas aside。 They went into the Colonel's study。 It smelled of tobacco smoke and leather。 Along with the kitchen； it was a Western room in an otherwise very traditional Japanese house。
Cheong sat sideways on the high…backed wooden chair in front of the Colonel's roll…top desk。 Nicholas sat on the leather couch； near her。
'You are happy that Yukio has e to stay with us。' It was not a question。
'Yes；' he said truthfully。 'Is there anything wrong with that？'
Cheong smiled。 'You are growing up but you are still my child。 I think I have a right to ask。 You don't have to answer me； you know。'
His eyes dropped to his hands for a moment。 'I know that；' he said softly。
She leaned forward； enclosed his hands in hers。 'My darling； you have nothing to fear from me。 Whatever you and Yukio do is between the two of you。 Your father may not approve but he sees things differently to what we do。 He is still a soldier and； therefore； mistrusts everyone and everything。'
Nicholas looked at her。 'He mistrusts Yukio。 But what …'
Cheong shook her head。 'It doesn't matter； don't you see that？ It's a blind spot he has。 Never mind。 I'm quite certain he mistrusted So…Peng in the beginning。'
She turned and； opening a drawer in the desk with a key； she produced the dragon…and…tiger box that was So…Peng's parting gift to her and the Colonel。 With deft； economical movements of her fingers she opened the box。
'You see；〃 she said in a hushed voice； 'there are fifteen。' She meant the emeralds。 'There were sixteen； originally。 One bought this house。〃 She looked up at him； I'm sure your father told you the story of this present。' Nicholas nodded and she continued。 'What he didn't tell you was its meaning。 I'm not certain whether even he knows it fully。' She shrugged。 'And if he did； he would most likely dismiss the idea。 He is a most pragmatic man； your father。' She smiled。 'One of his few faults； I'm afraid。'
She put the opened box with its glittering contents in Nicholas's lap。
'You are free to use six of these。 To convert into money if your need is sufficient。 No； hear me out。 I want you to understand this fully； I think you can accept what I'm going to tell you。' She took a deep breath。 'There must never be less than nine emeralds in here。 Ever。 No matter what the reason； you must not use more than six。
'This is a mystical box； Nicholas。 It has certain powers。' She paused； as if waiting。 'I see you're not smiling。 Good。 I believe it； as did my father； So…Peng。 He was a great and wise man in all matters； Nicholas。 He was no fool。 He knew well that there exist on the Asian continent many things； which defy analysis； which； perhaps； have no place in the modern world。 They relate to another set of Laws； they are timeless。' She shrugged again。 'So I believe。' She took her hands away from the box； watched his face。 'You are old enough now to form your own opinions about the world and its mysteries。 If you believe； then the power will be there for you when some day you need it。'
Night。 Nicholas in the living room； cross…legged in front of the window。
High in the sky； clear now of clouds； the full moon sent reflected light scattering down across the treetops and； closer to him； the formal garden。 Intense black shadows streaked die window as the tall pine near the front of the house was illuminated as if by some celestial spotlight。 Now and again； as the wind disturbed the branches； the shadows moved up and down； up and down； the motion of a fairyland boat from tales his mother used to tell him as he was falling asleep years ago。 That time seemed long gone and Nicholas wondered now whether this was something all people felt： that childhood belonged to another； simpler time when all decisions were minor and seemed of little consequence。
In times gone by； on sleepless nights； that lone pine had been his protector。 He knew every configuration； every angle of its branches； every knot along its thick trunk。 Now it seemed to him to have been transmogrified。 He saw it as an old soldier； a guardian in the night； a friend and an ally。 To be a true champion。。。
His world was changing so swiftly now。
Haragei allowed him to bee aware of her presence as she stepped into the room。 He did not move。 He heard her ing towards him。 Softly。 Softly。 Appalled； he found himself getting hard。 He willed his erection down but his body would not listen。
She sat down gracefully； facing him； away from the moonlight。 Her face black in the dense shadows； her long blue…black hair haloed faintly in platinum light。 He thought he could see her entire body beat with the rhythm of her pulse。
He was so acutely aware of her； it was almost painful。 The musk of her body； mingled with a perfume he could not identify； a certain heat that transmitted itself physically。 But there was more； an almost tangible force。 He felt enveloped by her aura。
The house was so still that he could hear the white noise soughing in his inner ear like an internal storm。
He stood up so abruptly that he felt rather than saw her start。 Reaching down for her hand； he pulled her up and； opening a shoji； took her outside。
Unmindful of the cold； he took her to the periphery of their property； along the verge of the cryptomeria wood； searching for the half…hidden path Itami had shown to him years ago。
At length he found it and plunged with her headlong into
the forest。 There was no light to speak of； just dim； luminous patches like odd floating flora where the moonlight penetrated the green canopy high above their heads。 Cicadas called shrilly and to one side came a soft scuffling of leaves； a pair of bright red eyes。
They flew along the jungle trail； Nicholas guiding them unerringly as if he were a bat with sonar。 They leaped over roots； ducked under black swinging branches and； at last； broke through into the moon…drenched clearing。 Before them was the circular path and the closed double doors of the rearing shrine。
She dragged him back to the grass verge； pulling him down beside her。 'Now；' she whispered fiercely。 'I can't wait any more。'
Her robe parted slightly。 She was incredible。 Her flesh glowed as if with an inner light。 He couldn't keep his hands off her。 He leaned forward； parting the robe farther。 He stroked her thighs until she moaned and； reached out with both arms； drew him over her。 Her panting was hot in his ear as his mouth opened； enveloping one nipple； as much of the surrounding breast as he could take。 He sucked hard； felt her indrawn breath； the hot scoring of her nails on a line down his ribs。 Her thighs surrounded him； her flesh scorching； drawing him inward to her moist centre。 She sounded as if she were choking。 He could smell her strongly on the night air。 Moving snakelike down her writhing body； using his tongue and his lips until he reached her high mound。 He rose up； then descended to the soft flesh of her inner thighs。 He moved so slowly that； at length； he heard her cry out in longing； felt her fingers in his hair； pulling him up her。
Her buttocks were off the soft damp ground in an attempt to get him to suck her there； where she desired it the most。 But he held on； circling； circling； so hard he thought he might never be soft again； until finally he moved； stabbing through the wet dark hair； spreading the flesh beneath。 Her hands turned to fists and the cords of her neck tautened。 She screamed again and again。 There was no stopping the convulsing of her sweat…flecked body。
'I was born to be something；' she said much later； 'more than what I am now。'
The cryptomeria rustled contentedly above their heads。 The earth was soft beneath their spent bodies。
'I'm nothing now。' Her voice was so soft it could have been the night wind。 'Nothing but a reflection。' He did not understand that。 'All my life no one has said one word to me dial's meant anything。' She turned her head in the crook of his arm。 'It's all been lies。'
'Even your parents？'
'I have no parents。' She turned over； her buttocks against his thighs。
'Are they dead or。。。'
'Did they leave me； do you mean？ My father died in the war。 He was Satsugai's brother。 My uncle never approved of the marriage in the first place。〃
'What happened to your mother？'
'I don't know。 No one ever said。 Perhaps Satsugai gave her a sum of money to leave。'
A whippoorwill trilled； seeming far away。 The air was dense with mist though there seemed few clouds in the sky。 The moon was low； bloated； tinctured orange。
'I'm surprised Satsugai didn't take you in；' he said。
'You are？' She gave a tiny bitter laugh。 'I'm not。 Itami wanted me； I know that。 But Satsugai arranged for a couple to take care of me in Kyoto。' She was silent for a time； thinking。 'I asked Aunt Itami once and she said that Satsugai thought they would have many children of their own and he didn't want anything to interfere with his family。 It didn't turn out that way； obviously。'
'Then you do have parents。'
'There's something odd about that household。' She was still talking about her uncle。 'I can't put my finger on it。 It involves Satsugai and Saigo。 Itami's not part of it； though I'm sure she knows what's going on。' There was a dry fluttering over their heads as a plover took off southward。 'I think it has something to do with where Saigo goes。'
'In Kyushu。'
'Yes。'
'It's a ryu； I'll bet。'
She turned over； her eyes luminous and huge in the dark。 The heat of her body； its musk； penetrated him。 'But why travel so far？ There are plenty of ryu in the Tokyo area。'
There are many ryu in Japan。 Kansatsu's words came to him as clearly as a tolling bell。 Did he know？ Good and evil。 White and black。 Yin and yang。 One must explore the darkness； too。
'It must be a very special ryu。'
'What？'
He'd said it so softly； thinking put loud； that even this close she had not heard him。 He repeated what he'd said。
'But what kind？' she wanted to know。
Nicholas shrugged。 'I'd need to know the town he is going to。'
'But I can find out！' she said excitedly； rising up on one elbow。 'He leaves tonight for Kyushu。 I'll only need to take a peek at his train ticket。'
'Would you do it？'
She gave him a little conspiratorial smile。 Lights danced in her eyes。 'If you wanted me to。'
He watched her for a moment； then lay back； hands underneath his head。 'I want to know something。' His throat felt tight。 'I want to know if what you said 。。。 before is true。 Did you sleep with Saigo？'
'Does it matter？'
'Yes； it matters。'
She threw her arms around his neck。 'Oh； Nicholas。 Don't be so serious always。'
'Did you？'
'It might have happened … once。'
He sat up； staring at her。 'Might？'
'All right。 Yes。 But … it just happened。'
'The way it just happened with us；' he said nastily。
'Oh no。' Her eyes looked into his。 'That's not the way it happened at all。 He's nothing like you。'
'You mean you planned the whole thing with me？' His voice was demanding。
Her eyes flickered down for a fraction of a second。 'I didn't know what to think when Aunt Itami told me she was bringing me here。 I remembered I wanted to fuck you that night on the dance floor but that was …'
'You told me you didn't remember that！' His tone of indignation concealed his inner delight。
She smiled。 'I lied about that。' She smiled and stuck out her tongue； a very un…Japanese gesture。 'I didn't want to spoil the surprise。 I knew the moment I saw you again what I wanted to do。'
'I had no hint when we went out in the garden。'
She shrugged。 'I'm two different people。 You've seen both sides。'
'What was it like for you； growing up？'
'Why do you ask？'
He burst out laughing。 'Because I'm interested in you。 Why？ Do you think I'm after something？'
'Everyone's always after something。'
'Not everyone；' he said softly； pulling her close。 'I'm not。' He kissed her with closed lips。 'I care about you； Yukio。 A great deal。'
She laughed。 'Well； at least you didn't say you loved me。'
'I might；' he said seriously。 'I don't know yet。'
She tossed her head。