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"He’s on his way as soon as he wraps up some business"
Why was I not surprised? But this wasn’t about me now Blade would want to take out Westwood himself For Mac Valdez stood and stretched " It’s alht, ladies Let’s hit the hay"
"Just awhether to keep her toenails scarlet or go for pink "Flo, look at me"
She looked up "Pink, I think See? You read et that How do you knoas West wood? He’s pretty ordinary" I picked up the photo we’d printed from the Internet Every vanized him, except he took a shot at me"
"Oh, ive her a hug and look her over "Are you all right? Did he hit you anywhere?"
"I saw him notch that arrow and, poof, I was a beautiful black bird, flying away into the night The arrow hit a tree behind me"
" What the hell were you doin’ out by yourself?" Valdez walked up to us and sat at her feet " It ain’t safe"
"You’re sweet" Flo patted his head "But I’ave me a look--"are afraid to shapeshift He’s an excellent shot, Glory If I hadn’t flown out of there, he’d have ht now" She shuddered "Such tacky jewelry What is the ?"
"All men are beasts That’s my new philosophy and Westwood proves the point" I pulled my phone out of e? Not noas dead, well alhter outside and I needed my bed and the blackout drapes in o to bed We’ll talk about this toot ets here"
"Fine" I would deal with that ot away froo out alone after this Westwood knohat you look like now"
"I’ll be careful" Flo patted my back When she released me, she had a puzzled look on her face
"Sleep well" I headed for my room
"Wait!" Flo hurried after me
Nohat? I was too tired to think I unzipped my jumpsuit and dropped it on the floor
"I knew it! I srabbed my chin "Bastard! Look at you Mauled Couldn’t he bother to shave?" Then she saw rowled and I shoved hi rooh it, but I didn’t need a third party observer right now
"I didn’t let hied barking Great, now Blade would know I rubbed the marks I should have erased theone when I woke anyway Floin Italian "I hope you ripped off his man part and stuffed it down his throat" Now there was a visual to savor "I should have I certainly felt like it Unfortunately it would probably grow back" God, did we have to go into this tonight? "I handled it, hiet involved in this, okay?"
"How can I not? My brother attacksfor hiranny pants and one of your sexless sacks"
"I didn’t wear this for him I wore it for me And my sacks are all downstairs, for sale" Unfortunately I could have really enjoyed vegging out in soed in htie "You staying for the show or heading to bed?"
Flo sighed "Bed This has been a horrible night I am almost killed My lover is a jerk And my brother…" More Italian "You can’t expect s into dust Let hih a straw Bitingin Italian, she pulled open the door and sla I dropped own Valdez scratched at the door and I let hiht I could tell he wanted to lecture e to just shut up and go to sleep
I lay down then felt the bed shake as Valdez jumped up to settle next to my feet I usually like my bed, but it was a slab coo to sleep on
World War III had broken out in es Would anyone notice if I just stayed in bed with the covers over et down to the shop to count yesterday’s receipts And how had we done during the day today? I pulled on another vintage outfit and took plenty of tie makeup, but for every day I do it by feel After decades of practice, I’ve got it down to a science I added a little contouring to give me the illusion of cheekbones, then reluctantly opened my bedroom door
Silence All nations had either declared a cease fire or they’d killed each other No such luck Flo had collapsed on the love seat, her head thrown back as she stared at the ceiling Blade glowered near the front door, in his fighting stance and wearing full Clan Caed in one of the club chairs until he saw me in the doorway He leaped to his feet and winked Valdez trotted up toFido-land He and Jerry stared at me as if I’d suddenly sprouted horns and a tail
"What?" I strolled into the kitchen and pulled a Bloody Merry out of the refrigerator This silence was even worse than the yelling had been