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Juliet’s eyes got wider, then she laughed "Soht?"

"No joke I saw it Over in the North End"

"But that can’t be Boston’s shielded against those things"

"That’s what I thought, too" I told her what had happened at Lucado’s condo When I got to the part where Difethwr spoke lass, threw back my head, and sent the third shot down the hatch to join the first two

"A Hellion running around Boston," Juliet said, then shrugged "Bulass "Oh, and for you, too IYou really think it ca for you?"

"It called me by name It mentioned my father" I closed ain "What are we going to do?"

"About what?" said aa private conversation?"

"Yeah, you are, so just--" I turned around to tell whoever it was to take a hike I foundinto cornflower-blue eyes beneath blond curls My heart picked up its pace "Detective Costello," I said "I, uood In fact, he took looking good to a whole new level He earing a very well-fitting pair of black jeans and with a soft-looking crewneck sweater the sao a shade deeper "Do you always start talking before you knoho you’re talking to?"

"Yes," Juliet said, "she does"

Costello’s save me a look that said, Better eat this one while he’s hot

"Why don’t you go play with your English s Costello’s gaze went back and forth between us, looking confused and more than a little worried

"I take it you don’t come here much," I said

He let out a breath and shook his head "First time I heard you tell Attorney Kane you’d try to ht I wanted to talk to you"

"More questions about George?"

He grinned "That, too"

COSTELLO ORDERED BEER, A KILLIAN’S AS FOR ME, I’D HAD ht, so I had Axel pour me a club soda Wethe Destroyer

"I’m not up on all this paranormal stuff," Costello said "Life used to be a lot simpler"

"It only see Don’t you think it’s better to have thein dark alleys?"

He didn’t answer For a moment, the look on his face made me think I didn’t really want to hear his reply Then he blinked and shook himself "What can you tell me about this shield?" he asked "The one that’s supposed to keep these Hellions out of the city"

"It was created after the plague by a consortium of white witches, representatives from all the local covens: Beacon Hill, the Back Bay, Southie, Ca had to be done fast, because Hellions were already creating havoc You re, arson That kind of havoc attracts even ical response teaether Sorcerers drove out the Hellions that were already here Then the witches erected the shield keep theh I’ve never seen a Hellion in Boston" Until tonight "The shield must have been breached somehow"

"So we have to tell the witches to fix it"

I shook my head "It’s not that easy The Destroyer was inside the city tonight If it’s still around, repairing the shield would trap it inside"