Athene, dark, tall, and slender; green-eyed lay in a hammock some two to three meters from the high ground, writing in a bound paper book.  When she saw the strangers walking into D Den with Sadian and Astoric and jumped to the ground in front of them the visitors were noticeably startled.   "Hello," she said.

      Sadian and those who were with her had changed clothing, all wearing either kilt or lose pants and various lightweight tops.  Athene had a very short kilt and a thin halter for clothing, wore orchids in her hair and carried a spear.  "This is Athene, she is almost as old as my twin daughters," Sadian said, "the costume is a little severe even for D Den, but you know teenagers."

      Athene was staring.

      Sadian introduced the visitors in turn.  Also explained that Athene was really a talented and brilliant girl studying to be the tribe's keeper of records among other things.

      "Ask her questions if you like, she knows this den better than we do," Sadian said.  "Minerva and the others will probably be along soon."

      "D Den is rainforest.  Here at the top, you can see directly from the vantage of the narrow high ground the uppermost canopy.  You'll see many of the birds here, certain kinds of flowers and parasitic vines.  Many insects, small primates and reptiles live in the trees, you can see that if you walk down the path."  Athene led the way past the dense canopy of large green leaves and thin branches into the even denser growth below, where the branches were older and thicker.  The sound of falling water roared everywhere they went, it was not raining, but water dripped from everything.  Athene explained that many important medicines came from plants that would only grow in this den.  It took several minutes to walk down the steep path to the next level stretch of land.  Here there was a house carved into the rocky hillside it seemed, but Athene said it was really a very large house built into the hollow beneath the high ground and that Valor and Edil lived here now.  Opposite the house's facade was the lake.

      Here was where the sound came from, as they cleared the cover of trees the group saw that they stood quite close to a large waterfall that came right out of the false rock covered wall of the den and poured down into this lake.  Athene said that through the waterfall there was a small hollow but the most interesting thing in there was the access door to the desalination plant.  In the lake they had many fish and amphibians, also several manatee and river dolphins. 

      All the air was moist and smelled like rain and flowers.  Athene was showing the group how the kilts were designed with a front panel with drawstring in the hem so that it could be worn as apron or used to carry things when tied to the waist.  She began then to explain how the spear was useful in stabbing fish or very large spiders, even snakes or frogs, all of which could be held over open flame at the end of the spear to cook then eaten.  This repulsed the Earthlings, having heard of eating fish, even snake or frog, but not having tried it, but not imagining how one could eat spider.

      "The big bird-eating spiders, you burn the hair off in the fire and crack them open like a crab," Athene said.

      Sadian laughed, "I personally don't even like crab." 

      They went into the house after Sadian.  Once through the small door they saw that the interior was quite large.  They stood in a large hall with clay tile floor, before them was a Grande staircase leading to rooms above, from other doorways on this ground floor four people came to greet them, dressed in the rainforest costume. 

      Sadian introduced her daughter Valor, the last of the family to be born on Earth, she was lighter skinned than Sadian, quite blonde as well.  With her was Edil, now her mate, Lade's brother, the son of Blath and Theodoric, light brown skinned as was Blath with dark hair just tinged with red.  The others were Minerva and Aedan, the parents of Athene, both quite dark in coloring as she was. 

      Sadian introduced Carlo first out of the guests, explained that he was interested in terreforming and that he came from Brazil, where they had Earthen rainforests.

      Minerva spoke for the couple, offered Carlo a place to stay in either this house or the treehouse whenever he should care to visit to discuss their work or just for pleasure.

                      ?                ?                ?

      Touring, the group passed quickly over E Den via the high road and the hanging gardens and scenic lookouts that were placed along it in this area.  Sadian wished them to see F den before retiring to E Den for an evening meal.  They passed through the open passage as there was no need for an air lock between E and F dens.  Its climate was also mild and moderate, presently bringing in cool weather late harvests, for the whole two-kilometer deep shaft was dedicated to farming crops. 

      On terraced ringed or circular fields crops were growing, soy, corn, bamboo, hemp, rice, wheat, all their staple crops.  Sadian pointed out how the water from the river in E Den was pumped through pipes and used to irrigate the crops before being collected by dehumidifiers or pumped from the ground for recycling.  Small robots and video cameras monitored the progress of crops.  In some places patches of other plants were growing and Sadian said this was for the repelling or attracting of certain insects. 

      "We hope someday to move the growing of staple crops to another location, perhaps Hempshire or a new settlement in Midway.  We'd like to use F Den to house another specialized habitat.  We have many plants and animals native to Africa, Europe, and North and South America, but we do not have a fair representation of Asia, nor Australia for that matter.  But we are already moving the base of high tech development to Hellas and hope to eventually set up there additional marine habitats and perhaps something of Australia."

      "Do you have many plans for Cydonia?" Martin asked.

      "the settlement there serves as back up crop farm, their summer and winter is opposite Hellas and we're very close to the equator here.  They also mine water ice.  Other than that Cydonia was meant to be a cultural center, for arts.  But after the accident Alix's team pulled out.  Only the Weird Sisters go up there."

      "Yrieix's fall?" Brittany asked.

      "Yes," Astoric said, "Alix was his father.  He had plans to build monuments in that area."

      "That is sad," Martin said, "I hope someone can go back to that work."

      "They had great plans," Astoric said, "To build such monuments that one could see clearly from orbit and possibly from Earth with telescope.  Images drawn on the ground kilometers across, or a great wall.  Even series of light panels that might be programmed to spell out messages or to form pictures."

      "That's hilarious," Etan laughed, "Fucking brilliant."

      "I thought so," Astoric said.

                      ?                ?                ?

      The team of explorers now returned to E Den, awed as everyone was not by grandeur or raw forces of nature but by its perfect tranquillity and simple plan.  They made a slow walk down to the grassy valley floor as the shutters were closing over the glass pyramid above.  Now in artificial moonlight they came to the Redstone on a crisp climate controlled clear night and it felt like Halloween. 

      The gargoyles above seemed to move as the light changed and as Mara opened the door and bathed her guests in yellow lamplight the pinned braids and long black dress made her horrifying in silhouette.  "Good Evening," she said, "Do come in."

      Trepidation's house was warm, a cozy townhouse removed from any town.  Mara and her helpers had prepared a substantial meal and set a large table in the rear room, which was often a parlor or living room.  She introduced the others that lived in this den, her own son Dewin, Sadian's sons Tathai and Alix, and Tathai's son, Rozz.   The infant Elise was still in the house, in Rozz's arms at the moment.  Alix resembled Astoric closely, also resembled Trip.  Dewin, like his siblings Sadian and Theodoric was brown skinned and light of hair, he seemed smaller and blonder, was younger, as old as Athene.  Tathai was quite dark in coloring, tall, Rozz fairly pale and having long black hair. 

      It was then Trepidation came into the room, seemed to appear amid Rachael and Mara.  Sadian said, "This is my father, Trepidation."

      There was something about him that put people ill at ease, the fear.  But he was beautiful to look at, as his parents had been.  He had cut off his hair!  He appeared now with inch short white blonde hair spiked above his head dressed in black leather from waist to toe and wore dressy black velvet jacket with red eagle embroidered across the back over formal white shirt, his fingers, covered in silver, ears dangling with the precious metal, deep blue-black eyes studying the room. 

      Rachael turned, seemed to see him as if for the first time.  "Trip!"

      He smiled.  And for some reason it was suddenly apparent he and all his family save Mara had sharp little fangs either side their four front teeth.  "Let's eat," he said and sounded frightening.  This was really why he was reclusive and had left an entire planet. More than his children Trepidation had this Fear. 

      "Be a dear, Rachael, see if you can block me," he said through his teeth.  As Rachael concentrated on canceling the fear the others perceived the guests breathed easily.  

      All through dinner Trepidation did not eat, Mara and the younger ones did but he was content to share beverage from a decorative bottle with Rachael who sat to his right.  "I can see Val in you," he said and his family then all studied Etan.  Etan swallowed a mouthful of chewed beef then looked toward his host.  "Right here," Trip said touching his own face at the cheekbone, "You have the shape of her eye, a similar forehead."

      Etan did not know what to say. 

      "Forgive me," Trepidation asked, "I miss them, they must all be so old.  Have Merideth and Alaric died?"

      Etan bowed.  "Sir, I regret to tell you my great grandfather who was our second Leader of Goth, Alaric, died when I was still quite young.  His wife, Lady Louisa had passed shortly before.  And his wife Merideth our second Lady of Goth took ill perhaps five years ago now and was assisted in ending her life."

      "Who did it?"

      "Your mother, I believe, Sir, our now immortal first Lady of Goth, Claudia."

      Trepidation smiled.  "They were best of friends, and Merideth would have wanted to meet death still fighting, to be taken by wound received from a loved one rather than submit to disease."

      "Your parents are still well loved by the people.  Many families keep their portraits hanging in their homes.  Alaric and Rozz were also very good Leaders, as is Marie, but they did not found a nation at the age of twenty."

      "He was twenty one by then, but I suppose it doesn't matter much.  I have their portraits in my own house.  You have seen that my AI bears the likeness and personality of my Mother."

      "Advanced technology still, holograms are used often of course but not so much integrated into an AI's program.  AIs are still used mainly in computer development labs, we have not seen them introduced into homes in any useful way."

      "Well, their best use is to serve as the most user friendly of computer interfaces as they can react to requests as a real person would, understand conversational speech and answer in same.  She is very useful as system operator because being a program Claudia can exist as bytes and perform many tasks a second with her independent processor.  To retrieve any data from the system manually even with well organized file hierarchy would take too long."

      "She has an independent processor then?" Etan asked.

      "Yes.  Claudia has several parts to her, the processor which is really her brain, the programming which defines how she uses the processor and how she reacts to problems and to people, her personality if you will, and the holographic interface.  I could also address Claudia in text without the hologram, or by voice.  But I like to look at her."

      "You realize you could make a fortune on Earth with this AISO?" Kei asked, "the technologies have not been packaged in such a way yet, though there is work on it."

      "My mother designed the first AIMSO we had, and with her help the first years we were here I designed Claudia.  She could make a fortune there herself, it probably hasn't occurred to her as very important."

      "You must miss her very much," Brittany said, "I'm sorry."

      "Oh, I do, but she's found ways to let me know she cares," Trepidation said with a smile.  "She sent you to me, didn't she?"

      "You believe Lady Claudia was the one who manipulated the team selection?" Martin asked.

      "I do.  Of course others were also doing the same, but from what Etan and Rachael have been able to tell us my mother was traveling in recent years to locations that would suggest she was gathering support for such an attempt.  Maybe Brittany here could enlighten us on the present political position held by Karachi in the scheme of things, but in my time there was a Union Haven there, a sort of Darkling Embassy if you are not familiar with the term."

      "Of course, Alexandria hosts a Haven, as well as being capitol of the Union," Martin said, "I visited it with some schoolmates while at university there.  The library there is astounding, the largest ever."

      Trepidation gave a nod.  "I recall there being seven of these Havens across the planet, Earth.  In any case the one right outside Karachi, Pakistan was called The Village and had great political and financial influence through out the Arabian states and the Union.  Rachael says my parents spent some time there recently.  They do have friends there, but my mother is not known for outward shows of emotion, she always has a logical plan.  The individuals there could have supplied her with finances or information that enabled her to pull this off."

      "How?" Rachael said, "I know of her skill, but I hadn't any idea, and the team was chosen very carefully, each nation supplied a list of candidates and then based somewhat on distribution between nations and mostly on expertise in particular fields a comp—"

      "A computer spit out the names of the team?" Trip asked with a laugh.  "If Quick can hack the Library of Alexandria Mainframe I think she can alter the selection of your team without leaving a trace."

      "Are you saying we are not the best candidates?" Kei asked slowly.

      "No, I doubt she would endanger her own plan as well as the team.  A few changes in lines of code could have pushed one person ahead of another without causing suspicion.  Why else would there be two Americans?  Because Quick needed Rachael to come here."

      "Couldn't it have been any Vampyre?" Carlo asked.

      "No, it had to be Rachael, only taking Rachael away from a cushy job at the Pentagon and  sending a high ranked American military officer both Vampyre and veteran of the Last War, once member of the decorated Sacred Battalion to Mars would do it.  I also think Etan and Brittany may be here because of her.  No doubt Etan's own experience in information systems is invaluable to the team, but to be quite honest, if Rachael was to be sent, someone on the team had to be not fully human themselves."

      "So that if she weakened from lack of blood I could supply her without ill effect?" Etan asked.

      "Exactly, also, sending you, who are a Jewel and Darkling through your mother and grandfather's blood insures that we cannot harm you.  This also applies to Brittany.  Though Ms Jinnah doesn't boast the name her father is Malik Jewel, we wouldn't touch her.  Mara herself is a Jewel and all the children."

      "I don't know if I appreciate not being selected fairly," Brittany said.

      "All the same, you were, and it may be valuable experience for you," Trip said.

      "And the rest of us?" Kei asked.

      "Likely selected both for expertise and nationality, I can't know more for certain."

                      ?                ?                ?

      As dinner was ended and then dessert the group dining in the Redstone began to thin.  Rozz and Tathai left, or retired to their rooms.  Deric did some cleaning up before leaving the house.  Astoric and Mara would leave for short periods at a time.  But the guests remained.  It was obvious to the newer arrivals that Rachael was at home here and very fond of Trip.  In truth she stayed at his side in order to block the Fear, but she did love him, as one does love a child they have watched grow up. 

      Some of the others discussed where they would stay, because they all wanted to have a chance to explore the settlement the next day.  Carlo said that he still felt very much a foreigner here in Sinai but that he would take up Minerva and Aedan on their offer and stay in D Den, he thought he might as well show his thanks and trust this way. 

      Sadian came then and offered Brittany a room in her house.  Brittany accepted this, feeling she almost knew Sadian after being led through the dens all day.  Etan said he would go back to the castle, he had stayed there before and Blath and Theodoric had made it clear he could return, especially as Etan had volunteered to help with chores.

      "Sadian," said Martin, "You know them better, do you think one of the households in B Den could offer me a place to sleep?"

      "Of course, Io will take you in.  You were a well behaved guest there before and her mate and she enjoy your accent, they tell me."

      "Then I will go there and ask for a bed...but I see that Alix is still here, I would like to ask him about something, excuse me."  Martin made his way across the room where Alix stood, doing nothing much at all.

      "Have you a place to stay, Kei?" Sadian asked.

      "I do not have a strong preference but since I am already here I would like to know whom I would ask permission from to stay in E Den."

      "God," Sadian laughed.  "Actually, go ask Mara.  I think you have realized that this is Trip's household, but she keeps better track of practical matters here."

      "Thank you, I will ask her," Kei said.

      Alix and Martin came to this group.  Martin said, "Alix has offered to escort me as far as B Den, are any of you going that way?"

      "Let's walk together," Sadian suggested, most of us are going in that direction.  They gathered what few things they had carried with them and said their farewells and thanks to Trip.  Rachael said goodbye to them, explaining that she had been given the small cottage here in E Den for her stay so long as she kept it as clean and well maintained as she had found it. 

      They came to the front of the house and said goodbye to Mara and Kei.  As they stood with the door open Etan saw that Caith was standing against the wrought metal fence waiting.  "I think I'll say good night here, I see someone has arrived to collect me."

      The group left and then Kei was left speaking to Mara.  "I am quite used to waking early, I am not opposed to doing chores in exchange for my stay, we have to do so many when we are on our own base."

      "Do you feel you could handle baby-sitting or KP?" Mara asked with a laugh.

      "Actually I am very good with children and trained in basic first aid."

      "Well if you really don't mind, you could wake early with Elise, she's just gone to sleep.  I would appreciate it very much.  I'll take her myself during the day and you can leave to meet your friends or whatever you choose."

      "Quite acceptable, may I just look in on her now to see where her things are?"

      "You are a good sitter," Mara smiled.  They went up the stairs to the second floor.  Elise was kept in a small bedroom at the back of the house.  Her room was dark as they went in, a candle flickered into life and Mara picked it up.  "A bit of witchcraft," she explained.  "Our babies cannot drink the same sort of milk as human babies, in this closet you will see the refrigerator, her bottles are prepared.  She doesn't have her fangs, so she can't tear the nipples or bite.  She likes to think she can bite. Also her mother believes Elise should listen to music, so there is a little player here all set up."

      "Who's daughter is she?"

      "Easterwine's and Kieran's."

      "Forgive me, isn't Elise an odd name for the daughter of a Weird Sister?"

      "When we were on Earth and our friends were attacked an infant named Elise died.  This child is named after her.  I should also mention that there is a sort of ghost with us.  He visits the youngest ones most.  Don't be afraid, he's harmless, protective even.  If Elise seems to float or to look at a person you do not see do not feel yourself insane, it's just Daniel."

      "You sound as if you had to prepare yourself for these things."

      "I did.  I spent all my childhood not knowing who I was or who my family was, and then to have a daughter who was not entirely human, it all took a lot of getting used to.  But I honestly love this family and all my children.  I'm sure Elise will be no problem.  It's just I'd rather sleep in if I have the chance."

      "Very well, then I will wake with her."

      "I'll put you in a front room, there is a beside terminal, you can ask Claudia to wake you at a given hour or to  alert you when Elise wakes.  You can call to other houses also.  But the bedside is not designed for more than that."

      "Thank you, Mara, I will see you tomorrow then."

                      ?                ?                ?

      Athene met Carlo in D Den to walk him down the path to the house where he would stay.  Brittany and Martin went on with Sadian, Astoric and Alix.  He and Martin had been talking about the monuments he had once planned. 

      As they came to C Den and Brittany went to the small villa with Sadian and Astoric.  Alix said goodbye to his parents as they went and took Martin to B Den.

      They went down to Io's house and saw that she was still down at the bonfire.  "I'll wait with you here, or we could go over to my sister's house.  I don't think Caith's coming back."

      "What do you think I should do?"

      "Well, it's just a place to sleep, let me take you over to my sister's house, we'll write a note for Caith and Eleria to sleep with the other two if they come in, they all sleep together most of the time anyway.  I'll stay around if you like."

      "All right, let's just walk over there then," Martin said.  They left Io's house and walked along the creaky wooden path to the hut that Caith and Eleria shared with Ethe and Zetjan.  Like all the houses it was open and they might walk right in. 

      Alix tore a piece of paper from a notebook that lay on the table and scribbled a note that seemed to be in ancient German script.  He fixed this to the curtain of one bedroom with a hairpin taken from within.  "Done, you don't have to worry about doing any chores, don't let them fool you, they aren't much for cleaning and they're quite capable of cooking for themselves, mostly all they do besides is study, besides, they love me."

      Alix led Martin into Caith and Eleria's room, it smelled rather nice, had many bunches of dried plants hanging throughout.  Alix fell onto the bed, careful to take up less than half its area. He picked up a book from beside the bed.  "forgive me if I suddenly act like someone's older brother, but look at this girl, she's supposed to be working on keeping a journal of herbal remedies and she's got all this junk about bondage and domination scribbled here...something about excess and moderation."

      "Caith?"

      "Yeah, they're identical twins, but Eleria just seems too mature, or just more secretive, would never keep notes on her deviant thoughts."

      Martin lay down on the bed, folded his arms behind his head.  "Who are your siblings?"

      "Valor is my older sister, used to be pretty unstable but lives with Edil now.  Etan, my younger brother lives in A Den and is father to all three weird sisters plus one of their mates and Zetjan and his twin sister Xmanda."

      "I have not yet met Xmanda, or Etan."

      "They live in the cabin.  Caith and Eleria are my youngest siblings, last of my full sibs, they live here with my niece and nephew. Also Tathai and Aedan are my half brothers."

      "I met them."

      "And Blath is my half sister."

      "I met her.  You only had your one son?"

      "I tell everyone his death turned me away from women," Alix laughed.  "I mean, it was sad, but it was a long time ago now.  I just never bothered to do much afterward.  But if people from Earth are going to be paying more attention I think I'll have to create some work for them to view."

      "It's a good idea," Martin said through a yawn.

                      ?                ?                ?

      They walked through moonlight and rows of fruit-bearing trees, two now hanging heavily with pale green or red apples were marked with signs made of carved wood: Tree of Knowledge or Tree of Life.  Caith giggled, lay her back against the tree that hung with red apples and reached above her to pluck one.   "It's just one of Trip's jokes.  Naming all the dens by placing a letter before was his idea also, putting the Sea in C Den and all."

      "I'm hungry," Etan said.

      Caith grinned, held the red apple in one hand near her face.  "You want it?"

      Etan darted forward, managed to cut a bite from the apple with his teeth though Caith tried to pull it away from him.  He was standing just before her now, chewing apple.  Caith gasped.  "I want you to do that to me!"

      A lift of the eyebrows suggested Etan would do what she asked as long as she was saying she wanted it.  He swallowed then leaned toward Caith and bit down on her neck.  The sound she made was low, like a laugh.  "I like that, do it again."

      Etan leaned against her just as Caith leaned against the tree, brushed her chin out of the way with his face and bit her throat.  She licked at her teeth.  And raising her hands to Etan's hair, apple on the ground and forgotten Caith let Etan know he should go on.  When Etan bit at Caith's breast at the place her nipple was beneath the clothing and felt her suck in a breath he knew at that moment everything that would happen afterward. 

      He drew away, sat on the ground looking at Caith, tall gold colored woman breathing heavily and pleading with her eyes that Etan act out attempt to harm her by biting her over and over.  "Come on, you want to," she said, "I would like it very much."

      Etan smiled.  He took off her shoes, threw each far away in different direction.  He crawled under her skirt and bit hard at the calf muscle of one leg and then the other.  She giggled.  Caith closed her eyes, hoped no one was watching, she wanted her little game to be theirs alone.  Etan's hands were like two serpents winding up her legs, and then she felt his tongue flicker across the inside of her thigh, saw brilliant snakes against her eyelids.  Teeth bit down on her leg and Caith almost screamed. 

      Caith bit down on her lip, pried her hands from the branches above as she felt the shedding of skin beneath her skirt, something cool writhing to be rid of unwanted layers of its body.  She touched the laces that kept her dress from falling from her body, loosed the strings slightly and was distracted by the feeling of wetness between her legs that did not come from flickering tongue or cruel little teeth.  

      Another bite, right on her hipbone, and her undershorts were gone.  And then Caith felt that serpentine tongue enter her body and gasped as it was followed by slow scraping of teeth and the strong caress of lips.  "Angels and saints!" Caith whispered.  Her dress fell and Caith stood wearing long sleeved thin shirt and felt her legs go weak as she saw Etan's eyes stare up as his mouth was buried between her legs.

      "Yes, more."

      It seemed she felt his smile.  She felt the bit at her waist, the tongue that snaked across her ribcage, had invited its friend spider fingers to dance across Caith's breast.  She dared look down again and saw two dark blue eyes as she felt the teeth bite down hard on her left nipple.  Again the wetness.  "That felt really good.  Do it again," she breathed.  Again the sweetly painful biting at her breast. 

      Etan was standing before Caith now, as naked as she was as he pulled the shirt from her entirely.  Caith said to herself: You know what that is, you can feel it, Etan's penis.  It is strange that something can feel so soft and so hard at the very same time.

      He was biting at Caith's earlobe.  And Etan smelled very good, indescribable, but good.  "I want you to make love to me.  I want you to—"

      He hadn't said a word but Etan answered.  Caith felt it, felt him: Etan ripping up into her in a way that nothing ever had before.  It stung, this feeling, but it was not so bad when Caith had Etan's soft lips to kiss her neck and whisper sweetly that the pain was nothing.  And then, as if by magic there was no pain. 

      "Thank you, Caith, I've been wanting to do that. Lay down with me," Etan said.

      "Yes."  Almost unattached for a moment and then Caith was looking down at Etan who lay on the ground, a hand behind his head another reaching to touch her breast. 

      "You can do it, Caith, find what it takes."  He dropped his hand to her hip, pulled her toward him, and then loosed her.  Everything felt good.  "Come here."  Caith bowed, opened her lips on Etan's mouth.  They kissed.  His mouth was sealed to hers but Caith could hear Etan's voice, a very rapid string of word and thought. 

      Caith knew. 

      In an instant Etan flipped her to her back, lay low over her and bit at her lip as below they fell into complementary rhythm.  When their bodies met in just the right way Caith knew to tell Etan they'd done it.  When they had lain there on the grass quite a number of minutes and had managed to move together in such a way that built pleasure and Caith felt that she would reach the climax of this she knew to squeeze a certain muscle and that it would show Etan she wanted him to feel this and make him feel more pleasure than he did already. 

      In dizzying heated rapid movement they reached the climax of their lovemaking and Caith felt she might die, like she could fly right out of her body.  Etan was breathing heavily on her neck.  "Danke," he whispered, still out of breath, "You're an excellent student, a natural."

      Caith pushed damp hair from Etan's forehead.  "Now I understand what everyone's been talking about, I could get addicted to this."

      Etan lay on his back, stretched his arms.  "I don't recommend doing so, once a day would be heaven."

      "I know," said Caith giddily, "I still feel good."

      "Afterglow," Etan sighed.

      "Etan how do you do that thing with your voice?"

      "I'm not sure, I just do it, pretty kewl huh?"

      "Yes!  I wasn't very confident, I was very nervous, like the way Blath was telling me Dori was once."

      "Maybe Blath has it, I don't know.  My grandfather made everyone around him want him, without doing anything.  My mother could use the voice.  I never thought about it much until recently.  I just enjoyed that it was rather useful in inducing pleasure and ease."

      "You will do this with me again, won't you?" Caith asked.

      Etan coughed a laugh.  "You don't need witchcraft to make me say yes, I'll do it, gladly."