Walking up behind her, I reached down and slapped her ass. She turned to look over her shoulder and hissed, “Stop that.” The guy she’d spoken to...raised his hands defensively and asked, “Stop what?” I kept trying, walking up to every hot girl in the room, groping at will. I never felt more than a partial sensation of touch, but it was still a hell of a lot more than I’d ever felt when I was alive. I got a couple of good looks in the bathroom, but I got tired of walking back through the wall. Fond hope, my mind told me. These men werespoiling for battle and slaughter. I watched as a rider advanced to thecity gates and shouted orders. I knew enough of Mongol speech tounderstand he was demanding surrender.Amazed, I saw the city gates open with a flourish of trumpets and thequeen herself walk out, surrounded by her six maidens, all in whiterobes. Some of the braver guards move to accompany her, but she wavedthem back. She would be completely without protection, not that the fewguards. Her thighs were promisingly full and firm, losing the thin- ness of prepubescent, and continuing down onto per- fectly formed knees and calves. She was a picture of emerging womanhood, but for all that, she was a smart- assed kid. No one liked her much, but her father was wealthy and she was tall for her age at 5’6″. She also had a wicked tongue, cutting down anyone who crossed her. She had a special feud going with Miss Ellsworth for some reason, and had, just a few days. But I knew they were not dangers for today, they were dangers further down the road. And like addicts the world over, I was happy to enjoy my fix today, allowing tomorrow and the price of today to look after itself. I realized Claire and I were alike. The eleven days without this experience had caused us both to change, in our different ways. For Claire, it was obvious her hunger and need for Jason had grown. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. For me, it made me look at Jason and Claire.