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I looked over the pics as he talked "How about security on the creek side?"

"Mini like that If we can prove that he’s--"

"You’re in luck The systeround at pappy’s place And while I’ helpful, a call just went out to the local law that aa pistol into a houseboat on Lake Junaluska" The connection ended

"Funny guy" I closed the phone, pulled the silly velvet jacket on against the chill, and fired up Fang I can’t kill vamps if I’m in jail for malicious e I wasn’t in a mood to find out

When I was safely away fro, and speed-dialed e for each "I’ after a vamp I need transportation down Cataloochee Creek at dawn If you can meet me at the river before sunrise, call I’ll need to hit land here" I gave the GPS of the destination--Thoured that Thoht of freedom and daytime lair by a coin toss Cataloochee Creek was home, an emotional attachment to the human world, as one in bloodlust that he believed hu but dinner

Before dawn, I turned off I-40 on to the road--loosely defined--and started down into the Cataloochee Valley The roadbed orse than I re on no sleep, two shape-changes, and hadn’t taken in enough calories to fuel the shifts I had finished off e, but after the spell in the baseht to eat, which eird, for ry and worried; Beast was still nowhere in my mind She didn’t appear, not even when I concentrated on the herd of elk in the park She hadn’t thought anything snarky at me, or even ht and disrupted spell in the hedge of thorns Nothing Nada If she were still alive inside me, wouldn’t she make some kind of comment?

Cataloochee Creek’s boat access in the national caround provided easy access to the ay I parked and wandered through the dark, trying to iine the land back when it was farmland, rich crops on the valley floor, or tione, the earth laid bare, back when it was family land, more isolated in some ways, less isolated in others Beast had lived in theseinteresting, no insights, no hts, not even when I heard an owl hoot, lost and lonely in the distance

I got back two affirmative texts from the paddlers They were on their way Dave asked if I had proper clothes I earingI wasfor dawn, I took shelter under a covered coing and sharp as ice picks In seconds it was a deluge Great Just freaking great

Trying to stay dry, I checked the security scheh soainst the chill I accessed the Naturaleza’s personal history to discover that the man held a black belt in karate, aikido, and kendo, which s could get dicey Good thing I was planning to shoot hiot close

Mike arrived at the park first, cutting his engine and coasting the final distance to park Quiet hours were advertised, which I had busted to heck and gone with Fang When he spotted me in the dark, he pulled a two man raft fro the raft ina wetsuit with a dry-top over it and looked cozy Even with ured that denim and velvet weren’t the "proper clothes" Dave had e in the sa it

Daas still a glint in Mother Nature’s eye when Dave arrived, coasting down as Mike had done At least they had good carinned and shook his head when he saw led state, tossed me a poncho, which I pulled over ear and carried it to the creek bank He and Mike discussed the water flohich was rising fast in the rain--the rapids and flat-water sections, andinstructed on raft safety "And don’t poke a hole in the raft with the knives or the shotgun," Mike said, tossing ht co sowith it all would be hard Or impossible

"Or the pointy boots," Dave added, with a sly sirl" Mike booo over and those boots’ll fill up and weigh you down till you drown What’re you planning to do, paddle or ride a bull?"