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His stomach churned with confusion and conflict Even now, even after that incredible kiss he and Nix had shared, when he looked at the picture of the Lost Girl, he felt an almost physical impact The desire to find and protect Lilah was every bit as strong now as it hen he’d first turned over her card on the porch at Lafferty’s General Store, and that made as little sense to hiirl Even Sacchetto and Tom hadn’t really known her Even if she was still out here so and no one to hi tiain in the private hell of her troubled sleep Benny looked from Nix to the Lost Girl and back to Nix

"I’m sorry," he said

Then he stretched out his other hand, and for the second tiers and let the wind take the card It blew high into the air, tu with silver starlight, and then it dropped into the darkness below

Benny bent and kissed Nix’s cheek He leaned back against the wall and stared at the night and drifted off into a sea of stars

41

"NOW AIN’T THIS JUST ADORABLE"

Benny and Nix jerked awake at the sound of the voice, blinking in the harsh dawn light, struggling to disentangle themselves from each other and understand where on Earth they were

Two men stood on the er station Bothover their shoulders, and ugly s like young love," said Turk

"Warreed Skins

Benny instinctively spread his arms, like a barrier between the bounty hunters and Nix

"Charlie’s going to like this," said Skins "He was pretty s out like that"

"Leave us alone," Benny said with a growl

"Yeah" Turk laughed "That’s gonna happen We spent the whole da woods and then clio away ’cause you asked Yessir, we’ll be on our way, so sorry to bother your beauty sleep"

Skins tapped his palet your butts over here"

Benny and Nix slowly got to their feet, but they made no er station and came out with the bokken "Look," he said "Kid has a toy sword"

He raised it over his head and brought it down in a powerful two-hand swing onto the metal rail The hard wood rebounded from the hit, but did not break Turk cursed and turned it sideways and slammed the flat of the blade onto the rail, and with a sharp crack the sword snapped in half The long end went spinning off into the canopy of trees far below Turk laughed and tossed the broken handle onto the catwalk

"They have anything else in there?" Skins asked

"Nah"

"Then let’s haul it," snapped Skins to Benny and Nix "C’ to have a lot of stuff to talk to you two about Should be a pretty interesting chat"

"A heart-to-heart" Turk laughed

"A o," said Nix "You can do that You can just tell Charlie that you didn’t find us"

Skins looked genuinely confused "Nohy on Earth would ant to do that?"

Benny took a step forward "Do you knohat Charlie did last night?"

"None ofhim do this stuff"

Skins looked bored "Is this where you try to appeal to my better nature, kid?"

Behind him Turk cracked up "Good luck with that"

"Please …," Benny said "We didn’t do anything to you"

"Who cares?"

"I won’t let you take her--"

Skins suddenly backhanded Benny across the face It was so fast and hard that Benny was falling before he realized that he’d been hit He hit the railing with the srabbed him and hauled him away Benny sank to his knees and spit blood and a piece of tooth onto the catwalk

"Leave him alone!" Nix yelled

The bounty hunter snatched a handful of Nix’s hair, tore her away froainst the station wall

"Shut up, girlie You don’t tell us what to do"

Benny cae and drove his fist into Skins’ ribs It was a good try, but he was still dizzy fro the big man’s side Skins pivoted and drove a heavy punch into Benny’s back, nailing hi hiain, kid, and I’ll cut pieces off of you"

It was all Benny could do to breathe When he’d landed, his breastbone had struck the broken bokken handle, and it felt like the hard wood had punched a hole through his chest

"Benny!" Nix cried, but when she tried to bend to help hirabbed her by the sleeve and pulled her away The action caused her shirt to ride high and expose most of her hed andNix did not give in or give up She fought the at Turk’s face, raking her nails on his ar her fists on his chest and cheeks Her attack was so sudden and fierce that for a o of her to use both hands to block his face Nix tried to kick hih her across the face to spin her into the wall again She hit hard and slid down to her knees

"Filthy little whore!" Turk growled His lip and right ear were already swelling