Then she said softly, ‘Thank you, my darling son! That was the finest birthday present you could possibly have given me.’ Mom had struck again! To...ny and I both wanted to disappear into a crack in the floor. Neither of us had remembered it was Mom’s birthday. But then...”“Then what?” Mom prompted eagerly.“Then Aunt Jenny said, ‘You two are really getting forgetful in your advancing years. I found these in your rooms this morning, and since they’re labeled for your mother... ‘“Would you believe. I just need to figure out the next move. I was thinking about making him your co-owner.”“Wow!” gasped Heather. “Wouldn’t that make me a slave all the time?”“Isn’t that what you wanted?”“Well, I thought that’s what I wanted,” replied Heather. “But now I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. I’m not sure it would be good to change my relationship with him.”“Maybe not,” agreed Jane. “How about this? We, or rather you, tell him that I have taken ownership of you and that you didn’t want your. His dagger flashed. The dog whimpered, staggering away in a spurt of crimson, the mangy beast collapsing on the ground. Mistress screamed something. Rainbow light flared as she scrambled from a snarling beast.It bayed in terror. Its claws tore at the underbrush before bursting out and dashing through the regrouping soldiers. Horses neighed in shock, rearing. One soldier cursed, landing on his back in a crumple of metal.Then the hound attacking me lounged again, blood matting the fur on the side. I didn't need a fatal wound, just something that would slow him down, and, especially, keep him from escaping. A wound in the chest area that was the result of a penetrating bullet would, more than likely, eventually be fatal from the gangrene expected to develop there. I might not get credit for the kill, but I would certainly remove from this Earth someone who deserved to die.Bullets rattled back and forth at a fairly steady rate for the next 15 minutes. The noise was terrific, and I was sure.