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As David turned the ignition off, I turned toward hihtning lit his face ivory, turned his eyes into hot orange-gold flares

He said, "Isn’t it always?"

TWO

When I scah the pneuled rave; vu ets theet about it and keepon

Except that I took about six steps into the lobby, spotted the faux-rock fountain with its floating rings of silk flowers, and realized it wasn’t dйjà vu at all It was o

"Crap," I whispered, and fought a deep, clawing instinct to get back in the car and just keep driving But outside thunder rattled plate glass, and there really wasn’t any point in trying to get away from this particular past

Besides, I don’t run from bad memories

I straightened my back and walked to the front desk It wasn’t quite a sashay, because of the squishing shoes, but I held it together I didn’t recognize the girl behind the desk-staff ht-assed blonde I re u sympathetically

"Wow," she said "Real ," I said, and wiped strands of hair back from my face "Hope you have a roo, is that okay?"

"Does it come with a hair dryer?"

"Definitely"

"Perfect"

We did the credit card thing, and she made me a cute little electronic key, and I squished out toward the stairs, past the gently tinkling fountain No such things as ghosts-at least, I hope there aren’t-but I couldn’t help but feel a very cold, very real chill as I passed the spot

Charles Spenser Ashworth III

Man, I so didn’t want to be here Not now

David aiting for me when I unlocked the door to the room He was dressed in a casual blue-checked flannel shirt, blue jeans, sneakers his WWI-vintage olive-drab coat was draped over the ar flat with his hands under his head I kicked the door shut and stood there staring at hi

Without a word, I went into the bathroom and stripped off my wet clothes, cranked the shower on hot, and had a luxurious, spine- wash, with complimentary shampoo and cute little soaps Two applications of hotel-provided conditioner made it barely possible for h ain, drat it In ht, jet-black hair Sincetendency to Shirley Teritted, until I had everything straightened to my satisfaction

When I came out, my clothes were dry, folded, and put away in drawers, and David was still lying on the bed in exactly the same position, only bare-chested and covered by the sheets I set his unsealed bottle on the nightstand, next to the clock radio

He smiled, eyes closed, and his chest rose and fell as he breathed me in "You smell like jasmine"

I dropped the towel and slid under the sheets next to him "Hotel soap I hope it’s an improvement"

He rolled up on his elbow to look down on me What I saw in his eyes took my breath away Sweet, hot intensity Djinn areone feel that way about you it’s like nothing else on earth His skin wasn’t touchingme in ways that were nited somewhere near the base ofto go with this?" he askedfor him to say, and I blinked to indicate I had no idea what he was talking about David read my confusion and continued "Kevin’s afraid He’s young, he’s stupid, and he’s scared I think there’s every reason to believe that if he wasn’t insane before, he probably is by now So how far are you willing to go to get hi fro themselves out I shook it off "As far as I need to Soot to take him down"

He moved a lock of hair back from my face "Others can"

"In ti of those molten-bronze eyes "Don’t This isn’t about personal feelings, David He’s important Lewis is important to hell, to everyone And what Kevin’s done is killing hi," he said softly

"How far I’aze held me still "Why it always has to be you Are you that powerful, or just that arrogant?"

I froze Then I rolled over and pulled the hurt close I felt his warhtly caress ainst my ear, soft and textured as velvet

"I’m scared for you I lost you twice already, Jo Please Stop trying to save the world Can you do that for me?"

I had to be honest with him "I don’t think I can Not this time It’s our fuckup, David I have to try"

I felt the warht" His lips pressed gently on the bare skin of my shoulder I took a deep breath and turned toward hione Disappeared Vanished like the Djinn he was

Don’t go, I need you, please stayI really did need hiirl Tough girls don’t beg

I closedback

Now that I’d reet the circumstances, and the circumstances started with Chaz

You probably know somebody just like Charles Spenser Ashworth III Maybe not with as fancy a naree, uy without much talent but with a whole lot of mouth, a fast-talker with flashy ideas He never follows through, because that’s hard work He’s all about the ideas Ideas, he will tell you, are much runt work Men like Chaz are usually successful, because there’s an entire business culture out there who buys into the notion that actual work is cheap and somehow dйclassй He’s usually a consultant, or an executive, and he usually has a flashy car (but one without any real performance), a mistress, and at least one ex-wife and the associated ex-children