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_"Yeah...this is my first assignment. There's a guy named Joel Smith I'm interviewing for the paper. He's ninety-four, and looks, and acts, like he's still twenty. Last time I saw him, he had more energy than I did, and I'm thirty-six!"

"That's all well and good, kid. I asked you in here 'cause I want to make sure you get a good story."

"I understand, sir..."

"Do you, Phil? Do you? I've had other reporters interview this guy before, and all they've ever come back with were more stories about that dragon myth...each guy says that this Smith has more stories about that dragon than anyone else in the world, but that's all they ever get. I'm tired of it. Get me a decent story, about the guy, and not his damn dragons, and I'll make you head reporter."

My eyes widened, "S--sir...you...you mean that?!"

"Of course I do. No one's ever gotten anything but his dragon stories. You get something about him,_

from _him, and you'll be the best reporter I've ever had."

This promise played over and over again in my mind as I drove up to the man's single story house. My name's Phil Jollund...single, (Yeah...still...) but I know that if I tried, I could probably get a girl. I just hadn't wanted to, was all. I could see Joel watching for me through a window in his house. He smiled and waved toward me, both which I returned. Joel's about seven feet tall, if you can imagine a ninety-four year old guy standing straight up like that. He's got an impressive build

>too...but he's not too wide. Kinda right in the middle, I guess. The only thing that really shows his age is his hair color, which is white...like snow. He was at the door and welcomed me inside as I stepped out of my car, Good to see you again, Mr. Jollund. Come inside and sit down."

I glanced around, taking in the place. The last time I'd seen him, I'd basically run into him at the store...by accident. We'd talked, and he'd invited me to his house, which was the exact reason why I was there at that time. It was rather late out...for me. I'm used to getting to bed around ten o'clock, and it was eleven. Joel didn't look tired in the least. I smiled as I laid eyes on a small rocking chair. It was one of those really old types...you know, the antiques with the incredible hand-carved designs in them, "Wow...this is a nice place, Mr. Smith."

Joel laughed, "Please, just Joel. I get tired of hearing that last name so much...it's too common. Almost wish I would change it, but haven't found the real need to." He sat down in the rocking chair, and motioned for me to take a seat somewhere. I found a comfortable spot on his couch, flicked the switch on my recorder so I could listen to the conversation again later for my report, and began the interview, "Mr. Smith--"

"Joel." He cut in, smiling.

"Joel..." I smiled back, "Alright...Joel, can you tell me about yourself? I mean, you're ninety-four years old, and move around, and look, like you're still twenty! What's your secret?"

Joel laughed softly, "Get right to the point, don't you?"

My grin widened a little, "Well, there's a promotion in it for me if I can get something other than one of your dragon stories."

Joel perked up a little, "Now, why wouldn't you want to hear one of those? I've got plenty...surely one little one wouldn't hurt?"

I rolled my eyes, "With all due respect, sir, I'd rather hear about you."

Joel's smile softened, "Alright then...tell you what. You listen to one of my stories, and I'll tell you all about myself when it's done with. Deal?"

"Deal."

Joel cleared his throat, still smiling, and said, "Alright, then listen to this one. It's about a black dragon by the name of Gareth Brik._

"Hmmm...I think this is the place." Gareth thought, watching the ever growing line of males. He had black scales all over his body, which helped keep him hidden as he watched the line of rapists continue to grow. He had hidden himself in a tree near the large compound, smiling grimly as he saw the last two targets for his Hunt approach the line. It was dark out...no moon. Males always thought they could get away with more when there was less light. The door to the compound opened, and Gareth took that moment to strike. He was out with his blade in a flash, slicing through flesh faster than the eyes of most of the men could follow. The two he Hunted, however, were quick to react, and had pulled out weapons of their own.

Pistols...

Gareth laughed and swung his blade in a wide, backward arc, cleanly slicing the magazine store area off of the pistols. With a loud snarl, he began hacking away at the many men, holding out his hand to cast an immobility spell when they got too far from his blade. With a deft movement, Gareth slipped past the many males as they reach out to grab him, probably hoping to stop him with sheer weight alone. He enjoyed this. Every male he'd ever encountered was so slow compared to him! Even other anthro dragons! Casting a large immobility spell, he caught each male, and left them, knowing they wouldn't be able to move for a long while. The inside of the compound was dark, and loud...he could hear her screaming, even though he knew, just from looking at the entrance, that she'd be much farther in the maze. Gareth ran past a corner, marking it with his blade in an X as he turned. Many times he came upon a dead end, only to retrace his steps and take a new path, marking IT with an X as well when he went down it. Eventually, he found her, crying, despaired...and covered in male cream. He hoped that each male that had managed to have her was still in the room. It would make his job about a thousand times easier. Casting another immobility spell before entering, he smiled, glancing over at the now frozen males that littered a wall, lower portion clothing completely gone from each male's body. With a growl and a sigh, he made his way over to the female...a dragoness, anthro, like himself, "Damn...how many of these girls get caught?!" She had blue-green scales...and, he hated to note, a beautiful body...but every female in this situation did. He moved to her head, and placed a gentle hand on her forehead, "Miss, have I your permission?"

The request made her blink, and she looked at him in confusion, speaking, roughly, through her tears, "Get...get away from...me..."

Gareth gave her a warm smile, "Miss, that is the absolute last thing on my mind. I wish to know if you'll allow me into your mind, so that I can see what these men did to you, and properly punish them for it."

She hung her head, "As if...I have a choice what you'll do...to...me..."

"Hence, why I ask you now, Miss. Will you allow it? I won't go into your mind if you do not wish it." He gave her a gentle smile, "I've come to rescue you, Miss." She gasped rather loudly at that, and Gareth sighed, his smile drooping..."Poor girl...what drives men to do this so much?" He held her head gently in a hand, and asked, "What is your name, Miss?"

"Kalia..." She said, still crying.

Gareth smiled to her once more, doing his best to take her sorrow away, "Well met, Kalia. Wait a moment, and you will be free." He stood up and moved to her chains, which held her firmly in place. His blade, magically shaped so as not to go dull, slid through the chains with ease. Her tail, having been suspended by a chain, dropped to the floor. Her legs closed the instant they could move again. With a scowl on his face, he turned to the men, still frozen, "Who did this to her?!!!" Each man, though held in place by the spell, flinched at the intensity of his voice. He came upon the first male in the line, a cat-person with white stripes over yellow-black fur, "I will ask, one more time. Who did this?" His voice had gone soft, but still, in some strange way, sounded absolutely menacing. He growled and reached for the feline's throat.

"Don't!" The male said, stopping when he found he could speak. Gareth gave him a glare, and he hastily continued, "A...all of us...we--we..."

Gareth suddenly smiled a little, and moved toward the cat, "Interesting...you still show a shred of honor. What are you doing here? You never even touched the girl, yet you say all of you were responsible?"

"I...we...we all chipped in to buy her...I..."

Gareth motioned for him to stop, and moved to pick up a pair of discarded pants, tossing them to the cat, "You are free to go on one condition. Never touch a female in any sexual way again unless that female is your life-mate. Understood? I want you to promise me."

The cat suddenly found he could move again, and pulled the pants over his exposed fur as if his life depended on it. He didn't know how true that was, "I...I promise." He said, struggling with the fit.

Gareth nodded and moved to the next creature, his scowl returning, "And you...you helped out too, didn't you? You were the one who paid to have her at first, and it was you who chained her up! The cat back there only thought he helped pay for her...but no. He didn't, did he? You bought her, and you were going to use her to get rich! Why?! What did she do to deserve this?!" He was shouting at an avian that was brown, covered with little white specks, "But it's worse...you were the first one to take her. You're married, and you cheated on your life-mate! Your types are the ones that make me sick!"

The avian was shivering through the spell, "How...how did you know all of..."

"I have my ways." Gareth said, growling. He unsheathed the blade at his side and asked the avian, "If I were to free you, would you promise not to touch another woman like this again unless she is your life-mate?"

"Y...yes..."

His scowl deepened, "You're lying..." The blade was out and back in its sheath in a second, and the avian screamed in pain...his male-hood cut clean off. The staff and the sack were now on the ground, blood seeping from them. He raised his hand, and the avian's screams increased as the pain doubled. Fire had sprung into being where Gareth had cut, cauterizing the wound to leave a thick, short stump for him to release his bodily waste from. He turned to the piece of flesh on the floor and lit it with fire as well, not stopping the flame, even when the smell became sickening. He would not allow the magical flame to stop until that piece of flesh was nothing more than ashes. He tossed the avian a pair of pants, "Now get out of my sight." He left the avian to his pain, and continued down the line, asking similar questions as he moved. More than one male lost his manhood in much the same way the avian had lost his...by the time he was finished with the last male, Kalia had cleaned herself to the best of her abilities, and watched. Gareth moved away from the men as he finished, going back to her, "You are well, I hope?"

"I...I am, thank you...how did you find--"

Gareth held up a hand, smiling, "Later, Kalia. Hold still a moment...you should probably close your eyes as well." As soon as her eyes were closed, Gareth swung his sword, slicing what bonding still clung to her scales. He then carefully placed a hand on her exposed shoulder, doing his best not to look at her still unclothed body. Bandages sprang from his hand, traveling to every part of the body that had been hurt in any way. a shirt made of a strange fabric also seemed to seep out of his hand, covering her top half decently, "There...you can come home with me tonight. I have a clinic set up a few days distant from here that can treat your wounds."

She looked at him, puzzled, "Why...why are you helping me?"

Gareth sighed, suddenly becoming saddened..."Kalia, if you could, please do not ask me about rapists again."

"But I didn't--"

"You were thinking it." He sighed again, "I have partial psychic powers, Kalia. I can read minds, and know when anyone I speak to is lying. I asked if I could read your mind in hopes of seeing who it was that had first taken you, kidnapped you...everything. I'm searching for a specific being..." He trailed off, "Come. We have a long way to travel." He held out his hand, and brought back his smile, "That is, if you're willing to come with me."

She nodded happily, taking his hand into her own, "Umm...thank you...for everything..." She said, blushing a little.

Gareth nodded, "You're welcome. I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner...there were men outside as well...two of which I still need to tend to." He started ahead of her, moving his way through the halls as if he knew exactly where he was headed. Kalia had no doubt he did.

They found the exit soon enough, and Gareth motioned for her to wait where she was. He opened the door, and there were suddenly many shouts. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked outside...Gareth stood there, glaring angrily as men ran off. There were still two men besides him out there, but they looked unconscious. He looked back, "You can come out now." With a grunt, Gareth bent down and picked up the two males, a panther and a wolf...with a smaller grunt, the two men were stacked, one atop the other over his left shoulder, held in place by his hand. His free hand rested on the sword at his side for a moment before he made a strange signal, and tossed the bodies into the air. Both vanished without a trace.

She looked at Gareth, astounded, "What...what was..."

Gareth gave her a smile, and said, "That is how we'll be getting to my clinic without the day travel in between. You're hurt, Kalia! I wouldn't make you journey for days without medical attention! I don't do that with anyone I rescue!"

She looked at him oddly, "Anyone? You...you do this for a living?" Another thought suddenly struck her, "Wait! What's your name? I never got to thank you properly!"

Gareth raised the fold of skin where an eyebrow normal would have been, and chuckled, "Three things. My name is Gareth, you've already thanked me properly, and no, I don't do this for a living. You'll see once we get there. Now, are you coming? It will only take a few steps." He flipped his hand, and a circle hovered in the air, showing a picture of a strange building on the other side. He started to walk toward it, the circle being more than large enough to be considered something close to a doorway. When she did not follow, Gareth turned around, "Well?"

She took a step back, unsure, "What...what did you do? I've...I've never seen anything like that before!"

Gareth sighed, "Miss, if you want an explanation, I suggest I give it to you after you've been treated. You ask a lot of questions for one in so much pain." She blinked...how had he known? Right. The psychic powers...she was in a lot of pain, but had been keeping it hidden as a way to show her rescuer how much she was thankful. She hadn't wanted to put any extra burdens on him...and, truth be told, the prospect of being healed after what those men had done to her...well...it was intoxicating. She reached for his now outstretched hand, and stepped into the circle...on the other side, it was amazing. The building seemed to grow into huge proportions, dwarfing any other medical building she'd ever seen. Gareth smiled and explained, "I have many patients in here...all of them with the problems you just got away from. Quite a few healed already as well, but there are...certain rules I've made that seemed to entice them to stay. Sooner or later I plan to get them moving, one way or another, but I let them heal as long as they need to."

"What?"

"The mental pain as much as the physical, Kalia. Mental pain takes years to heal, sometimes..." At this, he gained a far-away look, but soon came back to himself, and led her to the front door. There was a tiny white button to the left of the door, which he pressed, "I've got another patient here, Tii."

A female's voice crackled to life on the other end, "Another? That's the fifth this week! You do you find so many? ...nevermind. Standard question." She laughed, and Gareth chuckled as the door opened. Tii's voice called out once more, "Gareth, what should I do with the other two you sent? Are they patients?"

"No. They're the last two that Faerael wanted to see."

"Ah...standard treatment?"

"Pretty much. Just make sure they leave in one piece. I don't want any ghosts around here like last time." Tii gave a quiet brr on the other end. Gareth turned to Kalia, "I have to head to my room now. Stay put in any of the benches, and someone will help you to a vacant room. Probably Tii, now that I'm back." He turned to leave.

Kalia gasped and lunged for him, "No! I...I don't think I can handle being by myself just yet...please...don't leave me..."

Gareth moaned a little, but smiled, "Alright...but only until you've got a room."

"That's...that's fair, I guess." She suddenly did not like the idea of being left alone. Gareth caught on to the feeling quickly.

"Kalia, listen. This place is protected by a field of magic that nothing I don't want in here can break through. Rapists cannot get to you in any way. You have my word." He smiled and sat down on a bench, motioning for her to do the same, while he continued to speak, "It's part of those rules I told you about earlier, and since you're here, you might as well hear them. First, you do not ever have to worry about being attacked in this building, for reasons I won't go into explaining right now. Second, and I know you're going to hate this one, absolutely no sexual intercourse with anyone unless you and the other have already agreed to becoming life-mates. Third, I am not available for the position of life-mate to anyone...so, I'm sorry." He patted her shoulder, "And trust me, you're not the first to think I'd be the perfect male." He blushed at that statement, but did not retract it. She blushed as well, since she had just then been thinking that he would have been her perfect choice. He looked about and sighed, "You know, there is one thing I do not like about this whole business."

"What's that?"

"The fact that every female in this building is in heat, still. You know how it goes. A female goes into heat once every year, and does not come out of that heat until she has been mated with a male, and by mated I mean the child-creating mating, nothing else. Every female anthro dragon that's ever come through these doors has been on me every day, and none of them stop. Being in heat makes females do things they wouldn't normally do. They lust for a male to finish what their bodies started. The last males here already found life-mates and moved on." He took in a large breath, letting it out as another sigh, "I say this now, because once you are physically healed, you'll re-notice your heat...and it will most likely be stronger than when the pain took over once those bastards raped you." Rubbing the back of his head, he continued, "Just...please, try to not come for me. I don't like to harm the feelings of those I allow in here, and the first rejection you receive will be the hardest...just, for both our sakes, don't come to me once your heat comes back." A female was walking toward them, and quickened her pace when she saw Gareth. He groaned, "And it isn't just the female dragons either. I'm going to leave now. You'll be in good hands. That's Lua. She's a wolfess I rescued a while back...one of the first ones. She knows absolutely everything about this place, and is one of our top healers besides. See you." He patted her shoulder and stood up, walking away very quickly. The moment he rounded a corner, Lua's face turned into a pout, and she slowed. A nice smile quickly replaced once she re-noticed Kalia.

"Hello! Are you new here?" She asked, sounding very chipper.

Kalia nodded slowly, and asked, "How is Gareth able to do everything he does?" She hadn't asked Gareth that question, thinking it would be another personal one that he wouldn't want to answer.

Lua gently made Kalia stand, guiding her through the building as she answered, "He's never actually told anyone where all of his powers come from. But I do know that he didn't get his magic from here, just the blade."

Kalia sighed, "I guess I'll have to find out later, right?"

"Looks that way." Lua said, still smiling, "Now, let's get you to a room, and we'll start the healing tomorrow morning after breakfast, okay? Tonight you can take up to five pills to stop the pain."

"Why five?"

"Any more and it's poison, deary." She chuckled, rolling her eyes, "But don't worry. Five doses won't harm you. Just try to relax tonight...get some sleep. You'll need it in the morning."

_I blinked as Joel stopped talking, "Wait...what happened next?"

Joel smiled at me, "Eh...I stopped because you said you wanted to hear about my life, and if I go any longer, we'll be up past midnight. I figure you need some rest, too, don't you?"_

"But...but I want to hear what happens! It got interesting!"

"Just like all the others..." Joel said to himself softly. He stood up, "Wouldn't you rather I told you about myself? That was the deal, remember?"

"Forget the deal. I want to hear more about this Gareth guy."

Joel laughed again, but sighed, "Sorry...that's all for today. Come back earlier tomorrow and I'll see if I can finish it for you."

With a small sigh, I got up as well, seeing that there would be no arguing with him. On the way home, I found myself thinking all about the story Joel had started to tell me, and suddenly wished I were back at his house, hearing the rest. It would have been worth staying up past dawn to hear the rest...I was tired when I finally fell into bed though, and felt a little grateful that Joel had stopped...then sank into slumber...