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Eilahn bundled h the bleeding had long stopped, and it already looked as if it was closing on its own Once that was done she helped me into the bathtub and kept an eye onsince I ended up falling asleep Would’ve been an igno all the shit I’d ot me out, dried off, and into bed, and by the ti, I felt alh toI knew for sure was that I had to get back to the de Mzatal tonight It was only a an--whether to kill or capture--especially now that I had Vsuhl I wasn’t safe here, and none of the people close toelse I could absorb so that I could become the badass I needed to be and return here as soon as possible I had a pretty strong feeling that Earth here I’d be able todown Therefore, I was going to be working and studying as if the fate of the world depended on it Which, y’know, it did

However, a planned visit to the demon realm meant I could actually take some of the stuff with me that I missed while there before I spent the next couple of hours running errands and shopping with Eilahn--now in human form--and Zack Both stated quite firmly that I was not to be more than five feet away from either of them at any time, and I was to coetwards

Around noon I headed home to discover that Tessa, Carl, Jill, and Ryan had taken over the place and were deep in the throes of readying a Welcome Back celebration Eilahn and Zack didn’t look the least bit surprised, which ledaccomplices

I was surprised to find a handful of presents for me, held patiently from Christmas, a month past The best was hly and professionally cleaned or replaced outright I apologized for not having anything to give to anyone, and everyone lovingly teasedbefore Christ as soon as she got nant and hor to do with hoorried I was about you"

I grinned and hugged her back "Of course not!"

She pulled back, then narrowed her eyes as she searched my face "You’ve been well-fucked within the last couple of days

Mouth agape, I stared at her "How do you do that?"

Jill snorted "It’s my only superpower" She leveled a frown at me, but I saw the dark worry in her eyes "Bad shit happened to you, didn’t it"

I siils, but Jill had a way of seeing beyond the physical

Her jaw tightened "Rhyzkahl?"

I nodded again

She glowered "Fucker You can tell me about it later Come on Let’s eat cookies until we burst"

After presents and cookies I went hunting for Tessa I finally found her on the back porch, sitting in the porch sith her boyfriend Carl, their hands entwined As I stepped out he leaned over, kissed Tessa on the cheek and stood, then surprised the hell out ofinside I blinked, nonplussed at the utterly unprecedented and unexpected show of affection, then sat in Carl’s spot beside Tessa

"I’lad you’re okay, sweets," Tessa said, then turned a piercing look on ht back to all the shit that had happened--the escape, the betrayal, the torture But she hadn’t asked if I’d had a lovely time She wanted to know if I was okay

"Yeah," I said, s it to be true "I’ently rocked Snatches of voices came back to me; the voices I’d heard in the seconds before I was suht tiraet me back?" I asked "And for that matter, how did you knohen?" The chances ofrandomly were approximately zilch

"Would you believe ave ht" I’d had enough dreaht back to my corny wish I want them to know I’m safe Well, they sure as shit knew it no the hell did that work?

"So," she said after a brief silence "Ryan’s a derimaced

Her mouth pursed "Well that’s just da Yep, that about summed it up

She told me that Ryan and Zack had all but moved into my house, which I’d rather suspected froe I was more than fine with it I told her about Katashi and his treachery, and e under Mzatal I also told her that Rhyzkahl had turned out to be a colossal dickknuckle, but I didn’t go into detail, and she didn’t ask My sweater covered the sigils, but I had no doubt she’d seen theoing to sound like a really off-the-wall question, and I hope you don’t get ?"