“No need to thank me,” he laughed. “My wife intends to thoroughly thank me tonight because of the orange I brought home.”Despite the pace the ...irls set for me during the night, one I’m stunned that I could come close to keeping up with, I still felt exhilarated in the morning--as well as ravenous for the second morning in a row.“You don’t have to worry about Tiyya looking for anyone else while you’re gone. She’d be a fool to try, and she’d be unsuccessful at finding anyone who compares to you,”. Both of the women could look over and see Lasco, and he had a clear view of them both from where he stood. Claire was breathless, but bold now. "Lucilla, you didn't tell me. You didn't tell me what you are." Oh, no, I didn't, did I? Will you still want me if I tell you?" I think so, yes. Tell me, please." I'm a witch, Claire, that's all. A witch."Claire looked again, then, saying nothing for a while. Then she swallowed, and spoke. "Yes." Yes?" Yes, I still want you, Lucilla." You know, don't. Alan felt a chill run down his spine. Fuuuuucck. What now? First I get beat up at school, then Glory finds out about the incest and dumps me, and now some kind of intrigue at Akami's office? What next? What could it be? I knew there was some kind of bad vibe there. I should trust my instincts more. Dang!There was a public phone just outside the pharmacy, so he went there and called the number. "Hi. Akami? It's Alan."She was tremendously relieved. "Alan! Thank goodness you called. I'm on my cell. .." She has to clear her throat twice before she can speak, explaining why she finds herself without funds. Her face is as read as her hair when she suggests "that perhaps some arrangement could be made...?" His face is impassive, he reaches up to scratch the skin in front of his ear and she flinches slightly in reaction, "Okay, come back tomorrow, you'd better dress to impress me though. You should know; I'm a not gentleman, much less a gentle man, you should probably bare that in mind." .