Gemma stood at the entrance at the cave and peered in. She couldn't see two inches in front of her face, for some strange reason everything seemed darker than usual. She slowly and quietly walked against the wall into the cave, she walked around the cave feeling the wall, knowing every crack and space by feel, when she knew everything and figured that no one was there. She slumped down against the wall behind a rock, and sighed she didn't really know what to do now. She was sure that Kartik and the 'master' was here,

'Great now what am I going to do?'

'What! I'll tell ya what you're going to do, you going to listen to me and right now I'm telling you to get up and find him. You're powerful enough; you just got to know how to center it.

'But I don't know h-'Gemma lifted her head and turned to the center of the cave, she heard shuffle of feet, Gemma moved closer into the space of the wall and rock,

"Hmm. Looks like Polyphemus isn't here yet with the girl. No matter." Gemma sharply sucked in a breath

'It's him; it's the 'master'. What are you doing, go get him.' Gemma ignored the little voice in her head, and continued to listen, she heard a slight grunt, then something heavy hit the ground, she couldn't see what it was, but when she heard it moan she knew it was Kartik.

Part of her wanted to reach out and grab him, she stayed still, and waited until the timing was right.

"I could kill the boy. But that would be a waste; he is a fine specimen, even if he is a little weak." Gemma felt the anger building up inside of her, 'Did you hear that he called him weak, Kartik is not weak, he's the strongest person we know. Are you just going to sit there and let that man insult the man we love.' Gemma just blocked out the little voice in her head. AS much as she wanted to scream and defend Kartik, she knew she couldn't without putting them both in danger.

"Hhmm.. what to do with him. I could keep him here until Polyphemus returns with the girl and then use him as leverage for when she refuses to corporate. Hmm…yes that's the plan. Now where is Polyphemus with the girl." Gemma heard him walk out of the cave and into the night. When she was sure he was gone, she crawled out of her hiding spot and went over to Kartik. She rolled him over so he was laying on his back. She put her ear to his chest to hear his heartbeat and feel him breathing, when she was satisfied with what she got, she gripped his shoulder and tried to shake him awake.

"Kartik!" She whispered she tried again and he still didn't wake up, she continued this routine unaware of the footsteps creeping behind her until it was too late.

"Humans are truly predictable." Gemma turned her head around just in time to see a hand coming down on her and stuck her in the face, when she hit the floor. The last thing Gemma heard before she slipped into unconsciousness was the man laughing down at her.


Gemma slowly opened her eyes, to find out that the cave was lite but had no fire going, her eyes wondered until they fell to the center of the cave where she saw a short man leaning over Kartik's lifeless looking body.

"Get away from him." Gemma began thrashing trying to get her hand free, the man just went on ignoring her, and he pour something into Kartik's mouth. She watched as Kartik threw his head back and let out a pained scream into the air, and then Gemma watched in horror as his body grew limp. Gemma once again tried to get out of the ropes that held her wrists together.

"Now, it's your turn." Gemma lifted her head to see the man walking towards her, with a vile in hand.

"What did you do to him?"

"I didn't kill him if that's what you think. He just wont be…himself." The man said with a grin "Now be a good girl and open your mouth." He grabbed her face between his thumb and fingers and held her face in front of him. Gemma took a good look at the man, he was old looking but you could still see youth in him, his eyes were grey and looked like you could get lost in it. His black hair fell against his tan skin and to most people he would seem handsome, but all Gemma felt for him was loathing. When he pulled her face close to her she tried to spit in his face, but she missed and it dribbled down her chin,

"Now, now there is no need for that." He pinched her esophagus and when Gemma opened her mouth in a gasp he poured the contents of the vile in her mouth, Gemma tried to spit it up but he held her mouth closed, Gemma didn't want to swallow but she was drowning, so she swallowed the sickly sweet concoction,

"What did you do?" Gemma felt her eyes get heavier and her breath becoming shallower.

"Oh, nothing. You'll just be a little less... assertive." The man knelled down and placed a hand on her eyes, "Now rest, we got a lot to do." Gemma tried to slap his hand away but she could barley lift it. The man stood and walked out of the cave. Gemma lifted her head as far off the ground that she could. With the little strength that she had she started to crawl to the opening, she stopped and turned her head to face Kartik, she knew she couldn't leave him. So she inched her way to him, so she heard the sound of feet scraping against the rocky floor of the cave, Gemma continued to make her way over to Kartik. 'I don't care if I cant make it out, If I can get to him and pass out then I'll be able to wake up and get out of here faster. Halfway there, when I wake up I'm going to kill the little m—AH!'

"AHH! Get off!" Gemma scream out in pain as a heel of a boot the pressed down on the base of her spineshe tried to reach it to remove it but she once again could barely raise her arm.

"I guess Polyphemus was right, you are quite the handful. Now just be a good girl and …rest." Gemma soon felt her eyes close she tried to will her self the open them, but a deep blanket of sleep covered it's self over her and she trembled down the dark void of unconsciousness.


Gemma opened her eyes to see that she was still on the cave floor. She tried to lift her head and immediately felt a pounding sensation in her head. She put her head back on the ground and groaned,

"You'll get use to it." Gemma shot her head up and looked for where the voice came from, and there leaning against the wall holding his stomach was…... Kartik. Gemma just sat there staring at him as tears started to build up in her eyes, she hated herself for crying in front of Kartik but she didn't care. She slowly stood on shaky legs and limped over to him. She wrapped him in a bone crushing hug. Kartik gasped out in pain asking her to let him go.

"Sorry" He just nodded and started walking to one side of the cave, as Gemma followed, she released 'He's limping he's basically dragging is left leg.' Kartik came to a stop and leaned down the wall, Gemma went and sat next to him and sighed, she rested her head on Kartik's shoulder, but Kartik shrugged his shoulder away. She sat up and looked at him, he just glared at her and said,

"What." Gemma was taken aback never acted like this before,

'He's just tired.' She told her self 'I mean you can't blame him for being so tired. He has been though a lot.' She sighed 'But he never did ask if I was ok, I mean it's not like I need him to check up on me, but he always at least asked if I was ok even if I never appreciated it.' She turned and looked at him, 'He seems too calm also, I mean we don't know when that man will come back and he's just sitting, I know he's tired but he would at least make us leave the cave. Maybe I should ask him what's wrong.' Gemma looked at Kartik; he was just staring out the mouth of the cave. It was almost like he was waiting for someone. She sighed,

"Kartik, is…um…is everything alright. You just don't seem like yourself." She waited for a response, but all that Kartik did was turn his head and looked at her. Gemma just sat there and stared and waited. The distance between their faces slowly closed. Her eyes lazily fell shut as her head tilted to meet his. Her arms went around him, up around his neck. "Gemma…" he whispered her name at the last moment before their lips connected. A soft, feminine sigh escaped Gemma. 'Wait! I shouldn't be doing this…I…mean…that…ohh.' Another soft moan escaped her as she felt herself being guided onto her back. He was straddled over her, his hands wandering her back as he did so. Their lips never broke except to breathe. His hands rushed through her hair; he left her lips and moved to her neck. He gingerly bit her neck here and there, making her gasps in rapture. 'NO! We don't have time for this; the Dream Snatcher could be back any moment. Gemma opened her mouth to tell him but instead of words moans were released when he pressed her body closer to her. She closed her eyes and rolled her head back to give him more room on her neck. She moaned in pleasure and soon her body had a mind of it's own. She felt her legs open wider as Kartik placed him self between them, he pressed his body against her as he let out a groan that sent shivers of pleasure down Gemma's spine. 'Oh…it feels so good…but we have to stop usually Kartik stops by now.' Gemma bit down her lips, she let out a sigh,

"Kartik, we-we have to st-stop." Kartik lifted up his head and looked at her, he slowly climbed off of her and sat next to her,

"Sorry." He mumbled as Gemma sat up and straitened her dress,

"No, I didn't stop because I didn't like it. I…um…liked it …quite much." Gemma tried to say it with a straight face, but felt a blush slowly creep up her neck. She turned her head and faced the other side of the wall so he wont she her blush. "Anyways we have to start moving before that man comes back. I mean he's been gone for a long time, he could come back any minute." Gemma looked at Kartik and saw he had the same dazed-off-looking-into-outer-space look again. Gemma cleared her throat, and it seemed to wake him out of his trance.

"Huh…oh, yeah. You're right we better move before the Dream Snatcher comes back." He stood and started to limp again. Gemma sat down and wondered, 'Why is he limping on the other foot, he was limping on his left foot and now its his right. And how did he know about the Dream Snatcher, I never told him.' Gemma stared at him as she rose to her feet. 'There's only one explanation;…'

"You're not Kartik, are you?" 'Kartik' stopped and turned to her,

"What are you talking about? He turned and started to walk back to Gemma, she walked back, "Gemma what's wrong its me Kartik."

"No, its not you haven't been acting like him at all, and I never told you about the Dream Snatcher plus you were passed out when he revealed himself. Also you're limping on the wrong leg." Gemma tried not to feel fear, but it was slowly rising in side of her. "Where is the real Kartik? I want him here now, or you'll pay." The fake Kartik just stood there with a blank look on his face, then he put on a smile and laughed,

"You think you can stop me. Kartik was never here you fool. Do you even know where you are?"

"A dream."

"Correct. I was sent here by my master. That little drink he gave your friend allows me to have his body and thoughts. And I'm in control as long as he's out of it. But it's sickening how so many of his thoughts are about you. I mean I don't get it what so great about a stupid human, or to be more accurate a whore."

"I am not a whore you bastard!" Gemma yelled, she could feel the burn of tears that will come soon.

"You're not? Well that's a shock because I could've sworn that you're the same girl that I had moaning in pleasure on this very piece of earth." He laughed "You pathetic human, what good are you other than decomposing in the dirt." Gemma eyes blurred with the tears that she didn't see him move until it was too late. And soon strong hand grabbed her by the neck and lifted her into the air. She grabbed on his arm trying to free herself for his hold. "Don't cry it'll be over soon." Gemma watched in horror as his started speaking in Latin and she felt a burn worst than fire come from his hands and around her neck, she screamed and her squeezed harder, he continued to say "Valde validus filiolus , permissum mihi take is donum ex is quod quod operor ut EGO animadverto opportunus." Gemma watch as on the wall that he was pointing at a door open, a door to the realms. Soon the burning passed and her let her drop to the floor, she laid there limp, from the pain of the burn and lack of oxygen. He turned her over so she was on her back, and leaned down and whispered in her ear. "It's is going to be a shame to waste a beautiful body." He placed a deep kiss on her, Gemma tried to push him off but she was so weak he probably didn't even feel it. When he released her, he turned her head sideways, he reach on the side of his belt a removed his dagger. He raised it in the air and brought it down in her collar bone. Gemma eyes snapped open and she screamed. She screamed so loud and strong that it could be heard in the real world.

And in the real world a short man was standing over her body when she let out the scream and as blood started to flow from the wound. He looked down and said,

"Humans are truly predictable." He walked to the back off the cave where he disappeared into the door made out of light.


ok questions:

1. What walks with four then two then three legs?

2. Should I put a lemon at the end of this story. Come on give me your imput.

Review.

Valde validus filiolus , permissum mihi take is donum ex is quod quod operor ut EGO animadverto opportunus. Means Great mighty gods, let me take this gift from this which and do as I see fit.