Free ipods?

So I was clicking through the blogs a few days ago and found somebody who was praising the freeipods.com site. SO I went to the site, plowed through the terms and privacy disclaimers, and everything seems legit. I understand enough about advertising to know that the offer companies are actually saving money by paying gratis to advertise in this way, and gratis makes money in the process.

I do have some questions for anybody out there who has done this.

1. what kinds of offers are there to sign up for? It appears that you have to sign up before you know what offers are available.

2. did you get your ipod or certificate?

3. tons of spam?

4. happy?

5. anyting else should be aware of?

Thanks. and for those of you here for the story, here you go.

Torn
33

Vampires are not big on ceremony, but tradition and ritual play a big role.

We had announced our plans months before the season that was traditionally the time for mating. We continued to see each other, and our love only grew.

From the beginning there had been times when you could not be found, when we could not be together. I wondered, but gave you the space that you seemed to need.

Finally you came to me and told me to meet you at a particular place at a specific time. It was in a remote part of the cavern system that made up our community. I didn’t ask, I just agreed.

The time came. I was there as requested. You came out of a room, drenched in sweat. I had always thought you beautiful in the gowns that we normally saw you wearing, but the outfit you had on right then had a definite appeal to it.

You came out of that room wearing skintight leather; it conformed perfectly to the shape of your body. Shiny and black I recognized the attire of a fighter immediately, I just didn’t know why you would be wearing it. Women were always allowed to fight, it was their choice, but you had never shown this side of you to anyone that I had known of.

Another figure stepped out of the room behind you. It was an elf, old and gray, but I could sense the strength in him.

I must have been early, or practice must have run late. You seemed startled to see me. You recovered quickly. You introduced me to the elf, and excused yourself so that you could change.

The elf greeted me warmly, he had already heard much about me from you. I didn’t know how to react. This was still during the time when most elves would shun the vampires.

You returned, and we escorted the elf from the caves in silence.

As we slipped back into the shadow you turned to me and told me how lucky you were to have a great-great-grandfather who was a sword smith and experienced trainer. I was shocked. Not only did this elf come to train you, he acknowledged you as family.

We stood in the entrance for a time. I tried to understand what was going on, you were waiting for the right time to go outside.

A cloud passed in front of the sun for a brief moment. You pulled on my arm and we were running across the open landscape. I knew that you didn’t like the sun, so I was naturally confused. We approached a place where a natural rock formation created a sheltered, shadowed, area. That is where you stopped.

You kissed me, hard. I could feel your chest push against mine as you tried to catch your breath.

You finally let me go. I asked you why you had brought me there.

***

You told me that we needed to be in a place that was private. The caverns were too full, even during the day when most slept.

Then you got nervous. You kept wringing your hands as you were thinking about how to tell me. I got tired of the silence. I think it was the first time that I ever gave you confidence. I took your hands in mine. I looked into your eyes and told you that whatever you had to say was okay. I saw the emotion in your eyes, and knew how much you returned my love.

You told me of your fears. You told me that a number of years earlier a man had come to you in a dream. He had told you of things to come. You didn’t want to believe him, and he left.

But he returned. Night after night he came to you in his dreams, telling you of a battle to come, telling you that you must be prepared or you would die. Eventually you started to listen. He told you what you needed to do, needed to learn.

He finally delivered his entire message. He never appeared for you again.

You were disturbed by what the message was. You didn’t know who to talk to, but you finally had chosen to confide in your great-grandfather. You thought him wise. He had been an elf once, and had become a vampire through the bloodroot. He knew of myths that nobody else did.

He listened to you recount the message in your dreams, then he told you to visit his father. He explained that if the dreams were true, you would need to seek the training that was advised. He also explained that his father would be able to verify the validity of the message.

You were skeptical, but you followed the advice of your great-grandfather. You went one night to his father’s home, in the elven city.

You told me that you were surprised at the reception that you received in you twice-great-grandfather’s home. You were welcomed, and made to feel part of the family that you had never known.

You told your story again, and he listened with great interest. He did not ask a single question until you were finished, and the one that he asked then was simple. Do you believe the dreams?

It was as simple as that. You thought long and hard, but you did believe. And you told him so.

You started training almost immediately after that. Your belief was enough for him to believe at first, and when he saw your power he knew that the message was true.

At that time only three people knew what you did. You, you great-grandfather, and his father. You kept it secret, you had no choice. You all knew that those chosen for specific battles were always in danger.

You had kept your secret, even from me, until that day in the rocks.