Vor took Pt’this and Sapphire to Erilu. Pt’this saw they were below a tree house near a lake. “Pt’this, you remember where I grew up.” Vor gestured to the house. “Since my folks moved to town, it’s been empty. Shun’s place is a short walk that way. Just follow the lake. Nobody lives on this side of the lake anymore so you have plenty of privacy.” Pt’this nodded. He’d been here once when Vor was a boy to talk to his parents. Then, he’d needed elven guards as an escort. “You’re not staying, are you?” Vor laughed. “Are you kidding? I’m going back to Sen-gan to be with my pledged.” “She’s staying overnight?” She’s taking Andy’s parents to the gate in the morning. We wanted to give Nim and Joanne a chance to spend time alone together.” Sapphire grinned. “They make a cute couple.” “As I was casting the transport spell, I saw them kissing,” Vor told her. Pt’this raised an eyebrow. “Nim kissed a woman?” “I never thought I’d see anything stranger than that gate to another world,” Vor agreed. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, since it’s a night of rare events, I’d like to get back to my pledged and hope she’d in a rare mood.” He transported off. Pt’this’s grin changed as he looked at Sapphire. There would be no stopping them to night. He moved as if he would kiss her, but as she leaned closer, he grabbed her and threw she over his shoulder. “Hey!” She cried. He laughed. “I told you. You were warned.” He carried he up the steps to the house. “And we have almost a week here too.” *** Shunati transported Ann and Andy to the house, showed them where Pt’this and Sapphire were and left. What he had neglected to mention was the house was a tree house barely bigger than the bed and table it held. But, Andy didn’t care. For an abandoned home it was in pretty good condition, and Ann was there. They climbed the ladder, and Andy carried Ann over the threshold. “It’s believed to ward off bad luck,” he explained. Now, he lay next to her, watching her sleep. She made the mewing sounds Pt’this had called purring. She had made them as they made love too only louder and more intense then. He’d been surprised by how much the sound turned him on. Something happened to the bond during that time. He could feel everything she felt. He could feel his hand on her shoulder. It wasn’t just that he could feel her shoulder under his hand, but he could feel the weight of his hand on her shoulder. It had made for some very intense lovemaking, feeling her excitement as well as his own. Now he could feel her dream. He felt as though if he fell asleep he’d be dreaming the same thing. Eventually, he closed his eyes and drifted off only to be woken by a loud dragon cry that woke Annlonna too. She sat up startled but then relax. “Sounds like someone’s finally taken a mate,” she said. She curled up against Andy but wasn’t interested in returning to sleep.