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Ryu introduced hih, and Amy seemed to back down a little bit But they both still had the air of two dogs circling each other If they started sniffing each other’s butts, I was out

"Did you check in with Nell?" she asked, still on guard

That crafty littleShe’s one of the secrets In old standard

"Of course" Ryu responded "Nell knows ofJakes’s murder"

I looked around, astonished He’d said that really loud, and Amy’s out-of-character animosity toward hih was paying us any mind; in fact, it was like eren’t even there at that moment

While Amy sized him up, Ryu smiled at me He’d obviously noticed my shocked expression

"No worries, Jane They won’t pay us any attention if I don’t want theht now, I don’t want them to" I was about to ask him more questions when Amy finally finished her assessment

"Okay, then" Her attitude went back to norain, in surfer-waitress mode "What’ll you have?"

I ordered lemonade with my tuna melt, and Ryu ordered a Coke when he was told there was no booze available

When he ordered his steak, Auess, you want it very rare? Maybe even bloody?" He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes "I’ll be right back with your drinks, dudes," she said, giving me a friendly bop on the head with the menus as she walked away

"So," I said, as soon as Amy was out of earshot "What do you ht for a nize you?"

Ryu leaned back in his chair He was sot the feeling he was enjoying his role as tour guide through the world of the supernatural

"She recognized la my presence, my credentials, to the natives But in a way that only other supernaturals can sense Othere can’t really recognize each other, although, obviously, some of us stand out It’s hard to miss a satyr, for example What with the horns And the lack of pants"

At Ryu’s joke I gave a very unladylike snort, nearly died of eed to knock ht it before it hit the ground

"And gla anshy people can’t see us when I don’t want the my cutlery down a safe distance away from me "My particular kind live closely with humans Not all kinds of supes do, and, for some of our various factions, hunificant amount of ties every twenty years or so I own a house; I have a social security number; I pay taxes Which is probably why you think I appear more normal than someone like Nell, or her kelpie" As he said the last bit, his lips curved, just slightly, and I re how different he actually was My breathing hitched, and he smiled as if he could hear me "Anyway, the point is that I aht see so fishy is pretty much reflex I bet you can feel it, if you pay attention Shut your eyes"

I did as he asked, and I suddenly did feel so acrossthe hair onat me