Or, at the very least, they were not the only intelligent species ever to have existed. Archaeological digs uncovered the remains of a long-dead advan...ed civilization - much more advanced than humanity itself. Their technology, at its peak, had been stunning. Humans, being the thinkerers that they are, managed to reverse-engineer a lot of their technology. One results, in particular, had an enormous impact - the technology to digitize a consciousness. Soon, all humans were upgraded with a. . my future..." He took a breath. "My wife. What, if anything, have I got to live for?" For life itself, Leo. Each day is a new opportunity if you want it to be. You're not that old. You're smart, personable. You could have a wonderful future if you were willing to look for it." Yeah, right. And I've got some swampland in Florida that I could sell you to finance it." He paused a moment. "Look, if you want to help me, tell me where the Rite Aid is. There's something there that I... I need to. This part of the castle was particularly cold in the hours of darkness due to lack of any fireplace to warm the chilly winter’s air. The adjoining great room was much warmer with its well-tended fire and cheerful light of many candles to illuminate the far corners in every direction. She wanted only to withdraw and silently repair to the room and the comfortable sense of hidden presence in the midst of talkative maidens all chattering about the visitors of battlefield fame. It was easy to. He tried to bring his hands to her hips, to control her movements, but she waved them away. She glared at him and hissed, while increasing her speed. If you saw her, you would have compared her to a jockey riding to win a race. He cried out as her nails dug into his chest and she started to move faster and faster. The intensity in her look almost frightened him. She threw her head back and it appeared that the wind had caught her hair. When she looked at him again, there was no desire in her.