My Cats Take Me To The Next World - Book 1 by D.A. Sanford - HTML preview

Chapter 14: The quest Trap

Everett finally found out who has been fucking with his operation. It’s some scum bag named Justin Martin. I'm going to make sure that bastard never interferes with my game again. He tells the subordinate,

“Here is what I want you to do. Get some innocent rube. Make sure he has a family. Threaten his family by saying that if he resists in anyway his family will all be taken for slaves. If he carries out the role he will be paid and transported to the country line where he is never to return. If Justin takes the bait, we will be able to kill him. Fifty men should do it. By the way, when he has finished with his task, kill him and enslave his family. Bring any good looking women to me.”

We have been back at the manor for three weeks now. The light brush has been cleared back another hundred feet from where it was. Taken steps to make sure that no more spies can get close to us without knowing that they are there. At least we can relax now. Everett, our suspect in sending the spy, has always been out in the open with his robbery's. We will just take care of them cell by cell. The funny thing about this is that is we haven't had any reason to leave the manor with the exception to go to town. We feel welcome there and we now get the supplies through them.

It also seems like Everett's gang must be diminished because they haven't been seen around much lately. Having said that Chip has come to tell me someone wants to see me about rescuing his daughter from slavers. Spoke too soon, Everett. I go to my office. Missy is now the one that represents the harem at these meetings Chip is my second. He brings in a man named Charles Wagner. The man looks haggard, like he's been through the wringer twice.

You can just tell that he is at the edge of sanity.

"What can we do for you Mr. Wagner?"

"My daughter" he mumbles "she is only fourteen and now she is in the hands of slavers."

"Please tell me what you can starting with where and when."

He tells me that his wife son and daughter were on the way home from a resupply trip to town. My son is a big eighteen year old so he was going to watch over them while I worked the farm. I was told that there were bodies found. The authorities told me that it appears that my son fought with the slavers. My wife and son were killed. There was no trace of my daughter so they said she probably was taken as a slave.

My old world life reared its ugly side when he mentioned that his wife and son were dead. I immediately said that we would take the retrieval Per Bono. Chip got the details. Missy mobilized the team and we were on the road.

First thing was to check with the authority that talked to him but it appears that the person also has gone missing. but his partner said that the information that Mr. Wagner gave was correct. The indication was that the slavers were headed towards Cannerten. Everett. I asked 114

about the time frame. He said that it was just a few days. Again, I asked about the person who talked to Mr. Wagner. His partner said that he had gone looking for the slavers

"If you find him, please let me know whether he is alive or dead."

I told him the I would.

We headed towards the scene and then followed the trail left behind by the slavers. Bits of odd clothing, a coin or two, deep drag marks yet only horse shoe marks. No wagon tracks or foot prints.

Things are starting to spook us. the trail, the missing authority This whole thing is starting to stink but we need to press on. Abigail sprinted forward to scout. She came back and said that the trail continues

“It looks like it is deliberate.” she reports.

Hilda then adds "I have never seen any criminal that did not try to leave as little evidence of their direction. Evasion is key to not being caught. Whoever did this want to be followed. We need to be cautious"

"I understand" I said "but if there is any chance that this is just dumb criminals, like the ones that he hires, then this could be real. Notice I said could be real. I also am having my doubts.

Let's go a little farther. If it still seems deliberately, we'll get the hell out of here."

Going a bit farther, we could not believe what we saw. Passing a point there were what looked to be twenty five gang members and another twenty five came out of nowhere behind us. We were surrounded.

"This is your last day" said the one that appeared to be in charge.

"You won't ever be able to interfere ..."

He did not remember the first rule, don't try to talk someone to death.

As soon as he said "this is your last day”, the eight of us started our dances. On the swords, besides the gang members guts, were Chip and myself. There was a tornado called Missy along with a demonstration of the high low twin terror art form by Beez and Hilda. They have that down to a science.

I liken it to one of the town mowers in the old world. They could use it horizontally to cut grass and, in an instant, it was cutting vertically on tough bushes and tree limbs. They both had the same force and the same effect as that mower.

There was a terror in the sky also. knives drawn; the red streak was traveling at high speeds strafing the gang. the only comparison I have is from the old world was the Mitsubishi Zero.

Light and fast. Easy to maneuver, deadly when it got you in its sights. That's my Sorra.

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Even Christine was joining the fray. She has gotten really good on the blades. She now only worries about us. She has said recently that she would like to treat their injured but there hasn't been any injured. She smirked as she added that they were getting what they so richly deserved.

Abigail added the factor of hit and run. Most of the ones hit by her never knew it until they started drowning in their own blood. for some reason their throats had large multiple slashes appear. In a matter of minutes there was no more audience to watch the dances. All bodies were down and none of them were even moaning. Not one was in a complete state.

Decapitated, eviscerated, dismembered and just plain reduced to puddles of red goo.

What did the man say "This is your last day" It turns out that he was talking to himself.

"We still have work to do" I told the team.

"We need to have an in depth talk with that partner" Beez says

"And also Mr. Wagner" Christine adds.

We start to double back. I should have known, I said to myself.

"What did you just say?" Hilda asked.

"I said I should have known. I should have question Wagner more. That convenient missing authority. His partner, the trail. I should have known. Everett's same old tactic. He won't change and that is the problem. He just keeps sending these idiots. It's just that it wears us down. now we need to better screen anyone that comes to us because it could be another trap."

Hilda gives me a hug. It's extremely comforting to have that woman give a tall hug. The only problem is that there is the urge to touch and feel. She knows it. It is a good distraction. The other women giggle at my mood going from foul to damn my pants are getting tight. I have to laugh myself.

“I heard Wagner say that his wife and son were dead and my old world again came crashing in. I acted in response to an old wound. I ask all of you to please bring me back here to my family when it seems that my old world self is present. I’m sorry for putting all of you in danger.”

I receive a harem hug. Comforting. The only one that looks confused is Abigail.

“Chip, I give you permission to fill her in on my background tonight.”

We got back to the partners location. The place was empty. Go figure. That maybe the reason he met us outside. I will remember that face. Now for Wagner. We found out that his body was discovered and his family has disappeared. I guess that portion of the story was correct.

Everett likes to target families to make people do what he wants. Now I feel sorry for him. A pawn that was used and disposed of. Everett expendable.

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Everett hears of yet another failure but he does not have a body to kick down the stairs. It was thrown out the window. "Get someone to fix the windows up here they seem to be broken.”

There was nothing that we could do except to fall back and lay low at the manor for a few weeks. Makes me wish we had that lake cottage. I'd have all of us go there, including the staff and become harem hermits but the manor is home and we can defend it. Now all we had to do is protect the family. That, right now is the manor.

The first thing we did was to max out our food supplies. Weapons we have but I figure that we need long range weapons so we need more bows and a large supply of arrows. We are all good archers but they are not our weapons of choice. We function best with the up close and personal style of fighting.

Things started to calm down for us when we had our weapons restocked, food stores at max and we again felt comfortable. We had the bases covered. We settled down, waiting for Everett's next move.

Everett has finally had enough. That last failure is enough relying on the incompetence of those idiots.

"I want everyone in the gang to get here within two weeks ready to march on that manor.

Justin has always beaten us on the open field. They are an offense team. We'll trap them in that house and burn them up if necessary. We'll surround that manor and lay siege to it and then set it on fire with them all in there. this is their weakness. They won't be expecting that."

Everett has them this time. “I'll lead this and see that it will not fail; I have the map to his manor and a sketch of the property. Numbers overwhelming numbers. We know here are only eight team members that fight. Only a handful of servants. Attack them when they are home and they will die.”

Weeks later in the afternoon, we were having our meal. The talk was as usual lively. We talked about the fact that everyone did fun things today. Someone commented that it was very peaceful of late and then the words that are the precursor of calamity, I wish that it continues.

Maybe even Everett has given up.

Suddenly my goblin wife tensed up, started shaking then Beez froze in place. A look of shear horror came over her as she starts screaming in terror “We are all going to be killed, WE ARE

ALL GOING TO BE KILLED!

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Chapter 15: War

Beez starts to scream in sheer terror

“We are all going to be killed. WE ARE ALL GOING TO BE KILLED!”

I rush over to her to comfort her.

“What do you mean, we are all going to be killed?”

She has the power to communicate with her future self, one day ahead and one day behind.

“Tomorrow’s me has told me that in three days the manor will be surrounded by Everett’s men, around one hundred fifty in total. Some of us will be dead from wounds the remainders will be burned alive when they torch the manor. We will be unable to get out. We all die.” She is sobbing hysterically.

"I thought you could only communicate with, like you just said, either tomorrows you or yesterdays you. How do you know events from three day from now?”

Between the sobs, she says

“I can explain that. The tomorrow me contacted today’s me, I’m her yesterday’s me but picture this, me two days from now contacts her yesterday’s me which is my tomorrow’s me Add a third or a fourth."

"We can pass messages to the next me who passes it to her next me. That me can reverse the process the message reply back to me. That me, three days from now, was dying in that fire. She managed to send a message to her past me. The chain passed it to me. She hoped that this me or my past me could change that future. I haven’t decided yet to pass this on to my yesterday’s me”

Once Beez came to her senses. She tells us in almost an order like manner,

“We have to get out of here right now and change the future. We were surprise attacked.

Even the tomorrow me said that they apparently did not leave in time to escape death. We have changed our tactics and paid for it. Our team is an offensive juggernaut but confined to a house and being defensive we failed. We need to get out of here now.”

I looked at everyone and before I could say anything, each one of the team gets up and start to go in different directions.

“Where is everyone going? We need to plan.”

Hilda spoke first.

“We can plan on the road. If Bebe says we got to go now, we got to go now. No questions just actions.”

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The others agree.

“Beez how long will it take for you to ask and get an answer from your line. What direction are they coming from?”

“It will take about an hour but you will not get anything because that me is dead."

“Relay this then up the line, Have Sorra fly to see if she can find out what direction they are coming from”

“That I can do. We should have an answer in an hour or so.”

I address the team,

“Here is what is going to happen, we start gathering everything that can be called a weapon and get them together. We’ll quickly sort through them and choose what will suit us best. Get rations for a day or two. Get the horses ready. We will travel light. Sorra, go now, fly to your father and ask for help. The Clan of the Dragon is aligned with the Clan of Martin we need his help."

"We will start North east towards Everett's home base in Cannerten. Tell your father that I would like him to meet us midway. He’ll see us from the air. You come with him. Abigail, do you have a safe place you can lay low for a while?”

“What do you mean lay low? I have a stake in this you know. This is my home also!”

“But you are pregnant and need to protect that.”

“Bull shit! If everyone falls, do you think I would be happy. You are just as much family as these kittens I carry. I will come, scout and snipe like always. I won’t be at as great of risk as you on the field but if it comes to that I will also join the battle.”

“Chip are you comfortable with this?”

“No, but she is coming anyway.”

“Okay”

“One last thing, Beez, if you find they are too close, relay that to your yesterday to tell me the situation. Have her say 'trust me or I’ll tell the Watcher.' That will get my attention. Tell that you to tell me to get my ass in gear. That is an expression that you have never heard me say, so he will know it’s from me. Remember, 'get your ass in gear.' "

"Everyone let’s get going, you all have your assignments. Be ready within an hour. If it takes a little longer for Beez to get a response, we’ll get it on the trail. SORRA! What the hell are you still doing here? Get going before you get a spanking.”

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“If she does not go right now, I’ll take the spanking” Hilda states. We laugh

“Maybe you’ll get one too. Sorra get gone now! Ready or not when the hour was up and we set off."

An hour on the trail and Beez rides up to me. “The group is around a day march away from the manor two days from now. They are on foot with one carriage. It looks like Everett is leading the group. They are coming the direction from Cannerten. We are going the right way.

Today they should be better than two days walk from here. I think that your spot at the half way point is doable for the battle. You were the first to send Sorra for her father. That seems to also change what happened.”

“Good news. What effect does this have on the dead future you?”

“We cannot tell yet. I may still have been killed in the half way battle. But now that we are moving, I cannot be burned to death in the manor”

“You are right about changing the future but I will not let any of you die. You all hear me, that’s an order. I need you to send up an order. When the you that is after the battle is back on line, she needs to report information back to our you”

I lean in and give her a kiss.

All I hear is “unfair” coming from the other wives.

“Give me good news and there will be kisses” but they one by one catch up to me to collect their kiss in advance. I don't mind.

On horse we make it to the half way point and stop for the night. Later on, just before dusk, twenty of the Clan of Dragons land in our camp. Drako is leading and Sorra is with them.

Drako greets me and we shake hands.

“We are here to help our clan brethren. We will let our enemies blood water the earth. What word has my daughter Beez received?”

“They are a day’s march from the manor two days from now coming from Cannerten so we should meet them tomorrow."

Drako states that Beez's talent is still hard for him to comprehend but he trusts us.

"We need to pick out a good spot for an ambush. You know the lay of the land, where is a good ambush spot? A pinch point would be the best. Easier to kill.”

“I know of a good spot” Drako says “and I know how to drive them there. These twenty are archers.”

"That’s a great idea but where are you going to station them to drive Everett towards the trap?" I ask.

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Drako only points to the sky, “We will be airborne when we attack. There is no better way to drive someone then arrows raining down from an archer that you cannot reach.”

I tell the group that I will be the one to kill Everett. The future needs revenge for killing my family, my team in the future. I know it has not happened yet but it happened in the future. It shows to what extent he will go. He can’t live and I need to finish him.”

Christine says “But we cannot risk you being killed in a one on one with an orc. The five of us wives want to be there with you battling Everett.”

Time for me to fess up.

“I need you to listen carefully. I have a talent that I have not told anyone. I have something named copy and paste. I discovered it when I was watching Chip perform his sword dance. I thought that I would like that skill, forgive me Chip, there was a voice in my head. It said, in my head, the name of the skill “sword master” then asked, “select all or just this page” I asked for an explanation and the voice said that I could select all the skills or just the one I was observing. Once I chose, I needed to say copy and paste. I selected all then thought copy and paste. I suddenly had all Chips skills. I was able to expertly do everything Chip could do.”

Chip in awe “So that’s how you were able to keep up with me with the sword and martial arts”

I continued, looking at Missy, “During the gang fight that we got Beez from, those men came after you and the women while Chip and I fought. You went berserker. While fighting I saw a whirl wind of claws teeth and pissed off kitty. Again, I thought that it was a nice skill that I wanted so I selected this page then copy paste. Chip got pissed when I dropped my sword and went berserk. It was fun."

"Then when Beez was working out with Chip and she was using daggers I copied only her dance of the daggers. After that I realized it was a cheat and did nothing with the newer wives. I’m sorry for keeping this from you."

Christine said “please copy healing magic from me”

Hilda asks me to copy her Watcher enhanced hand to hand combat and Sorra asks me to copy speed movement magic. It seems that Hilda voices the consensus of all the wives

“If you copy our best skills from us then we will know that we are with you when you fight Everett. You will be invincible. If you do this, we will hold back but if you look in trouble, we will protect you”

Drako is amazed “You have chosen your mates carefully. They are strong and dedicated too”

"I can’t agree more” I reply.

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I did what they asked. Now my skill set is complete. It feels like my women are surrounding me, protecting me. Now we need to post guards and get some sleep morning comes early.

The word is sleep, my ladies.”

Very early the next morning, Justin has the final meeting before the battle.

“First and foremost, no one dies unless they are on Everett’s side. Archers you see this?”

I hold up white and black long strips of cloth.

Sorra chimes in “Did you just cut up our mattress for those strips?”

“Yes, I did and you will thank me for it. I want everyone to wear these as arm bands. This way the archers can spot us. Archers, anyone you can kill, except that orc. I don’t mind if you wound Everett but I claim the right to kill him.”

Drako adds,” If for any reason you cannot fight him, I claim the next right. He threatens my daughters. All of the wives are my daughters including your wife Chip."

“Now Abigail, you snipe and run. You are not to fight them out right, you can only kill them.

Ambush and make them dead before they realize it.”

"That’s the fun part” is her answer.

“Christine, we will need your healing but you have learned at least the defensive dance. Keep your eyes and ears open. People, if you are injured go to Christine. She will heal you but if they are down, Christine, go to them and heal but be careful."

"Beez and Hilda, you two have demonstrated that paired up the two of you become one that I have called the High Low Twin Terrors. It is like a vertical slice and dice. I almost feel sorry for your opponents. Not!”

The two of them hug and say “We always liked that name. It is now the official name of our fighting style."

"Chip, Drako and I will stick to our own styles of fighting.”

Missy looks worried “What about me” in almost a pout.

“You, my love, are going to go berserker. If you need a reason to get in the mood, just think about what you learned about us dying at the manor oh and also if you need more motivation, if you don’t go berserker and I survive the day, you are cut off for a month.”

The women look at her and see that this does not sit well with her. She is already very, very angry.

“That’s never going to happen, EVER!!”

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We get in place at the spot that Drako led us to. It’s perfect. Almost a valley with woods on the both sides. There will be a clear view of them approaching. Drako gives the signal for the archers to fly when the scout, Abigail, reports that they are within shouting distance. I say let the dance begin.

The first thing that the archers do is take out the horses including the carriage ones. Make Everett walk or rather run. Then they begin to shoot at the front men. The rest of the men start to shift towards the area we are in. Not trying to kill all of them and chance them splitting off in different directions, they pick off only those who try to go in a different direction other than the way we want. By the time they reached our area, about thirty of them were dead. With what came next, those were the lucky ones. We start our ambush.

Everett starts yelling at his men trying to stop the wild running. Frustrated, he looks at us starting to fight and yells

“This is not where the battle is supposed to be” he bellows with anger.

He is still a predictable creature of habit. He is now in the center of the pack with the expendables in the front lines. Numbers always wins he keeps reminding himself.

The archers, being just out of range for someone shooting up, will tell the tale of the great battle and it will be a legend that is repeated from father to son for generations to come. As they are hitting their targets.

They see below, their leader Drako taking out foe after foe with the skill of a master. Legends are being made on that field about the courageous leader of their clan fighting side by side with the leader of the Martin clan as their enemies fall to their swords.

Chip and I are doing the same. In the midst of that was what they would describe as a tornado called Missy, that came near one of her opponents. It only looked like the tornado got close to person and that person was replaced by a blood red mist and the tornado moved on cutting a path of destruction.

Just as awesome was an unlikely pair of an Amazon and a goblin paired together. Working in perfect harmony, they cut through leaving a trail of gore that once was a living being. They heard a woman call out that someone needed help on one side and whichever was closest, the blender or the tornado would drift over in that direction. This went on for the whole battle.

Every so often someone on the offense would go over to the healer then get back into the battle but once that healer saw one of her own going down. With her blades swinging, she also cleared a path, used high heal and the injured was back fighting.

Towards the end, even the archers came down to join in the final push. They also wanted to be able to say that the enemy died on their swords. Proud that they were in this glorious battle.

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It was a shear one sided affair until there was only a small handful of the gang members left but Everett was still fresh. The fighting stopped and all the warriors formed a circle around the survivors. I stepped forward

“Everett! I challenge you to a one on one. Just you and me. I intend to kill you today. You are surrounded.”

Everett laughs. He is almost twice my weight and taller. He’s arms are bigger than my thighs.

“Why should I fight such a small dog as you. Have your men kill me now and spare yourself the humiliation.”

“How about I order that you will be allowed to leave the field unharmed if you kill me.”

He sees his chance. Bigger always wins just like numbers but he is dumb so he cannot see that his numbers failed him so maybe he should have doubts about strength but we are talking about Everett.

“I agree I will fight you.”

I say to the warriors “It’s my order, if he wins, he can leave the field unharmed.”

But I whisper to Drako, “If he does, which I doubt, but if he does kill me, once he leaves the field, destroy him.”

Now, during the battle I only used the sword. I never showed any of my other skills that I now possess. I did not want to reveal the aces I had up my sleeve. We both went to a clear spot on the field. Hard thing to find. Taking up our swords, the moment I was waiting for had arrived. The moment that would avenge all those women he enslaved, all the people he has hurt and for the underhanded false quest to ambush my team.

Just before Chip is read to call the start, Everett could not resist one last taunt, one last threat knowing full well that he was going to win he yells to me

“After I win, I will hunt down every one of your bitches and make them whore slaves in my brothel. They will make me a lot of money.”

My blood is now at a boil. I remember the line that the cowboy, in a movie I saw in the old world, yelled in a similar situation.

“FILL YOUR HANDS YOU SON OF A BITCH” and did not wait for Chip to say go.

I came full force at him. I think he felt that making me angry would give him another edge, so wrong. Training is the difference. The swords met and it was an equal battle for a little bit. My intention to play with the mouse before pouncing. I, intentionally, was careless leaving him an opening.

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He slashed my arm pretty deep. Laughing from over confidence he was shocked when the injury was instantly healed.

“High heal effect”, I smugly inform him.

I did not see it but I was told later that Christine was beaming,

“I helped him” she said.

This time no horror from my group, they knew once I healed myself, it was time to lay all my cards on the table. The only one that was going to be surprised was Everett. I drop my sword and pull twin daggers.

“Watch, my turn to help” Beez says.

I start her dance of the daggers. Skin cutting, those hurt the most, while evading his sword with the skill of an Amazon.

"That’s mine” Hilda says. Everett is getting frustrated.

I now throw away the daggers and he came at me. With the skill of the artist, I flip him over my shoulder, causing him to lose he’s sword.

“I am next” Chip says.

Everett becomes the bull in the China shop. Enraged now he attacks with bruit strength which I skillfully use against him. The martial art skill countered his strength but at a speed that made it impossible for Everett to even touch me.

Sorra add to Chip’s statement “That speed is mine.”

Finally, Everett realizes he has been tricked and speaks

“Okay, I surrender. Take me to prison."

I look and him then look at my team, no friends, not friends, they are my family and I will protect my family at all costs.

“The only place I will take you is TO HELL YOU BASTARD!”

Suddenly I became a tornado myself and Everett was reduced to a red puddle.

“He finished with mine” Missy said with pride.

We survey the scene of carnage. Stood up against what turned out to be an untrained mob and won. We did not lose a single person. Most bodies, as usual, were totally unrecognizable.

You would never be able to say that this was so and so. The only thing we cared about. was that the red puddle along with my stained clothes was the late Everett Ratten.

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The few remaining gang members were sent out with a warning for others. Get out of this country or get dead. We later heard of rumors that those men took up farming in a neighboring country with a few other former members.

“This happened just the way the Watcher said it would. You protected us” Missy came over to me.

“You know that you always complained about the Watcher. Telling us that it should show itself.

I would always say when it’s time. Today, right now, it’s time”

She points to a haze forming.

I turn to see, for the first time, a hazy figure that appears to be watching me and from what I can make out, the figure looks to be smiling. I can make out that it has blue legs with a white torso.

“Are you the Watcher?”

To which the figure nods.

“Then show yourself. I’m tired of getting steered to your whims. Show yourself!”

The figure nods and starts to become clear to me. Are those blue jeans and a white tee shirt?

His harem watches, hugging each other, weeping with tears of joy for Justin because they knew who the Watcher really was.

It doesn’t take long for me to see that the watcher is female. Then the face becomes clear. I recognize the person and frantically run to her breaking down crying as I hug her desperately.

She whispers in my ear, while patting my back;

“It’s okay honey, I’m back here with you.”

“Rae, I missed you so much!” I told my wife. We kissed.

She says "By the way, our son will be here in due time and this time for a full life as I will also”

She looks at Chip and Missy along with the other harem sisters.

“Thank you for protecting our husband. I love you all. You all are my family. It’s Saturday and I claim tonight’s dibs”

"Yup she is the Watcher.”

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Epilogue: Years later

The manor house is alive with children. After the Watcher was revealed as Rae the pregnancy block was lifted and it began to rain children. Each one of his wives bore children but it seemed that only one or two at a time. Someone must be regulating my wives. The team was never down and out of service.

We found a few permanent talented females to blend. They have complementary skills that made us live up to our now legendary reputation. The Clan of the Dragon are always glad to assist. It gives them a boost in stature in the Clan of the Dragon and tales to tell of heroic deeds.

I have sons and daughters of all races. I love them all. Each and every one calls me dad, daddy, papa or father It warms my heart. There isn’t one that I call my favorite, they all are.

Those children have it good and bad. They have one dad but seven mothers. Mom Sorra has been known to praise or scold kittens as well as goblins or any other children. As will any of their other mothers. It was decided to raise all the children in a way that they are surrounded with love and a safe environment. They are being raised just brothers and sisters.

An interesting thing has happened. To further relations, the Matriarch of the Clan of the Dragon has come to live with us. She claims inter-clan relations but we know she likes children. It turns out that she is still young in dragon and dragon newt life spans. My wives tell me she shows all the signs of wanting to join the harem. Something seemed to impress her. I don’t know but Missy giggles whenever I mention that she is getting very friendly with me.

Rae just pats me on the back. So, in some matters I'm a little slow.

The only other ones they have living here are Uncle Chip and Aunt Abigail. Their children are treated and greeted as if they were born to a harem wife. After all Chip’s family is an integral part of the Clan of Martin. As any of the children become of kindergarten age, they start training. If a skill manifests its self the mother with that skill takes the child under her wing for training. Most of my children show early which makes for an interesting time.

Both Rae and I have had children both here and in the old world so we pass on those simple facts that children are not perfect. They will fight each other over nothing as easily as they will defend each other. But the bigger thing is, if caught they will lie. In this case, there are seven mothers and at least one is watching at all times. After all that is her profession.

The women that the harem adopted are still here and have been able to do some things. Most seem to like gardening. There is one thing that get the most response from them. It’s when one or all the children try to help them. The women accept hugs from any of the children.

They are showing life in their eyes. All from the loving that the children give them. They treat 127

the women like they are gentle aunts. Those women may never return to normal but they now seem happy. That is all that counts.

The manor is now the home of our new training center. We teach both the basics and more advanced courses on the different skills we each have. There is also a summer camp for those that want a summer camp experience. We accept all races and all status.

Summer camp participants are advised and find out that is not fun in the sun by the lake.

They first find out by the master scout and sniper Abigail. They experience the dance of the daggers up close and personal. Then the first aid for beginners. No, that is not to patch them up after Beez's dance. She has not nicked anyone, yet. Although it never gets tiring to see the expressions when they realize they are now in their underwear when shortly before they were fully dressed.

For the record, we do accept females for training camp and the summer camp. They too walk away in their underwear. Since the teenagers are walking bags of hormones, we have two summer sessions one month for the males and one month for the females

At both the training school and at the camp we have our five men who were the first to take on the challenge. They are excellent people and rotate participation on quests.

Summer is almost here. I can't wait to get my family back to our lake cottage. It will be like my home again.

I have a good life and the loneliness has never again showed itself here. I also realize that I did have a good life then.

Rae 1971

From the author:

I thank you for reading this book. I hope you enjoyed it.

I have always written things over my years, most lost, like childhood baseball cards, tossed out, lost to time. Chapter one is based on my real life. The losses are real. Chip and Missy are also real, as cats, unfortunately. The remaining chapters are the fantasies of an old man.

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Most of my life has been involved in one way or another with computers starting with a Commodore Vic 20. Dates me doesn’t it. When I was writing this book in 2023, I read an article on AI text to image. I have used programs, both online and my own to generate all the illustrations

Again, I would like to thank my beta reader and editor Spijder. Your insight helped me Depending on the reviews of this book and the Lord willing, there may be other adventures and harem tales. There is still the sick out there. Who is Everett's boss? What about the summer camp? Who’s to say that the harem won’t expand and maybe make a bond with other clans.

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