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"Things aren’t that easy, on the Island The good guys aren’t too good, and the bad guys aren’t much worse And we’re here" Anyan said, even as he realized I was practically jogging He slowed his pace and took my hand "Jane, welcome to our first date"

"Huh?" I asked, totally surprised I’d been expecting soet dressed to go out I hadn’t realized hepurple cardigan, covering a black T-shirt and leggings, and prayed I was dressed appropriately Then I looked up What I sawappropriate dress under a pile of latex

"Uainst a little playtime, but if this is your idea of a first date, what on Earth do you do for the second?"

"While I’ your definition of ‘playti evilly "I’ you to dinner, Jane"

"Oh," I said, embarrassed Not least because all I’d had to do was look through the s to see S&M was a diner, with nary a flogger or bound-huht

Anyan swatted et, littlethe hostess ere two, even as Ion a date with Anyan If

The hostess showed us to a little table with its booth-seating cut into the corner, which meant we could sit sort of next to each other The restaurant was shabby, but super hip, built on a base of diner furniture and diner kit that had been all sexed up with lush extras, like odd paintings and beautiful, if slightly random, throw cushions

The waitress left us with menus after we each ordered a beer

"I can’t believe we’re here," I said, still delighted

"Well, we had to eat And I figured you needed soht too"

"Thank you," I said,it

Anyan looked up from his reedy I wanted so to order?"

I blushed, looking down atto focus on the food, which wasn’t hard, because as soon as I sawThe menu was not fancy at all, with all British classics like fish and chips and pie and chips But one of my cardinal rules in life is to always order the specialty, which was clearly sausages and es to choose froes--Cuetarian option that looked delicious, on Then there were the specials--bold, very not-American choices like leek and caerphilly, a Welsh cheese, or ale and Brareedy Then Anyan’s deep voice rues andwith the traditional ones, and the vegetarian, and we can share?"

At his words, I nearly choked on ht, even as I said, "Yes, sharing is reatest advantages of being in a relationship was that you got to eat off the other person’s plate That Anyan

We ordered when the waitress brought our beers After she walked away, Anyan and I clinked glasses

"To our first date," he said, giving led, and we sipped our beers

"And to not getting kidnapped again I pro ain, but shook his head as he did so

"That was aswe’dAnd I depended on Gog and Hiral, but Hiral’s undependable and I shouldn’t have left Gog without real backup"

Poor Gog had felt terrible about letting us be captured When he’d caught up with the rest of us--a little dazed still froer dose of the sa had used on Anyan and uilty I’d had to tell him to shake it off It wasn’t his fault He’d been knocked out too

But I had wyllion

"Where do you think Hiral is?" I asked There’d been no sign of the little creature since Gog was attacked Gog had seen the gwyllion approach Magog and take her place on the other side of the wide doors But when Gog had looked again, Hiral was gone Upon turning to find out why, the cobylnau had felt the dart in his neck