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"Oh! Sorry" Tina spoke in a whisper "But I don’t see why I should do you any favors, not after you dropped ot about whispering "You got a dog?"

Kane growled, and I patted his head to make him stop It was better that Tina didn’t know his real identity She wouldn’t exactly befor so him for someone Just for a few days" Or until the next full ot down on her knees and scratched behind Kane’s ears, burying her face in his ruff "Are you a good doggie?" she asked in a baby-talk voice "Are you a good boy?"

Kane growled and pulled out of her embrace He backed away a few steps and crouched, ears back, teeth bared, looking ready to spring I stepped between the, huh?" Tina sat back on her heels and leaned to see around , when I lived with , but a lot of fun to play with" She cliot hold of my little sister’s favorite teddy bear, and--" She frowned, reo Sorry, but I don’t have tiht now" She headed toward the door

"The favor isn’t for ue Mab’s brusqueness had inti alone with Mab was probably the last thing Tina wanted

She paused, one hand on the doorknob, and turned around "Your aunt?"

"Yes She’s not well I need someone to stay with her while Iuhwhile I take Killer for a walk"

"Oh Okay, I guess I can do that I don’t really have to go anywhere" She headed toward the kitchen "You got anything to eat?"

"Whatever’s in there, it’s yours I one a couple of hours, but Mab will probably sleep until I get back"

"A couple of hours? That’s a long walk But I guess a big dog like Killer needs lots of exercise" She pulled open the freezer "Ooh, ice creaot? No ?"

"Tina Listen to me" I took the ice cream carton from her hands and set it on the counter, then closed the freezer door "This is iet back, don’t let anyone in the apartets in" She opened drawers until she found a spoon "Is your aunt, like, in danger or so?" Her eyes widened "Are there deer And no, you won’t have to fight off any demons, so stay out of h to keep Tina out if she got curious "Like I said, ets her rest"

Tina nodded I picked up the ice cream and handed it to her

"What did you do to your wrist?" she asked, looking at the splint

"I broke it in a fight with a vaht You probably slipped in the shower or so You know," she said over her shoulder as she carried the ice crea room, "you don’t have tothan it really is"

"I’ll keep that inby the front door, bared his teeth when he saw her

Tina sat on the sofa and grabbed the remote She flipped to a talk show Then she put her feet up on the coffee table and pulled off the ice creaive him sos"

Kane growled deep in his throat I had a feeling it would be bad for Tina if I didn’t get him away from her

"Thanks, Tina I’ll be back as soon as I can" I ran into Juliet’s roo Back in the living room, I pulled on my jacket "Come on, Killer"

When I opened the door, Kane ran out into the hallway and juet hihtDon’t tell anyone that Killer’s staying with "

She answered through a mouthful of chocolate "That’s two favors you owe "

25

WE DIDN’T EVEN TRY TO HIDE KANE AS WE CROSSED THE lobby Clyde’s eyes bugged out and he turned a new shade of zo in my face, because he didn’t say a word He went back behind his desk and shuffled papers, pretending eren’t there

The checkpoint presented no probleuard didn’t notice him Besides, German shepherds didn’t need permits At Back Street, police had cordoned off the hts illuhts, contributing an almost carnivalesque at reporters and curious citizens back The crowd spilled into Berkeley Street Kane and I threaded our way through the onlookers until we got to the front<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>