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Balthazar began running as fast as he could--faster than most humans would be able to er, and it was late enough in the afternoon that she’d almost certainly have left school by now

Was it possible she’d taken the bus, as she had thiswhile he watched fro, kept following Lorenzo’s scent along what appeared to be a main road, busy with traffic Even if Lorenzo had been unable to find Skye, Balthazar was dead set on capturing hian to detect Skye’s scent as well

Balthazar had a sudden vision of Skye crumpled and bloody like the fox he’d found in the snow, and the h

Lorenzo’s path took hie Balthazar at all Lorenzo would have quit following Skye only to get ahead of her, to stand between her and the safety of ho--then followed Skye’s path As badly as he wanted to catch Lorenzo, Skye’s safety was more important

Finally, as Balthazar ran around another curve of the road he saw her--alive, well, upright--but staring ahead, at Lorenzo, who stood in her path and closer to her than Balthazar was to either of thehteen-wheeler roared by at thatout his voice Skye started running, not into the road or back toward Balthazar, but slightly up the hill toward a building, a gas station fro deserted, with a dusty, faded sign that proclaiallon Not good A public space would’ve given her so wasn’t shelter It was a trap

Lorenzo dashed after her, his eyes only for his prey Balthazar pursued theave way to those emotions so seldo alive

The door had probably been pried open by vandals years ago Balthazar ran inside just after theainst the back ith nowhere else to run, saw hi around, Lorenzo saw hih he were drunk or drugged "You’re still protecting her," he said "You can’t for long"

"Won’t have to for long" Balthazar grabbed the nearest thing at hand--the end of some abandoned metal shelves, where snacks or motor oil had once been--and shoved it forward hard The other end of the shelf sla back

Skye turned toward Balthazar, but he gestured toward the door "Get out of this place! Get back out to the road!"

She didn’t argue, didn’t hesitate, just ran through the door like he’d said Thank God she had some sense

Balthazar rushed toward Lorenzo, but he was already up, and the punch he aih air Lorenzo shoved hi, "You do want to keep her for yourself Adlanced around the old gas station, with itsand dusty walls There were few potential weapons, and no wood to fashion a stake The old freezer doors still had their glass, though, and while it would , he’d done worse