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"Yeah," Phin answered "As ht?"

Noah nodded "Yep They’re waiting at our place One call and his guys are here to haul them off"

Phin nodded "Good deal"

Noah continued "All right Eli, Luc, stay with Riley If she goes out, get her out Josie, I’ll be with you and Seth" Noah gave my brother a hard look "And don’t zone in on your sister She’s our concern tonight, not yours You watch your own neck We’ll watch hers"

"You can use Luc on sorinned "Luc’s for you, et out of control"

I looked at Eli’s face It darkened "I’ll be okay," I assured It didn’t seeht his dark brown hair and tossed it into his eyes I could tell he hated this, and for a second I wished like hell we could go back, to before the Arcoses were released I missed his innocence Love you, he mouthed to ave him a return nod, then turned to the others "Phin, you’re on Zetty My guys, scatter Keep your eyes peeled and stay close--but not too close We don’t want thelanced down at the street and pointed A group of four guys had turned the corner and were headed to the entrance "Mortals Perfect Let’s follow theht The killings won’t happen until the end of the week, anyway, so keep your head on straight" He looked at me and smiled "Follow me, darlin’"

I looked back at Eli, who inclined his head to follow Noah, and I did Luc stayed behind us We swung down, bounded, and leapt, until we dropped to the sidewalk In the distance, a siren blasted over the city, and close by, a baby’s unhappy screaht It gaveraised in this environed to tune out

I followed Noah to the front entrance, and we filed in behind the mortals Inside, the fanatic booainst the walls, joined by the ainst surfaces, swearing, cheering

Screaraffiti inside The whole place was di the interior of the shelled-out church, with a fading charred outline of Christ on the cross where it used to hang on the wall, obviously before a fire took it out Charred rafters overhead and a set of narrow steps leading upward near the back made up the room We headed to the stairs Theacross the floor littered with cans, trash, liquor bottles and cigarette butts, we followed theroup instantly separated The scent of kerosene burnedof spectators Inside were two fighters; bare to the waist, wearing ripped jeans, and barefoot Both were lanced around and noticed several guys wearing dark shades

"Newlings trying to hide their freaked-out eyes," Luc offered "Keep up"

I pushed closer to Luc "Why is it ainst mortal?" I said into his ear

He looked at me "To weed out the weak," he offered

Just like Noah had said, the newlings were looking for the strongest of the et in here," Eli said, and pushed in next to a pair of guys at ringside Two guys fought, their faces cut and bloodied I could literally sense the bloodlust accu with an i their cool, I had no friggin’ clue

"Whoever created theainst ht he could tell them to maul and devour everyone in this room That’s why I want you to watch yourstupid"

I looked at hi so uy next to me jumped, and I fell hard into Eli’s side "Does that mean he’s here?" I asked

Luc pushed beside me and shook his head "He’s not here"

The crowd cheered as one of the fighters roundhouse kicked the other in the face and knocked his, dressed in dark jeans, a dark tee, and a black skully with dark shades, walked the peri ent on in the crowd Across the way, I noticed Noah and Seth My stoht He norhter He eet, and he had a kind, cheerful soul