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In the SUV, the AC running full out, I laid back hts have free rein It occurred to e had been innocent Only the Damours’ intent had been evil The intent of the vampire-witches had destroyed the children and then twisted the power of their innocent souls to evil That intent was a kind offaith A faith in death and evil Troubled, I opened my eyes to stare out theas Eli drove us toward ho lawyers’ offices, homes, apartments, dental clinics, and storefronts, all in old houses that carried the spirit of New Orleans’ décor and architecture And I saw one in particular

"Stop!" I said "Pull in there!"

Eli hit the brakes and whipped the wheel, slinging his passengers against the doors Alex cussed as his tablet flew from his hands and clattered to the floor "Sorry," I said to them both, as I popped the seat belt, opened the door, and dropped into a trot to keep up with the still- vehicle

"Damn it, Jane!" Eli said, by way of repri about the cursing, under the circu The storefront took up a wide lot with parking in front under a tree and on the street One half of the storefront was empty I felt a sh, like a sinkhole into the deeps of the earth, pulling in things after it

The s had been in the storefront It was gone now A FOR RENT sign rested in the frontI stepped slowly closer and pressed lass It was empty from wall to wall, the concrete floor swept clean I had to wonder how long it had been since I had attended a service, how long since I had prayed Since I had co spiritual How long since I had called out for peace and help andToo long I was exhausted, broken, wounded, and still feeling the weight of the deaths in the bar My fault All my fault I should have killed Joses Bar-Judas the first ti another sentient being would have been better than letting hi ht, I knew I should have killed the Son of Darkness But if I had killed the vauessing that he would get free and kill humans, it would have been murder Could I have lived with myself? Could I live with lass

I heard the SUV doors open and closedin danger on this hunt My fault

I banged ht in the eical cesspool of estions, but it did rattle nicely I laughed, but it sounded more like a sob

"Jane?" Alex asked When I didn’t answer, he said, "Your hand still looks weird" When I still didn’t answer, he finished with, "You’re acting kinda weird too Like, al at him, I took a step away from the storefront, held out my hand, and pulled up ht under the shirt’s healing energies, but they were still there "Well, crap Drunk makes sense I’ to death, contaot a lot of blood and soical mojo" I pulled h the dirty glass "I’ in me" And I haven’t yet told you about the blood dia the church ht have an idea how to heal lass "That er building I’ve pulled up the address"

I whirled away from theand looked down at the Kid Only, not so far down as before He was taller than he had been, standing at five feet ten or so now, and the nascent ained definition How oddI reached up and patted his head "Thanks, Kid You’ve grown Can you take me there?"

The sentences held one non sequitur after another, but nothing threw Alex "I know I’rown up now And yes But why do you think a church can help you?" His tone suggested that churches, in fact, any kind of spirituality, were hoku the truth of what had happened I was hurt, and until I figured out so to fix it, I was sidelined Just like a hu the opposite of vaic can undo it I tried Cherokee fire and cleansing smoke and it helped but it didn’t totally heal Apparently I tried to shift but didn’t ht about Beast, as still and silent in my soul home, wounded, just like me "And I honestly don’t think I can shift on aveand we cliuys talked a bit, then we drove a while, crossing under I-10 on Governor Nicholls Street, heading nearly opposite from the house and the nice comfy bed I needed so badly

There were parts of Governor Nicholls that looked safe, like a pleasant place to live, with blooalleries and well-kept homes, businesses, and yards And then there were the other parts, with busted chain-link fences, busted s, boarded-up doorways, and walls that were covered in urban street art and gang signs The little church was in that part of the hood It had taken over a sun front--a door on the left and a door on the right The house had freshly painted yellow siding and dark greenshutters that were closed against the heat of the day A new steeple perched on top of the roof ridge, and the sign in the sh for ot out into the heat and humidity, which instantly tried to se overthe blood diaood hand, and ed ate, walked to the gallery and under the porch roof, and tried the door It was unlocked, which, in this part of the city, was just weird I pulled the iron discs and the black velvet bag containing the blood dia over my shoulder into the small yard, I knocked and opened the door I took a step inside