Page 32 (2/2)

"Oh, do come closer, little Genevieve," Mab mocked in her silky voice "It’ll make your death that much quicker"

Only two s,froic Soh flames coated my mouth and throat like acid

"You want close?" I rasped "How’s this for close, bitch?"

With h the wall of Mab’s elerabbed her sunburst necklace, and used it to yank her toward ht hand, I drove h her heart

The Fire eleed in shock and surprise, and she screamed with pain and fury-all the eleo Fla with blood, and spattered against ony But I didn’t care any et away froo Hell, I didn’t even try to defendeverything that I had into keeping my silverstone knife cold, solid, and sharp in her chest I twisted and twisted and twisted it, driving it in deeper every single ti ain, orwith pain like a couple of harpies coy books Whoever was screa back fro wound in her chest It was just too bad that I wouldn’t be co back either, not from the elemental Fire that had burned ulfed us both, and I knew no more

Chapter 29

I hurried down the snowy street, my steps quick, sure, and purposeful I was late, and I knew that he’d be waiting forit took et here

No one moved on the deserted don Ashland street except for h the foot-deep snow The flakes were co down harder now, as heavy and wet as teardrops on et to my destination I turned the corner, and the fan of the Pork Pit caht

Hoht spilled out fro like pure liquid silver strea down the snowbanks outside I paused a ers over the cold, battered brick The ed contentment sounded back to me the way they always did I sle cheery note, announcing my presence

Inside, an old man with a wispy thatch of white hair leaned over the counter next to the cash register, reading a blood-stained book Where the Red Fern Grows One of his all-tiht of him, a burst of happiness so intense it was like I hadn’t seen him in months, instead of just a few hours After afaded away, replaced by a darker, more ominous sensation

And then I remembered

He wasn’t here anyo in this very spot Murdered in his own restaurant I re down andwith the blood on his ruined face I re him, the pain that I still felt every tione

But here the old ain Or so it see and used one of the day’s credit card receipts to reen eyes rin creased his wrinkled face

"About tiot here, Gin," Fletcher Lane said

I stood there just inside the door, staring at the oldtoto me

I re overout to hers, holding it at bay, and then finally,my silverstone knife into Mab’s chest as the flahed "So I’ht? This is heaven or hell or limbo or whatever?"

Fletcher didn’t answer me Instead, the old man moved over to the stove and came back with a plate of food He set it on the counter, then picked up his book by the cash register oncebefore it gets cold," he said

I wasn’t sure as going on-if this was real or a drea else entirely-but I wasn’t about to pass up a chance to be with Fletcher Not now Not after I’d spent the last few uilty over his death-and that I hadn’t been able to save hithe food A half-pound hah with smoked Swiss cheese, sweet butter-leaf lettuce, a juicy tomato slice, and a thick slab of red onion A bowl of spicy baked beans followed, along with a saucer of carrot-laced coleslaw I reht before Fletcher had died

I dug into the food, a little hesitant at first, but soon I was relishing the play of sweet and spice, salt and vinegar, on ue It was a simple, savory meal that I’d had hundreds of times before, one I’d cooked a thousand tiood as it did right now It see before hed

"That was the best meal I’ve ever eaten," I said in a wistful tone

"I know," Fletcher said "Everything tastes better here"<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>