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A war swelled in my chest "Of course, Gwen You don’t even have to ask" But I was glad she had For the first time in months, I felt like Ganted, though," Gwen said

"Sure"

"Promise me that you won’tyou know,is at first Like playing make-believe, only it’s real You have to promise that you’ll explain the downsides to her, too"

"Wait" That warrees "You want e her?"

"Not that soto meet my eyes, showed it was exactly what she meant "Justwell, you knohat I mean"

"No, I don’t What downsides?" I took a sip of cold coffee to keepshrill "I’ to pretend I regret it because you chose differently I won’t try to influence her to e, but I won’t push her to choose norot to be Maria’s own decision--and we don’t even know for sure yet that she’ll have any decision to ue with me, but she re with shapeshifting before she can make a choice" Don’t say it, Vicky Don’t "Unless you want her to get pregnant at twelve or thirteen" Damn it all, you said it

"Of course I don’t want that," Gwen snapped "I just" Her voice softened and tears reappeared "I want to protectbreath I felt like a jerk This wasn’t about ht be about to plunge into a very frightening and confusing time in her life

"I’, you know I’ll do everything I can to help her"

"Thanks" Gwen smiled, but her eyes held even more doubt than tears

11

THE DOUBT IN MY SISTER’S EYES HAUNTED ME AS I WALKED fro through the change, she’d need the unconditional support of her whole family, the kind of support that Moot hoive Moht appreciate the advice of someone who’d made the same choice she had But Mo her share of demons before she met Dad and fell in love If anyone could see both sides of the issue, it was Mo in touch since she h the first checkpoint, I was feeling a little better I’d take a minute to stop by Creature Coo ho the day, the New Coh I’d had a run-in a feeeks back with a shade stuck in Lihosts) When the bars were closed, the only reason to be in the Zone was to pass between Deadtown and the rest of Boston At this hour,Those who kept norm hours, like Kane, were at work And et, even during the day

Except for the vampire junkies Those norms were a little too fond of theblood feel so good I passed one now, sprawled in the s stuck out onto the pave around hiuy who ht?" he asked, feeling in his pocket for cigarettes His greasy hair, parted on the side, ay past due for a tried with vampire hickeys Another vampire junkie, this one recently awakened from his beauty sleep

"I don’t smoke" I moved to step past hie, then? Spare a few coins?"