But she stood her ground unwilling to leave. I then explained to her that I had been having nightmares for months ever since my wife died in a car acc...dent. When I told her that I was the driver, her expression changed but it was that of sympathy not contempt like the way some people looked at me when they found out. I was expecting her to return to her room but she slowly sat on my bed, feet placed on the bed and tucked my head into her soft bosom. I fell into a deep sleep and awoke to the. Kelly pressed her face against my shoulder, hugging me back as she sobbed a little, “I just can’t believe it.”I hugged a little harder, nodding silently, while placing my hand on the back of her head in a gesture of reassurance; releasing my hug just before it got awkward.Rather than taking my seat again, I perched on the edge of my desk, just to comfort Kelly with my presence.“Do you want to tell me what happened?” I asked quietly.“It’s stupid,” she answered, averting her eyes again, “are you. “No,” the emperor responded.“Although,” Domitia Longina interrupted, “we have noticed that she has yet to make the required sacrifice, and Lucius’ birthday is in a month.”“I assure you that she will make the sacrifice...”“Actually,” Lucius/Dacianus cut him off, “I summoned you here to discuss your daughter. As I recall Severina has just reached marriageable age.” He gave me a look that suggested he wanted me to speak.“I have, Caesar.”“You may call me Lucius, given the circumstances. It just so. He started to feel full again and he felt his body start to relax, start to transform back to human. He no longer felt pain during his transformations, just the dull ache of his bones stretching and compressing.Cameron hid in the shadow of a fire escape, waiting to return to human. He breathed heavily, the rasp of his throat loud in his ears. There was no living thing nearby, not even a stray cat. He looked up between the buildings, seeing a few washed-out stars in the sky.He closed his eyes,.