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Chapter One

I was ten feet froations, when I heard our phone ring inside Unfortunately the key to the office was in my sweatshirt pocket, which at thefrohed about seventy pounds and my shoulders really didn’t like it

Behind , shifted the bulbousit "Phone"

"I hear it" I dug in lued shut by sliers Ew

"Kate, it could be a client"

"I’ to find the key"

Clients e opened its doors threejobs, ood recouard outfit in the city, clients weren’t knocking down our door in a rush to hire us

Our world was beset by y and leaving es spitting fireballs and lightning, the next the es with their now operational firearic waves didn’t always vanish with theencies to deal with er than us: the cops, the Mercenary Guild, a slew of private coorilla, the Order of Merciful Aid The Order and its knights ainst all threats and they did just that, on their terms Both Andrea and I had worked for the Order at some point and both of us left under less than amicable circuot a job, it was because everyone else in town had already shot it down We were quickly turning into Atlanta’s business of last resort Still, every successful job was a check mark by our name

The phone rang, insistent

Our latest job had come courtesy of the Green Acres Ho clai their suburb and could we please co local cats Apparently the translucent jellyfish was floating about with half-digested cat bodies inside it, and the neighborhood children were very upset The cops told them that it wasn’t a priority, since the jellyfish hadn’t eaten any huet rid of it for less than a grand The HOA offered us 200 Nobody in their right mind would do the job at that price

It took us all damned day And noe had to properly dispose of the cursed thing, because dealing with corpses ofRussian roulette So happened, and so into a puddle of sentient carnivorous protoplasht of the jellyfish suddenly vanished froertips slid against the cold metal I yanked the key out, slipped it into the lock, and swung the heavy reinforced door open Aha! Victory

I lunged through the door and made a break for the phone I reached a second too late and the answering machine came on "Kate," Jim’s voice said "Pick up the phone"

I backed away from the phone like it was on fire I knew exactly what this call was about and I didn’t want any of it

"Kate, I know you’re there"

"No, I’m not," I said

"You will have to deal with this sooner or later"

I shookup

I turned to the door and watched Andrea walk through it Behind her, the jellyfish squeezed through the doorway on its own I blinked The jellyfish kept co it in his hands, as if the three hundred pound mass of flesh was no heavier than a plate of pancakes It’s good to be the Beast Lord

"Where to?" he asked

"Back room," Andrea said "Here, I’ll show you"

I followed them and watched Curran pack the jellyfish into the biohazard container He slid the lid in place, locked the clamps, and closed the distance between us I heldhim covered in ooze, leaned forward, and kissed the Beast Lord He tasted like of toothpaste and of Curran, and the feel of his lips on et the lousy day, the bills, the clients, the two gallons of sli my clothes The kiss had lasted only a couple of seconds, but it ht as well have been an hour, because e broke apart, it felt like I had co all rey eyes s at me

"Hey"

Behind him Andrea rolled her eyes

"What’s up?" I asked him

Curran almost never ca He hated Atlanta with all the fire of a supernova I didn’t have anything against Atlanta in theory - it was half-eroded by theabout crowds When ht for the Keep, where the Atlanta shapeshifter Pack and His Furry Majesty resided

"I thought we’d go to dinner," he said "It’s been awhile since we’ve gone out"