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Chapter One

"My name is Gin, and I kill people "

Norasps of surprise Pale faces Nervous sweat Stifled screaet away before I buried a knife in their heart-or back A sucking wound was a sucking wound

I wasn't picky about where I caused it

"Hi, Gin," four people chorused back to me in perfect, dull, monotone unison

But not in this place Within the walled confines of Ashland Asyluht be, didn't even htened awe I was relatively noric who populated the grounds Like Jackson, the seven-foot-tall albino giant seated to led like a three-month-old child

A long string of clear, glistening spittle dripped out of his oversize lips, but Jackson was too busy cooing nonsense to the crude daisy tattooed on the back of his hand to pay attention Or do soienic, like wipe his mouth I shifted away fro mucus

Disgusting But Jackson was typical of the sorts of folks in the asylum Asylum The word always made me smile Such a pretty name for a hellhole

It was bad enough I'd been stuck here for ale was the noise-and having to listen to the building around o sunk into the granite walls and floors of the asylu a Stone elemental, I could feel the vibrations in the rock and hear the constant, insane chatter even through the industrial carpet and my white, cotton socks

When I'd first gotten here, I'd tried to reach out to the stone, to useit a bit of coet soht But it had been no use The stones were too far gone to listen or respond toon top of them

Now, I just blocked out the das

A woman at the head of the circle of plastic chairs leaned forward She was directly across froht eyes to find mine "Now, Gin, you've made this claim before We've discussed this You only think you're an assassin You are most certainly not one "

Evelyn Edwards The shrink as supposed to cure all the crazies in this ical nuthouse She radiated professional cool and confidence in her tight black pantsuit, ivory blouse, and kitten heels Square black glasses hung on the end of her pointed nose, highlighting her greenish eyes, and her sandy hair was cropped into a short, tousled bob Evelyn was pretty enough, but a hungry look pinched her pasty face-a look I recognized The hard gaze of a sly predator

The reason I was here today

"I most certainly am not a mere assassin," I countered "I'm the Spider Surely, you've heard of me "