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She spoke through her teeth "Who the hell are you?"

"I …"

"I just transmutated"

When I didn’t react, she huffed in frustration

"Regenerated, shape-shifted, whatever Point being, I changed my appearance, and you didn’t freak" Now she leaned forward "One more chance Who Are You?"

Thebeat of complete silence, and the dance ed wood of the walls lightened Lafitte’s used gas larease candles filled the air The srew thicker, heavy in the air

The building’s structure res becaes--lack of wear and tear on the floors and walls, the clothes people wore The features of those living in the past blended with those in the present, and neither appeared to notice the other

I felt as if I’d been on aI stood perfectly still while the world rushed by, and it left me unsettled

"It doesn’t knohat to pick," Hallie murmured under her breath "Past, present, never future Eeny, meeny, miney,the bar, drinking and laughing Seconds later, they were college girls with fruity drinks Then they were both at the same time

Hallie’s attention ju her features

"You see the there between us like frozen winter breath

"Truth Now" She leaned forward again, gripping the edge of the table "Why are you here, and what do you know?"

Chapter 6

Hallie

He’d gone all college professor–like, with his fingers steepled together "Bear with ive me a chance to help you understand"

"Understand what?" The piano riff faded, replaced by a low, thrus inside the bar returned to normal "I can barely hear you over Jay-Z Outside" I slid off

He took ot thicker as we approached the side door, he moved his hand to the small of my back We stepped out into the cold I shivered before he maneuveredlahtful Considerate Tricky

The bass still thuh the closed shutters of Lafitte’s, but ere the only people in the courtyard November wasn’t the best tiht," I said "I’ me seriously"

"That’s kind of the way I roll, chief"

"Stop it This is iency startled me I flinched when he put his hands onand warm, and covered a lot of bare surface area

"I’rabbed his wrists

"Uh-uh," I said "It’s too cold"

I liked the warainst mine He slipped his jacket off his shoulders and wrapped it aroundheat

That’s when I got nervous

"Why are you here?" I asked

"I’m part of your security detail"

"Security details carry weapons"

He hedged "I wasn’t sure of the carrying laws in Louisiana Not in a bar"

"Laws don’t matter when you work for Paul Girard You do what he says"