"Alas, Wendy, look at that."
Wendy noticed the roses.
"Hail, it is the Skinwalker, just like you suspected, Ethan."
Thompson looks at the roses.
"Students are already grieving the man. Meet me in the dean's office after you have questioned the students. They might have seen someone near John's office."
Ethan, Wendy, Lucy, and Lara started asking students if they saw anything that might be out of place during the day or night. Grace and Maple left for the guild. Grace wanted to contact Herbert and let him know the quest was successful. When she told them about Ethan, Maple worried about her parents' reaction, so she went with Grace. Lara took Ethan's hand.
"Thank you. This is the happiest I have ever seen Maple and Grace in a long time."
"Alas, what about you, my pretty friend."
Lara grinned as she spoke, looking into his eyes."
"I wish we were alone. I would ride you like a pony."
Lucy giggled, taking Lara by the hand.
"Squee, we have plenty of time for that, my friend."
Ethan seated himself across from Crane next to Thompson. The girls at the back of the dean's office chatted softly with the lieutenants. Earl, the dean, waved at all of them.
"This almost looks like a Ghost Flower Village meeting. Please do not hold back. I have realised that I barely knew Lark. She hid many things from me."
Ethan could hear the pain in the man's voice. He sounded like Crane did that day they interviewed him. Thompson turned in his chair, looking at Crane.
"Tell us everything we need to know to save lives."
Crane looks at Earl, his face paling even more.
"John was part of the ten I spoke of previously. John and I used to partake of her in the mornings before work in his office."
Crane looked at Earl.
"I am sorry, Earl, we have had this arrangement years before you met her."
Earl held his hand up.
"Please do not feel sorry she lied to me. I did love her dearly and would never have known if she had not been murdered. I had a feeling that she was not satisfied with my performance."
Crane laughed.
"Earl, it took ten men ploughing her through the night till morning to satisfy her lust for an hour or two."
Ethan stood and walked in a circle, scratching his beard as he thought. He knew it was the Skinwalker, so he had made the note to taunt them.
Thompson motions for Crane to leave.
"Professor Crane, you're excused. Do not go out of the city. We might want to talk to you again."
The man hurried out the door, slamming it behind him.
There came a knock on the door, and Bridget opened it.
"What do you need, boy."
The student pried his eyes from her cleavage as he mumbled.
"A goddess spoke to me."
The student holds out his hand, a piece of paper clutched in it.
Bridget touches a button on her blouse. It pops open, and her bra and cleavage are now displayed.
"Speak, boy, before you shoot your load in your pants."
The student tells her he saw someone climb out the dean's office window just before sunset yesterday, dropping this piece of paper before they ran away. He does not know if it is a man or a woman. Bridget licks her lips and winks at the boy. He shudders, and a wet stain forms on his pants.
"You have been rewarded. Now scram."
The student ran down the hall. Bridget fastened the button to Earl, Thompson, and Ethan's disappointment."
"You three saw enough. What does the piece of paper say."
Earl swallows loudly.
"I wish you would discipline me, Bridget."
Bridget stuck out her tongue.
"We grew up together. I know you better than I would like."
Thompson opened the piece of paper, reading the contents.
"Astrid, stop Professor Crane. Place him under guard right away."
Astrid left the office quickly and shouted at Crane to stop. Thompson looked at Earl, his expression serious.
"There are twenty-seven names on this piece of paper. And your name appears on it. Lark's are written on the top scratched out, as are John's and three others. We have found the three dead men already."
Ethan stopped and then turned to Thompson.
"Alas, let us set a trap for the thing. It seeks to kill Lark's lovers."
Ethan wondered why the Skinwalker would be interested in the woman and her lovers. Could the thing even have children? She was dead already. Why?
Thompson stood, walking to the door.
"Bridget, get hold of Smith. We need his makeup artist. We are going to set a trap for this thing. Earl will meet us in the cafeteria tomorrow morning to discuss the bombing."
Lara steps forward, hugging Ethan around the waist.
"I know; it's just spreading the news to the right students. Leave it to me. Everyone should know by the end of the day."
"Alas, be careful. We will wait for you at the portal."
Ethan and his girls leave to spread the word to the students. Lara waves at them as she walks away. Ethan and Wendy stare at her ass.
"Squee, what should I do with the two of you."
Lara returned to the portal an hour later. Her mission was completed. Crane had been taken into protective custody in secret. Zelda floated high in the air, near the portal in the city. She had been on the lookout for any suspicious activity, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Skinwalker. As soon as Ethan passed through, she floated down, and they left for the portal near the village. They appeared through the portal, and the girls were waiting for him. Come, we still have time. Let us have lunch and a lie-down.
Penny and Shaw were surprised to see them back two days earlier than planned. Miley walked at the back of the inn, her head down, her ears hanging forward, her tail dragging behind her. Her ears perked up, and her tail sprang to life as she heard Ethan's voice. Miley ran, crying, her tiny arms outstretched as she jumped. Ethan caught her and lifted her into his arms. Her tail wrapped around his arm, her ears moving excitedly as she lay her head on his shoulder, purring.
Penny laughed.
"Miley was depressed when she woke because you were gone. She did not eat or sleep much last night as well."
Wendy touched the little cat's tail.
"Hail, she is asleep and drooling on Ethan's arm. Hahahaha, who does that."
Everyone looked at Wendy as she walked back a step.
"Hail, I see say no more."
Shaw noticed the backpacks floating behind them. Penny looked at Lara with wide eyes.
"Meow, what happened."
Lara shyly looked at her feet.
"We belong to Ethan now."
Penny laughed, hugging Lara as she pulled her to the kitchen and asked for details. Lara returned a plate of meat in her arms, and Melisa followed her with mugs of mead. Ethan ate with one hand as Miley slept in his arm. The little girl was emotionally and physically exhausted.
Wendy and Lucy went upstairs, and Ethan took Lara by the hand, their backpacks following. He flew to Maple's home, and the door opened as they walked up the stairs. Maple closed the door, hanging her closed sign. Ten minutes later, you could hear a bed squeak on the third floor.
Ethan arrived at the guild an hour and a half later. Grace rushed out to greet him. Grace took his hand and led him upstairs. Zelda giggled in Ethan's mind as she floated outside Grace's room, the door closed. Employees stopped not believing their ears as Grace's bed squeaked, her moans muffled by a pillow.
Ethan returned to the inn, and Wendy and Lucy waited at their usual table, where they had a mug of spiced wine for him.