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Rick stared atover his feet Rain pelted down on us all, Keainst his skull like a coat of paint, his black eyes so dark they looked as wide as vamp pupils I looked down atthrough I put a palh I re ht at Beast Half shifted

Yes Will not accept beta place to Kely skinny tail and stink of hue hot country

I chuckled beneathback to the hotel I’m out of clothes We’ll talk later" I raised ain, tell hi to her on one side "I’ll do that Is this a proposal or so" But I didn’t knohat "Later" I slid into the cab, pulling the doors shut With a crunch and splash of tires on rock and mud, I pulled away I was halfway to the hotel when I had to stop at a drive-through for food I consuular recipe Kentucky Fried Chicken and six biscuits And I couldn’t stop laughing, a breathy, half-hysterical sound, a soft note of dread and pain in the depths I was still laughing when I dialed the twins’ rooA s the air as we passed They clapped, as if this was an Officer and a Gentle, up the elevator I laughed, still with that wild ringing note, and Brian kissed the top ofthe ot to the suiteshared, he lowered led state, his eyes glued to the wet skin beneath the soaked blanket and the bundle of wet clothing in my hands I shivered hard, despite the time to warm up and the food I said, "Hot shower Three double stuffed potatoes and a two pound steak, so rare it’s stillPlease" I shut my room door in his face

Half an hour later I arm and mostly dry, my hair braided and wrapped in a towel I had looked at my reflection in the bathrooain I looked as if I had lost ten pounds, and as if I hadn’t slept in weeks My eyes had dark circles, my cheeks were sunken The half-shift had taken a lot out of ht at me She had a point In the co into the food, eating with a steady precision ry human The tatched me with hooded eyes, nearly as still as a va

When I was done, Brandon said, "You look like sorinned Beast hacked deep inside, amused "Yeah" I picked up my cell, keys, a leather jacket, and the scarf I’d taken froelina "I’ll be back in a bit I have to see a witch about a problem"

"Does this problem have to do with the parley?"

"Yeah" I left the roo for the SUV on the way down

I drove into Molly’s driveway and parked in the false dusk of the stor, but now there were breaks in the downpour, moments when sprinkles pattered down, ated, darker to the east where the stor, the clouds piled on top of each other as they rushed froine and sat

Molly’s house was different since I’d been here last Big Evan and Mol had added on a garage with a man-den over it, enclosed the old carport, added a bathroom and a master bedroom out back The addition had doubled the size of the house, but they had ables and arched s

I hadn’t been invited over since I’d been back Not once I reie Baby, and I had dinner here several times a week But the invitations had stopped when Molly had been put in danger on ie and Little Evan had been kidnapped It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that I had beco Evan’s eyes His car was in the drive; there would be no slipping in and out without hi I had no idea if I’d be welcomed or told to leave, especially once I reer I hadn’t finishedthe blood-diaain My insides felt hollow, despite the proteins, fats, and starches I’d eaten

The house sat on the crest of a mountain at the top of the world, and the vieere spectacular The front yard was lush with fall plants, undy-leaved Japanese rouped everywhere, soo salarden anywhere, with fruits and veggies so tasty and big they looked like rowing things, healing bodies, restoring balance to nature

Legs like lead weights, I got out of the SUV, pocketed the keys, and ht a whiff of olves, but the scent was faint, distant, and quickly gone as if it had never been But it was real, not a figination or fear

The new door in the middle of the old carport opened and a sh "Aunt Jane! Aunt Jane! Aunt Jane!" she squealed, the high pitch nearly bursting ie Baby threw

herself into er Her ar, her strawberry-blond-streaked hair whipping in the gusty wind I smoothed it doith one hand and looped the other arht as I carried her toward the house "Ipuddle of goo "I’ve athered any tiroo inches, at least"

"I’irl now" Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Daddy’s at the door and he’s mad Why is he mad at you?"