"This demonic, perverted love is not given, it takes, it takes everything that it can touch, and it does not let go. It will entwine your life with it... own. First it will seduce you. Then it will corrupt your flesh. Nothing can save you then, and it will soon take your very soul."If it were to gain a foothold in this world, it would consume us all, until there was nothing left, nothing human, nothing good, nothing strong."I have learned to recognise the signs of the demon, and I know of its. Don battle armour, all compartments set Condition One." With that, the urgent BONG-BONG-BONG of the general quarters klaxon echoed through the ship.Forward of the CIC, Gunner's Mate Sheila Smith and her concubine Charles quickly donned their battle suits and took their stations at the launch and reload workstations. After plugging themselves in and strapping themselves into the acceleration chairs, Sheila activated the weapons, warming them up in case instant firing was needed. Charles. Behind me, there was movement. I was pretty sure there was no more than two of them. If there was a God in heaven, one of them was my Victorian lover, Jessica. She of the hungry mouth and full, wide breasts. The number of times, I’d splashed my stomach thinking of her this summer was embarrassing. Speaking of embarrassment, 35-year old me had even contemplated a romance between the two of us. There was something so sweet about her lightly freckled, blonde self. I mean, despite the blackmailing. “I have one bra and two pairs of panties now,” she complained as she dropped onto the couch beside Viv. “One of the panties needs to be washed and the bra I’m wearing is too small,” she continued with a glance toward Ethan.“Maybe we can make something that will work,” Ethan replied with little enthusiasm. His skills as a knitter or tailor were nonexistent and he didn’t have a fabricator designed for clothes. Helen’s eye roll told him how she felt about his attempt to help.Viv took a deep breath.