"Daisy, stop! Stop, girl! I can't run that fast. Gerald, help. Oh my...Haha."

  Gerald Adleton chuckles as his wife attempts to bring their five year old husky back under control. The frisky young dog is having none of it. She bucks and lurches, pulling Jasmine along for the ride. Gerald slaps a hand against his thigh, watching the foolishness with narrowed eyes.

  "You've got it, Jasmine. You're doing great. Don't give up!" Gerald shouts between his cupped hands.

  "Oh, shut up!" Jasmine exclaims.

  Risking taking her eyes off of Daisy, the hardheaded husky, Jasmine peers over one shoulder. She sticks her tongue out at Gerald before being yanked forward again.

  "Bad girl! Daisy, stop!"

  Gerald's chuckle turns into a hearty laugh. Jasmine's floral dress was not intended for dog walking. The folds of her dress billow, putting more on display than she probably intended. Gerald places one hand over his mouth, in order to suppress his laughter. It doesn't help.

  Jasmine continues to be led by Daisy, whose curious nose is pressed firmly against the ground. The dog has slowed her running, but still tugs hard on the leash. She catches a whiff of something which gets her fired up again. Daisy takes off like a bullet, dragging Jasmine with her.

  "Oh no. Daisssy! Stop. No no. Stop!"

  Daisy does stop. Abruptly. The husky perks up her ears and listens intently. Her whole demeanor has changed. The dog's majestic shoulders are rigid and straight, muscles standing out beneath her mountain of reddish-brown fur. Daisy's snout twitches and her eyes stare ahead, into a clump of bushes a few feet away.

  "What's up with Daisy?" Gerald chuckles, coming to stand beside Jasmine.

  "I don't know. She just stopped running and started staring at those bushes," Jasmine answers. "Whatever it is...It can't be too bad. She not bark--."

  Before Jasmine's statement is out of her mouth, a chipmunk darts out of the bushes and scurries across the grass. Jasmine turns to Daisy and laughs.

  "Silly dog. You had me thinking there was something in those bushes. I ought to--."

  Once again, Jasmine's speech is interrupted. A large cougar launches itself at Daisy. Daisy bares her teeth and prepares for a showdown.

  "Whoa....Whoa...What the hell?" Gerald yells, grabbing Jasmine's arm and pulling her to the side.

  The cougar leaps onto Daisy and the two creatures begin rolling on the grass. Before long, the two animals are nothing more than a ferocious ball of scratching, biting, and noise. Gerald watches in horror as patches of blood appear on Daisy's fur. Hers or the damn cougar's, he can't tell.

  Gerald grabs up a large tree limb and prepares to knock the cougar off of Daisy. His mother gave him that dog, before she passed away. Like hell, he's going to let that damn cougar kill his daisy. Gerald's lips pull back in a savage sneer and he raises the limb above his head. Jasmine quickly grabs his arm.

  "No don't, Gerald. It will turn on you. Call someone. Just call someone. Anyone. Where is everybody? Help. Somebody help us. Our dog is being attacked. Help us please!"

  Daisy's growls turn to yelps, and then to whines. The cougar refuses to relent and the juvenile husky is getting exhausted. The injuries to her canine body are also bleeding profusely, lending to her fatigue.

  Gerald now has his phone out. He passes it to Jasmine and maintains his hold on the giant tree limb. Jasmine glances at the phone display and moans.

  "It's dead, Gerald. Jeezus. You brought a dead phone way out here? Is playing Minecraft really that important? That thing is going to kill Daisy. Oh my god!"

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  "I haven't played Minecraft since yesterday morning. My phone had a full charge. I charged it before we left. Try yours, then!"

  "This dress doesn't have pockets, Gerald. I left my phone on the dashboard in your car," Jasmine exclaims, panic in her voice. "Gerald, we have to do something! We have to do something. Daisy. Oh my. Daisy!"

  Just as suddenly as the attack began, it is over. The cougar releases Daisy's throat and saunters away. Gerald can't help but notice how big the creature is, its muscles clearly visible under taunt flesh. But the weirdest thing, is the purple collar around the creature's sinewy neck. A strange purple symbol is embossed on a medallion attached to the collar. This is not a wild animal. This is someone's pet. An illegal one, he'd bet. From a zoo or a circus.

  As soon as the cougar disappears into the trees, Jasmine runs to Daisy's side. The dog is badly injured, blood coating nearly every inch of her reddish-brown coat. Jasmine weeps uncontrollably and strokes Daisy's head. She pays special attention to Daisy's ears, one ear chewed to ribbons by the savage cougar.

  "Oh, Daisy. Oh my sweet Daisy. I'm so sorry this happened."

  Gerald still wields the tree limb. In case the big cat should show itself again. He doesn't know what good the stick will do, but he sure as hell doesn't want to see what an attack like that would do to a human. Daisy looks as if she was visited by the local butcher.

  "We have to try going for help! Can you lift Daisy?"

  "I don't know. I can try. Oh god, Gerald... She's bleeding all over. There is so much blood."

  "We'll use my jacket, then," Gerald says. "You can roll Daisy on top of it and pull her along behind us. Hurry."

  Gerald keeps one hand clenched around the tree limb at all times, as he removes his jacket and hands it to Jasmine. She takes the garment and does as instructed.

  Dragging Daisy is not an easy task. Jasmine must bend over in order to do it. She feels vulnerable and unprotected. Gerald turns to and fro, the stick held tightly in his strong hands. He will fight to the death if necessary.

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  Percy stalks into the tent wearing a sadistic grin. Red blood covers his hands, cheeks, and forehead. Even the fake nose on his painted face is streaked with blood.

  He heads for the Master's bedchamber as if beckoned. She will be inside resting up, preparing for the next test. His task completed, Percy needs a boost to his energy. The brutal fight with the husky has taken a lot out of him. The Master has plenty, she has been storing up the energy of many lovers. He will take from her. If only a little.

  Percy opens the door to the ringmaster's chamber to find her sitting in front of her wardrobe. She lays down the brush she had been using on her hair and partially turns to examine Percy.

  "Whose blood is that?" the ringmaster yells. "You didn't kill them?"

  Percy silently approaches his master, not really surprised that she wasn't concerned for his well-being. He has grown used to her callousness. The pleasure she often offers him, by way of reward, is bittersweet. He will take his reward now.

  The ringmaster's eyes widen as Percy reaches out with lightning quick reflexes and grasps her right elbow. She is prepared to launch into a spell when he leans forward and covers her mouth with his lips. Placing both hands at the nape of the ringmaster's neck, he kisses her roughly.

  Already, Percy can feel the transfer of energy. Every place where their bodies touch tingling as if ants are crawling over him. A secret smile plays across Percy's lips and he runs a hand through the ringmaster's hair. Alice. He had once loved Alice in this way. He is sure of it. The feel of her body, the smell of her hair, he can almost remember it at times. Times like these.

  The ringmaster finally pushes Percy away. She scrutinizes his face with a fierce scowl.

  "What has gotten into you, Perc--?"

  The ringmaster's eyes narrow and her countenance alters to one of suspicion.

  "Percival?" she whispers.

  "No, Master. It is only me...Percy."

  The ringmaster sighs with disappointment. The poor dummy doesn't even realize the names are the same. He cannot even recognize that he is only a placeholder for something much greater. He will learn. When the time is right.

  The ringmaster attempts to stand up, but Percy wraps an arm around her waist. She turns cold eyes on his clownish face.

  "Release me, Percy!"

  "And if I don't? Will you kill me? Will you destroy the vessel of your greatest lover? Even if it is a worthless one...Before you have found another?"

  The ringmaster remains silent, only staring at Percy with hard green eyes. Those same eyes widen as Percy reaches for the front of her clothes. He watches her as well.

  "There is time before they arrive. Time means nothing to us. As you have taught me. I must replenish my energy. So that I can perform as you wish me to. I must...I must..."

  No more needs to be said.

  To be continued........