VAIL AWAKENS FROM CRYO-SLEEP --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Across in the next bath, the young woman stirred and made a noise
in her throat like the purr of a cat. Her eyelids fluttered faintly,
but she didn't open her eyes . . .
My assistant, Eddon thought with a grimace. Long greeny-black
hair, pale face, a gash of purple lipstick. Her eyelashes were
spangled with fluctuating chrysolite, and double rings of kohl
circled her eyes like bullseye targets.
Immediately he remembered everything he hated about this assignment.
It was the worst sort of crazy sicko murderer case -- the sort
of case every detective at Central tried to avoid. Totally random
killings that you either solved by chance or you didn't solve
at all. And right out at the edge of the galaxy, on some insignificant
frontier planet a million miles from anywhere. The only thing
that could make it worse was being lumbered with a parapsych assistant
who dressed like a ghoul and acted like a sorceress. And here
she was.
Again she made the noise in her throat. Her bare arms unfolded
and slipped to her sides, hands stroking over her hips. Her legs
moved slowly in an undulating caressive motion. Under the gash
of lipstick she seemed to be smiling.
Like a goddammed snake in the sun, he thought. How long is she
going to stay comatose? It's almost as if she enjoys it.
