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She’d had her own share of dreams and fantasies But still…

"Maybe… maybe Gema is here You think you saw her, Suzette And both of you and Doug supposedly drea And carrying some kind of terrible flu with her," Stephanie said

"Yeah,said dryly

"And why not?" Stephanie asked

"Hoould that explain Lena getting so ill first--before anyone saw or iical explanation

Grant cae around his ar in Italian Grant see the doctor a rueful grimace "I don’t need to lie down--I’m fine I swear, I’m fine" He looked around "Where are Clay and Liz? They could use another pint for Doug"

"They left," Suzette said

"He has bad blood, or the wrong blood," Lena added

Grant shook his head with disgust, looking annoyed again

"He’s welcoood," Stephanie said, hearing the rise in her voice

Drew sighed "They went back to the resort He see’s illness By talking to people, I guess"

Grant let out a sound of irritation "I’ to try and find out a few things on my own as well"

He headed out the door Stephanie suddenly chased after hirabbed his arht that she didn’t know him His features were taut, ferocious She stepped back, feeling the wave of his heat and anger wash over her She gritted her teeth, ae to si her, but he had never seeot to stop this," she told hi after Clay"

"You’re wrong I’ainst hi to cause a terrible schish trouble with this disease, whatever this thing ht be--"

"The disease is Clay"

"Grant!"

"So you"

She forced herself to step back, to shake her head "Grant, I swear to you, I’ to believe that you’re the disease"

He was still, staring back at her Shoulders broad and square, blue eyes nearly ebony and narroith tension

"Think what you like," he said, and turned again

"Grant!"

He paused, his back to her for several seconds Then he spun again

"What, Stephanie?"

"Stay in your own cottage tonight"

"I can’t leave you alone"

"Oh, yes, you can Because I’m afraid to have you with me"

He stared at her and seconds passed like heartbeats He ht well have been the word bitch

Then he took the few steps back to her and gripped her arms She saw the ainst a vein "I will never leave you alone Never Lock me out You’ll never be alone"

But he released her then, as if she were somehow tainted, turned and strode for his car As she watched hi Her knees eak She was hot, and chilled, and she was angry…

And she was glad

She could force herself to behave sanely

But she didn’t feel that way at all

She was afraid…

But she wanted him more than ever She wanted him so much that…

Fear be damned

She squared her shoulders, furious with herself She’d ht Soer and emotions

She loved him But it was far too easy to see herself… a moth drawn to the flame The way she felt was too deep, too fevered Too desperate As if… as if her eether, of the flesh, not of the flesh…

She groaned aloud, clenching her hands into fists at her side

Then, as she stood there, it see cloud ca alone in the darkness outside the hospital, she felt vulnerable, as she never had before

Stephanie… coe shadows She claination play terrible tricks on her

Stephanie…

She thought she heard throaty laughter

It was only the sound of the wind, whispering through the trees

She turned and ran back to the hospital