Through the tiny window by the door I can see late afternoon light but I am unsure what woke me. Then I hear the sound of movement below me. I am in the last bunk on the top row, well inside the shadows of the room.

I slowly pull myself forward and peek over the edge to see who, or what has wandered in to my portable lair.

4 female forms are quietly poking around the room. All are wearing white gowns and have heavy leather backpacks and carry tall walking sticks. I see the profile of two and stifle a moan. They found me. Edwina, Bethany, Emily, and Gwen.

Gwen whispers, "I am sure this is the right place, just look at the beds. But I don't know where she has gotten to."

Bethany, in her normal snarky sounding voice, "Well the door to the bottom floors is either gone or sealed. She could be down there. Safer and smarter than sleeping up here where anyone could wander in and find her."

I comment, "True but what if someone comes in and blocks that door, on purpose or by accident."

Bethany thinks, "That's a good point Emily."

Emily, "I did not say anything."

Edwina shakes her head, Gwen giggles.

Bethany looks at Gwen, "What is so funny ?" Gwen points up at me in my hiding place, "We woke her up."

The other 3 turn and see me staring down at them. Emily, still looking a little pale, waves, "We found you. Been looking for days now to. Was not easy."

I slowly nod, that explains why I was so tired, Was out of the world for a long time.

"Ah shh, I need more sleep." with that I pull my blankets around me and try to go back to sleep.

Gwen crawls up next to me, "That's it. We find you and your response is shh ? We could be killers looking to kill you and take your stuff."

Mumbled in to my pillow, "stuff is in the cabinet. if you are going to kill me do it quietly."

Edwina to others, "now that is tired if I ever heard it." I don't know their response as I fade back out and sleep. I don't dream, or if I do I don't recall it. To tired really.

I wake up to a wet, warm feeling on my chest. It's actually kind of pleasant, which I normally don't think of when wet and sleeping are combined.

I open my eyes and find a naked Gwen leaning over me and sucking on my nipple. My other one is wet to, I am surprised she is not sucking on my cock to tell the truth. It's hanging out below and at half-mast. I look at that then her happily sucking on my chest and then turn and look to the edge of the bed where Edwina and Emily are standing, apparently on the edge of the bottom bunk, so they can watch Gwen make my body do things. A slight movement above me tells me where Bethany is. I move my head and look at her, she grins at me and points, "So that is why you left us. You were embarrassed by the fact you got Both sex organs."

Little groggily, "Nope. That does not embarrass me at all. Back when I was mortal that one worked very nicely. I actually had babies with other women. I left cause I got depressed. It hit me I could not get you all pregnant so what was the point."

Emily reaches under the blanket and grips my member, she rolls her hand up and down it twice and it gets harder as she does so, "No babies maybe, but you sure can still use it otherwise." I moaned deeply when she did that. I also can feel my body getting wet inside.

"Please don't do that, you are going to make me wet the bed."

Emily, still stroking me, "Why would you do that ?"

Bethany, evil grin on her pretty face, "Her girl parts are getting moist I bet and if you keep doing that she will come."

Edwina grins to, "Good, proper revenge for just taking off on us. We sex you up for leaving us all hot and bothered and with no release."

I look at them, from Bethany to Emily, "You would rape me ?"

They look at each other then me and in perfect unison, "YES" Gwen stops sucking, looks at me then smiles, "I want you to be my first, so either you do me or we tie you up and they do you till you do me."

I look at them, "I can turn to mist, remember. Tying me up does not work."

Bethany, "Oh right, completely forgot about that. "

Gwen happily states, "You turn to mist and I will just suck you up."

I nod, "Then you will die as you lungs get clogged with my poisonous substance. Then you will still be a virgin and I will have a new dead body to deal with, probably have to eat my way out but as you will be dead you won't get to feel that."

Gwen pouts, "That is not fair. Supposed to fuck me Then eat me, not the other way around."

Bethany points out, "She most likely will not fuck your dead body. What would be the point."

Gwen pouts. I push her off and sit up, pulling Emily's hand off my cock, "I got to pee." I state. That surprises them all. I give them a long look, "What ? You all have seen me drink stuff, so what did you think happens to it ?"

Emily and Edwina nod. I don't see the other two's reaction.

I hop down and head outside to find a tree or bush. I do look to see if anyone else is around but no such luck. I do my business then come back inside and stare at the 4 lovelies, "So why seek me out. I mean other than Gwen wanting to play with my body ?"

They all shrug and don't look at me. Gwen humps her fingers while laying on my bed, and states, "The others went their own ways and well we really had no place to go. So we talked it over and decided to try and find you.

We found the village of dead people and some of the survivors who were packing up said you came through and killed some of the demons that killed most everyone else but then left. They don't know why you did not kill more of them. We could not tell them we only told them you were a paladin and probably on a mission for your god while passing through. Or could have just been to many of them."

I shrug, "Vampires, like me, escaped from that evil monastery place. The village supported the monastery so the vampires ate them to. I only killed a few stupid ones who thought to force me in to their stupidity. Showed them why you don't mess with a paladin."

They nod, they don't really understand but they nod anyway.

Bethany points out, "They walk in the sun they burn, you don't. Why ?"

I look at her, "Blessings of my Goddess. I do good things for her, mostly what she tells me to, I get perks, like sunlight and eating normal human foods, or just eating period, I can have sex and not get all bloody doing it. Most vampires can't do sex cause of the blood, gets in to everything."

Edwina looks confused, "What do you mean ?"

I sigh, "Ever had sex when your bleeding time comes ?" she makes a face but nods, "yeah had a couple masters who enjoyed that."

I shrug, "For most female vampires, sex is like that ALL the time. But because I can eat normal fair, my body still produces normal human humors, like sex juices and cum. I can't have babies anymore cause it does not produce working parts of that but everything else." I nod and shrug.

They Get that now.

Gwen is like, "SO FUCK ME ALREADY!" she is getting herself all wet in my bed. I pull her out and check it, sure enough she got the mattress wet. I sigh, pull the mattress down and have to do 5 Wash spells to get it out and to stop the smell. Fresh it's not a bad smell, but I don't want to sleep in that smell.

"I don't want to Fuck you Gwen. I left you all On Purpose. Do you get that. I am sorry you don't feel like you have a life without a master. But I Don't want to be it. I Don't want the responsibility of you all. So Leave!"

And like that I toss their needy over baring selves out of my life. I HATE women like them. I go so far as to pack up my stuff, put on my clothes and fold up my tent and leave them on the side of the road. I Ran, full speed away from them. Leaping a few times just for the added distance. I hope I never see them again.

Later, still fuming, I am walking down the road.

Tyche's 'image' ghost like, appears next to me, pacing me, "So not good matches ?"

I grunt, "I like strong women but not all that Needy crap. Sure I enjoy a little submissiveness to, but nothing like them. I freed them, gave them stuff some coin and let them go. what do they do, hunt me down and then start Pushing me for sex and such. I don't work that way. Never have and I don't like it."

Tyche nods, "I am not my mother, I try sometimes but I rarely get that stuff right."

I stare at her, "I thought you were one of the Oceanic gods."

She grins, "Not in this world. In this world I am the daughter of Hermes and Aphrodite. So little fickle, good at multi-tasking, but not so great with relationships. I really hoped you would have hit it off with Anne. She is strong, enjoys the kind of sex you do, but well I did not see her flipping out and trying to kill you like that. Samarra was very little help to. She is another I had hopes for. Well at least you got them out in to the world."

"And Cinnamon ?" I ask. She smiles.

"She is not really a cannibal, she just does that to scare people. Puts them off, like it did with you till you turned it around on her. Well done by the way she needed that little reminder that some people play for real. Not sure in the long run how it will work for her but for now she is staying out of trouble."

I nod and sigh. "Was not completely sure why you did that, send me after them just after I woke up and all."

She shrugs, "The blindfold I wear, it is not because I am blind, it's more like I don't plan ahead very well and have made mistakes most people put down as only a blind person would make or that I am fickle. I maybe the Goddess of Probabilities as you so eloquently put it, but even I get caught up in them sometimes. I am not Fate, I just work with Fate, one of a group that makes up Fate really. Fate is not and never has been a single being or even 3 beings. There are a lot of us working together to try and keep everything working."

I grin at her, "You are not as fickle as people say. You just got the job of trying to keep Probability from going out of control. That about it ?"

She grins, "Close. Bit more complex than that but from a mortal perspective it fits. Oh I love you telling them you were a DemiGod back there. It fits better than Meta Human, but don't go calling me Mom. Don't call my mom your Mom either, that would make our relationship just weird."

"I was thinking of calling War dad." she laughs and shakes her head, "No, he has children, does not like any of them. He likes you, sort of, well as much as he likes anyone I guess." I nod, "Well I never said Which version of War you will note." She actually stops and her eyes get comically large, then she giggles, "oh that is true. He has many many aspects after all." I nod and she comes up next to me again. "I am sorry about pulling you to my war zone. Well no I am not but I did not mean for you to even recall you had been there at all. That was an oversight on my part."

I wave her off, "That's ok. I understand that things likely happened that I need not remember, either from my asking or certain secrets that need to be secrets came out."

She nods, "bit of both actually. But you did very well there and I want to thank you for that. Dangerous people found a portal to our world. Some very special people died closing that portal from both sides. You protected several long enough for it to be done. You only lived really because of what you are. They were mortal and as such did not. BUT They are being reincarnated in different worlds and getting to keep some of their specialness. Though you don't consciously remember, I still felt you would like to know."

I nod, "Something for my subconscious mind to chew on ?" she nods, "Yep. Part of why you suddenly got hit with that depression earlier. You did not lose any time sense you woke. That part on the road, where you woke with blood on your arms. You had a flash back and well had you looked behind you, you may have seen the remains of a few stupid ones who tried to take you from that damned village. Your beast took over while your mind was in flashback land. That made me realize that I had to come and tell you some things. Don't need you doing that again. PTSD is not a good thing for an elder class vampire to go through."

I look at her, "So I was actually active in other worlds Before coming here ?" she nods, "Yes. Couple of other places really. Learned you and long distance space travel do not mix well. Made a good pilot and such but long time living on what amounts to vampire hard tack, does not make you a sane boy."

I slowly nod, "The dreams of eating pea's that contained concentrated blood were not all dreams." she nods, "Yes. You don't actually dream anymore. Your memories come together and overlap in semi chaotic ways. Mixing day dreams with reality with stuff from books and stories you have read, heard or seen."

"Tyche, that is how most of my dreams worked when I was mortal. From what I understand that is how most Non Prophetic mortals dream."

She looks surprised, "Really ? Huh. I did not know that. Ok, now I feel kind of stupid. Or at least uninformed. Tens of Thousands of years old and I did not know that." I grin at her, "They say learn something new everyday. Some days are just much longer than others." she grins and nods, "Oy is that ever the truth." she nods.

"Ok on Purpose. At this time I don't have one for you. Nothing more than odd jobs from my end. I think your Purpose for now is to learn to be the New You. Find yourself, your 'clan identity' and all that. Once you got that maybe I will have something more profound for you. Or not. May loan you to one of my siblings. Oh and thank you for rescuing Arlene. I know she is a basket case with Weird Luck, but she is one of Mothers people and I thought it would be nice to get her free before her next master came to a bad end. Hm, probably a good thing you freed her to come to that. Her Masters tended to come to bad ends."

I smirk, "The Hope Diamond of slave girls huh ? You Sure she should not be one of your Bad Luck girls ?" Tyche smirks, "No, she prefers mom. I don't steal from the 'rents, ya know ?" I nod. "I still miss Sune though." she grins, "Yeah, well Sune is in another whole universe from here." I nod, "I know. Can't help it though you know. Like Trisha, I miss her to." Tyche nods. "Yeah. Well I got to go. Universe to run and all that. Try not to get any important historical figures killed. You know like Zeus or the like. Though you can hurt him allot if you do run in to him."

And she is gone.

I think about it and decide to just avoid the Greek pantheon as a majority. Not the whole as she is one of them to.

Then I think about hitting Zeus allot with my staff. That puts me in a good mood and I end up whistling a tune as I walk (mostly off key as I am not a good whistler). I find myself whistle humming the theme from Aladdin. Well most of it as I can't recall the whole of the song. As I walk the sun is rising and I end up moving past a Caravan that is packing up and getting back on the road. I suddenly feel the wheel starting to move and just know someone is going to try something potentially stupid, but then it feels like the wheel stopped and backs up, which is different.

A round jolly looking fellow on a large, over full wagon calls out, "Good Morning Traveler!" I look up at him and smile, "Good morn to you good merchant, how fair you today ?"

He laughs, "Pretty fair pretty fair. Going on a long journey ?" he ask. I shrug, "I go where my Goddess bids me or the roads take me in between." he nods, "Ah so a priestess then ?"

I shake my head, "Paladin actually and yes I know female paladins are rare. I hear it Allot."

He laughs, "I suppose you do. Well care for a ride then ?"

I consider then shrug, "Sure, I could use that, beats walking." he helps me up even as I spot a sour looking guard who was working his way back toward us. He glares at the man then me, "Picking up strays again Morgod." The merchant sighs, "Greg, it's Morgonno, Derik Morgonno. And this lovely lady is no stray but a person of a Holy Order."

Greg the Grumpy as I have now dubbed him looks at me, "What Order ?"

I grin, "Tyche, aka Lady Luck."

Derik grins, "Then may fortune smile on this day yes." I nod, "Well she seems to be in a good mood today, as I met you before him." I nod to Greg and Master Morgonno laughs, "Good point, good point."

Greg snorts and moves on. I hold out my hand to Master Morgonno, "Robina of Tyche, Paladin." I say formally. He takes my hand, "Derik Morgonno, Merchant, Magician, and trader in odd things." I look back in to his cart and recognize several minor magic items and grin, "Ah magical devices house hold and entertainment types."

He looks surprised, I shrug, "I was a merchant before I became a paladin, sold such things myself but had a much smaller cart. Also I am trained as an Alchemist and know how to make many minor potions including Healing potions and similar." He nods impressed, "I thought the churches kept the secrets of those to themselves." I shrug, "When I was much younger we were at war. Anyone who could read and follow instructions was taught how to make them just to keep the warriors able to fight." he nods, "makes sense." I nod, "Also I was dating a person of a church and they smuggled me the Good recipes." he snickers, "That does not hurt either." I nod.

He ask, "So you did many things before settling on being a Paladin ?"

I shrug, "I did not so much Settle on it as the Goddess told me one day, You are my Paladin. I charge you to bring Bad Luck to my Enemies and Good Luck to my friends. Most people can't get past the bad luck part of that statement." he nods, "Well I hope you bring us Much good luck." I nod, "Just never bet against me. I tend to win at gambling. Not all the time, but more often than most." he nods, "good to know." I nod and look around at the other caravans, "So where is this group going ?"

"Our final destination is Paris France, but for now we wander the roads and occasionally go in new directions." I nod, "On purpose or because the ones in the lead have a bad sense of direction ?"

He grins, "Both actually and sometimes it works well for us, others it does not. But right now we are going to the fortress of Nostromo the Guardian of the Dead."

"You may want to change directions then. Nostromo had a massive power loss recently and all the undead buried under his temples have broken free of their prisons and have been killing all around his places. They are intent on wiping his faith out by killing all his faithful."

He pulls his oxen to a halt and stares at me in horror. I nod, "I have come across 2 such temples in the last few days. One was a monastery with a village around it. Don't know the name of the village as the only ones moving there were the undead. Had to kill a few and then run because I was sorely out numbered."

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He calls to the ones ahead and behind and when all are gathered has me tell them what I just told him. A girl there, holds up some kind of medallion and cast a spell as I speak. She slowly nods, "She speaks the truth, hm, and is a paladin to." Greg snorts unhappily, she shrugs at him. Morgonno looks at me and whispers, "well we know where Greg went. he really does not like it when we are nice to fellow travelers."

I nod, "well he is evil and a bully. I can tell that without even resorting to my paladin abilities." he considers then nods, "good point" he whispers back.

The rest of the caravan is upset and they are talking and looking at their maps. I scoot closer and look at them to. I point to a side road, "Why not go that way ?" the road by passes the fortress of Nostromo by a good margin but on the map it does not show where it goes.

I learn why, "It's a cursed road." I am told.

"Cursed how ?" I ask, cause I rarely take anyone's word on such things. The merchant looks up at me, "According to The priest of Nostromo that area is full of evil monstrous beings."

I nod, "The same Nostromo who hunts down people resurrected by other gods and has them buried alive cause he does not like it when Other gods in Other pantheons bring people back ?"

The Priestess, hearing the venom in my tone gives me a sharp look, "He took someone from you I take it ?"

I nod, "Yes. Me. I was resurrected by my Gods during a war a thousand years ago. Bastard had me taken and put in suspended animation. I only escaped recently when his power faded enough for me to awaken and use an item of power to get myself free. Cost me my family, my life, my whole world. Only Tyche is left now. He does that with all he had captured, buried alive just barely conscious for all time as punishment for Not staying dead."

In the end only 2 people did not want to try that road (Greg - no surprise there) and a fellow who is a Devout follower of Nostromo, who told me I should turn myself in to his priest. I suggested he go jump off a cliff in to a volcano.

They both still followed us though they moved in to the last position in the caravan.

The road in question turned out to be well maintained, very wide and actually went past a Major Temple to Hermes / Mercury (messengers, merchants, and diplomats) with a support City around it and schools and shops of all sorts. They had temples to other gods to, though none as large or grandiose as the main one. I even found one to Tyche complete with a small casino which I cleaned out on my first day but after they learned from Greg no less, that I was a Paladin of theirs they barred me from playing. Saying it was a conflict of some sort of Vow I was supposedly under. I have no clue where they get the idea I should be under a vow of Poverty.

That brought me in to conflict with the Priest who kept trying to get me to hand over my winnings. I about came to blows till another Paladin, one of Hermes stepped in (I had my staff in a 'about to brain' a person pose when he arrived to talk us all down.)

Eric, Paladin of Hermes, "Ok so what is the problem here."

Before the brain dead can speak, "I won a sizeable amount from their casino yesterday and today they are telling me I should give it all back."

High Prick (Priest) Michael, "She is a Paladin and as everyone knows Paladins operate under a vow of poverty."

Eric, "Everyone knows Pigs Fly to, but I have never seen one. SOME Paladins have that vow, but not all. I certainly don't. None of Hermes or Mercury's Paladins have taken any such vow."

I nod, "I never did either. Such vows come from the European Gods, Not the Greek and Roman gods. At least none I have ever encountered. I was also never told I could not gamble in one of our temples till this lot told me I couldn't cause it was and I quote 'A conflict of Interest'."

Minor priestess (don't know her name), "Michael decreed that cause she keeps winning. He think it's because of that enchanted device on her head."

Eric, "So take it off." he tells me.

"I can't. It does not come off. It's fused to my skull." I state looking straight ahead. Michael shrugs and cast Remove Curse on it. Never seen anyone blasted through a wall like he was when he completed the prayer and touched the artifact.

We all look at his broken, barely alive body. As he is still conscious, "Why in the world did you do that ?"

He moans, "To remove that cursed item from you."

I look at the other priest, "How did someone so Stupid get to be high priest."

Ghost of Tyche steps forward and looks down at him, "Dumb Luck." she states. I look at her, "Really ?" she shrugs, "Politics really. He is not much of a priest but he is good at politics."

Eric taps me on the shoulder, I look at him, "Who is that ?"

I stare at him, "That is the Goddess Tyche, Daughter of Hermes and Aphrodite, Goddess of Probabilities."

Tyche smiles, "I love when she calls me that. Probabilities, not Luck, not Fortune, Probabilities."

I shrug and use my favorite quote, "Nothing is Impossible, just improbable. Ergo Probabilities fits better." Tyche nods, "If she was just a little wiser and not prone to smacking people she would have made a good priestess." she confides to the others, "As it stands she is a good Paladin. And I don't have a problem with anyone gambling in my halls and None of my paladins or priest have to take a vow of poverty. Or celibacy or chastity either. Anyone who say's otherwise is just trying to control the priesthood for political reasons."

The young priestess growls, "I was engaged to be married when it came down that we are not allowed to marry or have sex anymore."

Tyche looks at her, "Well on the plus side, was not a good match as he was cheating on you already. Not with anyone you knew though."

I tap Tyche, "No Harems ?"

She laughs, "You and Harems." she shakes her head I shrug, "I did my best to have one if you recall." she nods, "true. very true." Looks at Eric, "She was actually reincarnated twice. The first time she was a He and had something like 8 girlfriends all vying for his affection. Had children by 5 of them. Then he died while in service to the gods. So we resurrected him and he came back as a girl. Then Nostromo caught her and locked her under one of his thrice damned temples well outside our area of control. Till he lost power recently and she was able to escape. She destroyed that temple pretty well."

I nod, "Disintegration spells. Very handy."

Eric gives a low whistle, "A lost spell."

I turn and look at Tyche, "A What ?" she blinks and looks thoughtful, "oh that's right, you were asleep for that period. I forgot. There was a huge purge of mages done by 3 different religious sects. They did not get them all obviously, but lots of magical knowledge was lost. … Oh right, you still have your spell books from last time …" I nod and look at Eric, "Last lifetime I was a Mage. So it is possible I have some of these 'lost spells' which Tyche could have told me about when she was updating my knowledge of the world ?" Wide Eyed look at her, she shrugs. "Well I am not perfect, you know that as well as anyone."

I nod, "Yeah, which we learned when I put on your Grand Holy Symbol and it Fused itself to my Skull." she nods, "Yeah, that was unforeseen on my part. On the plus side it can never be stolen from you cause when you die it will go with you. Well that or your skull will become a Relic of some power and probably eat the first person who picks it up." She considers that "Ok so don't die."

I glare, "I went from Demigod to this and you tell me not to die on the outside chance that my remains will become an Unholy Relic." she nods I sigh.

I look at Eric, "Do you have this sort of trouble from your gods ?" he is snickering in to his glove and shakes his head, "No. Well not me personally, but there are some interesting stories out there."

I nod, "That no one knows if they are true or not ?"

He nods, still grinning. Tyche fades out and I walk over to the moron in the hole, "You still alive ?"

He moans. I lean over him, "The item on my head is an Artifact created by Tyche herself. You can't use her power to remove it numb nuts."

Girl priestess, "Can you heal him ?"

I shake my head, "Nope. I just do Bad Luck delivery, no healing powers. Got all the other blessings though. Repel Stupid, resist everything, immune to disease."

Eric is chuckling and nodding, "Tyche and Ares Paladins never get Healing abilities really. Other than potions or the like." I nod.

The girl sighs and leaves the area, finding the other priest and getting some healing potions to put their idiot leader back together.

In total 4 priest saw and Heard Tyche's proclamations and reset the temple to Her original word, tossing out the vows Michael and his ilk were trying to proclaim came from the Goddess. They also sent out word of the appearance of the Goddess and her proclamations and said the others were being put out by a group trying to grab power within the church. It's amazing how fast all those sorts found themselves tossed out of the faith. They included the parts concerning Paladins to. I was happy about that much at least.

The caravan found good sales there and also heard much the same story as from me about Nostromo's churches falling from the inside and how people they had imprisoned getting free. Some under their own power some via help from other prisoners. The priest were universally slaughtered by those escaping (no mention was made of the Undead but not all of them Had undead under them - All his churches had a few such prisoners I wince at that as my escape pretty much ended anyone above me. Disintegration will do that.)

They also reported that some of the resurrected died within moments of getting free as the spells to hold them were badly cast. Some simply aged to death when time caught up with them others seemed to just fade away. No one is sure Why that happened.

I got to meet a few of my fellow temporal prisoners to. We all had a nice time talking to each other in languages long forgotten.

(All the ones who faded away were Elves and Dwarves. I theorize they were moved to their own worlds and or peoples.)

I was having an overall lovely visit to this city. Good people, an Actual night life, pretty easy place to hunt (important for us vampire types), and interesting things to do that did not all involve spending money. They even had an open air theater that was open to the public where actors tested out new plays or ways to do plays. It was fun to watch both the plays and the crowds.

My stay would have been almost perfect Except the 4 from Hell showed up. I stumbled across them when I felt the wheel spinning. I came around a corner and just barely managed to duck back around it before being spotted by Gwen and gang.

I really should not be surprised they are in town given the only choices were a city of the damned and the road that came here. Though I admit part of me wished they could have gone to the other place and met some hungry cousins.

In truth I could get along with Bethany and Emily ok. It's the other two I have trouble with. Gwen is needy and pretty self-centered. Edwina wants someone to take care of her. She refuses to deal with life on her terms and tries to push herself on others. Emily is sweet, and has a strong personality and character. Bethany is sassy, a touch bitchy but given her life she comes back swinging instead of giving in to all the bad things that have happened to her. I can admire that. The only reason I don't like being around her is Gwen. I really think if I followed my instincts and killed Gwen, Bethany would never forgive me and actually go Hunter on me. Then I would have to kill her to. I would rather not.

I am in the shadows thinking about this and not doing the smart thing, slinking back the way I came. Had I just Done that then the rest of this would not have happened.

I overheard part of an argument. They were not loud, but the voices were angry and I could tell they were fighting over something but not what.

Then I heard Emily yell, "Fine! What Ever!" and footsteps.

She came around the corner with her head down, pack at her side and literally walked right in to me. She bounced and looked up surprised. I looked at her equally surprised.

Her eyes went Huge and she looked terrified but her voice thankfully left her. I caught her arm before she could run away though and I pulled her further from the corner and in to a small alcove that lead to a closed door. "Hold on, hold on" I said quietly, "Why do you look at me like that ?"

She gulped a couple times then breathed a little, "Cause after the last time I saw you I thought you would kill any of us you saw again."

I consider that then shake my head, "No. Well maybe Gwen, but she proved herself capable of rubbing me the wrong way very quickly. Edwina to but for different reasons. I like you on the other hand. Not wild about your choice of companions."

She actually snorts. I look a little surprised so she explains, "I kept trying to go my own way and Edwina kept following me and Gwen follows Edwina and Bethany seems to think it's her job to protect Gwen from herself and so follows her around. You probably heard that argument right before I ran in to you."

I shrug, "I heard your voices but not was being said. I was actually hiding there and trying to decide if I should go back or climb on to a roof." she actually giggles and nods, "Oh yeah I know that feeling. Well Edwina tries to control everyone around her. Her latest thing is she thinks she should be in charge of all our money. I disagreed and we fought. Gwen just handed hers right over. I did not. Finally I yelled, tossed an empty purse at her feet and stormed off. I don't Keep my money all in one place as I am not stupid. Edwina is smarter than she acted around you by the way. She was hoping you would take pity on us and let us travel with you so she could worm all the goods out of you she could get away with. When you were broke she would have left you high and dry. She is that sort of scheming self-serving sort I am learning."

I nod, "A User type, worse than I thought. Maybe I should have just ate her after all." Emily smirks, "Well it would probably be poetic justice. It came out in our journey that her husband was not killed. He just got fed up with her ways and sold her off. Not that she put it that way of course. Bethany figured it out. Bethany is pretty smart, even if she does want to protect Gwen all the time. Not sure why she is like that though."

"Reaction to being raped so many times probably." Emily smirks, "3 times. By the same man, who died in a bar fight a few nights later. The man had bought Gwen the day before. Turns out he was married and used slave girls to cheat on his wife. When she came to collect his belongings and was given them she about had a heart attack. Then sold them off to the slavers.

Oh, Gwen is not a virgin, she is just stupid. Since she has never had a choice in lovers she refuses to believe she has ever had sex."

"Not stupid, delusional. Odd though, she smells like a virgin." I state, Emily looks perplexed, "Don't know what to tell you."

"Possibly only taken anally." I put out there Emily looks thoughtful, "Had not considered that." I shrug, "Moot point with me, the only use I have for her any more would likely alienate Bethany and I like her ok. I like strong people, it's the other kind I have only 1 use for."

Emily smiles, " Hors d'oeuvres ?" I laugh and nod. "Yeah I can get that and um" she whispers, "I enjoyed your feeding on me that one time, pain and all." I look mildly surprised then make a fateful choice, "Are you saying you want to abandon them and come with me ?"

She considers, "With you has its appeal as well as being a little scary as well, you do kill sometimes and have one hell of a temper." I nod and bite my lips. She thinks, "Can I leave if I want to ?"

I nod, "Sure, unless I got you tied to a bed or something." she grins, "yeah that can be fun to. " she considers, "So companions, lovers or what ?"

I consider, "Yes ?"

She laughs a little and I pull her into the shadows and cover her lips, "Edwina" I whisper. She pushes in closer to me so I slip my cloak over her and we watch as the big woman, with an angry scowl stalks past us. I hear her muttering "little skank, I will beat the tar out of her for tossing this empty purse at me. I am the only one smart enough to run this group. I will show her."

She never even gave us a second look as she is looking for a lone woman not a couple 'making out in a doorway'. Once she is gone I whisper, "She is so dead if I catch her. She is looking for you with the idea of beating you up. Thinks she is the only person smart enough to run the group."

Emily nods, "Yep that is the way she acts when someone stronger is not around to keep her in her place. Oh she actually Hates being tied up but played that way to you as she thought it would get you in good with her." I feel Tyche nodding in my head.

"How do you like being tied up ?" Emily shrugs, "Depends on the situation really. If it's for kinky sex and I like the person, I am ok with it. If it's for other reasons or with someone I don't like then I don't like it."

I nod, "Logical."

We go to slip away and almost literally run in to Bethany who makes a similar face at me as Emily but pulls around her walking stick, ready to fight me off if she has to. I glare, "Oh stop it, I have no quarrel with you."

She nods at Emily, "Let her go or I will beat you."

Emily sighs, "Back off. I am with her by choice, You can follow that tyrant Edwina if you want. I sure as hell don't. I wish you all would just leave me alone to make my own way." Bethany shakes her head, "all together or not at all."

I shrug, "Fine by me, want marked or unmarked grave ?"

Bethany swings and I easily take the staff from her and spank her with it, "I am a Trained soldier who specializes in staff weapons. You are an angry little girl who tries to bully those around you. I have lost all the little respect I had for you Bethany. You want to follow that fat brained loser of a woman your welcome to do so. But I will not let you force Emily in to it if she does not want to. From what I have seen she does not want to."

Emily Woofs behind me, I don't even look, I just swing the staff around and block the shot that was aimed at my head.

I turn and there is a very pissed off Edwina, "You threw us out, so you don't get to decide anything anymore." she rears back for another swing.

I make a quick scan around, any witnesses there was before have made themselves scarce. So I turn, catch Edwina's staff, then beat her black and blue with both walking sticks. When she is unconscious I take back the money's she has and count them out. I give half to Emily and keep the rest. Then I look at Bethany, "You can do so much better than the bully there. YOU are better than her to start with. Don't disappoint me again I only give 3 chances."

I walk away, leaving her to stare at the would be 'gang leader'. I don't know what became of those 3 and I really don't want to know. Emily came with me, willingly and with the understanding that she was on her last chance with me. Blow that one and well there is no telling how it could turn out.