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David & 'Lyssa

By: millennium_bard



This story was written by my late half brother Seasparks before he passed away.

He never got the chance to submit the story before he died, although we did talk about it many times.

So I am submitting his final story as a tribute to his memory.

This is only the first chapter of many that he had written for this story. The rest of the story will be submitted and hopefully posted as soon as I can get them scanned and edited.

* * * * *

Sometimes you find treasure when you are not looking for anything. But treasures can be a mixed blessing.

David Porter was not looking for a treasure, or for that matter, he wasn't looking for anything at all as he drove through the New Mexico night on 1-40 towards Albuquerque. It had been a long trip and David was tired. Near the town of Tucumcari, David spotted a rest area and decided to stop for a quick nap.

It was a decision that would take Mr. Porter on a very different trip than the one he had planned.

David found the rest area empty except for a lone semi parked at the far end of the parking lot. Finding a secluded place away from the lights, David pulled into the parking slot and shut down the car. The niche thing about driving a Cadillac, mused David, is the enormous back seat. He got out of the car and pushed the back of his seat forward, then crawled into the back seat. Then he curled up and pulled a blanket over himself. There was already a pillow back there, David believed in traveling prepared. David was asleep in moments, and he did not wake even though other vehicles came and went before morning.

There was just a faint blush of dawn on the horizon when David raised his head blearily to look around. Still half asleep, David slumped back down to the pillow; time enough for a few more hours of sleep. David might not have been so complacent had he been awake enough to look into the front seat of his car. The sun was well above the horizon, and the temperature was rising. This more than anything was what woke David up.

David was a normal healthy man of 34. So when he sat up and looked into the front seat of his car, he did what any hetero young man would do upon finding a nude woman sleeping there. He stared.

Long reddish blonde hair, Creamy complexion, full breasts, and slim waist, all looking great. It took David a few moments to realize that she was about 2 feet tall at most.

"What the...?" David blurted. He rubbed his eyes and stared again. She was still there. David reached out a tentative finger to lightly touch the sleeping figure. 

Yup, real as could be.

David sat back and thought hard. He was better read than most, He had read maybe a bit more than his share of fantasy and science fiction. But David was also highly intelligent and was wont to read almost anything with words in a row. Including scientific journals and medical texts.

So far as he knew, a woman her size and so perfectly in proportion could not exist. However she undeniably existed, ergo, something screwy was going on.

David opened the door of the Caddy as quietly as possible. He crawled out of the back seat, and eased the seat back into its normal position. Then he slid into the drivers seat and closed the door just enough to turn off the dome light.

The girl on the seat beside him curled up a bit tighter and murmured in her sleep Nope, no hallucination. She was as real as he was. A thought that triggered another few moments of intense concentration and introspection. When David looked up again, the girl was no longer asleep. She looked up at him calmly with brilliant green eyes. The two stared at each other for a long moment. This is ridiculous, thought David. "Er... Hello there," said David.

The girl broke into a brilliant smile. "Hello there to you too." she replied. David noticed with a twinge of discomfort that the mystery girl had very sharp looking fangs as she smiled and spoke.

"Umm... If you don't mind my asking," said David, "Just who ARE you anyway? And what are you doing sleeping in my car?" David realized belatedly that he was being a poor host. Reaching into the back seat, David grabbed a souvenir T-shirt that he had purchased at a truck stop in Texas, and offered it to the diminutive passenger.

"Thanks." Said the girl, "you can call me 'Lyssa." She paused as she pulled the T-shirt over her head and squirmed her arms through the proper holes.

The shirt fit her like a tent. "As to how I got here," continued 'Lyssa once she got situated. "I have no more idea than you do. One moment I am going to sleep in my own bed, the next moment I am waking up in your car."

'Lyssa stretched her arms up over her head and arched her back as she yawned, highlighting both her rather impressive breasts against the fabric of her shirt, and her somewhat intimidating set of dainty fangs. David appreciated the former, but kept a wary eye on the latter.

"Just where is 'home' for you?" asked David. "You are comfortable with technology, or you would not have been so blasé about being in my car. And you have a grasp of my language that I suspect passes my own. Yet no one like you exists anywhere that I know of outside of fiction and legend." 'Lyssa grinned at David. "All in good time. For now, I suggest that we get moving, and I will explain as we go." David shrugged and shut the driver's door properly, then started the car. "Any place in particular?" Asked David as he put the car in gear and started out for the onramp. "Wherever you are going for now." Said 'Lyssa. "But I want to put some distance behind us."

David merged smoothly with traffic. He was still bemused. If this was all a dream, at least it beat his usual nighttime musings all hollow. It had occurred to David that he was taking all this entirely too calmly. Oh well, time enough to panic later. That had always been David's motto anyway.

"My home IS here, just like yours. Just at a bit of an angle to your everyday life." said 'Lyssa. "We are around all the time, you're people simply seldom notice us." David nodded. "Just a matter of a dimensional shift or a phase shift," remarked David. "The concept is not unknown, many writers have used the theory in books etc." 'Lyssa dimpled as she smiled at him. "I am glad I ended up with you instead of someone who would panic at my appearance." "I am saving up all the panic for later," quipped David, "That way I can have my nervous breakdown all at one time." This brought a tinkling laugh from 'Lyssa. "A sense of humor. I love it!" 

David looked at his gas gauge. Almost empty.

"'Lyssa, I have to stop for gas up here. Will you be OK? Or do you need to stay hidden?" "I will be OK," said 'Lyssa. "But if you find a smaller shirt and some pants in the store there, I would appreciate something more my size." "Not a problem," replied David.

Leaving the interstate, David pulled up to the fuel pumps of the truck stop. Filling the tank of the Caddy took only a few minutes. Giving 'Lyssa a smile, David went inside to pay for the gas. There were clothes available, But the only thing in 'Lyssa's size were kids clothes. Sighing, David made the best choices he could including a pair of sneakers that might fit her tiny feet. There was a pair of pink socks that would easily fit 'Lyssa. So David carried all his selections up to the counter. He also had a variety of foods and drinks for himself and 'Lyssa. It occurred to him that maybe she had much different dietary requirements than he would be able to provide for. Oh well, David shrugged; he would cross that bridge when he burned it. Grinning at his own humor, David carried his packages out to the El Dorado.

David pulled out on the interstate again as 'Lyssa delved into the plastic sacks with all the glee of a child at Christmas. The shorts and the t-shirt fit 'Lyssa, and the socks fit just fine. The sneakers brought gales of laughter from 'Lyssa. David looked over to see what was so funny. Then he saw the little unicorns and rainbows on the sides of the shoes.

"Well," said David with a grin, "They are appropriate, mythological creatures for a girl who is from a legendary realm." "Quick wits should be rewarded." Said 'Lyssa as she bounced to her feet and wrapped her arms around David's neck.

She gave David a quick kiss on the cheek, then sat down again and slipped on her new shoes.

Kids clothes they might be, but 'Lyssa's adult figure filled them out in a way that leaves no question that it was a grown woman wearing them.

'Lyssa sat cross-legged on the seat next to David chattering away about sights along the highway and making droll comments about people in passing cars etc. All in all an engaging companion. But David did not miss the way 'Lyssa kept looking behind them and watching the mirror.

Nor did he miss the worried look in her eyes the few times when she was being quiet. David did not know what had 'Lyssa so worried, but he figured that if she was scared, then he should be extra wary himself.

David pulled over at another rest area just outside of Albuquerque. He was getting worried enough to take a few precautions.

Opening his trunk, David took out a couple of small boxes and carried them to the front seat of the Caddy.

"I hope you have no trouble with Cold Iron." Said David. "No, I am not of Sidhe blood." Said 'Lyssa. David opened one of the boxes and took out a small cloth wrapped bundle.

Opening the cloth David took out a pair of Cold Steel Magnum Tanto knives and their sheaths. Handing one to 'Lyssa. In her tiny hands the knife looked like a short sword. 'Lyssa unsheathed her blade and tested the edge with a hair plucked from her head. 'Lyssa raised an eyebrow in approval as the scalpel sharp edge severed the fine hair cleanly under it's own weight.

Resheathing the Tanto blade, 'Lyssa laid it on the seat close at hand. David tucked his knife under his belt on his left side. From the other box, David took a Para Ordinance P14 .45 auto pistol and a trio of loaded clips. Slipping one clip into the magazine well of the pistol and tapped it home. David racked the slide to chamber a round, and then put the safety on and laid the pistol on the seat. He shrugged out of his jacket and pulled a shoulder holster out of the box and put it on. Attaching it to his belt to hold it in place, He then slipped the spare clips into the holders provided on the shoulder rig, and slid the .45 into the holster. Then he put on his jacket again and started the car.

'Lyssa had proved able and willing to eat about anything that David had brought from the truck stop. Although she did turn her nose up at the Doritos chips. It seemed that she could eat them; she just didn't like the flaming hot taste. David cussed himself for not paying closer attention to what kind of chips he had grabbed. Oh well, he would know better next time.

'Lyssa nodded as she watched David prepare for battle. Good, he was a warrior, or at least ready to defend himself and her if the need arose.

And 'Lyssa was sure that it would.

'Lyssa was not sure how she had wound up in David's car, but she was sure that it did not bode well for her. This form was not one she was used to using. In fact, it had been several hundred years since she had last wore this body shape. 'Lyssa could read David's thought's easily enough, but refrained out of courtesy other than the skimming of surface thoughts when they first met for her own safety.

David did not stop again except for a restroom break until he was low on gas again several hours later. Inside the Stuckey's as he paid for the fuel, David saw a beautiful solid silver necklace that had an obsidian arrowhead attached. On impulse, David purchased the necklace and a smaller silver chain bracelet.

Carrying some food and his silver items, David came back to the car. For some reason David was uneasy as he got back in the car. Nothing he could put his finger on, but something was not right.

"Buckle up." David ordered 'Lyssa as he started the car. Startled by the tone of command in his voice, 'Lyssa did as she was told.

'Lyssa did not question David as to what was going on. She also sensed something was wrong, and a quick scan of David's surface thoughts revealed to her that he felt it too. David accelerated down onramp and set his cruise control at the speed limit of 75mph.

David relaxed as the feeling of wrongness faded behind them.

But he knew that he had not been imagining things. There had been definite peril back there and he was glad to be out of the area.

'Lyssa undid her seatbelt once David had relaxed.

She scooted over on the seat to cuddle close to his side as David put his arm around her. David kept a watch in the mirror and on the area to both sides of the car as he drove.

His home outside of Tucson was a long way to go yet.

And he was certain that things were only starting to get strange. It is just as well that neither David or 'Lyssa had any idea just how strange things were going to get.

David reached into his pocket and handed 'Lyssa a small paper bag. "Here you go," he said. "I never new a lady who didn't need at least one piece of jewelry to feel fully dressed." 'Lyssa was delighted with the necklace and bracelet. She put them on, though she had to loop the necklace around her neck a few times and the bracelet also needed to be looped a couple of times. "Thank you!" Said 'Lyssa once she had donned the jewelry. She wondered if David knew how useful silver and obsidian wore in the practice of magic. She thought probably not, but then, David had surprised her before. The unlikely pair settled down comfortably as the miles flowed by.

'Lyssa was concerned, but did her best not to let David know about her worries. She had tried to shift her form while David had been inside paying for the fuel. No luck.

Shape shifting had always been nearly effortless for her. To not be able to change was like sudden paralysis in a human. "Maybe a shape other than the one's you have already used." Said David. 'Lyssa jerked upright. What the hell? "You were broadcasting your thoughts rather clearly there for a moment," grinned David. "I have never experienced telepathy before. An interesting sensation."

'Lyssa was chagrined. She had not been so sloppy with her thoughts since she was a cub. Then the sense of what David had said sank in. A new form. Very well, something else to try when David next was inside paying for gas. David was proving more useful than she had thought possible.

"You might try simply adjusting your present form instead of shifting entirely, that may prove simpler to do than changing the whole thing," he said

More food for thought for 'Lyssa to chew over. David relaxed back against his seat and concentrated on his driving, leaving his companion to her thoughts. David knew of a route that would take a good 150 miles off the trip. A cut off that was a 2-lane shortcut to Deming, New Mexico. He pulled over to top his tank off before driving the shortcut. It never hurt to be prepared.

When he came back to the Caddy, 'Lyssa was sitting there in the shirt he had originally given her. And that was all she was wearing. She was also now about 4'11" tall. David grinned at her. "Very nice."

She poked her tongue out at him.

They stopped at a store on the outskirts of town, and David went in and bought 'Lyssa a pair of sweat pants, a shirt and some sandals. Once she had those clothes on, David took 'Lyssa inside so that she could get some other clothes that were better fitting.

'Lyssa picked out some snug jeans and a couple of shirts, some socks and another pair of sneakers. Once suitably attired, 'Lyssa took David's arm and sashayed with him out to the Caddy.

David mused that things were looking up. 'Lyssa was happy with the way things were going as well. When David pulled out on the 2-lane highway, he had no idea that he would not see his home again for a very long time.

"OK 'Lyssa. I think it is time to tell me what you are so afraid of." Said David as they headed west out of the small New Mexico town. "After all, I can't really do a lot to help you if I don't have any idea what the hell to expect." 'Lyssa pondered how much to say. "As you wish," replied 'Lyssa. "First, you have to understand that I am NOT human, even though I may appear so for now." "The 2 foot height and the fangs told me that much right away," retorted David. "And your shape shifting and telepathy clinched the deal." 'Lyssa said, "All right, I have worn human form before. But not for longer than you would believe. I am a minor entity where I come from. I do have enemies however. And I fear that they have sent me here into your realm where I am vulnerable and lack most of my powers." "Magic huh?" Said David. "It figures. If your enemies follow you here, can they be killed?" "If any follow from my realm, they are as vulnerable as I, but not by any means weak or to be taken lightly," she warned him "What are they vulnerable to? How can they be stopped or killed?" he persisted. "We are all vulnerable to your realms weapons to a greater or lesser degree. Knives can cut us, bullets can pierce us, and clubs can crush us. But some of my folk are armored, some are very large, and most have strong magic even in your realm. We all heal very fast. What does not kill us outright is healed in minutes or hours," she admitted "So are there any special vulnerabilities? Garlic? Fire? Farts?" He asked. "Fire can harm most of us. Silver can disrupt our bodies and nerves if properly bespelled. And certain woods and herbs are anathema to us," she said "Oak, ash and thorn? Rowan berries etc.?" he asked, half joking. "Well, not oak. But thorn wood, ash wood and Rowan leaves and berries will cause some of our defensive spells to go awry," she replied.

David was watching 'Lyssa as much as the road as they talked. Thus he did not see the figure standing in their path until it was nearly too late. "Look out!" Cried 'Lyssa. David jerked his attention back to the road in time to see a man dressed as an Apache of centuries past raise a staff and point it at the car.

There was a bright flash.

David blinked his eyes furiously to clear the spots dancing in his vision. Then he almost wished he hadn't. The Caddy was zooming along hard packed gray dirt. There were mountains in the distance, but the immediate area was flat as a table.

There were no trees, no houses, just a few geysers of fire off in the distance. Not trusting the surface he was traveling on, David reduced speed slightly, but kept going.

'Lyssa looked a bit sheepish. "Oh yes," said 'Lyssa, "there are powers and spirits native to your realm that do not appreciate interlopers from other realms encroaching on their territories, some we get along with. Some we fight. And some just send us home." "I take it that this is your realm," remarked David. "Yes, but we are far from the place I call home, she said. "Are your powers back as well?" he asked "I believe so. But I dare not try them yet lest we attract unwanted attention," She said "Don1t you think a Caddy screaming over the land at 60 miles an hour is not going to draw SOME attention?" David asked.

David hit the switch to open the sunroof. "Here, hold the wheel steady." directed David. 'Lyssa scooted over and took hold of the steering wheel while David squirmed out of his jacket. "Thanks." Said David as he resumed control of the steering wheel. 'Lyssa settled back in the seat as the car sped on. One direction was as good as another until she could figure out a way to get them back to David's realm. Until she could learn who her enemies were and what their motives were, she preferred to meet them where they were more vulnerable.

David found out just how suddenly trouble could show up in 'Lyssa's realm. One instant, nothing in sight for miles.

The next second, a huge 4 legged, bat winged dragon right out of the story books was standing right in front of the car. There was easily enough room for the car to pass under the dragon and between both front and back legs of the beast. So, operating on the principle that if putting on the brakes won't help, step on the gas, David floored the accelerator pedal. Steering between the dragon's front legs, David drew his pistol and aimed up through the sunroof.


David & 'Lyssa Ch. 02



Prissy let her block on 'Lyssa's powers dissolve away. She figured that the nicer she was for now, the better her chances were of coming out of this mess in one piece.

David paced through the entrance hall looking at his surroundings.

Fine wood paneling lined the walls; Furniture any piece of which would bring a fortune from any antique auction decorated the rooms that he could see through the doors that opened off the hallway.

He followed 'Lyssa's voice into a large sitting room. 'Lyssa was in her true form for the moment, and she was stretching ands luxuriating in her newfound freedom.

Jenny was sitting nervously in her chair, looking at what the girl she had sat next to for all those miles had changed into.

Hell, David didn't blame Jenny for being nervous. Hell, 'Lyssa1s true form was more than a little unnerving even for him. And HE had just fought and killed a freaking DRAGON, for Pete's sake. 'Lyssa saw David in the doorway looking at her, and she looked down at herself. 'Lyssa shimmered and flowed into her human form.

'Lyssa skipped over to David and hugged his arm. "This is my home! I never thought I would see it again! Thank you!" She planted a deep kiss on David that left him a little breathless.

Prissy allowed her self a small smile at the display of affection. This was good. She wanted David in as good a mood as possible when they had their little talk. Maybe she should see if she could get him laid?

Hmmm, Maybe Jenny would be amenable... Prissy broke off the thought in midstream. Nope, she wasn't about to meddle any more. She glanced at David and swallowed hard. He was looking straight into her eyes, and she had the sneaky suspicion that he was reading her thoughts. David turned away from Prissy, wondering why she had lost her smile all of a sudden. Too bad, He thought she was fairly attractive in her human form, and a smile on her face brought a glimpse of true beauty.

'Lyssa pulled a tasseled rope hanging to one side of the door. Moments later, a serving maid appeared.

"I want supper prepared. Selected for 4 humans, class 2. We will dine in the next room." 'Lyssa directed.

"At once mistress." said the maid with a curtsy. Then she vanished like a puff of smoke. 

David let a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. That maid had a nice figure and a pretty face once you got past the fine pebbly scales on an otherwise human looking girl. Gorgeous golden eyes too.

"Do you have books? A library maybe?" David asked 'Lyssa. 

"Two doors down on the right beloved, Help yourself." She replied.

David raised an eyebrow. Beloved hmmm?

Whistling a jaunty tune, David took his leave of the ladies and sauntered down the hallway to the door indicated. Opening the door, David stepped into the room. No one was there in the hallway to see the door swing silently shut behind him. Jenny sat the others down in the sitting room and called for coffee, tea and drinks. 'Lyssa and Jenny and Prissy were soon in an animated discussion of trivial things. Keeping the mood light and passing time.

'Lyssa sent servants out to bring the weapons and supplies from the truck into the sitting room, where they were piled on a table in the corner.

Soon the maid appeared again. "The meal is served Mistress." And she vanished again. The door to the library opened about that time.

~David's Hiatus~

David stepped into the library and looked around appreciatively. He took a step forward and

Was enveloped in a dense gray fog.

"GODDAMNIT!!!! NOT AGAIN!!" David yelled. Then the fog cleared.

David could see rows of bookshelves vanishing off into the distance. HE could not see the ceiling

of wherever he was, only a shapeless pearly glow providing light evenly from the whole overhead

area. David climbed up the bookshelves to stand atop one row. Row upon row of bookshelves as

far as the eye could see, stretching off to either side into the distance. The only break in

the monotony were cross aisles and a black cube looking building a few rows away.

David climbed down from the shelf and set off for the building. 

If he was going to find any answers, they would likely be found there.

David finally came up to the sole door in the building. It was no taller than the shelves, and

was about 40 feet on a side. David straightened his shoulders and stepped inside.

There was an easy chair and a couch over to the right, a table and chairs on the other side of the room; a shower stall and toilet were in a corner with a thin curtain shielding it from the rest of the room. There was a refrigerator and a stove close to the table. There were several cabinets and a sink next to the stove; and there was a door on the other side of the room. David was sure that there was no corresponding door on the outside of the building. David snorted, with all that had happened to him in the last week, he was expecting logic? He shook his head and opened the door.

There was an enormous gym on the other side. Racks of swords and other weapons lined one of the walls; there was a basketball hoop and a basketball on the far wall. And there was a complete set of exercise machines and free weights over at one end. And no one in sight. David turned around and went back into the apartment room. That gym was dozens of times larger than the whole damn outside of the building. "Just call me Dr. Who." David quipped to himself. Just what he always wanted, His own TARDIS. [Time And Relative Dimensions In Space]

There was now a note on the table. David picked it up and sat down to read it. . .  The paper puffed into vapor as he finished reading it.

Whistling the theme from 'Mission Impossible', David explored the cabinets and the rest of the room.

"May as well get started." David said aloud to himself. And he went out to the closest bookshelf and took down a thick book that caught his eye.

The writing on the spine of the book shifted and changed into English. The title of the book was "Simple Levitation and Flying Spells". Well enough. He would need these to explore this damn place, provided the spells worked.

David snagged a couple more books to take with him, and he went back into the apartment. Once inside, David sat the books on a coffee table next to the easy chair. He went over and prepared a snack, then settled down to read and to §%-s snack

~Much later.~

David was in much better physical shape, and he had learned so much!

He had long since lost track of time in this place. After the first 100 years or so, Time becomes

pretty meaningless.

David looked at the 3D pictures of 'Lyssa, Prissy, and Jenny that he had conjured during the

first weeks of his stay. It was time to go.

David opened the door to the room and stepped into another reality.

~Back to the mansion~

'Lyssa looked up as David strode into the room where he had left them.

"Find anything suitable beloved?"

David smiled and swept 'Lyssa up in his arms as if she was light as a feather. "When's supper?"

He asked.

Prissy looked David, over, noting the subtle and not so subtle differences.

David looked at her and winked. Among the other things he had learned was all about Prissy and

her penchant for practical jokes. He would have fun discussing her role in all this later.

David set 'Lyssa down and: pulled Jenny and Prissy in for hugs and kisses.

GODS how he had missed simple human contact!

'Lyssa led her guests into the dining room. Liveried servants stood by to cater to the slightest whim.

Supper was aged, rare roast beef with all the trimmings, and sinfully rich chocolate cake for dessert.

After the meal, they all retired to the sitting room to relax and talk. Jenny was exhausted after the eventful day, and 

'Lyssa summoned a servant to show Jenny to her room. David gave her a good night kiss and a pat. 

Jenny followed the servant out and away.

They went down the hall and up a sweeping staircase to the second floor.

The Jenny room led to was luxurious to an extent that she had never known. There was a marble tub for bathing, and at a gesture from the maid, the tub began filling with water. Jenny trailed her fingers in the water. It was just right. Jenny turned to thank the maid, but she was already gone.

Jenny undressed and stepped into the tub, lowering herself until she was immersed up to her chin. As the warmth relaxed and soothed her tired muscles, Jenny leaned her head back against the rim of the tub and closed her eyes, subtle perfumes scented the bath, and further lulled Jenny toward sleep. Finally she shook herself awake and began scrubbing herself with a soft cloth and a gentle soap.

Rising from the tub, Jenny found a large, fluffy towel within easy reach. She dried herself with vigorous strokes.

There was a filmy gown laid out on the bed. Jenny slipped it on and looked at her image in the full-length mirror. She gave an impish grin as she saw that the material of the gown was nearly transparent. A far cry from the homespun cloth that she was used to.

Looking around to see if she was observed, Jenny saw nothing to indicate that she was under observation. Turning back to the mirror, she passed the palm of her hand over the mirrors surface in a circular pattern. The mirror shimmered and seemed to glow from within.

"David has been to the library as you planned milord." Jenny said in a low voice.

"That is good," came the reply from the mirror, "with all the powers flowing through him, he was a danger to himself and to every realm he entered. He could have destroyed worlds through sheer ignorance."

"But that danger is over. Isn't it?" Jenny asked.

"We have given him access to the knowledge needed to control the powers. And he survived the ordeal. Now we will see how he uses the newfound knowledge and powers. TO this end, you will continue as his companion."

"As you command," Jenny murmured. 

Inwardly she was pleased. She was growing fond of David and the others. And his concern for her safety and well being in changing her body form to this one showed decency found all too seldom in any realm. Although, she could have made the adjustments herself, albeit with more subtlety and over a longer period of time. Still the thought was sweet of him.

"I see that this meets with your approval." Said the voice from the mirror.

Jenny felt her face heat in a blush as she realized that her thoughts had shown all to clearly on her face. She passed her hand quickly across the surface of the mirror, turning it back into ordinary silvered glass.

Downstairs, Prissy and 'Lyssa sat with David in the sitting room.

"I am getting a bit tired, but I don't intend to sleep anytime soon." David told the ladies.

"What do you want to do then Beloved?" Asked 'Lyssa.

David got up and walked over to 'Lyssa and sat on the arm of her chair. He leaned down and whispered in her ear.

'Lyssa's eyes widened as she listened to the lascivious suggestions that David was whispering to her. She was not shocked, she was a succubus after all, and had been having sex for food and pleasure for thousands of years. However she was intrigued by the breadth and scope of his ambitions.

David looked over at Prissy and gave a slow, evil grin. Then he bent down to whisper in ' Lyssa's ear some more.

Prissy saw the look and was understandably nervous. "Ummm, I need to use the lavatory." She quavered.

'Lyssa tugged on the cord to summon the maid again. "She'll show you where the lavatory is. Then she will show you to our room."

Prissy departed, following the maid.

'Lyssa led David upstairs to a sumptuous bedroom that was bigger than most apartments David had seen.

"Lyssa was shedding her clothing as she walked to the bed. David took his time undressing.

He was in no hurry; He had been waiting and dreaming about this for several centuries of his subjective time.

Prissy walked into the lavatory and promptly sat down on the toilet. All this traveling and tension was hell on the bladder.

A column of smoke appeared before her as she lowered her drawers and sat down to piss. "Prissy, 

as you are styling yourself now, hear us and heed our words." Boomed a voice out of the smoke. 

It was a good thing that she was sitting on the toilet already, because this new apparition 

caused her to lose control of her bladder and bowels.

"Since it was your meddling in this mortals life that started the chain of events that caused 

us to intervene, you shall do the following penance," Continued the voice.

Prissy shivered and huddled into herself as she sat there terrified. 

"You shall remain with this David Porter until such time as he releases you from his service

of his own accord. You will serve his as companion, wife, lover, or any other capacity that

he chooses for you. And until such time as he releases you, your powers of change and influence

shall be curbed except for your own defense, or the defense of others. And you shall remain

in this form unless specifically directed by David Porter."

Prissy started to stammer something, but the smoke column swirled away into nothing. Prissy cleaned herself up and sat there shaking and feeling sorry for herself. 

It is probably a good thing that she never knew that the column of smoke and the awesome voice were all David's doing. 

A little bit of revenge for all that had happened to 'Lyssa and himself.

When Prissy exited the lavatory; the maid was patiently waiting for her.

"This way." murmured the maid. And she led Prissy up to the bedroom where 'Lyssa and David were waiting for her.

Prissy entered the bedroom wishing that she had chosen a taller body. Being barely 4 feet tall had definite disadvantages. On the other hand, Prissy mused as she undid the straps and fasteners of her clothing, being tiny make it easier to be overlooked in a fight, and it tended to make males who were on her side feel a bit protective of her.

Prissy slid under the covers next to David. He pulled her in for a slow, deep kiss, and Prissy could not help but respond.

'Lyssa was already kissing her way down David's belly to engage in a little fellatio.

Prissy gasped as David slid his hand up to cup her firm, cupcake sized breast. Then she quit worrying about anything but the sensations flooding through her body. Maybe this wouldn't be that bad after all.

In the morning, David awoke to find Jenny snuggled up to his left side. 'Lyssa was sound asleep and cuddled up to his right side, and Prissy was sitting atop him, slowly riding up and down on his morning erection.

So it wasn't his imaginings that Jenny had joined the fun at some point last night. 

Try as he might, David could not remember if he had screwed Jenny during the mini orgy last night. 

If he had, all well and good, if not, he would remedy that oversight later today.

Prissy saw that David was awake, and she leaned forward to press her breasts against him as she gave him a good morning welcoming kiss.

Jenny and 'Lyssa woke up about then, and breakfast was forgotten as David did his level best to satisfy all three ladies.

'Lyssa thought that Prissy was quite talented in sex for an amateur. And that Jenny had definite possibilities.

David was just thinking that this was all wonderful, if a bit too much of a good thing.

When they were all bathed and dressed, 'Lyssa took them on a tour of the mansion. The staff was efficient and unobtrusive. David was duly impressed.

David pulled one of the cords to summon the vanishing maid.

"What is your name?" David asked the maid when she appeared.

The maid glanced nervously at 'Lyssa. 

'Lyssa nodded her permission for the maid to answer.

"I am called Asshann milord," said the maid.

"I am David, not milord if you would." David told her. Asshann looked at 'Lyssa again, who nodded her approval. "Very well Mi... David." Asshann stumbled over his name.

"Asshann, I am new to these realms. And I need a guide to let me know when I am making mistakes or making a fool of myself. Will you please be my friend and help me?"

Asshann hesitated a long instant. Then said "I would be honored, David, to help you as best I am able."

"That is all I can ask if anyone." David told Asshann.

Finally, 'Lyssa led her friends out into the magnificent garden out in back.

There was a marble fountain with tables and benches.

"We shall dine out here by the fountain." 'Lyssa told Asshann. "And for the foreseeable future, all meals are to be suitable for human consumption."

"Very good Milady." Said Asshann as she vanished once again.

The foursome sat down at one of the marble tables, relaxing and enjoying the scented breezes.

A man in butlers uniform materialized next to the table. "Your pardon Milady. There is a visitor at the front door. HE insists on speaking to you personally."

"Bring him around back here." 'Lyssa instructed him. "But do not bring him through the house." The butler vanished.

The butler reappeared moments later, leading a robed and cowled figure around the side of the mansion.

"I am instructed to pass on to you a summons." The being said. "You are to appear at the Dark Lord's main hall at sundown. Your companions must accompany you." The visitor dissolved into a noxious cloud of smoke that rapidly dissipated.

David looked at 'Lyssa questioningly. 

'Lyssa was pale and looked sick. 

Prissy looked ready to faint. 

Jenny looked mostly curious.

"I am afraid Beloved." 'Lyssa said to David. "I cannot protect you, and I fear that you cannot protect yourself or any of the rest of us either."

"I shoulda took the last bus to Jersey." Said Prissy with a grimace. "We're in deep shit now."

"What do we do now?" Asked Jenny in a small voice.

"Well toots," replied Prissy. "We're gonna get dead. Quick if we're lucky. Slow and painful if we ain't so lucky."

"Don't be too sure." David told the ladies. "We ain't dead yet, and I aim to make someone work at it to make me that way."

Asshann appeared with the serving staff to start the meal.

"Eat up," said David. "We'll need the energy."

'Lyssa and Prissy picked at their food while David and Jenny devoured their helpings. "You should eat, Cause I know how to spend the time until sundown."

Prissy managed a small smile at David's attempt to cheer them up. But she and 'Lyssa did start eating in earnest.

The four were all dressed with a good half hour left to go before the deadline. The morale was greatly improved among the companions, and David was preparing a few surprises for this Dark Lord, whomever the Hell he was.

As the sun touched the horizon, they suddenly found themselves in a huge open room.

David looked around at the barbaric splendor around them.

Looks like something Vallejo or Frazetta would dream up on a peyote trip. David thought to himself.

'Lyssa, Prissy, and Jenny clustered together behind David. They were all three shivering and beyond much rational thought.

There was a flash of light and a thunderclap.

A gigantic figure stood there towering over them. 

'Lyssa and Prissy fell to their knees. Jenny knelt with them. 




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 02



David stood his ground and looked up at the Beast.

30 feet tall, with horns like a Texas steer, cloven hooves for feet, bright red leathery skin, and a wolf's face. 

The beast also had a tremendous hard on.

"You have slain my vassals, disrupted my realm, and caused me no end of trouble," roared the Beast. "And you shall pay for your impertinence."

"Get bent." Said David. He waved his hand toward the girls and they vanished. The beast didn't notice he was too busy watching David change shape.

In an instant, David towered over the beast, twice as ugly and with breath 3 times as bad. The Dark Lord screamed his rage and threw himself at David.

David met his rush with a spinning heel kick to the Beast's muzzle.

The Dark Lord picked himself up and wiped blood from his lips. "You are DEAD you fool!" He screamed at David.

David responded my directing a blast of pure ravening energy into the chest of the Beast. With his skin smoking, but otherwise uninjured, the Beast responded with a blast of his own, vomiting fire to engulf David's form to no effect.

David grasped the Dark Lord" s throat with both hands, and felt the Beast return the grip. Both fighters poured mage bolts fueled by raw hatred at the same instant.

Space and time itself ruptured under the onslaught of the titanic magical energies, dropping both combatants through a sudden hole in reality. 

Neither could maintain their grip on the other as they spun away through shifting planes of existence.

David came to rest in his own form on a pile of rocks lying near a cliff face.

There was no sign of the beast.

~The ladies adventure~

The three terrified girls dropped about a foot as they materialized in a place that 'Lyssa and Prissy had visited before.

David's living room.

"Where's David?" cried 'Lyssa.

"I dunno," said Prissy, "Last thing I saw was the two of them tryin' to out ugly each other.

"We've got to get back there! My Beloved needs us!" 'Lyssa shrieked.

CRACK!! Prissy slapped the hysterical succubus.

"David sent us here so that we would be out of the way and he could concentrate on the fight. Prissy explained. "Do ya really want to pop back in there and distract him while he's in a life and death fight?" 1Lyssa's shoulders slumped and she sat down hard on the couch.

Jenny and Prissy sat beside her and held 'Lyssa as she wept.

Neither 'Lyssa or Prissy could shift between worlds at the moment anyway. They never considered Jenny, and she wasn't about to volunteer any information. Her job was to observe and be patient.

~Somewhere else~

The Dark Lord came to rest in a realm not unlike the one David found himself in. With a few major differences. As it turned to get its bearings, it came face to face with a creature even more fearsome

than itself.

The jaws of the monster closed on the Dark Lord before he had a chance to scream, much less defend himself. 

Thus passed the most feared being of a thousand Realms. From Supreme Being to Snack Food in one fell swoop.

Who says the god's don't like their little jokes?

~David's trek~

David sat up with a whale of a headache. He shook his head carefully to clear his vision. It didn't help much and hurt abominably. Not a great idea.

David climbed painfully to his feet and looked around. Trees and that damn cliff.

David squinted at the face of the cliff, there seemed to be caves in the stone wall.

In David's experience, things tended to lair in caves, bears, other hungry critters, and at least on 'Lyssa's realm, the cave dwellers that were probably the most powerful beings in the realm. 

Best to leave the caves for later.

David heard the sound of running water somewhere on the other side of the trees.

Wellaway, that would be the first order of business. Getting a drink.

David started off along a trail that lead away from the cliff toward the sound of the water. David kept a wary eye out for critters, people, and other dangers as he walked down the path. Moving silently wasn't much of a problem. David was barefoot to the chin. Wherever he was, his clothes hadn't made the trip with him.

David stopped and thought for a moment.

Did his powers work here?

David concentrated, picturing a set of jungle fatigues and boots in his size. Then he made the mental push needed to draw the items to him.

In another universe, a quartermaster was going to be mighty pissed about the missing uniform and boots that vanished from his warehouse without a trace. With a puff of displaced air, the clothes dropped to the ground at his feet with a soft thud.

David dressed himself in the fatigues and felt better. He knew it was purely psychological, but a man always feels more confident without his family jewels hanging out in the breeze.

David continued on to the water that he could now glimpse through the trees. David had a thought. The point where the trail reached the water would be an ideal place for an ambush by a predator or a hunter. So it behooved him to take appropriate measures. David left the trail and ghosted through the trees to a point a few hundred feet upstream of the trail. The running water turned out to be a crystal clear brook running over a bed of fist-sized stones. The brook was about a foot and a half deep, and about 5 or 6 paces across at that point. David eased through the tall grass and reeds on his belly, keeping out of sight as he reached the waters edge and took a sip. The water tasted sweet and pure. David waited a few minutes without feeling any ill effects.

So he took a longer, much more satisfying drink.

David eased back into the trees, still moving low and slow until he was screened by some bushes.

Time to turn to other things.

David concentrated on his gun belt and his .45's. He remembered the weight and feel of the guns and the gun belt around his waist complete with ammo pouches for the .45's and the Barret .50. Again the mental push, and the gun belt and guns disappeared from 'Lyssa's parlor and dropped into his lap.

David then concentrated on the feel and sight of his much loved Barret .50. A much stronger mental push, and the big .50 rifle dropped into his outstretched hands.

David worked the bolt on the Barret as quietly as possible.

Yup. One in the chamber.

David flicked on the safety and dropped out the magazine. It was full. David slipped it back into place and gave it a tap to ensure it was seated properly.

David laid the Barret on the ground carefully and drew the .45's one at a time and checked their loads. Both fully loaded and condition one, cocked and locked. Just as he had left them.

Time to see about finding what passed for civilization here, if any, and find out where the hell he was.

David slung the rifle where it could be brought into action in an instant if need be. He started back to the trail and headed downhill. After all, the trail had to lead some damn place.

David came around a bend in the trail and came face to face with a dragon.

~David's place~

Prissy and Jenny helped 'Lyssa upstairs to one of the bedrooms and got her onto the bed. Jenny sat with her to keep her company, stroking 'Lyssa's hair and comforting her. Prissy went downstairs again. Time to see what food was available.

Prissy realized that she was at a disadvantage. The last time she had been in this realm for any period of time had been 10 years before. And to be frank, she had been more interested in parties than in studying the world around her. It is to her credit that she realized the limits of her knowledge.

Prissy did know all about phones and phonebooks though. She found David's copy of the Yellow Pages and phoned out for a pizza. When they had been here before, David had shown them where he kept his cache of ready money, and she read the address of some letters on the kitchen table.

The Stove and the other arcane appliances could wait until they could experiment later.

She did know about the refrigerator though, and found the beer and sodas inside.

When the delivery girl came by with the pizzas, Prissy paid her with some of David' s money and tipped her a $5 bill. The delivery girl made a note of the address. For tips like that, she would bring any future orders herself, and to hell with that snooty manager.

Prissy called the other two down to eat.

'Lyssa was much more composed. Jenny had brushed her hair as well and brushing 'Lyssa's long hair. She was calm and serene. Jenny had faith in David's ability to find his way to them.

'Lyssa was nowhere near as calm inside as she was outwardly. But she had herself under control again. And she vowed to herself that she would not make her beloved David ashamed of her by acting like a panicked child.

The three girls had just sat down to eat when there was a knock at the door.

Jenny got out of the way while 'Lyssa shifted to battle form and moved so that she would be behind the door when it opened. Prissy looked at 'Lyssa and nodded, then opened the door.

"Hello, I am Paul Black Eagle. Is David Porter home?" asked the elderly Indian on the doorstep.

~Talking to Dragons~

The dragon had wings, long sharp claws, teeth that would make a tyrannosaur envious, and a long barbed tail.

This seemed reasonable.

The dragon was about the size of a small pony.

This was less reasonable.

That the dragon would turn and run screaming in a high pitched voice as soon as it spotted him did not seem reasonable to David at all.

Nor did the fact that he could understand the dragon quite well as it scrambled back down the trail. "Mommy! Mommy! HELP!! A Monster is after me!" The little dragon was shrieking as it fled.

Oh great, David thought. It's just a baby, and now I am gonna have to deal with Mommy dragon in a moment. And she ain't gonna be happy.

David stepped to the side of the trail and put his back against a sturdy tree. He flicked off the safety of the Barret, but he hoped he would not have to use it.

Since he could understand the dragon, presumably, it could understand him.

Talking beat shooting any day of the week.

Sure enough, around the bend came a larger dragon, this one about the size of a Clydesdale horse.

David spoke first before the Mommy dragon could open hostilities. "Hold it Milady. I am merely lost and seeking my way home. I mean harm to no one. I apologize to you and your child if I caused any fright or trouble."

The mother dragon looked down her fearsome nose at David. "Well well, a monster that speaks calmly and respectfully. Who are you? And how did you get here?"

"I am David Porter." Replied David. "And as to how I got here, I am not sure. That is what I hope you might be able to help me figure out."

"And why should I help you at all?" Asked the mother dragon reasonably.

"So that I may be out of your domain as soon as possible. I wish only to return to my friends and my beloved."

David saw the little dragon peeking out from behind its mother. He dropped to one knee and laid the rifle down on the ground. "I am sorry if I scared you little one." David spoke to the little dragon. "I meant no harm, and you scared me quite as much as I frightened you!"

"Really?" asked the little dragon. "Gee. I never thought of that."

The little dragon came out from behind its mother and approached David.

David held himself perfectly still, well aware of the watchful gaze of the mother dragon. And her mouthful of sharp teeth that were only a chomp away from his one and only neck.

The little dragon sniffed at David and nuzzled his chest and face. David slowly reached up and scratched gently right behind the fan like ear of the juvenile dragon. The dragon child sighed with pleasure and leaned into the caress like an overgrown kitten.

David sensed the mother dragon relaxing slightly.

"Well, you DO know how to speak with proper respect." Said the mother dragon. "Come with us and I will try to help you in your quest."

"My thanks milady." Said David. He straightened up and picked up the Barret. The mother dragon walked on his left, and the little dragon frisked along on his other side.

The little dragon was full of questions, and David answered them as gravely as if an adult had asked them.

As they approached the edge of the forest, there came a war cry from in front and the sides. A number of spear carrying figures came bounding out of the tall grass on either side of the path. The little dragon screamed and cowered behind David as he whipped up the Barret and leveled it at waist height.

Superficially the attackers appeared to be somewhat human, but that did not deter David from pulling the trigger and blowing a very large hole in the closest spear wielder.

Pivoting from right to left, David fired over and over. Each time his rifle roared, one of the attackers went down in a heap.

David whipped the rifle up and around to block a thrown spear that would have hit the mother dragon. David let go of the Barret and let it hang from the sling as he drew his .45's.

The point of the spear he had blocked was made of a bronze colored metal, and it was coated with an unpleasantly oily looking substance. He couldn't say for sure, but it was a safe bet that the oily gleam was some kind of poison.

David fired his pistols again and again, each shot dropping an attacker until suddenly, they were all down and dead. Or at least not moving.

David reloaded the .45's and then the Barret. He walked cautiously over to the fallen enemy. Most of them were very messily dead. The few that showed any signs of life, David finished off with a single shot to the head.

Better not to leave any to come after them later.

The little dragon scooted over to David as soon as he returned. The mother dragon was unhurt, but shaken. "We thank you for your aid David Porter." She said. "You did not have to defend us. They would not have harmed you."

"Those who would harm my friends or my companions make themselves my enemies." David told her. "Besides, I could not allow harm to come to the little one or yourself. You have proven yourselves to be honorable beings. They have not."

The mother dragon nodded. David scratched behind the ears of the still scared little dragon at it pressed against his side.

"May I know your names?" David asked.

"My pardon, I have been remiss." Said the mother dragon. "I am Garace. And this is my hatchling daughter, Staffet."

"I like him mommy." Said Staffet.

"I like you too." Said David as he caressed the youngster's head knobs and neck ridges.

~A Visitor~

"David ain't here right now." Prissy told the old Indian. "But I can take a message for you."

The old man chuckled. "I see that David has added to his collection of otherworldly women." Prissy grabbed the old man by the front of his shirt and dragged him inside, slamming the door after him.

"Alright. Speak. What do you know and where the hell is David?" Prissy demanded. The old man looked around. "I am one of David's friends. And I know enough about the Shadow World to recognize people from there. As to where David is, I had hoped that you knew."

'Lyssa phased back into her human body. "We don't know where he is, but we need to get started looking for him."

Black Eagle sniffed the air. "Do I smell pizza?" Prissy shook her head. "Come on and sit down with us. You can talk as we eat."

At the table, Black Eagle explained his presence between bites.

"I felt something stirring here, where nothing should be going on. And the taste was that of the Shadow World." He said. "Normally, one of the Powers of this realm would have simply sent you back where you came from as soon as you were detected. However the disturbance was far too strong for such summary measures, and besides, there was an unusual feel to the power creating the trouble."

"And so they sent you." 'Lyssa put in.

"Yep." said Black Eagle as he took another slice of pizza. "Good chow. Thanks."

"So what do we do now?" Asked 'Lyssa. "I mean, I can't just sit here not knowing what's going

on."

Black Eagle sighed. "OK, here is the deal. The borders between your world and ours had been sealed from the other side. We cannot go there, nor can we send anyone or anything through."

"So where does that leave us?" asked Prissy.

"Sitting here being patient, I guess." Said Black Eagle.

"What about my world?" piped up Jenny.

'Lyssa and Prissy looked at her in surprise.

Black Eagle looked at Jenny with his eyes unfocused. "Yes, your realm is accessible." He said when he refocused his eyes. "But are you sure that you want to go there? Once you leave this realm, I can no longer aid you in any way."

'Lyssa and Prissy brought Black Eagle up to speed about their varied adventures thus far.

Black Eagle shook his head. "The big boys ain't gonna like this one little bit."

"Can you help us?" 'Lyssa persisted.

"Aye, I can send you through to the crystal realm. But the return path will be closed for a while. What I CAN do, is put you through close to Jenny's old home."

'Lyssa was all for starting out right away. But the other overruled her.

"We want to start out rested and equipped. Can we leave in the morning?" Asked Prissy.

"Any time or not at all, the choice is up to you." Black Eagle told her.

'Lyssa showed Black Eagle to one of the bedrooms upstairs.

The girls explored the house with Black Eagles help and assembled packs and gear that they thought they might need. Black Eagle showed them where David stashed his guns and ammunition. Finally, all was ready for the morning.

Black Eagle retired to his room, and the girls all piled into David's bed to sleep all tangles up for mutual comfort.

In the morning, the girls woke to the delicious smells of breakfast. Black Eagle had been up for quite a while, and had put his time to good use.

"Eat hearty ladies." He told them as they came sleepily downstairs. "You will need the energy."

Black Eagle watched the girls as they ate. He was not at all sure that they were doing the right thing by leaving, but it was their decision to make.

Black Eagle unobtrusively made certain preparations as he munched his toast. Finally, the breakfast was done and the dished washed and put away.

The girls donned their packs and buckled on their weapons.

Black Eagle handed each a carved wooden walking staff. "These will aid you in your travels."

Jenny gave him a kiss on the cheek. The other girls followed suit.

Black Eagle had a roguish grin on his face as he told them. "Open the front door and step on through. You will emerge in the other realm. Good luck, and be safe."

Prissy opened the door to see a gray mist. She reached back and took Jenny's hand. Jenny in turn reached for and took 'Lyssa's hand.

Then they took a collective deep breath and stepped on through the doorway.

In the kitchen, Black Eagle sat down to rest.

Damnit, he was almost 700. And he was entitled to a break now and then.

~Talking to Dragons cont.~

"Where do we go from here?" David asked Garace.

Before she could answer however, David felt a stunning blow on his upper back, and the world spun dizzily around him.

Dimly, David heard someone screaming in agony and terror.

Shaking off the dizziness as best he could, David felt the little dragon pressing against his back. David muttered a quick shield spell to cover all three of them. This gave his head time to clear so that he could take stock of the situation. His right arm was useless and something was sticking out of him next to his shoulder blade.

"Are you all right?" David called out to Garace. There was no answer. David looked over at the mother dragon. There were two of the spears piercing deep into her belly and side. David did not have to see the spearheads to know that they were poisoned.

"Staffet. Are you hurt?"

"No," The little dragon wailed. "But Mommy's hurt!"




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 02



David's weapons were useless to him without the use of his arms. He realized that he had royally screwed up. Instead of using his much more effective powers. He had equipped himself with his familiar old weapons, and when the crisis came, he had fallen back on old training and habits. And without the magical wards that he KNEW he should have set up, he had been ambushed like a rank amateur. And Garace had paid the price of his stupidity.

A quick scan of the area using magic revealed the ambushers locations. It took only a gesture and a snarled curse to turn the enemy into so many blazing torches.

A simple teleport spell got rid of the arrow in his back without further tissue damage. From there, healing was fairly straightforward and easy.

David turned his attention to the stricken dragon.

To his surprise, she was still breathing.

"How can I help you? Tell me what to do." David said to her.

"I am finished." Garace said in a hoarse whisper. "The poison has spread too far, and cannot be stopped now."

Garace took a shuddering breath. Bubbles of blood appeared at her nose and mouth.

"You must not let them have my baby. You have to keep her safe until she can fend for herself."

"I will. I swear it." Vowed David.

"Come close. Touch your head to mine." Garace rasped painfully.

David pressed his forehead against Garace's forehead. A stream of information rushed into him, leaving him dizzy and weak for a moment.

"When Staffet is ready. Pass her legacy on to her." Garace said in a faint voice.

She shuddered then, and was still.

Staffet was crying with the quiet sobs of the brokenhearted.

David raised his hands and chanted a brief incantation. There was a flare of light, and Garace's corpse was gone.

"Mommy," whimpered Staffet.

David sat down there in the road and drew the little dragon to him and sat there cradling her head as she cried bitter tears.

Eventually, David wiped the tears from Staffet's face. "You will be with me from now on." he told her. "I am going to adopt you."

"What does that mean?" asked Staffet.

"It means that you will be my daughter. And that I will take care of you always."

Staffet looked up and asked "How can you be my father if you are not a dragon?"

David was taken aback by the question. 

"Well, ahh, I have a lot of dragon in me." he said.

Staffet looked dubious, but pressed her head against his chest and cried some more.

Finally, David stood and led Staffet back up the path toward the cliffs. They would shelter in one of the caves for the night, and any critter or person who objected would pay a horrific price.

David chose a cave a few meters above ground level and levitated them both up and in. Other than some easily evicted bats, the cave was a suitable campsite. Once David had swept it out, using simple housekeeping spells.

David placed magical barriers and traps at the entrance and about 30 yards into the cave. He amped them up until anything that approached the shields would awaken him. And anything that actually touched them would be vaporized on contact.

David conjured blankets and bedding for himself. Then he conjured a quilt big enough to cover the little dragon.

When David summoned firewood from the surrounding forest, Staffet said, "Let me! Let me!" And she opened her mouth wide and breathed a jet of fire onto the pile of branches.

As the fire blazed up, David praised the little dragon. "Nice job Sweetheart!" He said. "Umm, next time, could you wait until I get the wood arranged for a fire so we have some to add later?"

Staffet looked at him with a sheepish expression. "Ooopsie."

"No problem." Said David. And he promptly teleported more wood into the cave where he broke it into manageable pieces.

David lay down on the bedding.

Staffet curled up beside him on a blanket that he spread on the ground. David covered her with the extra long quilt and lay back against the pillows he had conjured.

Staffet put her head next to his and closed her eyes. David put his arm around her neck as best as he could, and they both dropped off into an uneasy slumber.

Staffet woke up crying several times that night. And each time, David sat up with her, cuddling and comforting the little dragon.

It was during one of these waking vigils that David had his wonderful idea. (Or so it seemed at the time)

In the morning, Staffet was very hungry and for that matter, so was David.

David summoned a wooden door complete with frame and stood it up in the middle of the cave.

"Come with me." David told the curious young dragon.

He opened the door and stepped through into familiar surroundings.

An instant later, Staffet bumped into his back as she came through the door.

David was back in the library. And this time, he had company.

~The ladies face a delay~

Black Eagle sat up with a jerk when he heard the horrible cussing going on in the living room.

He stepped through the open doorway from the kitchen and stared. All 3 girls were standing next to the fireplace looking mighty confused.

"What happened?" Asked Black Eagle.

"We don't know!" said a frustrated 'Lyssa. "We stepped into the mist, and came out hare in the living room again."

Black Eagle tossed a coin through the open door into the mist, only to see it appear out of thin air next to 'Lyssa.

"I need to find out what is going on." Said Black Eagle. "For now, stay put here in the house, and do NOT try to leave. It seems that someone or something wants you here and is determined to see that you stay."

He looked around and banished the mist with an irritable wave of his hand.

"I'll send someone to stay with you for a while and get you acquainted with how things work in this realm."

Black Eagle strode out the door, closing it behind him.

'Lyssa and Prissy and Jenny looked at each other.

"Well, this bites." Said Prissy.

She shrugged off her pack and walked on into the kitchen.

She opened the freezer door of the fridge and snagged the first things that caught her eye.

The other ladies came trooping in dejectedly.

"What have you got there?" Asked Jenny.

"Ice cream." came the answer.

"What's ice cream?" Jenny and 'Lyssa asked simultaneously. Then they looked at each other and broke into giggles.

"It is a treat here. The last time I was here, my date was going to take me out for some, but I had to cut my trip short."

Prissy opened up the three cartons and got some spoons from a drawer after a brief search.

Each girl chose a carton and spooned up a small taste.

Smiles of utter delight spread across their faces as they sat down and began to devour the wonderful food.

The trio made utter pigs of themselves. Sharing tastes of each other's flavors.

Prissy got out the phone book and called grocery stores until she found one that would deliver. "I would like to order some ice cream please." She said. "What flavor did you want?" Said the person at the store.

"How many flavors are there?" Asked Prissy.

Her mouth dropped open when the answer came. "Oh, 25 or 30 different flavors."

"We'll take two, no, three of each." She said. "How much will that be?"

"Around 120 to 140 dollars." Came the reply. "I'll need your credit card number and expiration date."

"Hold on a moment." Prissy said. She dug around in the pile of mail that David hadn't had a

chance to open yet. Finally she found what she was looking for.

A brand new Visa card.

Prissy read the number and expiration date from the card to the clerk at the store.

"Your order will arrive in about an hour. Thank you for shopping with us."

Prissy hung up the phone with a grin. 

ICE CREAM! 

This world might not be so bad after all.

~Father to a Dragon~

David led the way to the apartment at the center of the library. Surely there would be something in here about the care and raising of dragons.

At the very least, he should be able to find out where the hell he had been, and thus how to get home.

David opened the door and ushered Staffet into the room.

The little dragon looked around curiously. "There's not enough room in here for me." She said as her tail knocked over a lamp and a small table.

David stepped across the room and opened the door to the gym. Staffet entered the much larger space and relaxed with a sigh.

David had a sudden thought. Dragon or no, Staffet was a young child. And children had to piss and crap with distressing frequency. David hurried to create a sandbox in one corner of the gym and teleported in enough sand to fill it about 3 feet deep. He also conjured enough kitty litter to mix with the sand. This would, (he hoped) keep down the inevitable odor. He also set up a curtain to screen off the box to give Staffet a little privacy.

It suddenly hit David with a sinking sensation that he knew very little about dragons. And most certainly, most of what he thought that he knew was false, gained from fantasy books and bad movies.

Unfortunately for him, the information that Garace had given him as she died was not accessible to him. At least for now.

So it was back to the books.

Staffet headed straight for the sandbox.

David headed back into the living quarters. To his surprise, the room was now much larger, and contained a shelf next to his bed, sized for a young dragon with room to grow.

There was also a new refrigerator door set into one wall that turned out to be a walk in cooler full of sides of beef. Dragon chow.

David hoisted one of the huge hunks of meat off the hook that it hung on. And heaved it up and onto his shoulder. He staggered back out to the gym and placed the meat on a hastily summoned table. A quick spell heated the meat to blood temperature.

Staffet emerged from behind the curtain, looking much relieved.

"Hey FOOD!" She yelled and came galloping over to slide to a stop next to the table. 

David reflected wryly that she at least had her priorities straight.

Staffet was a messy eater, and David had to fetch a damp towel to clean her face up a bit before showing the young dragon the new form of the living quarters.

"I like this!" Staffet said as she clambered up on the sleeping shelf. "It's comfortable." She said with a sigh of pleasure.

David smiled at her. She was a good kid.

"Do I call you daddy now?" Asked the little dragon.

David lost his grin. "Uh, sure, if you want to." He said. "And I will call you 'Bitsy', since you are a little bitty dragon girl."

Staffet thought about it and nodded. "All right daddy."

David sat back in his chair with a whoosh. This was going to take a while, and he was not at all sure that he was up to it.

David looked at the table next to the chair. There were a few children's primers, suitable for human children in the first years of school.

There was also a much thicker book titled "Raising Dragons For Dummies".

"Alright," David said to the air and whomever might be listening, "Enough with the jokes already if you please. OK?"

 said an unseen someone.

David shook his head with a grin.

Just like old times.

Staffet seemed to have the resilience that the young of most species has, And was settling into her new home as well as could be expected.

David took up the primers and sat on his bed and held the first one up where Staffet, or Bitsy, could see it.

This was going to take a while.

But they had plenty of time.

~Too much ice cream~

Paul Black Eagle came back to David's house the day after the big Ice Cream Feast. And a good thing he came back when he did.

All three girls were sick as dogs from overindulgence in dessert.

When Black Eagle had soothed their tummies with various over the counter remedies, he went downstairs and let out with the best laugh he's had in centuries.

These gals needed someone to watch over them and keep them out of trouble.

He knew just the person. 

His many times great granddaughter Monica.

He picked up the phone and dialed her number.

~Bitsy and David~

David was making great progress with Bitsy. He had the sneaking suspicion that she probably had more potential for learning than he did himself.

All well and good. But how do you keep a rein on a precocious youngster who outweighs you by half a ton and can chomp you in half with one bite?

The answer? Teach her to shape shift.

It took a couple of months, but Bitsy soon had a human (more or less) form. In her human guise, Bitsy appeared to a slim oriental girl of about 9 or 10.

This form had its advantages for both of them. It was much easier for her to hold her own books in this body, and David started truly thinking of her as his own child.

The bond between them was growing by the day, and Bitsy spent most of her time in human form, reverting to her true self just to sleep and to exercise her wings as David taught her how to fly.

Bitsy told David that dragons didn't fly on her home world; the wings were more or less vestigial and decorative these days.

David taught Bitsy how to fly using simple levitation. Her natural instincts to flap her wings etc. took over from there. Bitsy was soon soaring and gliding like an old pro.

Meanwhile, David was researching Bitsy's world and where it was in relationship to his own.

~The babysitter~

Black Eagle introduced Monica to the trio of otherworldly women.

Monica was a huge help, teaching the girls how to use the stove and other amenities.

Finally, after a week, Black Eagle returned.

"Hi Granpa!" squealed Monica when she answered the door.

Gather everyone in the living room." He told Monica. She scampered upstairs to get the girls.

"I can now send you on to Jenny's crystal realm." Black Eagle told them. "But you will not be able to return to this realm until you find out what is sealing the borders between the worlds and fix the problem. And further, once in the crystal realm, you might not be able to leave that realm either. And I cannot help you there."

"Lyssa spoke up. "We have to take the chance."

The girls packs had remained packed in the living room on the off chance that they might be able to travel soon. So it was easy to get the ready to leave.

Black Eagle handed each a small crystal. "Swallow them." He instructed the girls.

They swallowed the small clear crystals after only a slight hesitation. A curiously slick sensation flowed outward from each girl's belly.

"These will change your bodies into the living crystal that forms all life in the realm you are about to travel to. Thus you can eat and drink safely. You can be changed back by swallowing these." And he handed them each a black lean about the size of a peanut kernel.

As the girls tucked the beans away, Black Eagle drew a circle of colored sand around them as a group.

As the final grains of sand fell into place, a shimmering wall appeared. When it disappeared, the girls had vanished with it.

Black Eagle sat down on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table.

Monica sat down next to him and tucked her feet up under her as she leaned over to place he head on his shoulder.

"Are you OK Granpa?" She asked in a concerned voice.

"I am fine little one," he said as he slipped his arm around her shoulders. "Just tired."

~Final night in the library~

David relaxed after a long day of reading old musty tomes. Finally he had the key he sought. Bitsy came skipping into the room. "Hi Daddy!" she called as she bounced into his lap.

David tousled her hair. "Get some rest tonight," he told her. "We will be leaving tomorrow."

Bitsy jumped off his lap and ran squealing with excitement to her bed, shifting shape as she climbed up onto the shelf.

David was inwardly very pleased with her progress. She hadn't been wakened by nightmares in months, and her control of magic rivaled his, even if it did lack subtlety. But subtle would come in time as she matured.

David wondered what 'Lyssa would make of their new daughter.

~The ladies journey begins at last~

'Lyssa had concerns of her own just then.

"I told you that you were going to marry Jason the master Farmer." Jenny's father was bellowing at her. "But you defied me by running away to who-knows-where and leaving me looking the fool. So why should I welcome you back into my house?"

"You need no aid in looking like a fool." interjected Prissy. "Your own daughter comes to you for aid, and you treat her worse than if she was a common beggar asking you for a handout."

"And who are you to tell me how to talk to my own flesh and blood?" Jenny1 s father rounded on Prissy.

"I am her co-wife," replied Prissy smugly.

Jenny's father's jaw dropped. "What in the 12th Hell is a co-wife?"

"She means," Said 'Lyssa, stepping up beside the other two. "That we are all mated to the same man."

"And where is this man who has wed all three of you? Or are there more of you that I haven't met yet?"

'Lyssa bristled. "We are on our way to join our beloved. All we ask of you is a single night's shelter before we leave at dawn."

"You can stay in the barn overnight." Jenny's father said grudgingly. "But do not approach the house at all. Jenny is no longer my daughter if she can indulge in an abomination such as a multiple marriage."

Without a word, Jenny spun on her heel and strode off to the barn, trailed by the other girls.

An hour later, a woman appeared at the barn door carrying a large iron kettle of stew and a basket of breads.

"Hello mother." Said Jenny softly.

"Mother to you no more." Said Jenny's mom. "And I'll thank you never to set foot around here again after you leave."

Jenny's voice grew cold as the polar winds. "Then I renounce you and yours as kin from this day forth. None of you shall exist for me except as mortal foes from the instant I step foot off the farm at dawn."

Jenny's mom jerked as if slapped with each of Jenny's words. As Jenny finished speaking, the woman gave a strangled sob and spun around, fleeing back into the night shrouded courtyard.

Prissy and 'Lyssa sat next to Jenny and comforted her as she cried with all the bitterness of a broken heart.

As the first light of the new day began to touch the surrounding hilltops, the three found themselves already a good mile from the gate of the farm where they had spent a miserable night.

"There is a town about 3 days travel from here on foot. From there, it is a journey of half a day to the gates between worlds. We can set up camp near the gates and wait for a chance to pass through if we cannot find help in town." Jenny said.

As the girls walked, they noticed that every time the copper tips of their walking staffs hit the ground; they got a small but definite boost of energy. This enabled them to travel much further and faster than they could have without the staffs.

That night as they set up camp, they stood the staffs upright in the ground about 3 feet apart. A blue beam sprang up between each of the staffs. Prissy cautiously tossed a stone that hit the blue beam between the staffs. It vanished in a blaze of light.

'Lyssa steeled herself and grasped her staff. It came up easily in her hand. The beam vanished.

"I wonder..." Said Prissy as she plucked up her staff. Jenny grabbed her staff as well.

They planted them in a triangle around their camp. As soon as they let go of the staffs, the beam sprang into place again.

The trio still stayed awake for most of the night. When they the flares of light as several dimly seen creatures hit the barrier and were destroyed, they finally relaxed enough to go to sleep.

In the morning, there were several scorched marks in the grass where the nighttime visitors had been vaporized.

They packed their blankets and gear before plucking their staffs and continuing their journey.

The extra speed and stamina provided by the staffs brought them to the town of Portalville just before dark on the second day of travel.




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 02



They found an inn with rooms to let on the outskirts of town. 'Lyssa's gold pieces rented them a room for a week. Other realm coinage was common this close to the inter realm portals.

In the common room that night, the trio listened to the gossip. Among the items of interest was that the gates had not been functioning for over a week.

The other main item was the location of a local wizard who might be able to give them much needed information.

All 3 fended off proposals and propositions from the inns clientele.

Finally they retired to the rooms to wait until morning to go in search of the wizard.

They found the street where they had been told that the wizard had his shop.

Finding the proper door, (it was marked with a sign that said 'wizard' in a dozen languages, so it was not hard to spot) Prissy knocked on the doorframe.

They heard muttering inside and sudden cursing as whomever was inside stumbled over something.

The door opened and an old man with a long (and tangled) white beard peered out at them. "What do you want at this unholy hour of the morning?"

The wizard's eyes were bloodshot and his breath smelled like a week dead corpse. Prissy hid a grin.

The old coot was hung over.

"We beg your pardon Wise One. We urgently need your advice and we would be ever so grateful if you could help us." Said Prissy in her most kittenish voice.

The wizard took another look at the three lovely girls on his doorstep. He opened the door wider. "Do come in ladies, how may I help you?"

"We need to find out why the gates are not working." 'Lyssa said. 

The old wizards eyes fairly bugged out of his head as he started to drool slightly at 'Lyssa. Few beings are as seductive as a succubus when she turns on her charm.

"The gates are not working because something ripped the fabric of reality in one of the nearby realms."

"But why would this keep the gates from functioning?" asked Prissy.

"Because things are coming through the tear in the realm. And the powers of the other worlds have sealed the borders to prevent these creatures from traveling further and destroying their worlds the way they are rampaging through that realm."

'Lyssa had a sinking feeling which realm they were talking about.

"There was a fight between the Dark Lord of the realm and some upstart. The battle ripped the hole in the reality of the realm, and both fighters vanished. None know where they went, and neither has returned as yet," continued the wizard.

"Now," The wizard leered. "How will you show your gratitude to old Franz?"

'Lyssa reached out and ran a fingertip down the front of the wizards stained and frayed robe. "I think I can think of something." And Franz followed her into a back room, closing the door behind him.

'Lyssa came out after a short while.

"How was he?" quipped Prissy.

"Delicious." 'Lyssa said with a ladylike burp.

Prissy swallowed hard. "Umm, How about we check out of the inn and set up camp near the gates. Sooner or later, someone will show up there, and maybe they can take up through."

"Sounds good to me." Said Jenny.

'Lyssa just nodded.

That night, the trio set up camp within easy view of the gates. They had tried to set them without success.

The staffs provided sufficient protection at night. All they had to really watch for was those beam lizards like the one that David had killed on their earlier trip through the realm. But the weapons that they had brought with them proved to be awesome in their effect on the local predators.

Now all they could do was wait.

~David comes home~

David opened the door to the Living quarters and stepped through.

He stepped to the side to allow Bitsy to come through after him.

He sighed in relief. He was now standing in his own living room.

But where were the girls?

Bitsy shifted into her human form as the living room was a bit crowded for her dragon body

David walked into the kitchen. Immediately he noticed that things were out of place, although the room was neat as a pin.

There was a note on the table.

[Hello David. The ladies have left to go looking for you. Their first stop is the crystal world that you visited before. Evidently, one of your ladies is from there. Something is wrong because

I cannot get through to the home realm of the other two. Neither can anyone else. The girls equipped themselves from your armory and supplies. And I gave them power staffs. All three have been altered so that their bodies are suited for the realm they traveled to. And all three have the means to change back. Call me if you need me or have questions. Your friend, Paul Black Eagle]

David cussed for a good 5 minutes without repeating himself.

When he finally ran down, he turned to see Bitsy standing there with an awed expression. "Gee Daddy, Who are you mad at this time?"

"Not you Honey." David told her.

David sighed and picked up the phone as Bitsy wandered off to explore. He dialed Paul's number. "Hey bro. Can you come over? We need to have a long talk."

David hung up after Black Eagle promised to come over right away.

David found Prissy in the bathroom, trying to figure out the plumbing.

"He drew her a nice hot bath, and left her some towels and scented soap. Before he left, he poured in some bubble bath. David grinned as he left his daughter to her bath. He never knew a woman yet who could resist a bubble bath.

Black Eagle knocked on the door shortly after that.

"Hi Paul. What is going on here?" David asked. "The girls should not have been able to leave here."

Black Eagle looked abashed. "Well, It was me that allowed them to leave. They were insistent."

David shook his head. "How much of a lead do they have?"

"About 3 days." was the reply.

About then, Bitsy came downstairs wrapped in a towel. "Daddy, I need clean clothes."

Black Eagle looked at David with a raised eyebrow.

"It is a long story." Said David.

"Go on upstairs Bitsy. You will have to stay like this for tonight. I will be up in a while."

"OK daddy." Bitsy chirped. She skipped up and gave David a kiss on the cheek. Then she waved merrily at Black Eagle and scampered off upstairs.

"Come into the kitchen. I need coffee." Said David.

A couple of hours and many cups of coffee later, David sat back in his chair. 

"That's how it is." He told Black Eagle.

Paul chuckled to himself. This would stir up the powers-that-be rather thoroughly.

"Can I have the couch tonight?" Asked Black Eagle.

"You can have one of the guest rooms if you'd like." replied David.

"OK" was the answer.

David checked in on Bitsy where she lay sound asleep. Then he went to his bedroom and slid into bed with a weary groan.

The next morning, Bitsy found new clothes lying on the foot of her bed. And David found breakfast on the table.

After they ate, David picked up Bitsy in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he braced her on his hip.

He figured to start at the place in the crystal realm that was clearest in his mind.

A pass of his hand and they were suddenly standing between the gates.

There was a scream behind him. "Beloved!"

He turned to see the three missing girls sprinting toward him.

Unfortunately this startled Bitsy, and she reflexively shifted to her draconic body.

She ended up sprawled atop David as he lay flat on the ground. Bitsy roared at the approaching girls warning them away from her daddy.

David finally got everyone calmed down, and hugged the three women to him.

Bitsy shifted back to human form and stood to the side watching.

David stepped over to Bitsy and draped an arm around her.

"Lyssa, Prissy, Jenny. Let me introduce you to Staffet. Also known as Bitsy. Our daughter."

Prissy and Jenny stood there stunned.

'Lyssa simply fainted.



David & 'Lyssa Ch. 03



David and the others stared at 'Lyssa as she lay there out cold.

"Damn." Said David.

"Is she all right?" asked Bitsy.

David knelt next to 'Lyssa and patted her cheek gently. "Wake up Honey." 

'Lyssa stirred and opened her eyes. She threw her arms around David's neck and hugged him desperately. "I thought I had lost you Beloved!" She sobbed against his shoulder.

David slipped his arms around her. "It's OK. We're together now."

Bitsy peeked over David's shoulder. "Hi. I'm Staffet. But you can call me Bitsy. Are you going to be my new mommy?"

"Wha?" gasped 'Lyssa. "Beloved, you have some explaining to do." 

David threw back his head and laughed. "Explanations can wait for a moment. 

"For now, we head back to your place where we can sit down and plan." 

David helped 'Lyssa to her feet. Bitsy took one of David's hands and smiled up at 'Lyssa.

For her part, the succubus was confused as hell. When a succubus reproduced, the child devoured its way out through the belly of the mother, and then consumed the body. She had absolutely no experience with children except as occasional snacks.

Prissy was watching 'Lyssa's thoughts carefully. She was reverting to her old self at an alarming rate. David's presence seemed to help keep her calm, maybe now that he was back, she would settle down. But she resolved to have a word with David in private at the first opportunity.

David stepped over to the gates. He didn't try to open them the usual way. He figured that had already been tried.

He was going to simply use the structure to support a gateway directly to the front of 'Lyssa's home. Jenny and Prissy held Bitsy's hands as David worked his magic.

David concentrated, putting himself into a light trance. He sent out his sense of the flow of magic to trace the patterns in the stone ring of the gateway. Ahh, right there. A little twist and a shunt over here...

David opened his eyes to see the front door of 'Lyssa's mansion about 10 feet in front of him.

He stepped back, maintaining the flow of power into the stone.

"Come on." He gritted through clenched teeth. "One at a time, through the gate as fast as you can."

Jenny was the first through the gate, followed by Bitsy and Prissy. 'Lyssa got stubborn. "I won't be separated from you again!" she said and stomped her little foot.

David had had enough guff for one day. He swept her up in his arms and leaped through the gateway. As soon as he hit the grass in front of the mansion, he let the flow of power snap off.

He set 'Lyssa on her feet. "I love you as life itself." He told 'Lyssa. "But do not ever disobey me again."

'Lyssa saw the look in David's eyes and heard the tones of rage in his voice and felt an icy chill up her back.

"Yes, Beloved." was all she said as she ducked her head.

Dismissing the matter from his mind, David strode to the front door, still holding 'Lyssa's hand.

Opening the door he called out, "Asshann!"

The maid materialized in front of him. "How may I serve you?" She asked softly.

David half turned and waved Bitsy forward. "Asshann, this is my adopted daughter Staffet. But you can call her Bitsy. Please take her to a bedroom close to ours."

"At once." Said Asshann. She took Bitsy's hand and led her off down the hall.

"I believe that the parlor is down this way." David said as he motioned the others to join him.

Once seated in the parlor, David reached into his pocket for another cigar.

"Black eagle told me to tell you to take your beans when you were safe." David said. "He told me that you would know what to do."

The three women dug in their pouches for the bean like pills that would change them from crystal to flesh again. David waited until they had swallowed them and the transformation had taken place.

"Fascinating." He murmured and raised an eyebrow. Then he laughed at himself. Spock he definitely wasn't.

"OK." He said. "Explanation time." And he proceeded to tell them pretty much everything that had happened since he had sent them to safety.

This took several hours, with all the questions and interruptions. But he was finished at last.

Asshann popped in to tell them that supper was ready.

'Lyssa still had a lot of questions, but she could see that she would not get answers until they had eaten.

Prissy hung back a bit and sent a message directly into David's mind on a very narrow beam. ['Lyssa is reverting to her demonic persona. If this continues, none of us is safe.]

David gave no outward sign of having received a message. But he sent back an answer on an equally tight focus. [What can I do to stop this?] 

[I don't know] sent back Prissy. [It is part of who she really is. It is part of her nature.]

[Then her nature will have to change. Permanently.] David sent back. 

As David motioned her to precede him through the doorway into the dining room, David gave Prissy's bottom a squeeze. 

She looked up at him and winked. 

David sat at the table with Bitsy on his left, and 'Lyssa on his right.

"You may begin serving." David announced.

As the staff brought in the trays and platters etc. with their usual quiet competence, David held 'Lyssa's hand and worked a subtle spell. So subtle in fact, that 'Lyssa didn't know that he was reshaping her very atomic structure. By the time the appetizers were served, David had set the process in motion, and by dessert it was finished. 'Lyssa was no longer a succubus.

She was now 100% human, although she did retain a good many of her old powers.

'Lyssa began the evening after the meal by being much nicer to Bitsy. Almost maternal one might say. David grinned to himself as 'Lyssa and Bitsy sat together on the divan and chatted animatedly.

Jenny and Prissy gasped when Bitsy stepped into the middle of the room and, with a grin, shifted into her dragon form, then back again.

'Lyssa clapped with delight. Bitsy flung her arms around 'Lyssa and hugged her. 'Lyssa hugged her back.

[Problem solved?] Sent Prissy. [Problem solved.] Replied David.

Prissy and Jenny sat on the arms of David1s easy chair until he slid his arms around their waists and pulled them down to snuggle on both sides of his lap.

After a while, David shooed the girls off for a bit. "Asshann," he said into the air.

The maid appeared in front of him. "Yes David?" she asked.

"I need to talk to someone who knows what has been going on since I left. I need details and first hand accounts. Do you know of someone?"

"Aye." Asshann said. "But I don't think that you will care for his company."

"I trust your judgment." David told Asshann. "But I need the information. Would you please try to find someone I can talk to that you approve of? If all else fails, I can always fall back on the other one."

"As you wish." replied Asshann. 

David went in search of the ladies.

David knew he was going to have to be cautious. He was as mortal as the next guy, just a lot harder to kill. But he knew that didn't mean that the next guy he ran into couldn't eat him for breakfast. He was well aware of just how lucky he had been.

But enough for one day. 

He wanted to see Bitsy tucked in for the night.

And then he wanted to get some sleep. 

After letting the ladies know how much he had missed them that is.

In the morning, David and his trio of ladies were awakened by Bitsy bounding onto the bed with the kind of early morning enthusiasm that only the very young seem to possess. David was somewhat used to this from the time spent in the library with Bitsy. However it was entirely new to the women. And considerable grumbling and grouching was heard until Bitsy bounced off the bed. She announced that she was going to go get something to eat.

'Lyssa looked sleepily over at David. "How long 'til she's grown up?"

"About 300 years or so." Replied David with a grin.

'Lyssa groaned and pulled the covers over her head.

David burrowed under the blankets after her with a gleam in his eye. The bed was shortly very busy indeed.

Finally, the adults trooped down to the dining room for the morning meal. Asshann reported that Bitsy was outside in the garden and had already eaten.

After breakfast, David held a council of war. Asshann's queries had produced a being that had all the detail of what had been going on. The news wasn't good.

The rift in space-time was still open in the Dark Lord's palace. And it was growing. Even worse, THINGS were coming out of it. Monsters and creatures from unknown realms and worlds. And the best minds in the realm said that only the same forces that created the rift could close it.

David closed his eyes. Oh shit. He was going to have to go find the Dark Lord and bring him back.

This was NOT going to be fun.

David made up his mind.

"Prissy, You and Jenny will take Bitsy back to my home. And this time, STAY THERE."

Prissy knew better than to argue. Jenny just accepted the decision with her usual calm. "Lyssa, you will come with me to find the Dark Lord and bring his happy ass back with us."

"Yes Beloved." 'Lyssa said with a demure smile. David had better NOT try to leave her behind again.

David summoned the maid. "Asshann, you are in charge of packing up the mansion and goods and preparing to move the whole thing to my world when we return. You and the rest of the staff will be given the choice of coming with us, or remaining here."

"Very good." Said Asshann and she faded out.

David sent for Bitsy. She came in tired and happy. She had been playing in her dragon body, flying and stretching her wings.

"You will go to my house and stay there with Prissy and Jenny." David told his daughter. "Where 'Lyssa and I are going is far to dangerous. I don't want to risk you getting hurt. Besides, you need to get to know your other mommies." Prissy and Jenny blinked and looked surprised.

Bitsy pouted and looked stubborn, but David knew that she would do what she was told.

David opened a doorway into his living room, using the doorway from the parlor to the hall. Jenny and Prissy stepped through, holding Bitsy 's hands.

David looked after then for a long moment. "Call Paul Black Eagle if you need help." He called through the doorway. Then he let the spell fade.

David stood there staring off into space for a long while. Then he shook himself. Time to get started.

~Party at David's house~

In David's living room, the three gals looked around. All was as it should be.

Bitsy sat down on the couch and cried. "I miss them." She moaned.

"No sweat." Said Prissy in an effort to cheer the dragon child. "What we need is a party!" 

Prissy walked over to the phone. She knew a few numbers from a decade ago. Maybe the still worked after all this time. It was worth a try.

Jenny sat next to Bitsy and put an arm around her, singing a lullaby from her childhood. Bitsy calmed down gradually, and leaned against Jenny for comfort and security.

Prissy was on the phone: "We need some party favors and some music. Yeah, I know it's been a while. And invite a few interesting people. We have a couple of newbies here and one of them's a kid. My kid if you must know. She's about 12. OK See you then." She hung up.

Prissy strolled back into the living room. "Party tomorrow." She announced.

Jenny looked dubious. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" She asked.

"Well, Davy boy didn't say NOT to party. Did he?"

Jenny was forced to admit that he had not specifically forbidden it. However...

"But nothing'," said Prissy. "This is our best chance to meet people and get Staffet's mind off her troubles."

~On the trail of the Dark Lord~

David turned to 'Lyssa. "How do we get to the Dark Lord's palace? The last time we went, it was not exactly voluntary on our part."

'Lyssa thought about it. "Can you orient on the disturbance caused by the rift?"

David let his eyes lose focus as he sent his awareness out on other levels.

There, a definite source of power bleeding uncontrolled into the realm.

"Got it." David said as his eyes re-focused. 

"Concentrate on the locus and take my hand."

David twined his fingers with 'Lyssa1s. He sent tendrils of thought out and fastened on where he wanted to go. Once he had a stable anchor, David simply opened the way and pulled himself and 'Lyssa through.

The stone walls, pillar, and floor were familiar. 

The 30-foot tall giant composed entirely of living flame, was not.

It was standing in front of a glowing, ragged hole in the air, obviously having just come through. The stone of the floor was melting like ice in the summer under its feet. David used an elemental wall of force to shove the fire elemental back through the rift. Leaving the invisible wall in place to block the opening, David took a good look around.

There were gouges in the walls and floors as if gigantic talons had ripped the stone. There were corpses and parts of corpses strewn about the hall. Some were damaged beyond recognition. For that matter, the bodies that were relatively intact defied classification.

'Lyssa was stunned. In all of her centuries she had never seen creatures or carnage like this. There was a sound from the end of the hall. It seemed there was at least one survivor of the battle.

A huge bestial looking humanoid came out of the shadows.

David braced himself for a fight, sweeping 'Lyssa behind him.

"Would either of you have some kind of pain killer?" The humanoid asked. "This hurts like hell!"

David let out an incredulous laugh. "I think we can come up with something," he said.

David didn't want to give the being something that would do further harm, so he conjured a very oversized icepack. It dropped at the creature's feet.

"Thanks." Said the creature. He sat down and put the icepack on his most obvious wounds. "By the way, my name is Tuck."

David conjured rolls of bandages and gauze pads and tape. "Come on Sweetie," he told 'Lyssa. "We have work to do." The pair set about patching up Tuck.

As they worked on Tuck, David asked a few questions.

"How did you end up here and what happened to you and this place?"

Tuck gave a massive shrug. "I dunno. There I was, walking along the street, minding my own damn business, when I turned a corner and was standing here. Next thing I know, something's tryin' to take my freaking head off!"

"You won that one." Said 'Lyssa as she wrapped a bandage around Tuck's forehead.

"That I did little lady." Tuck said with a chuckle. "I ripped it's fuckin' leg off and used it to beat the critter to death."

David grinned. He was starting to like this guy.

"The good news is, I have a legitimate excuse for bein' late this time." Tuck said. Then he hung his head. "That is, IF I get home."

"Concentrate on your home, the feel, the sounds, the smell, the look." David told Tuck. David slipped easily into the mind if the giant Tuck. There. That was what he sought. David made a small gesture. The space between two of the pillars shimmered and cleared into a street scene from a good-sized city. Tuck looked up. "That's home!" He bellowed.

Tuck lumbered to his feet. "Thanks pal!!" he grabbed David's hand and shook it vigorously. David almost had his arm yanked off before Tuck let go. The giant scooped 'Lyssa up and planted a juicy kiss on top of her head. "Thanks little lady! You two come see me sometime!" And he moved with surprising quickness through the portal and back to his home city.

David shook his head and closed the portal.

David sat down cross-legged on the floor in front of the rift. He closed his eyes and probed the fissure with his mind.

'Lyssa sat down with her back against David's to keep watch where he could not.

David found the trace he was looking for. He could tell where he and the Dark Lord had passed through the rift. He followed the trail to the point where his trail and the Dark Lord's separated and spun off in diverging directions.

He followed the Dark Lord's trail to the realm where it ended, then stood up and took 'Lyssa's hand. "This way." He said. They stepped together through the portal together.

For long seconds, the great hall was empty and still.

Then a sudden motion at one of the great bronze doors, and a voice called out into the echoing stillness.

"Mommy? Daddy? Are you there? I'M SCARED!!" 

But there was no one left to hear the words, or the sobs that followed.

~Where is Bitsy?~

Prissy answered the knock on the door. The party was already in full swing. Jenny was dancing with a tall blonde dude who looked like a Viking version of Conan. There were a dozen other people in the living room dancing, eating, and talking.

"Who are you?" Prissy said to the two guys on the doorstep.

"Hi, I'm Rath, and this is my buddy Booger. Say Hi Booger."

Booger waved a hand and made an odd noise. "URT?"

"What are you doing here? I don't remember inviting you." Prissy said.

"We heard there was a kickin' party here. And we brought party favors!" Said Rath. "Urt." went Booger as he nodded and held up a brown paper bag.

Prissy took in the goatees, short hair, tattoos, and general ‘party on' attitude of the duo. "OK Come on in."

She stepped back and let the two come on in. If nothing else, they would be comic relief.

She followed the newcomers into the living room where Booger was already digging into his bag. 

"Urt, urt!" and he held up a small colored glass pipe. Prissy sniffed the telltale odor of prime weed and grinned. This may be a great party after all!

An hour later, Most of the guests were well stoned, a thick haze of pot smoke hung to waist level in the room.

Jenny made her way over to Prissy. That worthy was sitting on the couch between Booger and Rath. She had a silly grin on her face as she stared at the bong, trying to remember which end to light. Prissy was bombed, baked, stoned and fried. 

Jenny patted Prissy's face to get her attention.

"Bitsy's gone." Jenny said.

"Wha?" mumbled Prissy.

Jenny hated to risk showing her power at all. But she felt she had no choice. She placed her hands on Prissy's temples. She sent a jolt of energy directly into the other woman's frontal lobes.

Prissy blinked awake as her head cleared. "What did you say?"

"Bitsy's gone, and I think she went after David and "Lyssa." Jenny said in an urgent low voice. "Oh Shit!!" wailed Prissy. David was gonna kill her for sure this time. And she wouldn't blame him a bit.

"Who's Bitsy?" asked Rath.

"Our daughter, and she's missing." Snapped Prissy.

"Hey, we'll help ya find her, right Booger?"

"URT! You bet!"

Jenny wrote out a quick note to Paul Black Eagle for when he arrived.

"Come on." Said Prissy to Jenny. We have to get her back before David finds out she's gone!"

She had already forgotten the stoners and their offer to help.

She was still feeling off as she led the way upstairs to Bitsy's room to look for a clue.

What they found was a note.

(I'm gone to mommy's house to look for Daddy and Mommy 'Lyssa.) 

Prissy turned toward the doorway and used it to anchor a gate straight to 'Lyssa's parlor.

She didn't notice until too late that Rath and Booger had followed them through.

Rath looked around the room at the fancy furniture and the obviously expensive tapestries.

Asshann materialized right in front of them.

"Right on" went Rath. 

"Urt." agreed Booger.

"Have you seen Bitsy? The dragon girl?" Prissy asked the maid.

"Why yes." said Asshann. "She showed up here two hours or so ago and asked where her parents were. I told her that they were going to the Dark Lord's palace."

Prissy paled.

Rath was checking out Asshann's tits where her low cut dress showed plenty of cleavage. "Right on" he said again. Asshann winked at Rath and Booger as she faded out like a wisp of smoke.

"URT." went Booger. He was suitably impressed.

Actually Booger had a rather extensive vocabulary. But it didn't fit the image he tried hard to project. However this often led people to underestimate him. And that was sometimes very useful.




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 03



"Come on folks. We have a daughter to catch before she gets any further away and into any more trouble." Said Prissy with a determined look on her face.

"Ummm, What's all this about a Dark Lord's palace?" Asked Rath. Booger was busy rolling a joint and concentrating on doing a good job. Of course being baked to the eyebrows did not help his co-ordination.

Prissy just shook her head. Jenny was a bit more practical. 

"How do we get there?" she asked.

Prissy opened a gateway anchored by the frame of the front door. Prissy stepped through the portal. Jenny grabbed Booger and Rath and followed just before the portal collapsed.

They emerged in the echoing hall amid the piles and heaps of dismembered corpses. "Gawddamn what a stink!" blurted Rath.

"URT." agreed Booger. He flipped open the lid of his old style Zippo lighter and fired up his doobie. The smoke did help cut the odor a bit.

"Bitsy!" called Prissy. 

But no answer came back save the echoes of her own voice.

~Little Lost Dragonette~

Bitsy was tired of feeling sorry for herself. She had sat hidden in the nook, crying and pouting for hours.

Enough was enough.

Bitsy shook herself. She debated using her human body. 

Nope. Too vulnerable, and limited in senses. 

With a gusty sigh, Bitsy allowed herself a brief regret that she had not spent more time recently in her true body.

She remembered the books and lessons from the library. She sent out her magical probes to seek traces of David's magic. She caught the mental traces almost at once. She followed the trail to between two pillars. She sat down and closed her eyes. She followed the methods that David had painstakingly taught her.

She mentally traced the structure of the spell that had been cast there, and slowly reconstructed it.

She allowed the power to flow, and opened her eyes to see the gate open.

Bitsy yipped with delight.

An older, more experienced dragon or wizard would have waited and observed before passing into the gate.

But Bitsy was still a child in either dragon or human terms. With the lack of patience this implies.

She stood up and walked through the gate. Daddy and Mommy "Lyssa were somewhere, and she would find them.

She emerged onto a city street that was crowded with huge, gnarled beings. The street cleared with remarkable speed at the appearance of a dragon in their midst. Bitsy looked around at the fleeing figures and snorted.

She sniffed the air. Faint but recognizable. The scents of her daddy and mommy.

Bitsy set off down the street following the odor trail. 

The scents grew stronger as she walked. She picked up the pace.

The scent trail led her to a doorway.

Bitsy shifted back into human form. She straightened her clothes and raised a hand to knock on the door.

~We have to find our daughter!~

Prissy did a fast magical scan of the hall and surrounding area.

Booger handed Rath the doobie and exhaled a cloud of fragrant smoke.

A sparkle caught his eye. Booger walked over to the pile of corpse parts. He reached in and extracted a sword with an odd shaped hilt and a crystalline blade. Further rummaging produced another sword and matching belts and scabbards.

Booger strapped on one of the belts and sheathed one of the swords. He stuck the other sword into the sheath on the belt and took it over to Rath.

Rath took the sword and handed back the joint. "Right on, right on." He said. Rath strapped on the belt and drew the sword. The blade flickered with inner fires. Rath hefted the sword. The hilt was shaped oddly to human eyes, but it felt surprisingly comfortable. He sheathed the blade and walked a few steps away to get a clearer look at a particular dead critter. 

Once he saw it clearly, he wished he hadn't. The image would haunt his dreams for years to come.

"If you want to come with us, get a move on." Prissy called to the men. "We're wasting time."

Booger and Rath headed toward the ladies.

"All right, we're here. Don't get yer panties in a knot."

Prissy snorted.

Jenny smiled at them and reached for their hands. Prissy lead them toward the glowing, formless hole in the fabric of reality in the center of the hall.

Rath took one last drag from the joint and pinched it out.

"In we go." said Prissy. And they stepped through.

They clung to each other as they spun and swirled through the rift.

Finally they stopped with a jolt. They were standing on a huge pile of rock next to a cliff face.

There were trees on the other side of them away from the cliff. A trail led toward the trees and downhill. Jenny's sharp eyes spotted tracks. "Over here!" she said excitedly.

Prissy knelt next to the footprints. "These are David's, but they are old."

The quartet started following the tracks down the trail.

They came to a clear stream and paused to drink. Rath and Booger watched while the ladies drank. Then they drank while the ladies watched.

Booger and Rath dropped back to talk quietly as they walked.

"This is weird Shit." Said Rath.

"Urt." Said Booger. "I dunno if this is real, or one hell of a hallucination. But the best thing is to treat it all as real for now."

"Right on." replied Rath.

Prissy gave a cry and sprinted up ahead.

Jenny and the men followed at a trot.

Prissy was kneeling by something lying in the path. As they got closer, they could see it was a rifle. A big rifle.

Prissy had tears running down her face. "This was David's." She sobbed.

Booger looked around and spotted something in the grass alongside the path. He stepped closer. He picked up the object, and another just like it a few feet away.

.45 automatics. He showed them to Prissy.

She nodded, crying too hard to speak.

Rath spotted movement on the horizon. "Uh, oh. Time to boogie!"

Rath hauled Prissy to her feet and slung the rifle over his shoulder when she refused to leave it.

Booger thrust the pistols into his waistband and brought up the rear. With nowhere else in mind, they headed back for the cliff. At least there, they had a solid rock wall at their backs.

Booger kept watching their back trail. He desperately wanted a joint, but didn't dare light one up. Fighting stoned was not smart at all.

At the cliff, Prissy roused herself long enough to float them all up to a cave a good 40 feet above ground level.

Rath took the Rifle and soon had the safety and the bipod figured out. He dropped the magazine from the rifle. 3 rounds left. "Hey, anyone see any more of these things around here?" Booger had found a pile of wood at one side of the cave. HE poked around and found a branch that looked like it would do. He tore a strip from his shirt and wrapped it around the end of the branch. He lit it with the Zippo. In the light produced by the torch, Jenny saw something discarded along one all. It turned out to be a web belt complete with pouches holding magazines for the Rifle and the pistols.

Jenny carried the ammo belt over to Rath. "Here you go."

Rath pulled the full rifle magazines out and laid them next to the entrance to the cave. HE put a full magazine in the gun and chambered a round. Then he rested the rifle on the bipod facing the trail.

Jenny took the rest of the ammo over to Booger.

Prissy was busy building a fire. She was desperate to keep busy so she didn't have to consider the possibility that David was gone for good.

Rath saw the first people cautiously emerging from the woods. They did not look friendly.

He peered through the scope and centered the cross hairs on the chest of the one who had on a necklace of what looked like human hands strung on a wire.

Rath took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he squeezed the trigger. The rifle fired.

Sonovabitch that damn thing was loud!

Through the scope, Rath saw the man he had fired at flung backwards with a hole the size of his fist clear through him.

This did not stop the others. If anything, they redoubled in their ferocity. Booger joined him, Firing the .45's as Rath sent round after round downrange. Finally all was still. There were none left to attack. Rath methodically put finishing rounds into the wounded. No witnesses.

Both men were nauseous and shaking with reaction after the battle.

They sat next to each other against a wall of the cave. The women had prudently hung back out of the way. "Fire one up. I need a toke." Said Rath.

"URT. Right on." Grinned Booger as he dug into his ever-present little paper bag.

~The cost~

David and 'Lyssa looked around when their heads stopped spinning. Nothing moving as far as the eye could see.

David could tell the Dark Lord had indeed been here from the psychic stench that still lingered in the vicinity.

David sent out tendrils of thought, seeking any clue as to where the Dark Lord might be now. 'Lyssa could sense the presence of her former liege lord.

However there was something oddly weak about it. 

A far cry from the fearsome aura that characterized the Beast in previous meetings back home.

David took a small bowl from his pocket and poured into it some mercury from a small vial that he kept in the same pocket.

Using the reflective surface of the mercury, David cast a scrying spell. David watched as the Dark Lord arrived and was eaten by a creature beyond nightmare. "Wonderful." David groused. "Now how the hell do I get him home again?"

'Lyssa took off a ring set with a large ruby. "Here Beloved. Use the stone in this ring to contain his spirit until we can find a suitable host body." David took the ring and examined it. He didn't foresee any problems. "Thanks Sweetheart." He said.

David made sure he had the right components for the spell. A piece of spiders web, a drop of glue, and a tiny, intricately wrought padlock.

David cast the spell to turn the ring into a prison.

The next step was to move the disembodied spirit of the Beast into the ring. This was easier said than done, as the Dark Lord tried to inhabit David's body, then 'Lyssa's.

David was sweating and exhausted when he was done. But he had been victorious. 

Weakened by the lack of a body to anchor to, the Beast just didn't have the raw power needed to overcome David's.

David slipped the ring onto a thong and hung it around his neck under his shirt.

David took ' Lyssa "s hand, but was far too drained from the psychic battle with the Beast to take them home. But he could, with 'Lyssa's help, open the doorway to the library. David passed out as son as they entered the pocket dimension. 'Lyssa could see a building off in the distance. She dragged David by the arms until she reached the structure. The door stood open. "Damn, Beloved, You're heavy." She grunted as she hauled his limp body into the room. Mustering all of her strength, 'Lyssa got David up and onto the bed.

She undressed him, setting the ring and it's thong on the table on the far side of the room. Then she stripped off her dusty and dirty clothes and climbed into bed with David. She snuggled her head down on his shoulder and put her arm protectively over his body and was asleep within seconds. Both slept for more than 20 hours, and woke refreshed, but with bladders full to near bursting.

David went into the Gymnasium and pissed in Bitsy's litter box while 'Lyssa used the human style toilet in the apartment.

David prepared them a meal in the kitchen to rebuild strength.

When all was finished. David turned to 'Lyssa.

"Let's go Hon." he said, and opened the door. When they stepped through, hand in hand, they were in the Dark Lord's palace.

David slipped the ring containing the Beast onto his index finger of his right hand. Channeling the force of his will and his magic through the ring, David was able to utilize the Dark Lord's power to help seal the interdimensional rift.

As the energies coursed through his hand, David felt searing pain as his very flesh burned away. He screamed in agony, but kept the power flowing until the rift was closed forever. When he was finished, he collapsed to his knees, cradling his forearm where it ended in an ugly cauterized stump. The ring had been destroyed along with his hand.

The Dark Lord had been entirely consumed by the horrific energies used to seal the rift through

many realms.

David could barely remain conscious. The searing waves of pain from his arm were making it hard to stay awake, much less concentrate. But concentrate he did. Forcing the throbbing agony to the back of his awareness.

Bit by bit, David fought to trace and neutralize the sorcerous energy residue from the blasted tissues of what remained of his forearm. 'Lyssa could only hold his head in her lap and provide comfort from her presence.

Hours later, David slumped down into unconsciousness. The stump of his forearm still hurt like hell, but the magical residue that was poisoning him was gone. Now he just needed to rest.

'Lyssa was limited in what she could do at the moment. But she could still contact the staff of her mansion via a minor sending.

'Lyssa shaped a small globe of energy and set it floating in the air in front of her. "David is injured. Send help at once. We require transport for two." 'Lyssa said to the energy ball. Then she sent it winging off to her home with a thought and a gesture. Now she could only wait.

~Here there be Dragons~

Rath happened to be looking out the entrance of the cave when he lost all semblance of composure. "Sacred Shit! It's a fuckin' dragon!" Sure enough, there at the cave entrance was the head of a very large green and yellow dragon.

Booger made a dive for the guns, and Prissy and Jenny lunged for what little cover there was.

"Of course, I'm a dragon, what did you expect?" Said the dragon exasperatedly.

Something in the tone of the dragon1s voice got through to Booger. "URT?"

Rath stood up and approached the dragon at the entry. (Probably the single bravest act of his life) 

Rath looked at the dragon from a lot closer than he really wanted to. "Ummm, I'd offer you a smoke, but I don't think you'd fit in here." 

"No problem." Replied the dragon with a wink.

There was a shimmer in the air and the dragon was gone. In it's place stood a middle-aged man in a tunic and trousers.

"It seems you folks have made quite a stir around here." Said the newcomer. He indicated the corpses strewn around the field below. "Not that we mind the help in cleaning out the vermin, but we were wondering what you are doing here, since it is obvious that you don't belong in this realm."

The dragon in human form reached out and took the bong from Rath's nerveless fingers and breathed a jet of fire from one nostril to light it. Taking a deep puff, his eyes glazed a bit. "Good stuff here." he said approvingly.

Prissy stepped forward. "We are just trying to find a member of our family Sir Dragon."

"Maybe we can be of assistance," replied the dragon.

"We are looking for a dragonette. About 12 standard years old. Her name is Staffet, but she often goes by a nickname. 'Bitsy'."

The dragon looked at her through narrowed eyes. "We are aware that she has disappeared from her home along with her mother. What do you know of this matter?" The dragon's attitude was much cooler now.

Prissy hurriedly gave a brief history of how Bitsy had come to be part of their family.

Somewhat mollified, the dragon spoke again. "If she has been adopted, we will not interfere. Our own laws allow for this. But the young one is not here in this realm. You must seek her elsewhere."

Prissy bowed slightly. "Then with your permission, we will depart as soon as possible." Jenny stepped up then. "Can you tell us where we are? Finding our own way home is impossible for us at the moment."

The dragon cast a jaundiced eye at the group. "Humph, well I suppose I can help just a wee bit." He gestured and a portal opened one of the walls. "This will take you to Mad Tom the hermit. He will know what to do."

The dragon turned then and stepped off the ledge at the cave mouth, changing back into dragon form as he did so.

"That was one big lizard," remarked a surprisingly calm Booger.

"I heard that." came a laughing answer from outside the cave.

"Grab our things and let's get through the doorway before they change their minds." Said Jenny.

Booger and Rath scrambled to gather the guns and the gear. 

Jenny and Prissy gazed out at the field below for a moment. Then turned away looking slightly greenish as crunching and slurping noises sounded from outside the cave. Booger and Rath had absolutely no intention of looking outside. 

"Join hands everyone." said Prissy as she stood before the glowing doorway in the wall. Once everyone was linked up, Prissy took a deep breath and stepped through the portal, followed closely by the rest of the party. As soon as they had passed through, the doorway vanished with a pop. From deep in the cave, a pair of wise old eyes watched silently for a moment more, then turned back towards the depths and vanished from sight.

~Strange companions~

Bitsy gathered her courage and knocked on the oversized door.

She heard stirrings inside. Then the door opened to reveal the biggest humanoid that she had ever seen.

"And who are you little one?" Rumbled the giant in the doorway.

Bitsy couldn't speak for a moment, the she squeaked out. "I'm looking for my daddy and mommy."

"And what makes you think that I know where they are? I am sure that I would remember having a child as lovely as you." Said the giant with a touch of humor.

Vaguely reassured, (although she could not say exactly why) Bitsy said, "I can smell them on you."

Taken aback, the giant said, "Maybe you should come in and tell me more." He stepped back to let Bitsy pass through the door. The giant closed the door behind them and led Bitsy into the kitchen.

The giant sat on a huge chair at the table. Looking over at Bitsy, who was hopelessly dwarfed by the other chair, he grinned and scooped her up to deposit her gently atop the vast wooden tabletop. Bitsy grinned at the giant. For some reason, she just couldn't help liking him just a bit.

"My name is Tuck. What is your name Little One?" "I'm Staffet." She said. "But Daddy and the others call me Bitsy." Tuck stood and gave Bitsy a comical bow. "Pleased to make your acquaintance Miss Bitsy." He said.

Bitsy curtsied as David had taught her.

"Now tell me more about my smelling like your parents." Tuck said.

"I followed Daddy and Mommy to Mommy's home world, then I followed them to this big scary place where there were all these dead things all over the floor. I was scared for a long time, then I decided not to be scared anymore." Bitsy paused for a breath. "Good for you." said Tuck approvingly. Bitsy flashed him a smile and continued. "I felt around for daddy's magic and found where he had made a doorway. I re-opened it and came through. Then I sniffed and found his scent and followed it here."

"This requires thought," Said Tuck. "And I always think better on a full stomach."

Tuck stood up and went to his pantry, returning with bread and cheese and slabs of cold roast meat of uncertain origin. He also had a pitcher of ice-cold milk. "I hope you can eat this," he said to Bitsy.

It was all Bitsy could do not to change into her dragon form right then and start devouring everything in sight. The smells arising from the food smelled simply wonderful and she was SO hungry!

But she forced herself to wait politely as Tuck sliced come of the bread and cheese and meat to portions she could handle. Then Tuck served himself and sat back down.

The two ate in companionable silence, broken only by belches, chomping and slurpings.

"I think I know who your daddy is," said Tuck as they relaxed after the meal. "But I wish I could see him to be sure."

"Oh, I can do that!" exclaimed Bitsy. She concentrated. A mist formed above the tabletop. Tuck could feel the power flow from Bitsy, Surprising in one so young.




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 03



David appeared in the mist, life sized and three-dimensional. David would have been proud of her.

"I thought so." Said tuck when he saw who was in the picture. "He and someone named 'Lyssa fixed me up after a fight in the hall you talked about. I was pretty badly hurt, and they helped as best they could and opened a doorway to send me home." Tuck stood and went over to a rag bin. Taking out some scraps of cloth, he held them out to Bitsy. "I think these are what you smelled."

Bitsy instinctively shifted to her natural form and stretched her neck out to sniff at the cloth. "What?" said Tuck, surprised at her sudden transformation. 

Then Bitsy shifted back to her human form. "That's them!" she said excitedly. "Can you take me to them?"

Tuck shook his head. "I don't know where they are right now," he said. "And besides, inter-realm travel is not one of my abilities."

"I can do that." Bitsy said impatiently.

"But before we travel," Tuck said, "You need to know WHERE you are going, or we can end up in bigger trouble then when we started."

Bitsy was ready to cry. "But how will I know where they are?" she wailed. "If I knew that, I wouldn't be lost!"

"While I agree with your logic," Tuck grinned, "I think that we need to ask someone who knows everything."

"And who is that? When can we get going? Where are we headed?" Bitsy demanded in rapid-fire questions.

Tuck laughed, "Slow down Little One, slow down. We'11 go see Old Mad Tom. But he is a long way from here, so we'll want to start out rested. There will be time enough in the morning."

Bitsy hated to wait, but she was smart enough to see the truth in the giant's words. "OK." she grumbled.

Tuck piled blankets and the smallest pillows he had in the house on his spare bed for Bitsy to use.

She stood on the bed and gave Tuck a hug goodnight without thinking about it. Then the shifted into dragon form and burrowed into the blankets to sleep.

Tuck lay awake for a long time in the next room thinking. Well, he had wanted adventure ever since his return. He snorted softly in the darkness, And a damsel in distress too boot. Tuck shook his head. Then he grinned, what the hell, Life was getting boring anyway.

He heard whimpering from the spare room, peeking in, he saw Bitsy's dragon form kicking and thrashing in the throes of a nightmare. Tuck tiptoed into the kitchen and retrieved the rags with David and 'Lyssa's scent on them. He placed them in the bed near Bitsy's nose. As she caught the familiar and comforting scents of her erstwhile parents, Bitsy relaxed into a deep, nightmare-free sleep.

Bitsy woke up late the next morning, feeling much better. She changed back into human form and went back to the kitchen. There on the table, she found a note from Tuck, and more food. She levitated up onto the table and sat down cross-legged to read the note while she ate.

*I am out getting supplies for our trip.* The note said. *If you wake up before I get back, meet me in my shop.* And there was a simple map to follow.

Bitsy finished eating and cleaned up the table. She smiled to herself, sometimes magic has it's uses she mused.

Then she shifted back to dragon form with the note clutched firmly in her talons and took to the air.

Finding Tuck's shop was not difficult. His map was clear and easy to follow. She shifted form again when she landed and entered the shop. Tuck was not back yet, and she spent a fascinated hour wandering around and inspecting the tools and equipment of the forge etc. The rack of swords and spears against one wall gave off a strong aura of magic that was clearly visible to Bitsy's eyes. Likewise the stand holding shields and various types of armor.

Bitsy idly picked up a dagger that was almost as big as a broadsword for her. For one of Tuck's people, it would have been a small belt knife. She sat on a bench and held the knife across her palms, tracing the spells locked into the metal, and enhancing them. When she was done, she opened her eyes. The blade of the dagger now shone with an eye-hurting brilliance. She hastily shut her eyes and toned down the glow of the blade to a tolerable level. The enchantments remained with the enhancements intact. Finding a scabbard for the dagger, Bitsy sheathed the blade and thrust it through her belt. She would ask Tuck she could keep it when he came back.

Like any bored 12 year old, Bitsy soon found more mischief to get into. She practiced enhancing the enchantments on various weapons and armor in the shop without making them glow like the dagger had done. By the time Tuck returned, rather later than he had planned, Bitsy had bespelled every damn piece of armor and weaponry in the whole shop. And she was just putting the finishing touches on his forge when Tuck walked into the shop.

"Oh Oh." Tuck said.

Bitsy turned around to smile proudly at Tuck. She lost her smile fast when she saw the nervous look on the giants face. "What's wrong?" Bitsy asked in a worried voice.

"What did you do/" Asked Tuck urgently. 

"I just made your spells stronger." She said. "Did I do something wrong?"

Tuck sighed. "This place radiates magic now like a beacon." He told her gently. "I'll bet every

adept in the city can feel and see this place by now."

"Is that bad?" Bitsy asked.

"It can be." Tuck sighed. "I guess there's no help for it now."

"I'm sorry." Bitsy said tearfully. "I was only trying to help."

"It's all right," said Tuck as he gently patted her shoulder. "I don't suppose you can shield the shop to keep anyone from sensing all the extra magic can you?"

"I'll try." sniffled Bitsy as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She closed her eyes in concentration.

She built energy sinks and reflectors into the walls and doorways of the shop. Then she shaped shields to redirect magic into an anvil that she turned into a sort of magical heat sink, where it could be retrieved at a later time for re-use. When she opened her eyes, Tuck was looking at her in awe. To all outward appearances, his shop emitted only the usual amount of power. But inside, the place was like being at the focus of a large sun lamp.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Tuck asked her.

Bitsy answered smugly, "Something my daddy showed me in his library."

Tuck shook his head. "ME and him HAVE to have a talk when I get you back to them."

Tuck chose a heavy double bitted axe and a round shield for himself. Then he tucked his favorite hammer into his belt.

"I have our packs waiting outside for us. We had better get going."

Bitsy pulled the sheathed dagger from her belt. "Can I keep this one?" she asked Tuck. "Please?" she wheedled.

Tuck threw his head back and gave out a shout of laughter. "Little One, you can have anything you want!" and he gave a sweep of his hand to encompass the entire shop.

"I'm not greedy, this will do me just fine." Bitsy said so primly that Tuck just had to laugh again.

Bitsy's pack was just right to fit her, and it had been bespelled to hold an amazing amount of stuff and still feel light as a feather. Tuck helped her into the straps and then hoisted his own pack to his shoulders. The two set off down the street toward the edge of town.

~Back at ‘Lyssa's mansion~

Paul Black Eagle knocked on the door to "Lyssa's mansion. The door opened immediately. Black Eagle looked at the maid standing in the doorway approvingly. Not bad at all.

"Pardon me milady," Said Black Eagle, "My friend David Porter and his wives are friends of mine. Do you happen to know where I may find them?"

"Come in please." Said the maid. "My name is Asshann. Mistress 'Lyssa and Master David have gone to fix the tear between the worlds, and Miss Bitsy and Mistresses Jenny and Prissy have all left not long ago."

Black Eagle followed Asshann into the mansion. Admiring the view of her backside in that short skirt as they walked down the hallway to the parlor. "Please make yourself comfortable," said Asshann. She vanished. Black Eagle grunted. It figured, another teleport. He sat his old bones down in a surprisingly comfortable chair. Asshann reappeared with a tray bearing a bottle and a glass. Setting the tray on a nearby table, Asshann poured the glass full of an amber liquid. She handed the glass to Black Eagle. "Is this satisfactory?" She inquired.

Black Eagle took a sip. "Not bad." he decided. "Please sit down and chat with an old man will you?" he asked Asshann with a wink.

"It is not proper." began Asshann.

"Bugger proper." snorted Black Eagle. "I invited a pretty girl to sit and chat, and anyone who don't like it can stuff it."

The corners of her mouth twitched upward for a split second. Then Asshann made up her mind. Black Eagle gestured and a chair like the one he was sitting in slid across the room and settled down in front of his. Asshann sat down carefully. Black Eagle gestured again and a glass appeared next to the bottle on the table. The bottle floated up and the cork popped out. Asshann watched as the bottle poured the glass full, then re-corked itself and settled down on the table once again. The now full glass floated over to Asshann's waiting hand.

Black Eagle raised his glass to Asshann in salute. "Here's to good friends, new friends, and pretty girls who put up with an old man's flirting." Was Black Eagles toast.

Asshann laughed softly and clinked glasses with him, then they both took a sip. 

Black Eagle could hardly believe himself. He hadn't showed off like this for a girl in over 200 years. It was nice to know he hadn't lost his touch entirely.

Asshann and Black Eagle chatted easily, as if they were friends of long standing, rather than new acquaintances. Black Eagle skillfully drew information out of Asshann that she didn't even realize that she had.

For her part, Asshann had not felt this comfortable with anyone but David for years. And truth be told, she was enjoying the attention and wished the moment wouldn't end any time soon.

A glowing orb popped into existence between them. 'Lyssa's voice could be heard with her message and request for help.

Bolting to his feet, Black Eagle grabbed Asshann's hand. "Take me there." He demanded. Asshann had never teleported two people before, but she felt Black Eagles power flowing into her and supporting her as she made the transfer.

They appeared in the great hall next to David and 'Lyssa. Black Eagle's gorge rose at the smell of charred flesh rising from David's arm. But he controlled his nausea. 'Lyssa recognized him and almost fainted with relief.

Scooping the unconscious David up in his arms, Black Eagle stood. "Asshann, take 'Lyssa's hand and put your other hand on my shoulder and take us home!"

Asshann did as she was told, reveling in the power flowing into her from the contact of her hand on Black Eagle" s shoulder. The teleport was effortless and accurate. They materialized in 'Lyssa's bedroom. Laying David on the bed, the old Shaman/wizard probed David's injuries with his magical senses. Finally satisfied that his friend was no longer in danger, Black Eagle pulled 'Lyssa aside. "What he needs now is rest, and plenty of it. Stay here with him, as he seems to draw comfort from your touch. We will assure that you are not disturbed until he wakes."

'Lyssa nodded silently, her gaze on her beloved's face. As soon as Black Eagle released her hand, 'Lyssa went back and lay beside David on his uninjured side. She laid her head on her arm and put her other arm across his chest.

Black Eagle drew Asshann out of the room and softly closed the door. "Make sure that they will not be disturbed, then come find me in the parlor."

Asshann nodded once and vanished. Black Eagle turned down the hallway to where he could see the stairs leading down.

He had just found the Parlor again when Asshann popped out of thin air. "Handy trick that." Black Eagle said with a smile.

Asshann blushed.

Black Eagle took Asshann's hand and led her over to the chair he had occupied earlier. Sitting down, he drew Asshann down to sit in his lap. He couldn't explain why he was so drawn to this maid, but the attraction was undeniable. And from way she snuggled down in his lap, the feeling was mutual.

After a long time, Asshann pulled back to smile at the older man. She effortlessly teleported them both to her room, where they materialized sitting on her bed. Black Eagle turned his head to look around. When he looked back at Asshann, she was already wriggling out of her dress. Fair enough, He deposited her on the bed to finish undressing as he shed his own clothing. There was life in the old boy yet.

~Looking for answers~

Prissy was the first to clear the portal. She stepped to the side to let the others pass through freely.

They were on a mesa looking down over a rich green valley. Dimly visible in the distance was a trail of smoke rising from a grove of trees. Jenny was the first to spot a trail down. "This way." she said.

The trip down the side of the mesa was tricky and the members of th group had to work together to keep from falling to a messy death on the rocks below.

Finally the trail leveled off.

The path was wide enough for two to walk abreast, and seemed free of obstructions. Booger thought that it looked too good to be true.

Unholstering one of the .45's he checked the load. "Chris, I'll take point, you bring up the rear with the rifle. I want your firepower backing me." Rath blinked at the unaccustomed tone of command in Booger's voice. Then he unslung the rifle and chambered a round.

Booger led the way, followed by Prissy and Jenny. Rath hung back a few steps, then followed. Booger found a long branch by the side of the road. He used it to tap the path in front of him. A half-mile further, his paranoia paid off.

The branch tapping the path set off a trap!

There was a pinging sound. A shower of arrows lanced into the dirt of the path right where they would have been had Booger triggered the ambush prematurely. Much warier, the group continued on down the trail.

The rest of the trip was uneventful.

They came out from the trees into a clearing. There was a nice cabin surrounded by flowerbeds and a vegetable garden in the middle of the clearing. The path led directly to the front door.

"Go ahead and knock." Jenny told Prissy. Booger nodded and faded to the back of the group, keeping his pistol ready, but out of sight.

Prissy stepped forward and tapped softly on the door.

"You won't need the guns boys." came a voice from behind them.

Booger and Rath jumped about 3 feet straight up. They landed facing an old man in a monk's cassock and sandals.

"As you can see, I am unarmed." Said the old man. "I am called Tom." 

Booger somewhat sheepishly holstered the pistol. Rath hesitated, and then slung the rifle. "Now, what can I do for you?" Asked Tom.

Prissy came to the front again. "Sorry to disturb you, but there was a dragon who thought you might be able to help us find our missing daughter."

Tom looked surprised. "A lost child? Come tell me more." And he led the way onto his cabin.

~The Giant and the Dragonette~

Tuck and Bitsy gathered more than their share of stares as they hiked along the main thoroughfare

of the city. Offworlders were not that unusual, but one as comparatively tiny as Bitsy was rare.

indeed.

Bitsy didn't care if anyone looked. She was too busy talking to Tuck and commenting on the sights

of the city.

Tuck however was very aware of the extra attention, and he knew that some of it was most almost certainly unfriendly. He kept a wary eye out for any potential trouble. 

But as Tuck would find out, even he couldn't see everywhere at once.

A shadowy figure darted out from an alley that they had just passed, scooped up Bitsy and sped off around the next corner.

Tuck sprinted in pursuit. But by the time he turned the corner, the situation was swiftly being brought to a conclusion.

Bitsy had been scared a first when she had been grabbed. Then she got mad...

What tuck saw when he came around into view was a highly pissed off young dragon in the process of shredding one very dead would-be kidnapper.

"Bitsy!" Tuck bellowed. The dragon's head whipped around to stare at him. Then turned back to the remains of her victim. "He's dead Bitsy, come on away from there." Tuck said firmly. 

The dragon looked at him again, then backed a few feet from the bloody mound on the cobblestones. She inhaled and opened her jaws wide. A blast of flame poured from her throat, neatly turning the corpse into a fine white ash.

Bitsy shook herself, then made an effort and shifted to her human form.

"Are you hurt?" asked Tuck.

"I'm fine," said Bitsy. She coughed a bit. "Sorry about that."

"Somehow, I doubt we'll have any more trouble from that quarter," said Tuck. "But we might want to be long gone before the police show up."

Bitsy nodded meekly. She let Tuck pick her up and perch her on his massive shoulder. The rest of the trip out of the city was quick and tense. Tuck relaxed when he was out of sight of the city walls.

We have about a week or two to travel." Said Tuck. "Can we please make the trip without torching anyone else?" "Unless they really ask for it." Said Bitsy with a mischievous grin.

"Unless they really ask for it." agreed Tuck.

The pair got to know each other well during the trip. Tuck told Bitsy about trading with off warders, and she showed him how to do more efficient magic.

~Reunion #1~

They were almost sorry when they crested the last mountain pass. There below them was a cabin in a pleasant valley. The valley was far too warm to be natural in the snowy mountains they had just crossed.

As they approached the cabin, the door opened and an old man in a robe and sandals came out. "Come on in!" he said cheerfully, "I have been expecting you."

Tuck blinked, the doorway was suddenly tall enough for him to enter without ducking. The old man didn't seem to notice. Shrugging, Tuck ushered Bitsy into the cabin ahead of him.

He heard a great shout come from the next room, and Bitsy was being swarmed by people yelling her name and hugging her. Tuck looked at the old hermit. "They got her just a while ago looking for her."

Booger and Rath were staring at the giant. Tuck looked back at them. 

He took out his pipe that he had carved himself out of briar. Drat, his tobacco pouch was empty. Rath held out a paper bag to him. 

Tuck took the bag and studied it. Ingenious, he would have to copy it when her got home. Meantime, there was something in the bag. Tuck raised an eyebrow at Rath. "Smoke it dude," Said Rath.

Tuck wasn't sure what a 'dude' was, but it didn't sound like an insult. Tuck loaded the pipe with the leaves in the bag. "Thanks." he rumbled as he handed the bag back to Rath. Using a small spell, he lit the pipe and took a deep puff. The smoke was harsh, and he coughed the first time. Then he took a more careful puff.

Hmmm, most relaxing.

Finally Tuck heard Bitsy's voice calling his name. "Tuck! Tom says Daddy and Mommy are back home!" Then she sobered a bit. "Tuck," she began as she took his huge hand in both of hers. "Will you come home with me for a while?"

"Of course Little One." Tuck said. "There was never any doubt that I would get you all the way home."

Tom stood there looking pleased. When he opened the door again, there was a completely different scene outside.

"This path will take you to the great Hall. From there, it is an easy trip back to the mansion." Tuck started to ask Tom a question, then thought better of it. Best not to push his luck.

The whole troop started out down the trail. Booger again going first, with Tuck in the middle, and Rath as Tail End Charlie with the big rifle.

The woods they traveled through were right out of Boogers worst nightmares, and he was jumpy as a cat with all the rustlings in the brush just out of sight. But nothing in the woods wanted to tackle such a large party, especially with a giant in the mix.




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 04



"What's wrong?" Asked Black Eagle when he had revived 'Lyssa.

"Don't you know how my species reproduces?" She cried in despair.

"Tell me." Replied the Shaman.

"The young are carried inside for several months. Then the mother seeks a safe place and goes

catatonic. Her skin becomes hard and brittle, like an eggshell. She is still aware and alive

as her offspring devours her from the inside out. She seldom dies until the newborn Succubus

bursts through the shell of her mothers body and eats the remains."

"I see." said Black Eagle. "But you are human now."

'Lyssa sobbed. "But I am still a Succubus at the core, and I don't want to die."

"We need to bring David in on this." Said Black Eagle.

'Lyssa grabbed his hand. "No! Please don't tell him yet!" she begged, "let me tell him my own way."

Black Eagle said, "If you promise to tell him soon, and not to do anything foolish. Otherwise, I will tell him myself."

"I promise." Said 'Lyssa. She wiped her face to remove the traces of her tears.

Black Eagle let the rest of the family in. "She'll be OK, but she needs REST." David and Jenny sat with 'Lyssa on the bed and stroked her hair.

Bitsy climbed up on the bed and snuggled close to 'Lyssa and wrapped her arms around her. "Don't worry mommy, I won't let anything happen to you." 

'Lyssa hugged her adopted daughter and rocked her gently. 

Tuck led everyone else out of the room and back out to the Garden.

Prissy spoke up to Black Eagle. "Jenny and I need you to help us." she said. "We both think we are pregnant, but something won't let us scan ourselves or each other to find out for sure."

Black Eagle knelt in front of Prissy and placed his hands on her lower belly. 

There, unmistakable and distinct, two fetal heartbeats.

When he tried to focus deeper, he found his consciousness floating in the spirit realm. Black Eagle knew he had to be careful here, he had not expected to journey here, and he was not properly anchored to his body.

A Great Black Eagle descended from the skies and landed before him. The bird shook itself, and it became an old wise woman. "Peace to you and your household," The Shaman greeted his spirit totem.

"And upon yours," replied the crone.

"Seek not to probe these babes unborn. They are destined to shake worlds and bring about many changes along with their brother and sisters. The one called Jenny will also have twin daughters who will possess tremendous powers. And the one called 'Lyssa shall have a son to lead them and may someday rule many realms and worlds." 

"Thank you for your wisdom and words," Said the Shaman.

"Here, take these feathers," And the crone held out 5 black eagle tail feathers. "Place two on the belly of Prissy, two on the belly of Jenny, and the largest on the belly of 'Lyssa. You may tell her that this will keep her safe from harm, and will allow her to have the baby in normal human fashion." "It shall be done as you say." Answered Black Eagle.

Then he found himself kneeling in front of Prissy again, holding a handful of large feathers. Black Eagle chose two of the feathers. "Bare your belly." He told Prissy. She shrugged and opened her blouse.

Black Eagle placed the two feathers against her skin. The feathers dissolved into a dark mist that was drawn to, and absorbed by, the skin over her womb. Prissy gasped and shivered as the mist sank into her. Then the feeling passed. She shook herself and fastened her blouse. "What the hell was that all about?" she demanded.

"A gift from the spirit realm to help protect the babies." Black Eagle said. "BABIES?" Prissy squeaked. "Two of "em." said Black Eagle.

Now it was Prissy's turn to faint.

Leaving Tuck to watch over her, Black Eagle took the remaining three feathers upstairs to 'Lyssa's room.

"Everyone out but the ladies." Said the Shaman.

David gathered Bitsy in his arms and carried her out to the hallway.

"Bare your bellies." he told them. 'Lyssa looked strangely at the Shaman, but she obeyed. 

Jenny hesitated, and then pulled her shirt up. 

Laying two feathers against Jenny's skin, he watched as they also turned into mist and sank into her. 

Then he placed the larger one on 'Lyssa's belly.

"These will help protect your unborn children," he told them. 'Lyssa looked up in sudden hope.

"Yes 'Lyssa, you will carry the child and give birth in the normal human manner." 'Lyssa fainted again, this time in sheer relief.

That evening, when they had returned, Booger and Rath brought up the subject of going home.

I will open a gate for you in a few days to wherever you wish," David assured them. 

"Right on." Said Rath.

"Urt." Said Booger with a nod.

Tuck rose the next morning early. He went out to the garden, and there to the side was an exact

copy of his old smithy.

Spotting movement inside, Tuck approached to find Bitsy already up and snooping.

"Good morning Little One." he boomed.

Bitsy almost soiled herself as she jumped.

She poked her tongue out at Tuck, and then grinned.

"Come on Tuck!" She exclaimed. "They brought everything!" 

And she proceeded to give Tuck a tour of his own smithy. He bit his lip and looked interested. After all, he didn't want her to feel foolish if he let on that he knew the layout far better than she could.

"What will you make first?" Bitsy asked excitedly. 

"I was thinking about making an enchanted hand for your father." Tuck said.

Sobered by the reminder that her daddy was hurt, Bitsy asked quietly, "What will we need to do this?"

"Well, silver, gold and platinum take enchantments extremely well, as do most crystals." Tuck shook his head. "But what I would love to get is some of that alloy that the Cave Dwellers use for their tools and weapons."

Bitsy said, "I'll get some for us."

Tuck started to tell her that Cave Dwellers NEVER let any of the miracle metal out of their hands, but Bitsy was already gone to look for the Cave Dwellers.

Asking one of the lesser maids where the nearest cave was, Bitsy went off to see if they could find the metal they needed.

Cave dwellers are the same in every realm, as their tunnels and caverns cross dimensions much more readily than on the surface.

Bitsy entered the cave and stood in the center of the outer chamber. "Please, if anyone can hear me, I am on a mission to aid my father."

After a moment a deep voice came from the depths of the cave. "We do not welcome those who trespass into our caverns."

The owner of the voice came into view. "Why should we concern ourselves with your quest?"

"My father told me of the night that he and my mother spent in a cave with your blessing when he was new come to this world," Bitsy said.

"I recall no dragons sheltering in our caves these last few hundred years," Said the Cave Dweller as he came up to stand within a few feet of Bitsy.

"My father is human," Bitsy said. "And my mother is a succubus."

The Cave Dweller's eyes opened wide at this news. "Indeed," he rumbled. "I recall that pair well."

He squinted up at Bitsy. "And what aid do you require for him?"

"My father lost his hand when he sealed the rift between the realms," Bitsy said. "The giant smith Tuck told me that you have a mental that could be enchanted and forged into a new hand for him."

The cave dweller spun and strode away. "Remain here," he called back over his shoulder.

Bitsy waited for over an hour, then shifted to her dragon body and curled up on the stone floor of the cave for a nap.

She awoke when she heard footsteps heralding the return of the Cave Dweller.

The Cave Dweller placed a large lumpy bag on the ground in front of Bitsy and stepped back.

"Here is what you seek," he said. "Now what price will you offer for our most precious possession?"

"I will pay whatever it is within my power to pay," replied Bitsy.

"Would you offer your own hand to heal your fathers?" Asked the Cave Dweller.

Bitsy thrust out her right hand. "If that is the price that you demand, then take it."

The Cave Dweller unhooked an axe from his belt and swung it at the young dragons arm.

Bitsy didn't flinch, and the blade of the axe passed through her wrist harmlessly.

"You may take the metal and do with it as you please," said the Cave Dweller. "Rarely do we see such bravery in one so young. If you had flinched or had trickery in your thoughts, the axe would have severed first your hand, then your head."

"I thank you for your metal and for your lesson," Bitsy said with a bow.

"You may visit us in our caverns whenever you wish," said the Cave Dweller as he faded back into the depths of the cave.

Back at the Smithy, Bitsy dumped the bars of metal out on the floor.

Tuck grinned ear to ear as he examined the flawless ingots. He swept up all three girls and hugged them. "This will do fine."

"Can I watch?" Asked Bitsy.

"Sure, Just sit back there on those kegs and keep out of the way, this can get dangerous." Tuck answered.

Tuck built the fire in the forge and pumped the bellows as hard as he could, but even the terrible heat of the forge failed to soften the ingots in the least bit. Exasperated, Tuck shook his head. "Need more heat," he muttered.

Chanting a spell to bring the forge to heat enough to vaporize steel. Still nothing. Tuck was about to give up.

"Maybe I can help," said Bitsy. She slipped out of her skirt and blouse. Her form shimmered, and she reappeared in her dragon body.

Opening her jaws wide, Bitsy exhaled a blast of fire so hot it was nearly transparent. To Tuck's surprise, the ingots began to glow red, then a bright yellow/white. Seizing his enchanted tongs, Tuck brought one of the ingots to his anvil and struck it with his hammer. The metal dented. Only the magic in his hammer and anvil allowed him to work the stubborn metal.

Over and over, Bitsy had to breathe on the partly worked ingots to soften them. As Tuck pounded and shaped the metal, he cast the spells to allow the hand to obey David's thoughts as if it was his own flesh. 

Another spell to make it fuse to his forearm painlessly and permanently, and other minor spells.

Bitsy traced the flow of magic from Tuck to the hand as it formed, and she strengthened the spells, adding her own refinements and power.

The two friends made a potent team indeed.

Tuck sent Bitsy, in her human form and dressed again, to gather the family as he quenched the awful heat of the hand in a barrel of specially chilled oil.

David and the others came out to the smithy.

"David, hold out your arm," said Tuck.

David examined the artificial hand. There was enough of a forearm attached to the hand to make up for the missing part of his own arm. 

His stump fit neatly into the socket at the base. He felt a tingle as the artificial arm attuned itself magically to his nervous system. Then he saw the fingers flex and the wrist bend. It responded as readily as if it was his original hand. He could even feel textures and temperatures with it. Bitsy handed him a walnut. David effortlessly cracked it with his new fingers.

"I don't know how to thank you!" David said to Tuck.

"It was Bitsy here you have to thank." Tuck said. "If not for her flame, I wouldn't have been able to work the metal at all. And her magic made the spells stronger and better than I could have alone."

"Aw, daddy, all I did was help out a bit here and there." Bitsy blushed.

David hugged her. "You're my special Bitsy anyway." Bitsy squirmed and blushed even harder.

That afternoon, 'Lyssa gave Booger and Rath each a pocket full of gold coins. "Sell these and get the money of your world. You are always welcome to come back." She said.

Black Eagle opened a doorway for them that opened just outside of David's home. 

Black Eagle said. "It is time for me to go home also. I have been away far too long."

Asshann stepped up and slipped her arm through the Shamans arm. "I will go with him." She said to 'Lyssa. "That is, if he'll have me."

Black Eagle kissed Asshann soundly. "Always." he said. 'Lyssa nodded her assent.

Black Eagle picked up Asshann and carried her through the portal. The doorway snapped back to normal.

Jenny, Prissy, 'Lyssa, and Bitsy followed David back to the parlor.

Bitsy shimmered into dragon form and curled up for a nap in front of the fireplace. Her tail tip twitched as she dreamed. 

Tuck was already asleep upstairs after his exertions of the morning.

One of the other maids came into the parlor where the family was sitting quietly. "Pardon, there is a visitor at the door, Shall I bring him here?"

David glanced over at Bitsy sleeping peacefully with Prissy and Jenny stretched out on the floor, using the dragon1s body as a pillow.

"No, I think we'll go to the door ourselves." David declared.

'Lyssa took his hand as they went to see what the visitor wanted.

David opened the door. "How may we help you?" Asked David.

"I am Maran." Said the visitor. Maran was humanoid, but had large compound eyes like an insects. "I have come to have you settle a dispute between myself and my brother Marad," continued Maran.

"All very flattering," David said. "But why come to me to settle your dispute?"

"You vanquished the Beast is his own Hall. No one else is powerful enough to take over the rule of the realm." Said Maran.

David had a sinking feeling that he was about to get saddled with something he neither wanted nor was prepared for.

"I will need time to settle the dispute between you." David said. "You and your brother bring WRITTEN statements of your sides of the matter to me within 24 hours. I will render a decision at the great Hall in 7 days." 

Maran bowed and left.

David closed the door and leaned his head on the wood. "I do NOT need this shit right now," he muttered.

He turned to 'Lyssa. "Well, we have until tomorrow. So let's eat. Then I want to make up for lost time." And he leered at his wife.

"You'll do fine." She assured him.

David gave her a small smile. "With you beside me, how can I do anything else?" 

Bitsy was still sleeping, but woke up fast when someone said "Dinner".

Dragon she might be, and a powerful sorceress besides, but she was still a 12 year old. And 12 year olds are almost always hungry in any realm.

Tuck ate hugely during supper. All that effort had made him ravenous.

After the meal, he sat back with a politely stifled belch. "I want to stay, but I must get back to my shop and my home. My customers depend on me."

"Bitsy is going to be sorry to see you go, and so will we." Said 'Lyssa. "Please stay." Bitsy pleaded with Tuck. "I still need you."

Tuck reached over and patted her on the head. "I'm sorry little one, but I'll be back to visit. And you can come see me."

Staffet pouted.

Tuck boomed a hearty laugh. "Cheer up little one. We'll still see plenty of each other. Now it is time for you to spend with your family."

"Oh... All right." Bitsy said. Then she flashed Tuck her old sunny smile. "But I'm going to come see you a lot." Then she jumped up from her chair and kissed the giant on the ear. 

She made the rounds of the table collecting hugs and kisses. Then she scampered off up the stairs to her bedroom.

Jenny and Prissy exchanged a look. Then Jenny went upstairs following Bitsy.

"We need to keep an eye on her for a few days to make sure she doesn't do something goofy," said David.

Tuck shook his head. "I think that you are worried overmuch. She has a good head on her shoulders and I think she can be trusted as much as any other 12 year old."

"In other words, about as far as I can see her." quipped David.

'Lyssa, Prissy, and Tuck all laughed at that.

We will open a permanent two-way portal to your home," said David. "That way both of you can drop in for a visit whenever the whim takes you." 

Tuck nodded. "This will make things much easier."

The giant heaved his bulk out of the oversized chair. "With your kind permission, I am going off to bed. I am still tired from all that work today."

David held up his new hand to the light and studied it as he flexed the fingers into a fist, then stretched them out. The detail was near perfect, right down to the hairs on the back of the hand and forearm, and the nails and prints on the fingertips.

"Truly, you are a grand master of your trade." David said. "I would appreciate it if you would teach Bitsy something of your work. It would help her studies immensely to be able to observe directly how things are made."

"Of course, I would be delighted." Said Tuck. "I have a cousin who is a master glassblower. And another who is the finest goldsmith in my city. They would also teach her if I ask."

"We would be eternally grateful." said 'Lyssa. "Now off you go to your well earned rest." And she also rose and kissed the giant on the cheek.

Prissy kissed his other cheek, and David shook the giants hand with his new one. "Oh," Said Tuck. If you ever wish to take it off for any reason, just pull on it and think hard about taking it off, and it will release. Then you simply slid it back on, it will do the rest."

Then he lumbered off to his room.

David slipped his arms around his wives. "Have I told you how much I love you all? Well, I do. Very much." 

Prissy smirked at him. "Words is words, big boy. Why don'cha show us how much ya love us?"

David slipped his hand down to Prissy's butt and goosed her. Hard.

Jenny appeared at the top of the stairs in time to see Prissy leap into the air and land running for the bedroom with David and 'Lyssa in grinning, laughing pursuit.

Jenny wisely stepped aside as Prissy came pelting past. David scooped Jenny up and slung her over his shoulder.

Jenny was laughing and 'Lyssa was tickling anyone within reach as they all tumbled onto the big bed.

In her room a few doors down, Bitsy shifted into her dragon form for a moment and listened. Then she was human again. "Parents." She muttered. Then she giggled and bounced onto the bed and under the covers. It felt so GOOD to be home!

And all of her mommies seemed to love her as much as her daddy did.

On that happy thought, Bitsy dropped off to sleep.

Marad met with several of the other domain lords in his palace among the twisted and warped forest that covered most of his fief.

"We have to do something about these upstarts!" Marad stated. "The old system worked well enough for millennia, no reason to change now."

"Agreed." Said a figure cloaked in a dark red hooded robe. The being gestured with a withered claw of a hand, "Look what they did to Seth, and to our Dark Master. They cannot be allowed to live."

"Carefully, carefully." This came from a feline looking woman curled up in a well-padded chair near the fireplace. She moved aside with an expression of distaste as a pair of Troll arms men dragged a human peasant couple into the room.

Marad looked at the terrified man and woman. "Bind them securely, then put them in the fireplace. It's getting cool in here."

The troll guards tied the struggling humans with braided metal cords. They carried the screaming couple to the fireplace and threw them onto the glowing coals.

The peasants screamed in agony as their hair and clothing burst into flame. Their screams grew louder and hoarser as their very flesh caught fire.

The gathered domain lords crowded close around the fireplace, feeding on the terror, agonies, and life forces of the dying humans. 

The sole exception was the feliniod woman. Snarling her disgust, she left the hall before the others knew she was gone.

Marad turned around, sated for the moment by the death energies released by the now quietly burning couple.

"Where is the Lady Shadow?" he asked the troll guards standing next to the door. "Gone away." answered one of them. Marad sighed. The guard who had spoken was almost a genius among troll kind. He would get no further information there.




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 04



Marad felt a shiver as someone gated away from his courtyard. That explained where the damn cat woman had gone.

"Never could trust those damn cats anyway," he muttered.

Marad summoned his ablest assassins and dispatched them to go after and slay Lady Shadow.

The conspirators could not afford to have their plans exposed just yet.

He turned back to the rest of the domain lords.

"Lord SSSS," Marad addressed the lord of the swamplands. A repulsive creature looking like a cross between a toad and a particularly ugly snake. "We will need a few dozen of your most venomous kin." "Ssssaaagrrreeed." hissed the swamp lord.

Marad turned toward the red cloaked figure, "Dread Lord Canis, We require undead of various types, your choice of course." 

"You shall have them," rasped the hooded figure.

From each of the varied domain lords, Marad extracted vows and promises of creatures, equipment, and spells that would be used to trap and attempt to destroy the man who had slain the Dark Lord. With any fortune, they would also slay the rest of his family as well.

A gate opened in the main hall of a fortress deep within the rugged mountains bordering the fire plains. The lady shadow emerged and spun around to close the gate behind her.

The lady Shadow was furious. Both with her erstwhile conspirators, and with herself.

Her former allies for being so stupid and so bloodthirsty. 

And herself for allowing her feelings toward the rest of the creatures gathered there in that hellish hall to move her to leave the gathering.

She knew that the others would try to have her slain for not joining them.

Lady Shadow had no qualms about killing, but she never killed needlessly, and always swiftly and as painlessly as feasible.

The way the others fed on the fears and life energies of sentient beings appalled her.

She had lived this long in the realms by keeping to her own domains where her powers were the greatest.

And by staying out of the notice of the more powerful beings of the dimensions.

All that was changed now.

For better or worse, the others had chosen her side for her.

Now all she had to do was survive until she could join up with the usurper and his allies.

For the first time in many centuries, Lady Shadow knew real fear.

Opening a gate to the succubus' mansion would be fatal. The others would be on guard and watching just for that. And they would divert her gate to open directly into their dungeons.

She stood there a moment, tapping her clawed toes on the cobblestones of the courtyard. Then she bared delicate fangs in a smile that had little to do with humor.

Maybe a diversion...

Lady Shadow summoned her fiercest fighters and the most powerful creatures in her domain. When they had gathered in her courtyard, Lady Shadow explained what she wanted of them.

The group of fighters and monsters gave voice to a terrifying howl of approval and eagerness.

Satisfied, Lady Shadow opened a series of gates that poured hordes of blood maddened creatures of all descriptions into the palaces and mansions of the domain lords that had been at the meeting at Marad's hall.

After a pause to ensure that her warriors had the others full attention, Lady Shadow opened a smaller, more focused doorway, and slipped directly into the parlor of 'Lyssa's mansion.

David was in the middle of something, Jenny to be exact, when he felt the alarms he had rigged around the house alert him to a visitors arrival.

Prissy and 'Lyssa felt the gate opening and closing, and reacted with great annoyance at the interruption.

David paused in mid stroke. He hastily erected barriers of magical force to keep whomever or whatever was in the parlor, IN the parlor, until he could devote his energies to dealing with them or whatever was down there.

David dismissed the matter from his mind, twitched his hips, and leered down at Jenny, "Now where were we?"

Jenny happily reminded him.

A while later, David was dressed again and not in a really good mood about being interrupted.

David had not known what to expect when he entered the parlor, but he had never imagined a cat lady in a low cut, tight fitting dress.

"Greetings." Lady Shadow said as she rose to her feet.

David put his hands together in the Chinese manner and bowed slightly.

"I bring news of treachery and insurrection." Said Lady Shadow.

"Please, sit and make yourself comfortable." Replied David.

He felt 'Lyssa, Jenny and Prissy in the hall outside the parlor door, but he kept the door sealed and the barriers firmly in place. Until he knew what was going on, he wasn't going to risk his family any more than he had to.

David smiled pleasantly at his uninvited guest. "Please explain. May I offer you some refreshment or food?"

"Some wine of you please." Said Lady Shadow. She was getting a good first impression from this human. But the sheer POWER she felt radiating from him! Formidable indeed!

Lady Shadow shook herself out of her reverie. "I attended a meeting with lord Marad, lord SSSS, and others at Marad's castle. I do not have all the details, only that they want to overthrow your rule. And if possible, slay you and your family."

David's eyes narrowed. "Indeed." he said with deceptive calm.

Lady Shadow had not survived this long without being able to sense the subtle signs of danger in those around her. She was all too aware that her fate hung by the slightest of threads right now.

"And having divulged their treasonous plans to you, why did they let you get away alive to warn me?" asked David.

Lady Shadow looked David in the eyes. "I will show you what drove me from their midst, and what diverted them so that I might make good my escape."

Lady Shadow gestured at the fireplace. The flames arranged themselves to show a picture as clear as any television, showing the peasants being brought in and burned. The scene ended abruptly.

"I could stomach no more. This was when I took my leave as the others fed."

David sat there quietly, thinking. He was appalled at what he had just seen. He looked again at the cat lady. "Tell me of yourself." David said.

"I have ruled my mountains for 8 millennia now. I am unmated at present. The Beast slew my mate shortly after I ascended to my rule. We had one cub. She was taken from her bed when she was only a few weeks of age. She is alive, but I have not been able to find her, or even any clues to her whereabouts in nearly 8,000 years. I rule evenhandedly. Or at least I try." Lady Shadow paused to take a sip from the wineglass that had materialized on the table next to her. She nodded her thanks to David. He gestured for her to continue.

"We mountain folk prefer to be left alone, and to leave others alone. What we do not produce ourselves, we trade for, and we guarantee traders free passage through our domain as long as they obey our laws."

"And the other domain lords do not interfere? They leave you alone?"

"We have little that others want. And ours is a rugged land, difficult for an army to pass and little to supply them if they do come." Lady Shadow smiled with unconscious pride and affection at her thoughts, "And my people are loyal and brave, as they must be to wrest a living from such a domain. And The Cave Dwellers know us. We respect their ways and do not intrude on their territory any more than necessary. In return, they aid in our defense at need."

"And how do you feel about my rule?"

"I don't know yet." Lady Shadow answered in complete honesty. She knew that if David wished, he could slay her at any time. And part of her even yearned for the blessing of oblivion. At least there she might see her mate once more. But, there was always the amulet that she wore always under her clothing around her waist, letting her know by its warmth that her daughter lived. Somewhere.

"Fair enough." David said. He made a decision and released the wards around the parlor, and tripled the barriers around Staffet1s room.

'Lyssa, Prissy, and Jenny came warily into the parlor. David rose as his wives approached. 

He introduced each of them to Lady Shadow. 

Then, "We got problems."

David had Lady Shadow re-tell her story to his wives, and show them the scene at Marad's hall.

All 3 of his wives reacted with marked distaste at the sight in the flames.

Then at 'Lyssa's suggestion, Lady Shadow had the flame images show each of the known conspirators that had been at the meeting.

David froze the three-dimensional images and installed them in crystal globes that he set on the mantle above the fireplace.

Jenny said, "Bitsy needs to see these pictures so that she can beware if she sees them in person, and can escape and warn us if possible."

David nodded his agreement, and Jenny went up to wake her daughter.

A few moments later, Jenny returned with Bitsy.

The dragon child was wide-awake and dressed for company.

"Bitsy," Said David, "This is the Lady Shadow."

Lady Shadow held out her hand to the young girl. "Hello Bitsy."

Bitsy shifted to dragon form and sniffed carefully at Lady Shadow. "I don't smell evil in her." Bitsy stated positively.

"Manners." Jenny chided gently.

Bitsy shifted back to human form again and took Lady Shadow's hand with a curtsy. "I meant no offense," she said to the Felinoid.

"None taken." was the reply.

David relaxed just a bit.

Jenny took Bitsy over to the fireplace and showed her the images of the traitors. "Remember these well, they are evil and intend to slay you and all of us if they can."

Bitsy shifted halfway to dragon at the thought of someone wanting to harm her family. Then she regained control. She glared at the images in the crystal balls, burning them into her memory.

"Most impressive child you have." Lady Shadow said softly to 'Lyssa.

"Yes, we are proud of her," replied the erstwhile succubus. When Bitsy had been filled in, she whispered in Jenny's ear and sat back with a satisfied look.

Jenny looked at her. Bitsy made a little 'go ahead" motion. Jenny turned to Lady Shadow. "Have you ever asked old Mad Tom the hermit about your daughter?"

"Who is this 'Mad Tom'?" Lady Shadow asked, puzzled.

"He's a hermit that lives here, and in other realms," spoke up Bitsy. "I'm not sure I understand

him myself, but his home has doors into all the worlds."

"I have never heard of him." Lady Shadow said, "At least, not as more than myth and legend."

"Oh, he's quite real." Said Prissy and Jenny together.

They told Lady Shadow about how Mad Tom had helped Bitsy and her parents re-unite.

"Once we've taken care of this plot," David said. "We'll take you to him personally. I can't say if he can help, but it is worth a try."

Lady Shadow wanted desperately to go running to find this hermit and ask him about her daughter, but she knew that would be suicide before they had put down the rebellion. 

She had waited this long, she could wait a bit longer.

David had one of the maids assign suitable rooms to Lady Shadow, and they all retired for the night. David made triple sure that his wards and defenses were tight and in order. Then he settled down to sleep. It would be a long night.

David sent Bitsy through the permanent door into Tuck's house bright and early.

Tuck came back through within moments, carrying Bitsy on his shoulder, much to the young dragons delight. "I have a job for you and Bitsy here." David said.

"What can I do for you then?" asked Tuck.

"I want an amulet made of the same alloy that my hand is made of." Said David. "I want to have it enchanted to take Bitsy to safety in case of danger."

"Anything to keep the Little One safe." Said Tuck fervently.

Staffet pouted a bit. "I don't want to be separated from you again." She said.

"And I stand a better chance of surviving if I know you're safe." replied 'Lyssa.

Unable to refute that logic, no matter how much she wanted to, Bitsy nodded her reluctant assent.

David took Tuck to the Library pocket dimension and helped set the anchor for the escape spell in the apartment.

Back at the mansion, Tuck and Bitsy went back out to the smithy. Bitsy let her power flow into the small bracelet as Tuck shaped the spell that would yank her out of danger. Tuck set the amulet on a hair trigger response for automatic activation. Or else Bitsy or any of her adopted parents, or Tuck, could activate it by speaking a code word, or a simple act of will.

By noon, a messenger arrived from Marad. He handed 'Lyssa the scroll and vanished.

'Lyssa took the scroll to David. He scanned it for traps mundane and magical. Finding none, he broke the seal and unrolled the scroll.

* To the Lord David Porter. I, Lord Marad state that my brother, Lord Maran has been sending raiding parties into my domain. These invaders steal my peasants, hinder commerce, and destroy valuable property and crops. I beseech thee to come to the Great Hall to render Justice. *

David snorted a laugh. It had to be a trap.

The messenger from Lord Maran arrived moments later, bearing a scroll that made almost identical counter complaints against Lord Marad.

David called the family together. As an afterthought, he included Lady Shadow in the war council as an advisor.

"I am going to take Prissy with me this time." David announced.

'Lyssa and Jenny objected vigorously.

"No, I need 'Lyssa here to defend the mansion, Bitsy I want here to be safer and to shore up her mothers defenses. Jenny can help keep watch and render medical aid if needed."

Prissy almost spoke up to say that she would happily forgo the privilege of walking into a known trap. A look from David quickly settled her down.

"The Little One's bracelet is ready."

David looked over with interest. "Let's see it Tuck."

Tuck brought out a folded cloth. He opened the folds to show an iridescent band sized to fit over Bitsy's hand while in human form. 

"Put it on Sweetie." David said.

Bitsy took the bracelet. It wasn't as heavy as it looked. She bunched her fingers into a point and slipped the bracelet on. With a bright flash, the bracelet contracted to fit snugly around her wrist. It fused with her body in much the same way that David's hand had grafted itself to his stump. "Well, that's not coming off," remarked Prissy.

Bitsy stroked her arm and the bracelet carefully. It was warm and felt like her own skin.

She shifted to Dragon form, and the bracelet shifted with her, appearing as a golden stripe

of scales running around her foreleg, just above her fore claw.

"I still don't like being left behind." Staffet grumbled before she shifted form.

"I'll bring over my stock of enchanted weapons and armor for the mansion staff. And I'll bring a few friends who like a good fight," said Tuck. Then before David could say anything, the giant was gone back into his realm.

David stood and kissed his wives.

"Lady Shadow, I will leave you here to help defend the mansion, and if I don't survive, I charge you to raise Bitsy and care for my wives." 

"My Lord, I accept." Lady Shadow bowed.

David looked over at Prissy. "Are you ready Honey?"

Prissy glared up at him. "Hell no I ain't ready. I ain't NEVER gonna be ready for this crap. But let's go." and she slipped her hand into his. 

David smiled down at the tiniest of his wives. Then he shifted them to the Great Hall.

Marad was nervous. Not only was he engaged in the most blatant treason to hit this realm in millennia, but those... those... CREATURES! The ones who had poured into his dining room just as he was sitting down to a supper of roasted peasant virgin. He had barely escaped with his life! His troll army guards barely slowed them down enough for him to make his getaway.

Giant cats, weasels the size of bears, blood maddened humans, other things he couldn't bring himself to describe even in his own mind! And all of them after him!

Marad shuddered. And from what he had heard, his partners in treason had received similar visitations at about the same time. Only 5 of the original plotters survived. And none of them unhurt.

Still, the trap was laid well and true.

Now to hope that the bitch kitty Lady Shadow hadn't warned the usurper. Or, if she had warned him, that he would either not believe her, or come unprepared.

Prissy was surprised when she popped out not in the great hall, but in front of Mad Tom's cabin.

The door opened and the familiar figure of the old hermit appeared, beckoning. "Come in my dear, I have been expecting you." As if in a trance, Prissy found herself walking forward toward the open doorway.

Inside, Mad Tom ushered her to a seat and offered her some spicy smelling herbal tea. "Relax," said the old hermit. "We have a while to wait, and much to talk about, you and I."

David popped into the Great Hall alone. He glanced at where Prissy should have been holding his hand. Nothing.

Oh shit.

David's feet had barely hit the floor when a gate opened horizontally beneath his boots.

David was not quick enough with the levitation to avoid plunging through the portal. 

The doorway snapped shut with a blue spark like an electric arc. 

Marad turned to Lord Canis and Lord SSSS. "My brother is already leading our combined forces to besiege Porters mansion. We have over 30,000 troops between us. This should not take long."

Jenny came down from the shielded observation tower to report.

"The enemy army is composed of Trolls, Various types of the Undead, Wyverns, swamp creatures, lizard men, and giant and normal sized snakes of al kinds, and of course humans, mostly infantry, supported by cavalry and archers. There is also a large force of humans who appear to be from David's home realm. They have guns and what appear to be very big guns. And a machine that seems to crawl along the round with a big gun in front."

Bitsy fed more power into the house shields. She had read about artillery and tanks in the library. She only hoped the magical shields would hold against them.

Tuck arrived through the permanent gateway with a few dozen men and women equally as massive as he was. And all armed to the teeth.

Lady Shadow sent word through the doorway into Tuck's realm. The message would be passed back into this realm, and to her domain as fast as possible.

Some reinforcements would come through the other realm; others would hit the besieging armies from the rear. But all this would take time.

'Lyssa kept shifting back and forth between her battle form and her human form nervously. She had never fought a siege before.

Fortunately, with the gate to Tuck's world permanently open, as well as the Library pocket dimension to retreat to, they could not be starved out.

But neither were their resources infinite. And constant pressure would eventually erode the

defensive shields.

A brawny redheaded giantess came forward carrying a massive crossbow. "I can make them a little cautious, you bet. Just get me up someplace high."

The first artillery round from the offworlders exploded against the house shields, shaking everyone inside and frightening some of the staff.

"Jenny, show this lady where the observation tower is please." Said 'Lyssa.

Another giant came up to 'Lyssa. He also carried a great crossbow. "Where is me sister Rose going?" He asked. "Up to the observation tower to see what she can do from there." replied 'Lyssa.

Another artillery shell hit the shields and exploded harmlessly. Rose's brother hefted his crossbow. "So the lass is doing a bit o' sniping is she?"

CRASH! Another artillery shell, from above this time, accompanied by sulphurous cursing and swearing "I'll follow her up and see if we canna teach the louts that we dinna appreciate the noise they be making." 

CRASH!

The giant followed his sister at a trot that shook the mansion only a tab less than the cannon fire.

A short while later, the artillery fire abruptly stopped. Voices could be heard screaming down from the observation tower in gleeful taunts. "Got ye that time ye bugger! I'll be ye'll nae be tryin' that trick again soon!"




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 04



Jenny came trotting back down with mischief in her eyes.

"Rose shot two of the men operating that big gun of theirs. Then her brother managed to hit one of the big brass things that they were loading into the gun. When the smoke cleared away, the gun is wrecked, and there are dead men all over. And the survivors are fighting the trolls and the undead to keep them fro eating the casualties and the wounded!"

'Lyssa sighed with relief. Without the pounding of that damn cannon, the shields would be that much harder to breach.

Marad was swearing at his brother. "You fool!" He raged. "The trolls need food if they are going to stay here and fight. The undead need the corpses to swell their ranks, we have too few of them as is."

Maran yelled back at his brother, "had you allowed me to bring over more of the modern soldiers, those damn shields would be pounded down now, and the mansion ours. But now, the surviving troops are rebelling because your bloodthirsty creatures can't control themselves!"

"Bah! We waste time in petty bickering." Snarled Lord Canis. "Porter is out of the way. We need to assault their shields now before he escapes the trap we laid for him."

"Agreed." Said Marad and Maran at the same time.

Marad sent his troops ranging far and wide, bringing back human and near human prisoners. When a couple hundred had been gathered, the 5 lords of the rebellion tortured, and killed the poor captives one by one, draining their life energies in their various manners. Then they gathered on a hill over looking the mansion. The pooled their magic. All the stolen life forces into a beam that would slice through the mansions shields like a knife through butter.

Maran offered to serve as the focus of the beam. It would be painful, but if he survived, he would be far more powerful than any of the others.

He began the chant to form the lens to direct the beam.

In the bushes below, a lone surviving mercenary from Porter's realm sighted carefully on the man who had brought them to this hellhole and then betrayed them to the monsters.

The crosshairs of his sniper scope settled on Marta's forehead. "Rot in hell motherfucker." he said softly as he squeezed the trigger.

Maran had absorbed all of the pooled energies and was starting to release them into the beam when the 180 grain 7.62 MM rifle bullet struck him in the forehead, scattering his brains in a wide fan out the back of his head.

The magical energy had no place to go and no mind to keep it contained. 

There was a blinding flash, brighter than a thousand suns.

For the first time, a mushroom cloud appeared in the skies of 'Lyssa's realm.

Where the hill once stood, there was a crater 1/4 mile across and 200 feet deep. There was no sign of the rebel lords.

Chaos ruled the assembled armies, who began to fight each other in the absence of their commanders. Those who chose not to fight fled. Trying to get back home, or just away and into hiding. The undead assembled dissolved into dust when Lord Canis died.

The siege of the mansion was largely broken. There were a few scattered remnants of the armies that had attacked 'Lyssa's home still trying to escape. But these ran into the reinforcements of mountain folk summoned by Lady Shadow. Very few survived the encounters with the enraged mountain fighters.

Lady Shadow sent words through Tuck's realm for her other people to return home and await further developments. 

Tuck took Rose and her brother back to their realm through the permanent gate in the mansion, along with the other giant fighters who had gathered in the hope of a good fight. 

Mostly they left disappointed.

A few stayed on to act as household guards.

Bitsy was upstairs, sound asleep from exhaustion. The effort of maintaining the shields against the artillery barrage had drained her utterly.

Jenny was with Bitsy, and 'Lyssa was prowling the halls of her home like a caged tiger. Lady Shadow walked with her. "I thank you for your sanctuary." Said Lady Shadow. "Stuff your thanks lady-cat," snarled 'Lyssa. "David's good will is what guarantees your continued safety."

Taken somewhat aback, Lady Shadow replied. "I did not mean to give offense. If it is your wish that I leave, Then I shall certainly do so."

"The door's that way." said 'Lyssa as she pointed down the hallway. "Don't let the door slam on your tail."

Lady Shadow watched as 'Lyssa stomped off down her hallway. Then she turned and slipped out of the mansion unseen by anyone.

'Lyssa made her way upstairs to the room where Jenny and Bitsy were resting. She flung open the door and screamed. "Get up and get out. I've had enough hangers on and useless mouths around here."

Jenny sat up rubbing her eyes. "What does David have to say about all this?" She asked in a reasonable tone of voice. 

"Screw David. He isn't here, I am." Bitsy finally woke up enough to sit up. "Why are you yelling mommy?"

"I am NOT 'mommy' to an overgrown lizard with bad breath. And I want you out of here and out of my life."

Bitsy shifted to her dragon body. She sniffed once, and then slammed Jenny aside with her tail.

Opening her jaws wide, Staffet unleashed a narrow, concentrated blast of flame. 'Lyssa shrieked and once, then was reduced to little more than a skeleton and ashes. The fire had been so brief and intense, that there was little scorch damage to the surroundings, except for a patch of floor where 'Lyssa had been standing.

"What did you do?" Jenny gasped in horror.

"That wasn't mommy." Bitsy stated. The sound of running footsteps reached them. 

"Stay back." Jenny said.

One of the household staff came to a skidding halt in the doorway, staring at the smoking remains of the imposter.

"Please, come quickly. Something erupted from the ground in the garden and snatched Mistress 'Lyssa down its hole. We cannot follow as the hole has been filled in behind the creature."

"Told you it wasn't mommy." Bitsy said to Jenny as she shifted to human form again and dressed.

"Send someone for Lady Shadow. She may be the next target." Jenny said. A maid sped off on the errand. The butler showed Jenny and Bitsy out to the garden. They could see where the ground was disturbed.

Without warning, the butler clubbed Jenny on the back of the head with a piece of wood. Out cold before she could react, Jenny fell next to Bitsy. The butler advanced on the seeming little girl. "Come on, I'll try to make this quick and painless."

"My ass." said Bitsy. She tried to shift into dragon form, but something happened as the butler reached for her. The amulet she wore as a bracelet flashed once. Bitsy materialized in the middle of the library apartment. Since Jenny was lying partially on Bitsy's foot, she was brought along as well.

Bitsy tried to put her unconscious mommy up on the bed, but she just didn't have the strength. Too upset to think about using levitation, Bitsy shifted to her dragon body and picked Jenny up gently in her mouth and placed her on the bed.

Jenny was breathing regularly and there was little blood. But she just wouldn't wake up.

Finally Bitsy remembered that she was in a library filled with books. Including books on how to treat wounds and general medicine. She sped out the door in search of the proper section.

Bitsy came back after an hour with an armload of books. When she re-entered the apartment, she found Jenny had been bandaged and there was a small vial of liquid nearby on a small table.

The note with the bottle read * Hold the bottle to her hips and let the fluid trickle into her mouth. She will swallow by reflex and she will be all right in the morning. *

Bitsy had no idea who had left the medicine, but figured that if they had meant harm to jenny, they would hardly have bandaged her in the first place.

Bitsy floated the books to the dining table, (She had remembered the levitation spell while she was out) and sat on the bed, Holding Jenny's head in her lap. She pried open Jenny's mouth and carefully poured the thick, oily liquid from the bottle onto Jenny's tongue.

When the vial was empty, Bitsy dropped it on the bedspread and held Jenny's mouth closed. Jenny didn't swallow right away, so Bitsy held Jenny's nose until she swallowed convulsively and gasped for air. 

Then she lay Jenny back down on the bed and lay down beside her, cuddled up to her unconscious mommy for comfort and re-assurance.

Meantime the 'butler' was having problems of his own.

Namely a highly pissed off 'Lyssa.

"Lyssa had not in fact been kidnapped. But she had been shoved into a closet and locked inside.

Only a return to her battle form had enabled her to free herself. And it was this fearsome battle form that was now holding the 'butler' off the ground by his throat. "Where are they and who is behind this." She demanded in a deceptively reasonable voice. "Either you can talk, or I will send you to a dimension where you will spend the next dozen eons in excruciating torment."

The 'butler' said nothing. He hung there in her grip looking defiant. 

There was a hiss and a thunk. The 'butler' convulsed once, and then went limp.

There was a 2-foot long crossbow bolt through his brain. She would get nothing more from him.

'Lyssa dropped the body in disgust. It smoked, and then flowed into a new shape. A lizard like humanoid. 

'Lyssa recognized it immediately. "A bog mimic." she spat.

'Lyssa shifted back to human form. "Where there is one of these damn things, there are dozens. We need to eradicate all of them from the house." She told her maid. This one she was sure of.

The scent was right. The bog mimics were excellent at copying the form and sounds of a person, but they could never quite hide the musky scent that they naturally produced.

A maid approached 'Lyssa with a report. "Milady, There is no sign of Lady Shadow, nor of David, Mistress Prissy, Mistress Jenny, or Mistress Staffet."

'Lyssa cursed. "Send word to Lady Shadow's armies that there are bog mimics among us."

The maid nodded her head. She brought her hands together in front of her chest. 4 wings, like those of a dragonfly, only larger, sprouted from her back. Tilting her head back, the maid flew off on rapidly beating wings. 

'Lyssa blinked. She had not known that girl had such an ability. She would watch that one for future promotion.

Lady Shadow had just encountered her approaching army. She scared the crap out of her general by slipping into his tent so quietly that his sentries never knew she was there until they heard the general's startle oath.

"There is something odd going on at the mansion. We shall hold here until we find out more." She informed her frazzled general. 

There was a buzzing noise in the air above the tent, followed by the shouts of the sentries. Lady Shadow and her general rushed outside in time to see ' Lyssa's maid lightly touch down a spear's length from the sentries. "What do you want?" asked Lady Shadow.

"I bring a message from my Mistress." Said the young woman as her wings disappeared back into her body. "She bade me tell you that bog mimics have infiltrated the mansion, and that she requests your aid in ferreting them out."

Lady Shadow spat on the ground. "Bog mimics!" she exclaimed in disgust. "I should have known that something was amiss for Mistress 'Lyssa to act so far out of character."

Lady shadow was well and truly pissed that she had not recognized the distinctive musky scent of the bog mimic that had spoken so rudely to her.

Lady Shadow whirled to face her general. "I want this entire force on the march within the hour." She commanded. "I shall return to the mansion ahead of you. This messenger will remain with you as a guide and a scout." With that, Lady shadow swept her cloak around her and slipped off into the gathering mist like a wraith.

The general turned to do the bidding of his liege. He gave no thought to her safety; none would spot Lady Shadow unless she wished them to. "Sentry, send runners to the sergeants, we march at once."

He turned to 'Lyssa's maid, "What shall I call you then?"

"I am called Shana by your kind." She replied.

"My kind?" Queried the general. 

"Humans." was the answer.

The general shrugged. "Can you show me the fasted way to your Mistress' mansion on the map?" 

Shana nodded and accompanied the general into his tent where his maps were.

In less than an hour, the camp had been struck, and the army was gone on the march. Only a few men were left behind, tasked with removing signs of the bivouac. Within another hour, the last men were hurrying to catch up to their comrades. Behind them there was no trace that almost a thousand men had been camped there for several days.

David knew he was in trouble when he dropped through the floor of the great hall. He tried to teleport home, but he found that was blocked somehow. Likewise opening a gate was impossible. He figured that he could figure the problem out given long enough to ponder a solution. Scraping and shuffling sounds approaching his location told him that he wasn't going to get the time he'd need.

David looked around, taking stock of his situation as best he could in the gloom. He was in a hallway, or tunnel with walls, floor and ceiling made of blocks of stone. The only light came from guttering firepots set high into the walls. The arched ceiling was full of a thick layer of dense smoke from the firepots. But the smoke stayed a good 3 feet over David's head, so he wasn't worried about running out of breathable air. The hallway made turns in opposite directions about 30 feet in front of and behind him. The hallway was a good 12 feet from side to side, and sloped gently downward in the direction of the approaching noises.

Well, that made the decision of which way to go rather easy. Uphill it was. David walked up the hallway cautiously. At each corner, he peeked around to check for creatures or obvious traps before venturing onward. When David came to a side passage, he paused to consider his route. The side passage sloped upward at a steeper angle, but was narrower and even less well lit. David shrugged and started up the side passage. Maybe it led to the surface. And the sooner he found an opening out of here, the better.

The hallway narrowed to where David could touch the walls simply by holding his arms out to the side. Abruptly the passage leveled off, then slanted sharply down just a few steps ahead. 

David took a few more steps to see down the slope, a few dozen feet away, the passage opened into a room of some sort. David couldn't see the extent of the room from where he was, so he slowly eased forward until he could see more. The room ahead was crowded with corpses in various stages of decomposition.

Trouble was, they were all standing and moving around. "Screw this!" David thought, and turned around to head back the other way. 

Before he had traveled more than a few yards, his artificial hand flared into a blinding light. *DANGER* *DANGER* David heard in his mind. His eyes cleared from the dazzle in time to show David a scene straight from a nightmare. The hallway was teeming with spiders large and small, snakes of all sizes and colors, and other creatures too disgusting to describe.

From the palm of David's artificial hand, a sheet of fire shot out to fill the passageway. David spun around and headed back toward the open room. It was full of the undead, but at least there would be room to fight.

Just before David reached the passageway exit, he sent several energy bolts ahead of him to blast into the floor of the room. The energy bolts hit the floor and exploded, sending shards of the stone blocks that made up the floor flying like shrapnel.

The gamble paid off. The undead in the enormous room were momentarily confused and disordered. David burst into the room with his artificial hand scattering energy darts and shining brighter than the noonday sun. 

When an energy dart hit one of the undead, whether skeleton, ghoul, wight, specter, or zombie, that undead critter exploded into dust. The bright light caused the others to cower away and seek shelter from the painful brightness. And a couple of stray vampires burst into flame as the light hit them. 

David had little control over his hand at the moment. He saw crosshairs hovering in front of his eyes, targeting and tracking undead creatures for destruction by the energy darts. Spinning around, David held out his artificial hand. A ravening beam shot out, turning the walls and ceiling of the recently vacated passage to lava that slumped and effectively sealed off the doorway. A few more energy darts to clear out the remaining undead, and David could finally start looking for another exit.

David spotted a stairway leading upward on the far side of the room. David made his way to the exit. The rapidly cooling rubble filling the other entrance to the room made going back that way out of the question.

David took the stairs up 2 at a time. Noises from the room behind him told him that lingering would not be a good idea.

The stairs wound up and around far longer than David would have guessed possible. He must have been deeper underground than he had thought. David had to slow down, and then he had a thought. A simple levitation spell, and he floated effortlessly up the stairway. Thus unwittingly passing by a dozen lethal traps without setting them off.

David emerged at last into a circular room that had windows every few feet. Hovering in the middle of the room, David chose a window, then flew through it.

Had David1s feet touched the floor of the room, there would have been an explosion of near nuclear force.

David flew away from what turned out to be a relatively short tower as fast as he could. The sky above was a stomach churning purple/gray swirl, and the sun was an oddly unsettling greenish color. The air tasted of ozone, and sounds reached his ears strangely distorted.

David tested his teleporting powers with a short hop of a dozen yards straight ahead.

It worked fine.

Suddenly, David saw his shadow sharp and clear on the mountainside he was headed for as a hemisphere of eye searing light swelled behind him.

David opened a gate by reflex directly in front of himself. He shot through the gate to the one place where he KNEW he would be safe, then snapped the gate closed behind him.

David thought it had been a nuclear blast behind him, however it had merely been an exceptionally ambitious ghoul who had followed him up the staircase, unbothered by the poison darts, lethal gases, and venomous spiders and snakes dropped upon it by the booby-trapped stairs.

As soon as it entered the room atop the tower, the enormous store of sorcerous energy pent up in the stones of the floor was released all at once.

David never went back to that dimension, so he never got to see the mile deep, 3-mile wide crater left after the blast.

Bitsy sprang to her feet as the door to the library apartment opened to reveal her daddy. She started forward, then remembered the false 'Lyssa. She shifted to dragon form and sniffed. The smell of her daddy, as familiar to her as her own, reassured her. She shifted back to human form and threw herself into David's arms.

Jenny was sitting up in the easy chair near the bed. She rose unsteadily, and David sprang to make her sit back down.

"Are you OK?" David asked Jenny worriedly.

"Just a bit dizzy and a terrible headache." Jenny said. David picked her up and laid her down on the bed. 

"Rest my love," he told her, "Time here has no meaning in the outside world."

David stroked her head with his metal hand. A soft rosy glow arose from the metal fingers and sank into Jenny's head. She felt the pounding ache recede and finally vanish.

She relaxed into a deep, restful sleep.

David sat down in the chair to rest. Bitsy promptly crawled up into his lap. "Tell me what's been happening." David told his adopted daughter.




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 05



Lady shadow tried to maintain a solemn mien, but she her smile kept sneaking up on her lips.

Shana knocked politely on the parlor door. "Excuse me Mistress, General Darial reports that the grounds and mansion are clear of bog mimics."

"Is there any report on our casualties?" 'Lyssa asked.

Shana nodded briskly. "We have confirmed 30 of our staff and visitors slain, and twice that number wounded. 14 missing and unaccounted for. The enemy dead in the house proper is over 70. And on the grounds outside almost 400."

Lady Shadow excused herself to set several of her mountain tigers on patrol with the giants. They would smell out any encroaching bog mimics or other enemies and deal with them. The giants would provide powerful backup in case the tigers ran into something even they could not handle.

Since the tigers were over 6 feet high at the shoulder and weighed over a ton, there was little that they could not handle without aid. When the giants saw the big cats, they were dubious at first, until they found out that the mountain tigers had human level intelligence and were perfectly capable of holding their own in conversation as well as in battle.

Another thing a bored giant guard discovered was that mountain tigers are fanatic chess players and would discuss the game for hours given the chance.

Prissy was getting impatient sitting by Mad Tom's fireplace sipping tea.

"As much as I enjoy your company," Prissy said, "I'm getting worried about my husband and the rest of my family."

Tom opened the oven door and pulled out a plate of cookies. "Everyone is safe and sound my dear." He said. "Would you like a cookie or three?"

Prissy started to reply with some heat, then the tempting odors of the hot cookies reached her nose and her resolve melted away. "Ummm, I guess one or two wouldn't hurt..."

"I understand that there's a small matter of another missing child to deal with?" Tom said as he seated himself next to Prissy. She sighed with guilty pleasure as she bit into a steaming cookie. Then she started to explain about Lady Shadow's missing cub. 

When she finished, Mad Tom stood up. "I think it's high time I met this lady." Prissy stood up and took Tom's hand as he led her to the front door of the hut. She reached out and snagged a handful of warm cookies from the plate on the table. Mad, the old hermit might be, but he was a hell of a baker! Tom opened the door to the hut and stepped through. Prissy was munching on a cookie as she passed through the door. It took her a moment to realize that she was now standing in the main foyer of the mansion. She spun to ask Tom how he had done that. The old hermit smiled and placed a finger across her lips gently. "Shh, You know I hate questions like that." Prissy opened her mouth to say something anyway. Tom stuffed another cookie into her mouth with an impish grin. "One of the two foolproof ways known to shut a woman up."

Swallowing to clear her mouth, Prissy managed to choke out, "And what, pray tell, is the other way?" Tom cackled laughter, "You're married, and so the other method doesn't apply here."

Prissy gave the old hermit an exasperated look. "Come on," she said.

Prissy left Tom seated comfortable in the parlor then went looking for her co-wives and their guest. The first room that she looked into contained a pair of very messily dead bodies. Prissy spun on her heel and raced back to the parlor. Slamming the door closed behind her, Prissy called upon all the defensive magic she still commanded. "Stay calm and stay put," she ordered Tom." Something is very wrong here, and we may be in a lot of trouble." "Calm yourself. The battle is long over." Said Tom indulgently. 

"Piss on that." Said Prissy grimly. "There's fresh corpses in the next room, and I wanna make she we ain't next on the agenda."

The door to the parlor opened suddenly, and Prissy damn near fried 'Lyssa and Lady Shadow out of sheer reflex. She would have toasted them had not Tom exerted his will just the slightest bit and deflected the energy bolt just enough to pass between the newcomers to impact on the opposite wall of the hallway behind them.

'Lyssa and Lady Shadow dove for the floor when the deadly energy bolt flickered past their ears. "Damnit Prissy, what are you trying to do?" yelled 'Lyssa. Lady Shadow's face showed

why she was as much feared as respected. Her lips were wrinkled back in a soundless snarl and her hears were flat back against her skull. Her tail was lashing and the claws had emerged almost 2 inches long from her fingertips.

'Lyssa looked over at her guest wryly. "Sorry about that. You remember Prissy? My co-wife? She's just a tad bit excitable sometimes."

Gradually, Lady Shadow calmed down. Glaring at Prissy for a long moment, she then walked over to the sideboard. "Do you have any wine in here? If she's going to be tossing lightning around, I want to have a few drinks in me first."

Prissy walked slowly over to Lady Shadow. "I'm sorry, I really am. I just saw those dead bodies in the other room, and I panicked. What's been going on here anyway?"

"Come to think of it, where the hell is David?" 'Lyssa asked suddenly.

"I don't know," Prissy said helplessly. "We gated out of here together, but I ended up in front of Tom's cabin instead of in the Great Hall. And David wasn't with me. I've spent the ' last hour or so since then sitting in Tom's kitchen." "Hour or so?" exclaimed Lady Shadow. "But you left almost a week ago!"

Prissy turned to Tom to demand an explanation. But when she opened her mouth to speak, Tom lifted a finger and she suddenly found herself with another mouthful of cookie.

Tom rose to his feet facing Lady Shadow. "I am honored to meet you Milady," he said with a deep bow in her direction. I understand you have a question to ask me."

Tom looked over at 'Lyssa, "Settle down pretty lady, the others are just fine for now." He turned back to the ruler of the mountain domain. "And what is your question?"

"My only offspring was stolen from me from her crib while she was just a cub. I know she is alive from the warmth of the amulet I always carry. But I have searched for her for centuries and found no true trace of her or her abductors."

"And what is it you would know?" Tom asked.

"How I can find her. And where." Lady Shadow asked without much hope. She had been disappointed so often in the past.

"As to where she is," said Tom, "That's easy. She is in an underground vault. How to find her, you have been looking in the wrong places. You have been looking for someone who wanted to harm her or to cause you difficulty. The being that took your cub fancies itself to be a collector. And of course, to a collector, pristine condition is a primary consideration."

Lady Shadow sat down hard in one of the chairs next to Tom. Her knees wouldn't hold her anymore and her stomach was churning. Was it possible that she was at the end of her search after all this time? She hardly dared let herself hope.

Prissy stood beside Lady Shadow's chair and stroked the back of the cat lady's head and lightly scratched her behind the ears. Lady Shadow unconsciously leaned into the caress and relaxed ever so slightly.

"Retrieving your cub won't be easy," warned Tom. "Like most collectors, this being guards its treasures jealously and fiercely."

"Just tell me where." Lady Shadow said. "And I will find her though Hell itself may stand between us."

'Lyssa came over and knelt by Lady Shadow's feet. "And my husband and all of us will aid you."

Tom chuckled. "Too many of you go and the cub will be lost forever. All that are needed are three."

"And which three?" asked 'Lyssa. "Why, Lady Shadow, David, and the delightful Staffet of course."

"But David and Bitsy aren't here!" said Prissy plaintively.

"They'll be along shortly I'd expect." Replied Tom. Then the old hermit leaned back in his chair and started snoring.

Jenny woke up early. She felt strangely crowded in the bed. She looked over and saw David curled up to her side. She looked down at her feet; Staffet was coiled up on the floor at the foot of the bed in her dragon body. She had her head resting on the mattress by Jenny's toes.

When Bitsy felt Jenny move, she woke instantly and shifted back to human form. "Mommy!" she cried as she piled onto the bed to hug Jenny.

All the commotion woke David up. "Hi Honey." he said. Bitsy was bouncing all over the bed, making getting anything more than a brief kiss impossible. David swatted Bitsy on the rump as he climbed out of bed. "Take it easy Squirt. Don't get her too tired out so soon."

"I won't daddy." Bitsy said. She settled down and lay next to Jenny and wrapped her arms around her. "I'm glad you're OK." She said.

"I'm just fine." Jenny said as she hugged Bitsy. "Now scoot, I have to use the toilet."

Bitsy wriggled off the bed. "OK, I'll use the box in the gym." Bitsy shifted to Dragon form and went into the attached gym where the curtained sandbox still waited from her previous visits

Jenny used the toilet, then stepped into the shower as David climbed out. He collected a kiss in passing, and then dressed to fix breakfast.

As they ate, David filled them in on his little adventures. Jenny filled David in on what Bitsy had missed.

"We had better get back right she said when they were done eating.

David opened the door to the apartment arid stepped directly into the parlor. "HI Uncle Tom!" Bitsy squealed as soon as she caught sight of the old hermit.

'Lyssa and Prissy were crowding around David in a flurry of welcome.

Lady Shadow looked wistfully at the reunion. No one had greeted her like that since her mate had died.

Then she looked down in surprise. Bitsy had locked her arms around her waist. "Don't worry, I'm here for you too." Bitsy said. •

Lady Shadow wrapped her arms around Bitsy's head and hugged the girl to her. Gods! How she'd missed this!

David finally broke away from his wives and approached Mad Tom. "What brings you here?"

"Just another small quest for you to deal with." The hermit said.

David shook his head wearily. "One damn thing after another."

Shana called them into the dining room for dinner.

"So how do we deal with this collector?" David asked Tom.

"Simple," replied the old hermit. "You kill it."

"And how do we kill it?" David asked.

"That's entirely up to you." chuckled Tom.

Lady Shadow spoke up then to forestall a grouchy response from David. "Exactly where is this collector located? And, is my cub with him?"

"Your offspring is concealed in a crystal cylinder located next to his other treasures in his vault. She is suspended on display, but is unharmed. Although she has aged slightly since her acquisition."

"So how are we supposed to get into this 'collectors' vault?" David asked reasonably.

"The entrance to the collectors underground cavern is through that door there." Tom indicated a door in the wall that hadn't been there an instant before.

David narrowed his eyes. That little trick should have used an amazing amount of power, but he hadn't felt the slightest tingle of magic in use.

Lady Shadow started up from her chair to go charging through the door. She sat down again however; as an unseen hand pressed her firmly back into her seat. "Don't act like a kitten." Tom scolded. "Your cub has waited this many centuries. She will last at least until we finish eating."

Lady Shadow subsided with bad grace, not that she had a lot of choice.

Bitsy finally finished eating, then she asked to be excused so that she could get her dagger and change clothes in her room. 'Lyssa nodded her permission, and Bitsy made the round of the table, giving each person there a kiss. When she had gone, Tom lit his pipe. "David, you will need all the cunning that you developed as a mercenary to defeat the collector. Don't be fooled by outward shape. Lady Shadow, to you falls the task of slipping unseen through all of the collectors traps while it is distracted by David."

"And what role will Staffet play?" asked 'Lyssa in a dangerously soft voice.

"She will have to defeat the guardians of the vault while Lady Shadow recovers her daughter." Tom explained.

"Will they all be OK?" Jenny asked.

"That remains to be seen." Tom replied.

Sometime during the ensuing discussion, the mad old hermit vanished from his chair. It was several minutes before his absence was noticed.

Bitsy came back to the dining room dressed in her jeans, a long sleeved mesh-mail shirt over a 'Dragons Rule' t-shirt, and her usual sneakers. Her dagger was sheathed at her right side, and her amulet shone softly through the mesh sleeve of her armor shirt. "I'm ready!" she said.

David pushed his chair back, stood up, and kissed each of his wives in turn. "Please try to stay out of trouble this time," he said, only half jokingly.

'Lyssa hugged Lady Shadow. "If anyone can get your daughter back, my Beloved can."

David linked his belt to Bitsy's with a piece of nylon rope. He then tied another rope from his belt to a loop around Lady Shadow's waist. "Stay close, do what I say, when I say, without questions, and we just might all live through this."

I am not accustomed to following orders," said Lady Shadow with a smile. "However for this matter, I place myself under your command." 

"OK," David told his team, "here is what I want to happen if at all possible." The trio huddled briefly with their heads close together. When they straightened up, Lady Shadow made a bow in David's direction. "You must be part cat." was all she said.

David opened the door in the wall and stepped through accompanied by the other two.

When the door closed behind David and the others, it vanished as if it had never existed. And in a very real sense, its existence hadn't truly happened at all.

"All we can do now is wait." Prissy said.

"I hate waiting." grumbled 'Lyssa and Jenny in such perfect unison that all three women started laughing.

David and the others found themselves facing a cave entrance leading into a hillside near a

forest. David loosed the rope that linked them together. "Everyone stay loose and stay about

3 feet apart. Keep levitation spells s syllable away from activation in case of trap doors

etc."

"I don't have a levitation spell." Said Lady Shadow.

David took her hand in his, noticing a gold band around one finger. "I'll put one on the ring. It will-be a one shot spell, but all you'll have to do is will it to activate."

Bitsy followed the flow of her father's magic, refining and strengthening it.

"Thank you Milord." Lady Shadow said softly.

"Let's go." David ordered. He took point, with Bitsy behind him and Lady Shadow trailing. There was no ambient light in the cave, but David1 s enchanted hand gifted him with vision that saw into the infrared. This was one of the unexpected side effects caused by the stoned efforts of crystal and Ruby, the cave dweller twins now living in David's world. He made up his mind to sit down when he had the chance and explore the powers and abilities of his artificial hand.

David1s enhanced vision detected several booby traps on the ceiling, walls and floor of the cave in time for him to either disarm or lead his charges past without tripping them. In this manner, they made their way several miles under the surface. Bitsy was now in her natural dragon form, the better to see, hear, and smell out the guardians of the vault. They knew they were getting closer to their goal as Lady Shadow's amulet grew warmer as she approached her cub's resting place.

"Thieves!" boomed a voice from a side passage.

"Go for it!" David hissed to his companions. Bitsy and Lady Shadow slipped past David as he turned to confront he 'collector'.

"You have come to plunder my treasures! But I will kill you before you can even take the sight of them with you!"

"Lots of talk for a spook afraid to show itself." David sneered. He wasn't feeling nearly as confident as he sounded.

"Those who see me, perish soon afterward." The voice came from closer at hand, yet David could not see anything even with his augmented vision.

"I just want to be left alone." Whined the voice. "Why can't you all just leave me alone?"

David's artificial hand shot out to the side of him, fingers rigidly extended, and his arm straight and the elbow locked. David stared at his errant arm. This wasn't HIS idea!

His arm and hand flared bright as it had when he had faced the undead in the other dimension. The glow outlined a small humanoid form with his hand embedded in its head. Something told David that as long as he held his hand in place, the 'collector' was powerless. The rest was up to Lady Shadow and Staffet. All they had to do was to follow his plan...

Bitsy shifted form to whisper in Lady Shadow's ear. "Get on my back when I change form again, I will refold my wings to hide your outline. That way they can't see you and won't even know you're around until it's too late. " Bitsy stepped back and shifted back to dragon form. Bitsy unfolded her wings slightly as Lady Shadow slipped onto her back and lay down along the young dragon's spine. Bitsy refolded her wings to drape over Lady Shadow while leaving space between the wings and her body unobstructed so that Lady Shadow could slip down on either side unseen. Bitsy used a small levitation spell to raise her just a few inches above the floor, holding her forelegs and hind legs trail straight back instead of dangling, and 

stretching her body slightly lengthwise, Bitsy had plenty of clearance on the sides, above, and, most importantly, below her. Bitsy pushed with her mind, gliding silently and easily 6 inches from the floor, thus avoiding pressure sensitive traps etc. But her inexperience showed when she zipped around a corner without checking it first. She felt the tripwire before she saw it. And of course, by then it was too late. Alarm bells and gongs sounded and light flared from previously dead torches on the walls. Bitsy sped up, hoping to get to the vault before the guards had a chance to react. Around another bend, Bitsy ran full speed into a large group of creatures blocking the entrance to a huge cavernous room. Bitsy didn't feel Lady Shadow leave her back, but she did catch a glimpse of her stealthy form entering the display cavern. 

Bitsy roared in pain and anger as a critter looking somewhat like a hyperthyroid rabbit bit her on the tail. She whirled and bit once, half of the overgrown bunny disappeared. Bitsy swallowed and reached out with a foreleg, talons spread wide to rake the belly of a humanoid nearly the size of Tuck. Leaving its intestines in a steaming pile at its feet, the semi-giant collapsed. Then Bitsy was too busy biting, clawing, and flaming everything within reach to keep track of anything else but the next foe.

Finally all was still. Bitsy stood alone amid dismembered corpses and piles of internal organs. She swayed on her feet wearily. While most of the blood covering her scales was the enemy's, a good deal of it was flowing from her own wounds. Bitsy's head ached abominably where a club wielding ogre type had landed one blow to the top of her skull before being burned in half by her fiery breath. She took a deep breath and winced, feeling broken ribs grating under her scaly hide.

Then she entered the vault. Lady Shadow was seated on a diamond large enough to have bought many nations if properly cut and sold. There were bodies and blood everywhere. Lady Shadow saw Bitsy and managed to stand. The cat lady held her hand pressed to her side. Blood seeped between her fingers and down her hip. "I guess I wasn't fast enough this time." Lady Shadow rasped. "My daughter is over here." Leaning on Bitsy, Lady Shadow made her way over to a series of crystal pillars, each holding a young creature. There were representatives of about 20 species trapped in the crystals. "How do we get them out?" asked Bitsy. "Let's get them out of here first, we'll worry about getting them out of their crystals later. Bitsy made Lady Shadow sit nearby and relax. Then she used the strength of her dragon body to shift the pillars until they all touched. Lady Shadow crawled painfully up on Bitsy's back once more. Bitsy wrapped her body and tail around the pillars as best she could, then triggered her escape amulet, willing Lady Shadow and the children to come with her.




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 05



A flash of light, and they were gone.

David stood like a statue with his hand still inside the head of the 'collector1. He was thinking hard about what to do with the creature. He didn't know how to kill it, and he damn sure wasn't going to let it loose! Finally he curled his fingers into a loose fist within the being's head. "Time to visit the vault." he said. David could feel the helpless rage from the 'collector' on a telepathic level. David made his was through the cave, the presence of the collector keeping the traps from springing. David reached the site of Bitsy's battle. He was nauseated by the carnage, He hoped that she had followed his plan, or had used her amulet to escape if she was overwhelmed. Then he saw the bloody tracks leading away from the scene of the combat. Dragon tracks. So Bitsy had survived after all. David felt something inside him relax just a little. He made his way into the cavern where the 'collector1 kept his prizes.

"Looks like quite a mess in here." David spoke aloud. The creature on the end of his arm fairly radiated fury and hatred. David was unimpressed. Eventually, David found where Lady Shadow had fought her own battle. A blood trail led away from there, and he followed it. The trail ended at a group of clear crystal pillars gathered into a small circle. The crystals had blood smears on them where they had been moved recently. "Well, the girls did their jobs." Said David with satisfaction. He looked at the creature now writhing wildly on his fist. "What shall I do with you?"

Without warning, his artificial hand acted on it's own again. It shot out, passing into one of the crystals, then opening it's fist. David yanked his arm out of the pillar, leaving the creature trapped in it's own clear prison. The creature was now visible as a vaguely human shaped cloud of yellowish gas. The crystal pillar seemed to be holding it quite nicely.

David thought a moment, and then he opened a gate directly under the crystal holding the trapped 'collector'. The crystal dropped through the portal and out of sight. David heard a fading telepathic wail as the creature passed into the other dimension. David closed the portal with a snap. The 'collector' ought to be secure for a very long time indeed deep under the surface of the planet Pluto in a far distant dimension. In any event, he wouldn't have to worry about it ever bothering him again.

David opened a gate to the library dimension and stepped through. Behind him, something stirred in the distant reaches of the vault. "Mine now... All mine..." something whispered in the darkness.

When David stepped through into the library world, he heard a lot of noise coming from inside the apartment. He opened the door to find a scene of total chaos. Bitsy was still in dragon form, lying across the doorway to the gymnasium, and Lady Shadow was unconscious on the bed. David ran to Bitsy. "Are you OK sweetie?" he asked. The dragon raised her head. "I'll live, But Lady Shadow's in bad shape. I can't stop her bleeding."

David went to look at the cat lady. Taking his dagger from his belt, he cut away her robes to expose the wound. Whatever had stabbed into her had been razor sharp, and it had gone in deep. David knew he was way out of his depth on this one. Time to call in some help.

Paul Black Eagle and Asshann were relaxing at their new home after a long day. Paul had just slid his arm around his new wife's shoulders when he stiffened. "I have to go. David needs me."

"I'm coming too." Asshann said. Black Eagle took her hand and initiated a teleport to the • source of David's SOS.

Black Eagle had never been to the library dimension, but he knew several beings that had spent time there. Asshann immediately went over to Bitsy, who had lapsed into sleep again despite the noise coming from the other side of her. Once she had ascertained that the young dragon did not need her immediate attention, Asshann teleported herself into the gymnasium to deal with the various youngsters running amok in there. Soon the noise level dropped to a tolerable level.

Black eagle knelt beside the cat lady. He examined her as best he could. He needed to see what was going on inside her. But since that wasn't really an option, he did the next best thing. Taking certain items from his sacred pouch, he chanted softly over them, a globe of light about the size of his head appeared over the body of the patient. Black Eagle kept chanting as the globe coalesced into a spider made of light. The spider turned several timed laps around the body of Lady Shadow, then came to rest facing Black Eagle. Finally the spider nodded by dipping its front legs. Black Eagle nodded back and kept chanting. The spirit spider dissolved into thousands of tiny spiders that sank into Lady Shadow's body. After nearly an hour, the spiders exited through the skin of the cat lady. They then streamed over to Bitsy and entered her. Black Eagle looked startled at this development. "I have never seen the spirits choose to aid someone on their own, unless that person has special meaning for them."

The men watched Bitsy for several hours before the spiders streamed from the dragon's mouth and formed back into the single larger spider. The spirit spider came over to Black Eagle and touched his head with a foreleg, then vanished.

"The spider told me that the young dragon was dying and needed lots of work. Without them, she would have died within the hour."

"Thank the spirits for saving her for us both." David told the Shaman.

"The spirits will exact their price in their own time my friend." Black Eagle said." Allow them to sleep until they wake on their own to make sure that their healing holds." 

Asshann called from inside the gymnasium, "I will take the children to Mistress "Lyssa." 

Over the next few minutes, the noise from the gym gradually decreased, then stopped. Asshann then popped in to where Paul and David were "Mistress 'Lyssa was most surprised and confused by the sudden flood of children." reported Asshann. "It was good to see her and the others again."

David thanked his friends for their aid. "Call on us again at need. And we will call upon you in turn." Said Black Eagle.

David sighed as his friends left. Bitsy's sleeping shelf was still there next to the bed; So David dug out some blankets, climbed up onto the shelf, and dropped off to sleep.

David woke up a good 12 hours later with a full bladder. He started to move, and then realized he was hemmed in. Bitsy was next to him back in her human form. And on the other side of him, Lady Shadow was curled up with her head on his shoulder and an arm draped across his chest. She was purring in her sleep. Moving carefully, David extricated himself from the sleeping girls and made his way to the restroom. He came out considerably relieved and feeling better than he had felt in quite a while.

David fixed breakfast quietly, but the tantalizing aromas of the food woke up Lady Shadow

and Bitsy. "Good morning." David said as the other two sat up and stretched. "Hey! I don't hurt anymore!" exclaimed Bitsy. Lady shadow paused in mid stretch. She looked down at her side. Not even a scar marred the short silky fur where she had been stabbed. Then she realized that she was quite naked.

Lady Shadow snatched the sheet up to cover herself. Not that she had a taboo about nudity, but she preferred to keep it restricted to going bare around members of her immediate family.

"We'll get back home after we eat. I'm sure that 'Lyssa will be run ragged by then." David grinned "Sorry about your clothing milady, But we had to get at your wounds to treat you." Bitsy opened the closet door. "Lady Shadow, will these robes fit you?" and she held out a sleek robe made of the finest Chinese silk.

Lady Shadow made her way to the closet with as much dignity as a naked cat can muster. She took the robe from Bitsy and walked into the restroom, closing the door behind her.

Bitsy shrugged. "Did I do good?"

"You did great Bitsy Dragon. And I'm very proud of you." David told her. He gave his adopted daughter a hug. "Come on. Let's eat."

Lady Shadow joined them at the table. When they had eaten their fill, David opened the door to the apartment, and stepped through into the mansion parlor. When Prissy, Jenny and 'Lyssa' saw the new arrivals, they swarmed them under with a flurry of hugs and kisses, leaving no one out.

Lady Shadow gazed about anxiously. "My cub... Is she here?"

Shana came into the parlor leading a small girl/kitten by the hand. The resemblance to her mother was apparent to everyone there. Lady Shadow went to kneel in front of the child. The cub looked steadily back, tail a twitch. "Oh my precious one..." Lady Shadow breathed softly. She reached for her daughter hesitantly, as if unsure that she was facing reality and not an illusion. Then the child threw her arms around Lady Shadow. "MOMMY!" she shrieked. Lady Shadow hugged her daughter to her and wept. This of course, set the other ladies in the room sniffling and crying. David shook his head and poured himself a drink.

When the emotional storm had waned to a mild breeze, David rapped his knuckle on the table for attention.

"Come sit by me." David ordered Lady Shadow. She gathered her daughter up and carried her to a chair next to David's where she sat down with her daughter on her lap. "Yes Lord?" she asked. "Anything in my power to grant, you can have for the asking."

"Our bonds are friendship forged in battle and sealed by the blood we both have spilled and shed in each others service." David began. Then he shook his head with a rueful smile.

"Sounds a little pompous don't it?"

"I have to agree with the first part of what you said." Replied Lady Shadow. "As to the second part, I shall keep my peace about that."

David threw back his head and laughed. "All right. To the point. You have a domain to run and responsibilities there. I know you cannot remain with us much longer. However my wives, my daughter and myself now consider you to be part of our household. So that you may visit whenever you wish, a permanent portal will be set up between your home and ours, so that our families may freely visit each other."

Lady Shadow inclined her head, "I would like that My Lord."

"Further, I charge you with raising the children rescued with your own. I would have you educate them and care for them until you can find their families and return the children to their care. Provided that they have any surviving families of course." "I accept." Lady Shadow said, although her face showed some misgivings.

"You ought to know by now that we will help in any way we can, and that you can call upon us for any aid that you require." David added. Lady Shadow hugged her daughter and nuzzled the top of her head. "There is so much to take in..."

Lady Shadow" s cub squirmed out of her mothers grasp. "Where are you going Mrow?" Lady Shadow asked. Mrow looked up at her mother. I want to play with the others in the garden."

Lady Shadow looked panic stricken at the thought of being separated from her daughter for even so short a time. "Don't worry, I'll go with her and keep an eye on her," offered Bitsy.

Lady Shadow looked doubtfully at David. He nodded slightly. "All right Mrow, behave and do not wander off."

2,

Mrow took Bitsy1 s hand and the pair walked out of the room. Lady Shadow kept fidgeting and casting nervous looks at the doorway her daughter had just passed through.

"Relax Milady," Jenny said. "Your daughter needs to learn how to be a child again. And she will be safe with Bitsy, who can defend her or whisk her off to safety the instant danger threatens."

Lady Shadow subsided, but her lashing tail betrayed her agitation.

"Let's move to the rear balcony on the second floor." 'Lyssa suggested. "There we can watch the children as we talk without being obvious about it."

Lady Shadow shot to her feet and was halfway to the door before Prissy's laughter stopped her in her tracks like she had hit a wall. "Are you the mother or the kitten?' Prissy asked. Lady shadow composed her face in a mask of dignity. "I am the mother of course."

Prissy snickered. "You were moving kinda like a kitten eager to go play outside just then. But that may not be a bad thing after all."

'Lyssa laughed lightly and hooked her arm through Lady Shadow's. "Let's go everyone."

Out on the upper balcony, the adults could see the children chasing each other and shouting with laughter. "They need to unwind after so long as captives." Jenny said softly.

David spread maps on the table and weighted the edges down with his dagger and with cups and saucers. "We need to gain control over those domains controlled by the traitors who dies during the siege of the mansion."

Lady Shadow turned reluctantly from the sight of the happy children below. "In the realm of the undead, the strongest being there will be one of the vampire Lords. They are fairly evenly matched, so whichever one gains your backing will have the edge needed to take the rule and keep it." "A good start." David said approvingly. "Any suggestions as to which ones to check on?"

Lady Shadow gave the question serious thought. "I would try to contact either Charnel, a male vampire who is older than I am, or else Deathmist, a female vampire lord who is only a few hundred years as a vampire, but already rivals any of the older undead for sheer power. If he had made the mistake of letting her live, Deathmist would have overthrown the old lord and taken his place in due course."

David scribbled notes on a small pad he conjured for the purpose.

"How about the swamp and marshlands?" David asked.

Prissy spoke up. "The swamp and marsh domains are chaotic at best. The old lord only had actual control over a part of the domain, he merely controlled the largest portion."

"So how do we handle them?" David asked.

"Let them alone, and see who or what comes out on top, then covertly aid the one who suits you best to consolidate and expand it's hold over the domain." Suggested Lady Shadow.

"Very good." said David.

"Now for the brother's domains."

"We want someone dependable and dedicated to us." 'Lyssa said.

"Any ideas for that anyone?" David asked the group.

"How about someone from off realm?" suggested Jenny. "I think if we offered the chance to rebuild and keep order in the combined domains to Tuck, he would probably accept."

'Lyssa and Prissy agreed eagerly.

"OK, We'll ask him. But if he turns it down, who do we get?"

"Booger and Rath." Quipped Prissy.

"Actually, they might do better to start as regents who would report to Tuck until they get used to dealing with our realm," said David. He made another note. "Lady Shadow, I want you to send emissaries to the remaining domain lords demanding their fealty and to inform us of any who oppose my rule."

"As you wish My Lord." Answered the cat lady.

Lady Shadow looked down at the children again. "I long to join them in their play."

"Jenny has some clothes that might fit you, if we make allowances for your tail, and far more suitable for running about with children than those robes." Suggested 'Lyssa.

Jenny took the lady cat indoors to get her some different clothes.

Lady Shadow reappeared below a short while later, dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of snug fitting blue jeans that had a slit cut in the back just below the waistband for her tail to poke through.

She scampered among the kids, roughhousing and having the time of her life.

"Looks like they'll be just fine." said a voice right behind David. He damn near jumped out of his skin. He whirled to see who had sneaked up on him. Mad Tom stood there in his monk's cassock. "I hope I didn't scare you too bad."

"Not that I'm not glad to see you again, but please, try not to give me a coronary next time. OK Tom? Sheesh."

Mad Tom grinned at David, "Sorry about that, but I just couldn't resist."

David shook himself. "What brings you back so soon?"

"I merely wanted to see the results of your latest quest for myself. And to warn you."

"Warn us about what?" David asked warily.

"About Lord Charnel. He is on the move, gathering support among the lesser undead. He plans to take the rule of this realm for himself. And already his minions are raising the dead from the siege of the mansion."

David strode to the balcony rail. "Bitsy, Get the kids-inside right now! Emergency!" he yelled down to his daughter. David turned to the others. "'Lyssa, Prissy, get down there and help them gather the children and make sure they are all accounted for."

"I shall alert the guards to be extra alert." Said Shana. She ran swiftly back inside to the room set aside for the household guard to relax off duty.

"Admirable response," remarked Tom. "But sitting back and allowing your home to, be besieged again would be utter folly."

"Oh, I don't intend to just sit here." Said David. "I'm going to fight fire with fire." He grinned evilly, "Or should I say, fight undead with undead."

David turned back to the scene below as his wives herded the last of the children inside, with Staffet in dragon form bringing up the rear of the procession.

When the women had rejoined him on the balcony, David had a basic plan worked out. "Lady Shadow, You shall have to put off your return a little longer. I need you to pull your troops in close, set up their camp within 200 yards of the house, and completely surrounding, it. Tell them to expect possible raids and probes by the undead of all types."

"They will not be happy, but they will comply." Said Lady Shadow, now every inch the ruler of a harsh domain. "They do love a good fight."

David turned to his wives and daughter. "Bitsy, you will take all the children to the Library and keep them there." Bitsy started to protest, but saw the look in her father's eye and quieted.

"The rest of you, keep order in the house, and keep yourselves and our unborn babies safe."

"Where will you be?" asked 'Lyssa.

"I am going to see Lady Deathmist. If I can get to her before Lord Charnel does, I may be able to persuade her to join our side as a matter of enlightened self-interest. And she is the only undead powerful enough to challenge Lord Charnel with any chance to win. Especially if she has my help."

David kissed each of his wives, and then received a hug from Lady Shadow. Bitsy hugged her father and then went off to collect the children and take them to safety.

Tom reached out and pressed his fingers to David's face. "Here is where you will find the Lady Deathmist. Remember, appearances can be deceptive. And the vampire undead are a cunning breed."

A vision of a brooding fortress appeared before David's mind's eye. Somehow, David knew exactly where the fortress was in relationship to himself. "Thanks for the mind meld Mr. Spock." David grinned at Tom. Much to David's delight, the old hermit raised his hand in a salute known to Trekkies everywhere. "Live long and prosper." Tom intoned. David levitated straight up and then teleported, leaving a trail of laughter behind him.

"What was that all about?" 'Lyssa whispered to Prissy. "I dunno." was the puzzled reply. Jenny just shook her head, equally mystified. Tom looked at the ladies. "What? You never got to watch television at David's house?" 

"Only a little bit." Prissy said.

"I believe we'll find one in the parlor." Tom said. "Let's go watch it, and I'll introduce you to the wonders of Star Trek."

The women followed him downstairs again, pausing only long enough to make sure the household staff knew what was likely coming.

In the parlor, a large square screen sat in a corner of the room, with the chairs arranged in a semi-circle in front of it. As they sat down, Tom picked up a remote control and pushed a button. The screen lit up, and the ladies sat forward interestedly.




David & 'Lyssa Ch. 05



Tom sat back with a sigh. This should keep them occupied for a good while.

As the ladies became absorbed in the program, Tom vanished again. He reappeared in the Library apartment with Bitsy and the children. He shooed the little ones into the gymnasium and told them to play and have fun.

Pulling Bitsy aside, Tom had a few words of advice for her. "Take the time to read and study while you are here. Remember, time does not flow here as it does elsewhere. And some of the children could use some study time too. Especially Mrow. Like it or not, you are their teacher for the time being. I will send someone to help you, so please don't fry them when they show up."

With that Tom vanished again.

A few moments later, Bitsy felt a tremor in the fabric of the world. Then the door of the apartment suddenly grew taller. The doorknob turned and the door opened.

"Hello there Little One! I hear you need my help again?"

"TUCK!" Bitsy squealed happily. She flung herself at the giant and hugged him as tight as she could. Bitsy led Tuck over to a huge chair and made him sit down, all the while, she kept up a stream of chatter, trying to bring the giant up to date on what was going on.

Tuck listened to it all and let her run down with an amused smile. She would calm down soon enough. And the old Hermit had told him that there would be plenty of time here.

At last, Bitsy led Tuck into the gym to introduce him to the children. When they returned to the apartment, it had expanded to contain separate bedrooms for each child and for Bitsy. Tuck would sleep on Bitsy's dragon sized sleeping ledge. And the kitchen area was much bigger to accommodate several tables and a much larger pantry.

The next morning, Staffet went and collected basic books on reading etc. for the children, and gathered more advanced magic books for herself.

Tuck turned out to be an excellent teacher, with a good rapport with the kids. The kids learned to read and write with phenomenal speed. Their minds absorbing knowledge like so many sponges.

It was a few weeks into the stay at the library when Lady Shadow and Bitsy1 s moms came to visit. Lady Shadow made a big fuss over Mrow and how well she was doing. And she also hugged and talked to the other kids. From things 'Lyssa said to Bitsy, she could tell that only hours had passed in their world. Still, Bitsy was glad for the company.

Then the mothers all left again. Bitsy and Tuck went back to learning and teaching. Still, Bitsy wished that she were with her father having more adventures.

David winked into existence about 30 feet above ground. He wanted a good look at the surrounding area before he landed. Aside from a rather extensive graveyard that covered the ground as far as he could see on all sides except the single road, there was just the fortress. The only being moving was a person approaching the fortress on foot.

David landed, careful to remain on the road. The person approaching turned out to be a young human woman. David stepped to the side and waited for her to get to where he was standing. When the girl was within a few yards, David doffed his hat and bowed. "My name is David Porter. And I am new to the area."

The girl stopped a few feet from David. "My name is Moira." She said. "And 'tis plain you are a stranger. I have never seen you before."

David gave her what he hoped was a winning smile. "I am seeking the Mistress of this fortress. Could you tell me if I am on the correct road, and if I might find her at home?"

Moira frowned prettily, "Most folk who find Lady Deathmist do not survive to regret their encounter."

"Alas," David said, "I have urgent business with Lady Deathmist and must see her in person."

"On your own head be it." Said Moira sadly.

"How is it that you walk this realm unafraid?" David asked.

"None here would offer to harm me for fear of incurring the rage of Lady Deathmist. She needs me alive and healthy to care for her estate."

David bowed again. "Would you do me the courtesy and honor of escorting me to the fortress? I fear that I should have a difficult time entering if I approached alone."

Moira smiled and nodded. "Getting in would be as easy as simply asking for admission at the gatehouse. Exiting however might prove much harder, and I may not be able to assist you then. Provided that you live through your visit with Mistress Deathmist."

Offering Moira his arm, David walked with the pretty girl toward the fortress. Moira was indeed a beauty, with long red hair and emerald green eyes. She had very pale skin that went naturally with her red hair. She appeared to be about 18 or so. However things she let slip as they walked gave David the sense that she was a bit older than she looked at first.

In due course they arrived at the gatehouse. "'Tis your last chance to turn away. You can leave now safely."

David shook his head gravely. "I must speak to Lady Deathmist. It is a matter that could affect her survival and rule."

Moira blinked at this. "It seems that you must see her after all. I hope for your sake that the interview goes well."

She turned to the guards in the shack. "Open up the gates ye turnip heads! I am late and this gentleman has a message for Lady Deathmist."

The guards scrambled to open the gates for the couple to enter. David grinned to himself, yup, that was the redheaded temper in action.

Moira led David to a large room dominated by a massive ebony throne at one end. "Wait here." Moira said. She vanished through a side door that had been concealed by a tapestry.

David turned slowly around; comparing the tapestry that concealed the door the redhead had just left through to the others hanging on the walls. Unless he was mistaken, there were at least 6 other doors in the hall, and he suspected that the spaces beyond them were packed with troops ready to defend their sovereign.

Movement behind the throne alerted David to new arrivals. He turned to face the throne about 10 steps away. First came a squad of walking skeletons wearing pieces of armor and earring maces and swords. Then came a pair of humans wearing traditional wizards robes. Finally a tall slender woman with black hair and ruby lips came from behind the throne and seated herself. "I am the Lady Deathmist." Stated the lady on the throne, showing an impressive set of fangs as she smiled. Moira came to stand next to David silently. "What message do you have for me." asked the vampire on the throne as she curled her legs up under her and leaned on the arm of the throne.

"Lord Charnel is on the move." David said. "Your old liege is slain and Lord Charnel intends to take his place."

"And of what interest is this to me? Why should I concern myself with Lord Charnel's antics?" The vampire on the throne narrowed her eyes. "And why do you bring me this news at such risk to yourself?"

"It is yourself that is at risk My Lady." David said.

The Vampire laughed. "ME at risk? How do you arrive at such a ridiculous conclusion?"

"Simple," David said. "Lord Charnel has been gathering the allegiance of many lesser undead. And he will soon be the strongest leader in this domain, at least militarily. And he cannot afford to have any rivals approaching his level of power. Thus he will seek to destroy you as soon as he feels capable of it. Lord Charnel cannot take the chance of offering you a true alliance. He would always have to fear you taking control away from him."

The vampire in the throne nodded thoughtfully. To David's surprise, Moira was nodding as well.

"And how does warning me of this benefit you?" The vampire asked.

"Also simple." David said. "Lord Charnel wants to take over rule of the entire realm. I would rather not see this happen."

"And how do you suppose I am going to stop him? You said yourself that he is probably stronger militarily than I." the woman on the throne asked.

"It was my forces, led by my wives and daughter that slew the Lord Canis and his cohorts. And I would throw my support behind you to help you gain uncontested rule over this domain."

The vampire on the throne sat up straight in shock. Moira took a couple of steps to the side and turned to face David. "And what do you gain from my accepting your offer?" Moira said.

"Lady Deathmist I presume?" asked David. "I gain your loyalty to my rule. I do not interfere in the internal running of your domain. And in exchange, you gain my aid in defending your domain from external threats. You would be expected to sign and obey a charter that will be drafted to deal with disputes between domains."

Moira/Deathmist waved her hand in dismissal to her retainers. She called to the lady vampire who had impersonated her. "Katherine, I need you to call together those vassals that remain loyal to me. I need to know also which once have gone over to Lord Charnel's camp. We go to war."

"Not what ye expected?" Moira asked David with a sassy grin. "I am still young enough to recall my humanity. And your courtesy to one you took for a common maid showed your decent heart."

"I am glad to know that what others have told me of you is true." David said. "And what would that be?" Asked Moira, showing just a hint of fang in her smile now. "Why, that you were the best choice to rule this domain, and that you were very intelligent."

"Flatterer." laughed Moira. "'Twas Lord Charnel himself that robbed me of my life and loves and made me the monster I am today. I owe him a debt black as sin."

"We shall do our best to see that debt paid in full, with interest." David vowed.

"Will you join me for a meal?" Moira asked. Then she giggled like the young lass she had been when she saw the look David gave her. "Oh, if you could only see your face just now." She bent over laughing. "Ye great goof! I meant a regular mortal type meal."

David nodded with relief.

Moira led David to a large dining hall. The meal was roast beef and a savory stew accompanied by steaming hot crusty loaves of bread fresh from the oven. To David1s surprise, Moira dug right in and ate as heartily as he did. Moira noticed his surprise and guessed the reason. "I suppose you have read all that Blarney about vampires not being able to eat real food." David nodded, his mouth being too full to speak.

Moira dimpled a smile at him and continued. "When a person is first brought over to the undead, food tastes nauseating and blood is the only thing that seems to want to stay down." She made a face at the memory. "But I was stubborn, and decided that I would eat just like I always had, drinking the blood only when I absolutely had to." She paused to take a bite of bread. Moira spoke through a mouthful of food, "So now my appetite has returned for the good old foods, and the tastes help remind me of the Before time."

"And what other items do the books have wrong?" David asked when he was able to swallow the mouthful of beef he had been chewing.

"'Tis true that sunlight can harm us, but crosses and suchlike have no effect. We can be killed by decapitation, by burning, or by destroying enough of the body that we can't regenerate. Wooden stakes don't work, but silver causes us pain and can be fatal if we are hit with a weapon made of it."

Moira shivered, then, "Some of us can change into other creatures, but that is simple shape shifting. We can all turn to mist, but we are vulnerable in that form. A stiff wind can disperse us beyond recall, however we can attack in that form, pulling the blood out through the pores of the skin, the eyes and other openings." She held up a thick metal goblet and crushed it like tinfoil in one hand. "And we are strong."

David shook his head. "I am very very glad that we are going to be friends."

A tall, whip-thin vampire entered the dining hall through a door near Moira. David's hand began to glow softly, and the crosshairs appeared in David's vision. "Moira..." He began. Then things moved very fast. The tall vampire drew a short sword from under his cloak. David had time to notice that the hilt was thickly wrapped in silk, and then the blade was flickering towards Moira's neck. David's hand flared instantly to sun bright brilliance and a burst of energy lanced from the fingertips to impact the sword blade before it could touch Moira1s skin. The sword was blasted back and away from it's intended target. Then David deliberately shifted the crosshairs in his vision to arm holding the intruders blade. Another blast of energy and the whole forearm dropped smoking to the floor, the sword ringing on the flagstones. In quick succession, David deprived the male vampire of his remaining limbs by the simple tactic of blasting them off at the knees and elbow. The male vampire was in shock from pain and could only lay helplessly as the glow from David's artificial hand dimmed to a soft aura. David turned to Moira, who now looked the part of the vampire her fangs fully out and her eyes glowing blood red. "I trust you can contain him and keep him alive and right here until we can question him?"

"Aye," Moira snarled. "Then the turncoat will pay dearly for his treachery."

She knelt over the downed vampire and forced him to look her in the eyes. David could not hear what passed between them. Then Moira stood up. Shaking with rage, she picked up the dropped sword carefully by the silk wrapped hilt. "Silver." She spat. Then she knelt again and struck off the traitor's head with a single stroke.

The vampire's corpse burst into a heatless flame and dissolved into smoke. "That was far better than he merited." Moira said in disgust.

She hurled the sword through an open window a good dozen yards away.

"Lord Charnel has taken Katherine." Moira growled. "I doubt me not that he will wring from her what he can, and then slay her slowly for the "amusement1 of it."

"Can you sense where she is?" David asked urgently.

Moira looked up at him curiously. "Aye, I have a link with all of my vassals when I chose to exercise it."

"David held out his hand. "Do you trust me?"

Moira looked at him steadily. Finally she made her decision and reached for his hand. "Aye."

"Then let's go get her back." David said.

"But he will have her in his castle, and that will be warded by all the sorcery at his command. And he will have his best creatures there to defend him." Moira said hopelessly.

David smiled mirthlessly. "I doubt he is expecting ME to come dropping in." He gave her a wicked grin, "Ever hear of a HALO jump?"

Before Moira could ask what the hell a HALO jump was, David swept her into an embrace and teleported them both. David had set the teleport so that they would exit about 300 feet up and a good quarter mile from the castle on an upward trajectory. Moira muffled her yell of fear against David's shoulder and vowed to make him pay for scaring the bejabbers out of her, IF they lived through his madness.

David had planned the harebrained stunt well all things considered. Their ballistic arc carried them silently over the castle walls and down into the courtyard. Just when Moira was sure that they would hit the ground and be splattered like so much strawberry jam, David tightened his arms around her and exerted his will in a burst of levitation, depositing them neatly on their feet next to an open door. For the moment, it appeared that no one had noticed their arrival, the teleport exit had been far enough away to avoid detection unless specifically looked for, and the levitation had been too brief .to zero in on the location.

Moira swayed a bit, dizzy from her unexpected fall. When she regained her equilibrium, Moira smacked David on the shoulder, "Damn ye for a jokester and a rogue for scaring the life out of me." she said in a whisper. David chuckled softly and leaned close to whisper in her ear. "A bit late for scaring the life of you, although you made a pleasant armful as you wriggled a minute ago." David grinned wider, he hadn't known that vampires could blush.

Motioning for Moira to follow him through the open door and into the room beyond. It proved to be a storeroom, empty at the moment. There was another door on the far wall. Listening at the door, David could hear no movement. He turned to Moira. "Do your mist trick and seep under the door, unlock it from the far side if possible." Moira nodded and concentrated. Her body dissolved into a mist that flowed under the door and vanished. A short while later, the lock clicked and the door opened. Moira stood there smiling brightly. "Piece of cake." she said.

David took the lead, guided by Moira's hand on his back. They made their way down to where Lord Charnel had his dungeons. They encountered only a few beings, choosing stealth and hiding rather than direct confrontation. Their mission was rescue, not destruction and killing.

The few occasions when they had no choice, they killed, quickly and silently. Moira proving to be a deadly and skilled fighter. At last, they came to a well-lit guardroom. David counted over a dozen guards of various undead types. Pulling back to a safe distance, David whispered to Moira. "We can take them out, but it will be noisy and sure to draw attention that we can't afford right now."

Moira said simply, "leave it to me." She abruptly strode down the hall and around the corner into the room. David heard her voice raised in an angry tone. He could not make out the words, but to judge by the stream of undead fleeing the room, she was on her high horse.

Finally Moira appeared at the corner and beckoned to David. He hurried to her side. "That lot will be running fools errands until dawn." She chuckled. "No lesser undead would question a vampire, nor refuse the commands of even a strange vampire."

"Which way?" David asked.

Moira led the way down a corridor, flinching every time she passed a door. David looked closely. The doors were made of solid silver! No wonder Moira was flinching. Passing each door must have been like walking through a blast furnace.

Finally, Moira stopped in front of a door, standing as far back against the far wall as she could get. "In here." she said through teeth clenched hard against the pain. David looked into the cell through the silver bars of the window. Strapped to a wooden table with silver bands at ankles, wrists and neck, was the vampire Katherine. David could hear her low moans of pain. Sheets of silver lined the floor, walls and ceiling, effectively preventing escape.

Experimentally David pushed at the door, it swung open easily. Wary of a trap, David entered the room and walked over to the bound vampire. "Katherine, can you hear me?" David asked in a low voice. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Moira is here with me. I will get you out of here, but you have to overcome your pain and cooperate." Katherine blinked and made the barest suggestion of a nod. The skin where the silver bands touched her was blackened and blistered. David carefully used his dagger to pry the bands loose from the bolts holding them down. Then he picked up the helpless vampire woman and carried her to the corridor. "Wait for me." he said urgently to Moira as she cradled the now unconscious Katherine. David walked down

the hall, glancing into the cells, most of the time, a single glance told him that the occupant was beyond help. In two of the cells, all David could do was to put the poor creature out of its misery.

But in one cell, there were a pair of wooden blocks about 2 feet square and a foot tall. On

each block stood a young girl in her early teens. They were too far apart to support each other, and the blocks were far to small to sit down on comfortably. The girls were barefoot, and their skirts were cut raggedly to just below the knee. Their feet and ankles were blistered and red. David pushed open the door and went into the cell with the girls. They cowered away from him, clearly terrified. "Easy," David said soothingly. "I am here to rescue you. I will pick both of you up and carry you out into the corridor." The girls glanced at each other, and then nodded.




David & 'Lyssa



'Lyssa was a blur seen vaguely out of the corner of his eye as David opened fire with the.45. Not that David had any real hope of doing any significant damage to the huge dragon with his popgun. But he was not about to give up without a fight.

David fired at the throat, the underside of the dragon's jaw, and then held his ammunition to aim at the underbelly of the beast. David noticed something hanging down between the hind legs of the dragon as it reared up on its back legs. David never knew whether he consciously thought "Balls!" before he acted. He pumped out several rounds rapid fire into the dangling protrusion. Since he had happened to put the clip of G.I. surplus tracer ammunition in his .45, David could follow the path of his bullets as they hit the belly of the dragon, then struck whatever that was that was hanging down. Whatever it was that he hit, the results were gratifying. There was a shattering roar from overhead as the beast gave voice to its rage and pain. 

Then there was nothing at all, no dragon overhead, and no dragon in the rear view mirror.

Nonetheless, David sped on as fast as he could and still retain control of the car. Ejecting the spent clip, David steered with the wrist of the hand holding the .45 as he snatched up one of his spare magazines from the holder on his harness and rammed it into the magazine well of the gun. David hit the slide release to chamber the next round and flicked on the safety. Starting to put the gun away, he looked over at 'Lyssa.

David froze, not letting go of his gun. The 'Lyssa sitting in the seat next to him was NOT the 'Lyssa he was used to.

This 'Lyssa was only vaguely humanoid. She was covered in coarse greenish-gray scales. He ears were pointed and lay close to her skull. The arms seemed to have too many joints and terminated in hands that bore long sharp talons at the fingertips. The legs were likewise multi-jointed and ended in feet that would seem more at home on that dragon that he had just passed. And the mouth was full of fangs and sharp pointy teeth. 'Lyssa grinned at David. (A truly chilling sight.) She was enjoying his reaction to her new appearance. Oh shit! Thought David. He measured the distance between them, estimating on whether he could get his gun around in time to stop those fangs and talons. 'Lyssa read his thoughts and laughed inwardly. There was a chance David might be able to get his gun turned, but it would end in a tie, and besides, 'Lyssa had no intention of harming David. At least, not just now. She needed him. 'Lyssa blurred in David's sight, and solidified into the 'Lyssa shape that David was used to. "Sorry about that" Said 'Lyssa. "When he appeared, I reacted instinctively, shifting to my battle form." "OK, Who the hell WAS that?" Demanded David. "You recognized him. I can sense that much of your thoughts already. And you DO need me, at least for the moment. So spill it." 'Lyssa frowned a bit. She was not used to being spoken to like that in her realm. But the fact that David could apparently read her thoughts to some degree disturbed her. Best to go slow until she knew more. "That was one of the mid-level bosses here. I am not sure exactly which one." said 'Lyssa after a moment. "Will he be back?" asked David. "Not likely." replied 'Lyssa with a grin. "I think you spoiled his whole day with those last few shots." David looked at 'Lyssa for a long moment. 'Lyssa knew that David figured that she was not telling him everything. "What now?" Asked David. "I don't know." was the reply. 3 'Lyssa was thinking hard and fast. Her powers were back as far as she could tell. She had been able to cast a fast spell on the bullets in David's gun so that they would be able to penetrate the scales of the dragon form. The shots to the gonads however had been a stroke of genius that was all David's doing. 'Lyssa took a small mirror out of the glove box and used it to do a minor spell to let her scry into David1s realm. This enabled her to see what was in the corresponding space in David's realm that the car occupied in her realm.

As the car moved, so did the images in the mirror. 'Lyssa gave David directions until the Caddy was on what would me the highway in David's realm. Then she simply opened a gate into David's realm, sealing it behind them as soon as the car had passed through. David blinked to find himself back on the highway, a few miles from where he had left it.

David slowed the car down to a saner 65 mph.

'Lyssa was back in fully human form. But David remembered all too vividly the "battle form" that 'Lyssa had been during the dragon encounter.

David shielded his thoughts as best he could. He had friends in Deming.

If he was going up against Dragons and Demons, he wanted more firepower and better protection than a measly .45 and a fighting knife. David was silent the rest of the way to Deming. He carefully kept his mind on other things rather than on what he wanted to do. David had always been good at multi-tasking. He had once been told that he could follow up to 4 threads of thought at the same time. This was handy in business and in combat. It was even more useful here where he needed to keep a telepath from knowing his plans too early. David grinned to himself, sometimes reading that "nonsense", as his parents had called it, came in very handy indeed.

'Lyssa saw the pleased grin on David's face and wondered uneasily what he was so pleased with himself about. Surprisingly, 'Lyssa found that she could not read his thoughts clearly, even when she tried to go deeper than the usual scan of the surface thoughts that usually sufficed.

Neither of them knew it. But the sojourn into 'Lyssa's realm had changed them both far more than they could imagine.

Pulling into Deming, David headed towards his friends place on the North side of town. Pulling into his friend's driveway, David sat still in the car, making no move to exit the Caddy until the door to the house opened and his friend came out and recognized him. David's buddy Mike was a good friend, just a bit paranoid.

Of course that same paranoia was what drove Mike to collect a wide variety of weapons and armor and other useful gadgets. Warning 'Lyssa to behave and not ask any questions, David opened the door of the caddy and stepped out. "Hi Mike!" "Hi Dave. What brings ya to this neck of the woods?" "Need a favor Mike. Things are getting tight just like the old days." "Come on in. Umm, is the lady cool?" David knew that Mike was asking if 'Lyssa was an immediate danger. If he gave an answer that indicated that 'Lyssa posed any kind of threat, there would very likely be a very noisy and lethal reaction from Mike. "She's fine." David said. Which told Mike that she was not trouble, but not to be too open in front of her.

David beckoned 'Lyssa to join them. 'Lyssa stepped out of the car looking cute and sassy. Mike's eyes narrowed a touch. He sensed a bit of tension between his friend and this skirt. But as long as David did not give a high sign, he would just wait and watch. "Mike, this is 'Lyssa. 'Lyssa, this is my best friend Mike. "The man who taught me to survive in a war zone." "Pleased to meet you Miss." Said Mike. "Same here." Replied 'Lyssa. "You sit here in the shade on the porch, and I'll get you something to drink."

David and Mike went inside as 'Lyssa sat on the porch swing. A few moments later, Mike brought out a pitcher of ice tea and sat it on the table next to the swing along with a tall glass full of ice cubes. "Help yourself 'Lyssa." said Mike. 'Lyssa poured herself a drink. Mike nodded and went back inside.

After about 20 minutes, Mike and David came back outside carrying several cloth wrapped bundles and placed them in the Caddy's back seat. The men went back inside for another load, then went up and sat down on the porch with 'Lyssa. The three chatted about minor things until it was time to go. Mike shook David's hand, but avoided contact with 'Lyssa without being obvious about it.

"One more stop to make before we go too far, then we are off for home." said David. Back on the interstate once again, the trip to Lordsburg was uneventful. Exiting the interstate, David drove to a shack on the outskirts of town. "Here is $50.00. GO across the street to the cafe and get us some food to go. You pick."

David handed the cash to 'Lyssa and watched her walk off. David turned and went into the shack without knocking. Once inside, David faced another old friend. Randy was an Apache about 90 years old. He was the finest silversmith that David had ever seen. "You have the bullets prepared the way we discussed on the phone?" Asked David. "Right here." Replied Randy. "You be careful. I don't know what you have gotten yourself into, but no one wants silver bullets blessed in the sunlight and the moonlight without being in some serious shit." "No worries." Smiled David. "I thank you for your work and your blessings." He paid the old Apache and went back to the car to find 'Lyssa waiting for him with the food. "We'll eat as we go." Said David. He started the car and headed back out on the interstate again. David felt much more secure now that he had a few surprises for any more un-friendlies.

He shouldn't have been so cocky.

David started out on 1-10 again heading toward Tucson. There was a rest area up ahead and he planned to stop there to prepare his arsenal.

'Lyssa could sense an aura of power coming from David when he got back in the car. But she couldn't tell exactly what the power was. This disturbed her greatly. 'Lyssa decided that maybe showing her battle form to David was a very serious mistake. Now David was on his guard against HER, and she needed him on guard against the threats that she could sense all around. David for his part was mildly regretting taking 'Lyssa under his protection. But he had been raised to value honor above all else, as outmoded as most people seemed to think of that attitude these days. So he would stick with 'Lyssa and protect her to be best of his ability, at least, unless or until 'Lyssa turned against him and attacked him or tired to act against him.

Nothing happened as David cruised up to the rest stop just shy of the Arizona border. The rest area was pretty much deserted this early in the evening. Most of the travelers on the interstate preferred to travel during the cool of the evening. David parked not too far from the restrooms. "Last chance to hit the can if you need to go." Said David. "I don't want to risk stopping again until I get us to my place." 'Lyssa said, "I would really like an escort to the restroom. I really don't want to be separated from you any more than I need to be." David gave her a look, then got out of the car and walked with her to the restroom. 

David waited outside the door as 'Lyssa went in. Once alone, David took the silver bullets that his old Apache friend has given him and loaded a clip from his .45 with them after taking out the regular bullets. Chambering a round, David felt a little safer. Provided old Randy knew what he was doing, these rounds aught to raise merry hell with anyone from 'Lyssa's realm.

'Lyssa was feeling a bit queasy. This was, to say the least, highly unusual for her. 'Lyssa had not felt like this since early in her first century. 'Lyssa tried to adjust her form to compensate for the discomfort. To her horror, 'Lyssa was unable to change a thing. None of her powers were working. She sat on the toilet to think. Without realizing what she was doing, she stood up and shoved her pants down to her knees and sat back down on the John

She had already pissed and shit before she realized what was happening to her. 'Lyssa felt like an observer in her own body, stunned as she wiped herself and pulled up her pants and fastened them. Then she was back in control of herself. Shaking, 'Lyssa stood at the sink staring at her reflection in the mirror. Blue eyes stared out of a cute face framed by strawberry blonde hair. 'Lyssa drew the blade that David had given her and made a small cut in her arm. Red blood welled in the cut and 'Lyssa almost fainted. She managed to sheath the blade before she staggered to the door.

David saw the look on 'Lyssa's face and caught her as she collapsed. Seeing the blood, and her reaction, David assumed that an attack was underway. He took 'Lyssa over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and drew his .45.

Back at the car, 'Lyssa woke up from her faint. Fainting! Her, fainting like a human girl! 'Lyssa was disgusted with herself.

In response to his urgent questioning, 'Lyssa spilled out the explanation of why she had blood on her arm, and why she was so upset. However the reaction from David was not the one she had expected. He leaned against the car, roaring with laughter. 'Lyssa did a slow burn, how dare he take her so lightly! Then she started to see his point of view. 'Lyssa got out of the car again and went to sit on a boulder a few feet from the car.

David started setting up his toys. A Barret Model 82 Rifle. .50 BMG caliber. 11 shots. Semi-auto. Loaded and ready. Ingram M11 Cobray .45 Submachine gun, Loaded. 6 White Phosphorus grenades. David figured that the heat from the Willie Pete Incendiary grenades would put the hurtin' on any uglies that dropped by. And a variety of other lethal and nasty hardware. David shrugged out of his shoulder holster and took off his shirt. Picking up a Second Chance Ballistic vest, David strapped it on. Then he put his shirt and holster back on. Now that felt better.

'Lyssa watched the preparations with mixed feelings. Yes, it was nice to see all the hardware. But she had to wonder how much of that would be directed her way if David perceived her as a threat. And right now, she was far more vulnerable than he was. She had never felt so defenseless and powerless.

David called 'Lyssa back to the car. He was getting that hinky feeling again. 'Lyssa was also getting that feeling of imminent doom. David did not relax until they were back speeding down the road. Just a few more hours is what David thought.

Thanks to Mike's paranoia, there were 2 pack in the back seat complete with water, MRE's, folding shovels, tarps rope etc. David was about to be profoundly grateful for his friend's foresight.

This time, there was no flash of light. There was just a minor bump as the car transitioned from paved road to rutted dirt path.

65 miles per hour was much too fast for this place, so David hit the brakes gently, not wanting to lose control. Flicking on his headlights, David saw figures scrambling out of the way of the car. Glancing at 'Lyssa, David saw her still in her human form. 

'Lyssa was trying frantically to shift her form again. No joy. She was stuck like this for now. But some of her other powers were working again. 'Lyssa cast a quick spell on the car to shield it from outside magic. Of course, it would not stop anything truly powerful, but it would at least deflect enough so that the occupants should survive. And it would warn her of anything lesser.

"This is not an area I am familiar with." Said 'Lyssa. "But I know generally where we are at." "How much trouble are we in?" "More than I want to think about. I can't open a gate to get us back home. I tried." "Shit! Any ideas on what we are going to run in to?" "Well, remember that dragon form we ran under earlier?" "Yeah?" "Some of what lives around here are much worse."

Reaching into the back seat, David picked out a Ruger .357 Magnum in a gun belt that also held several speed loaders. The pistol was already loaded. "You know how to use this thing?" "I think so." "Point it at the bad guys and keep pulling the trigger until it quits going boom. " David showed 'Lyssa where the cylinder catch was and showed her how to swing out the cylinder for loading. 'Lyssa caught on right away, and strapped the gun belt on. David propped the Barret on the seat between them, and put the satchel of white phosphorus grenades on the seat close at hand.

There were black scraggly looking trees showing bare branches against a charcoal gray sky. There was no moon, nor were any stars visible. There was a reddish glow off on the horizon. David was just as glad that they were not heading that way. "If we can get back to the plains, we stand a better chance of getting back to your realm." "Any other routes? Just in case we can't get back to the plains?" "There is a route through the mountains, but it is very dangerous. And even if we can make it through, the gate there can only take us through to your world somewhere I can't control."

About that time, David hit the brakes hard. The Caddy skidded to a stop just shy of a cliff that stretched across where the road should have been. Twin stone pillars stood at the lip of the chasm, showing where the bridge had once stood. "This is as far as we go in this direction. Can we go back the other way?" "NO!! Not even if I was at my full power would I go that way. Neither of us would live a moment if THEY noticed us and decided to sport with us." 'Lyssa was openly terrified of going back, and David could clearly see that. "OK, we abandon the Caddy here. You are the guide from here on."

David and 'Lyssa exited the comforting confines of the car. Both shrugged into the backpacks. David slung the rifle over his shoulder and strapped the satchel of grenades to his waist. 'Lyssa had her revolver and a slightly smaller pack. The sneakers that David had bought her what seemed like eons ago were well suited for hiking. And the jeans and t-shirt provided good freedom of movement. But 'Lyssa still felt naked without her battle form or any of her other forms. Anything but this human shape.

David settled a set of night vision goggles on his forehead where he could drop them over his eyes with a toss of his head. After a bit of thought. David took an H&K MP5K and a pouch of loaded magazines and handed them to 'Lyssa. "This will help. Here is the safety. Push it off with your thumb and press the trigger. A red dot will show you the point of aim up to 40 yards. Here is the magazine release. Push it when you need to change magazines." David cocked the subgun and 'Lyssa put the strap of the sling over her head like David showed her. She cast a spell of enhanced vision on herself so that she could see around her as if it was brightest day.

Already the lesser creatures of the area were returning. It was time to go.

David reached into the car and started the engine. He leaned further in and pushed the shifter into drive, then jerked back as the car started rolling toward the cliff edge.

"Why?" Asked 'Lyssa. "I figure that I don't want to leave it behind intact for someone to use against us somehow." David watched impassively as his beloved El Dorado reached the brink and disappeared over the edge. There was a series of crunching noises as the Caddy tumbled down into the depths of the gorge. Then a final crash as it hit bottom, a long long way down.

David turned to 'Lyssa and motioned for her to take the lead. He reasoned that she at least had some idea of where to go. And after what he had seen the last time that they had visited this realm, he wanted her in front of him where he could see her at all times.

David was soon feeling back in his element. He had been a Marine, and then he had done some mercenary work in Central America and in Africa. David tossed his head to flip the night vision goggles down for a moment, he wanted to conserve the battery, he had only one charged spare, and no way to recharge them.

There was a brief stutter from up front as one of the creatures edged a little too close and 'Lyssa gave it a brief burst. David grudgingly admired the way she had cut the burst of fire short. Most newbies sprayed off a whole magazine before learning how to control the length of the burst.

In any case, the creature thrashed on the ground for a second, then was still. David glanced at it as he passed, and was glad that he could not see it any clearer than that. It was enough to turn his stomach as it was. It looked something like a cross between a hairless rat and a small tyrannosaur. Too many teeth and a coating of slime completed the glimpse that David had of the critter. If he had seen what stopped to devour the creature after he had passed, he probably would have filled his drawers.




David & 'Lyssa



'Lyssa kept them off the main trail. Taking them ever closer to the mountains. After a couple more hours, the pair came to a rope bridge across a narrow place in the gorge. 'Lyssa was reluctant to try it. But there was no other way across for dozens of miles. Hand over hand, David and 'Lyssa crept across the rope bridge. Once on the far side, David took his Tanto knife and cut his end of the bridge away. From the side they had just left came a terrible scream of rage, but the screamer could not be seen. Something that both travelers were grateful for.

"Come on." Said 'Lyssa. "This way." There was a steep and winding path leading from the bridge up the side of a cliff. The pair started wearily up the trail. Their packs were getting heavier by the hour as they tired. David knew from long experience that it was better to rest before they were too tired to defend themselves. So when they found a cave a few miles further into the mountains. David called a halt.

"The people who dwell in these caves do not welcome trespassers, except as an occasional meal." Warned 'Lyssa. "We need the rest, even if for only a few hours, we have to chance it," David said

Once inside the cave, David shrugged out of his pack. Taking a MRE box from the backpack, he advanced into the cave for a dozen yards or so. Laying the box on the ground, David said, "We are mere travelers passing by. We wish only to rest here at the entrance to the cave. We will not seek to trespass deeper than I am now. And we offer this food as payment for a night's lodging." David flipped his night vision goggles down when he heard something approaching. David backed away from the food a few paces and stood waiting as a short manlike figure came up. The voice that came from the creature would have sounded more natural coming from a giant than a dwarf. But David knew better than to smile or laugh. "Courtesy is not often found in this realm. And I can smell that you are from another world. Very well, we of the cave accept your payment and grant you until high noon to rest here, nothing will attack you from our cave unless you trespass within. However you must guard yourself from outside threats." So speaking, the cave dweller picked up the box and went back into the depths of the cave.

'Lyssa could not believe her eyes and ears. Even much stronger entities than her had been destroyed almost casually by a single cave dweller. And her enhanced vision showed her the several dozen that waited further back in the shadows. Perhaps there was more to this man than she had dreamed possible. For the first time, 'Lyssa allowed herself a faint hope that she might survive this mess after all.

David lit a Coleman lamp and set it on the floor as he unrolled his sleeping bag. Placing his weapons close at hand. David reclined on the bag and opened another box of MRE's. 'Lyssa also unrolled her bag and laid it beside David's. She was careful to keep his bag between her and the rest of the cavern. A decision she would regret. 

David had laid the Barret facing the cave opening with the bipod extended. This precaution saved their lives. The creature that came out of the night at them resembled a nightmare blend of a spider and a shark, with a bit of wolverine thrown in for good measure. 'Lyssa woke as the beast reached for her with a pincered foreleg, and she rolled away from the danger, leaving David with an open shot with the Barret. David had no time to take a careful aim, but then, the beast was big enough that he didn't really need to aim.

David ripped off several shots into the beast's head and chest at point blank range. The awesome muzzle blasts of the heavy rifle filled the cave mouth with light and fire and sound. The beast was deafened and confused by the assault but not seriously hurt. It opened its mouth to roar its defiance. That was all David needed. Ripping the pin from a grenade, David pitched it right down the monsters gullet. The beast obligingly swallowed. When the grenade went off, the results were spectacular. Fire vomited from the mouth and eyes of the monster. It convulsed and thrashed about, fortunately falling down outside the cave and continuing it's death throes while falling down the mountainside. David's ears were ringing and all he could think of was to reload the rifle.

'Lyssa was stunned by the blast and the attack. It was all over when she finally realized that she had not even tried to shift into battle form. Then she noticed. David. His features were blurring and reshaping themselves into their familiar shape.

David had shifted to a battle form of his own without even knowing it.

At dawn, 'Lyssa and David left the shelter of the cave, emerging into a steady drizzling rain. The only signs of the creature from the night before were scratches on the stone of the pathway from the claws of the creature during its death throes. The rain had washed the blood and ichor away long since. There was no sign of the cave dwellers. And the morning was quiet and relatively peaceful.

'Lyssa set a steady pace through the saddle of the pass and down the far slope. Though the trail was slippery and treacherous in places, the travelers had no real trouble making the passage. They saw no living creatures except for the occasional bush or tree. Yet neither doubted that they were being watched. But by whom and why, they couldn't tell, and had no real desire to look around to find out.

In this realm, curiosity could kill more than a cat. David was tiring by the time that they emerged from the pass proper. 'Lyssa was even worse off, but she was not about to let David know it. Without her normal abilities, she did not dare show any sign of weakness.

The trail led from the pass into a skeletal forest. The trees all looked dead. Bare branches clawing at the overcast sky. There were rustlings among the trees, always just beyond sight. But no motion could be seen. "Scared 'Lyssa?" David asked. "Damn straight I am." 'Lyssa shot back. "And you would be too if you had any goddamn idea what is waiting out there for us." "I don't like to show fear." David told her. "But that don't mean I don't feel it. I just refuse to let it show to the world. That invites others to see you as prey." 'Lyssa blinked. David was showing much more savvy than she had been giving him credit for, She couldn't afford mistakes like that.

There were side paths and trails branching off from the main trail. But neither traveler felt the slightest inclination to explore them or to turn at all from the main trail. Thus they saved themselves from demises too gruesome to describe.

It was the opposition that made the first error.

David raised a hand to signal a halt at the edge of a clearing.

The clearing was small. A dozen paces across. No more. A man and a woman stood in the center of the clearing dressed in tight fitting chain mail and ribbons of silk. They had swords in their hands. The blades of the swords were strangely indistinct. Fading in and out of view. Never seeming quite there, although neither David or 'Lyssa doubted for an instant that the blades would be very solid indeed if they hit flesh and bone. "Who and what are they?" Asked David in a low voice. 'Lyssa didn't answer him. She was too busy trying to hide behind him. "OK, so they're hostile and dangerous." David whispered over his shoulder to 'Lyssa. "Let's get the party started."

Shrugging off his pack to clear himself for action, David snatched a pair of WP grenades from the pack, and then reconsidered. The clearing was far too confined for area effect weapons. The Barret was far too bulky. The .45 and his Bowie would have to be enough.

Leaving 'Lyssa with the rest of the gear, David stepped out into the clearing. His senses were hyper-alert. He noticed the subtle smells of the area. He could hear the pair in front of him breathing; he could hear their silken clothing sliding against their mail with their subtle movements. And she could see the faint line in the dirt in front of him.

David heard the sounds of the bipod on the Barret clicking into place, but he didn't dare take his eyes off the pair in front of him to look back. David took two steps to the side to give 'Lyssa a clear field of fire. He heard the clacking as 'Lyssa worked the bolt on the rifle to chamber the first round, and he gave a small tight smile. The woman took a few steps toward him, lifting her sword to point at his heart.

David never knew what made him decide to stand there motionless as she moved forward with a gliding step so smooth that she seemed to be floating. He blade tip reached the line in the dirt and vanished. The woman brought up against the line like she had hit a wall. David smiled at her and drew his .45. Careful not to let the muzzle of the pistol cross the line as he pointed it at the woman's head. Her eyebrows drew together in a puzzled frown just before David squeezed the trigger. The 240-grain solid silver hollow point struck the woman just above the bridge of her nose. The back of her head exploded, showering her companion with pieces of bone and a greenish slimy matter the consistency of oatmeal. The corpse dropped and began to dissolve. David heard the boom of the big .50 behind him and felt the pressure wave of the muzzle blast. He was too busy firing at the man in the clearing to look at what 'Lyssa was shooting at. David's silver hollowpoints struck the man in his chest and head, spinning him down and around in a spray of greenish blood.

"HI-YO fucking Silver." Muttered David as he slid a new clip into the .45. It had just struck him that he was shooting silver bullets given to him by an Indian. Lone Ranger indeed.

David turned to see what 'Lyssa had been shooting at.

Knowing her present size and weight would not let her fire the big gun while standing, 'Lyssa had wisely chosen to shoot from a prone position. The muzzle brake attenuated the recoil of the Barret, but it still shoved her back a foot or so. But the cat like creature that had been coming down the trail behind them had been blown nearly in two. "Good job 'Lyssa." Said David as he helped 'Lyssa to her feet. "Thanks." Replied 'Lyssa as she brushed the dirt and debris from the front of her shirt and pants.

Shouldering the pack and the Barret, David led the way around the clearing, keeping between the trees and the circle marked by the faint line on the ground. Back in the clearing, the figures of the man and the woman began to reform. Awaiting the next travelers to come down the path.

They came to the edge of the forest a few hours later. The light level had not changed; it could have been midnight or noon. No way to tell through the clouds covering the sky. There was a marble fountain sitting just off the trail. The water looked clean and inviting. Too much like a trap for David's taste. 'Lyssa however, made a beeline for the fountain, scooping up handfuls of water and drinking deeply. David went over at a much slower pace. "The water is fine!" Cried 'Lyssa. "These fountains are neutral spots, we are safe here, no one can harm us, and we must not harm them." That suited David fine. 'Lyssa knew far more about this place than he did. And as scared as she had been since they had arrived here, if she felt safe and secure, then they probably were. Davis shrugged the pack off and began setting up camp.

'Lyssa stripped off her clothing and was standing just off to the side of the fountain, pouring buckets of water over her head and reveling in getting clean for the first time in days. David took time off from setting up camp to watch appreciatively. In this form, 'Lyssa had a great little body, well worth watching. Evidently someone else thought so too. A low appreciative whistle came from behind David. He whirled, his .45 in his hand coming out to full extension. He held his fire, remembering what 'Lyssa said about this being neutral ground. The being before him raised its hands and took a step back. "Whoa there big fella." It said in a high piping voice.

'Lyssa came up to stand beside David. She had wrapped a towel around herself and carried a dipper of water from the fountain. She offered the dipper to the small creature before her. It took the dipper and bowed to her. The creature drank half of the water and offered the rest to David. David holstered the .45 and took the dipper, Bowing to the other and drinking some of the water. It tasted sweet and slightly effervescent. David felt immensely better after that sip. He eyed the remaining water dubiously. Acting on instinct, David handed the dipper back to 'Lyssa. She bowed to him and drank the remaining water.

David knew that he had just taken part in a ritual. But he didn't know just what. He looked at 'Lyssa for an explanation. 'Lyssa saw the look David was giving her. "It's a greeting here." She explained. "The sharing of the fountains water shows that we are all willing to abide by the conventions." "OK." David said. He looked at the newcomer more closely.

Physically, the creature was humanoid. About 4 feet tall, with greenish skin and a hairless skull that was as big and round as a basketball. A hatchet nose and a thin lipped, mobile mouth balanced the startling pink and silver eyes. The creature was wearing leather shorts and a shirt that laced up the front and looked to be made of cotton or some similar material. It had a wide leather belt that held a pouch and a sheathed dagger a good 12 inches long.

"Getting a good look sweetie?" asked the creature. David blushed as he realized he had been staring more than was probably polite. The creature snickered. David stuck out his hand. "My name is David." The creature shook his hand solemnly. "My name is Prissy." David raised a brow at the creature's name. 'Lyssa smothered a giggle. David looked quizzically at 'Lyssa. "Prissy is an imp. You would call her kind 'goblins'." David decided 'what the hell'. "Pleased to meet you milady." And he swept off his cap and bowed to Prissy. "I like him." Prissy said with a grin. "He's my kind o1 crazy." 

Prissy looked closer at 'Lyssa. "And I know what you are missy. What I don't know is what he is doing traveling with the likes of you. And why you are in that form. Piss poor planning for a trip through these parts if ya asked me. Which ya ain't." 'Lyssa turned bright red. "Long story." Prissy looked askance at 'Lyssa. "He knows what you really are? Has he seen the real you yet?" 'Lyssa said, "He has seen my battle form. As for the rest, there really hasn't been time..." Prissy roared with laughter. "I never thought I'd see the day when I got to see an embarrassed succubus!" "You know what a succubus is David?" Asked Prissy. "I have heard legends. But in the myths of my world, a succubus is a demoness who drains the life force and soul of her victims through sex." "Close enough." Said Prissy. "Only they usually eat the body too when they are done with it." 'Lyssa looked down and scuffed her toe in the dirt. '"Lyssa here seems to be locked into her shape at the moment. And her powers, whatever the hell they are, seem to be blocked as well. She thinks someone is playing games with us and with her in particular." Prissy looked thoughtful. "Anyone playing these kind o" games with a succubus is way outta my league." "Can you lead us to a gate, or portal or whatever the hell you call them, that can take me and 'Lyssa back to my world?" He asked Prissy. "I'll try." Said Prissy. "Come share our fire and food," invited David.

David finished building the fire and pitching the tents. He got the fire lit and the three of them sat down to a meal of MRE's and fountain water. 'Lyssa and David related their adventures so far to Prissy. Prissy was by turns, amused, astounded, respectful, awed, and amused again. "Have you tried using any powers besides the battle form that 'Lyssa saw you take in the cave?" David looked startled at the ides. "It never occurred to me." He said. 'Lyssa looked chagrined. "It occurred to HER you bet." Said Prissy. "But you can't blame her for not saying anything. In this form of hers, good lookin1 as it is, she is a right tasty morsel for any of a thousand types of critter in these realms. And you need to remember that you are now becoming one of the critters that would find her fine dining indeed."

As amused as Prissy was, David needed to think about all this.

David woke the next morning with 'Lyssa snuggled up to his right side with her head pillowed on his shoulder. His other shoulder was pinned also. David turned his head that was and saw Prissy snuggled up to his other side.

Prissy had changed. Long red hair, a human seeming head, and a fully mature female body on a 4-foot frame.

David sighed. He should have known that Prissy would be a shape changer too.

"Good morning Prissy." David murmured when he saw Prissy's eyes open. "I like the new look." "I thought ya might find this a little less unsettlin1 to look at." Prissy gave a sheepish grin. "Besides, I figured that missy 'Lyssa there could use some competition." David turned his head toward 'Lyssa. She was just coming wide-awake. "Good morning 'Lyssa." David said. 'Lyssa stretched and yawned. "G1Morning." she slurred through her yawn. 'Lyssa sat up suddenly when she realized that Prissy was laying on the other side of David. Prissy sat up and stretched too. "Heya missy!" Said Prissy. "It do feel good to have someone to snuggle with and hold all night without eat or be eaten ain't it?" 'Lyssa gave Prissy a look that should have scorched her where she sat. Then she turned to glare at David. Laughing, David reached out and pulled 'Lyssa down for a hug. He also reached out and pulled Prissy in for a hug as well. 'Lyssa put up a struggle, but it was only a token, and she surrendered all too easily, settling down with a sigh. Prissy on the other hand, was in a playful mood. She reached out and tickled 'Lyssa's ribs. David tickled Prissy. And the breakfast was further delayed by a free for all tickle fight. It was a wonderful tension relaxer.

Finally David crawled from the tent to stir up the fire and prepare breakfast. 'Lyssa and Prissy took their time in the tent, talking softly with occasional giggles from 'Lyssa and full throated laughs from Prissy.

Finally the women made their appearance. 'Lyssa almost got herself shot. She was back in her natural form.

David turned around and saw a medium sized woman with a centerfold body covered in fine scales and sporting a huge pair of bat like wings standing entirely too close for comfort, especially considering the mouthful of fangs that she was grinning at him with.

David made a diving roll toward his pack, coming up with the H&K and his finger closing on the trigger. Before he could fire, Prissy knocked the gun up. "That's 'Lyssa!" She yelled at him. 'Lyssa was shimmering back to her familiar blonde form. David looked down at his hands. Scales. Claws. Reddish brown tinge on the mottled green scales. Not good.

David let the H&K hang from the sling. He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep calming breaths. When he opened his eyes, his hands were back to normal. And 'Lyssa had her arms around him and was clinging tightly. She was shaking like a leaf. David patted her back and put his arms around her. Prissy was still in her human form standing next to them looking at him. "Damn, you' re fast boy. And you change smoother than anyone I ever did see. How are you feeling?"

"OK I guess. She just startled me there for a moment." David replied. "I'm sorry." 'Lyssa said, her voice muffled from where her face was pressed against his shirt.

"Not a problem." Said David.

But he wondered how things would be from now on. One thing for sure, Things would never quite be the same again. "How about breakfast?" asked the ever-practical Prissy. David put down the subgun and added wood to the fire. "Coming up in a few." He said. 

As the others ate, David sat cross-legged on the ground with his eyes closed and his hands palm up on his knees. David cleared his mind and went through his calming and relaxing regimen that he had learned so long ago in the service. When he opened his eyes again, the tents and the gear had been packed. Prissy and 'Lyssa were waiting for him. "You know how to use this Prissy?" David asked as he held up a 9mm Clock. "Sort of," said Prissy. "You point the open end at the enemy and pull the trigger until it or them quits making loud noises, right?" and she gave him an impudent grin. "15 in the magazine and 1 in the chamber. No safety, just point and shoot." David said as he handed her the gun. He handed 'Lyssa the H&K. "You take point and lead the way," he told Prissy.




David & 'Lyssa



She gave him a mocking salute and a grin, and then she turned and headed back for the trail.

'Lyssa started past him. David reached out and pulled her close. Much to her surprise, David kissed her firmly on the mouth. "No worries." he told her, and patted her bottom as he brought up the rear. They traveled in relative peace for a while. The trail turning into a regular road, winding between and over hills, through countryside right out of the illustrations in the books he had read about medieval rural life. Farmers and others turned to watch the travelers as they passed. Some were human looking. Most were not. No one seemed to be afraid of them. They seemed merely curious.

Neither friendly nor openly hostile expressions on their faces. Although David was not sure that some of them could HAVE expressions on their faces.

The houses and buildings that David could see were either half timbered affairs, or wattle and daub huts. But the fields seemed well tended and the walls and fences between the fields and lining the road were in good repair. The farms seemed to be getting closer together as they went.

David stepped up the pace to move up alongside Prissy. 'A town up ahead?" he asked. Prissy nodded. Best we pass right on through. We are attracting enough attention that I don't want to be here when the boss of this domain comes to see what's going on." "Right." David dropped back to walk beside "Lyssa. "How are you holding up?" "Fine." 'Lyssa replied. "But I could use a rest before too long." "Hold on until we are past the town ahead, then we will take a break." David told her. It was not to be that easy though.

Prissy brought up short as they entered the town market square. David unslung the Barret when he saw the line of soldiers drawn up across the square, blocking their path. David felt 'Lyssa pressing her back against his, and he heard her work the bolt on the MP5K.

A glance back over his shoulder to him that they were neatly boxed in.

Prissy took a step back to stand next to David. He noticed that neither Prissy or 'Lyssa had changed from their human appearance. Then he looked down at his hands on the Barret. Scales, claws, and his mouth felt funny. A touch of his tongue told David that his dentition would now make a shark proud. He was going to HAVE to learn to control that reflex, he thought wryly to himself. David closed his eyes and took a couple of breaths. He opened his eyes and checked his hands.

Yup, back to normal. And his teeth felt normal too.

An imposing figure stepped through the line of soldiers and approached them.

David heard Prissy whimper deep in her throat.

"You are trespassing in my domain." Announced the newcomer pompously. "Submit now, and I will let you die in a few weeks or so. Resist, and your punishment will last for years." David looked the creature over. Humanoid, scales, fangs, and ears that stood up like a dogs. "And who do you think you are that you can threaten us and be allowed to live?" he asked. Hell, David thought, nothing to lose by bluffing, and they could always fight if needed.

"I am Diret. Lord of this domain, and vassal to the Dread Lord himself. Who are you? So that I may inform my master of your impudence when I tell him of your hideous fate." "I am David. And I am come to slay you." David said. Prissy looked up at him with her eyes wide. "And what makes you think that you can slay ME?" laughed Diret contemptuously. "I alone control the magic here. And none can change form without my let." David had had about enough of this blowhard. He let the shift occur. Talons, scales and teeth.

To say that Diret was astounded would be an understatement. This should not be possible Diret babbled to himself as he stepped back in shock. No one could override his control of the magic here except one of the higher powers, not even another Domain Lord could... Diret never got to finish the thought.

"Fuck you Jack." Said David as he tilted the Barret forward. The muzzle was only a foot from Diret's chin when David pulled the trigger. Diret's head vanished in a spray of green blood and yellow ichor.

Suddenly, the feel of 'Lyssa's back against his changed, and he knew that she had just assumed her battle form. Prissy likewise shifted into something that looked like a demons nightmare. As Diret's corpse burst into flames, the square was suddenly empty except for the three pissed off travelers.

After a long moment, Prissy shifted back to her redhead shape. 'Lyssa changed also. David kept his form for a bit longer, and then he relaxed. A bit prematurely as it turned out.

A crossbow bolt zipped out of the space between two buildings and hit Prissy in the shoulder. David dropped his pack and the Barret and sprinted for the gap where the bolt had come from. He shifted shape as he ran, his fury at the treacherous attack driving him on.

Between the buildings David found a cluster of creatures huddling around one who was frantically trying to wind the cocking mechanism of its crossbow. It never got the chance to finish. David leaped upon the hapless creature and grabbed its head. Davit twisted and pulled, ripping the head clear off in a spray of gore. Then he turned on the others standing there in shock. They wore the half armor and uniforms of the late Diret's soldiers. The half armor did them no good at all, it only told the berserk David which ones to rend and slay.

Finally there were only bits and pieces of the soldiers left.

Very SMALL pieces.

By the time David reached his friends, he was fully human in form again, even if he was covered in blood and other fluids. Prissy was in bad shape. The bolt had passed nearly through her shoulder, and 'Lyssa had pulled it the rest of the way through. But Prissy was bleeding a lot. David was mildly surprised to see that her blood was as red as his own. David didn't know if it would work, but he had to try something, or Prissy would surely die. David pressed his hands over the wounds on either side of her shoulder and closed his eyes. David concentrated on sending healing life energy down his arms and through his hands into Prissy as she lay there out cold. David pictured flesh knitting back together, Skin sealing over the wound, arteries and veins growing together again so the blood could flow. David could feel SOMETHING happening, but he didn't dare open his eyes to look. Finally, he sat back and relaxed his hold on Prissy's shoulder. He opened his eyes reluctantly to peek at her wounds. There was an angry red blotch on the front of her shoulder that faded as he watched. When he looked at the back of her shoulder where the bolt had come out, the skin was smooth again, with only a fading blush of color to tell him where it was.

Prissy was still out cold from the blood loss. David picked her up in his arms. 'Lyssa put the Barret and his pack over her shoulders with some difficulty, and followed David as he carried Prissy out of town along the road to the gateway. They stopped that evening at another of the fountain refuges. This one had a small cabin a few yards from the water. David settled Prissy inside and helped 'Lyssa unpack for the night. David sat on a bench near the fountain, and 'Lyssa poured water over him by the bucket full to rinse off the remains of the soldiers he had destroyed in the alley.

When he was more or less clean, David sat 'Lyssa down and bathed her feet in the water from the fountain, Then he took water in to Prissy. Between them, they managed to get a couple of dippers of water into Prissy, and she slipped into a more natural sleep. There was a trough out back that was evidently for horses or the equivalent. David filled it with water and took a much-needed bath.

Then David had a bright idea. HE took every pot and pan that they had, and used a kettle from the cabin as well, to heat water from the fountain and fill the trough. Thus 'Lyssa got to take a nice hot bath before supper. David cooked while she was bathing.

After a quick supper, David and 'Lyssa refilled the trough with warm water and undressed Prissy for her bath. Prissy1 s body looked very human indeed as David carried her out to the makeshift bathtub. 'Lyssa washed Prissy with the same bar of soap that she and David had used, Undoubtedly the odor of the soap was what finally woke the goblin girl up.

David stood watch while the girls were busy. He didn't trust the conventions right then. And he needed to think. The attack on the soldiers in the alley had been a blind berserker rage. Totally unlike him. David had been in combat many times, and he NEVER lost control. But this time, he had been a beast, rending and tearing and merciless. And if innocents had been there too, David didn't know if he would have been able to stop. Hell, he didn't even know if he'd have NOTICED.

The girls coming around the side of the cabin interrupted David's reverie.

Prissy looked much better. But she was still weak as a kitten. "We'll stay here until Prissy is ready to travel." Announced David. "And since the fountain water seems to have a rejuvenating and healing effect, this is the best place to plan our next moves while we recuperate." David handed a dipper of water to Prissy, who drank, and handed the dipper to 'Lyssa. She drank and passed the rest to David again. Somehow David felt that the ritual was critical right now. A solitary man came by that night. H shared water with each of them, but never spoke a work. From the neck down he was human, but the head was the head of a wolf. In the dawn, the stranger was gone, leaving behind a staff for each of them. The staffs were about 6 feet long and as big around as one of the silver dollars from David's world. They were of wood as hard as iron, but as light as aluminum. Just right for Prissy to use in her depleted condition. Prissy, gained her strength back over the next couple of days. And as she felt better, her sense of humor reasserted itself.

"Thanks for keeping me from being monster chow buddy. I wasn't expectin1 that sneak attack so soon after the big boy hisself got whacked." Prissy said to David. "How often to you visit my world?" David asked, "I visit New York and LA about every 5 years or so," 'And nobody notices a goblin gal running around town?" "We're talkin' LA and the Big Apple remember? No one would notice you in your battle mode." "Right. Forgot about that. I must have been having a blonde moment." David said. "How old are you Prissy?" "I'm only 43. US goblins age slowly, but we still only live 140 years or so. Succubi like 'Lyssa here, they live for thousands of years, effectively immortal unless someone kills them off." 'Lyssa said, "I am not sure how you are going to be affected. You are true human stock, David. But you are showing signs of abilities that no human has had since the days of Merlin and the great bards of legend." "That figures." David said. "Get some rest ladies. We leave in the morning."

Dawn saw the party starting out on the road. The gate that they were trying for was only a couple dozen miles away, but there were no more fountain refuges before they got there. A meal break about noon was the first rest of the day. They stopped a couple of times in the afternoon to visit the bushes, then continued on. They reached the gateway at dusk.

David was nervous, they had seen nobody at all on any of the farms they had passed. And other than the wolf head that had given them their walking staffs, they had seen nobody traveling the road since they had left the town. The gate was a stone ring that sat apparently unsupported in midair, a foot above the ground. There was a stone pillar about 4 feet high with a green crystal ball set into the top of it about 6 feet from the gate. "Just put your hand on the ball there, and think of where you want to go. The better you can see your destination, the more accurate the gate is. Most folks can get within a few miles o' where they want to go." "Ever seen anyone make a mistake?" Asked David. "Only a long long time ago." Said 'Lyssa. "I saw an incubus get startled just before he fixed the destination. and He wound up in your world all right, but about 20 miles above ground. He made a big splat when he hit."

Prissy grinned at 'Lyssa's story. "I made a transition when I was drunk." Prissy said. "That was about 10 years ago. I ended up Russia. I got there buck nekkid and in the middle of winter. I had to grow a fur coat to make it to the gateway there, and that took a week." David said. "Well, I am sober, and I know precisely where I need to go." H closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. He cleared his mind, picturing a blank slate in front of him. David thought hard about his living room. Adding details as minutely as possible down to the textures of the fabrics on the furniture, the feel of the carpet, and the smells of home. When he opened his eyes, David saw his living room through the circle of the gate. He reached out and took 'Lyssa's hand and stepped toward the gate. Just before he stepped through, David felt Prissy1s hand slide into his free hand. He looked down in surprise. "I'm goin' with ya." Prissy said merrily.

Then they were through the gate. David felt a subtle wrenching inside, and then they were all standing in his home, right in front of the couch. "Interestin1 things happen around you two. So I'm gonna tag along to see what happens. That is, if ya don't mind my company." Said Prissy.

She plopped down on the couch and grinned up at David and 'Lyssa. Prissy's breasts swelled to comical proportions.

David broke up laughing and shrugged off his pack. 'Lyssa rolled her eyes. "Oh grow up Prissy." David carried the guns to the gun case over in the corner. Then carried the pack into the kitchen to unpack and stow the contents. He would repack later.

Prissy, now back to her usual proportions, and 'Lyssa wandered around the house, exploring and snooping. David sat down in the kitchen and cleaned the guns. Something that took an hour or so. He heard the others chattering away upstairs, and he smiled. It did sound good to have company at home again. It had been a long time. David heard the shower start upstairs, and 'Lyssa came down to the kitchen. "I'm next in the shower up there." She said. "What's for supper? I'm hungry!"

"There's a shower down here if you want to use it. I'll throw something together to eat here as soon as I put all this stuff away." 'Lyssa went off to find the other shower while David reassembled the guns and reloaded them. Then he put them aside and cleaned off the table.

David washed his hands in the kitchen sink. Then dug into the freezer. He took out a couple of frozen pizzas and turned on the oven. He popped them into the oven to bake. They would make good appetizers as he finished cooking the main meal. David thawed a roast in the microwave, then peeled the potatoes and carrots etc. The veggies he put in a pot on the stove. The roast he put in a pan in the oven under the shelf holding the pizzas.

Prissy came down wearing a towel in her hair and one of his robes, it dragged on the floor, being about 10 sizes too big for her. David sat her at the table and took the pizzas out of the oven. He sliced the pizzas and set them on the table for Prissy to help herself.

'Lyssa came back a few minutes later, wearing a towel on her head and wearing another towel wrapped around her body. "That outfit looks good on ya." Quipped Prissy to 'Lyssa. 'Lyssa stuck her tongue out at the smaller girl and sat down next to her at the table and reached for a slice of pizza. David left the ladies to their own devices for a bit.

He went upstairs and dug in his closet. He got out a pair of his spare robes, then took a shower himself, washing off the days grit and grime.

When David was toweling himself off, he happened to look in the mirror. He looked a good 10 years younger, and in much better shape than he had been in since his mercenary days. Shape shifting evidently agreed with him. Since not even the arduous trek he had just completed would account for all the new muscles, not to mention the younger face. Hell, even some of his old scars were faded almost away. David shook his head. Standing and posing in front of a mirror like a teenager. He finished drying off and put on one of the robes.

When David got downstairs, he handed the spare robe to 'Lyssa, who promptly dropped the towel and put on the robe. "Showoff." laughed Prissy. David checked the roast. Just right. He took the roast from the oven and the veggies from the stove and put them on the table. Prissy and 'Lyssa were practically drooling at the scent of the food. David sliced the roast and had the girls help themselves. All three stuffed themselves. When all was done, David got on the phone to his friend from Deming. "Hey bro." Said David. "I made it home... What? Oh yeah, 'Lyssa1s here with me.... Yeah, she's OK... No. Yep, the guns were a literal lifesaver... Yeah, I'll call back if I need ya... Ok bro, be safe." And he hung up. David turned to the others. "There are 4 bedrooms upstairs. Take your pick. I am going to go to sleep, stay up as long as you like. But don't answer the door for ANYBODY, and no one leaves here unless we all go." He collected a hug from each girl, then went up to his bedroom and slid into bed.

An hour later, David was woken by whispering and giggling in the room with him. He opened his eyes as 'Lyssa and Prissy slid under the covers with him from either side. The girls snuggled up to him and he put his arms around them as they pillowed their heads on his shoulders. "We feel safer in here with you. And besides, we want cuddled and held." announced Prissy in a self-satisfied tone. "That's right." 'Lyssa put in. David rolled his eyes as he grinned. To tell the truth, he liked getting held himself. And the fact that all 3 were bare as frogs didn't hurt. He tightened his arms around them in a hug. Then he gave each a kiss and promptly went back to sleep.

David woke up alone in the bed in the morning. He yawned and stretched lazily. It felt good to be back in his own bed. No monsters, no weird magic. What bliss.

David dressed and went through his morning routine, when he came downstairs, he found 'Lyssa and Prissy trying to make breakfast in the kitchen. David looked in on them, saw that they were having fun, and went into the basement. David dug around in the storage rooms downstairs, assembling backpacks and. frames for the ladies. Carrying the packs and other supplies upstairs, David loaded the packs with camping gear and MRE's, and ammunition for the various firearms. David was not about to be caught short again. From now on, he would go no place unarmed an unequipped. David carried the loaded packs out to his garage and stowed them in his pickup. Then he went back in for the guns. David laid out a pair of Clock 9mm's, a pair of Colt .357 magnum revolvers, a pair of the H&K MP5K subguns, the big Barret .50, and his Para Ordinance P14 45's. 7 David added extra magazines, speed loaders and more ammunition to the load. Then he tossed in an assortment of knives of various sizes and types. Then he packed the whole bunch out to the truck. 

The truck was David's pride and joy. A GMC 1 ton crew cab dually. All wheel drive and twin 40-gallon fuel tanks to feed the huge turbocharged diesel engine. It would get up to 20 MPG on the road, and 12 off road. A couple of 20-gallon cans secured to each side of the cargo bed doubled the range he could travel if no fuel was available.

Finally, David went inside and found the girls waiting breakfast on him. The kitchen was a glorious mess, but the food looked and smelled appetizing. "We are going to the mall to go shopping, you both need new clothes, and I need a few supplies. With any luck, we can find a few things that will help us figure out this mess." David looked at the girls to see what they had to say. But both girls had started chattering at each other as soon as they had heard the word "shopping". David snorted with amusement. Women were women no matter what species or dimension. David pitched in to clean up the mess in the kitchen, and then they went shopping. Before they hit the mall, David stopped at a gun store where the owner was his friend. He told the girls to stay in the truck. Then he went on inside. When he came out, David had a satchel full of goodies that the feds would have been interested in knowing had been stored and sold there. Since almost all of it was illegal enough to warrant a lengthy vacation at Leavenworth. Tucking the package behind the rear seat of the truck, David got in and they finally headed for the mall.




David & 'Lyssa



David walked with the girls through the mall to the nearest clothing store. There he endured an hour or so of waiting while the girls tried o outfit after outfit. Finally they came over with their selections and dragged him to the cashier to pay for them. "Time for lunch." David said as they headed down toward the food court.

"You are right about that, SNACK FOOD!" Came a rasping voice from behind them. David spun around. There stood a creature right out of a bad 50's B movie. It looked like a cross between a bear and an overgrown cockroach. It had entirely too many legs and eyes, and a case of bad breath that was near toxic in itself. David shoved the ladies over to the side as he set himself to fight the beast. "What's the matter warm blood? No weapons and no powers?" David took his hand out of his pocket. "Catch." David said as he tossed the grenade to the beast. He spun in the same motion and dove on top of the girls and took them to the floor under him. 

The bear/cockroach caught the grenade and held it close to its eyes to get a better look at what it was. Whoever or whatever had sent the beast to David's world would have done batter to send something that was more conversant with modern weapons. It knew all about swords and knives and axes. It even knew quite a bit about guns, having been shot one time by an unlucky trapper in Alaska. However it had never seen or heard of a grenade. And it never got the chance to add to its store of knowledge.

David closed his eyes and hoped as the grenade went off, bbowing ichor and pieces of hair and chitin all over the surrounding stores. The headless corpse was still twitching on the floor when David hauled the girls to their feet and hustled them to the nearest exit.

'Lyssa had the presence of mind to snatch up their shopping bags as the got out of there. There was a series of pops behind them as they neared the truck. An unearthly howling sounded much too close at hand as they scrambled into the vehicle. The truck started on the first try, and David peeled out of the parking lot as half seen shapes leaped and bounded over and around the parked cars in pursuit. Prissy and 'Lyssa were scrabbling in the back seat for the guns as David accelerated down the street headed for the interstate.

The 500 hp diesel roared as David powered down the street. He was doing 70 by the end of the block, and was doing nearly 100 when he had to brake to make the turn onto the interstate. Heading south, David floored the pedal. The pursuers, whatever they had been were long gone. But David had no intention of stopping anytime soon.

"SHIIIIIIT!" David yelled as the scenery changed again from the interstate to what appeared to be the same plane that they had been dropped on in the Caddy. 'Lyssa and Prissy felt the world change and turned around to sit down and buckle in.

There were no tracks to be seen on the hard packed ground. The pillars of fire and the distant mountains appeared to be the same though David had not seen enough to be sure. David throttled back to a saner (slightly) 60 MPH as he took stock of their situation. 

Assets, two native guides, his truck with nearly full fuel tanks and more fuel in the back. Weapons and supplies for 3 people for a week. Liabilities, They were freaking lost. 

"Any suggestions would be welcome ladies." David said. Only Prissy spoke up. "Head towards that mountain that looks like a woman's tits. There is a road there that will take us to a different domain." 'Lyssa just curled up on the seat and leaned against David until he put his arm around her. Prissy leaned against 'Lyssa, and David shifted his arm so it rested across her shoulders too. 

David pointed the truck toward the mountain that Prissy had pointed out and hit the cruise control to conserve fuel. David still had 1 ½ tank left out of 2, when he spotted trees on the horizon. David stopped the truck and woke the girls, who had slept for the last few hours. The three of them transferred diesel from the cans to the tanks, then David checked the oil etc. He didn't know when he would get the chance again. He also dug out the backpacks and weapons. The satchel of special ordinance, David lashed to his own pack. David strapped on his .45's, and gave 'Lyssa the Colt revolvers and the gun belt that went with them. Prissy got the Clocks and one of the H&K's. David passed 'Lyssa the other H&K and propped the Barret up between them with the butt on the floorboard.

The light shone unchanging through the overcast, but David's watch was still ticking; it's windup action unaffected by the world shifts. It showed that 7 hours had passed since they had fled from the mall.

Neither girl knew how to drive, so David took a couple of white cross speed tablets to stay alert. Then he headed for the trees. The road was easy to find, white against the charcoal gray of the ground and the skies. The road was easily wide enough for the truck. The land changed rapidly as they traveled. Soon they were driving through an area that could have been anywhere in the American Mid-West.

Well, except that instead of cattle, there was some kind of giant beetle. The people that they saw seemed to be the same mixture of human and others that they had seen in Diret's domain. Those that they passed turned to stare at the apparition speeding by. David was wryly amused. The big GMC had to be the oddest thing that they had ever seen. All a matter of perspective he supposed. Prissy got excited and bounced in her seat. "There is a fountain up ahead!" she cried. Welcome news to the weary travelers. David turned the truck onto the grass next to the fountain and shut it down. "All out for supper and sleep." he announced.

David first went over to the fountain and took a dipper of the water to share with the girls. David again had the feeling that the ritual was critical to their survival, although he could not for the life of him have said why.

'Lyssa and Prissy set up one of the dome tents between the truck and the fountain. David gathered some wood from a pile nearby to heat water for their meal. 'Lyssa was coming to like the MRE's, and said so to David. He figured that just pointed out how alien she really was. The trio ate quickly. All were tired, Crawling into the blankets in the tent, they were too tired to do more than snuggle close and drop into a deep, but far from dreamless sleep. •There was a thick fog blanketing the area when they woke up. The truck was dimly visible only a few feet away. The fountain was completely obscured. David dug out a length of nylon rope. "No one leaves the tent without this rope tied around the waist, I don't want anyone getting lost," He told the girls. "Prissy, you help me pack the tent and the gear. 'Lyssa, please take the water jugs and canteens and fill them from the fountain." "Yes boss man." quipped Prissy. 'Lyssa just grinned and gathered the water jugs. David tied the cord around her waist and tied the other end around his waist before letting 'Lyssa out of his sight. The fog swallowed her up in just a few steps. 'Lyssa let out a yelp as she stumbled over the lip of the fountain with a mighty splash. Prissy giggled as she helped David take down the tent and fold the blankets etc. then she dug out some towels and met 'Lyssa when she came following the line back to David with the full water jugs and canteens.

David stowed the water in the back of the truck and lashed down the rest of the camping gear down so that it would not shift or bounce out if the going got rough. Prissy was helping 'Lyssa dry off so she could change into dry clothes.

David checked the weapons and the oil and coolant levels in the truck.

Suddenly the fog began to thicken, and only the feel of his hand on the truck allowed David to keep track of where he was. "Prissy! Grab 'Lyssa's hand and DON'T let go no matter what!" David called urgently into the fog. His words sounded strangely muffled even to his ears.

David set his back against the truck and hauled in the cord attaching him to 'Lyssa hand over hand. He felt the tug when her took up the last of the slack, and he carefully pulled the girls to him. When he had 'Lyssa by the hand, David worked his way back to the door of the truck and got it opened. He hustled the girls inside and climbed onto the drivers seat, coiling the cord so that he could close the door without catching the cord in it. Finally he was able to close the door and take the time to untie the cord from his waist.

"Nothing to do but wait." David said. The thick gray blanket of fog that swirled and eddied around hid everything outside the windows.

David had Prissy climb into the back seat and dig out some granola bars and one of the canteens for breakfast. The trio ate quietly, somehow reluctant to disturb the quiet with too much noise. When the fog disappeared, it went in a sudden blink. One instant, the fog was as thick as ever, the next, it was gone, leaving them blinking in bright sunlight.

David cursed and grabbed for the sunglasses clipped to the visor over his head. When he could see again, he saw that they were on a road passing through a very strange looking landscape. The light reflected and refracted from everything in sight, causing the momentary discomfort after the dimness of the fog. 'There are sunglasses in the glove box." David told the girls, and they hurried to put them on. "Any ideas where the hell we are and what happened?" David asked. "Do you want the first question or the second question answered first?" asked Prissy. "Your choice," said David. "Don't know where we are, and have no idea how we got here." Said Prissy with a straight face. "You're a lot of help," laughed David. But he was grateful to her for breaking the tension just a bit. 'Lyssa spoke up then. "I have only passed through here. But I think we ought to get moving, there are things here that are very dangerous." "Right," said David. And he started the truck and put it in gear. David kept the speed low even though the road they were on looked good. After a few miles, David stopped the truck abruptly. "Stay here and cover me." David said.

He got out of the truck cautiously, leaving the engine idling. He approached what looked somewhat like a familiar oak tree. But the trunk, leaves and branches were translucent. He touched the tree. It was made of crystal. He knelt to look at the grass underfoot. It was flexible, but was also crystalline. David stood and watched a small rabbit hopping away. It was composed of a smoky gray crystal that flexed and moved as flesh would. David went back to the truck and got in.

"How do we get out of here?" Davis asked 'Lyssa. "We won't be able to eat the food, or probably drink the water. We can't stay here for long." 'Lyssa replied, "The one time I was here, I passed through a pair of gates a few hundred feet apart, and I still almost got killed. The gates are near an ocean, that's all I know. I don't even know where the ocean is in relation to us." "Well, maybe we can find someone to give us directions. Or maybe we can find a tall hill and get our bearings." The girls didn't answer and David drove on. The miles passed with little change in scenery. Then David saw something that made him stop. A critter that looked like a small tyrannosaur was perched on a large quartz boulder. It spread a pair of odd looking wings to catch the sunlight, and a pair of beams shot from it's eyes to strike one of the rabbit-like creatures, shattering it. The predator hopped from the boulder and trotted over to where the crystal bunny lay in chunks, and it began to feed. 'David took out his .45 and rolled down the drivers window. A single shot shattered the mini tyrannosaur into a pile of splinters. "So they can be killed." David mused. "But that light weapon of theirs could be nasty."

'Lyssa shivered and huddled down into the seat. She HATED feeling helpless like this. She had always been the predator, the one in control. And to have to rely on someone else galled her no end. Prissy hid her satisfaction well. So far, David and 'Lyssa were doing far better than she had hoped. With 'Lyssa stripped of her powers, and David gaining control of his growing powers, things were getting interesting.

David was doing some thinking of his own. He did not like being out of control of his situation. This was starting to remind him of his military days, being sent to places he had no interest in going for purposes that he could not care less about. But as then, he would do his job and try to survive and keep his people alive as well.

The few creatures that they saw seemed curious, but did not try to harm them that they could tell. David took a walk to the top of a hill as 'Lyssa covered him with the Barret. He could see the road branched ahead a few miles, and the left branch lead toward what looked like a body of water. It was hard to tell with all of the glare. As David turned to go back to the truck, He saw a person standing by the truck apparently talking to the girls. David approached cautiously with his .45 in his hand and the safety off.

"This is Jenny," said Prissy. "She lives not too far from here and she has offered to guide us to the gates." "Jenny?" asked David. "What were you expecting? Jenny is a common name in most worlds." said 'Lyssa. David shook his head. He was beginning to get numb to new surprises. This had been a hell of a week. Jenny was formed of the same flexible crystals as the rest of the plants and animals on this world. She was reasonably pretty even by the standards of David's world, and she was friendly to boot. David holstered the .45 and held his hand out to Jenny. She took his hand and David bowed over it. "My name is David," he said. "And your help is most welcome milady." Jenny blushed a faint rose color. "Glad to help any way I can. I'm just glad to get away from the farm for a while." David grinned. Boredom, another inter-universal trait.

Prissy climbed into the back seat, and 'Lyssa scooted over to let Jenny climb in. David got into the drivers seat and buckled in. Jenny was fascinated by the interior of the truck. David remembered that he had a few CD's in the glove box. He had 'Lyssa hand him one.

Upbeat Irish music by a group called Gaelic Storm. He opened the case and slid the CD into the player. 'Lyssa and Jenny jumped when the music started. Then relaxed a bit and listened to the tunes. Jenny pointed the way, and chatted with the girls about life on her farm and their travels so far.

As 'Lyssa and Prissy filled Jenny in, David concentrated on watching for the large lizard like predators that Jenny said were the main problem in the area. But the trip to the gates was fairly uneventful. David aligned the truck with one of the gates. Prissy and Jenny got out to set the gate to go back to David's world. Prissy and Jenny got back into the truck. "I'm going with you." Jenny declared.

David rolled his eyes. He was getting quite a harem, and he still wasn't getting any. "OK," he said. "Let's roll." He put the truck in gear and drove through the gate. There was the familiar internal wrenching of inter-universal travel, and then they were traveling on level ground again. David looked around for clues as to where they were. Broad flat white/tan flats stretching off to mountains in every direction. Bonneville salt flats? Groom Lake?

David saw a something approaching from behind at a high rate of speed. David was doing about 60, but whatever was overtaking him was easily doing 3 times that speed. However the creature that came up and slowed beside them for a moment was definitely NOT human. Although he was riding a motorcycle of some kind. The biker thing gave them a friendly wave, then accelerated off into the distance. David looked over at Prissy. She gave him a wry shrug and a small smile, "ooops?" she said. David cracked up laughing. 'Lyssa looked at him like he was crazy. "It figures." David said. "Oh well, what's one more universe. Anyone know where we are and how do we get out of here?"

1 Lyssa looked around and began to get excited. This was HER domain! And that meant that her home was over.. THAT way. "Go that way! Go that way!" squealed and pointed. David obligingly turned the wheel to point the truck where 'Lyssa wanted. Prissy sat back with an air of satisfaction. So far so good. Time to stir things up a bit. Then she looked up and saw David watching her in the rear view mirror. She blanked all expression from her face. How much had he seen? And what, if anything, does he suspect? Her thoughts raced. She was not at all sure that she could still control or stop David if he got well and truly pissed. And when he found out that this whole adventure had been one huge practical joke, he would NOT be happy at all. David gave her a look that clearly said, 'we have to talk'. Then he turned his attention to the road.

David had always known that Prissy was far more than she had seemed. There were too many clues along the way. 'Lyssa getting her shape shifting back temporarily. His ability to override Diret's block on shape shifting and magic use.

'Lyssa and Jenny were oblivious to the exchange of glances. 'Lyssa was hyped about getting home, and Jenny was too busy checking out the only place she had ever been outside of her own universe. Heck she had never been more than 30 miles from her home in her life. David thought about what she would eat or drink in this world. And cursed himself for not having thought about it sooner.

David took his hand off the wheel, and took Jenny's hand. She smiled at him and twined their fingers together. Then she turned her attention to the scenery. Prissy sat up straight as she felt the surge of a major use of power right there in the truck.

No way any mere succubus was capable of that much power.

And Jenny was so weak in magic that she was not a consideration.

That left David. Prissy followed and studied the flow of power. No... It wasn't possible even for HER to pull off without help. David was remaking Jenny's body on an atomic level. Prissy sat back and sweated as she thought fast and furiously. What had she done? David should not have been able to anything approaching this level. Her enhancement of him was not this extensive. Prissy probed with all the care of a man juggling nitroglycerine.

There, that was where the extra power had come from, but whom? Suddenly she recognized the taste and feel of the power.

The cave dwellers. It had to be! But there was something else... Prissy followed the skeins of power deeper. Oh shit. Seth had added his own major boost of power shortly after she had. And then the cave dwellers had decided to have their bit of fun and jacked up his potential way the hell out of sight. The power flow ebbed and stopped. Jenny looked down at herself. "What's happened to me?" She shrieked. "You have just been adjusted so that you can survive here with us. You can now eat the same food and drink the same water and live." David told her. Jenny trembled in reaction to her shock. 'Lyssa turned and saw the change in Jenny.

"Don't worry," 'Lyssa told Jenny. "Our David will take care of everything." 'Lyssa couldn't say where her certainty came from. She wasn't sure at all about her feelings lately. David had gone from potential prey, to useful companion, to true friend, to... to... She didn11 know what to call him. Prissy, she thought of as a kind of kid sister. And she was fond of her. But David was something more. And it scared 'Lyssa to her bones. 'Lyssa put her arm around Jenny and comforted her. Prissy looked up in the mirror and met David's eyes again. And this time, SHE was the first to look away. Prissy felt a small shiver of fear. What had she loosed among the realms with her practical joke?

'Lyssa directed David to a road that took them to a large and well-kept estate. David thought it would have looked at home in Victorian England. Or Hollywood.