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I closedthat afternoon I hadn’t liked water before, and since then, I hated getting wet A daily shower--or on rare occasions, a bath--was the liht do Rain was okay, but I still didn’t like it et out?"

"Camille saved me You have to understand, even before Mother died, Camille always looked after us She followed me home after school to make certain I was okay K’sander swore up and down that he had nothing to do with it, but the truth came out His parents didn’t even punish hi me in the pond"

"Honey, you deserve so much better than that I’ll pick you up at seven on Sunday We’ll go out to the Keg Steakhouse Afterward, how about a walk through the woods at your place?"

"You’re on," I said, hanging up Inside, I was a mass of knots I’d just ain, Chase had no place to talk I ruthlessly kicked hi with Zachary, and Chase could fuck Erika all he wanted if he needed company Apparently, she served him on a moment’s notice far better than I did

By the ti around the kitchen, fixing Maggie’s dinner They both listened silently as Camille and I ran down our encounter with the venide wound

"Shit, you really got roughed up," Menolly said, exa Camille’s hand "I wish I could have been there I’d have sent that hellhound back to hell in a handbasket You sure you’re going to be okay?"

She poured the ware, and cinnaie, then prepared the groundher diet The Care and Feeding of Woodland Gargoyles had ie to solid food

"For the hundredth ti to be fine," Camille said She pointed to the raw slice ofthe lamb?"

Maggie had--like any toddler--developed some inexplicable likes and dislikes She loved chicken and turkey but hated fish She gobbled up beef and buffalo but was hesitant about pork, and there was no way in hell we could get her to touch liver or other organit so far, but I don’t think it’s going on her favorites list any tietables or fruit?"

I picked up the volume from where she’d tossed it on the table It was so well-thumbed that we’d need a new copy soon It felt odd to read in our native language again after reading predoht us both English and Spanish ere young, along with the various Fae dialects All three of us ell-versed in h the chapters "Sleepplayhey, have you tried to teach her how to use her claws yet? It says here she should be learning the basic rudih she won’t be ready for a real hunt for years to coed "I tried, but she see I used a dead mouse, but she showed little interest in it, either as a toy or as food"

That was strange Gargoyles were notorious carnivores, and in the wild they fed on ganoh here--she needs berries for roughage, and they recorasswort once a week In the wild, the rimaced "I don’t think I want to chew either one of those, let alone feed it to Maggie afterward I ht urp up hairballs, but that doesn’t hed "That’s what food processors are for What’s the closest thing to wildcress and grasswort over here Earthside?"

Iris piped up frohan and a cup of orange spice tea "Watercress and wheatgrass, I expect I can buy some next time I’m at the market I wouldn’t wild craft it around here because of all the pesticides and cheood," I said as the phone rang

Menolly wiped her hands and picked up the phone while Caround , then took the phone and disappeared into the hall Must be Wade, the president of Vampires Anonymous While they’d dated a little, they’d ended up just friends Menolly had become extre her sire, though she said there were a number of vamps who disapproved of her actions

"You say S as she stared at the clock "Do you knohat they’re getting? I’et out soup bowls, chopsticks, or plates"

"If S to do with it, plan on pizza," Caon had developed a pizza fixation over the past e of bringing hoo for Chinese, or haers, or even fish and chips

At that moment, the door slammed open and Vanzir and Rozurial strode in Vanzir looked ready to bust "Man, have I got some information for you--" he started, but I waved hio take off your coats Dinner will be ready soon" We’d gone fro family-like dinners Iris loved it, but sometimes I missed the privacy we’d had for so many months Between Chase, Smoky, Morio, and--until recently Trillian--and then the two demons, and occasionally Bruce, Iris’s leprechaun boyfriend, we had sos alone to lively discussion roundtables Fun, but right noasn’t feeling very social

I was about to excuse myself when Smoky and Morio meandered in Instead of the predictable pizza boxes, Morio was carrying a large bag fro’s Golden Palace, a Chinese restaurant about ten minutes down the road It had recently opened up, and I’d been wanting to try their food

"Dinner’s on," Morio said

"Thank the gods you convinced hi other than pizza," Camille said as Iris pulled out plates and chopsticks As she set the table, Roz and Vanzir helped her Menolly ca back into the kitchen and slowly replaced the receiver

She turned toto tellwhat bee she was hiding in her bonnet this time

"Tell me that your dick of a boyfriend decided to expand the explorations of his penis That was Chase He told ive him this--he knew better than to lie So, your detective’s developed a yen for his own kind? Good riddance" She hovered up by the ceiling, her eyes flashing dangerously "You want I should spank hi permission?"

Camille swiveled her head to stare at him "They aren’t married, dude Chill out, this isn’t our affair"