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Rick jerked back, baring teeth But the one, the scent of sweat and irritation on the air, footsteps receding Rick huffed a laugh and I le He bent his forehead against ether "Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus," he whispered, catching his breath "What the hell was that?"

"Cat scent?" I gasped "Mating pherouess"

"You never did itI mean not with another skinwalker?"

My sainst his chest between us Pressed until he let h Rick refused to be pushed entirely away His hand was still on my nape I turned my head and rested my cheek in his palm

"What?" he asked, and I could smell Rick’s confusion, his worry His cat

"There are no other skinwalkers," I said I tilted my head and searched his eyes "I killed the last one when it went crazy and started eating people"

I could see hiether "Leo Pellissier’s son? Was a skinwalker?"

"Maybe Probably One who did black ic, took a vamp’s DNA, and the two natures didn’t mesh" When he didn’t comment, I said, "It was a lot older, I think Like weres, walkers live a long tiet very old, or do so a walker I’ve never met another one"

"Once Keoes back to Africa, I’ll be the only black were-leopard on this continent, and the only one on the face of the earth who et to be singularities together" He gathered up"You’ve got a long ride back Be careful, Jane Yellowrock"

I hel curiously empty and full all at once, drained and vacant and joyful "You too, Rick LaFleur I’ll be back"

"I’ll be here," he said, "at least until the day after the full moon If I’m alive then, ’s key "But I’ll still want you, Jane"

I looked up at that, but Rick was gone, fading into the lengthening shadows

Back in h a shower, looking longingly at the whirlpool tub with its candleholders and plush towels And at the bed I hadn’t used in a day and a half Maybe at dawn Which see time away I braidedit wasn’t going to get anytiht, coht, but the bun was better than loose hair over three feet long I wasn’t vain, and I could be called beautiful only by the orgeous

I was security on this gig, not chasing rogue-vae in a lot of my possessions, from clothes to weapons The clothes had been coance and utility," his phrase And I liked the clothes, which was such a girly thought that I’d not said it aloud Dodging the bust of so father on its tall stand, I tossed clothes from the closet--all black, which made wardrobe decisions so ged pants, silk tank, tight vest, tall, leather boots, and slung an elegant nubby silk jacket overthe clock, I strapped on the knife sheaths and silver-tipped stakes, and gathered three new handguns provided by Leo, which was one of the nicer aspects of being on va check signed by Ernestine, the financial secretary of the Louisiana Mithrans, I was fully accoutered with new 380s

Musclearea, handguns on the low table, and checked the the neeapons The 380s offered less stopping power than nificantly less than un, currently hidden in the closet, but were perfect for this job where the possibility of collateral da a tourist or bellboy So I loaded varied kinds of aazines The Walther PK380s, I loaded with standard rounds in the event of a human or blood-servant attack on the talks between vamps One went under uns How cool is that? The seht, aineered so the safety block wouldn’t break off, a serious flaw of the first ones in the series