Gabriella felt her lungs burning as it used the last bits of oxygen and then starved. The world slowly started closing in around her till the only thi...g she could see was Galgrax's face inches away from her and the sound of his breathing. The only thing she could hear was the sound of his breathing and her nails raking over his hands. The only thing she could smell was his breath which stank of beer and roast deer. Then she didn't even sense those things and her entire body went limp.The world. "I wonder who she is, and if she'd be interested in helping me get rid of a load or two."From the car came "Don't stop, don't stop, fuck me baby, fuck me."Kenny said, "Whoever she is, she sounds like one hot slut."Just then someone opened one of the lodge hall doors and the light that escaped was enough for us to see a leg thrown over the front seat and another leg waving in the air and a set of white buttocks moving up and down between them. With a sick feeling in my stomach I saw the emerald. I dressed, went downstairs carefully, feeling a bit woozy and sat on the front porch, the verandah if you will. I watched the river flow by, and the old lady came and sat beside me, handing me a glass of red wine."Good for your blood," she said."How long have you lived here?" I asked. "It's beautiful." Isn't it?" she said. "Family's been here since sixteen-twenty-something, fifty years before the English came, both my late husband's family and mine. I knew him all his life." Patroon?" I. " Close your eyes, my darling." I kissed her nose and snuggled her closer. "I will miss you while we sleep." "James..." Yes, Keira." When we wake, I want you to make love with me." Her eyes sparkled with renewed hope. "Nothing on this earth would make me happier, Keira, than to make love with you."~~oOo~~While my mind tried to shake the fog from my sleep, my hands reached for Keira but patted an empty bed. Opening my eyes, I saw her standing naked, back to me, in front of the mirror. She hadn't.