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She yelped and leaped back, banging into the sink as large, hairy-legged spiders poured out of the drawer Rainier had just opened He danced back, swearing, as spiders fell to the floor and ran in all directions And as the spiders ran, they…giggled

Surreal sto under her boot Saw nothing on the floor when she raised her foot

Illusions that disappeared within h time to scare the shit out of anyone in the rooainst a wall In a way, she had been Under other circumstances, she would have created a protective shield around herself and known she was safe fro instincts and training bynot creating a shield

"You all right?" Rainier asked, his voice sounding sharp

"Yeah"No The daled "Is that all of theh to look inside Then he took one of the pokers from the kitchen table and used it to push the drawer closed "There’s one left in the back Since it’s dining on a mouse, I think it’s the real one" He looked around the kitchen and blew out a breath that ht have been a softly muttered curse "What in the name of Hell…?"

"It’s Tersa," Surreal said They were alone, so she wasn’t sure why she didn’t want to say the words out loud Except that she reallydidn’t want to say the words out loud

"What?" Rainier asked, following her lead

"The spiders The lass I’m pretty sure those spells wereDaemon Sadi’smother is part of this twisted place? Thatshe’s one of the people trying to kill us?"

"No! Tersa wouldn’t…" How much did Rainier know about Tersa? He must have met her, but howillusions for this place She wouldn’t harm children, Rainier And as sure as the sun doesn’t shine in Hell, she wouldn’t hurt Daes that are weird and creepy butto hurt us?"

She hesitated

"No," Rainier said softly "It won’t be that sie of spending time with three of the most brilliant and creative Black Widows in the Real to Jaenelle, Karla, and Gabrielle, that illusion spells and tangled webs can be layered and blended It doesn’t matter what Tersa intended A death spell hidden in one of her har to kill us"

"I know" Glad that Rainier had retrieved all the weapons, she slipped her stiletto into the sheath in her boot, then picked up the other poker and used it to pry open a cupboard "Let’s see what else is in here"

Spider, spider Who found the spider?

Not so brave when someone crippled their poere they? Not so brave, not so fierce, not so daant

Maybe he should base a character on the Surreal bitch After all, even with danger all around theston could have her for a lover while they were trapped in the haunted house Hot, fast sex She’d have to have a cliet out alive, of course, but not be able to save her froret her loss?

Or maybe he should sho cruel witches hen they usedanother level to his own torment as he tried to find a way out of the house and keep the people trapped inside with hi hi out of the house alive, he’d be justified in leaving her to the fate she deserved

Yes Leave her behind, as if she orthless, less than nothing

After all, wasn’t that what the Blood had done to hi them on the kitchen table "Too bad I didn’t find any candleholders"

"I did" Surreal set two chipped cups on the table

He looked at the him an innocent "I told you--I’ve stayed in places like this at tiot the matches?"

He took the matchbox out of his pocket She held up a candle and waited for hih for the wax to drip into one cup As she started the same process with the other cup, she took another candle, set it in the cooling wax, and lit it

When she set the first candle into its "holder," Rainier lowered the flame in the oil lamp

"Hopefully we’ll find more supplies in other rooms, but this will do for now," Surreal said

A sound in the passageway

Rainier grabbed one of the pokers and moved toward the sound She slipped her stiletto out of the boot sheath and waited

The children scuffled into the kitchen, looking scared and defiant She understood both feelings, but right now defiant wasn’t going to , she walked over to the farthest door and opened it cautiously

Nothing fell out or sprang at her In fact, she had no idea what the little room was used for She closed that door and tried the next one Pantry That was pro jars on the shelves She closed that door too, then tried the last one, on the other side of the kitchen

The moment she touched the doorknob, she felt uneasy "Rainier"

He ca stance She opened the door slowly, prepared to resist anything that tried to push it open fast

Nothing

As she pulled the door all the way open, Rainier took a cautious step forward Then another