Later that night, Gabrielle sat beside their campfire, feeding small pieces of wood into it to keep the flames going. She was chilled, bone deep. The darkness seemed ominous tonight, absent of the smallest chirp from a cricket or the hoot of an owl.

Xena had gone hunting for fresh meat, and hadn’t returned yet. Gabrielle wanted to ignore the sensations, but it was no use. Learning that Eve was in eminent danger, coupled with the atmosphere of the night put her on edge. She grasped the handle of her sais, feeling the grip of the familiar wooden handle cradled in her hand. It offered comfort and security.

A branch rustled, and Gabrielle whipped around, her body a blur of motion as she prepared to attack. Instead of finding a lurker behind her, she caught a impression of movement as Xena jumped back from the tip of her deadly weapon.

“Whoa. A little jumpy, aren’t we?”

“I’m sorry, Xena. I don’t know what’s come over me.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Xena went about the business of cooking the rabbit she had caught, making the tantalizing aroma of freshly cooked food grip their bellies in anticipation. They ate their fill, then cleaned up in preparation for bed.

Gabrielle rested next to Xena, but couldn’t drop off into sleep. “What else do you know about these Incubi?” she asked abruptly.

Xena rolled over. “Do you really want to hear this right now?”

“Yes, I do.” Gabrielle replied.

Xena sighed and propped her head on her hand. “I only know what I’ve been told. The Incubi are motivated to enslave young women for their pleasure. They are actually monsters who take on a human form in order to seduce their prey. But that’s not the only reason they do it. Somehow, it renews their life force, keeping them from passing. But it’s mostly their insatiable lust that drives them.”

“What happens if they do enslave someone?”

“She becomes obsessed with desires only the Incubi can satisfy. It becomes her sole purpose, until the creature has drained her life away. When her essence is all but gone, the Incubi searches out another victim. The woman usually dies because she doesn’t have the strength to survive.”

“Could it be something else? Are you sure this is the Incubi we’re going to be dealing with?”

“It could be... no. It can’t. I’m sure it’s one of the Incubi.”

Gabrielle stared at Xena intently. “You think Eve’s a target.”

Slowly, a single tear trickled from the corner of her icy blue eyes. Xena blinked the moisture away, but not before Gabrielle caught the anguish she held inside.

“We’ll stop him, Xena. Our daughter is strong. She’ll be able to hold on until we get there.”

Xena’s arm quaked beneath Gabrielle’s gentle hand. “I pray you’re right.”.

Watching the two women drift into sleep, the man fastened his gaze on the females so intent on reaching his lair. Focusing his attention, he studied one woman in particular.

Her hair tumbled around her moon-kissed face, highlighting the beauty that nature had blessed. The sweep of her lashes fanned gently against the alabaster curves beneath them, making his stomach muscles clench with want. The palm of one hand lay outspread across her breast, while the other was flung with abandon over her head.

His lips peeled back, revealing a sinister grin. Soon... soon my beauty, he crooned to himself. With a lingering look, he walked away from the hovering image his talents had created, feeling the urge to sate his carnal desires, once again.