TOMB HUNTER

The Adventures of Larra Court

Episode 4

Larra and the Lost World

Chapter 28 Reunion

Grey was mystified. He had left Larra only an hour or so ago. She should have been waiting for him near the large tree that he had climbed, but there was no sign of her. Not only that, but the Ullabomba raiding party was now moving off, directly towards the position where he had last seen her. Probably Larra had noticed the movement in the camp and had moved to a better hiding place.

In the meantime, he had picked up Amy’s trail. She was very close as the trail was quite fresh. Should he stay and look for Larra or try to rescue her friend? He decided on the latter. Taking to the trees he swung off rapidly toward the spot where he had spotted traces of Klein’s expedition. He made good time. He could move much more quickly without Larra. Not that he found this to be particularly enjoyable. She was a remarkable woman. Probably the toughest female he had ever met. And she was an incredible lover.

He mused about his relationship with the beautiful adventuress as he pursued Klein. He suspected that it was an episode in his life that was coming to an end. He was not going to leave his beloved rainforest. And he doubted that Larra would give up her life to stay with him. Oh well, it had been a very memorable experience.

It was clouding over. One of central Africa’s typical afternoon thunderstorms was developing. If he did not find Klein and Amy soon their trail might be washed out by the rain. He tried to hurry, but nature was faster. The storm struck with its usual fury and he was forced to take shelter for about an hour. With the passing of the storm, the trail was gone. Klein and Amy had disappeared into a maze of canyons. Frustrated, Grey retraced his steps. He would find Larra and then try to pick up the trail with her help.

“Ohhn!” Amy moaned as Steiner entered her. She was still a little sore from the effects of Klein’s rape. But her moan this time was one not just of pain but of pleasure. She had not intended for Steiner to make love to her, it was something that just happened. Steiner had come into her tent late at night when most of the camp was asleep. She had expected him. He always looked in on her every hour or so. They had spent an extra day in the temporary camp, because Steiner had decided that Amy was still too far from recovery to travel and had dictated an extra day of rest. During that extra day he had visited her often. The more she spoke with him the more she realized that the Third Reich had chosen the wrong man for the job. What they should have done was put Klein in charge.    Steiner lacked the ruthless brutality necessary to carry out the job he had been assigned to do. There was also something else about him. He was the first man that Amy had really been attracted to.

He sat on the edge of her bed. “Let me just take one more look at those scratches and bruises.”

Amy let the shirt fall from her shoulders. She had come to accept Steiner’s inspection of her body. Not once had he shown the slightest inclination to take advantage of her during his treatment of her injuries.   This time was no exception. The man was either made of stone or he possessed the most incredible self-control.

“You are healing nicely, Miss Price,” said Steiner. “You appear to have exceptional recuperative powers.”

Steiner gently pulled Amy’s shirt back over her shoulders. He went out of his way to show her every respect. As he closed her shirt over her breasts, Amy did something that surprised even her. She reached out and grabbed his hand, and pulled it to her breast.

Steiner started in surprise, but made no attempt to pull his hand away. While he hesitated, Amy continued her advance. She moved her other arm behind his head and pulled his face toward hers. The action caused her loose shirt to fall open, exposing her firm bosom. Their lips met. Amy and Steiner kissed long and hard. It was Amy’s first romantic kiss and she put everything into it.

When they finally broke the kiss, Amy and Steiner just looked at one another, breathless. Then Steiner realized that his hand was still covering Amy’s breast. He thought to take it away, but instead cupped her breast more fully and gave it a soft squeeze. Amy kissed him again, and arched her body into his. Steiner responded. This time with ardor. As their lips and tongues entwined Steiner peeled back Amy’s open shirt. Amy’s fingers popped open the buttons on Steiner’s shirt one after the other.

Steiner eased himself onto the bed. Under the light blanket that partially concealed her, Amy was now completely naked. Steiner shucked off his now unbuttoned shirt and bent his mouth to hers once again. For several minutes, while Amy's restless fingers unbuckled his belt and then unbuttoned his trousers Steiner and Amy explored one another’s mouths. Their tongues caressing one another in an oral orgy. Then Steiner shifted his attention to Amy’s ripe breasts.

With extreme gentleness Steiner touched his lips to her erect nipples. Amy gave a moan of pure pleasure, and folded her naked body into his. While licking the tips of her nipples, Steiner used his loose hand to undo the laces of first one boot and then the other.   The boots plopped onto the floor, followed by his trousers. Now his nakedness intertwined with hers. Amy could feel his male hardness thrusting against her belly.

Instinctively Amy’s hand dropped to Steiner’s penis. Now it was his turn to moan, as she gently but firmly moved her hand up and down his shaft.

Amy spread her legs. Steiner’s hand moved to her mound of Venus and determined that she was ready for him. With great care he thrust into her, taking pleasure in her moan of ecstasy.

They made love for a couple of hours. As Jia Li had predicted, they did need more time. When they had finished Amy was happier than she had ever been in her life. With a sigh of content, she closed her eyes and slept.

Gently, Steiner disengaged himself from the sleeping beauty. Dressing silently, he let himself out of Amy’s tent. He knew that his men had heard the sound of their lovemaking, but somehow he did not care. He too was in a state of euphoria. His tryst with Amy had helped him make up his mind about his future. He smiled; the beautiful South African had made a difficult decision easy.

When Larra awoke she found herself gazing into the eyes of John Grey. She breathed a sigh of relief. Despite her confidence in his ability, she had been concerned over his unexplained absence.

Grey smiled at her. “It looks like you need another swim in my pool.”

“Yes,” replied Larra. “I have made a bit of a mess of things.”

Grey reached out and untied the ropes that held her to the tree. “Can you hold on or should I tie you?”

“I can hold on if it is not too far.”

“It is about an hour.”

“Alright, take me there.”

Larra caught hold of Grey’s neck and held on tight. With his usual ease of movement, Grey swung off through the trees. This time as they traveled Larra tried to keep track of the direction they were moving.

As Grey had promised, the trip took about an hour. That included two stops so that Larra could rest her arms. Grey was impressed with her stamina. It was obvious when he had found her that she was pretty beaten up. Her powers of recovery were impressive. He did not inquire as to what had happened. He knew that Larra would tell him in her own time.

They spent several hours in and near the waters of the healing spring. As before, a swim in its placid waters rejuvenated Larra. And as before, her healing bath ended with a splendid sexual encounter with Grey. After that they spent the night near the spring. The next morning Larra decided to return to the base camp in the hope of learning something about her missing friends. It seemed it was her only hope of picking up their trail.

An astounded Steiner looked upon the strange entourage that had just entered his camp. It consisted of about two dozen very attractive women dressed in the most bizarre fashion. At their head were two skimpily dressed females. One a tall blonde and the other a stunning oriental.

The blonde addressed him in English. “We have come for our companion,” she stated boldly, ignoring the stunned looks of the heavily armed men in the camp. “I believe you have been holding her against her will.”

Bewildered at the audacity of the invading force, Steiner could only look on tongue-tied. Behind him the tent flap was thrown back as Amy came out to see what the commotion was about.

“Katie! Jia Li!” Amy screamed, throwing herself joyously upon her friends.

While Steiner and his men looked on a jubilant reunion took place in the middle of the German camp. It seemed as if his camp had been taken over by a bunch of unarmed women!

After awhile, Amy, Katie, and Jia Li settled down. Amy introduced her two friends to Steiner and explained that he was not, as Katie had already determined, a man to be feared. It was decided that the entire party, Steiner’s men and Katie’s female army would proceed together to the base camp. There was no argument from any of Steiner’s men. It was months since they had seen any women as beautiful as those who had joined their expedition. And so they proceeded quickly and in good order toward the English camp.

Larra’s arrival back at the camp she had left over a week before coincided with the return of her three friends along with Steiner. She and Grey did not enter the camp immediately, but spied on the camp from the safety of the forest until they were able to determine that the Germans and the women seemed to be mixing freely. This was a puzzling turn of events that was not sorted out until Larra made her return.

Steiner was a bit bemused by the sudden arrival of the women he had been sent to intercept, but he had no intention of completing his mission as ordered. Dividing his party, he sent most of his men back to Mozambique. He kept with him only those who wished to give up their loyalty to the Third Reich. There were not many in that category and it was with some sadness that he watched most of his men depart. As for most in the German expedition, they were only too happy to get out of the heat and humidity of central Africa.

Larra too decided to quit the African interior. She had learned what she came to learn. That there was indeed a lost world in the center of Africa, but it was a world that she was no longer equipped to explore. Most of the African members of her expedition had fled. She did, however, have Katie, Jia Li, and Grey to fill her in on some details of the civilization she had not seen. One day she would return. But for now, her mission was over. She wished to be reunited with her children and return to England.

As for Steiner, he decided to return with the English women. He could not return to Germany, and indeed had no wish to once again embrace the distorted ideals of the Third Reich. Klein had epitomized those ideals, and Steiner had been disgusted by what he had seen. In addition, he had found in Amy a powerful motive for returning with Larra’s expedition rather than his own.

Larra said goodbye to Grey. It was a long goodbye that took place in the privacy of the treetops, but it was a goodbye nevertheless. Grey could not bear to leave his beloved Africa, and Larra knew that her life and career lay elsewhere. They separated with a final kiss. Then Grey took to the upper branches and moved out of sight through the thick foliage.

Larra returned to camp. The expedition was almost ready to leave. Larra turned toward the canyon she had ventured down alone so many days ago. Her friends looked at her inquiringly. “Before we leave, I want to show you a little spring I found. I think you will find it worthwhile.”

Larra strode up the canyon, the members of her expedition following in her footsteps.

Several miles away, the Ansmara were celebrating. It was feast day.

Suspended over a hot bed of coals was a bamboo grating. Tied to the grate, and screaming in pain and horror was Gestapo Hauptsturmfuhrer, Werner Klein.

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