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  "P... P... Per, p... please!" moaned Alana as she shook and quivered.

  "What can I do?" asked Per, concerned as he knelt beside her.

  Alana grasped his hand and quickly shoved one of his large fingers into her sopping wet cunt. A moan of satisfaction came from her as she moved his hand to slide his finger in and out of her hole. Per was amazed at how tight and how wet her pussy was.

  "It had to be the red beam," he thought.

  Per used his free hand to push Alana flat onto the ground. He pushed his middle finger in and out of her cunt, which gripped it tightly, as his other fingers played with her clitoris. Alana's breathing became labored and, in no time, she arched off the ground in the throes of a powerful orgasm.

  "Wha... What happened?" she asked as she got her breath back.

  "I don't know," answered Per, "but I suspect it had something to do with that thing over there. Stay here. I need to check on the other two."

  He went over to the man and the woman. Both were unconscious, but alive. It appeared that they had collapsed from exhaustion. Per recovered Dorgeth from the body of the now dead creature and dragged the carcass out of the grove. By the time he returned, Alana had redressed. Per made a bed for her, telling her to rest as he set up camp. He rolled out blankets for the man and the woman and tucked them into the beds. Unsure of the magical effects caused by the creature's eyes, he could only sit and wait.

  The next morning, Per got up and heated water for soup. He sliced dried beef into the boiling water and added spices. As he worked, Alana awoke and got up.

  "How do you feel?" asked Per when she sat down by the fire.

  "Alright, I guess," she answered. "I don't know what happened to me last night. One second, I was fighting and the next, I was overcome with lust."

  "Do you remember the light from the creature's eye hitting you?" asked Per.

  "I remember a red flash," said Alana. "How are the other two?"

  "Exhausted. They haven't moved. I'm hoping there are no after effects."

  "Me, too."

  Per and Alana spent the rest of the day improving the campsite. They set up tents, collected firewood, and gathered water. They did not move the two people, but instead set the tents up directly over them. In the late afternoon, the woman moaned and stirred in her bed. Alana knelt down beside her while Per filled a cup with water.

  Dry, croaking sounds came from the woman's mouth as she tried to speak. Per helped support her head as Alana held the cup to let her drink. The woman drank thirstily and then laid back down.

  "Hush, dear," said Alana. "Don't talk. The creature that attacked you is dead. You and your friend are alive, but he is still unconscious."

  The woman pointed over to one of their packs and mouthed the word "bottle". Per went over and pulled out a blue bottle from the pack. Holding her head up again, he let her take several sips.

  The change was astounding. The woman's ashen color disappeared as her skin took on a more dusky hue. Her dark brown eyes became clearer and more focused and her breathing eased.

  "Thank you," she said in a low, husky voice. "This is a healing potion. If he wakes, give him this to drink. It will aid in his recovery."

  "Who are you?" asked Per.

  "I am Octavia and my companion is Karlto."

  "Pleased to meet you," said Per. "Rest now. We'll talk in the morning."

  "You, too," said Alana to Per. "If I know you, you've been up most of the night. I'll wake you if anything happens."

  Per did as he was told. He woke at daybreak to find Alana was asleep on top of her blankets with a dagger held in her hand. Per built up the fire and then walked over to Karlto's tent. The man was sleeping easier and most of the marks of exhaustion were gone from his face. As Per moved back to the fire, Alana got up.

  "He woke up a little bit after you had gone to sleep," she told Per. "I let him drink the rest of the bottle and it healed him of his exhaustion. Better make a big breakfast. I think they are going to be hungry."

  "Why don't you make breakfast?" asked Per, pulling a pot from one of their packs.

  "I'm a thief, not a cook," retorted Alana. "Unless, of course, you want to try my cooking again."

  He grimaced as he remembered the one and only time he had made Alana cook.

  "Just as well," he thought. "Plus she has to do the clean-up."

  Per cooked porridge, ham, bread and cheese for breakfast. Halfway through his preparations, Octavia stirred and come out of the tent with a blanket wrapped around her. She went over to her pack and pulled out clothing. Per kept his back turned as she dressed. After a few minutes, Octavia went into the tent where Karlto was and then came over to the fire.

  "He seems better," she said as she accepted a plate of food from Per. "Did you give him any of the potion?"

  "Yes," replied Per. "Alana gave it to him last night. I'm Per and this is Alana, by the way."

  "Honored. I'm going to go get Karlto. He should have some food."

  Octavia walked into Karlto's tent and woke him up. Karlto came out wrapped in a blanket. Surveying around, he jumped a little at the sight of Per, before picking up his pack and pulled out clothing for himself. After he dressed, he and Octavia walked back to the fire and Per got his first real good look at them.

  Karlto was about 5' 11'' and weighed about 180 pounds. He had short blond hair with a thin moustache and blue eyes. A silver medallion hung from his neck. Per recognized the engraving on it as symbolizing Zaius, the King of the Doudeca Gods. Octavia was about 5' 8'' and busty. Her arms were well muscled and she moved with the assurance of a fighter. Like Per, both wore chainmail armor and Karlto carried a wicked looking flail, while Octavia was a walking arsenal with daggers, long sword, spear and sling.

  "I wish to thank you, old boy," said Karlto cheerfully. "I thought that beholder had us. I was quite at the end of my tether."

  Per smiled at Karlto's strange accent and said, "You're welcome. I'm Per and this is Alana. How did you manage to end up here?"

  "The same could be asked of you," said Karlto. "No matter. Octavia wanted to go adventuring and talked me into it. We've known each other off and on for years. It as just our blasted luck to run right into that beholder."

  "Off and on for years?" asked Alana. "You mean you're not married?"

  "Again the same could be asked of you," said Karlto, with a gleam in his eye as he looked back and forth between the massive Per and the diminutive Alana. "No, we are not and haven't even been intimate except for the beholder's magic, but I do not suppose that counts. Or does it, Octavia?"

  "No, it doesn't," she replied, as she took a bite of ham. "Remember last time?"

  "She damned near took my bloody hand off," Karlto informed Per and Alana in a stage whisper. "As it was I was laid up for a week. Enough about us, let's hear your story."

  Per told them about the halfling village and the orcs. Karlto and Octavia listened in silence until he was done. "So that's how we ended up here," said Per, finishing up.

  "Sounds like a good fight," said Octavia. "Give us the dishes. It's the least we can do right now."

  "Alana, what do you think of them?" asked Per, as Octavia and Karlto took the dishes and pots down to the stream to clean them.

  "They appear to be alright. Why?"

  "I was wondering if they would want to join us. Safety in numbers, but I wanted to ask you first."

  "I guess I'm naturally suspicious," said Alana. "I want to know more about them first."

  They waited until Karlto and Octavia came back from the stream. "Alana and I have been talking about all of us joining together," started Per.

  "I say, old boy. Octavia and I were discussing the same thing down at the stream," interrupted Karlto. "Safety in numbers, what? You seem to have all the luck and we could use some. However, we know about Alana because you've told us, but what we need to find out is about you, Per. No insult intended."

  "None taken," said Per, smiling. "I'm used to people being startled by my appearance. I'm ha
lf-ogre. My father was an ogre and my mother human. I was raised on a farm by my mother and taught about weapons by my stepfather and the retired soldiers she kept as hired hands. I got into an incident where I upset a high ranking individual and had to leave or get killed. I've been adventuring ever since."

  "I think there are some gaps in your story, old boy," said Karlto, when Per was finished, "but I'm satisfied for now. As for myself, I was given over to the Temple of Zaius at an early age. I can't remember my parents, only the priests. One priest, old Russo, trained me in the martial arts. Originally, I think I was supposed to be a guard at the temple, but I went on to become a cleric. I was in the lap of luxury when Octavia dragged me away from all that."

  "Hush, fool," commanded Octavia. "You lived in a ten foot square cell with a hard wooden bed. You drooled at the prospect of getting out of the temple. As a matter of fact, I think the other priests were pushing you out the door when it came time to leave."

  Alana and Per both broke out laughing, as Karlto turned bright red.

  "My turn," continued Octavia. "My mother died in childbirth and my father never re-married. He was an officer in the army. Since he did not know about little girls, he taught me what he did know - strategy, tactics and weapons. We moved a lot and I got used to being on my own. After my father was injured in a battle, he retired. He saw I was unhappy just sitting around at home and actually sent me out into the wide world…I guess to find myself. So I grabbed up Karlto and here we are."

  Per looked over at Alana and she nodded. "If you would like to join us, we'd like to have you," said Per. "As Karlto said, safety in numbers, what?"

  "Um, treasure?" asked Karlto.

  "Equal split with one extra share set aside. The extra share buys the common goods for the group, like food and such."

  "Sounds fair. There's a town two days from here," said Octavia. "Let's head there for supplies and then decide where to go."

  * * * * *

  The group got to know each other as they headed south towards the town. Karlto was jovial and rash, with a sense of humor that sometimes eluded Per. Octavia, on the other hand, had a soldier's sense of humor, inherited no doubt from her father.

  After a couple of days, they arrived at the town. It was fairly new, built at a crossroads to cater for local miners and merchants who were passing through. About two-thirds of the population was transient, making the atmosphere of the town a rough and tumble place.

  A silver coin elicited the name of an inn, the Elf, from the gate guard. Situated just off the central square, Per had his doubts about getting a good night's sleep when he saw the sign swinging above the door. It was a carving of a naked female elf looking sexually over her shoulder while beckoning customers with her finger. Per, Alana, Octavia, and Karlto looked at each other.

  "I didn't see any place more inviting as we walked here," said Per. "What do you think?"

  "I say this is just the place, old boy," exclaimed Karlto, a little too eagerly.

  "Let's see what it's like inside first," said Octavia.

  It was surprising clean inside. Two pretty barmaids were sweeping the floor as two othersserved the lunchtime crowd. A short, muscular man with white hair and a walrus moustache walked over to them. "Welcome to the Erotic Elf. How may I help you?" he asked.

  "Uh, we were looking for some quiet rooms for the night," said Per, dubiously.

  The man smiled widely. "First time in town, huh? No inn here is quiet until after midnight. In all fairness, my inn is not as wild as some of the others and the crowd is less boisterous. I can offer you clean beds and good rooms. Unfortunately, the quiet will have to be after midnight."

  "Sounds better than nothing at all," conceded Per. "You have any beds in my size?"

  The group settled into the four rooms that the innkeeper showed them, including one with an extra-long bed for Per. He dropped off his packs and went out to meet his friends. The streets were noisy and filled with just about every race on the earth. Vendors and merchants shouted out their wares and street performers did acts. Everywhere people were trying to separate other people from their money.

  Per found a weaponsmith and purchased a new halberd to replace the one destroyed by the beholder. Rations and other items, like tents for Octavia and Karlto, were purchased for the group along with another mule to carry the extra gear. They were returning to the inn when Per stopped at a jewelry shop. His eye had caught sight of two necklaces, both were made from silver and had dangling pendants, one a tiger's eye and the other topaz. He told the others to go ahead and went into the store to purchase the necklaces.

  "What are you going to do with two necklaces?" Alana asked him as he came out of the store.

  "Why didn't you go ahead?" asked Per.

  "To keep an eye on you," said Alana with a sour look. "Well?"

  "They remind me of two girls back home," said Per. "The tiger's eye matches one girl's hair and the blue topaz matches the other's eyes. I thought I would send them these."

  "Aw, sweet," said Alana, causing Per to blush. "Let's go see the innkeeper about courier service here."

  Back at the Elf, Per arranged with the innkeeper to have the two necklaces sent to Melinar and Nyrandurril. He then joined the others for dinner. As they ate, more and more people came into the inn. The barmaids began to flirt outrageously and the noise level climbed significantly. Most of the early arrivals came in for supper, but Per soon noticed a change as more beer and liquor was served than food. Four musicians set up in a corner and the crowd yelled as they started in on a popular tune. Foots stomped, hands clapped as the musicians played faster and faster. Everyone yelled out again as the finale resounded out.

  The Elf became more boisterous as the night wore on and the alcohol flowed like water. The waitresses danced on the tables showing off a lot of cleavage and not a little leg. They also danced with the patrons, rubbing their bodies up against their partners, while fending off grasping hands that got a little too familiar. Per was surprised that their dresses did not fall to the floor under the weight of the gold and silver pieces that disappeared down the front of their tight blouses.

  "Enjoying yourselves?" asked the innkeeper loudly over the noise of the crowd.

  "This is great!" Per yelled back. "Is it like this every night?"

  "More or less," the innkeeper shouted. "I guess the miners spend too much time alone in the wilderness and have to cut loose when they hit town. Anything I can get you?"

  "Denuvian brandy," yelled Karlto.

  "Sorry. Ran out yesterday. Won't get any more until the day after tomorrow."

  "Oh, bloody hell," cursed Karlto.

  "The only place I know that has some is the Ogling Orc," yelled the innkeeper.

  "How far away?" asked Octavia.

  "Out the door and turn right. Go seven blocks and turn left. Another eight blocks and it's on the right."

  "I say, let's go," said Karlto, standing up and moving towards the door.

  Per looked at Alana and Octavia, who both shrugged their shoulders and followed Karlto. As Per stood, he was stopped by the innkeeper.

  "It's a little rough," warned the innkeeper. "The, um, entertainment tends to get out of hand."

  "Thanks for the warning," said Per. "I think I'd have rather stayed here."

  The four companions headed down to the other inn. The signboard above the door was of an orc, with eyes the size of dinner plates, staring over a wall at a naked girl. A dwarf was passed out in the street and loud music blasted out of the windows of the inn. Two large hobgoblins stood guard at the door and there was a constant flow of people in and out of the inn.

  Per and his friends pushed their way inside. They all stopped just inside the door, their mouths opened with shock. It was a large two-story high room that was twice as crowded as the Elf. A balcony that went three-quarters of the way around the main floor and a stage filled the far wall. Numerous lamps lit the room. But it was the activity that stunned Per and his friends to immobility until they were
pushed aside by new arrivals.

  A good-looking human girl was dancing on the main stage. Her clothes were strewn all over the stage as she did a bump and grind to the music. She shook her breasts at the men lining the stage and rubbed her hands all over her nude body to their catcalls and whistles.

  In a dark back corner, a woman had passed out face down on a table. Her legs hung over the edge and her pants had been pulled down to her ankles. White, slimy cum was dripping from her pussy, attesting that several men had fucked her.

  Another bizarre scene was taking place at another table. Six women, two in elegant dresses, two in armor and two in buckskin, sat close together at a long rectangular table. A naked man, his hands clasped behind his head, was lying on the table. Each woman, in turn, would pump his hard cock ten times before letting the next woman stroke it. It seemed that each woman gave up the cock with a sigh of relief and took it with trepidation.

  Waitresses, wearing barely anything, rubbed themselves up and down on patrons' laps. One waitress crawled under a table and the seated man's eyes rolled back as her mouth started sucking on his cock. People of different genders and races challenged each other to drinking contests and arm wrestling was a major sport. The whole room reeked of debauchery and sex.

  "What'd ya want?" asked a thin man, coming up to Per and the others. The man had a sleazy look, which Per did not like. He was also having serious reservations about coming here in the first place.

  "Denuvian brandy," ordered Karlto.

  The man looked at Per.

  "Ale," said Per, "and a place to sit down, of one's to be had."

  Octavia ordered ale and the man barely heard Alana's request for wine as he was openly admiring Octavia's obvious assets. The man licked his lips and then motioned to the hobgoblin at the door. He nodded at two drunken gnomes occupying a table and the hobgoblin walked over, cracked their heads together and dragged the unconscious bodies out to the street. The man led Per and his friends over to the now unoccupied table.

  "I'll be right back with your drinks," said the man. He turned to Octavia. "I hope later you'll grace us with a song or dance."