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Sterile? Malcol about that

"Did you make that one, too?" Mãe said

"No Amrita was created by a Nebulist research team in Britain"

"Are you a Nebulist?"

Her face contorted "I don’t belong to a sect If I had to choose one, I’d lean toward the Colonists They kno to keep humans in their place, and they don’t tolerate half-breeds" Even though she was hypnotized, her eyes seemed to veer in my direction

"Then why did you make Vallanium?"

Root shot back, "To see if I could You won’t understand that You are not a scientist"

Mãe sent ht

Mãe recited the standard litany: When Root awakened, she wouldn’t reed She wouldn’t reain try to harht Why not ask her to find a cure for cancer?

Mãe heard me and sent me admonishment: This is no time to be sassy

While Dashay and I made dinner, I asked her, "Did you drown the sasa in the ocean?"

"No, in the rain barrel out back" She spooned pesto over the angel’s-hair pasta "Then I buried it You don’t need to bury them--they’re harmless once they’re dead--but this one was so very nasty that I didn’t want to leave it lying around"

We ate dinner inplates on our laps We didn’t want to leave him alone

Root had co pasta onto a fork She had no idea what she’d put us through She didn’t even reone, she was the familiar churlish woman I’d known since ht: Why do we have to feed her?

Dashay sent back: Try to act norlowered at us

We didn’t talk much at first, but the food revived us Mãe wanted to knohat I was studying, and I told her about the Third-Parties Caucus "There’s one candidate who may run for president," I said "Have you heard of Neil Cameron?"

Mãe and Dashay hadn’t

Root said, "His naht?"

I didn’t want to have a conversation with her, but I made myself nod

"He’s a vaan to twirl another forkful as she chewed I’d never seen anyone consume pasta as powerfully as Root did

She inhaled another mouthful, chewed, and sed "He’ll never make it," she said

"Why not?" I must have spoken more passionately than I’d intended, because Dashay andto watch me

"Eventually his true nature will come out" Root patted a napkin across her thick lips "So blood, or one of his donors will talk to the press"

"Maybe he takes tonic instead"

Root shook her head, as if she knew better

"What if he decides to run as a vaht much about it until now "What if he doesn’t hide who he is?"

"Then he’d be an idiot" Root took a swig of Picardo "Only he’s not I met him once He’s an old soul, probably a hundred and fifty years old by now He knows better than to come out of the box

"Americans will never elect a vampire" Root belched--an awful noise that reminded a Springs

A hundred and fifty years old, I thought That ap

Dr Cho strutted into the room and said, "What sort of circus is this?"

Chapter Seventeen

Dr Cho shooed us out of ry, as if she blamed us for his relapse--and later, e told her about Root’s part in it, she seemed skeptical

We didn’t tell her about the sasa We didn’t think she’d believe in such things

Root was ready to leave She said that she’d be back the next day

"No" Mãe’s voice was clear and firain, we’ll let you know"

Root stared at Mãe as if she’d never seen her before Then,we couldn’t hear, she left