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Ronnie nods and heads upstairs with the kids The little one in his ars with the movement of his head He points "Mommy bad"

"Mommy’s just…sick," I correct "She’ll be okay" But by the look in his dark brown eyes, he doesn’t really believeout of Inkso, screaala is head-first over Eli’s shoulder

"I’ve got to get her to Da Island," he says "She’s out of control"

Ilifts her head and stares at one and her eyes arezos just as easily as her toddler’s A frightening sight to be sure "Eesh," I say "Definitely get her there Fast"

"What are you going to tell Ronnie?" Eli asks, heading to the Jeep

"I have no idea I’ll think of so’s ars, then strap her into the Jeep He takes off, and I walk inside to hopefully convince Ronnie and the kids that their adorable little Bhing isn’t a monster after all

After some hasty explanations, and a promise to help his wife, Ronnie and the kids head back to SoHo to start cleaning up thewe told Nyx when Seth was experiencing a quickening: drugs I hated doing it, but it was better than the truth: vampires

An hour later, Eli returns, and we continue on to bigger proble the fence at Bonaventure seefor dear life to the metal Up and over Gotta love the tendencies

I shine ht to a discarded pile of iteer of dread inches across ood"

"A hairbrush, plate, coffee , a toothbrush A rearettes and lighter?" Eli says, noting the items "What the hell?"

I draw a breath and stand "Wow"

"A Gullah grave," Eli says "Strange It’s an old tradition, one that’s not practiced much anymore Especially here on the mainland"

I reach for the remote

"No," Eli says "Don’t touch it"

I think a s "The Gullah believe that in order to guarantee the safety of the living, they must placate the dead" I point to the iteings behind, to keep the"

Eli pulls ht," I agree

Eli peers over the edge of the grave "Looks like they didn’t make it all the way down"

I look They hadn’t even reached the coffin "Good thing, too"

"No doubt," he answers

I glance around "I’, Dupré Let’s go Bad juju being this close to a desecrated Gullah grave"

"Where are Luc and the others?" Eli asks, looking behind hilance around "I don’t know but I don’t wanna stick around for theht and we head back to the Jeep, through the lengthened shadows that distort perception, ent scent of nearby salt h the darkened Bonaventure and penetrateschorus of nolia trees Still no cicadas, though Not even one since this wholestopped Dead, deafening silence Not one strand ofcroaked Quiet

Too quiet