The sudden magnetic touch of her tender and delicate hand on the seat of my sensations, the twining of the white, soft fingers about my shaft of love,...my arrow of desire, together with the sweet, melting softness of her clinging lips, together with the soft compression of her thinly-clad body, strained tightly against my own, all conspired to send the blood leaping through my veins like molten fire, and in an access of passion I drew her roughly to me and plunged my finger, which was at the. At the first, R.J. Rossi and Jane Steinmetz were pouringsparkling red liquid from bottles into a pair of large crystal bowls. Arnie Diaz was arranging rows of glasses near them. Trays of yellowcake were already set at both ends, and a crowd was forming, eager fora taste.More people gathered around the other table. Ramon stood by the leftend, trying to smile. Standing with him were Sebastian Ortega andArsenio Caulder. Whit and Carmen were there as well, therepresentatives of Ramon's family. . Try to relax. Please don't touchthe tube." Okay Doc."Dr. Kruger and the nurse left the room. Carl watched the tube andbecame bored. Before he knew it he was asleep.***Carl awoke and looked at his arm. He saw the band-aid. He felt drowsyand yawned. Dr. Kruger entered the room. "Ah. I've seen you've finallyawoken Mr. Taney." How long have I been asleep Doc?" Two days." Are you serious?" Yes. How do you feel?" A little tired." Well, rest for an hour or so Mr. Taney. Then you may go."***For the. Someone had had to do it. The fools on the wizard's council had long ago abandoned mortals as a lost cause. Too petty, too stupid, and too weak to even protect. They had long since removed themselves from this dimension, content with playing God in worlds that they had created. There were a few rogues out there still: witches, warlocks, sorcerers and gypsies. The few that were left were so wrapped up in their own games and plots, their own struggles to rise to the top of the heap, that humanity.