Anya snickered. Mindless bravado and machismo . . . sometimes, it could be quite charming.

"That's muh girl," Croc said, leaning back.

"So, what's the plan next?"

"We wait until Robbie and Nat and the gang get back. Not much more we can do until then," she said.

“I'm going to try and get some modeling work again . . . we're wanting to actually buy land this time so we don't have to worry so much about being ‘discovered.'

We're about a hundred grand short of what we need."

“Crap, I could loan that to ya," Croc said absently.

"No, we couldn't ask that. You've already done what you'd said you would do."

“Listen . . . okay, I know everyone thinks I'm just a merc. Probably because I encourage people to think that way. I help get rid of bad people that no one else can get to. Helpin' with the Elder God is just a really big version of that. But even I need a place to hang my hat from time to time."

Anya sat on the bed next to him.

"Wouldn't that be slumming a bit?

I mean, you're a high class roller a Croc looked towards her voice.

"And you're used to strolling down runways all over the world," he said softly.

"But you seem happy here. With these weird people and that boyfriend of yours." He blushed.

“Sorry. He's a lucky guy I guess.”

Croc couldn't see, but Anya looked confused for a second.

“Boyfriend?

Oh you mean Chris? He's not my boyfriend."

“But you two seemed so close, and he was real worried ‘bout you when he left.”

"The Strays . . . we don't really do monogamy well, except for Red.

And even she isn't above a little extra fun, though probably not so much now that she's with Jane. Chris is special to me, true. I can be in the middle of fucking five guys, and he can still make me feel like . . . like a lady," she said.

"Five guys?" Croc was impressed.

"Oh yeah. I like sex. A lot. C'mon, you've wanted to bang me since you saw me. Admit it!"

"Of course I admit it! I'm only half-blind," he said, chuckling. He just realized what a chick-magnet an eye-patch could be.