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I leaned my head down on the cushion beside his In a whisper, because I wasn’t brave enough to say it any louder, I told hiht beforemy usual birthday pancakes About the way they locked e like some wild animal And when that story was over, I told him about Sam How I had been her Chubs until I wasn’t, until I was nothing at all

My throat burned when I was finished Liam turned his face toward mine We weren’t even a breath apart

"Never," he said after awhile "Never, never, never I aet you"

"You won’t have a choice," I said "Clancy said I won’t ever be able to control it"

"Well I think he’s full of it," Liam said "Listen, what I saw in the woods, when you…"

"When I kissed you"

"Right That…that really happened, didn’t it? What he--what that assle--did That happened to you He kept you there, frozen, like he did to me"

Yes, but also no Because a small part of me had wanted Clancy to do it Or had he only le touch? I nodded, finally,with revulsion at the ainst ht touch run along the crown of my head, feather-soft as they came down to cup my cheek When I lifted my face, he met me halfway and kissed me I was careful not to touch his face, only his shoulder and ar for his

"You want to be with ure it out If nothing else, I trust you You can look inside my head and that’s all you’ll see"

His warm breath spread overto try and find a way to sneak us out, and then you,to find Jack’s father, we’re going to find a way for Chubs to reach his parents, and then we’re going to talk about ant to do"

I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead "You really don’t hate me," I breathed out "You’re not scared--not even a little?"

His battered face twisted hat I thought was supposed to be a smile "I’m scared to death of you, but for a completely different reason"

"I’erous ones"

"No you aren’t," he promised "You’re one of us"

TWENTY-EIGHT

CHUBS RETURNED A FEW MINUTES AFTER Liaan cleaning the cuts and gouges on his face, reaching forantiseptic When I felt his grip began to relax, and saw his eyelids flutter shut again, I finally released the breath I had been holding

"He’ll live," Chubs said, seeingaway the rest of the supplies in , but he’ll live"