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"No"

He held up a placating hand "I’ one of the state-run facilities" He shuddered "I wouldn’t consign a rabid dog to one of those But--"

"No Not there Not here" I wouldn’t go I’d literally rather die than go to a "facility" If even half of what I’ve heard happened in those facilities is true, it would be far, far ically dangerous types get locked up, but vaet staked and beheaded An abo out for some people A minuscule hope, but a hope Not for the furry, like Kevin And, I suspected, not for me

I couldn’t do it I couldn’t voluntarily lock erous Thatrong in the future Yes, Birchwoods could probably help h God knew a place like this would set me back But unless I absolutely kneas ain Still, I needed to be careful Because the good doctor could coe in the country ouldn’t back hier to hio, I quite obviously was I kepteven a hint of fear "If possible, I would prefer outpatient treat deliberately difficult Truly But there are … practical considerations, things I need to deal with that can’t be put off I didn’t attack you You said I need to eat every four hours I can do that as an outpatient You say I’ll need therapy I can do that, too" I needed him to believe hts, I realized I could alh thebehind hih narrowed eyelids I felt the weight of that gaze He was testingI didn’t squirm Didn’t react much at all

"The two people with your condition that I read about were killed by their sires within twenty-four hours after leaving a protected facility"

"And the one you treated?"

"Suicide--again after leaving the facility She apparently couldn’t live with the guilt of what she’d done"

I asked because he expected me to, not because I wanted to know "What had she done?"

"She murdered her mother … tore her throat out, drank until she was full, and then left her to bleed to death Even though she remembered who she was, the bloodlust was tooto shock me into submission, it didn’t work Oh, I’d be careful, da me to be an inpatient anywhere was by force "I’m not easy to kill and I haven’t murdered anyone I can do outpatient treatain Now I could hear the rolling crash of waves against rocks … even though there were no cliffs outside The harsh caw of seagulls seeht outside theMy eyes flicked up when I saw ht outside hisFloating and dipping in a glihtfall, but I’m not an expert on shorebirds

Dr Scott’s head cocked and he spun his seat toward theHe watched the gulls swoop around in the glow of the laiantto clear it and blinked repeatedly When he turned back and spoke, his voice was strained "I will ree to follow the diet I aive you, take the supple, and come to this facility on an outpatient basis three times per week But if I deterree to abide by ment and voluntarily commit yourself for two months of inpatient treatet I could tell frori even this far

"I’ll agree--as long as you agree to give it a fair shot No cheating and ordering " He repeated the word drily "Fine We’re agreed Don’t ret it"

I didn’t answer,briefly, he tapped the pen against his teeth a few tie was full I decided to use the time to watch the birds outside, but when I looked out thethey were gone Who knohy So I stared at the twinkling lights down on the beach instead Sohts were any indication

When he finally looked up again, he met my eyes "I’ll have my assistant call these in to your phar for you when you arrive You should take a dose of the supple for sure, it seereement "I’ll do that"

"Where should I have Heather call?"