Chapter 5
The Thin Man deepened his kiss as he felt the Angel go slack in his
arms, her eyes drifted shut; her jaw slack. Long arms wrapped around
her body, his fingertips brushing the swell of her breasts. As soon
as he had touched her, he knew that she had stayed up all night
working to unravel the mystery in which he was entangled.
He suddenly held her close; his nose buried deeply in her hair,
inhaling. He started to tremble and wondered if he made a mistake
coming here. But he brushed it aside and lifted her off
the ground enough to lay her gently on the bed.
His hand gently cupped the side of her face as he sat on the edge of
the bed. She had been angry with him for being there, but still
kissed him back. She had recognized the look he had given her
earlier as the same one that he'd given her at Knox's. He was deeply
regretful and felt helpless in hoping to try and explain it to her.
Her hair was fanned out on the pillow and the Thin Man leaned forward
to smell it. This was so much better than her hairbrush. This was
fresh and vibrant, while the hair on the brush, while pleasant, had
been muted.
He leaned back and looked at her body; she was like a living Raphael
painting. No, she was Botticelli's Venus. Every part of her body was
perfect, and he smiled slightly as he saw the varying shades of tan
around her thighs and shoulders; then leaned forward and planted a
kiss on her very white stomach.
Her freshly scrubbed scent was overwhelming and the Thin Man wished
that she was awake. He lifted her hand and placed it on his cheek;
so cool to the touch. His body started to shake. Why was he
torturing himself?
He stood up and started to pace in the small room. He had come here
looking for one thing and found that he couldn't bring himself to
leave her side. He wanted her. Just like when he saw her in Knox's living room.
He started to take a cigarette out of his case, but then stopped
himself. He didn't NEED to smoke one of these now; no, he was doing
this out of habit. Snapping the case shut, he searched within himself
for a craving and found that he only craved her. Being close to her
made it easier for him, calmer even; but it also made him want her
more. He wanted to consume her soul.
He stopped circling the foot of the bed and came to a decision. He
glided forward and brushed his lips across her own. He noticed the
yellowing bruises on her body from last night and the dark circles
under her eyes. Laying himself on top of her, his right leg in
between hers, he rested himself on his elbows and opened his mouth;
leaning forward again, as if to kiss her.
He didn't move for a few seconds, but his body trembled from the
effort he was exerting. Slowly, a tip of vaporous smoke snaked its
way down from his mouth. Twin feathery rivulets dropped from his
flaring nostrils to join it. It hung there for a moment, gaining some
heft and swelling into a small shimmering mass. It moved back and
forth, like a wave; pushed to and fro by Dylan's shallow breathing.
The Thin Man's hand gently lowered Dylan's jaw a little. The smoky,
milky cloud drifted slowly towards her mouth. Suddenly, she breathed
in deep and the Thin Man's eyes rolled back.
He felt his mind plunge into Dylan's; for a moment, his body twitched
at the contact he made with her senses. He slumped over her torso,
exhausted and numb with pleasure, he slipped into sleep.
******
Dylan opened her eyes and felt the best she's felt in a long time. She
looked down from the ceiling, well, considering that a known assassin was sleeping quite restfully on her stomach. He shifted a little and his hand dropped into contact with her bare thigh. A flood of
intense sensation seized her brain and her body clenched and twitched
until it faded, leaving her panting.
Ok, I've been with my share of guys and I'd have to say that was a
first for me. Dylan wondered if anything else had happened last
night, but couldn't remember. All that she could recall was kissing
him. Wow, that was some kiss! Dylan looked over at the Thin Man,
still completely dressed, his tie and jacket askew; resting flat on
his back, completely dead to the world.
Whatever happened seemed to be pretty good for him too. Shaking her
head, she quietly eased herself off the bed and walked into the living
room. It was night and she could hear crickets just outside her window.
Now that she felt better, in fact, better than better; like she could
stay up for days and days and fly and climb mountains
and....and....she had to go pee.
Later, while washing her hands, she noticed some things in the
bathroom had been moved a little. So, he was here for something
else. He's looking for it, but what?
Curious, she went back to the living room to check on the door. The
night air was cool on her still bare skin. Looking closely at the
edge of the door, she determined it hadn't been jimmied open. Her
apartment was about two stories up, a straight drop to the ground.
And the windows were locked from the inside. Despite a narrow
ventilation shaft in the bathroom, this apartment was shut tight. So,
how the hell did he get inside? And why am I craving a cigarette?
She hadn't smoked for quite sometime; the cigarettes were bad for you
and Nat and Alex strongly suggested she give up the habit. Besides,
Alex had put her on a strict budget that wouldn't allow her to blow $4
on a pack.
But, she was prepared for such an emergency and headed into the
kitchen where she rummaged around and found her stash of one slightly
bent cigarette. She lit up and stood there in the dark, contemplating
her current situation with the Thin Man.
She needed to know what he was looking for; somehow, what was
important for him to recover must also be important to this case. She
blew out a smoke ring contentedly towards the floor; still feeling the
buzz of the afterglow.
As the smoke dissipated, large shiny black shoes appeared. She looked
up the length of miles of black pinstripe into the face of the Thin
Man. Oddly enough, he wasn't smoking, but stood there gazing at her.
He had managed to get himself together again: hair slicked back down,
tie and jacket set straight. Dylan tried to be nonchalant about
standing around naked in her kitchen with a fully dressed Thin Man;
his cane hanging from his arm.
"So," Dylan said,"now you know what Knox knows." At the mention of
Knox's name, the Thin Man breathed in sharply and looked up at the
ceiling. Ooo, he's uncomfortable and is being such a gentleman to ignore that comment. Dylan got an ashtray, stalling for time and wondering how to approach him.
Flicking her cigarette into the ashtray, Dylan decided to take a
gamble,"You don't seem to be the type who'd sleep with someone to get
what they wanted." The Thin Man drew himself up angrily and slammed
his cane down on the kitchen counter between them. Dylan tensed, her
fingers squeezing the cigarette's filter as she looked into the eyes of
a very offended Thin Man.
"I don't have what you're looking for," she pressed. At that, the Thin
Man glared at her and whirled on his heel towards her strewn clothes.
Following him, she watched fascinated as he methodically picked up
her jeans and turned out her pockets; doing the same with her jacket.
It was an odd sight that she would have smiled at had she not been
alarmed by the way he angrily threw the jacket onto the ground.
He was breathing heavily and opened his mouth, turning to face her.
Air rushed out of his dry throat as he tried to speak.
"Wh...Whe...WHERE?!" He was severely agitated and Dylan marveled at
how quickly he had gone from cool to hot in three seconds flat. Not good.
She walked into her room and started to pull out clothes from her
bureau. It must be the necklace he's after...but how can I stall him
until I find out the signifigance of it first?
He was right there behind her as she was struggling into her bra. His
body pressed up against her, arms trapping her on both sides. Her
skin prickled as the suit's fabric brushed against her back; the
buttons cold on her warm skin. They both looked at each other in
the mirror. He nestled his lips into the crook of her neck. Slowly
his eyes looked up at her.
His lips had touched her skin and he knew. Nat. The necklace was
with Nat at the agency.
The Thin Man deepened his kiss as he felt the Angel go slack in his
arms, her eyes drifted shut; her jaw slack. Long arms wrapped around
her body, his fingertips brushing the swell of her breasts. As soon
as he had touched her, he knew that she had stayed up all night
working to unravel the mystery in which he was entangled.
He suddenly held her close; his nose buried deeply in her hair,
inhaling. He started to tremble and wondered if he made a mistake
coming here. But he brushed it aside and lifted her off
the ground enough to lay her gently on the bed.
His hand gently cupped the side of her face as he sat on the edge of
the bed. She had been angry with him for being there, but still
kissed him back. She had recognized the look he had given her
earlier as the same one that he'd given her at Knox's. He was deeply
regretful and felt helpless in hoping to try and explain it to her.
Her hair was fanned out on the pillow and the Thin Man leaned forward
to smell it. This was so much better than her hairbrush. This was
fresh and vibrant, while the hair on the brush, while pleasant, had
been muted.
He leaned back and looked at her body; she was like a living Raphael
painting. No, she was Botticelli's Venus. Every part of her body was
perfect, and he smiled slightly as he saw the varying shades of tan
around her thighs and shoulders; then leaned forward and planted a
kiss on her very white stomach.
Her freshly scrubbed scent was overwhelming and the Thin Man wished
that she was awake. He lifted her hand and placed it on his cheek;
so cool to the touch. His body started to shake. Why was he
torturing himself?
He stood up and started to pace in the small room. He had come here
looking for one thing and found that he couldn't bring himself to
leave her side. He wanted her. Just like when he saw her in Knox's living room.
He started to take a cigarette out of his case, but then stopped
himself. He didn't NEED to smoke one of these now; no, he was doing
this out of habit. Snapping the case shut, he searched within himself
for a craving and found that he only craved her. Being close to her
made it easier for him, calmer even; but it also made him want her
more. He wanted to consume her soul.
He stopped circling the foot of the bed and came to a decision. He
glided forward and brushed his lips across her own. He noticed the
yellowing bruises on her body from last night and the dark circles
under her eyes. Laying himself on top of her, his right leg in
between hers, he rested himself on his elbows and opened his mouth;
leaning forward again, as if to kiss her.
He didn't move for a few seconds, but his body trembled from the
effort he was exerting. Slowly, a tip of vaporous smoke snaked its
way down from his mouth. Twin feathery rivulets dropped from his
flaring nostrils to join it. It hung there for a moment, gaining some
heft and swelling into a small shimmering mass. It moved back and
forth, like a wave; pushed to and fro by Dylan's shallow breathing.
The Thin Man's hand gently lowered Dylan's jaw a little. The smoky,
milky cloud drifted slowly towards her mouth. Suddenly, she breathed
in deep and the Thin Man's eyes rolled back.
He felt his mind plunge into Dylan's; for a moment, his body twitched
at the contact he made with her senses. He slumped over her torso,
exhausted and numb with pleasure, he slipped into sleep.
******
Dylan opened her eyes and felt the best she's felt in a long time. She
looked down from the ceiling, well, considering that a known assassin was sleeping quite restfully on her stomach. He shifted a little and his hand dropped into contact with her bare thigh. A flood of
intense sensation seized her brain and her body clenched and twitched
until it faded, leaving her panting.
Ok, I've been with my share of guys and I'd have to say that was a
first for me. Dylan wondered if anything else had happened last
night, but couldn't remember. All that she could recall was kissing
him. Wow, that was some kiss! Dylan looked over at the Thin Man,
still completely dressed, his tie and jacket askew; resting flat on
his back, completely dead to the world.
Whatever happened seemed to be pretty good for him too. Shaking her
head, she quietly eased herself off the bed and walked into the living
room. It was night and she could hear crickets just outside her window.
Now that she felt better, in fact, better than better; like she could
stay up for days and days and fly and climb mountains
and....and....she had to go pee.
Later, while washing her hands, she noticed some things in the
bathroom had been moved a little. So, he was here for something
else. He's looking for it, but what?
Curious, she went back to the living room to check on the door. The
night air was cool on her still bare skin. Looking closely at the
edge of the door, she determined it hadn't been jimmied open. Her
apartment was about two stories up, a straight drop to the ground.
And the windows were locked from the inside. Despite a narrow
ventilation shaft in the bathroom, this apartment was shut tight. So,
how the hell did he get inside? And why am I craving a cigarette?
She hadn't smoked for quite sometime; the cigarettes were bad for you
and Nat and Alex strongly suggested she give up the habit. Besides,
Alex had put her on a strict budget that wouldn't allow her to blow $4
on a pack.
But, she was prepared for such an emergency and headed into the
kitchen where she rummaged around and found her stash of one slightly
bent cigarette. She lit up and stood there in the dark, contemplating
her current situation with the Thin Man.
She needed to know what he was looking for; somehow, what was
important for him to recover must also be important to this case. She
blew out a smoke ring contentedly towards the floor; still feeling the
buzz of the afterglow.
As the smoke dissipated, large shiny black shoes appeared. She looked
up the length of miles of black pinstripe into the face of the Thin
Man. Oddly enough, he wasn't smoking, but stood there gazing at her.
He had managed to get himself together again: hair slicked back down,
tie and jacket set straight. Dylan tried to be nonchalant about
standing around naked in her kitchen with a fully dressed Thin Man;
his cane hanging from his arm.
"So," Dylan said,"now you know what Knox knows." At the mention of
Knox's name, the Thin Man breathed in sharply and looked up at the
ceiling. Ooo, he's uncomfortable and is being such a gentleman to ignore that comment. Dylan got an ashtray, stalling for time and wondering how to approach him.
Flicking her cigarette into the ashtray, Dylan decided to take a
gamble,"You don't seem to be the type who'd sleep with someone to get
what they wanted." The Thin Man drew himself up angrily and slammed
his cane down on the kitchen counter between them. Dylan tensed, her
fingers squeezing the cigarette's filter as she looked into the eyes of
a very offended Thin Man.
"I don't have what you're looking for," she pressed. At that, the Thin
Man glared at her and whirled on his heel towards her strewn clothes.
Following him, she watched fascinated as he methodically picked up
her jeans and turned out her pockets; doing the same with her jacket.
It was an odd sight that she would have smiled at had she not been
alarmed by the way he angrily threw the jacket onto the ground.
He was breathing heavily and opened his mouth, turning to face her.
Air rushed out of his dry throat as he tried to speak.
"Wh...Whe...WHERE?!" He was severely agitated and Dylan marveled at
how quickly he had gone from cool to hot in three seconds flat. Not good.
She walked into her room and started to pull out clothes from her
bureau. It must be the necklace he's after...but how can I stall him
until I find out the signifigance of it first?
He was right there behind her as she was struggling into her bra. His
body pressed up against her, arms trapping her on both sides. Her
skin prickled as the suit's fabric brushed against her back; the
buttons cold on her warm skin. They both looked at each other in
the mirror. He nestled his lips into the crook of her neck. Slowly
his eyes looked up at her.
His lips had touched her skin and he knew. Nat. The necklace was
with Nat at the agency.