" Theasa took a shuddering breath and wiped her tears with her fingers."She didn't need to see his face, his voice, she recognized his voice, they are...a bonded pair!" Varna snapped."A human?" Petara spluttered"A hybrid!" Varna threw her arms in the air in frustration and glared at her crew. "Don't you see? This General Arron and the human are one and the same."The three women facing her gasped in unison. "Minara mated with a human, a hybrid?" Petara shuddered. "It's disgusting." She didn't. Yes, I like her. Yes, she likes me. Yes, she’s Orthodox. She’s also gone for the Summer, and we agreed we’d talk in August about the future.”“That sounds serious,” Maggie said quietly.“Being totally honest, it could be. But it’s also true that you and I have time to get to know each other.”“But she might be the one you choose.”“There was always that possibility,” I said, keeping my voice as gentle as possible. “But I’ve kept my word to you - I am not steady with anyone, and I haven’t made any. ‘We’re going to swing, Mia. I’m going to need your help. Remember how you use to swing when you were a kid in school. We’re going to swing like that now, baby.’ ‘Swing? How?’ ‘Can you kick your legs? We’ll kick one way and then the other and when we get close enough, I’ll grab that branch, then we’ll be home free.’ He stared down into her hazy gaze. ‘Just stay with me, Mia. You can’t leave me here alone. Please.’ She nodded and groaned again before chuckling. ‘Yeah, who would do the heavy. Sal was at the house that day. He often came over after school and we did our homework together. He was sweet on me, I could tell, and I liked him too. His was the face behind my eyeballs as I masturbated, and I felt that one day he would be the man, or the boy, to tear my maidenhead asunder, to break my cherry, to make me a woman. His parents liked me; well, maybe his father a little too much, judging from the way his eyes roamed over my body, but nothing ever happened. My parents likewise.