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"Better," she said, after sniffling for a bit "It’s been hard But I’ there"

"You do look better," I said, which was true

"But I don’t look good," she said, sadly This was also true

"It’s only been a --"

"Yes," she interrupted "Considering everything"

We stood silently together, but it wasn’t aard There simply weren’t words that were suitable, so we didn’t try to use any Instead we hugged

"Order up!" Sarah called, whisking past er, french fries, and fried cheese sticks What can I say: My friends knew my vices

For the first ti, Iris finally smiled at the look on my face

"So an affectionate hand over my cheek "Go eat, Jane"

We walked over to the bar, where everyone was sitting and chatting Sarah had set my food down at an empty chair between Anyan and another empty chair next to Amy, which Iris took Nell talked quietly with Marcus, as petting Trill as if she really were the dog she pretended to be Meanwhile, Sarah kept one eye on the bar as she chatted with A hest talked, but I felt a thrill in ) to do with cheese sticks when Anyan put a proprietary hand on the small of my back while I ate

Granted, he also tried to steal a fry, earning him the same sharp slap on the hand that Trill had received earlier

"Bad puppy," I scolded

Just because I wish to ravage you, doesn’tdown his shocked expression Not unless you like ht Maybe he does like ribs? it questioned, alarhest

Fuck that, I decided, picking upit in ketchup But I did pass Anyan a fry, my expression conciliatory Then I nearly ju sensuously at ers

Not a rib lover,how Anyan watched ry expression--his own pursed icked intentions Then, usingbastard

As I finished eating, Caleb and Anyan resu around Rockabill, but I was too busy wondering why the hell the satyr was there to payhow Iris kept one eye on Caleb, even as she told me about how far she’d come in the past weeks

"But I owesoave Caleb an almost beatific ser Partly I reacted frolow--if dimly--in that telltale succubus way I’d wondered if Iris’s eyes would ever glow again, after what she’d experienced

Caleb and Iris? I thought, surprised despite my happiness for her The satyr was so solid and Iris had always been a fairly typical succubus: flighty and a bit fluffy The idea of serious, cal, to say the least

"Really?" I said, around awith e But he came doith Ryu after you were attacked And he ended up staying" Because ofhastily

Ryu was here? I thought But I didn’t say anything This was Iris’s time to talk

"What about, er, thewas, succubi harvested essence from bodily fluids the same as baobhan sith, like Ryu, harvested essence from blood Only difference was that any bodily fluid would do for succubi and incubi, but they could feed only off lust--even if it was the sort of twisted, pain-filled pleasure preferred by Graeme, Phaedra’s incubus minion This reliance on essence a term, with another supernatural creature Not if they wanted to keep their power Instead, they needed to charge up with either huical essence in their bodily fluids