Sally giggled as Mark fumbled slightly before returning the key to her. “So, how was your first time with the size difference?” She asked Sam.

“Oh, that wasn’t the first. Sam replied. “About 3 years ago I protected a guy from a hunter trying to bring him back to wherever he escaped from. We travel together for a bit, and I got a few trial runs out of him. It’s been a while though, and I definitely need that. So where’d James go?”

“Jess took him to her house. The crowd a little too wild to have new male around. You’re heading out I assume. Could take Mark out with you? he can find his way home, but I think he’s had his fill for the day.”

“Yeah, sure” Sam replied. She left bar, thanked Mark for his service before allowing him to head home, and went to Jess’ places “Who’s this?”

“My dad, He’s visiting.” Jess replied. “He run a distributor, one of the first up and running since the collapse. The tech required to get limitless resources it quite rebuilt yet, but it stay pretty well stocked.”

“Well stocked one way of putting it. How they expect anything to run in the 22nd century without matter manipulation I’ll never know.” Jess’ farther commented. “Nick Crowell.”

“Samantha, but Sam is fine. If you don’t mind me asking, where your wife?”

“She never likes nomads the first few days. The Matri wanted to ruled the world, and they all wanted to be on top. As result they started killing each other off. The only way they can get into a town like this is to sneak in, and what’s she think you’re doing. She’ll come around just be patience.”

“They started.” Sam had to process that statement. Matri was shorthand for the women who want to rule over men she knew that much. But even they know halting the telomere wouldn’t protect them from each other. “Why would they fight to kill? That would only serve to wipe them out.”

“Can’t seem to figure that out.” Nick replied. “Their numbers are getting lower and lower, but they’re still going at.”

“It does speed up the recovery effort though.” Jess said. “Anyone who would hinder the process is too busy fighting. And they can’t along, so they can’t get the numbers to go against town like this. Of course that leave a lot men’s lives in the hand of who get them next.”

“Made my escape a lot easier.” James replied. “A lot harder to get away from a giant when they focus on you the moment they wake up.”

“Hey, now.” Sam picked up James and held him close to her chest like a teddy bear. “It’s not my fault your ex-mistress can’t keep track of a cute boy.” She paused for a moment and sniffed James. “Did you always smell this bad?”

“No, that’s my fault.” Jess said. “I went to bathroom, and I came back to Sal pulling him out of a drunken catfight. I didn’t think it be that wild. He won’t let me bathe him, because he’s still kinda of mad at me for bring him in there in the first place. I don’t wanna degrade him to the sink, but I don’t have a tub his size.”

“I’ll bathe him. I need a wash myself, anyways.” Sam stated. “And I’m glad I can go around naked without causing a stir, but can I get some clothes?”

“I see what I can find.” Jess stated. “Just get him clean before the house smells like beer and cum. ”

Sam took James to bathroom. “oh, of course they’d change how this works on me.” Sam sighed looking at the new shower controls. She sat James down behind her “Whatever, can’t be that hard. Let’s see... that’s cold.” Noting the water temp. “so this must be hot... and that’s the soap.” Sam covered James in soap, and was about to wash him off when an idea pop into her head. She grabbed James and began rubbing him against her breast. She found herself going progressively slower as she enjoyed feeling his soapy body against her own. after lathering her both her boobs she slid him across her skin down to her ass. she meticulously scrub each cheek before finally deciding to put him down. “Glad you enjoyed it.” Sam giggled. “part of you anyway.”

“If you’re done having fun.” James trying to sound annoyed, but obviously disappointed.

“I don’t think you’d enjoy doing the rest.” Sam said while cleaning her armpits. “but we can continue later, if you want.” after finishing up she grabbed the clothes Jess had left. “Must some of hers. They’ll have to do for now.” She said while shimmying into a pair of what should be baggy pants, and throwing the shirt on. “Actually a pretty good fit.”  She told Jess while walking back into the living room with James.

“Good.” Jess yawned. “You can wear ‘em tonight, and we get you and James square away tomorrow. In the meantime I’ve had a busy day, and I‘m going to bed.”

“I’m gonna stay up a little while longer, night.” Sam replied. “You can do what you like James. Now that you won’t stick up the place. I have something I need to do.” She plopped down on the couch, and James went off somewhere. Sam spent about an hour doing something she never thought she’d do again, concern herself with her family. The list of victims was longer, and included death crueler than she ever fathomed. She tried to keep reading wipe the tears for her face, but eventually she gave up. She wonder if she should just leave now before someone in this town judge her as a monster like the family she came from. The family of monsters that killed her… father. Something clicked into Sam’s mind. Everyone has a monster inside them, but what makes them different is how they use it. She never knew why, but her dad always said it whenever the opportunity arose. He’d never talk about his side of the family. Maybe he was in a similar place at one point? It always stuck with her, because the same thing was often said about her and her sister. About how they share so much in common, but turn out so different. With her mind at ease she realize just how tired she had become, so she drifted off peacefully.

“Sam. I know it early, but you need to get up.” Jess pleaded.

“Hmm, wha?” Sam stated half-awake. “What is it?”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“We’re getting your daughter as fast as we can!” Sally yelled with tears in her eyes. “Jess is the only one who even knew she was here, and I still don’t know why she let a Demint stay here.”

“Martha!” Sam yelled as she stomped her way through the crowd. “Put him down!”

“Samantha Demint.” Martha replied. “That is no way to talk to-”

“I’m not talking to my mother.” Sam replied face to face with Martha. “I’m talking to you. Put. Him. Down. Now.” She watched the hostage slide out of the loosen grip, and drop to ground. He then ran back to the crowd. Sam fought the urge to look back, and make sure he wasn’t hurt. She had controls right now, and looking back could mean losing it. “I meant gently, but I guess that works. So you wanted to talk?”

Quickly recovering from the unexpected rebuttal. Martha wasted no further time.  “We’re not talking. We’re going home.”

“Great.” Sam replied feigning innocence . “So when you next decide to visit, could you not threatened to kill people?”

For a brief moment there was silence, and then in cold, uncaring monotone Martha “You minus well come. No one would want something like you here.”

Sam hated everything about that tone, She hated how it was devoid of any almost anything. There was no emotion behind it, yet it wasn’t a matter of fact tone either. It simply lack any sense of humanity. She hated it, she hated the fear it created, and she hated that she could use it. Despite all that, she took a deep breath, and replied in that very same tone. “So you just stop by to ruin my life again is that it?”

“It was only a matter of time before they found out.” Martha replied. “And now that they have, they consider you a monster.”

“Of course they do.” Sam replied. “That what I am. The third monster, and I’ve decided that I’m ok with that. And I think it’s time, that you decided to leave.”

“If I leave your sister is coming.” Martha replied. “Is that what you want?”

“If you knew where Isabell was, she’d already be here.” Sam replied leaning forward, and the cold monotone slowly rose to a fiery roar. “But if you do see her, tell her I’m waiting to pay her back.” She paused briefly allowing herself to calm down. “Now, I really think it time for you to go. You got your talk, and I don’t think the crowd gonna stand around if start a fight.”

“They won’t accept you.” Martha replied dropping her tone as well. “You’ll be all alone again.”

“That’s fine.” Sam replied. “At least now I know I don’t need to avoid every town. It does get lonely, but I have a night or two of proper shelter and a hot meal before I’m found out again.”

“But you could be with your-” Martha began.

Sam had had enough. “I would rather be alone than with either one of you! Now, leave!” She watched Martha walk away for a bit, and began walking back to the crowd. Apparently she’d really stirred things up, because they were still arguing. Almost no one register that she was standing next to them.

“Sarah Lywing, herself, told me she hadn’t caused any trouble” Jess replied. “for 4 years.”

“So, um” all eyes turn to Sam. “I was hoping that most of you got to know me a little before you learn this, but as that’s not going to happen. I’m a Demint like...” Sam held back tears as she recalled what she learned last night and past memories. “like the tyrants that killed my father and a multitude of others.  I didn’t stop them. I couldn’t have, so I ran away instead. I… I’m not like them. You might not believe that and you have every right not to, but it’s the truth.” Sam stopped talking indicating that she’d what she had to say, and waited for the response.

“Aw, hell.” A male voice replied. “I forgot about the dad being murder.”

“That doesn’t prove anything. Don’t go turning on us now.” Another stranger replied.

“Still,” Sally spoke up. “it's not like opportunites haven’t presented themselves. She already had James when she came here, and she easily could ran off with Mark once they were outside. She probably knows that forest better than any of us.  And she definitely could have run off with” Sally trailed off tightening her hold on the person Sam had just saved.

“Look you don’t have to trust me, but I like to think I’ve earned a chance.” Sam said. “You all trust Jess, and she’ll be watching me.”

“Yeah.” Jess replied. “I wouldn’t purposely endanger anyone. That was the first thing we all agreed on.”

A few tried to counter, but soon even they accepted defeat. No one was willing to kick out an ex-nomad on the basis of a bloodline. Sam decided to just be herself. She had nothing to hide, and any appearance of putting an act would suggest otherwise. Over the of courses of several days the skepticism faded, and Jess and Sam hit it off. It hadn’t come up originally, but Sam was a bisexual. And more she and Jess got to know each other, the more they like. Sam found the to be true of James. Jess of course didn’t see him that way, but she had no problem sharing Sam. 2 weeks past without any incident, and Sam became just another resident of Talt. While a good portion of those outside Talt remain unconvinced of the Gentle Demint, as most news site called her, for time being Sam had no real complaints.