Hunter touched the point of the sword to her belly.

"I know you're the guy with the blade," she said. "And you can skewer me if that's what you want."

"I don't want to, but..."

"All you really want to do is get out of this alive, right?"

He shrugged. "Maybe."

"That's what I want, too." She glanced down the saber, then looked Hunter in the eyes. "Live and let live, okay?"

"Maybe."

"Here's what we'll do. First, tell your friend to come out."

What friend? he wondered. Connie had run the other way back at the graveyard. By now, she had probably been cut down or captured by the creeps who'd gone chasing after her.

"Then let me have my weapons back and I'll take you both downstairs as my prisoners."

"Oh, that sounds perfect."

"Bryce and Simone'll go along with it. We need captives for the midnight ceremony back at the graveyard. On the way there, I'll let you and your friend get away."

"Sure you will."

"I promise."

Hunter shook his head. The plan might work if Eleanor played it straight.

She won't. It's just a trick.

"I'm not that stupid," he said.

"You might be too smart for your own..."

"Eleanor!" called a man's voice.

Hunter gave the saber a tiny push.

She winced and sucked in her tummy. A dribble of blood started sliding down her skin.

Sounding impatient, she shouted, "What do you want, Bryce? "

"How much longer're you gonna take with that kid? "

"Long as I want!"

A woman, apparently Simone, called, "No problem. Want us to wait for you? Or we can start back..."

"Good idea, " Eleanor yelled. "Why don't you go on ahead? I'll come along after I'm done up here. Shouldn't be too much longer. "

"No hurry, " Simone responded.

"Just don't be late for the ceremony, " Bryce warned.

"Have fun up there, " Simone called.

"lam. See you later."

For a few seconds, Eleanor stared into Hunter's eyes. Then she stepped away from the sword, walked to the bedroom door and eased it shut. Facing him again, she leaned back against the door and crossed her feet at the ankles.

"That worked out," she said.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Live and let live." Lowering her head, she stared down at the shiny red line of blood from her cut. It ran into the round dip of her navel, spilled out and slid down and down until it painted her thighs red. "See what you've already done to me?"

"You got me worse," he said.

She smirked toward the front of his shirt. "You'll live." Then she pushed herself away from the door and came toward him with long, slow strides.

As she neared the sword, he raised it.

She stepped up close to him. Not saying a word, she unbuttoned his shirt. When she opened it, the blood-soaked fabric peeled away from his skin.

He looked down.

His wound, about an inch in length, was just above and to the right of his left nipple. Blood was still leaking out of it, trickling down his chest. The thin red stream ran all the way down to the waistband of his jeans.

Eleanor bent forward and kissed his cut. Then, smiling up at him with blood on her lips, she said, "Kiss mine?"

The offer shocked him. "No thanks."

She smiled. "Don't you want to be my friend?"

"Huh-uh."

"Lover?"

Is she kidding?

Hunter's mouth went suddenly dry and his heart pounded harder. "No," he said.

"Why not?"

"Just don't wanta. You're a... I don't know, a killer or something "

"I'm not pure enough for you?"

He shrugged.

Eleanor laughed. "My, what a good boy you are."

He glared at her.

"A virgin."

"None of your business."

"I'd be glad to make it my business." Reaching down, she squeezed him gently through the front of his jeans.

He smacked her hand away.

She chuckled. "Was that a nice thing to do?"

"Just keep your hands off."

"That isn't what you really want. What you really want..." Going silent, she started to unbuckle his belt.

"Stop it," he said.

She undid the button at the waist of his jeans.

"Don't. I'm warning you."

"Come out, come out, wherever you are."

As she fumbled with the tab of his zipper, he made a fist of his left hand and slammed it into the side of her face. Her head snapped sideways, spit flying. She staggered back a few steps, then crashed to the floor.

The impact jolted Eleanor's entire body and seemed to shake the room.

What if Bryce and Simone heard that?

CHAPTER TEN.

Hunter heard no sounds from downstairs.

Doesn't mean they're gone, he thought. Maybe they're sneaking up the stairs right now.

He looked at Eleanor. She was sprawled on her back, her eyes shut, face puffy and bloody from her earlier beating, her chest slowly rising and falling as if she were asleep. He supposed she was out cold.

Not bad for a left hook, he thought. Wait'll I tell Dad.

Won't be telling him anything if I don't get out of this alive.

He didn't think Eleanor was faking it. But how long would she be out? In the movies and on television shows, the villains seemed to stay knocked out for quite a while. But he'd seen televised boxing matches, too. Guys who got K.O.ed in the ring usually woke up in a matter of seconds.

He still held the sword in his right hand.

I could kill her right now - before she comes to.

Many times, when talking to his friends about movies, he'd complained about characters who refused to finish off the villain in situations exactly like this. Sooner or later, the creep they'd spared would come after them again. No gratitude, nothing, And they always ended up killing him anyway.

Dumb movie crap.

Eleanor moaned. She turned her head slightly.

Finish her off?

He stood there, staring down at her, the sword high and ready to strike.

Do it, he told himself. You're always whining they should do it in scenes like this. So do it!

He hesitated.

If I do it, he thought, she'll really be dead.

She's unconscious. She's unarmed.

Unarmed? Hell, she's naked!

And beautiful.

You can't just finish off a beautiful naked woman who's out cold on the floor, no matter what she might've done or tried to do. No matter how "smart" it might be.

If she makes a try for me...

She moaned and moved a little more, like someone half awake but not yet ready to open her eyes and struggle out of bed.

Hunter ran from the room. He leaned out over the railing and looked down the stairway. Nobody there.

They're gone. They won't be coming up.

Probably took Shannon and Laura with them - for that ceremony - or left them dead in the house.

He suddenly realized that the bottom of the stairs was only a few strides away from the front door. If Bryce and Simone were actually gone, Hunter himself could be out the door in a matter of seconds.

Or maybe take a few seconds longer, he thought, and check around for Shannon and Laura. Make sure they're gone... or don't need an ambulance.

But what about Eleanor?