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MAC

I stood by the front door of BB&B and surveyedfaintly

It was perfect

I’d decided to throw an End of the World party tonight and everyone I cared about was co

After the party I would walkwith Dani and Dancer--unless they’d decided to go through to a different world--to the portal to New Earth and saythe to transfer the True Magic I don’t know that he would have left otherwise

Then Barrons and I would be virtually the only people left in the entire city, except for Ryodan The rest of the Nine had gone to other worlds, on the gaht survive the end of the Earth to enjoy one last lifeti Kat and Sean O’Bannion along with hi How she would fare when Sean died once the Earth no longer existed I tried to project her future If Kasteo survived, would they build a life together on a neorld?

The bell tinkled behind , openingDani, and ave ood, warm one Like she really liked ainst hers a moment Then I drew back and searched her face intently

My Dani was fully there, blazing in her e red curls and she looked gorgeous in faded jeans, boots, and a leather jacket, sword strapped across her back I narrowed ed She was different than I’d ever seen her as a teenager or a woman

"Out with it What happened?" I demanded as I steered her to the sofa

She toldand bubbling over with the newness of being in love for the first tiot details I’d never be able to burn out of hed out loud when she told et-to-third-base problem I softened when she’d told me hoed he’d been that she wanted hi a sort of la-la-la in in Words couldn’t express the relief I felt on that score She’d given her innocence to Dancer last night And, again, words couldn’t express the relief I felt on that score At first when she’d returned as Jada, I’d thought it would and probably should be Ryodan Hardened, cold, Jada had seemed a decade older than the woman that sat with iven her a nore--the only one she’d ever known

Andskin glowing, her eyes sparkling! Her curls practically crackled with energy, she even moved differently She had a subtle new self-awareness and exciteinning of her life

I was at the end of ood, because not so long ago I’d been willing to die right then just to see her get a chance Now she had , caring

"So, I’ Ryodan up on what he said," she said finally

"What’s that?"

"He said he’d take ot off that world to so eyes dimmed and she shifted uncomfortably