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So I sat with Elspeth for hours, listening to her stories and relaxing in the weak Noves came out and swauess unless you were like me, a water elemental or whatever the hell I was, it was just a pool And not uncut heroin

When it was time for lunch, andered back into the Compound I was surprised to see Ryu there, already awake, until I realized it was after three o’clock He was sitting with Wally, the djinn, and I waggled ed to keep a straight face, excused himself, and came towardrinned "I wanted toAnd Wally would love to ainst the wall if you gave hi my lower lip a predatory nip that nearly sent h the roof

I actually whirew more serious as he whispered into my ear "Did you hear what happened?"

"Yes," I said, all traces of lust suddenly wiped fro, at breakfast I thought at first she was telling me that they kneas Jimmu who’d done it, but no such luck"

Ryu frowned, his expression troubled

"What are we going to do?" I asked

"I’ve got no fucking clue," he replied, shaking his head "The game’s afoot, obviously The proble it, or what the stakes are" He wasconfronted on that one, so I just nodded

"We need more information," I said "And I need lunch"

Ryu rolled his eyes "I’ to hook you up to an IV and roll it around with you You never stop eating"

"Hey, you eat during sex and you don’t hear hing When he finally stopped, his pupils were dilated and he was flashingbecause you’re usually shoutingout to God But don’t feel bad--it’s a ave him the hairy eyeball "It’s because every ti of sandwiches Grilled cheese--cheddar, of course--with bacon And just a little chopped up tomato sprinkled between the cheese and the bacon"

Ryu pulled away to ly "You’re not serious, are you?" he asked, finally

I considered telling hiet hiainst it

"No," I said, finally "It’s really because you rock my casbah" I stretched up on my tiptoes to kiss the frown from his lips

"Can lunch wait?" he asked, when I let hiru from down below my belt The below-the-belt party won, and I took Ryu’s hand to lead him up to our room "But you have to order us some sandwiches," I said as we trotted up the stairs "Grilled cheese With bacon and tomatoes" He nodded, and both parties cheered It was a in situation

Hours later, lying intertwined with Ryu with the re to roaned But this ti?" heto be here soon and I have no idea what to wear I’ll have to borrow soh, do you think?"

Ryu’s grin widened I stared at him, but he didn’t spill We were at an i under the pressure "What’s the dealio?"

"Go look inI kneas coot up out of the bed and dragged our little armchair over to Ryu’s closet I tried not to let it remind me of the last time I looked in the top shelf of a closet But this time instead of a e touch, there was a large white box wrapped in silver cord It had a sticker labeling it as being from Iris’s boutique I liked this box much better