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Night came, and Vincent didn’t feel hungry despite skipping dinner. The sensible choice was to go to sleep, recovering from the stress of the past days. Yet half an hour later, he stared at the ceiling, eyes wide open, overwrought.

There were ways to spend the excess energy, but the best of them—sex—was out of reach. Lila was spending the night in the local hospital, training to be a better healer. Since he had time on his hands, he decided to take a few things off his chest, starting with talking with Bee. Striding to Sofia, he dialed Bee’s number.

“Hey,” Bee answered at the second buzz. “What’s up?’

“Nothing… Are you free for a beer?”

“Sorry. We’re having dinner with Enild in half an hour.”

“Sure… Listen… Err…”

“Yes?”

“You did great today.”

“Thanks…”

Vincent swallowed a lump but decided to take the bull by the horns. “Bee… I apologize…”

“For what?”

“I didn’t realize until later because my thinking is distorted… I treated you like another soldier, asking you to jump into danger without a second thought… I just thought: I need this kind of skill, who has it? Bee it is. You almost died because of me…”

“Man… don’t worry, all’s OK. I knew this kind of thing would happen when I opted to stay. If anything, I’m grateful for your pushing me past my limits… I’m serious… Anyway, I’m relieved. Thank you for calling me.”

“Relieved of what?”

“I thought you were mad at me because my enchantment underperformed…”

“It still broke that golem,” Vincent said.

“It’s too conditional. If you miss the intercept or the damage reflected is too small, it’s a waste.”

“Don’t worry, all’s—”

“I want to experiment with a few new things,” Bee continued. Vincent wasn’t so enthused about hearing lists of enchantments, but he bore with it to make amends. “I could try focusing more on specific effects, like enhancing Reaction Speed or Spell Power. Or damage reduction… definitely that… If I could make that into an Astral Enchantment—”

“Bee, with you, the sky’s the limit,” Vincent said, offering encouragement and shortening the conversation. “I have a ring with a diamond on it… if you want to play with it, you’re my guest. I’ll be your guinea pig.”

“Thanks, man!” Bee cheered up. “Ups, sorry, have to go, see ya.”

The call stopped abruptly, and Vincent sighed. He had spoken the truth. When Vincent picked Bee, his army reflexes had taken over. Teams were made for utilitarian purposes only, and death was just part of the game they all had signed for... Under stress, he had forgotten exactly why he had stayed in that magical realm: to keep the youngsters safe. Promising himself he would do better the next time, Vincent returned to Krivoburg.

There was a person he hadn’t spoken with lately for lack of time and embarrassment, and it was time to set things right. After looking in the dining room and finding his target absent, Vincent went up and knocked on Irene's door.

"Hi. I’m looking for Irene," he said when Brandi opened the door.

"She lives in the stables now," Brandi said.

"In the stables?" Vincent repeated automatically, thinking he didn’t understand well.

"Long story…"

Vincent stepped away, and she closed the door slowly as if she wasn't sure he wouldn't ask for more information. Befuddled, he went to the inner courtyard. The stables were lay in darkness, but his new Dark Vision allowed him to see well enough. The place was empty, the horses nowhere. From the attic, where the hay was stored, giggling sounds came down, clear as silver bells.

"Err… Irene, are you here?" he asked.

"There's a ladder in the corner," her voice answered.

"Something funny?" he asked when he got up. Irene was looking at her phone while lying on a blanket in short pajamas. The tiger cub was snoring on the hay, a paw over her head.

"I was looking at the drone recording. When Bee gave all that Sherlock Holmes speech, and you said: Nah, it was luck; we should be dead!... I'm glad you're alive, Vincent," she suddenly changed her tone, grabbing his right hand, a few tears creeping into her eyes.

"Me too," he fondled her hand. "Me too."

"Is it… hard?" she asked.

"To fight?"

"Yes."

"It is, but that's what training is about, to get you used to that. The mental part that's the hardest. When the moment comes… if you freeze, you're done for."

"Why are you here?" she asked abruptly, blushing.

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Oh, shit… We're all alone, and she still thinks I proposed her a threesome… Vincent repressed a jerk. "I chose a forest-type dungeon core. I hope you're not mad at me…"

"No… I mean, I hoped for more industry, but nature is important too. We can trade for iron."

"Yeah." he nodded. "But there’s more… This core means a lot of power… too much for us to deal with. We've been here what, two weeks?… Your idea of a Constitutional Monarchy sounds nice… You think it’s doable?"

"As a matter of fact," she started hesitantly, with a wide smile but a bit of sheepishness in her eyes, "I've made overtures to the Beauhemian notabilities, and they showed great interest… Summoned are considered emissaries of progress, endorsed by the Archetypes."

"There will be challenges," Vincent pointed. "We're here to fight against a yet-to-be-determined evil."

"We can handle anything together," she looked into his eyes. “We're the dream team. That’s what they say in the newspapers."

"They have newspapers?" Vincent widened his eyes.

'"They're not savages, Vincent… just…"

"Different," he nodded. "I know…"

"I'm sorry for Raya," Irene said softly, squeezing his hand again.

"Thank you." He looked away to hide the lie in his eyes. And the regret… He liked Raya a lot. Tough… yet so hot… But she was better off without him.

"I should have said yes the night she asked me to join…" Irene said, her head inching forward, slow enough to allow him the time to retreat.

He didn't. Their lips met, and they kissed for a long time, Vincent caressing her cheek and Irene gripping his neck. She's so sweet! Vincent thought. Her teeth were a bit pointy, yet not enough to hurt, the tongue thin and long, and the overall taste of her mouth herbal and fresh. It might have been the toothpaste, but it was an extremely pleasant experience. When her breasts—more sizeable than her clothes showed—pressed on his chest, and she tried to come closer, he rested his forehead on hers, arresting her movement.

"I can't do this… I'm sorry… Bee’s my friend, and—"

"I'm not with Bee, Vincent," she giggled. "I never was."

"But you were kidnapped together from his room!" Vincent exclaimed. "And he kissed your palm in the forest, and you—"

"We're friends… nothing more. I went into his room to chat… He did try to kiss me, that’s true… and I slapped him… He kissed my hand as an apology… there’s a deep romantic heart behind those glasses… And we agreed to be just friends…"

"So… who’s the third person in his… err… polyamory?"

"Brandi," Irene sighed, "But only with Barbara. They… see each other every other night. I moved here for privacy reasons."

During the conversation, their bodies had drifted apart. She approached again, but Vincent shook his head. "I am attracted to you, but…"

"But what?" she frowned. "I don't think Lila would mind sharing," she scoffed, letting her head backward. The line of her neck was beautiful, sending waves of desire into Vincent's body.

"I like you, Irene. I really like you. Like respect you. You have that annoying smartness that girls way out of my league have—"

"You sure can be insulting when you deliver a compliment," she puckered her lips. Arm crossed, she stared at Vincent, evidently waiting for an extended explanation.

"—and prettiness in spades. But given time, I'll hurt you, and you'll see me for what I am."

"And what are you, Vincent," she hissed, throwing daggers through her eyes.

"Somebody who can’t return your love… You deserve better."

"And Lila doesn't?"

"She does… I… have to talk to her about that… I mean, I did, but...”

“She’s not taking no for a refuse?”

“Something like that…”

"You're complicated…" she sighed. "Men are supposed to be simple."

"I am," he objected. “Really. There’s no bigger hillbilly than I. They named the hill I was born on Billy for that.”

"I don't believe you…" she shook her head, ignoring the joke.

"You want to hear my story?" he asked, lowering his voice. Girls always want to hear the bad boys's story… Irene nodded, still frowning but taking a more comfortable position. "I was a wild kid, always hanging out in nature or on the streets. I did a year of college and dropped out… Never had a serious relationship… I fooled around, but nothing stable.

"Then I got in the army, on a whim… I liked it… It allowed me to do what I liked but with a structure… Our army is small… kinda relaxed compared to others… Same personal story there, no relationship, flings, casual sex… I went for a year abroad, in one of those bad countries, the kind everybody tries to change but serves at nothing… I saw combat there… I did well."

He paused, haunted by a few memories he had gained on his tour. Comrades lost… his first kills… the always-present adrenaline, the danger…

"It changed you," she said.

"Yeah… I took a break from the army… I considered working in a more peaceful branch… Police, customs… Then I meet…" Vincent choked, tears filling his eyes, and he hid his face in his palms.

"You fell in love," Irene gasped with widened eyes, covering her mouth.

"Yes,” he nodded, pulling his nose. “Shelly was an exchange student; we met in Prague. She asked for directions, and I escorted her… even the town center has its bad areas at night. I… liked her… she was beautiful. I asked if she wanted me to show her the city the next day… She said yes, and I walked her around until she fainted… literally… After the army, I didn’t think in normal terms anymore; I’ve pushed her too far… She fell in my arms, I carried her to the hospital, hijacked a taxi, threw the passenger out…"

"Romantic," Irene said, a tear sliding down her cheek.

"We spent a year together, here… no, there… in our Prague. We got engaged. When she returned to the States, I went with her. Got my working visa, everything. My competencies were needed. I got a job in a security company. Then, I met her parents, lovely people, and her… brother…"

"Hm… From your tone, I guess he wasn't that nice."

"A psycho… overprotective… he basically lived next door to her. He worked in the… I forgot the name… it's like the police but not the police. A fed. Yeah, he was a fed. For six months, he made my life a living hell. Spying on me, breaking my social media accounts, telling her I was after her money or citizenship…"

"She believed it?" Irene jeered. "I wouldn't believe it for a second," she blurted, a 'See, I'm better?' meaning behind her words.

"She didn't… we were in love… Then, all of a sudden, he changed a hundred and eighty degrees. OK, you proved yourself, passed the tests, let's be friends, stuff… She was so happy… I was so happy to see her happiness that I believed him, too. I wanted to.

"One night, we had a beer together, him and I, and we were returning home on foot through a park… a forest. They have so much wilderness there…"

Vincent raised his hair to one side, showing Irene a white line on his skin. "He shot at me with an unregistered gun, trying to stage a mugging turned murder. I turned and ducked at the last second. I recognized the noises, the cocking of the hammer, the trigger. He missed, and then I fought back and killed him with his own gun… It took a second; that's what I was trained to do… No thinking, only instincts…"

"I'm sorry," Irene grabbed both Vincent's hands, fondling them. "She didn't believe you?"

"She did… It was on camera… That night, a park guard installed one to watch for bobcats… I wasn't charged; it was self-defense… Things started to get out… He was involved with bad people. Drug dealers… He was using drugs too… But she and her parents couldn't get over the fact I killed her brother… Making love to me brought him in front of her eyes… Nightmares…

"I had to let her go… There was an ex who still cared for her… a sweet guy… she needed him, not me," Vincent shrugged, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "I still love her… That’s the truth. I will love her forever. A fling, casual sex, OK, I’m open to it, but getting involved with someone… no. You deserve somebody to love you with all his heart."

"Thank you for confiding in me…" Irene squeezed his hands. "Friends?" she asked. Now clear of tears, her eyes yelled the loudest 'Poor you… I'll make my life's mission to cure your ailment and show you true love.'

She'll get over it, Vincent sighed.