The Diaries of Cordelia Chan

Velvet Rest Hygria - 16 ^th Maivich PF5

Kiona nearly jumped out of her skin, spilling her wine everywhere when I appeared suddenly in her office.

"Bloody hell Cordelia, you could at least have knocked."

"Sorry about that. Actually I couldn't. And before you ask, No this is not a social call, where's Sulin?"

"Sulin? You don't know then. She went missing about 8 hours ago. She was supposed to be with a client, but we found him alone and unconscious some time later."

"You've no idea where she is?"

"No. She's not in her room."

"You've checked all the rooms?"

"Yes, all except the two out of use until they're rebuilt."

"Show me?"

"But why"

"No time for questions, if I don't find her soon she'll die."

We raced through the building, and into a new one, one that hadn't existed previously. The first room was pretty bare, and in a bad state but was otehrwise empty. The second one was even worse, but again was empty. It did however have half the ceiling missing.

"What's up there."

"Nothing, it's just dead space under the gables."

"I need to get up there. Is there a ladder or something similar about."

"Err, no. I could get a chair."

"Not tall enough. How about Kengrin?"

"He'll be in the bar. I'll be back as soon as I can."

I looked around the room. If she was up there then how did she do it, but then again how did she get from here to my shadow. Faith had demonstrated they knew about realities, but could they actually travel between them? Well Sulin had. Well part of Sulin had. They obviously had other powers, both Faith and Sulin, had healed me, and Faith had given me some sort of energy boost. They were also psychicly strong, at least much stronger than I was.

I located a suitable section of ceiling, where a joist appeared visible. I sprang and blinked, landing in a crouch on top of it. It shifted and creaked ominously, showering the room below with more lumps of lathe and plaster. I shifted my weight and heard the sound of splitting fibres. I leapt onto the next joist as it crashed to the floor below me. My landing perch creaked nearly as badly as the previous beam had. AS carefully as I could I changed beams moving further into the gloom.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness I could see a wall ahead. To either side of it, black spaces beckoned. I moved to the right, cobwebs coalessing about my head as I did so. I brushed them off then tried to my left. Nothing asailed me. I continued along the wall. I pulled out the mini-mag light from my pocket and shone it into the darkness. About six feet away under the eaves was a body. She'd certainly picked a bloody awkward place to hide. Sounds reached me from the room below.

"What the... Cordelia are you there?"

"Yes I'm in the attic"

"How'd you "

"Never mind. Look I've found Sulin. I can't explain now but I'll have to take her out from here. I'll bring her back as soon as I can. I'll exlain things then."

Taking the torch in hand I crawled into the space. Sulin was cold to the touch and didn't appear to be breathing. I crawled on my side along side her, put the torch in my mouth and took out Random's trump. Putting the torch back in my pocket I wrapped my arms under Sulin's, then concentrated on the card.

The answer came much quicker this time. "Where the bloody hell are you?"

"Never mind, look I'm stuck in a roof space, with a dead weight, I'm going to need you to pull me out."

"Alright, just hang on."

The roof space lit up as the gateway formed above my head. Dismayed shouts came from the room below. A female torso appeared through the gateway. "You're going to have to help me as much as you can, and try not to slip through the ceiling as I'm not going to be able to hold both of you."

Fiona grabbed me under the arms, and pulled whilst I used my feet to assist the best I could. In the end the momentum propelled us backwards onto the pattern, knocking Fiona over in the process. I got to my feet and offered her my hand. "Thankyou."

She looked up at me, so I looked down. "I see you're learning, but any form of contact is sufficient". She took my hand but didn't attempt to invade my mind. "Who is she? If I didn't know better I'd say she was dead, but as you're obviously determined to rescue her she must still be alive. Some form of suspended animation state then or a stasis field."

I looked at her.

"You're not going to tell me. Alright. I'll get it from Random later. How's the shopping going?"

"Haven't had a chance yet. It was on my list to do yesterday but things sort of got out of hand. Hopefully, I can sort about 30% of it out today, so I should have 90% of what you wanted for the Kashfa ball."

I bent down and picked up Sulin's body.

"Pretty isn't she?"

"Yes. But she's off limits or I'll tell Vialle. Anyway, thankyou. Now haven't you got work to do."

"Well technically yes, but you see this really important matter came up and well, it's going to take me at least another hour to sort out."

"Okay, I get the message. I'll call you later to get that list of other stuff."

My Condo, Sacremento, Earth - 12 ^th October 2004

I turned, and reappeared in the living room of the condo. Marcie, or what ever was masquarading as Marcie was asleep on the sofa. Hope emerged from the kitchen. "They're both upstairs. I'll join you shortly. Would you like tea or coffee?"

"Ugh. Coffee please." I made my way upstairs to my bedroom. Faith was lying on my bed next to Sulin. She stirred as I entered.

"Put her body down in her body form, then we'll see if she has the strength left to return."

I moved over to the bed. I didn't quite understand what she'd said as it wasn't logical, but it was worth a try. I put Sulin's body down on the bed where she appeared to be lying. The experience of your hands passing through somebody was wierd to say the least.

It was an odd sight to watch. There were two bodies, one offset from the other, like a ghost image on a TV screen. Then the shadow sort of coalessed with the body and the chest began to move again, very shallowly at first, but then with increasing vigor. After perhaps 5 minutes she opened her eyes and looked at me. Her voice was barely audible, "Thankyou."

Faith had long since got up from where she'd been lying. She looked drawn and tired, unlike when she'd first arrived. "Leave your friend to sleep. She will need to rest for several days, but I think you would like some answers. We will talk downstairs."

I got up and followed her down. I then noticed that the place had been cleaned whilst I was gone. Two more girls were sunbathing naked by the pool, and a third emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of coffee and profiteroles.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the new arrival said "All in good time. Come and eat". She walked out onto the pool side. I followed her out noticing the slight chill still in the air despite the slowly rising sun. She handed me a coffee and a bowl of profieroles, "Chocolate is such a good restorative don't you think. Now before we continue, the two young men, watching us from behind the curtained window, are they over 18."

I turned and looked causing the curtains to flutter as they dropped back into place. I remained watching and about half a minute later they twitched again. I pointed at my feet.

"I take it you've indicated that you want then to come down here?"

"Yes. They'll be down in a couple of minutes."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because they know what will happen if they don't. This is not the first time they've been caught. What are you going to do with them?"

"Nothing. Patricia and Eve will keep them amused whilst we talk; then arrange for them to sleep for a few hours."

"Okay, the amusing I get but why the few hours sleep?"

"That will become apparent in time. Faith was impressed you'd managed to maintain control for as long as you had, especially given the circumstances, but in order for you to rescue Sulin she had to install a memory block, and when the block is removed. Well, put it this way I wouldn't like my neighbours to be in a position to overhear what went on, assuming I had the normal human hangups about such things."

"Sorry I don't know what you're talking about."

"Good it means the block is still holding. These things can be a little tricky, especially as we're not completely sure of your abilities. Hopefully it will hold long enough for the rest of your guests to arrive."

"What, there are more of you coming? How many of you are there exactly?"

"On this world there are perhaps a few thousand. We are quite long lived, although not by your standards, but our life cycle is rather complex. I guess your friend Sulin did what she did out of desperation, I suspect that there are very few of us on her world. We will find out when she wakes up. Now as to your first question, only one more, but she is bringing three males of your species with her. I am hoping that we can exert sufficient control to stop you from permanently damaging them."

I stopped eating mid profiterole. In the back of my mind, the image of me ravaging three stable hands replayed. I swallowed hard. "You have remembered something."

"Yes. When I first walked the pattern I nearly tore three stable hands apart to satisfy a primeval urge to fuck everything in sight."

She remained quiet, watching me warily. The sound of a ladder on the fence broke the mood. Two figures in heavy tracksuits climbed over. Nervously they walked in my direction. "Uggh Hi Cordelia"

"Bit late for niceties isn't it. What sort of punishment do you think would be fitting" They looked at the floor nervously. "Perhaps I should go get my sword and amputate your dicks, then you wouldn't be able jerk off all over your curtains". Nervously they crossed their legs. I ran my fingers up Brads thigh. "Unfortunately, the two young ladies over there are in need of entertaining. Should you fail in anyway to live upto their expectations, then not only will there be two amputations of redundant parts, but I'll hang them in the girls locker room at your high school and arrange a special screening of that video I made. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes miss Chan."

"Good. You better go they're waiting."

"Are you always so confrontational and domineering?"

"I suppose so I like to be on top."

"Metaphorically or physically?"

"Both."

"I thought as much. So what would you like to know?"

"Well who, no what are you?"

"Not the best phrased of questions, and not the most elequently put but then you're young even for an Amberite, although I guess as you still appear to live hear your new to your abilities. As to what we are we're the Illiarri, not that you'd have heard that name. You've heard the term Succubus. Well Succubi are Illiarri turned rogue. It happens occasionally, usually where they're in an environment where they're exposed to of forced into the sex trade when they're too young an immature to handle the energies they absorb. Its happening more frequently on worlds like this. If it hadn't been to Sulin's appearance you wouldn't be here now."

"I'd gathered that. How'd she just appear like that?"

"Well she gated herself in, well her true form at least."

"So how come she needed her body then?"

"Are there in lies the problem. In worlds that are real or substantially real we can't exist for very long in our true form so we have to make use of redundant bodies. In realms close to the courts its not a problem, although there are other problems there, procreation amongst them. You see we can only grow and mature in another body. Assuming the body doesn't die, we can live for between five hundred and a thousand years.
Now before you ask it, now we're not parasites, and no we don't possess people, at least in the way you think. When two of us meet, provided we're of the right age, and are not related, at least within two generations, we reproduce generating two off spring. Each parent takes one of the offspring with them, like a marsupial does with its young. This offspring we keep with us until we can find a suitable host, which in itself is no mean feat. Do you know how difficult it is to locate a full term baby which dies during child birth. Even then the window of opportunity is small. The offspring has two minutes from the point the original soul leaves to occupy the body. Provided it implants successfully then the child will grow and mature normally, the original parents completely unaware that their child is any different from any other. This all changes when they reach pubety, and their powers begin to manifest themselves. We're not sure of the exact mechanism but the knowledge of who their parents and grand parents are and how to use their powers is passed genetically to each offspring. Most parents either keep an eye on their offspring or attempt to return around pubety just in case anything goes awry. "

"So Marcie is Sulin's off spring?"

"No. I believe she's Faith's. We hadn't realised things had got as bad as they had, and weren't close enough to get to you in time."

"Alright, if what you say is true how come Sulin just appeared like she did."

"Everything I've said is true, and I've already said she gated herself in."

"That doesn't make sense. She was in Tullbranich."

"Not strictly true. Most of her was in Tullbranich. I told you I thought she was desperate."

"Desperate for what?"

"You're a smart girl Cordelia, haven't you worked it out yet. What is the goal of most life forms?"

"Well I suppose to survive and multiply"

"Pretty much. I suspect that there aren't many of us left in her reality, so when she discovered you were an Amberite, she risked her own life, cut off a piece of herself and embedded it in you"

"What do you mean a peace of herself"

"Well all life forms have an essence, what is variously described as a spirit or soul. Some life forms can split that essence into pieces each piece capable of existing on its own away from the parent. Not a particularly good name but it will suffice. Others can split bits off and use them to take over and control others, what you call possession. As a race we possess the capability but it is very risky to do it. In Sulin's case I think she had other objectives in mind."

"So she possesed me and has been controling me. I don't feel any different."

"No she didn't possess you. Possesing you would be almost impossible. She'd have to keep you away from the Pattern and stop you using any powers involving it, as doing so would expel the possesing essence. No I think she did something far harder and far riskier."

"So if I'm not possessed then what?"

"I believe she bound part of her essence to you, establishing a symbiotic relationship. You may not have consciously been aware of it, but has your sex drive increased?"

"No, not that I've noticed. Anyway what benefit would she get from it?"

"Well you travel about shadow. You are also a good person at heart. Eventually you would have run into another one of us. She would then have gated herself in in her true form and hoped you'd be in a position to return her to her body before she died. Unfortunately things didn't quite work out as she'd hoped and she had to intervene to save you from Marcie. Of course the unexpected upside from her point of view is that there are now six of us here, and before you ask that doesn't include Marcie, she won't be of breeding age for another fifty or so years."

"So you'll all mate with her?"

"I doubt it, although she might choose to do so."

"You can do sextuplets then?"

"Technically we can carry as many offspring as we like, but in Sulin's case it wouldn't be a great help to her. What we really need to do is repopulate her world, increasing the genetic pool."

"I'm not sure they'd be able to stand another six Sulin's. Her world is quite different to this."

"You're not opposed to helping then, knowing what you now do about us."

"You mean you weren't joking?"

"Would you joke about the survival of your species?"

"No"

"So why do you think I would."

"Well .."

"I thought as much. So would you?"

"Well I suppose so."

"I'll start selecting candidates as soon as I can have a long talk with Sulin. Can she stay here? I take it you're back to sea as soon as you're able. It'll take me about a month I should think to narrow the application list down to about 40 candidates. There should be enough room in the hold for that many for a four or five day voyage. Can you come back in a month?"

"Hold on, this is going way too fast. Yes I can come back to take Sulin home, but beyond that I can't say at the moment. Can you select your candidates and then have them ready to travel at 24 hours notice?"

"That's a little short, 3 days may be, but 5 would be preferable."

"I'll see what I can do but I'm not promising anything. It's not likely to be for at least 3 months though, I have a number of things on at present."

"Could you take a couple with you when you collect Sulin?"

"Probably."

"How soon?"

"Not sure. 3 or 4 days most likely."

In the background, Patricia changed position with Brad, climbing on top of him, triggering another memory. I felt the flush rush across my body. "How long until the girl you've got coming gets here?"

"About half an hour. I suggest we take what's left of the profiteroles inside. There are likely to be less destractions in there. Do you play backgammon or bridge?"

"backgammon badly"

"I'll teach you to play bridge then. Faith can take one hand and Charity the other."

"What if I don't want to play?", the image of Particia mounting Brad kept playing over in my mind.

"I would suggest very strongly that you do. You need to think of something else. Faith get Hope and the cards from my bag. Cordelia pay attention to me."

"Sorry what were you saying." I was beginning to feel hot and horny. Was Robert still upstairs.

"Your going to play bridge. You need to concentrate on what I'm saying."

I can't actually remember much of the next two hours. I can vaguely remember Heather explaining card ranks, and tricks, and bidding, and my attention continually wandering. I certainly don't remember the three guys arriving, or me pouncing on them, or the three girls trying to hold onto me. I also can't remember how many times I fucked them, but I do remember Robert arriving at some point, and fucking him twice, with Patricia and Eve taking over whilst he recovered.

When I eventually came to again it was early evening. I was naked, except for a sheet, and in bed. Sulin was dozing in my reclining chair. I slipped out of bed causing her to stir and wake. She looked across at me and smiled. "Thankyou, although I think I owe you an apology".

"I'm not sure you owe me anything, from what Faith and Heather said you probably saved our lives."

Feeling a slight chill from the open window, I grabbed a kimono and went down stairs.

Faith, Hope, Heather, and Marcie were down stairs in the living room. They looked up as I came down the stairs, except for Marcie who launched herself across the room and started hugging me. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" she sobbed. I hugged her back. The put my hand under her chin, and forced her to look at me. "I'll forgive you. I don't think you were actually responsible for your actions".

She hugged me again."However, to make up for it, you are going to go to collage, you are going to get a First, and you're not going to pay for your education by working in either the sex or porn trades."

"But how?"

"Go take a look in my rucksack. There's some money in there. Fifty thousand is for you."

She looked stunned, and started crying again. "But I don't deserve it, not after what I tried to do."

I forced her to look at me. "Yes you do. What you did you couldn't control. I was going to give you the money last night. Nothing that happened has changed that."

Sulin came down behind me, causing Marcie to cringe. She looked truely frightened. "Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you. You should be thankful I didn't just kill you. I've had enough of killing my own kind."

"I turned round. Sulin had tears in her eyes. "Sulin how old are you?"

"I shall have lived for 648 years in a few months time. I've had 3 daughters, the last over 250 years ago. As far as I know none are still alive. I've killed 54 of my kind, 32 of which were under 20 years of age. When I killed the last one I made a vow never to kill again. It almost cost me my life, but I'd do the same again tomorrow."

I hugged her and let her cry on my shoulder. After a few minutes she pulled herself together. "Sorry, I didn't mean that to happen, it's just its been such a long time, and my emotions are a little screwed up at the moment. I feel like I've died and gone to heaven."

I let her go. From the living room Hope said, if you're hungry there's chilli, garlic bread, and sour-kraut in the kitchen. I looked at her, "Well okay but I happen to like sour-kraut.". I took Sulin's hand and led her into the kitchen. "This is an amazing place. So many magical things to make life easier."

I laughed. "Not Magic, just technology. And they don't make life easier, they make people lazy, so they have to find ways to earn money, to buy more things, to make up for the fact that hey no longer have time to do anything. Life may be hard in your world, but in many way's its much simpler than in this one."

"Perhaps". I handed her a bowl of chilli. She sniffed it. "I doubt it's poisoned, although from the smell it's quite spicy. If you don't like it I'll find you something else."

She dipped her finger in the bowl then licked it cautiously. "Yes it is quite spicey, but it tastes okay. I shall be alright with this." She picked up some of the bread and made her way back into the living room. I refilled the coffee jug, changed the filter, then poured the water into the tank, swapping the two jugs over, and pouring myself a mug, before joining them. Heather had made a space for Sulin between her and Hope, whilst Marcie was leaning against Faith, who was stroking her hair. I squatted down on the remaining unoccupied sofa. "So what happened to everyone else?"

"Mary-Lou took Patricia, Eve, and the guys home. The two boys from next door went shortly after we woke them up. Your other two friends are still upstairs asleep. We really ought to wake the girl up, but Robert I think you called him, would probably like a little more sleep, especially if you plan on keeping him up again tonight."

It hadn't occurred to me too until she mentioned it, but since she had.

It wasn't until I came to again that I realised several minutes had passed. I also wasn't wearing my kimono, was wet and sticky, and my food had been placed on the coffee table. I was also being supported by Heather. I flushed from head to foot. "Don't worry, I had expected this. It should pass in a few hours, you had bottled up a considerable head of steam, and whilst you vented most of it, there is still a residue still to vent so to speak. Why don't you finish your food, whilst I go wake the girl."

I pulled myself into a sitting position, whilst Hope gave me a towel and a fresh kimono. Heather got up and went upstairs, returning a few minues later. "She'll join us shortly, she's just taking a shower."

An image formed in my mind of Natasha washing herself in the shower. I felt my body react. Heather was watching me again. "No I'm not going to do whatever it was I did before again. I'm quite in contol thankyou". In truth I wasn't, but I resisted the urge to put my fingers between my legs and masturbate, not that it mattered; I came anyway, although I didn't black out this time. If this carried on for several hours longer I'd run out of kimonos. I went up stairs, changed yet again, only this time I collected a towel to sit on, then went down to the laundry room, and put the accumulated half load on. By the time I'd returned to the living room, Natasha had come down and was talking to Heather. I apologized for having had to detain her, and gave her five hundred dollars compensation. I said I'd speak to Xi Feng, the Manageress at the Purple Dragon, and let her know the out come via her brother. I then had to excuse myself rather rapidly as the scene of Xi Feng on the table replayed itself, with the incumbent consequences. By the time I returned down stairs she'd gone. This also reminded me that I still had a ship sitting in harbour and a cargo to arrange. I made several phone calls.

By the time I finished another hour had passed. Faith and Hope had left, as had Marcie, and Heather had woken Robert, who was in the process of eating a bowl of Chilli. "Look I need to go. I'll be back sometime tomorrow afternoon. try not to break him whilst I'm gone, and don't involve Sulin, she doesn't have the strength yet." She kissed me on the cheek and let herself out.

For want of anything better to do I put the TV on, then went across to the computer. I supposed as I was indisposed, the least I could do was sort out the rest of my emails. Robert finished his chilli and put the bowl down. He'd been watching me on and off as he'd been eating, and I'd been getting wetter and wetter as a result. "Come on spit it out. There's something bothering you."

"Well, I'm not sure where to start. I can't remember anything after we got back from the drugs raid last night, until I woke up an hour or so ago, although I have a vague feeling that we made out on the floor over there earlier this afternoon. I also know that the girl asleep on the other sofa is a friend of yours called Sulin, but I can't every recall having met her before or been introduced."

"If this were any other situation I'd just edit your memory, but in your case I'm not going to. The reason you can't remember is that your memory was has been edited, along with that of your sister, but not by me. What happened last night, well lets just say it wouldn't do you any good to remember. As to making out this afternoon, yes we did.."

I felt someone shaking me. "Cordelia. Cordelia. Wake up and stop doing that to yourself, otherwise I'm going to have to leave, I thought I had a broad mind but... "

"Eh. O'shit." I was soaking wet and sticky again. I removed the paper weight I'd been using and wiped it off on the towel, before placing it back on the desk.

"What's going on?"

"I can't explain fully, there are things I just can't tell you. I'm suffering certain side effects from using a number of my abilities yesterday. You remember the conversation about me needing to fuck you really badly, well certain things happened last night, and I didn't get the relief I needed, and I had to do a lot more stuff besides, and well just imagine what happens to a pressure cooker that doesn't have a relief valve and doesn't have the heat turned down when it reaches the correct pressure. Then somebody realizing whats happened yanks it off the heat, lifts the valve to release most of the pressure, then leaves it to cool slowly. That's me at the moment, I'm a slowly cooling pressure cooker."

"Why don't you just dump the remaineder of the pressure in one go?"

"Because I'm not sure what would happen, and you'd most definately not like me afterwards, and to be honest I quite like you."

Another image was building. "Robert, if you want to help, go upstairs, under my bed is a box. Bring me the large glass vibrator, and what ever you do don't allow me to fuck you."

His involvement helped considerably, although it was with great, effort he not only refused my advances but also held me off. When I'd recovered he asked me how much longer this was going to continue. I had to admit that I didn't know but that before Heather had left she'd said it could be several hours. He said he wasn't sure he could survive that long, which set me off laughing. In response he tried swatting me playfully, which in turn lead to.

It was Sulin stiring that woke us. I shook Robert. "Are you okay? It wasn't intentional."

Grogilly, he turned over, propped himself up on one arm, then kissed me."I think so?"

"I'm not sure you're doing that was a good idea". Sulin was now watching me. "And you're to stay out of this as well". I fought for control and won. "I may be over the worst of it. I hope. I'm going to take a shower. Don't come anywhere near me, just in case." An image formed of Robert and I in the shower. I grabbed the vibrator and legged it upstairs.

When I returned downstairs about an hour later, Sulin was stradling Roberts lap. She smiled at me. "What do you think you're doing Sulin?"

"Helping."

"I don't see that as helping. He doesn't need that kind of help"

"Actually he does, but it's not as if I'm bouncing up and down or anything".She proceeded to do exactly that.

"Stop that and get off him." I was beginning to lose it again.

"Why?" She continued, moving Roberts hands onto her breasts.

"Because.."

I'd barely started the sentence before she interupted. "Because you're going to need another shower?"

"No. If you make him come.."

"You'll what? Come over hear and lick it out of me?"

That was it. Images flowed into my head; I turned tail and legged it back upstairs to my bedroom. About half an hour later, there was a knock at my door. "Go away, I'm busy."

"I've got a coffee, some orange juice, and a sandwich, here for you. Can I come in?"

"If you must." The door opened and Robert came in. He looked about then crossed the room and placed them on the dresser. "Anything I can help with?"

"No. You've helped enough already."

"Look waht happened with Sulin just happened. We were talking, and I was uncomfortable, and she said she could help if I'd let her, and well..."

"You thought well why not Cordeila's not about she won't find out."

"Actually no, it was the last thing on my mind. You were a little rough earlier"

"So she knocked you out then jumped you whilst you were unconscious then?"

"No. Will you stop twisting things. I'm not exactly sure what happened. One minute we were talking, the next she was sitting on my lap, it was warm and didn't hurt as much, and then, well you know what happened then, and now it doesn't hurt at all, and she said I should wait a bit and then come and see if you wanted any help."

"Damn her. I told her to stay out of it."

"She said you'd say that. She know's she can't risk helping you directly so she helped me so I could help you, so drink your coffee and orange, and eat your sandwich, and then let me help you."

His presence was triggering reactions. "Bastard". I launched myself at him, but he just caught my wrists. "Not until you've eaten. Now get a grip on youself."

I struggled but he just held on. In the back of my brain something said "He shouldn't be able to do that", then another voice "Sulin", followed by a voice that was distinctly Sulin's, "I'm not in a fit state to fight you, remember what Heather told you, now get a grip, please". There was a distinct air of begging at the end. Now what had Heather said, something about the Illiarri? No something about Sulin, something about what had happened. Something about combining a fragment of her essence with mine, then she asked if anything had changed, if my sex drive had increased. Well it hadn't, well not until now, now I was behaving like Sulin, no like Marcie yesterday, but Marcie had lost control, was she implying that...

The thought stopped me cold. I stopped fighting, stumbled backwards onto the bed and sat down. I could feel the energy flowing out of me. Now I felt tired and hungry. I looked up at Robert. "Thankyou. You can go downstairs now. I'll eat this and come down. Oh and tell Sulin, Thankyou."

I'd finished eating and had nearly finished dressing when I felt the tingling sensation that indicated an incoming trump. Failing to locate my trump deck, I accepted the call as cautiously as I could.

"If I'd wanted to ream your brain that would not have saved you."

It was Fiona."Yes, well if I'd know it wsa you I wouldn't have accepted the call."

"Random has been trying to contact you for a couple of hours, and failing, but then he's not as adept as I am. What exactly has been happening you're trump's been misreading for the last hour or so. It only returned to normal a few minutes ago."

"I'll call Random then shall I?"

"I'd like an explanation."

"I'm sure you would, but I'm choosing not to give you one."

"I see you're learning. I could quite easily break those flimsy shields of yours and read everything that has occurred in say the last 48 hours Amber time."

"I'm well aware of that."

"You're really after a spanking."

"Actually after the last few hours no, but I'd probably be in the mood in and hour or so. I didn't think you were into sex games though."

"Why do you bring everything down to your level all the time. You're as bad as Flora. If I hadn't promised Random, then."

She left the threat hanging and severed the connection. Now where were my trumps? I'd had them when I rescued Sulin, and I'd put them back in my jacket, and then I'd come back here; I'd put Sulin on the bed, then gone downstairs with Faith, and then outside with Heather, and then we'd gone inside, so my jacket was most likely somewhere in the living room along with my sword.

Finding my jacket turned out not to be a problem. Somebody had thoughtfully hung it over the back of my computer chair. Robert looked up from the football, as I came down, put his finger to his lips and pointed at Sulin lying asleep on the sofa. I nodded and made my way across to the chair, sat down and extracted Random's trump from where it was still sticking out of a pocket.