Summoned Again?

Surprisingly, neither Denise nor Martha commented about the divine encounter that they had just witnessed. I also didn't comment about it and walked back over to Karina. I knelt beside her and cast several healing spells on her and another diagnostic spell. She was recovering well from the birthing session and I sat down to help her clean and maintain the new pups.

It wasn't until several hours later that Denise noticed that time was passing at a normal rate. When she told me, I laughed and shook my head. I had completely forgotten that when the goddesses had shown up, the first one had cancelled the spells I had active in the mistaken assumption that they would weaken me.

Not that I needed it with an actual goddess appearing. I was fighting well out of my weight class with her and I was damn lucky that I had caught the first one by surprise. I hated being so supplicant with Athena; but, I was still genuine with it. I was not taking a chance that she would take offence, especially since I handed my daughter over to her.

Giving her up had hurt, because I could almost feel a connection with her. In fact, it felt suspiciously like that dream I had about a giant glowing man and that woman that spoke a weird language that reached for me. It was a very weird thought to have with everything else that was going on, so I closed my eyes and easily recalled the dream in its entirety.

It was thanks to my extensive mental work with Natalie that let me watch it like a memory instead of a dream. The foggy quality was easily ignored as the context was examined. I stared at the lightly flickering golden string that went from my belly button to the giant man that had touched my hand. I concentrated on that string and I felt that connection feeling once more.

That told me that my dream was a lot more than a dream, because there couldn't be any way to physically feel something from a dream. However, because of my experiences, it was distinctly possible to feel things from a memory.

It's a memory. A real memory. I thought and opened my eyes. It was odd that my translate all languages ability didn't work on whatever language the woman spoke.

“You look a little scared.” Denise said and sat beside me as she gave me a hug.

I blinked my eyes and turned my head to look at her. “You're not disgusted by me like Martha is?”

Neither of us looked over at a pale-faced Martha that hadn't spoken since the birth of Karina's cubs.

“You were a wolf when you were doing her, so it wasn't like either of you expected a goddess to be born.” Denise said. “By the way, I better not give birth to puppies if I get pregnant.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “I can't get anyone pregnant unless they ask me to and I allow it. It's one of my innate abilities.”

Denise had a big smile on her face. “What about giving me a goddess baby?”

I had to laugh at that. “After what just happened? Not only is it not possible, Athena would step in and smite the both of us if we tried to circumvent her new apprentice's birthworld. It's going to become her seat of power.”

“Aww.” Denise said and leaned against me. “I was hoping for a happy accident or something.”

I shook my head and didn't mention that the last happy accident I was in, had been under a tank inside a crushed car and it had sent me to another world. “I better go. Karen and Anita must be near the first rest stop by now.”

“How are you going to explain being away all this time?” Denise asked.

“I'm not going to join them, that's how.” I said with a smile and she laughed. “See you later.”

“Have fun shadowing them.” Denise said and glanced at Martha before she leaned in to kiss me.

That surprised me a little. “You do remember that I was almost squished by a literal goddess, don't you?”

“Just between you and me, I thought that was the most foolish and bravest thing I've ever seen.” Denise whispered and gave me another kiss. “Does a second hand kiss to a goddess' feet count?”

I laughed and gave her a hug. “She'll say no, I'm sure.”

“What would you say?” Denise asked me.

“That you're braver than most of the rest of the population to even contemplate kissing the lips that kissed a goddess' feet.” I said and let her go as I flew up into the air. The last thing I saw was the pleased smile on Denise's face, the happy wolves that surrounded Karina, and the almost lost look on Martha's face.

I flew to all the hidden dens, fed everyone, played with the pups and gave out liberal scratches to all of the wolves, then I flew to where I knew Karen and Anita would be, thanks to the tracking spell on them and my Map. I easily found them and concealed myself with the Obscure and Stealth spells and techniques.

They looked like they hadn't had any trouble, so I continued to follow at a discreet distance. I made sure that when they stopped to eat, I added as much food to the storage as possible before Anita opened it. I was tempted to show up while they sat there and ate their meals and then they took a long bathroom break.

I could take out an off-road motorcycle and pretend to catch up to them, then decided against it. I wanted to see how they handled things with all the right equipment and without me there to handle the bigger things, like guarding and setting up the portable bathroom. I wasn't surprised that they performed admirably.

“I don't think he's catching up.” Anita said in a soft whisper.

Karen sighed and nodded. “You're right. We've delayed enough. Let's get back on the road.”

I watched as they rounded up the passengers and followed as they took to the road again. I was about to fly after them when I had a flash of Divine Sight. There was a road trap a mile away and a large group of bandits. One of the scientists was a secret wolf hater and had set up the poachers to capture his fellows to take them for ransom and sell the women.

I came back to myself and felt anger fill me. I was very glad that I hadn't joined them in The Bear, because now I was unfettered and could act without any restrictions. I took off and blasted past The Bear and formed my best armor around myself and took my sword out of inventory. I didn't bother trying to slow time or concealed the attack as I used the best one I had on the bandits.

Dozens of screams rang out as a thousand short swords cut through their ranks, vehicles, and the trap on the road. I added explosion spells and did another attack against the remains of the vehicles, then used several wind spells to blow the last vestiges of the trap off of the road. I quickly looted the bodies of any valuables and then ensured they were all dead.

I used the Detection spell to make sure that I had left someone to interrogate and to look for any bandits that might have been in hiding. None were in the area, so I went to the one I had left alive. The man looked terrified as I walked over to him in my full armor form and I smiled inside my helmet.

“Where is your base?” I asked and didn't wait for him to answer. I used a mental spell and plucked it from his head. The sad part was that they had sold all of the women they had for quick cash, even the ones that had willingly signed up with them, which meant they had fun with any new 'products' before selling them. People that stupid didn't deserve to live and I decapitated him.

I heard The Bear approach, so I concealed myself again and took off towards the nearby base that the bandits had created to keep ambushing chosen caravans that had women in them. The traitor scientist provided that information for a cut of the sales and he would be paying for his crimes after Karen and Anita dropped him off. I would need to interrogate him as well.

The Bear didn't stop, even though I was sure that Karen and Anita had seen the explosions. That was smart of them, because stopping to check could have been a part of a trap to capture them. I thought I heard a rat-a-tat from the turret guns and smiled as I landed inside the bandit compound. It had several make-shift buildings, living space, a water tower, and large reinforced barriers built all around it.

It was also completely empty.

I laughed at the continued stupidity of whoever had set this up, because you never leave a base completely undefended, unless you wanted to give it to an enemy or to lose it. I quickly checked over everything and looted the weapons, two vehicles that I could repair and modify later, and the ill gotten gains from the caravans that had been robbed and looted.

When I was done, I was tempted to leave it there, just as a temporary rest stop. Then I remembered what the bandits did to their women and I took great pleasure in cutting down everything and then using spells to blow everything up. I didn't stop until it was all a mass of charred ashes and then I buried it.

My work done, I stored my armor and sword before I flew after The Bear. I wouldn't wait until I had another Divine Sight before acting, though. I flew ahead by a few miles and cleared the road of abandoned and stripped vehicles. I also repaired any huge holes so that Karen didn't risk blowing a tire or possibly damaging the suspension.

Despite the enchantments I had put on the thing, it could still suffer from wear and tear if I wasn't constantly repairing it with magic. I still had to store it to do that, which meant it wouldn't be repaired again until Karen and Anita stopped to rest after dropping off the latest passengers. It would be the only time that The Bear would be out of their sight during the trip.

I thought about the arrangements and smiled about them staying the night before returning to the main facility. I could slip into town in the morning while riding a motorcycle, after making myself look dishevelled. Showing up looking perfect wouldn't let me keep my cover.

*

“He's really not coming, is he?” Anita whispered as she looked over the turret's sights and The Bear entered through the large doors of the barricaded city.

“You don't have to keep asking that.” Karen said and drove The Bear to their destination. The police vetted placard in the front window let them enter the city without any fuss whatsoever.

“Karen.” Anita said with a sad look.

“He's going to be okay.” Karen said with confidence, even though she didn't really feel it. She knew it was very difficult to survive out in the wilderness when you had equipment on you. Damon had left the vehicle and hadn't even taken his backpack. He had no food, no weapons, and no transport.

And she had left him there at the side of the road.

Karen fought to not cry at that thought. She had to be strong or Anita would break down and they would both be bawling with tears. They needed to finish the delivery and to get the completion voucher from the manager at the research lab. They could cry when they reached the hotel room.

The Bear parked and the two scientists climbed out. One with relief and the other looked distinctly nervous and he kept fidgeting for some reason. Both were greeted by the manager and the man handed Karen the voucher and complimented her on the quickness of the delivery and encountering no problems. She didn't realize that he mentioned that for a particular reason.

Karen clamped her mouth shut about needing to abandon a teammate during the delivery, because she wasn't ready to face the consequences of that decision yet. “Thank you.” She said instead. “If you will excuse us, we need to take care of a few things before turning in for the night.”

“Are you sure that you don't want to stay here at the facility?” The manager asked, a little pointedly.

“We have better arrangements!” Karen snapped angrily at him for reminding her that Damon had wanted a nice room for them to relax in. She and Anita climbed back into The Bear and they drove away and missed the surprised look on the manager's face and the scared look on the scientist's.

*

I floated above the scientists and watched Karen and Anita drive away. I think I'll be visiting in the middle of the night instead of the morning.

“I'm going inside to eat.” One of the scientists said and entered the building.

“What are you doing here?” The manager asked as he whirled around to glare at the second scientist.

“I don't now what happened!” The scientist said. “It was supposed to be all set up and all that was there were piles of scrap and burned out vehicles.”

The manager glared at him and the man wilted. “Those two would have fetched a premium.”

“I know, sir.” The scientist said. “I watched them for the whole trip and... premium is low-balling it.”

The manager sighed. “I'll have to send someone out to check on Jackson. If the idiot missed such an obvious target, I can only imagine what he's doing out there.”

“He's rotting in the same hole as the rest of the so-called bandits.” I said and both men looked up with wide eyes to see me floating above them with a glowing sword in my hand. “Let's talk about that, shall we?”

*

Karen and Anita had skipped showering and climbed into bed together without saying a word. They both started crying at the same time and hugged each other for comfort. They knew what it meant to leave someone out in the wilderness and it was pretty much a death sentence. That was why they always packed well and went in pairs. Going alone was a huge mistake that no one ever made.

The pair soon fell sleep, their pillows soaked with their tears, and their hearts breaking.

Sometime later, both women were woken up by several loud knocks on their room door. Karen rolled out of bed and grabbed her real gun and not the taser. She stalked over to the door and crouched beside it.

“Who is it?” Anita asked from across the room, her own real gun aimed at the center of the door.

“I'm really sorry that I made you leave me out there.” A man's voice said through the door.

“DAMON!” Karen and Anita yelled and then Karen unlocked the door and yanked it open. Both women stared at the impossible sight in front of them. It was the man they had left in the wilderness and he was almost completely covered in weapons and torn clothes.

“I know I look like death warmed over.” Damon said and both women winced. He entered the room and closed and locked the door. “I found some bandits...”

“Oh, Obfume!” Karen spat. “I knew we shouldn't have...”

“They were following and targeting you.” Damon said and both women gasped. “One of the scientists you just delivered was in on it.”

Karen cursed and almost threw her gun across the room. “I knew we should have vetted him first! We're taking too many jobs too quickly and we're forgetting the basic rules! Personal safety first!”

“We should contact the research lab and tell them.” Anita said.

“I already took care of it.” Damon said and both women gave him surprised looks. “I found a means of transport and I wasn't that far behind you, maybe an hour or two, and the bandits didn't stand a chance against me when I found out what they were going to do to you.”

Karen and Anita were too surprised to say anything.

Damon started to unstrap and take off all of the stolen weapons he had looted. “I didn't hold back and they're all dead.” He said and carefully piled the weapons onto the floor. He pretended to be sore as he stripped off his torn clothing, too. “I really need a bath.”

Karen and Anita grabbed him by the arms and dragged him into the bathroom. The tub was too small for all three of them, so a quick shower was used to clean up and then Damon was allowed to take the bottom position in the tub and Karen gave Anita a pointed look.

“You first.” Karen said, to Anita's surprise.

“But... you...”

“I can cry while you're enjoying yourself, then we can switch.” Karen said.

Anita gave her a tight hug.

“You don't have to leave.” Damon said and both women turned to look. To their surprise, the tub was now twice the size. “I have a few things to explain to the both of you.”

Karen and Anita looked at the tub, at his face, at the tub, then at each other.

“I can't tell you everything, mainly because I'm sure I'll be killed outright if I do.” Damon said and then his eyes went blank for a moment. “Yep, no defense for that at all.”

“What... what was that?” Karen asked.

“Something I can't talk about unless you're already in the know, apparently.” Damon said and pat the side of the tub. “By the way, don't mention that disgraced deity anymore. If you're going to swear to anyone or ask for guidance, say Her Grace, High Goddess, or even her name when you're desperate.”

“What name?” Anita asked.

“I'm not allowed to say it without consequences and I also can't tell you why it's that way.” Damon said with a chuckle. “This is going to be a stilted and awkward conversation.”

“I think you have something to do first.” Karen said and climbed into the tub.

“Yes. Us.” Anita said and climbed in on Damon's other side. “Am I still first?”

Karen nodded and Anita smiled at her, then Anita's hand slapped Damon's face pretty hard.

“That's for scaring the hell out of us, you bastard!” Anita shouted, then she kissed him passionately. When she was done, Karen went next and did the exact same thing.

Damon had two red handprints on his face and he accepted them without complaint. The two women then assaulted him with kisses and tongues and the three people in the tub were soon just a mass of limbs that hugged, touched, felt, and loved each other.

*

Time moved on and the trio of hunters had become a trio of couriers. They delivered packages and people reliably and never lost a client or didn't complete a delivery. Their reputation became so well known that a lot of people and businesses knew them by name and would forgo their normal delivery methods when The Bear Company became available.

The wolf protection amulets were also hot sellers. The footage of wolves being driven off with them had been sent everywhere and shared with everyone that had the ability to watch it. Most people didn't realize it was The Bear Company that delivered both the video and the amulets.

The larger cities saw a significant reduction in both crime and wolf sightings and the smaller towns were usually left alone, since the people that lived there didn't need to go out much. The amulets gave everyone that wore them a feeling of safety and contentment that couldn't be replicated, so they were in high demand.

Word spread from there to other countries and soon the amulets were being exported and sold overseas. There was no way for The Bear Company to make deliveries across the ocean, despite the people and businesses in other countries practically demanding they do so. It made the three members of the company laugh that no one cared that there was only three of them and only one main vehicle.

The other two appropriated vehicles had been repaired and armored up and had become their local transportation, just so they weren't using The Bear all the time. Anita and Karen were more than happy about having their own cars, too.

Karen especially, because she had convinced Damon to change the passenger seat into a retractable turret that would move out from the side of the car and could be fired 180 degrees on that side, from front to back, as it swung around. She loved it and the blood red color.

For two months, they continued to make deliveries and sold the amulets while Damon took care of the people and wolves that he was responsible for. Everyone had settled down into a routine and they were all happy with how things had been going for everyone... then Damon found the fourth member of the chosen.

*

“You have got to be kidding me.” I whispered as The Bear came to a stop outside a very nice shop that had all kinds of animals on display. Fully stuffed animals.

“It's the right address.” Anita said and grabbed her weapons to arm herself.

“He checked out.” Karen said and dropped the turret before she locked it down and slipped out of the seat to grab her weapons as well. “Of course, we only have access to the records that are available.”

I sighed and parked the vehicle before loading up as well. I climbed out of the driver's side and went around to the passenger side and opened the door for Anita. She slipped out and went around to open the side door for Karen. The two of them went to the back and I covered them as they opened the rear hatch and pulled out the large crate.

“Damon, cart please.” Karen said and I dropped one under the crate for them to set it on.

The three of us walked towards the front door of the shop and Anita took point as I covered her and the door. She opened the door and slipped inside as she covered the inside of the shop while Karen pushed the cart through the door.

“I only ordered that yesterday.” A man's voice said from across the room.

“Hands, please.” Anita said and motioned with her gun.

The man chuckled and lifted his hands up from behind the counter. “Are you going to frisk me, too?”

“There's no need. You're not carrying anything.” Anita said and nodded at Karen.

Karen slid the crate off of the cart and kicked the cart back to Anita. She grabbed it and tossed it out the still open door past me and I closed the door as I stored the cart. The action was so smooth that no one noticed the cart disappearing.

“That was pretty slick.” The man said and walked out from behind the counter. “What's with having a whole crew for a single crate?”

“We're here to ensure delivery of your package.” I said and he gave me a lazy smile.

“Sign here, please.” Karen said and took out a folded form.

The man looked at it, shrugged, and pointed at the crate. “I need to check that first.”

I held in my sigh at yet another idiot not paying attention to the seals on the crate and walked over with a crowbar and a knife. I gave him a pointed look as I broke all four seals with the knife, almost daring him to challenge their validity, then I pried up the top of the crate just enough for him to grab it.

The man chuckled at the look on my face and reached for the top of the crate. His hand touched mine and we both caught our breath as we felt that connection of friendship between us.

“Hello, Bruce.” I said and he startled for a moment.

“It was you I've been waiting for.” Bruce said. “I haven't heard from Obf-hmm.” He stopped talking when I slapped a hand over his mouth.

“She's gone, so don't say that name anymore.” I warned him and moved my hand.

“What happened to her? She had everything set up...”

“Ha!” Karen barked. “She kept you in the dark.”

“She kept Damon in the dark, too.” Anita said.

“She also let one of the chosen be kidnapped and tortured.” I added and I was surprised that Bruce didn't look upset. In fact, he looked downright relaxed.

“She treated me right.” Bruce said and opened the crate. “Beautiful, isn't it?”

I caught my breath at the giant wolf's head that was inside. It had been prepped and treated to be stuffed and I reached out and grabbed Bruce by his collar. “How many have you done this to?”

“Jesus, man. Relax. They're just wolves.” Bruce said and I used a spell to get the information from his head. He knew they were smarter than normal wolves and didn't care. He was a taxidermist by trade and had gained the Beastmaster class when he had arrived on this world. He almost immediately made a reputation for himself for his work and became fairly rich.

I read his mind and found that he was a loner and was too laid back for any woman to want to spend more than a night with him, which was just sad. I could understand if it was mutual when you wanted a good romp with someone; but, to act so casual about things that no woman would ever choose to stay more than one night? It was such a waste of their time meeting this man.

I let his collar go and shook my head. “Sign the form.”

Bruce took the pen and made a couple scratch marks on the paper, something we could have done on our own, and gave the pen back. “I hope you brought something bigger than handguns if we're going out to kill all of those wonderful specimens.”

I let out a growl and my fist smashed into the man's face. He cried out and fell to the floor with a hand to his nose as blood gushed out. He spit and sputtered about overreacting and he held a hand up to stop me from hitting him again.

“Don't worry, Bruce.” I said in as even of a voice as I could manage. “Your nice and relaxing life stuffing sentient creatures is over. Now that I've finally found you by looking all over the goddamn country for you, I'll be completing the mission and bringing you back home.”

“It was too much work trying to go out and looking for the rest of our group.” Bruce said and pinched his nose. “You came here and found me anyway, right?”

I clamped my mouth shut and didn't mention the wolf amulet that he wore. He knew I was looking for him and he still sat at home and didn't try to contact me. “Let's go.”

Bruce nodded and stood up. “I'll go pack and you can pick me up in a few hours.”

I grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up. “You are NOT taking anything with you! ESPECIALLY GIANT STUFFED WOLVES!” I yelled and shook him violently.

“Damon!” Anita gasped.

I stopped shaking the man and saw the scared look on his face. “Drop everything you have or I'll make you do it. The hard way.”

Bruce didn't hesitate and dozens of wolf pelts, heads, paws, clothing pieces made from pelts, necklaces of claws and teeth, and a bunch of taxidermy tools dropped onto the floor around us. There was also a significant amount of local paper money, jewellery, and coins.

I carried him outside as Karen and Anita grabbed the loot they could use, including anything from the cash register and the safe. I opened it for them with a spell as I took Bruce outside and strapped him into one of the seats in the back of The Bear.

“I know everything here, so if you take anything at all, I'll know and I'll break a finger for every item you took and put back.” I threatened him and Bruce's face drained of color. “I'm glad you believed me, because it will make this last leg of my journey much more pleasant than the disappointment it's going to be.”

“Disappointing?” Bruce asked and looked confused. “We're going to finish a job for a goddess.”

“No, we're finishing it for ourselves to get our lives back. That a goddess benefits from it is only a bonus.” I said and didn't add that the goddess was also my newly born daughter. I stepped back outside and closed the rear hatch just in time as I had a flash of Divine Sight.

Athena stood over a crib and made baby noises to a beautiful little girl that looked about a year old. “My little Artemis, you are going to be envied by everyone, even your own subjects! Yes, you are!”

Artemis giggled and reached for her.

“You want mommy's milk again?” Athena said and picked up the happy baby. “You are such a little glutton!”

Artemis laughed happily as Athena revealed a perfect breast for her to suckle from.

“That's it, my beautiful little goddess. Drink your fill from the milk of knowledge.” Athena purred and was suddenly surrounded by a dozen other women.

“She will be your greatest achievement, Athena. We have foreseen it.” One of them said.

“As have I.” Athena said and smiled proudly as she turned her head and looked right at me. “I have granted you this vision on purpose. You will no longer be able to perceive my daughter or myself. Your connection to her pleases me and will remain, because even now you feed her a portion of your power.”

I wasn't sure if I was allowed to speak, so I merely thought my acceptance and gratitude for this one last moment to share with her.

“You will dream of my delicious nipples for the rest of your existence and will forever feel envy that your daughter has had them and you never will.” Athena said with satisfaction.

I fully accepted that fair judgment for getting to see them, then her hand reached out and her fingertip poked me right in the eye. “GAH!” I gasped and collapsed to my knees as blood gushed from my left eye. I put a hand over the damage and took several breaths as I cast healing spells on my mulched eye.

It took almost ten minutes of spamming healing spells before I felt the eye reinflate and fill the gaping hole that had been in my head. I took several more deep breaths and looked down at the blood soaked ground. In my head, it was a very close battle between having an eye gouged out and seeing Athena's bare breasts. Envy filled my mind at the remembered sight and I sighed at already paying the penalty.

Athena's bare breasts for the win. I thought bitterly and sent a silent prayer to the goddess in question. There was no response and I didn't expect any.

“Damon? What happened?” Anita asked as she rubbed my shoulder. “Was it Bruce?”

“No, I had... a vision.” I said and couldn't say any more than that. Well, Athena had ensured that I was going to stay quiet about it. “Did you get everything?”

Anita nodded and Karen carried a large dufflebag out of the building.

I stood up and sectioned off a spot in my head for everything in the shop and cleared it all out. I would have set the place on fire right away, except I didn't want the surrounding buildings to catch fire.

“Let's go.” I said and we stored the loot and climbed into The Bear.

Bruce hadn't moved or done anything, so I had Karen drive us out of the city. I didn't feel like driving after what just happened and I had a bit of planning to do to make sure that when I completed the mission, the people I left behind would be taken care of.

*

Kathy and the girls at the condo were not happy at all that I would soon be leaving for good. They cried and hit me, hugged me and kissed me, then cried some more. I told them that if I could, I would take them all with me. It just wasn't possible, because I had to go home to the family that had been waiting all this time for me to return to them.

I promised that I would stay around for another month, as I worked to finish the hidden lands for the wolves to be free of persecution and they would never starve or be hunted again. I wasn't going to neglect them and I would try to make them happy, and I would do the same for the girls.

It was enough to placate them and I spent the night there reassuring them all that I would stay if I didn't have a cute little girl's birthday to attend. That let them understand the importance and they agreed, as long as I gave them each a party before I left. I had to laugh at their negotiating tactics, even if I agreed without arguing about it.

So, for an entire month that I remained and worked to segregate the wolves, every two days between giving Karen and Anita everything they needed to have homes and lives of their own, a birthday party was held at the condo. Even the three older girls had parties, only one of which ended with me sleeping with the birthday girl.

Kathy was the most devastated by my departure, even though she knew right from the beginning that I couldn't stay. I spent my last few hours on that world in her arms and extended it by using my time spells to their safe maximum. Kathy cried fairly hard when it was time and I told her that I cared a lot about her and would miss having her cute pouty lips pressed to mine.

She confessed that she loved me and that she would never find anyone else that could compare to me. I couldn't refute that, so I kissed her passionately and left her on the condo's doorstep after loading the place up with protective enchantments and evil repellent spells. It was the most I could do and I left the condo with a heavy heart.

*

“Finally.” Martha said when I showed up at the clearing.

“You know I had to say goodbye properly.” I said and Denise gave me a very sad look. “I'm sorry you can't come along, there's only four slots and I already have the fourth member stored.”

“I know. You already told me what you could about it.” Denise said. “That doesn't mean I have to like it.”

I could only nod in response. “I'll be dropping you off anywhere you want to go.”

“I think I want to go back to school and graduate, now that dad's proven how much of an ass he is and kicked me out.” Denise said.

I smiled and took her into a hug. “That's a great decision. When you graduate, you'll have more knowledge and will have a better understanding of what can happen when you're older.”

Denise gave me an odd look. “You just quoted a parenting book at me, didn't you?”

I chuckled at being so easily caught. “Look, you're already succeeding!”

Denise laughed and let me go. “You can drop me off in town. I can find my way from there.”

I nodded and picked her up before I flew her into town and hovered over her mother's house.

“What are we doing here?” Denise asked with a frown on her face.

“Apparently, your bitch of an estranged mother had no other living relatives and you inherited this place from her.”

Denise gasped and stared at me. “You... you...”

“...dropped her into a volcano with her boyfriend and all of his bastard friends.” I said and her mouth fell open in shock. “Your name's on the deed and there's nothing owing on the place, so have fun living your life. Do what you want and be good to yourself.”

Denise was quiet for a moment. “D-Damon... I... I love you.” She whispered and blushed.

I landed softly in the backyard and put her down. “I can't stay. I really can't.” I said and didn't remind her that if I didn't fulfill my end of the deal, I was going to pay for it.

“You really gave the wolves sanctuary.” Denise said and her hand went to her amulet.

“I already moved them all and Karina was a little glad to see the back of me, actually.” I said and nodded at her necklace. “Nearly all of humanity has one of those now.” I added and leaned down to give her a tender kiss. “Only stupid people will take them off and try to go looking for the wolves that want nothing to do with humans.”

Denise nodded and didn't say anything else.

“I won't lie to you.” I whispered and caressed her face. “I care a lot about you and your ass looks spectacular, especially in those leather pants.”

Denise huffed and smiled smugly. “How many times have you kissed it and said that?”

“Is there a number higher than a gazillion?” I asked and she laughed.

Denise sighed and gave me one last kiss. “Goodbye, Damon. I'm going to miss you.”

“I'm going to miss you, too.” I said and took out my cell phone. “Smile.”

Denise smiled and waved.

I took the picture that had Teddy in the background, then I floated up into the air. I tapped my heart and then the side of my head. “You'll always be here.”

Denise's smile grew and she nodded.

I flew back to the clearing and Martha stood there tapping her foot. “I dropped her off at her mother's.”

Martha stopped her foot and sighed. “Fine. You're forgiven.”

“Thank you.” I said and held a hand out to her. She took it reluctantly, as if it was going to bite her.

Bruce still looked catatonic and he hadn't even met Karina. He also hadn't spoken since I picked him up and I didn't ask him why, because I honestly didn't care.

I took his hand as well. “My dearest goddess, I pray to you and call upon thee! Grant us your favor and allow these lowly mortals to return to the white transfer room, by your grace, Goddess Athena!”

The three of us were covered in a slight glow and then we were gone from the world and inside the white room.

“You mentioned the fourth member a few times now. Did you kill her?” Martha asked as if she was asking about the weather.

“Yes, I killed her and ate her.” I said and Martha gasped with a hand over her mouth. I cast stillness on her and Bruce. “I was tempted to lie, only I hate lying and you deserved to know the truth.”

The look on her face made me smile.

I brought up the second half of a summoning spell and checked it over. With my experience with the last two times as a guide, I easily slotted Martha and Bruce into two of the available slots and adjusted their coordinates to put them into a more reasonable area than where they had been plucked from. I also erased their memories of their time on the other world and absorbed their powers.

Normally, it would be a problem with only having three people available to complete a four person spell, except I had a solution readily available. I hadn't lied when I said I had a fourth member in storage. It just wasn't who anyone could have guessed.

“Hello, Samantha.” I said as I took her out of storage.

“Hey, asshole!” Samantha said and smacked me upside the head. “Why the hell did you wait so long to take me out?!?”

I rubbed the spot she hit me. “You were mentally active?”

“No shit, Sherlock.” Samantha said with a roll of her eyes. “Magically enhanced brain? Counter magic? Stasis has no effect on me? Hello!”

I chuckled and held my hands up in surrender. “I did warn you it was a desperate chance.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” Samantha said and looked around. “Dammit, we're back here?”

“I have actually tried to take you out back home and on other worlds since I stored you.” I said and she gave me an incredulous look. “I didn't take you out during the transitions because I was saving my own ass.”

“Until now.” Samantha said.

“I still had to save my own ass, a transfigured goddess as a giant wolf, and the humans on the last world.” I said and her eyes widened. “I got lucky and killed the embodiment of the local goddess and asked another to bring us here.”

Samantha looked at the two still people. “I see the ritual circle under them. You're sending them back early?”

“No, I completed the job and now I need to complete the ritual on my own.” I said and waved my hand at her.

Samantha gave me a startled look as the magic flowed over her and she looked down to see a third ritual circle below her. “That's not possible! I can't be sent back! He said...”

“He was a lying bastard that tried to kill us, if I remember correctly.” I said with a smile and waved at my own feet to make the last circle appear below me. “I did the calculations and I've changed your coordinates to match mine.”

“You... you really...” Samantha whispered.

“I can't have my friend reappear halfway around the world, can I? I need to keep you with me, just like I promised you I would.” I said and then chanted the end phrase of the spell to send us back home.

Samantha's face was filled with happiness as we slid down inside the ritual circles at our feet.

It seemed like time hiccuped when the light fully encompassed me, then I appeared standing right where the last summoning circle had taken me from. I turned and grinned at a very shocked Samantha that stood there and stared right back at me.

“It's real! I'm really here? I'm really home? We're home?” Samantha asked in a steady stream.

I chuckled and took out my cellphone. I hit the speed dial and it was picked up after a single ring.

“We'll be right there!” Susan, Nat, and Crystal yelled into the phone and then hung up.

“They'll be right here, apparently.” I joked.

Samantha snorted and then laughed. “I can't wait to meet the people that let you into their lives.”

“You're going to be amazed.” I said and took out a bench for us to sit on.

Samantha gave me an odd look. “Hands out where I can see them.”

I laughed and sat in the corner with a hand on the back and one on my lap. “You really took my declaration to heart, didn't you?”

“If you can degrade yourself enough to want to have sex with someone like me, I can only imagine the degenerate things you get up to.” Samantha said.

I was tempted to tell her about the beast people and also about Karina, then decided that I didn't want to encourage her opinion, because I actually was a degenerate.

Fifteen minutes later, Nat's car screeched to a halt on the road and then she, Susan, and Crystal were in my arms and hugged me. There were multiple kisses exchanged and I was sure that Nat snuck one in there somewhere. She wouldn't admit to it, although she did laugh.

“I really missed you.” I said and gave each of them a kiss on the cheek. “I also came back with a friend.”

Susan made a soft sound and I shook my head.

“Not that kind of a friend, even though I joke with her about it.” I said and motioned to the other side of the bench. “Everyone, I'd like for you to meet Samantha.”

The three girls that were on my lap, turned to see a completely stunned woman as she sat at the end of the bench.

Nat's body stiffened before she whispered. “No, it... it can't be.”

“Nat-Nat?” Samantha asked, her face full of shock.

“Is that really you?!?” Nat asked, her voice rising in pitch until it was almost a shout.

“NAT-NAT!” Samantha yelled and lunged for her.

“MOM!” Nat yelled back and the two women hugged each other tightly before they started crying.