Conversations with My Killer
Chapter 28 - The Human Inside
The falsehoods continued. It was the only way he could make me listen. "When I thought you died, I didn't sit in front of a mirror staring at your blood in my eyes. When it faded away, I didn't feel like I lost you all over again."
Stop talking. Please, just stop.
"Are you finally ready for some truth?"
All he gave me was truth, and it was breaking me into pieces. "Please don't."
Years of pent up despair spilled out of him in a violent swell. It caught me in its undertow and pulled me under.
"No matter where you go or how fast you run, Bella, I will always chase you. I'll do it out of a simple hope that someday when I tell you I love you you'll believe me."
After cutting out his heart and shoving it into my own chest, Jasper moved off of me. His emotional collapse left me too wounded to run and too weak to try. What was the point? Running wouldn't do any good. Killing him wouldn't even solve my problems. As long as I lived, so would he.
One evening was enough to show me our connection was symbiotic and perverse. This man lied to me, manipulated me, and destroyed my life. What was wrong with me that his crimes mattered less by the minute?
Weakness. I lacked spirit and fortitude. Or maybe, I just lacked him. God no. Anything but that.
What I really lacked was common sense and patience. I was far too impulsive for my own good. I needed to take time to organize my thoughts and find a clear path through this mess.
First and foremost, these people were not my friends. They killed my father and wanted to use him to control me. They were power hungry and users of the worst kind.
But not him. Jasper was different. I could feel it in my bones. He loved me, and I must have loved him, too. I didn't know if our relationship played a part in a greater plan or if it was an unexpected complication. I only knew that somewhere along the way it became real.
So where did this leave me? In a hell of a mess. I wanted him back. It was irrational and too damn soon for me to be feeling this way, but waiting this out seemed like a waste of time. We had to have been good together, or he wouldn't be this lost without me. We could find a way to make this work. I was on the verge of telling him just that when his patience ran out.
"If you're trying to decide on the best way of letting me down gently, you can stop. I don't expect you to give me a chance. I only wanted you to know the truth about why I was looking for you and why I can't stop."
Thank you, Mr. Whitlock, for saying something to bring my romantic idiocy to an abrupt halt. Was this love or obsession he felt for me? "You can stop. You just have to decide to do so."
"No, I can't."
This was going to be a problem. We would never have a chance of rebuilding what we lost if he didn't stop with this crap. I wanted a man whose eyes danced with death and mayhem. From what I could tell, Jasper lived for me and me alone. It was too much. I didn't want someone mooning over me or throwing rose petals at my feet. Romantic caricatures were not for me.
Since he didn't want gentle, I went with direct. "I believe you love me, but it doesn't change anything. You may have caught my attention, but I don't think you have what it takes to keep it."
"If you're expecting me to spend decades apologizing and kissing your ass, you can get over that right now. I'll never be nice for the sake of making you feel good. I didn't do it before and I won't do it now."
This tougher side to him made my dark heart stutter, but it didn't matter how pretty his adamantine words were. If they only ran as deep as his scratched surface, they weren't good enough.
"Please continue," I encouraged. "This is fascinating."
"If you stay here, I won't follow you around like some kind of pet. In public, I'll protect you when you need it and ignore you if you don't."
Yeah, sure he would. This was just his way of guarding his heart against further rejection. All it would take was a nudge to put him back on the ground and providing me with a rug to tread on.
I tested him. "You left out the part where being with you doesn't make me special it makes me lucky."
Go ahead, correct me. Tell me how special I am. The mere sight of me makes your soul sing. While you're at it, gag me with a broken arm, you weak fuck.
Jasper went an entirely different direction. "You're not special or lucky. You're a pain in my ass."
It was exactly what I wanted to hear, but I wasn't ready to buy in yet. I stood up and nonchalantly dusted the dirt off my legs. "Anything else?"
"I won't spend a century brick hard and abstinent because you won't let me have you. You don't own my dick. If you want exclusive rights, you better be prepared to give me the same."
Have at it. We'll see how that works for you. "I hope your Declaration of Dickdependence comes with a national holiday and some fireworks. You look like you could use some."
"All I'm saying is that loving you doesn't change who I am or what I need. If you want me, I'm yours. If not, I have my own life to live. I won't make every minute of it about you."
He was a multi-tasker of the worst kind. Somehow he managed to stand up for the individual and show a willingness to be my little bitch all at the same time. "I liked you better when I thought you were a bad ass, and that's not saying much."
"I liked you better human."
Too bad, so sad. "I guess we're both disappointed."
"I wasn't, but I'm getting there. If you keep showing yourself to be a cheap copy of the woman I mourn, I will be."
Jasper put some heavy steps behind his words when he turned and left. His disciplined march was military grade and touched all the sweet spots necessary for me to salute with bra waving patriotism. There was something about his game of hot and cold that spun me around in the best ways.
I would have to stay now, if only for a little while.
I returned to the house in much worse condition than when I left. My shirt was torn and my body dirty. A messy meal of deer left dried blood on my chin and neck. Combined with the rat's nest that was my hair, I looked rough and disgusting.
When I climbed through our bedroom window, Jasper was sitting in his rocking chair and pretending to read a book. There were perks to sharing a room with him. He was pretty to look at for one. Sure, the rocking chair gave him an old man vibe, but I could overlook that for now.
Perk two was a dog named Panama. Sometime in the last three years, he managed to dig his non-dead body out of a fictional hole next to my house in Forks and jump onto my bed. I would call it a miracle, but it was more like a slap to the forehead. He was alive. How could he not be?
The dog didn't recognize me. There was no tail wagging or any indication he might welcome my touch. I didn't know what to do with him and looked to Jasper for guidance.
"It's not brain surgery, Bella. Don't pet him too hard or bite him."
I thought Jasper was my biggest concern coming back here. As it turned out, he didn't render me powerless. The dog did. Panama would have me wrapped around his dewclaws if I let him. His disinterest only heightened my need to get to know him. This would be bad.
Stay strong. He's just a dog.
I came up with an excuse, so I wouldn't have to deal with him. "I'm dirty."
Jasper kept rocking, not reading, and not helping. "Coward."
I was not. No dog could frighten me away, and I would prove it. I was too dirty to sit on the bed. The floor was a better option. I sat down and patted a spot next to me. Panama didn't move until Jasper told him to.
Instead of jumping down, he used steps that were positioned next to the bed for him. He approached slowly before coming to a stop in front of me and sitting down obediently.
I held up a hand and let him sniff me. "Is he always this restrained?"
"He knows to be cautious. Only a select few are allowed to interact with him."
I must not have passed inspection. The animal snorted at me and then went to sit by his master. His rejection was a crushing blow. This sucked.
"He doesn't like me."
Jasper scratched behind Panama's ears. "He doesn't know you because your scent is different. You'll have to win him over."
How funny. I would have to work to win over the dog, and Jasper would have to work to win over me.
"Any suggestions on how I can do that?" I asked.
"I'll trade you hint for hint. How's that for an offer?"
It was mighty tempting. I had a soft spot for dogs. They couldn't lie or cheat like the rest of us. Their loyalty and love were unbreakable promises. With my history, there was nothing I valued more than honesty. Dogs offered that in spades. They didn't know any other way to be.
Jasper knew he had me. "Take a shower. He doesn't like the smell of blood after we kill."
A shower, huh? Easy enough. "I can do that."
I went right for the bathroom but stopped when I heard a command and then a bark. I looked back over my shoulder. "What?"
"You didn't hold up your end of the bargain. Where's my hint?"
It needed to be a good one. Something to show him I understood Panama was our dog, not his or mine. Why not just say that?
I tried and failed. "Hours are good."
Jasper didn't know if that was supposed to mean something or not. "Which hours? Morning? Afternoon? Evening, maybe? I like stars."
I banged my right palm against my forehead. "Shit. Shit. Shit."
An unmanly giggle came from his side of the room. I shot him an evil glare. "Shut up. This isn't easy."
Ours. Not hours. This wasn't a clock issue, though I was wound up. Why was I so nervous? More air. A slow inhale. An easy exhale. I was ready. "I like seeing you with our dog."
Oh my hell. His smile was a solar flare.
I retreated like a yellow bellied coward. I needed hot water, steam, and anything else that would keep me from him for several very necessary minutes. I couldn't think with this man around. In one evening, he had me in a hundred different knots only his clever fingers could untangle.
The shower was divine. I rinsed and repeated four times. It wasn't that I was buying extra minutes. I simply liked to be thorough, which was why I also made a point of going over every inch of my body a good five times. The water was running cold by the time I finished scrubbing off ten layers of my skin.
It was at this point I realized I had no towels or clothes other than my dirty ones. Why did these things happen to me? It was unfair.
A day ago, I wouldn't have hesitated to parade my naked butt in front of him. All I could think of now was that my waist was thicker than I liked, and venom did nothing to make my left breast the same size as my right. Vampires were supposed to be perfect, but my body missed that memo. The flaws weren't even that noticeable, but he would see them.
I had another head slapping realization. Jasper was an empath and would pick up on my nerves. This was a disaster. He knew just how unsettled I was. His ability sucked.
I tried listening to see what he was up to. I heard pacing and not from the dog. He was even muttering to himself. This did wonders for me. We were both in the same boat and lacking a few good paddles.
I knocked on the door because of course that made perfect sense. "Jasper?"
The eager beaver in charge of his feet had him running over to answer. "Yes."
"Would you please bring me a towel and some clothes?"
I fully expected him to take advantage of my situation, but he did nothing of the sort. "I can do that."
He brought back several different selections for me to choose from. Three towels because he didn't know if I had a new favorite color. There were also two choices of robes and several pajamas of varying styles.
"You were always pickier about what you wore to bed than what you wore outside the house."
"I don't sleep now," I reminded him after taking his offerings.
"Shut it," he snapped.
I couldn't stop smiling as I dried off and dressed in flannel pajamas of all things. I looked like I should be sitting in front of a fireplace and sipping a mug of cocoa. Best of all, the fabric felt really nice on my sensitive skin.
When I stepped out of the bathroom, the old man was back in his rocking chair and doing his best to avoid looking at me. The poor book in his hands was in danger of being pulled in half. I had to hold back a laugh when he raised it slightly.
As I restlessly wandered the room, I could feel his eyes following me. We were acutely aware of each other's presence and broadcasting it loudly. I knocked over the pen holder on the desk and sent a pile of papers flying. Jasper took his frustrations out on his book, which now came in two parts.
"All sequels should be so easy," I joked.
My attempt to lighten the mood failed. I fidgeted with the long sleeves of my shirt and was thankful for the coverage it and my long pants provided. Being around him was turning me shy.
After three pointless laps around the room, I ended up lying down on the bed. Panama must have approved of my cleaner self. He repositioned himself where he was right next to me. When I didn't pet him right away, he nudged my arm.
"You didn't like me a minute ago," I reminded him. "You even snorted on me, which is very rude. Your daddy needs to work on your manners."
This dog had an impressive bitch face. In my head, I imagined him lecturing me on his rules. He shouldn't have to ask to be petted. It was expected. I was in his room. I needed to do his bidding.
I earned his temporary affections by rubbing a spot right behind his damaged ear. He closed his eyes and pressed in closer to me. "See there, boy. I know what you like."
A clean Bella made for a happy Panama.
Our happy moment was interrupted by Jasper. "Pan, bedtime."
The dog grudgingly made his may down the steps. He crossed the room and disappeared through a door I assumed went to the next room. I had never opened it.
I wasn't happy to see him leave. "Why did you do that?"
"I don't like seeing him with you when I don't know how long you'll be around. You already left him once. If you plan on doing it again, you should go before he grows attached to you."
Ordinarily, I would have come back with an accusation that I only left Panama because Jasper killed me. Since all my other assumptions turned out wrong, I went with a question instead. "Did I leave him, or did he lose me because of what happened?"
"You left him in Florida with your mother. It was your choice. My feelings on the matter were not important to you."
His heated response burned me. I stammered out an apology. "I'm sorry. Really, I am."
"You should be. It probably broke her heart when she woke up to find him gone."
He stole a dog from a grieving mother. "You couldn't have found another pet?"
"You'll eventually figure out that some things are irreplaceable. And with that, I'm done for the night. I need time away from you for the same reason as the dog."
Attachments were hell, but it was far too late for him. It was probably too late for me. "Will I see you tomorrow?"
"Yes, but it won't be like this."
"That's too bad. When we're not yelling at each other, I kind of like whatever this is. We need more of it, don't you think?"
Shock replaced his anger, but wariness ruled the day. "I only know what I need. When you figure out what you need, let me know, and we'll see if we can combine the two."
The next day began in the afternoon. Clothing slowed me down. I couldn't decide what to wear, which was never a problem I experienced before. Shirts were too tight or scratchy. My legs rebelled against the shorts and jeans I found. Nothing fit. Colors were wrong. Nudity was not an option.
When Alice came to check on me, the contents of my closet were spread out over the room. She understood my dilemma perfectly and didn't bother with suggestions. When I was ready for something to be right, it would appear. Clothes were like that.
A casual glance outside proved my point. "I'm a new recruit. I should dress like the others. A tank top and some cargo pants. It's what they wear when they're training, right?"
"Yes."
I dressed. She hung up my clothes and chatted. "How did it go with Jasper?"
"Like you don't know."
"No one knows. Demetri sent us away."
It made sense that he would do that. He wouldn't want his minions hearing his plans for Charlie. They would figure out we were shields, and Demetri needed to protect his resources. We weren't people to him. We were weapons. If someone stole us away, they could use us against the Volturi the same as him.
Alice would know all this, but she shaded it differently. "He's very protective of Jasper, but we told you that already."
Sure. It was all about giving Jasper privacy. No other motives were involved. Whatever. I wasn't stupid. She was in Demetri's pocket, which made her only half a friend to me in the best of circumstances.
She was also a gossip hound. "So what happened? Did you kiss and makeup or try to kill each other?"
I wouldn't talk about him with her or anyone else. "My lips are sealed."
"Fine, I'll just make up my own story. You danced under the stars and promised to stay together forever. It was magic."
She prattled on endlessly. Her version wasn't even close to the up and down night Jasper and I shared. We could give geography lessons on how to be all over the map. We were good, bad, mean, nice, and everything in between. Today would probably bring more of the same.
Alice and I left the house and made our way to one of the training areas. From the looks of it, most of the coven was in attendance. The different cliques were grouped together and observing a male and female who were sparring. When their bout ended, a tag team match began. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly with people talking amongst themselves or cheering on favorites.
I was lost on the finer details of what I was seeing, but Alice was kind enough to explain. This was more of a game than a training session. Colored fishing line was tied tightly around different body parts. As the line was bit off, points were awarded. Each color was worth something different. When enough points were earned, the match was over.
The neck had the highest value, but most combatants went for appendages. Taking off someone's foot was only worth half as much as taking out their knees. The same held true for arms. A hand was not as valued as an elbow or shoulder because of degree of difficulty. If someone used their fingernails to cut at the line, it was considered a foul.
After watching ten matches, I noticed a trend. "Why isn't anyone going for the throat if it's worth more?"
"We may know it's a game, but if you get your teeth near our necks, we'll bite an ear off."
"So why bother including it at all?"
She nodded her head in the direction of a group of men and women dressed in all black. "They think it's a fun challenge."
In the few days I had been here, this was the first I had seen of this particular group. "And where have you been hiding these beasts?"
"You like?"
I couldn't decide. We were all dangerous, but this crew was something else entirely. Each was marked by at least a dozen scars. The intense way they sized up each competitor was unnerving to me. This was not entertainment to them. It was an opportunity to observe future opponents. They had no allies other than themselves, and when they went toe-to-toe, it would not be anything like the rest of us.
As curious as I was about them, I almost didn't want to see them in action. "Do real fights ever break out?"
"We're fairly civilized. When a dispute does arise, Demetri likes to take full advantage and turn it into an event. Reputations are built and broken on those nights."
It sounded thrilling and potentially dangerous. "Anything else I should know?"
Alice went into a long lecture about coven army basics. The gist of it was that most structured training was handled in small teams led by the more experienced coven members. Felix made decisions on who went where and who learned what.
Few advanced into the more rigorous training. Most lacked the dedication or the pain threshold needed to take their instruction to the next level. Those that did usually ended up as personal guards or were tasked with identifying elite opponents in a battle and eliminating them.
I took a good long look at the group in black. They were obviously the ones she was referring to.
Her speech came to an abrupt stop. "Let's go for a run."
Good idea. A run was way more fun than checking out the warrior clan. "Okay."
She sprang into a run and sang out a challenge that spurred me into action. We weaved in and out of trees as we raced over the land. We didn't stop until we reached the river. She paused to kick off her shoes while I waded right out into the water. There were benefits to not wearing shoes.
The cool water made my feet sing. Summer made for the best days. The sun heated the blue sky and sprinkled our skin with diamond dust. This ranch was ideal for our kind. We could run and swim without fear of being seen by humans. Living here wasn't just an existence. We could have a real life.
I sat on a rock and rested my feet in the water. "So what did you bring me out here for?"
"We need to talk."
Ugh. "If this is about Jasper -"
"Zip it, sister. This is about the men you were undressing with your eyes."
I had barely looked, but I teased her all the same. "I kind of want one. Nothing major. Fifteen minutes ten times a day should do me just fine. I can get a doctor's note if that helps."
Alice kicked water at me. "This is serious."
"I don't see why."
"Has anyone explained how relationships work for us?"
Nope, and I didn't want them to. "I don't care how it works for you or anyone else. I only care how it works for me."
"Which is what?"
Hells bells, could she not let up? I wasn't looking to be with anyone. "I don't know how it works for me, but I'm not going to let you tell me how it should."
"But Jasper -"
"Is a grown ass man," I snapped without thinking. "It's insulting for you to take on the role of his advocate. If you know what's good for you, you'll keep his name out of your mouth and his business out of your thoughts. Are we clear?"
Owl eyes tripled in size. The girl looked more like a woodland creature than a woman.
The doe act made my fists flame from barely contained violence. No one should speak of him. "Blink your eyes or nod your head. Do something to show me you're not as deaf as you are nosy."
"We're clear. Jasper doesn't need me. I can see that now."
She damn well better. Her position in this coven left her on very thin ice with me. It wouldn't take much for us to go from half friends to full blown enemies.
The sparring games were still in full swing when Alice and I returned. Three elephants could have been fighting for all I cared. Jasper was here, and like the night before, little else mattered. He stood at the center of the crew Alice pointed out earlier. To his right was Panama who sat with the regal bearing of a king. Like his master, he watched the sparring with keen interest.
Someone came up to my side. Demetri's smarmy self demanded my attention. "Come back to the house with me. We can begin our first session."
"Not gonna happen."
Who was Jasper watching so intently? I followed his gaze into the center square. One woman circled another. Colored line littered the ground at their feet. The short blond needed only one more point to win. Her opponent, a tall woman with shoulder length cherry red hair, was standing still. Her defeated posture gave me the impression she was tired of the game and ready to surrender to defeat.
It was a ruse. When the blond swooped in and went for a knee, the taller woman caught an arm and twisted it at an unnatural angle. Without missing a beat, she bit through all three lines on the right arm. It was enough to give her the win.
The redhead disregarded her opponent's attempt to offer congratulations and instead stalked through the crowd to stand before Jasper. He shook his head and waved her away. The approval she was seeking was not earned. Her shoulders fell slightly, but her disappointment was short-lived. She moved to stand next to Panama and proceeded to act as if nothing happened.
Demetri continued to insist I accompany him to the house. His demands were less important than my curiosity. Red Sonja was making eyes at Jasper. She smiled when he appeared to appreciate a move from one of the fighter's he was observing. When he said something to the man on his left, she chimed in with a comment of her own.
She was that student at the front of class who was the first to raise her hand and the last to leave at the end of the day. She probably volunteered to clean erasers and iron his shirts. She was certainly interested enough in the speck of dirt she picked off his sleeve.
Who was she to stand that close to him and my dog? She wasn't wearing black. She should be with the rest of us scrubs down on the grass. Talking to him. Touching him. Both were unacceptable, but one particular move was unforgivable.
She dared to pet my dog. I wanted him to send her a side-eye of doggy disdain. A smart animal would recognize her for the disingenuous, warrior tart that she was. Mine didn't. He licked her hand and wagged his tail.
It only got worse from there when Jasper casually reached down and rested his hand over hers. I did not approve of the familiarity that existed between them. Her triumphant grin should be doused with venom and shoved into a pit of hot coals.
How many times had the teacher's pet offered to bang more than his erasers? How many times had he said yes?
Liar. Cheater. Traitor.
Jealousy raged. Even if they hadn't done anything, touching hands was a gateway drug. If he accepted her touch, he would listen to her thoughts. Talking would turn into more touching. There was no risk with her. She would stay where I might leave. For a broken man, she was a safe and easy rebound.
All of this added up to an unacceptable realization. Jasper had options, and I didn't like it one damn bit.
Be calm. You don't own him.
Another tug at my shirt. "Now, Bella."
Demetri would not get off my back. The need to block Jasper and his pet from my thoughts pushed me to grant him an audience. Alice was left behind with a look of supreme annoyance on her face. She would have followed if he hadn't made it abundantly clear he wanted me alone.
"I'm not letting you in my head," I informed him after we returned to the house and stepped into his study.
"I will accept that – for now." He took a seat at his desk and reclined back in his chair. "You don't like me much, do you?"
I thought we established that early on. "Nope."
"I'll have to settle for being pleased with the progress between you and Jasper. His report this morning was encouraging."
This pissed me off more than the girl. Our progress would suffer a serious setback if Jasper reported anything about us to Demetri. If I could keep quiet, he could too. Hell, I would rather him hold hands with strange women than talk about us.
"What is going through that mind of yours?" Demetri pondered. "You've been quiet since the moment you saw Jasper with his friend. Jealousy is the easy guess, but I hope you're not as predictable as that."
I was exactly that predictable, but it wasn't my biggest concern at the moment. "She's nothing."
"Use your head for once. Long weeks of uninterrupted training have a way of making nothing into something, and just so you know, it already has with them."
Was the snake trying to upset me? Applying fertilizer to my doubts was not in his best interests. "Are we done yet? Threaten me or pull a rabbit out of your hat. Do something besides fill my head with crap."
Red eyes darkened to black. "As much as it pains me to say this, I can see why he likes you. It's a shame he found you first."
"Jasper didn't find me. Edward did."
"We're both wrong. Alice found you. She shared you with Jasper, and he gave you to Edward. You sound like a well-used toy at a daycare."
Demetri took great pleasure in using my ignorance against me. I had no idea what he was talking about, but his comparison hurt all the same.
He wasn't finished. "Do you know what happens to those toys? Few can be adapted beyond their original purpose, and for those that can't, their ultimate fate is always the same. Broken. Discarded. Forgotten."
He was growing increasingly agitated by my lack of respect for him, but I ignored the signals. "How sad for me. I'll be sure to cry in my toy box later."
I knew he wasn't trying to injure my feelings. It was a warning. My shield would only take me so far. Once Alec and Jane were eliminated, I was expendable. Jasper would offer protection, but my pride balked at the idea of relying on him.
As usual, I was focused a mile ahead instead of recognizing the danger right in front of me. My thoughts drifted, pulling me out of the moment and giving my enemy the opening he craved.
Demetri moved without warning. He appeared behind me and spun me around to face him. The swift change in direction jarred my senses, but it was the feral gleam in his eyes that paralyzed me. I pushed him too far once too often.
His viper's voice assaulted my ears in a raw whisper. "I love those rare moments when a vampire recognizes their life is under threat. Eyes darken with fear, and we freeze like prey. Our venom retreats and reveals the human inside."
My lungs reached for air that wouldn't come as razor-sharp fingernails cut thin lines across my throat.
"Do you know why people always give me what I want?"
I shook my head.
"I find their weaknesses and exploit them. Your particular flaw is one of my favorites." He paused to dab the venom on his fingertips over his lips. "You taste like him only sweeter. It's nice."
When I tried pulling away, he laughed. "Calm yourself, Bella. I won't take a bite just yet."
Demetri should never be allowed to rule anything much less an army of vampires. His first move after attaining power would be to rid the world of those who challenged him. My rebellious nature would put me high on the list.
His actions today proved he feared no reprisals from Jasper. He could and would do what he wanted with me. If I didn't put my hostility in check and find a way to protect myself, the only reward he would hand me was death.
I swallowed my fear and forced myself to speak. "You've given me a lot to think about."
"What are your immediate conclusions? A quick mind like yours must have some already."
I did, but I wouldn't make it out of this room if I told him what they were. I went with something I knew he wanted to hear. "Jasper is the key to my survival. If I keep him happy, you'll be happy."
Demetri smoothed my hair in a fatherly gesture. "I'm so glad to see you're finally coming around."
Author's Note: I had hell with one part of this chapter. It's so frustrating when something gets caught in my brain and doesn't want to make its way to my fingers. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The next one was much easier to write. It will post next week.
Thanks again for reading and sticking with the story.
- Cris
