The ice cubes numbed his lips. "I've been working up around DC."She nodded her head sympathetically. He finished his water, embarrassed by the silence...but unable to find anything else worth saying. "Thanks for the water." He set the glass carefully on the table and wiped his hands nervously on his pants. "I was wondering if I could ask one more favor. I can't pay you or anything, but if it wouldn't be any bother I was wondering if you'd mind me sleeping on your porch. Just to spend a night. Her sighs grew to murmurs of delight. She laid back in the seat andpulled Tina on top of her. Her hand reached down and pushed the swirlingskirts of Tina's dress against her little nub.Tina kept lapping and teasing, and Alyssa's murmurs grew to moans ofdesire."Why are you stopping?" Alyssa asked as Tina pulled away."I don't want to stop, my dearest. I love you desperately and I want tolove you more. But I know your secret and your fear and we can only getpast it together." Get past it?" Tina's. He had five days to go until his next paycheck."What's your major?" William asked."Sociology with a minor in statistics."William sat up and said, "That's an unusual minor. Why statistics?" I want to be a pollster," the guy answered. He snorted and then said, "I wanted to be a pollster."For almost fifteen seconds, William stared at the young man while his mind considered the implications of what he had said. Pulling out his cell phone, William dialed the office. When Barbara answered the phone,. "Hail, Argul," he called. "It is I, Chinzel of Talai, bringing friends." These are not of the Brotherhood." The accusing voice was a deep, croaking bass that sprang oddly from Argul's slender frame, the man's wide, lipless mouth and bulging eyes reminding Shantar of some moist swamp creature. "Why do you bring them here to us?" I have promised them safe passage to Talai," Chinzel answered in a firm voice. "They would avoid both the King's soldiers and the priests of Kathool."Argul winced at the.