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.While you do that, I'm going to visit a professor of anthropology at the University of New Mexico over in Albuquerque and learn what I can about mummification."Laika paid cash when the bill arrived, and they drove back to the motel and went to their separate rooms.It was 9:30, and Tony called Miriam at her hotel and asked her if she wanted to meet him somewhere.She was quiet for a moment, and then said, "Why don't I just come over there?"He felt his heart start to beat faster."Sure, that'd be fine," he said, and offered to drive over and get her, but she said she would take a cab.After he hung up, Tony brushed his teeth and took a quick shower, then dressed in clean clothes.He wished his heart would stop beating so fast.After all, she was just one more woman.After tonight he would probably never see her again.There was a knock at the door.Tony checked his hair one last time, and opened it.Miriam stood there, dressed with a simplicity that only enhanced her natural beauty.She was wearing a white linen blouse with a scoop neckline, and a dark red skirt of Indian design that stopped just below her knees.Her legs were bare, and her small feet wore brown leather sandals.Her only jewelry was a gold chain around her neck, from which hung a gold cross, an inch wide at the crosspiece.Her ever-present backpack was slung over her left shoulder.Tony moved aside, and she entered the room, letting the backpack slip to the carpeted floor.When the door clicked shut, she turned and faced him, her mouth open slightly, expectantly.Her ice-blue eyes looked into his, and before he knew what was happening, his arms were around her, circling her possessively and lovingly, and her mouth was on his.The kiss ended, and she drew back from him, but allowed his arms to remain around her."I didn't.intend for that to happen." Then she smiled."At least, not that fast.Maybe being so tired has impaired my judgment.""I think your judgment was very good." He drew her to him again, but this time she moved away."Let's not go so fast, Vincent.Can we just.talk?" She sat in one of the two easy chairs on either side of the table near the bed, and Tony took the other.They talked for a long time about their lives, and when the silence finally came, it was rich between them.He drank in the sight of her, convinced more than ever that she was what he had always wanted in a woman, and dared to think that she felt the same about him.He got up and stood next to her chair, looking down at her and resting his hand on her shoulder."Stay with me tonight, Miriam.Please."She put her hand on top of his, and her look made him feel his heart would break from wanting her."If I do," she said softly, "will you hold me? Nothing else.Just hold me all night long."To his surprise, he found the suggestion completely acceptable.Lust was a part of what he felt for Miriam, but the greater need was to do what she desired.And if that was for her to be held chastely through the night, then that would be his desire, and he would hold her as tenderly as he could."I would love to," he told her, crouching at her side.He took her hand and pressed his lips against the back of it, then stood up.He turned off the light so that the only illumination came from the night light he always plugged into the wall, as he never slept in total darkness.Then he stripped to his boxers and got into bed.Only then did Miriam begin to undress.Tony felt a tightness in his throat as she revealed her small and lovely breasts.Her waist was slender and her hips slight.She dropped her clothing and slipped under the covers next to him, wearing only a pair of panties and her gold cross.Then she moved into the crook of his arm as though she belonged there.Though he was aroused by her warmth against him, he only kissed her scented hair and moved his other arm across her body as she nestled closer to him.He wanted to say something, but could not decide what, so he remained silent, cradling this woman he thought he loved, thinking how wonderful it was to just hear her breathing softly, beside him in the night.At the same time Tony Luciano was falling asleep with Miriam Dominick in his arms, Father Alexander, on his cot inside the Mission of San Pedro, awoke.He had been plagued with terrifying dreams for the past few nights, but it was not a nightmare that had awakened him.Rather it was the sound of a vehicle rattling up the dirt road toward the mission.Painfully, Father Alexander sat up on the cot.His back had been bothering him, and the condition had been exacerbated by the narrow canvas strip he slept on.He pulled on his robe and slippers, and padded outside onto the portico.A large panel truck was coming up the slight rise on which the mission stood.Had it not been for its headlights, the old priest could not have made it out amid the darkness of the canyons that surrounded the old building where he stood.It was moving slowly, laboring as though it carried a heavy burden.That much was certainly true, he thought.It bore perhaps the greatest burden in all history, and now that burden would be his.The van stopped directly in front of the portico, and Father Alexander walked down the three wooden steps to greet those inside.Three men climbed out, dressed in cowboy hats, plaid shirts, and jeans, but Father Alexander knew who they really were.Clothing could not disguise from him the fact that these were men of God.He knew his own.He nodded a welcome, and the driver took off his hat and bowed slightly."Father Alexander?" The old priest nodded again."I'm Father William, and this is Father Donald and Father James.We're a little late.Took a wrong turn back there, nearly ended up over at the dam.""These desert roads are confusing," Father Alexander said with an understanding smile."The debris in the slot canyons can get washed out by flash floods so that you would swear they were roads, if the occasional boulder doesn't get in your way.I thank God you've arrived safely.And, um." He looked toward the body of the van."Yes, he's there," said Father William."And he's done no harm on the way, as far as we can tell.""But you couldn't tell very well now, could you?" the old man chided."No.That's why we were chosen, after all.He cannot touch us.""Nor me," said Father Alexander."We are blessed in that at least." He said a silent prayer, asking God to forgive him for lying to these young men.He had been touched, though he would not be again.His faith would keep him strong."I'm not sure that it's that much of a blessing, Father," said Father William, "if our immunity to the creature's wiles makes us the perfect ones to be his keeper." He smiled at the others."I can imagine more pleasant ways to serve God.""But few so important as this," said Father Alexander.These boys must not think this was all a lark.Their task was dangerous and deadly, not only for them, but possibly for the entire world."No.I suppose you're right.Shall we take him to the kiva tonight?"The old priest shook his head."In the morning.I'm sure you're all tired, and it will be safe.You were not followed?""No, Father," said the fresh-faced young Father Donald."We've been driving for days, mainly to throw off anyone who might have been on our trail, but believe me, nobody's behind us.""Good.Come inside and have something to eat.There are cots to sleep on.Now that you're here, maybe we can move something better in," Father Alexander said, thinking of his back.The cots didn't seem to keep the young men from sleeping soundly, although Father Alexander found it impossible to return to his own slumbers
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