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"Actually, I’m here to see you"

"Me?"

"Viper told me all about you and I just had to cori her brief, but tense confrontation with the vaine what he said He didn’t seem overly fond of me"

"Actually he was quite impressed"

"I find that hard to believe He seemed convinced that I intended to slay Styx the ave a rueful lift of her hands "He’s just concerned with his Anasso The vampires are all quite protective of him"

"I’ve noticed," Darcy retorted dryly

"Yes, I suppose you have" Shay gave a sh as she rose and paced toward the plants that Darcy had set on the wooden shelves There was a restless energy that seemed to crackle about her slender form "Are these yours?"

"Yes" Darcy moved to stand at her side "I hope you don’tover your solariu alone in my apartment"

"Of course I don’t htly touch an African violet "You obviously have a green thumb"

"I enjoy plants"

"So do I, but so I touch" Shay turned to regard Darcy with her odd, golden gaze "Maybe I can hire you after the solarium is finished I’ll need soetative mass murder"

Darcy s for jobs"

"Viper said you are a bartender?"

"Ah school so I take what I can get"

"You’re alone in the world?" Shay asked gently

"Yes"

"So was I for olden eyes darkened with a pain that was only now beginning to heal

"Lonely?" Darcy finished, with a sad save a shake of her head, as if clearing her dark thoughts Then quite unexpectedly, she reached out to take Darcy’s hand in her own "Do you mind?"

"Do I mind what?" Darcy deht have demon blood I’m half Shalott, which allows ht be able to tell you so moment She didn’t truly believe the woman could help her discover the secrets of her past Not even if she was a demon

Still, it seeoing to do?" she at last demanded

Shay wrinkled her nose "I’m sorry, but I need to smell you"

Sht," she warily agreed

The demon lifted Darcy’s hand to her nose and sniffed deeply of her skin And sniffed, and sniffed, and sniffed again

It seee" The woman dropped Darcy’s hand and stepped back with a confused expression "I would swear"

"What?"

"There is the faintest hint of olf," Shay confessed

Darcy threw her hands in the air "For God’s sake, I’ve taken two showers and a bath since I was near Salvatore Do I have to boil myself in bleach?"

"You ith a Were?"

"Only for a few moments and he barely touched me"

Shay chewed her lip as she pondered Darcy’s words "That could be it"

"You don’t sound very certain"

"I’h "I’m sorry; I hoped I would be of some help"

Darcy instinctively reached out to touch her hand "It was very kind of you to come here and try I do appreciate it"

"I had to come" Her eyes darkened "I know, Darcy I really, truly knohat it’s like to be different, to have to isolate yourself froht discover the truth, to alonder if you will ever feel safe"

Darcy sently She felt an unexpected connection with this woave Shay’s Fingers a small squeeze "But you’re happy now"

Shay blinked, as if startled by Darcy’s perception "Yes"