The Woods Are Dark

to lingering caresses. Their bodies slid together. Their mouths met.

Lander watched them, his erection straining. He felt guilty, as if he were no better than a Peeping Tom. Worse, his excitement seemed like a betrayal of Ruth. How could he stand here, entranced by these women, when Ruth was in danger—possibly in torment?

At this very moment, someone could be raping Ruth.

I could do the same to these, he thought.

He watched the slender one rise to the surface and float on her back. Her legs parted. The other’s head moved between her thighs. The face pressed her groin, and she began to moan.

They’re weaponless. I could kill the grubby one. I could rape the pretty one, then kill her. It would serve them right. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

A rape for a rape.

Watching the moonlit, shiny skin of the slim one, he could almost feel her. The cool, slick flesh. The breasts small and firm, with stiff nipples. The tight hole that gripped his cock as he pushed roughly into her.

God, it would be magnificent!

Such stuff as dreams are made of.

And he could do it, he really could. Already tonight, he’d killed three or four of these people. Why not two more?

Don’t wait. Go in now, while they’re tangled and helpless in their embraces, their bodies heaving with lust. They won’t know what hit them.

What about his plan to follow them?

Ridiculous. They wouldn’t lead him to Ruth. That was wishful thinking, nothing more.

This was real. The chance to have the pretty one. He’d never had such a young, pretty woman.

Probably no older than Cordelia.

He watched her writhe in the water, heard her quick moaning. God, to be able to take her in his arms, push his throbbing cock into her, watch the agony of pleasure twist her face!

He waited, though, unable to force himself to step from behind the thicket, unwilling to attack.

Do it! he told himself. Do it now!

He couldn’t.

He trembled. His erection shrank away.

He was afraid.

Not of the women in the stream.

Afraid of the rapist and killer crouched waiting inside the skin of Lander Dills.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Cordie glanced at the red numbers on her wristwatch. “Okay, it’s ten forty. You guys are gonna leave now, right?”

“There’s no point waiting any longer,” Robbins said.

“You’re right.” Cordie took a deep, trembling breath. “What’re you gonna do, try and get to a road?”

“Eventually. We’ll keep heading east, and try to get out of Krull territory.”

“Yeah, well, good luck. You too, Ben.”

“Cordie?”

She wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans, and looked away. Ben took a step toward her. “No. Don’t, Ben. You go with the others.” She turned and ran. She heard quick footsteps, and knew Ben was following. She ran harder. Damn it, he wasn’t supposed to come. “Go with them!” she called over her shoulder.

Reaching out Ben grabbed her shoulder. He dragged her to a stop.

The others were out of sight.

“What do you want to do?” Ben asked. “Get yourself killed?”

“I can’t leave. Mom and Dad are out here. I’ve got to find them.”

“I’ll go with you, then.”

“No, don’t.”

“I haven’t got a choice, do I?”

“Go with the others. They’re headed out. They’ve got a gun.”

“I can’t.”

“Ben, please.”

“I can’t leave you. The same reason you can’t leave your parents. I love you, I guess.”

“Oh Ben.” She pulled him tightly against herself. She kissed his mouth. Twisting a handful of his hair, she pulled back his head. “I hope you don’t regret it,” she muttered.

“I won’t.”

“Let’s find my folks, and get our tails out of here.”

“This way,” Robbins said.

“Shouldn’t we go after them?” Neala asked.

“They made their choice.”

“We’re better off without ’em,” Sherri said.

“Come on.”

Neala, still with her back to the tree, squinted at the place in the darkness that had kept her filled with dread. She didn’t move.

“Neala?”

“No, there’s… Over there. Someone’s hiding.”

“I’ll check.”

“No!”

“Don’t worry.” He walked toward the place, unslinging his rifle and holding it ready.

“No! Don’t, Johnny! Let’s just go.”

He looked back at her. She thought she saw a smile on his face.

“Let’s just go,” she said more softly.

“All right.” He turned away from the place Neala feared, and walked toward her.

She watched behind him. Her heart lurched as she glimpsed a quick movement. Something pale. A face? Whatever she’d seen, it vanished in an instant.

Johnny, seeing her alarm, looked back.

“It’s nothing,” Neala said.

“You sure?”

Sherri stepped up beside Johnny, blocking Neala’s view. “What’re we standing around for?”

Neala shook her head.

“I’ll take up the rear,” Johnny said. “We’ll head east.” He pointed in the direction they’d been heading before they stopped. “That way. Not much civilization out there, but we’ll be okay once we get clear of Krull territory.”

“How far’s that?” Sherri asked.

“About twenty miles.”

“Oh shit.”

“Let’s get started.”

Neala pushed herself away from the tree. She glanced behind Johnny and Sherri, but saw nothing in the darkness.

She led the way. Sherri followed, staying close, and Johnny kept behind Sherri. At first, she ran too fast for the terrain. She tripped, and Sherri stumbled over her, stepping on her leg.

“You all right?” Sherri asked, gently helping her up.

“I’ll live.”