However, before moving against Shaker, before mustering the forces to depose, a far more pressing matter. Supplies for my apartment.

　　Only going to make one trip so have to get a sack. Hangars, toss `em in. Plates and silverware? Not when being carried around in a sack. Coffee press, single mug. Towel, here. Pillow, here. Sheets for a king sized bed. Bar soap. Anything else? Whatever, some plates and silverware, may clank a bit. Perfectly normal to clank a bit. Wait, blanket. Why are these all like this? Horrendous. Where`s a normal one? There, flat grey. Less clank, too. Ringing it up and heading back to the address of my new apartment, the sack over one shoulder. Going west and then south, coming in from the other side. Lights on in three oh one but no one peeping from the window. Key in door, sack gently on floor. Unpacking, tossing the linens on the bed and heading back out.

　　She`d said there were restaurants on the street over. This is a nice cozy little neighborhood. Didn`t see a restaurant on the street to the west, maybe up here. Yeah, there`s a couple on this street. That one looks popular. Hi, I`d like a table for one. No, that`s no problem, the bar`s fine. I`ll get the special and a pint. Oh, yeah, that sounds good, a pint of cider. Hmm, no one wearing field clothing. And their conversation, nothing important, just chatting about the Apple Festival during the street fair next cycle. Not the quickest service, but suppose its pretty busy. Excuse me, could I get a refill on this and a water, too. Thanks. Ah, here we go. Pork chops with potato pancakes, brussel sprouts and apples. This is great. The food definitely makes up for the slow service, completely understandable why it`s so busy. Definitely going to stop by early for breakfast, before getting the armor on. Let`s see, meeting at Sam`s in an hour and a half. That`s right, runes on the feet.

　　Hustling back to the apartment and getting my new grey blanket. Runic Circle. The question being, does the circle move with you. Looks like a repeating pattern, six different ones. No, wait. Making the circle larger in my mind. A start and an end rune, and then the four in the middle repeat. Creating a small circle on the blanket. Need two runes and there`s only really room for one. Okay, delete, delete, scrunch `em up. Activate. Jump in. Is it there? Don`t feel different. Jump out. Jump in. Nope. Maybe it didn`t like those last four being scrunched. Or maybe it didn`t like it on the blanket.

　　Okay, let`s treat this whole situation with a little more seriousness. Grabbing the coffee table with the shield and dragging it out of the center of the room. Let`s do three by three. A proper sized magic circle. Waving my hand and coloring in a larger spot on the floor. Shouldn`t even need to wave that much, right? Its on my whole hand. Just hold it steady and change the angle a bit. That`s way easier.

　　Now remove what the runes look like. Much quicker than doing the reverse. Alright, new battle tactic. It may look a bit more unsightly, but no reason not to just remove what the rune looks like and leave the remainder of the blot around it. When circumstances necessitate, of course. Need to be good at doing it both ways. Coming up on the end here, back up a little bit, fill it back in. There, the last four much less scrunched. Looks good. Now that is a professional looking magic circle. The outside edge aside. Clean up that edge.

　　Okay, New Circle Activate! Jump in. Nothing. Jump out. Jump in. Nada. Maybe it doesn`t feel like anything. A knife feels sharper with the other one. Maybe the floor feels even more floorlike. That doesn`t help. Says it increases success chance very slightly. So luck, but only a little bit. Don`t feel any different. This is a problem. Obviously required to assume its working. Took the mana just fine, both times. Scrunched up probably worked just fine. The ultimate placebo spell. Fortunately not cost prohibitive enough to not always have active. Fourteen mana for eight hours. Sixteen hour duration when activated with Carve. No choice but to remake all those sets of shoes. Inscribe the runes on the inside of each pair.

　　Wait, why sew the runes when the sole can just be Reshaped? Now that is a spell that needs some testing. Something simple, but need a material to work with. The coffee table. No, no reason to ruin it. Maybe hold off entirely. What time is it? A bit less than an hour `till. No reason not to head over early. Take the scenic route.

　　Grabbing two more gold from the money pouch in my pack and then heading east from the apartment. Heading north toward the center of the merchant district. Curse-o-Vision active, not too many in sight, all them. Definitely still in the building stages. If Wolfe was inducted, those two people from Stormhawk and Haven we saw today are probably Empaths as well. Need to keep an eye out for more of us in the know.

　　Continuing west until almost at the edge of the district and then heading south to Sam`s. Kitchen entrance, rolling up my short sleeve to the shoulder and then a quick blot, Rune Trap on my skin. Secret entrance and then down the stairs.

　　Knocking on the door, the metal slat opening, eyes, looking, closing, door opening. Different guard.

　　"Welcome to Sam`s," he said, taking me in.

　　"I have a meeting with Sam."

　　"What`s your name?"

　　"Lucy."

　　"Well nice to meet you, Lucy, I`m Bill," he said, reaching out his hand.

　　Glancing down at it. Giving it a shake. "Hi." Releasing. Waiting. "Can I come in, I`ve got a meeting with Sam, nine o`clock."

　　"Well, hold on now," he said, "let me check the list."

　　This outfit has advantages and disadvantages, sometimes one and the same. Wearing armor and having weapons visible definitely cuts a lot of bullshit, but friendliness factor way down. This is much better for deception, but need to get used to dealing politely with bullshit while wearing this outfit. Better for keeping everyone`s guards down. And men are what they are. That`s life. Can`t blame them for that.

　　"Yeah, you`re on the list," he said, coming back. "You got a last name?"

　　"I`ve got whatever`s on that piece of paper."

　　"Do you have any weapons?"

　　"Nope, notta one. Know Sam doesn`t like `em."

　　"Are you sure? You mind if I do a search?"

　　"Yeah, I mind. Where would I even put em? I`m here because I`m doing work for Sam. Stop wasting my time or I`ll stop being polite."

　　These guards today are atrocious.

　　Being walked up to Sam`s office. Taking a seat in a chair in front of his desk. Sam`s new assistant, my new associate thing, wearing a different outfit today, skintight black and showing a generous amount of cleavage. Surprise on her face.

　　"Lucy, you look wonderful today, what`s the occasion?" said Sam.

　　"I had a meeting with Shaker, managed to get my big problem with him sorted. How we looking for graveyard access?"

　　"You really seem to have taken to this well," said Sam.

　　"Yeah, what are you going to do? What`s going on with graveyard access? Having it by day four next cycle is fairly essential. No Shaker in the way now, either."

　　"Okay, all business," said Sam, holding up his hands in apology. "I`ll send a request to Wyrmsblood. If your issue with Shaker has actually been resolved, you should be fine to enter next cycle."

　　"So who`s this person I`m supposed to be working with?"

　　"A new associate of mine. A Ranger. He came recommended. I figure you`ll be able to show him the ropes. He and you are going to track down specific things, get you to do your thing to them."

　　A Ranger.

　　"Who`d he get recommended by?"

　　"Your old friend, Davos."

　　Stormhawk. Plenty of Rangers in Stormhawk. Got to be. Can`t go five minutes without running into one.

　　"Okay."

　　Sitting in silence for a moment.

　　"You know, I have a funny story about a Ranger in Stormhawk."

　　"Yeah? Save it for him, he`ll be here any minute."

　　"Oh, really?"

　　The door behind me opening. Any minute truly may mean any minute.

　　Turning my head to see Sam`s new associate. Fate smiling upon me. My hungry boy.

　　Giving me a brief glance, no indication he noticed, and now his attention mainly focusing on Sam. Walking up to the desk, hand out. Sam standing up and the two shaking.

　　"Mr. Phelps," he said, "I sincerely appreciate this opportunity. I`m not going to let you down."

　　"Mr. Wilde, I`ve heard good things about you, and I`m sure you`ll do fine. But, please, call me Sam."

　　"Nico," said Wilde.

　　"Well, Nico," said Sam, "Lucy here is the person you`re going to be working with." Gesturing at me.

　　That`s my cue. Out of the chair, hand out, placid smile on my face. Gracious in victory. No need to rub his nose in it. At least in front of Sam.

　　Wilde turning around, finally getting a good look at me. Puzzlement. Then his eyes going wide. There`s that recognition. Totally gobsmacked. Dumbly reaching out his hand.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

　　"Nico? Nice to officially meet you. I`m Lucy. Happy to be working together." Shaking his hand for him. Glancing over at Sam. "We actually ran into each other the other day, this is quite the coincidence."

　　A flash of anger on Wilde`s face, his grip suddenly crushing. Letting him do it, my expression staying fixed, my gaze returning to stare at him. Releasing his grip and stiffly taking a seat in the other chair. Returning to mine, subtly clenching and unclenching my hand, trying to get the blood moving again.

　　"Nico," said Sam, oblivious to our exchange and retaking his seat, "I was just starting to tell Lucy, but your task is to help her track down an assortment of different monsters out in the field, and to help her bring them down. I`ve got an initial draft of a list for you. A number are in some far flung locations, or difficult to find. Phase Beasts, Night Terrors, things like that. There`s a whole list. This is a longer term assignment. Do you think you`re up for it?"

　　Wilde looking at me out of the corner of his eye, then back to Sam.

　　"I think so," he said. "But how is pay going to work, that was never specified."

　　"You eat what you kill," said Sam. "The arrangement I`ve got with Lucy is that she sells me all the little things that she makes. The other materials you find out there are yours. If you find anything truly valuable, I`ll consider buying."

　　"That`s somewhat questionable," he said. "How valuable are the things that she makes?"

　　"Very. You stick with me and you`ll find out the pocket change Stormhawk dribbles your way every cycle is just that."

　　"We`re all going to be quite rich," added Sam.

　　"Alright," said Wilde, quickly glancing at me out of the corner of his eye again. "I`ll stick it out for a few cycles, see how it goes."

　　"I think you`ll be quite pleased," said Sam. "Now, Lucy, anything else we need to discuss?"

　　"The graveyard was my primary concern, think we`re good."

　　"Okay, we`re done," he said, getting a piece of paper from on his desk, "You two can discuss specifics, let me know if there are any issues. Oh, that`s right Lucy, you had a story about that Stormhawk Ranger you wanted to tell me."

　　Wilde glancing at me out of the corner of his eye again.

　　"That? Barely anything, case of mistaken identity. Anyway, I gotta get going. Nico, lets chat on the way out."

　　Standing up and getting the paper from Sam. Wilde getting out of his seat and both of us walking to the door.

　　Glancing at each other once outside before walking back to the entrance. Waiting for him to get his equipment situated. Up the stairs and back onto the street.

　　"You really have a lot of fucking nerve-" he started.

　　"You want to grab a pint?"

　　Promised me a good time, here to collect. Raising my eyebrows. Well?

　　"Yeah, I`m parched, let`s go," he said.

　　Sitting at the bar at a nearby inn, a few streets to the north. Fresh pints in front of us.

　　"If we`re going to be working together I want to clear the air." Taking a sip.

　　"I`m absolutely furious about George," he said, after drinking half his down.

　　"That`s what I`m talking about. But you were being an asshole to me first." No response to that. "How long did you have him?"

　　"Almost a year," he said, with a sigh. Taking a gulp.

　　"Fuck, I`m sorry about that." Taking my own gulp. Reaching out my hand and putting it on his arm. "That`s a really long time for one of them, what have you been doing?"

　　"The house has me on patrol duty. But its easy stuff, totally nonthreatening. Making sure to clear stuff around farms and near roads. Its a trickle of experience, if that."

　　"So your commission`s shit." Nodding at that. "Makes sense why you`d want to do this."

　　Sitting for a bit drinking, finishing our pints. Getting new ones.

　　"What are your days. I`m two, four, five. Prior commitments during the mornings on four and five."

　　"One, four, five. Duty with the house on one and four. Usually back in town by mid to late afternoon." he said.

　　"I`ll clear up my commitment on five. If something is real far out there, we`ll leave on four in the afternoon. This list is no joke."

　　"Let me see."

　　Unfurling it and spreading it out on the bar.

　　"Yeah, these are, I haven`t even heard of half this stuff," he said, after spending a few minutes going line by line.

　　"There`s all sorts of weird stuff." Tracing on my fingertip. Clearing a space and starting to draw on the bar. "Okay, so if Lumeer`s right here, when we first head out let`s start somewhere close, maybe here."

　　"You`ve got all kinds of tricks, don`t you?" Leaning back in his chair.

　　"I got all sorts. You think you might be interested in seeing some of them?" Narrowing his eyes, but clearly considering. "Nothing too dangerous."

　　***

　　"I`m reawwy sowwy bout yo cat."

　　My words and eyes teasing, my lips and tongue apologizing. Swishing my tongue around the head of his member, tracing the edge of his retracted foreskin. Grinning up at him and then engulfing it once again, savoring the masculine flavor. An unexpected and welcome surprise: only tipsy at best and the experience still as fun as it had been with Daniel. Suctioning, bobbing up and down, playing with the underside. He`s so responsive. Its great to know when you`re appreciated. And he really likes that, playing a ditty on his sensitive banjo string. Reaching up and starting to massage, preparing myself for the eruption into my mouth. That part, unfortunately, no better. Unable to contain it all and some dribbling out. Giving him a thorough cleaning off before crawling up the bed. Putting my head on his chest while still holding him.

　　"How`s that for an apology?" Smiling up at him.

　　"That was a pretty good start."

　　His hand reaching down, rubbing my entrance, finding me ready. Rolling me flat on my back. His digits pushing, teasing, and then sliding in, eliciting gasps. Feeling the fullness of his fingers. Excited, and more than slightly concerned, for what was coming. Each motion in and out removing little bits of concern until there was none left.

　　His strong arms spreading my legs open. My remaining token resistance, my last bit of hesitation, of no avail. Prodding against my weeping opening. Pushing against it. Yielding and then resisting, little cries coming from my mouth. And then giving way, entering me. Feeling so full, much fuller than his fingers. Forcing a series of sounds from my throat. Almost out then back in. Filling me up. Then a final forceful thrust sending waves of pleasure radiating. Feeling so, so full. His pelvic bone resting on mine.

　　"Hey, bitch." Leering down at me, his guttural growl confident and assertive. "How do you like that?"

　　His tone, his show of strength, sending my heart racing. Giving him a dreamy smile and wrapping my arms around him. "What are you waiting for?" My whisper. My soft, urgent exhalation.

　　Every thrust sending waves of joy. Proving something to himself and proving something to me. Forcing me to accept, and then to relish, my surrender. Suddenly picking up his pace and finding myself on the edge of a beach, a massive cresting monstrosity on the edge of my vision, way out by the horizon. Coming closer, towering over me and darkening the sky. Crashing down and sending me tumbling end over end, dragging me out with it into the surf. Finding myself sometime later on the edge of the shoals, warmth and contentment radiating through me. The muscles in my arms giving little spasms, cramping up, my hands locked onto his shoulders. Sharing a long series of kisses, holding onto the moment, and then an emptiness as he pulled out.

　　Snuggling up close, clinging to him, trying to retain the sensation of togetherness. Absentmindedly running my hand through the hair on his stomach, feeling his abs underneath the coating of fat. Laying like that for a bit, resting.

　　"Are you seeing anybody?"

　　"No. No one permanent," he said.

　　"Do you want to make this a one time thing or something more?"

　　"Are you offering more?"

　　"Y..." Screwing my eyes shut real tight, taking a breath to calm my nerves, preparing for the possible rejection. "Yeah, but I`ve got some ground rules."

　　"And what are those?" Wilde turning on his side in order to face me.

　　"If we`re going to be doing this I don`t want to share. That`s my number one rule. If you find someone else let me know. And this will go to being strictly professional. I`ll do you the same courtesy."

　　"I can live with that," he said.

　　"Also, I`m not going anywhere near your house. No social visits. If I do have to go, only on business. I know a couple of you guys, you`re alright, but there might be property damage if I wind up over there."

　　"I guess we can be a little rambunctious," he said, with a cocky smirk.

　　"Right, but it also feeds into this last one. I`m going to give you a certain amount of leeway in private, but if you even dream of treating me that way in public there`ll be consequences. I`ll give you warnings, at first."

　　"And what happens after the warnings," he said, his smile getting wider.

　　"It`ll be absolutely terrible." His smile gone. That recent death by ignition seeming to click once again in his head. "And then Sam will probably end up getting me a new Ranger. Or maybe a Monk. Their hands are magic."

　　"Those are not too terribly unreasonable," he said, after a few moments. "But, please, let me know when I`m running short on warnings."

　　"You`ll know."

　　Laying with my head on his chest, listening to his heart, neither of us saying anything for about a minute.

　　"Okay then," he said, "if you have a list of demands, I`ve got some, too. You`ve got to work on your technique. I like your enthusiasm but there was a little too much teeth."

　　"That`s, alright, that`s fair. I`m mature enough to handle criticism." Giving him a gentle squeeze. "You`re going to help me though, right?"

　　"I`ll put you on a regimen."

　　"I can work with that." Continuing to slowly coax him back to life.

　　A surprised blink, but then nodding thoughtfully. "In that case," he said, his face growing serious, "the only other thing on my list. You`re going to have to help me find a new pet."

　　"Suppose I owe you. You going to go with another cat?"

　　"No. Clean break. I`m thinking a wolf this time for tracking."

　　Laying in bed for a minute more.

　　"Hey, so Nico is short for Nicolas?"

　　"No, its, um..."

　　Accepting his invitation. Dominic Wilde.

　　"Your name really is Macarthy."

　　"The one and only."

　　"I guess I shouldn`t be surprised, and I guess that explains about yesterday."

　　"About that, I`ve been wondering about what you said."

　　"About what?"

　　"You told me you were going to plow me for hours. That wasn`t just talk, right?"

　　"Nope," he said, with a chuckle, "I`ve definitely still got it in me." His fingers starting to pinch and tickle, and then flipping me on my stomach.

　　Letting out a giggle. "Don`t be so gentle this time."