Then Blade's own climax came, and he had to fight back his own mindless roars as he found release, hold himself down to keep from writhing about and flattening both the girl above him and the tent around him. He shuddered and went on shuddering, spurting steadily upward into her until it seemed that he would never stop, that all the moisture and all the life would drain out of his body into hers and he would fall back beneath her a lifeless corpse. His vision blurred again, and he only felt Haleen toppling forward to sprawl on top of him. Then for a long moment neither of them felt or saw anything at all, even each other.

Eventually Blade realized that they were both lying naked on top of the furs and the blankets, and that it was cold in the tent. He saw that Haleen was sound asleep, her breathing regular and the grin back on her face. Without waking her, he rolled away and stretched her out, then lay down beside her and pulled the blankets over both of them. Haleen's gentle breathing was the last thing Blade heard as he also drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 7

Blade and Haleen awoke as the gray light of early morning trickled through the holes in the tent. With tenderness this time rather than blazing, urgent passion, they made love. Then they lay in a warm, pleasant half-doze until they heard the sounds of the camp coming awake around them. Haleen pulled on her robe and slipped out of the tent, her face set in an expression of total innocence.

Blade lay quietly for a few minutes more, to give the impression that he was a heavy sleeper and a late riser, listening as he did so. He had learned never to miss a chance to hear people talking in their unguarded moments.

This time no one talked about anything more revealing than saddle galls on the horses and the rust on one of Tulu's dress spurs. Blade gave up, pulled on his clothes, and crawled out to join his hosts. After a breakfast of porridge and salted meat, they were on the march again.