Sit by me." I do. She places a hand on my naked thigh. I jump involuntarily, then settle an arm around her shoulders. My hand rests just und...r her chin. I turn her face towards me and lower my lips to hers. Her lips are warm and soft, and strangely hesitant. She kisses me lightly. I move my hand from her chin to her cheek. As I kiss her, she relaxes. Her lips part and I can feel her breath in my mouth. My tongue tastes her lips and moves across her teeth. Her. There were two big shaven-headed bouncers on the door, and they both grinned when my sister told them about my kissing quest."It's her wedding day tomorrow, and she has to kiss a hundred men tonight."Both men leered at me, and the bigger of the two asked how many I'd kissed already."Ninety-two," replied Cat."So, which one of you wants to be ninety-three?" I asked stepping forward, chest out. I wasn't going to be able to let many more men at me, so I thought why not let them have a fondle of my. .. unless.”“Yep, that’s how.”“Our Titles, Faithless and Godless, it means the gods can’t mess with us.”“That’s what I think. At least not directly; the so-called Elves aren’t going to attack us on its behalf. All the God can do is confuse us, but the Elves gave us something for that,” Axel said, pulling out the compass.It would not lead them to the God but it would lead them out the forest. It would always show the path out, was what Alvina said. That was far better than anything he could have. Hopefully I'll be back Thursday night. I ... didn't mean to ask you until I got back, to give you a chance to realise what it was going to be like..."They were silent, listening to the wind in the rigging and the rain, now drumming on the coach-roof, there was a rumble of thunder in the distance."I'm glad you did, Tom," Chrissie said quietly, "I worried a bit that messing you about, especially in view of your own ... hangups ... might lead you to back away. Tom, I want you. I don't want to live.