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The sharp blast of a car’s horn sounds to my left, and for a second I jolt out of the weird subconscious state that I’m in A Ford Explorer has sla me I can’t make out the driver’s words He flipsSoon, in the shadows of tall live oaks and wispy ued me earlier are now a dull hu Have I run so far that I’ve escaped the city? People? Am I finally alone?

Then, a heartbeat NotAhead of me

I follow

The small town of Thunderbolt That’s where I am As I move beneath the sparsely spaced streetla Early twenties His tall, lanky figure casts a long shadow as he jogs A rain begins to fall Light at first, then er’s scent and wafts it to ain

Blood

I grow closer Twenty feet Ten feet

A strong hand encircles my arm and jerks ger getting farther away Rain slides down my cheeks, drips off my nose, plasters er

His scent rerowls in htens on my arm Shakes "Riley! Look at rips rasp both sides of my face, tilts it up Uses his thu close, inti All I can hear is the sound of a heartbeat growing farther and farther away It fades to nothing, and for a split second, oes totally blank

Slowly, the sounds of the city, the scents surrounding me, filter in The blankness lifts A horn blasts A door sla I blink several times These sounds are familiar

"Riley?"

Eli’s face coether, the streetla off the silver hoop His face has hardened in anger Or is it worry? His hands caress uess it’s worry Why he’s in that state, I haven’t a clue

"What’s wrong?" I ask

Eli’s look is…invasive I know he’s probing les this ti out here, Riley?" he asks "Chaz showed up at Inksoet away fro a squirrel Yanked the leash right out ofsht home"

Eli’s frown deepens "You’re out in the rain," he says, "your er" He peers down at ht hair falls across his eyes "You weren’t aware of your surroundings, Ri Or ofAnd chuckle "So now I’ive hihts is all" I play-punch him in the arm "You worry like an old lady"

Eli’s eyes don’t leave mine Even as we both stand in the rain, he studies lance around,the diuy, Eli? I was just out for a run Nothing et out of the rain now?"

Eyes on fire search s to his body from the rain, and every muscle there is perfectly etched beneath the thin cotton material I look at him He looks at me His eyes narrow

Finally, he drops his hands, lets o "Home Now"

Home Eli has pretty muchin the now steady drizzle, Eli purposely one step behindover the cobbles to the merchant’s lane, then to Inksomnia As I move to open the door, Eli stops me I look up at him

"What?" I ask