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Trish, Stark, and Gregorio were perfectly still and quiet, obviously unnerved by the growing tension between Etzli and The Summoner. Etzli believed in The Summoner’s quest to plunge the world into darkness, but his methods were infuriating at times. Yet, she loved him and his power. She was proud, but not foolish enough to defy him. He was a god after all.

Etzli bowed her head, her long dark hair slipping over one shoulder. “Your desires are my desires.”

Bianca’s hand was soft and gentle against her cheek. “Of course, they are.”

Part Two

Hard Lessons

Chapter 7

August 2012

Samantha sighed as Jeff finished dressing. She didn’t want him to leave, but knew he had his duties he needed to fulfill. At least he was trying very hard to make time for her and their relationship. After he’d closed the bookstore, he’d taken her out for hamburgers at Phil’s Icehouse, then home for a few hours of cuddles and lovemaking.

With a slight pout, she traced her fingertips over the blue tattoo that adorned his right shoulder blade just before he tugged his t-shirt down.

“You’re such a geek,” Samantha teased.

“I like Dr. Who,” Jeff said, defending his TARDIS tattoo.

“You’d be a sexy Dr. Who.”

“He’s just the Doctor, remember? That’s the joke?” Jeff put on a terrible English accent. “‘I’m the Doctor.’ “Doctor who?’ ‘Just the Doctor.’ That’s the running joke.”

“Whatever. You’re like the tenth Doctor with his awesome hair.” Samantha ran her fingers through Jeff’s brown hair making it stick up in the way she liked. Samantha watched the show to make Jeff happy, though she did enjoy it more than she had anticipated.

Jeff made a face, but endured it. “You only love me because I have great hair.”

“I love you because you’re adorable.” Samantha kissed him lightly on the lips. They were both a little damp from their shower and he tasted like clean water.

Playing with the blonde tendrils falling over her brow, Jeff sighed. “I wish I didn’t have all these Skype calls tonight, but time zones are a bitch. Plus Aimee and Cass are picking up Baptiste and bringing him to the store. I really need to get him up to speed.”

“Well, at least he’s finally here.”

Sharing a few more sweet kisses, the couple ignored the yowling of the cat outside the bedroom door. Beatrice was not pleased at being banned from the room during Jeff’s visits. Her small paws slid under the bottom of the door while she continued to protest loudly.

Samantha reluctantly let Jeff slip out of her arms and watched with amusement as he let the cat in. Beatrice haughtily strode past him, flicking her tail with disapproval in his direction.

“Go ahead and stay in here by yourself, bitchy kitty,” Samantha said to the cat as Beatrice jumped onto the unmade bed.

Beatrice settled onto one of the pillows, yawned, and turned her face away, as if dismissing the two humans.

“That’s why I don’t have cats. They’re assholes,” Jeff said, and ducked so he wouldn’t get smacked by his girlfriend.

“She’s just moody! She doesn’t like being excluded.”

“Like someone I know,” Jeff continued to tease while hurrying down the hallway.

Following Jeff to the kitchen, Samantha couldn’t help but admire his rear. She found it insanely sexy in his cargo shorts. Jeff’s broad shoulders were also very alluring as far as she was concerned. Beneath his blue shirt which read “The Doctor Will Save Us,” Jeff had some very nice muscles. The more she fell for him, the more attractive he became in her eyes. Someone had made a snide comment to her once about him missing one of his legs, and she had torn them a new one. Jeff was all man as far as she was concerned. It didn’t diminish him as a person that he had lost a limb. He’d once shown her all the different prosthetic devices he’d worn over the years. The little toddler ones had broken her heart. Today he was wearing a prosthetic leg that looked like it belonged on a robot, but it was the one that gave him the most movement.

“I would totally go sit in on your boring phone calls if I didn’t have to study,” Samantha answered grumpily. She was still getting used to being a phasmagus and what it meant for her life. At least she had Jeff and the others to help her through.

“You haven’t seen any more of the ghostly victims, have you?”

“You mean the women Eduardo is killing?” Samantha answered grumpily.

“We have no proof,” Jeff said, sighing.