“Good morning, Signor Adriano… I’m sorry, I always forget your surname. I’m not good with my Italian... Surnames from there are fairly uncommon up here too,” the man behind the counter of the small store said to one of his most frequent customers for the last few years, who happened to just walk in like he did every morning. “You’re right on time as well, we just got the delivery that is always of interest to you.”Even if he saw him every single morning, the man from the store, who everybody called and knew by ‘Tinio’ who he remembered perfectly even the first time that he saw the gentleman who was standing in front of him, he could never remember many details from him…“It’s okay, Signor Tinio. I have not spoken a word of Italian for the longest time. I actually appreciate that you try to use it with me,” he said, taking his groceries out of his basket and over the counter, including a medium-sized cake that looked incredibly appetizing. This admission made the older Tinio lightly c

“Hello? My Star… Oh, it’s so good to hear your voice again. I’ve missed you so very much,” was the first thing that she heard that morning. Her mobile phone vibrating under her pillow had awakened a few minutes before. And she was glad that she wasn’t so deep in her dreams by then, or she might have missed this very important call.“How are you, love? It has been a while, hasn’t it? The kids miss you as well, but we’re all doing fine. The town has been really quiet lately, except for a few renewed rumors that I still haven’t been able to clarify, but I feel I’ll have an answer soon. Alpha V is not really pushy, so I think I can have a few more days before I really have to give my official report to him.” She got up, wrapped her scarcely dressed, slim body in her silky, flowery robe and walked towards the window, actually thanking her beloved one for starting her day early.“I’m very much okay, my Queen, I might be home in a couple of weeks, but that might not be great news… Right now

Virgil woke up suddenly from a strange dream. Lately, maybe because he had been thinking so much about their plans and what careful steps were necessary to reach their objective and get all of them out of it alive, he had been dreaming more and more often about his younger brother. Can he really think that I disowned him? … That I’m like Dad!?… Virgil said in his mind, loud enough to hear a sleepy voice inside his head answering him with a yawn.Well, you didn’t even bother to tell him he was wrong, did you? Kodan lazily expressed as he stretched the boredom away.“At that moment, I was in complete disbelief. I really didn’t know what to do, or say. And when I finally tried to reach him, he had completely blocked me, not only on the mindlink but in all the electronic ways, too. If that was not a clear 'leave me alone, I hate you' then I don’t know what that was…”You both have too much of a hard time talking to each other. If you stopped trying to protect him like a pup, and he stop

“So, you need to hold the axe this way, otherwise you won’t be able to control it properly, you might miss the wood and hit your leg, or something on that same line of danger, okay? Now let me see you try.”Eron was taking the time to explain step by step the whys and hows of the first work he had done in the lumber yard when he first arrived. He thought that working with the axe would be the less dangerous option for the new kid among the many different jobs that they had in the yard. He chose that instead of taking him to one of the machines or letting him go with the team who cut or transported the logs. And the former city boy took his time working with Orlando.With determination, the still-tense newb followed step by step all his lumberyard nanny’s instructions. He carefully aimed, held the axe tightly in his hands and hit the first blow.“Good job!” The less new of the two celebrated newcomers enthusiastically praised as the kid smiled widely. “Now just remember well the posit

"So how are you, Bren?" asked Hero over his mobile."Not that good. I'm practically being sucked dry like corn in a dehydrator. Brother, whatever she's doing to me, I don't believe this is merely physical or sexual anymore," answered the unfortunate former swimming pool attendant."Considering the stories about her, I wouldn't be surprised. I suggest you find a way to counter what she's doing. Upgrade your diet, or find a health regimen that can offset your present 'activities' with her, perhaps?""Yep, already looking into that option. Also, I think I may have to use some of my special tonics like the ones I would give the Ex-Right Hand to extend his stamina with his conquests. And the ones I would make for you to give you more energy? I find them quite effective after a really long session.""Yes, I do remember your special tonics," reminisced The Left Hand while stepping into his bathroom, his muscled body totally naked since he had just risen from the bed. "Maybe you should even c