On this occasion, however, I felt no such thing. Rather I was alive and energetic and went to work with a light heart, which must have manifested itse...f to my colleagues. Mike Love was the blind colleague who had made me hoot with laughter when I had first met him because he described himself as “the Love that dare not read its name.” Oscar Wilde would have been delighted by that. ‘You seem somewhat perky this morning. Not your usual Monday self at all. Did the play go well on Saturday?’ Visual. The rest of the story is finished and will post imminently – let me know what you think! * * * Rain streaked down the windows in greasy rivulets, distorting the myriad of reflected lights. The bus trundled on, rumbling through the dirty streets and by-ways of the dreary town. Eventually the houses and factories gave way to endless fields and flat scrubland. It was featureless and grey – just like the rest of Nicole’s world. She sat huddled next to a grubby window with her face pressed to the. 45out of my waistband and chambering a round, I crept forward as quietly as I could, expecting the worst. Slamming the door to my 'office' open only made things worse. The door crashed into the back of the office chair sending its occupant sprawling over my desk and spilling hot coffee everywhere!A cursing police sergeant was trying to get off of the desk and get to his feet. I pulled my roscoe out of his kidney and helped him up. "Hi Bricker, what brings you out of the clubhouse on such a fine. WHAT AFTER?After we complete the bonding ritual and satifsy the demands of the mezclarRand's voice as he started the ceremony broke through to them and they both turned their attention to him. And as Charlie had promised - the actual ceremony was quick. Before Kat could comprehend it, Rand was asking for the binding cloth. As Arianna held it out to the King, she felt a surge in the powers of her chosen. She risked a quick glance at him, and nearly moaned. Once more his green eyes had gone.