Slowly and with a sense of utter contentment, I awoke from a deep and dreamless sleep. I recalled the last moments of the early morning, as Eveline and I fell asleep after our night of passion. Something was different about us, and I wasn't quite sure how to define it. It wasn't a bad feeling; if anything, I felt a greater sense of confidence in our bond, and I had an utterly unassailable sense of permanence where she and I were concerned.

I couldn't explain why, or how, but I had utter conviction that we were bonded at a visceral level, and would be for as long as both of us remained alive. I had no idea if this was imprint-related or not, and since I was not susceptible to imprinting in the way certain other species of life on this planet would be, I had no idea if I should feel its effects, yet I did. I couldn't help but feel a subtle foundation in my thoughts, a sense of our bond, that wasn't there even yesterday.

It was a curiosity, not something I spent much time worrying about. After all, I'd already given my heart to Eveline, just as I knew without any doubt whatsoever, she'd given me hers. I felt it deep down, and didn't question why I was so certain.

I noticed a notification in my awareness from my nanocloud, and I opened it.

Ev is not currently receptive to conception.

Well... That was odd, but it settled the question of accidental pregnancy that I felt might have been a concern at one point while we were forming our bond. Not that I didn't want to have children now that I was physically young again, but my life was too unpredictable to take the risk right now.

Still, it did make me curious about how it all worked. I'd ask about it some other time, when it was more relevant.

I felt Eveline's warm, furry form next to my own, curled into my side, her face resting on my chest, utterly relaxed, innocent and youthful in rest. One of her legs curled around one of my own, her tail hung over the edge of the bed. Happier than I had ever felt in my entire life, I let out a contented sigh, and she stirred, a small smile appearing on her lips as she turned her face to kiss my chest.

"Morning, Stripes," I whispered.

The use of her nickname had the effect of arousing her, and as she curled her leg more tightly around my own, she pressed her pelvis against my leg, the same curious purr she let loose last night now vibrating through my side. The same moment, she ran her tongue up my chest as she made her way slowly to my neck, straddling me and pressing herself fully into me. As soon as I felt her hardened nipples against my chest, I grew hard, and she chuckled as she ran her cat's tongue under my jaw before lifting her head up to kiss my lips.

"Morning, mon amour," she breathed, rubbing herself against me. "Do you feel rested this morning?"

"Yeah," I whispered, kissing her lips. "I'm surprised, given how little sleep we actually had!"

We took our time this morning, gently making love to each other, each taking it slowly to bring the other to the peak of ecstasy. It was a wonderful counterpoint to some of last night's fast and hot sex.

Within half an hour of finishing our gentle exercise, we were both fully immersed in an unspoken agreement to wash and dress each other in a ritual of trust that we both enjoyed at a visceral level. It was a unique experience for me, though last night's shower cleansing was the closest I had come to the experience. Eveline lost herself in the sensations, and enjoyed the gentle kisses I planted on her shoulders as I massaged and lathered her in soap. While I had no doubt we both felt aroused by the experience, neither of us acted upon our desires, knowing we soon had to move on with our mission.

Still, the expression of our love for each other in this intimate ritual was fulfilling in a wholly different way.

Dressing each other was an equally intimate affair, and one that I knew we may not get an opportunity to indulge in very often on our mission; the road often meant we had to work quickly and move even more expeditiously. Today, therefore, was more than a mere indulgence in intimacy. It was a promise to each other, an unspoken oath of trust, in a way. Being intimate to this level was to show each other vulnerability, and while I had no real issue with such gestures, I knew that Eveline's experience in doing so was new.

The level of comfort she showed me with this new side of her was heart-warming.

Eventually, we were dressed, and descended the stairs to prepare ourselves for our departure. As we entered the front living space, we came across Rosalie and Dani, both sat on a sofa, curled up in each other's arms. The moment they saw us, Dani moved as if to stand.

"Don't let us disturb you," I told her. "Moments like these should be enjoyed."

Rosalie smiled at me, as she pulled Dani back into her arms, wrapping her in a gentle hug. "You guys staying for breakfast?"

"We wouldn't mind," I told them both. "Long journey today, and I'm sure we'll need the energy."

Dani turned her head to kiss Rosalie's lips, then stood and stretched. "How do you feel about pancakes and maple syrup?"

"Didn't we have that yesterday?" I asked Eveline, who smiled gently. "I feel like we had that yesterday. I don't know..." I pondered for a moment. "Do you have any pancakes with maple syrup instead?"

"I'm sorry, we're fresh out of pancakes," Rosalie told us, standing up and giving Dani's shoulder a squeeze. "Would you like pancakes instead?"

Eveline let out a surprisingly girlish giggle. "What do you think?" She asked me. "Pancakes or pancakes?"

Breakfast turned out to be a fairly quiet affair, mainly because we all knew that today, Eveline and I were leaving, and the journey south meant we needed to get back on the trail as early as possible. It left little time to say our goodbyes, and doing so a second time in less than a week was always going to be difficult.

In fact, Dani was almost inconsolable, while Rosalie was poker-faced through our subsequent exchange, as Eveline and I stood at the base of the front porch to their home, our travel gear already packed, checked and sat on our backs.

"This was hard enough the first time," Rosalie told us both, as she drew me in for a hug. "This time, I..."

"I know," I told her, giving her a gentle squeeze of reassurance. "Don't be a stranger."

"That's my line!" Rosalie tried for an outraged tone, spoiling it when her voice choked at the end. "Try to stay safe out there."

"We'll try," I told her. "Keep doing what you've always done for my sister."

Rosalie squeezed me a little tighter for a moment at those words, before releasing me and stepping back, wiping her eyes delicately. It was a contrast to her usual stoic attitude, and stood out to me right then.

Dani stepped quickly toward me, her barely-contained distress bursting forth as she wrapped me in a tight hug, letting out anguished moans and heaving sobs as she lost her composure. I held her for several moments as I spoke.

"Hey," I spoke softly. "Come on. We've been given a new lease on life. We'll see each other again, sis."

"You can't promise that," she wailed softly in my chest. "It's been nearly half a century since I saw you last!"

"It won't be half a century the next time," I told her softly. "I swear to you. I'll be back this way much sooner than that, and I'll keep in touch."

"What if you get your stupid arse killed out there?" She sniffled, squeezing me tighter. "You're the only family I have left-"

"That's not true, Dani," I told her in gentle rebuke. "Rosalie is just as much your family as I am, and she's never leaving your side!"

Heaving a sigh that did little to restore her composure, Dani said nothing for a few moments, before releasing me, wrapping her arms around Eveline in the next instant. Eveline's momentary surprise was replaced with a solemn expression, as she wrapped her own arms around Dani, and I stood back to give them room.

"You know I'll do anything to keep him safe," Eveline told Dani. "No matter what."

This had the effect of opening the floodgates once more, as Dani clung tightly to Eveline, and I barely heard her pained question. "But what about you?" She asked, sniffling. "I don't want you to... To..."

Her arms tightened even more around Eveline, who responded by closing her eyes and leaning into her embrace. "You know Rick won't let anything happen to me," Eveline told Dani, her own voice rough. "You know we'll always watch each other's backs, right?"

"Yeah," Dani breathed. "I know I'd far rather you watched his back than anyone else I know... Except maybe Rosalie!"

"I like her!" Eveline laughed, and to my surprise, it ended on a sob, her eyes watering, and she buried her face in my sister's neck. "I'm gonna miss you both!"

Rosalie stepped forward to wrap her arms around Eveline's back, and while Eveline was startled for a moment, she quickly relaxed. I stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Rosalie, one around Dani, and rested my head against Eveline. For a few moments, none of us moved, as we all held on to this last moment we would have for a while.

Then, we parted, Dani slamming into me for one final hug, then standing by Rosalie's side as Eveline joined my own. "Make sure he doesn't forget to call us when you get to the border!" Dani told Eveline, who nodded, her face settling into a stony expression.

"I'm standing right here," I quipped, eliciting a chuckle from Rosalie.

"I'll make sure of it," Eveline replied, as though I hadn't said anything.

"I'm standing right here!"

"Yes, Rick, we know," Eveline gave me a sidelong glance, an almost imperceptible smile on her lips. "So needy!"

I couldn't help it as my jaw fell open in shock. Dani let out another laugh, wiping her eyes as she did, her expression wavering between humour and sadness.

"Better go," Rosalie said to everyone. "The longer we put this off, the more difficult it'll be for you to go..." She wrapped her arms around Dani. "Or for us to let you."

I certainly understood that feeling. Even before the world changed, I always found it difficult to say goodbye to my sister whenever I had to leave Canada for England. We were both older, we were both nowhere near the prime of our lives like we are now, and we were ever aware that each time might be the last.

This time, I had hope. Our lives no longer had an expiration timer, but it was still heart-wrenching to take that last moment to walk away.

It was always that final moment when I had to take that step.

Eveline sensed it, because in that moment, she wrapped her soft hand around my arm and held herself against my side. "Rick," she said softly. "Come on. We'll be back this way soon."

I smiled sadly at her, and allowed her to pull me to the road, looking back as Dani collapsed into Rosalie's arms.

The first hour of our walk took us south, past what was left of the Trans-Canada Highway, and into the wilderness. For the first hour as we walked, there were people minding their own business; Eveline therefore maintained a somewhat aloof and disdainful look about her person. However, as we passed into the wilderness and less people surrounded us, she relaxed and we exchanged anecdotes of our time in Europe. It was good that we could look back on some of our time there, and laugh about it.

Eveline soon took the opportunity to indulge in her feline instincts and went hunting, while I struck a cooking fire. She soon returned with two hare carcasses, which we skinned, boned and prepped for cooking over the fire. While she was busy skinning carcasses, I sat behind her.

"Hey," I began, slightly apprehensive. "Can we give something a try?"

Eveline looked back at me with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

"Well, while you're skinning those hare, can you do it on your knees?"

The look of astonishment I received was unexpected. "What?"

"Just humour me, would you?" I pleaded softly.

She did humour me, as she adjusted her position so her feet were behind her, as she sat on the heels, most of her weight on her knees. I sat behind her, doing my best to ignore the fact that her glutes were within reach, as I started to reach for her feet.

"What are you doing?!" Eveline gasped, though it was more surprise than anything else.

"Relax," I told her. "Both of us are on our feet constantly, but where I wear padding on mine, yours are bare all the time."

"So?" She asked, not comprehending the difference.

"So I'm sure they're often sore, right?"

She paused for a while as she contemplated my question. I took the opportunity to cup one of her feet behind my left hand, while I applied a deep tissue massage with my right.

The result was what I'd hoped, as a low moan escaped Eveline's throat, while I worked over the dense muscle tissue in her feet, working my fingers along and between her toes, along the base of her feet, the balls to the heels, and then along the fur-lined tops, my ministrations encouraging enough blood flow to redden them as I worked.

As soon as I finished with her right foot, she automatically extended her left behind her, so I could reach it more easily. All the time I was working on massaging her feet, she continued skinning the hares she brought back with her, humming softly as we worked.

Once I was finished, I leaned forward and kissed her shoulder through her shirt.

"That was unexpected," she whispered softly. "But wonderful."

My answer was a quick kiss of her cheek, before I stood and stretched myself out.

Shortly after Eveline finished skinning and butchering the hares, I had the cooking fire burning brightly, and skewered some meat cuts over it to cook. It was the first taste of wild meat I'd had in over a week, and the first wild meal Eveline and I had shared since arriving in Canada. It was also the first meal we had together in the wild as a bonded pair, and I couldn't be more content.

Too soon, our brief stop came to an end, and we were back on the road again, heading south.

Our routine over the next four days consisted of our eight hours a day walk through the wilderness, Eveline's morning hunting ritual, twice-daily stops for meals, and an hour or two of sparring. The sparring in particular was surprising to me, because while Eveline was pretty relaxed about most of what we did during our day, she insisted that we make time for combat training without fail.

Our evenings and nights were spent sharing a tent, and more often than not, that meant we indulged each other in whatever we both wished. Now that we had bonded, it was as though the flood-gates had opened, and we couldn't get enough of each other.

Finally, after passing a few more small settlements on our way south, we hit a border checkpoint into the United States. The Canadian Border Services Agency port of entry had a couple of men watching over the gateway between the two countries, and we were given a warning about the apparent state of order going into US territory. Apparently, while Canada may have been devolved into regional and city-state divisions, they still had a general sense of order despite mainly being decentralised. The USA was another matter, as we discovered during our crossing of the border checkpoint entering Vermont.

The US side of the border had no checkpoint, and the remnants of the US Customs and Border Protection port of entry in Richmond was abandoned. This would soon be revealed as prophetic, and concerned us both greatly.

"We need to try and find a hardline as soon as possible," Eveline remarked. "No telling how often we'll have that opportunity going south until we get to a major city."

I tried to have my communication baton hook into a nearby cellular tower, but it seemed like Richmond's cell network went down years ago. My nanocloud would not be able to make calls. "Yeah, I'm getting nothing on our communications device," I told her.

"Our communications device?" Eveline smiled.

"Yeah," I chuckled as I bumped shoulders with her, causing faux-outrage for a second. "What's mine is yours, tiger!"

She kissed my lips the next moment, and I revelled in the warm flush that coursed through me. "Still doesn't solve our problem though," she sighed. "How far to the next inhabited town?"

"Good question," I wondered aloud. "It depends on which towns are still inhabited."

"What about the next major city?"

I consulted my nanocloud for any information, and it returned an updated map based on data from local street signs we passed as we entered the country. I would have no idea exactly how big these places were or exactly what they looked like, not without satellite imagery that we could no longer obtain, but a rough guide was better than no clue at all.

One of the next towns in the list that was presented to me stood out. "South Burlington is in the region. It's about eighty kilometres away and is on our route."

The route to the IBM Thomas Watson facility in New York State took us through a number of small towns, medium cities, and close to the edge of New York City itself, so there were plenty of opportunities to stop and make our calls, even if the smaller towns all ended up being abandoned.

"Alright," Eveline agreed. "Hopefully there will be something useful for us there."

Burlington was, thankfully, not an abandoned ghost-town, though when we arrived, it put me in mind of some of the shit-holes of England all over again. The buildings were falling apart, there were few amenities, and what few people were roaming the streets seemed to be looking for easy prey. Being in a city where there was no society order to speak of, placed me right back in Milton Keynes all over again, and had me on edge.

The difference this time was Eveline. Not only had she taught me everything I know that's worth a damn when it came to fighting my way out of trouble, but I knew she would look out for me whenever things got hairy.

The downside of course, was that she wasn't used to being in a cityscape that was likely as dangerous as being out in the wilderness, and it showed in the way she carried herself; she was constantly on the alert, waiting for an ambush, or for someone to come looking for some other form of trouble. Rather try for reassurance through words or to comfort her with meaningless platitudes, I did the only sensible thing anyone could do in this situation, and that was to stay alert right alongside her, watching those areas she couldn't.

Moving through the city was slow work, not least because we had to be careful who we came across. More than once, we came across roving gangs of thugs who were out scavenging, and who often would attack anyone that found themselves out alone so late at night. An additional issue for us was that those we did watch, all displayed far greater levels of speed, strength and dexterity than anyone I met back in England, and while my own abilities were much improved since this time, we would still be at a disadvantage in a fight if more than two of them were to attack us.

We had to rely on stealth for our movements, and that was something that I was barely capable of in the first place. Eveline was in her element, though. She was a stealth master, and would often disappear from my side to go check out some obstacle or target, and just as readily reappear by my side in an instant, scaring the shit out of me each time.

Trying to keep quiet when someone does that to you is not an easy thing to do.

While trying to traverse the city, I received an update from my nanocloud, informing me that Nanocloud Hardware Upgrade Level 1 had been completed. It also informed me that Hardware Level 2 was immediately available.

What pre-requisites are needed for Level 3, and which of them do I have yet to meet?

Hardware Level 2 is the only pre-requisite you do not yet meet.

Wait. Is this another in-place upgrade?

Yes.

I had an idea, and proposed it to my nanocloud.

Do you have access to the upgrade specifications for Level 3 hardware upgrades already, or do you gain access to it only after you have a level 2 nanocloud hardware base?

The upgrade is already known to me.

Then isn't it possible to chain the upgrade tasks together, so that each nanocloud unit gets a level 2 upgrade, followed by a level 3 upgrade in-place?

Stand-by.

I'd managed to stump my nanocloud for a few moments, and it took that long for me to get a response.

Your suggestion has unexpected merit.

It also demonstrates the non-linear thinking of organic thought processes that I have attempted to understand.

I confirm your suggestion is possible. However, the in-place upgrade will take 335 Hours to complete.

Other than the time taken to complete the upgrade, will this prevent the normal operation of my nanocloud?

You will not be able to execute any other hardware upgrades during this time.

All other functionality will remain available.

Then do it.

Acknowledged.

Nanocloud upgrade through levels 2 and 3 now being implemented.

Estimated time to completion is now 335 Hours.

Now that I had executed the final part of the upgrade, I knew that two weeks from now, I would be able to implement the cybernetics manager that my nanocloud advised me would be available. It was just a matter of waiting.

Eventually, after further searching through Burlington, we found a heavily-guarded inn near the only marketplace we discovered near the riverside part of the city, and it was a very small bastion of civility in a cesspool of anarchy. The people guarding the region were not particularly friendly, and our approach was met with open hostility.

"Hold it right there, assholes," the taller of the cadre barked at us. "This place is under the protection of the Soldiers of Christ. No-one gets inside without a pass... Especially not some freak that-"

This is just what I needed, a bunch of religious zealots. And to top it all off, they were openly hostile to Eveline and others like her. "This place is a bust," I told her. "Time to move on elsewhere."

She glared at the guards at the door, but didn't protest as I walked backward away from the guards. Given their religious zealotry, I wasn't taking any risks, and I sure as hell wasn't turning my back.

"There's nowhere else in the city that'll take you, or your freak, sinner!" The alleged Christian told us, as we continued putting distance between us and them. "You want in, you need to ditch the abomination!"

"Let's hit the road," I told Eveline. "Maybe Middlebury will have something useful for us?"

It took us another hour to reach a place we could hole up for the night, one that was safe enough for us to sleep, where we might have a chance of detecting threats before they could get close to us. It took us until we reached Sherburne to do it, but though there were still the odd few people out looking for scraps, it was mostly quiet.

We soon found that most of the buildings that used to exist had started to fall apart, and there had clearly been fighting a long time ago to cause much of the other damage we witnessed. Nothing had been maintained in decades, and unless buildings were made of concrete, they were likely to be structurally unsound.

Eventually, we found the Sherburne Museum Complex, and while most of these buildings were abandoned and gutted, the Museum Toy Shop remained standing, and apparently was still strong enough not to be a structural risk. The ground floor was out, and while there were upper floors, some of them had started to deteriorate, but we found that the roof had survived, and seemed solid enough for our needs.

"This place has gone and turned to shit," I remarked, as Eveline and I snuggled together in a sleeping wrap.

"It makes me thankful that Eindhoven is as secure as it is," Eveline said softly. "And that's largely in part thanks to everyone working together to keep us all safe."

"I certainly appreciate the difference," I whispered as I gently stroked her abs. "And it makes me appreciate just how much effort is going on in Quebec City and surrounding areas to keep everything civil."

Silence fell upon us, and while it was somewhat tense, that was because of the threat we might be under if we were discovered up on this building's roof. I instructed my nanocloud to keep alert for any changes that might indicate someone is nearby, just so I could rest easier.

"Something tells me that sleep is going to be difficult for us," Eveline said as she turned her head to look back in my direction. "I'm going to be hyper-alert all night."

"I'm having my nanocloud keep monitoring my vitals, just in case my body can detect local changes in the environment."

Eveline frowned at me. "I've no idea about what you just said, but my feline attributes are very sensitive to what goes on around me."

"Does it need you to be awake, or at least slightly awake, to notice when there are changes?"

She thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "If I were completely asleep, I would have no idea what was happening unless someone grabbed me and started pawing me!" She then gave me a sidelong glance and frowned as if in irritation.

"Wait," I said, feeling slightly chastened. "Does it bother you to-"

"No, you silly arse," she laughed softly, her expression clearing to one of overwhelming affection. "I was pulling your leg!"

Dani was definitely an influence there, I realised; a few weeks ago, I doubted Eveline had heard the expression "to pull one's leg" before.

Feeling silly and exasperated at her teasing, I let out a growl, but followed up with a kiss to her cheek the next instant. "I can see I'm going to have to watch out for your antics, tiger!"

"You love it," she drawled.

I did, and I sensed she knew that. "Take a look at this," I told her, as I instructed my nanocloud to transmit a new function I had extracted from what my nanocloud had recorded early on in my travels back in England. She quickly accepted the transfer, and then squeezed my hand where she held it against her bare skin.

"I could get some sleep and still be alert to threats?" She asked in astonishment. "Why didn't you tell me you had this before?"

It didn't even occur to me that this wasn't already a standard part of everyone's nanocloud when they were aware of its existence. "I had no idea you weren't already capable of this," I said in a small voice. "If I did, I would have given this to you a long time ago."

"Rick," she sighed. "What are we going to do with you?"

Taking a deep breath, she relaxed, pulling me more tightly against her back, the curve of her glutes pressed against my pelvis, the curve of her back pressing against my abs, and the soft padding of her feet warm against my legs. "Good night, tiger," I whispered in her ear.

"Sleep well, mon amour," she muttered as her breathing slowed and her grip on my hand relaxed.

We packed up and headed off the next morning, setting off directly south so we could reach Middlebury by the next evening. Eveline waited until sometime in the afternoon before going off on her usual ritual, and I kept going until she joined us with two more hare carcasses.

Instead of skinning and cooking them, this time we left them intact, deciding it might be worth risking the market at the next town to see if they were willing to buy them. Eating wasn't a problem for us, since we were going to stop in the next town over. I also still had some dried provisions to use, and we washed them down with cranberry juice from our flasks.

It wasn't the most appetising meal, but it allowed us to continue on the road, and we made it to Middlebury while the sun was still setting.

Like other cities in the post-outbreak world, Middlebury was vastly different. Unlike Burlington, Middlebury was a veritable fortress. Whoever had run this town prior to the outbreak, it seemed as though they planned to survive this with their society largely intact, and as we approached the town limits, we were surprised to find it was walled off up to a height of eight metres, with checkpoints at the road entrance, manned by four very serious looking soldiers, all armed with crossbows and what looked like sharp metal bolts.

Cautiously, we approached.

"Hold it right there," one of the guards called out sternly. "State your business."

I looked to Eveline, who nodded, then I stepped forward. "We're here to trade, find a room for the night, maybe a phone line, and then head south," I told them. "We're not here for any trouble."

The lead guard lowered his crossbow and strode over to us. He frowned, his bronzed hair glinting in the setting sun, his youthful expression barely concealing a shrewd personality. "You're from the UK, right?"

"Not any more," I told him.

"Why would someone from thousands of miles away be travelling through the remnants of the USA?" He asked.

I sighed. "Look, with all due respect, I've already been on a long journey. My companion and I need to rest, and we also need to speak to our families elsewhere. Can we enter your town or will you turn us away?"

The pause was lengthy, as the guard looked us over. "You carrying any weapons?" He asked.

"Yes," I told him immediately. "Two combat knives. We hunt in the wilderness when we're on the trail, and I've already had to defend myself several times against thieves and murderers."

"What about your friend over there?" The guard asked, pointedly not looking in Eveline's direction.

Eveline bristled.

"She can speak for herself," I told him. "Go ahead. Ask her."

The guard took the hint. "Alright, fine," he groused. "Are you armed?"

Eveline raised her hands, fingers up in a loose cupping pose. "Do these count?" She asked, as she extended her lethal claws for a moment, before retracting them again. "They're a part of my physiology."

The guard sighed. "Alright," he told us. "If you'd have denied being armed, I wouldn't consider letting you in at all. Go on in, check in with the agent at the gate house, then you're free to visit anywhere in the city limits you wish."

"Thank you," I told him.

"But don't go around causing anyone any grief," the man told us sternly in the next moment. "Or you'll be thrown out and barred from ever returning."

I nodded my understanding. Eveline narrowed her eyes as we walked past the guard, and she walked by my side, in step with my movements, as we entered the city limits.

Within the walls, we soon found out why they were so intent on protecting this place. Every building was in use, every structure was maintained, and the results were clear. Like many towns in Europe, this one was not being allowed to fall to ruin or decay. Everyone here was either working, taking time off of their labours, or otherwise engaged in some other form of activity. Guard presence was fairly dense for what this town represented, and there were no looks of concern or fear in people's faces, other than the curiosity of us walking through their town.

There was a fully-maintained Inn within Middlebury, imaginatively named the Middlebury Inn, and this was where we were able to book a room for the night. As soon as we stowed our backpacks in the room, Eveline took off to look for the local marketplace so she could sell the hare carcasses we retrieved in the wilderness.

It didn't take her long to come back.

"Twenty data credits," she told me. "Not the worst rate I've ever exchanged for those, but not the best either."

"Is the marketplace worth visiting tomorrow before we head off again?" I asked her.

She shrugged, her face solemn. "It wouldn't hurt," she told me. "We should make sure we have a few weeks' travel provisions in case something comes up."

"Then we'll do that in the morning," I agreed.

"To answer your next question," Eveline smiled. "Yes, there's a phone. I've already asked for use of it, and they're willing to let us use it for five credits."

I returned her smile as we walked to the exit to our room. "Want to speak to your parents first?"

In answer to my question, she kissed my chest, pulling herself closer to me for a moment. "Thank you," she whispered. "But you know it's likely they're asleep."

Shit! I realised it must have been three in their morning. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking!" I laughed. "We'll call my sister next and let her know we're safe."

A few minutes later, we found ourselves in a room with a conference table and what looked like a 90's era conference handset. Both of us sat together as I called my sister in Quebec, and we spoke briefly, Dani tearing strips off of me for not calling sooner, and worrying her. Once the dust had settled, she thanked me for the call, and asked to speak to Eveline. They exchanged light conversation. Ultimately, it was an emotional call, but a fulfilling discussion in the end.

Once we were done speaking with Dani and Rosalie, we retired to our room, where we indulged each other in passionate sex, intimate bathing, and more passionate sex. Unlike when we were in tents on the trail, having access to a hot bath made a lot of difference, the ability to clean ourselves properly heightened our passions. While we didn't repeat the first time Eveline had demanded I dominate her at my sister's place, we did spice things up a little bit, the experience far more intense than ever, as we learned more about each other's preferences and kinks.

The following morning, we were tangled up in each other's limbs, having wanted to fall asleep as close to each other as possible. For a moment, we tried to untangle ourselves, only to give up in laughter. Enjoying more of each other for the next hour, we stopped only when we realised that it was time for us to get moving if we were to catch Laurent at a good moment in his morning routine.

Back in the conference room with the phone, Eveline wasted no time in lifting the handset and dialling her parents' number, waiting for it to connect as she sat back in the chair next to the phone, while I sat in one opposite her.

Automatically, she lifted one of her feet and presented it to me. I took the hint, and started a foot massage, smiling as she relaxed so completely, I thought she might fall asleep before the call connected.

"The Cuisset residence," Bernhard's voice came over the line.

"Morning, Bernhard, is my father available?" Eveline asked him.

"He is. Shall I fetch him for you?"

"Please," she told him, and then sighed contentedly as I gave her a rigorous massage between her toes. As I continued to work the muscle tissue, she continued to sink into her chair, a languid expression writ all over her face, a slow smile creeping upon her lips. "Did I ever tell you that this makes me want to jump over there and-"

"Eveline?" Laurent's voice came over the line, causing Eveline to flinch, her ears blushing, her expression mortified. "Are you well?"

"Yes," she cleared her throat, pulling herself upright and fanning her face, though she didn't withdraw her foot. "Yes, father."

"Are you sure?" Laurent asked, his voice tinged with concern. "You sound... Different."

Eveline let out a nervous laugh. "No, I was... I'm fine, thank you father. Rick was being playful and... Anyway, how are you and mother?"

Laurent let out a low chuckle. "We are well, thank you," he told her politely, though his tone sounded distant. "Wait a moment... Did you say that you were with Rick? You found him?"

I'd only just remembered at that point, that Eveline had yet to tell her father how much had changed over the last several days since we resumed contact with each other.

"Oh! I should have led with that to begin with!" Eveline's blush deepened, and I tickled her feet, causing her to let out a hiss and a glare, though she didn't withdraw her foot. After a brief moment, she continued speaking to her father. "Yes, I found Rick, and he is with me now, as you might imagine."

"I'm relieved," he said, the relief echoing in his voice. "Your mother and I have been very worried since the last conversation you and I had." He paused a few moments. "Where are you staying at the moment?"

"We arrived at the Middlebury Inn last night, and were planning on moving toward the state border to New York today," she explained, relaxing once more as I finished up with my massage of her foot. She lifted the other one so I could get to work on it, and I began the ritual all over again.

"You are still staying nearby in case you need to get to him quickly, aren't you?" Laurent asked, his tone distant, distracted.

"Yes I am," she said, not elaborating just yet.

"Good." Abruptly, he cleared his throat. "Is Rick with you now?"

"He is. Would you like to speak with him?"

"Please."

Eveline handed me the phone with a smile, and I gently squeezed her foot as I took the handset. "Hello Laurent," I said in greeting.

"Rick, my friend," Laurent's voice was quiet, yet warm. "I hope you are well, and happy."

"I am," I reassured him. "And thank you."

"For what?" Laurent was clearly astonished.

"For showing Eveline that she need not fear becoming a slave to her imprinting."

There was a significant pause, and Eveline's face betrayed her amusement.

"You've stumped him," she said with a smile.

"You know of our conversation?" Laurent asked.

"I do," I told him. "Long story."

"You can tell it if you want," Eveline told me with a kiss.

"I won't give too many details," I hedged slightly. "Since some of the people involved don't know I'm discussing it with you, but I can tell you that Eveline and I have been able to share our experiences of the journey here, and we've now reached a true understanding that... You know what? I'll just tell you. Ev and I are... We've committed to each other."

"You've what?" Laurent asked, his tone expressing confusion.

"Rick, you hedge so much, I could spend years trimming it all back!" Eveline scoffed, squeezing my hands as I chuckled. "Father, what Rick is so ham-fistedly trying to tell you, is that we've started a relationship with each other... An intimate relationship."

"This is... Unexpected!" Laurent exclaimed, and did I catch a hint of pride and approval in his voice? "Eveline, you are sure of this?"

"Yes, father," she told him, her tone barely a whisper. "Now I understand the lengths you and mother would go to for each other."

I thought I heard a hiss and a shaky breath or two over the phone, before Laurent's voice came back. "Your mother is overjoyed, Eveline," Laurent's voice was hoarse. "As am I."

Eveline closed her eyes, smiling slightly. "Have you heard from Rosalie yet?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Err, no," Laurent replied. "But I have heard from Amélie."

Eveline immediately pulled herself up, something about Laurent's tone alerting her that this call was suddenly all-business. I let her foot go as she lowered it to the floor, adjusting herself into attentiveness. "Is she alright, father?"

"She is well, but..." Laurent paused a moment. "Alright, Eveline. We received some intelligence within the last few days, and we have to move quickly on it."

"I'm listening, father. What's happening to Amélie?"

"She's been helping coordinate rescue missions," he told us. "Eveline, we've heard about the presence of more breeding facilities popping up throughout the world."

Eveline frowned. "That's not unusual," she began, but Laurent continued.

"There are three times as many as we've ever had reported in a single year," Laurent barked, then took a breath. "Sorry, Eveline."

"It's alright, father," she spoke softly. "I know you're as committed to shutting these places down as I am. We'll find a way."

"That's actually the reason I asked where you were," Laurent let out a breath. "There's one in New Salem, Massachusetts."