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The shadow drifted closer toinI ever knew, but I couldn’t screa to run, butfor the worst

And then a sunbeah the rave bathed in golden light But it was enough With an agonized hiss, the night smoke

Luck? I’d been saved by a quirk of the sunset? So like that should only happen to Chance

My muscles ached as if I had literally been frozen With detachment I wondered whether I should have myself checked for frostbite I shook as I pushed to ave an uncertain yap

Well, I didn’t have all the answers either

The fog began to dissipate, at least enough for s We were closer to the far side of the ces would carry me As we ran, I came up behind a fairly tallabout his stride struck me as familiar

I couldn’t place it at first, but as he rounded the fence, I flashed on hi into the alley near the warehouse It couldn’t be coincidence that I’d seen hiuy ere looking for Warlocks couldn’t go around sporting dark capes or ceremonial robes, after all

I wouldn’t find a better time to confront him either A display like he’d just put on would leave him ripe to be brained by an old lady with an industrial sized handbag So I tried for another burst of speed, buta sprint when I don’t even take the stairs h enafter hi away because I was out of shape

The granite angel sees hard enough to see stars in addition to the white sparks Iet up You’reslowly, I saw that I lay sprawled on a grave marked Montoya For a moment I stared at the inscription on the base of the statue The ht just have been the general ringing in my ears I touched ertips

I found it hard to haulthe statue as support Maybe I wasn’t meant to take out a warlock on ht about what I’d do once I caught hi i scared or they wouldn’t resort to shit like this You think we can expect big guys with AKs next?" I reht Sorry That was insensitive, wasn’t it?"

He barked once

"Let’s get out of here, huh? Assu I could drive Did I even have the keys? I dug in h for Butch to hop in I felt sick and dizzy as I madeno trace that so had just taken place

By the ti so bad it took et the key in the lock I crawled into the Mustang, putwheel

I waited a good long time before I trusted myself to drive Butch watched me ary eyes Maybe it wasn’t fair but I couldn’t help feel this was vintage Chance

He’s having the time of his life while I’m neck deep in shit I should leave his ass here and head back to Laredo Hell,as payment for my trouble He certainly didn’t need me with Twila on his side

When I made up my mind, I started the car

Some Like It Hot

I went back to Laredo without hiround As far as I was concerned, Chance could go Greyhound I proh but I didn’t say he could dismiss me like a two-dollar whore while he cozied up with someone else If that sounded like jealousy, wellI adot on the road, I turned off my phone I didn’t want to hear his excuses

It was late by the tientleuess he understood he needed to be nice to me now, as I was all that stood between hih, his hackles came up

There were several cars parked in the drive, but there alere Lights showed in the office, the kitchen, and the living rooo on in the house and shook ’s mood

"Settle down," I whispered

Butch glared atI wanted a chance to explain his presence to my hosts, and I didn’t kno they felt about pets Chuch probably wouldn’t mind, but I wasn’t so sure about Eva

As I opened the door, I understood Butch’s unease Nathan Moon’s gruff, sour voice carried all too well "So you’re saying you have no idea where she is or when she’ll be back?"

Mentor, my ass Saldana sold me out Men You can’t trust any of the wouldn’t look good for ardless, I wouldn’t let Chuch or Eva take any heat fora polite s roo around in the mud and then had let it dry Which wasbump on my forehead and several scratches down my arms, and I was lucky it hadn’t been worse