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I would love to feel an absolute conviction that yanking that cluviel dor out ofwith allto do

I poked at that thought I prodded that thought But it just didn’t feel right to h I wasn’t really all that hungry, I ht No one at the bar had heard news of any more mysterious deer deaths, and noas sure there never would be I wondered about Hooligans, presu to do with uys were sure to have left so I’d pack it up Not that there was any address to forward it to

Okay, maybe I’d take the clothes to Goodwill

I watched television for a while-an old black-and-white movie about a man and a woman who loved one another but had to overco show, a couple of episodes of Jeopardy (I couldn’t get any answers right) My only phone call was froanization I turned them down

They were disappointed in ain, I picked it up without bothering to turn down the sound on the TV

"Sookie?" said a familiar voice

I pressed the Off button on the remote "Alcide, how is Warren?"

"He’s onna be fine Listen, I need you and Saht"

"Your dad’s place?"

"Yeah Your presence was requested"

"By whom?"

"By Jannalynn"

"You found her?"

"Yeah"

"But Sam, too? She wants Saht to be there"

"Did you call him?"

"He’s on his way to pick you up"

"Do I have to?" I said

"You whining, Sookie?"

"Yeah, I guess I ahty tired, and more bad stuff has happened than you know"

"I can’t take any more than I have on my plate Just come If it makes you want to attend this little soiree onna be there"

"Eric?"

"Yeah The King of Cold hi my skin "Okay," I said "I’ll come"

By the time I heard Sam’s truck in the driveway, the lack of sleep I’d experienced the night before was hitting me in a major way I’d spent themy memory about the route to Alcide’s family place, and I’d written the directions out When Sam knocked on the door, I stuck the paper in ht; I’d want to leave my purse in the car I made certain the cluviel dor was still in my pocket and I felt the now-fari to see him that way

We didn’t talk on the way to the farht from time to tiht I think the preoccupation with actually getting there helped keep us fro too much about e’d see e arrived

We found a ledy in the front yard of the old farh there was more cleared land around it than there had ever been at my place, it was even er Alcide’s dad’s dad had owned the farone into construction so he’d have a place to run at the full moon The pack had used it often The front of the house was dark, but I could hear voices around the back Sah weeds We didn’t say a word to each other

We ht as well have walked into another country

The hts up I could see from posts that normally there was a volley-ball net set up across a sand court A few yards away, there was a pool that looked new I even spotted a baseball diarill was under the covered patio Clearly, this here the pack came to relax and have fellowship

I saw the tall and quiet Kandace first She s his people asA king in jeans and a T-shirt, a barefoot king And he looked dangerous The power gathered around hiic of the pack

Good We needed more tension

Eric shone like the e empty space around him He was alone He held out his hand to me, and I took it, to a flare of dismay from the twoeys

"You know, about Jannalynn and Claude?" I looked up at hione They’ve all gone"

"He told ulped No ht?"

"I don’t knoe’re here to see," he said "An execution? A duel? With the wolves, I can’t predict"