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"Well, very e animals in the wood," he says "You need to take caution, Riley, when taking off alone"

"What kind of aniaze--"wolf"

"Warning heeded," I respond Suddenly, my brother crosses my mind Then I look at him "I need a pay phone"

Victorian immediately withdraws a mobile phone from his pocket As alk toward the church, he punches in a few nuuidesthe cobbled streets "Just dial your area code and nurab the phone and dial Seth’s cell It rings three times before my brother answers

"Hello?" Seth says

A whoosh of relief rushes throughhis voice "Hey, bro It’s Ri"

After a moment of silence, he answers "Riley?"

I smile "Yeah How ya doin’, squirt?"

"Riley!" he says excitedly "I h at the excite on the inside "God, I miss you, little brother Yes, I’m okay A little weird, but okay"

"Weirder than before?" he jokes

"A lot more," I answer "How’s Nyx--"

"What do you mean, a lot , Seth," I say, not wanting to stress outI can’t handle Seriously"

"I miss you, Ri," he says, and for a second, sounds like my old baby brother Before vampires "When ya comin’ home?"

"I’m not sure, but soon," I say "Nyx?"

"She’s fine," he answers "Luc prettythe day"

"Good What else is going on?" I ask

"It’s…been busy," he answers "A lot of activity between here and Charleston Valerian’s gang has been on the ed to intercept several kills They’re randos have split frouys have been here twice We’ve been there three tiht"

If Noah’s little clan of hu Seth and the others, then Valerian must be out of control

"How’s Preach and Estelle?" I ask

"Well," he sighs, then continues "Ever since the Gullah killing, things have been tense I repapered the entire upstairs of Preacher and Estelle’s apartment, and just started on the kitchen Fresh coat of haint blue on the door and ceiling And Estelle’s beensome stuff that stinks like crazy"

Haint blue paint is a Gullah belief; they use it on doors and ceilings to keep the bad spirits out Estelle is a superb brewer of root potions, but they stink like hell And work like hell, too

I closeTell ive him a chance I ran out as soon as I woke up"

"Woke up froive up My baby brother deserved to know "I had two quickenings to get through They’re all done now, so no worries Got it?"

"Two?" he asks

"Yeah Another Arcos And a Dupré I’ll explain that one later, so don’t ask"

"Did they hurt you, Ri?" he says sole toward ?"

"It’s been kept quiet, but I overheard Mrs D talking to Mr D on the phone about it We didn’t know her, but she was one of the nieces Seventeen years old Preacher knows it wasn’t the Duprés Feels sure it wasn’t you either, Riley The attacks haven’t stopped though Seems like someone turns up dead every day, no ht It’s almost like the ones we’ve saved haven’t le one ," I say "I think she was attacked She could be in the quickening"