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"Do you have an EpiPen?" he asked, finishing his sugar cookie

"Yep, do you?"

"Nah, when I got bigger, I just kne to avoid the!" Her friends burst into silly laughter with her He’d had no idea how easy it was to get on with a young girl Maybe he wasn’t as terrible with children as he thought

With a wink, he headed for the coffeepot He’d been less exhausted after a twelve-hour workday than this kids’ party How did Sydney irls, he breathed a sigh of relief Becca’s friends left, and the grown-ups all began to clean up while she kept up a streaifts and twirling in her bright blue gown They were halfway through the dishes when he noticed the quiet He looked around, trying to find out why the talking had stopped

And found Becca sprawled out on the living roo a knitted afghan over her gown and slipping off her plastic high-heeled princess shoes She tiptoed out, and they stepped back into the kitchen

"She plays hard and sleeps harder," Sydney said with a laugh "It’ll be impossible to wake her up"

"You were san said "You’ll have the place to yourselves Cal and I are sleeping at the new house tonight"

"You close Tuesday, right?" Tristan asked

"Yep, it’s finally official We should get back soon, though We left the dynaet used to the new place, and I’ht thean shook her head "One of Becca’s friends is afraid of dogs, and I didn’t want her first introduction to be with Cujos, even though they’re the sweetest dogs alive"

"Dalton and I are heading back, too," Raven said, wiping her hands on a dish towel She’d ditched the horns and the headdress but still wore those wicked black boots "Sydney, I’ an stepped into the circle until it was like three powerful princess/witches ere about to rule the world He cut a glance over to his brothers, registering the tenderness on their faces while they looked upon the women they loved For so many years, after their mother died, there was an emptiness and pain that filled up all the e tian caain in this house, and a them He’d not only rediscovered his brothers but a whole new life of possibilities

Finally they all left and Tristan shut the door behind them, then turned to Sydney "How about I carry her up for you? Get her settled and then we can have that talk?"

Her skin turned vampire pale "Thanks"

He lifted Becca into his arainst hi fiercely He cliht--decorated in feminine lemon yelloith a floral bedspread He smiled when she muttered and smooshed her face into the pillow, just like her lass of wine, and went into the living roolass he offered with treonna lie here," he finally said in the stretching silence "I’ not to freak out, but when a woman says we need to talk, there’s usually soift Is it us?"