Chapter 6

Renee woke with a feeling of panic gripping her. She wanted to throw up. Sunlight streamed through dirty windows into the little room, splotching the gray army blankets with a patchwork of shadows and sunspots.

She had no idea where she was. In her memory there was only a confused roiling of sound, sights, odors, color-all running together like buckets of paint poured on the street.

She whimpered as she rolled over, to stop suddenly. Fran was sprawled on her back on the next cot. Her blond hair was a limp, twisted snake lying flaccid on her white body.

Renee automaticlly jerked her hand to her mouth to stifle her scream. The was so... so still. And naked. She was wearing nothing. Not even her stockings.

"Fran?" Uncertainly, Renee put out a hand to touch her friend, expecting, dreading the feel of cold flesh.

She breathed out in relief to discover Fran's body was warm. That the blood pounded strongly under the surface of her smooth, white skin.

Sitting up, Renee took stock of her situation. It was reassuring to realize she was fully dressed. She slipped her hand under the waistband of her skirt and heaved another sigh of relief. She still had her panties.

The room was tiny and Renee was certain she had never seen it before. Aside from the two beds, it had a washbasin and nothing else. It was stripped as bare as Fran's butt. Renee started to giggle at the thought, and then stopped, shocked.

What was funny about that? She wondered. She felt curiously lightheaded. When she stood the room swayed around her, her stomach protested, and then she sat down again... hard.

At least the jolt stopped the swaying. Closing her eyes tight, she tried to count to ten. Instead her mind filled with questions.

Where was Alex? He was a stranger. But with her eyes closed a half-blurred picture of his face pulsed in front of her. She had a warm memory of strength and reassurance. Dimly, she remembered him sprawled on the couch and sliding down, down into the darkness where she couldn't see.

That was foolish, thinking of Alex. Angry, she shook herself and opened her eyes.

The door was open and the Mexican with the fancy clothes, Fran's Casanova, was standing inside looking at her.

"Ah! You have woken up, Chica!"

His voice was soft but barbed with a hint of cruelty. Renee shivered, suddenly very much afraid. No longer was she able to keep that fear pushed out of sight. "Where are we?" Her voice quavered uncontrollably and broke.

"With me, of course."

"I want to get out of here!"

"Si, senorita. Nobody is keeping you. After last night," the Mexican chucked with his tongue and rolled his eyes, "I had to do something. I could not leave your friend out like that, no?" He gestured toward Fran and smiled.

Renee smiled back. She couldn't help herself. There was something so attractive about this man... Now she knew why Fran had fallen all over him so fast and she didn't blame her a bit. He radiated such a feeling of confidence just by being in the same room that it seemed already as if everything was all right.

"Could you find her something to wear?" she asked, almost shyly.

"Of course. Porque no?" He stepped closer to her, and Renee could smell a fresh masculine scent from his body. "If you are still tired, why don't you go back to sleep, little one? When you wake up I will have everything you need."

"No. We should leave now."

"Of course. If you insist." He put his hand on her shoulder. She could feel the heat of his palm caressing her as he gently pushed her back on the bed. She tried to resist, but it was so much easier staring up into his soft, brown eyes.

He leaned and kissed her mouth. His hot lips seared into her. His mouth felt on fire. She tried to swallow the heat in her own mouth and she moaned.

His hand was on her breast. It was burning her alive. She squirmed against him, and then he was easing her sweater up over her body and she was arching and mewing, helping him to get it off. Her bra followed.

The cold air striking her tits felt good. It was wonderful on her bare flesh and when she rubbed against him it was like scratching an itch that she hadn't been able to get to before. The ruffled front of his silk shirt felt wonderful. She pulled him down on her and arched against it, letting her tits slide against the cool, bunched material. A button pressed into her nipple hard and round and cold. It sent a shiver through her body as she imagined it to be his teeth instead.