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"Of course" Das to look at, other than each other "Go back tomorrow," Damien said "Find out more We need to knohy she’s attracted their attention this way This is different"
Malachi took a deep breath, alternately concerned and excited about the chase Itday in the Old City yet
The woman took a lot of pictures And from the look of her equipment, she was a professional She took picture after picture of the Sultanahardens Odd angles a tourist wouldn’t think of Gli toys She even lay down on the dirty sidewalk at times She ate corn and chestnuts from the carts in front of Aya Sofia and watched the tourists feed the pigeons She captured it all, froori hadn’t found her again Malachi watched her for hours the next h the old city Every now and then, she would duck into a quiet alley or deserted shop, hold her head in her hands, and rub her te water allfrom a terrible headache Still, she didn’t return to her hotel Her face, now that he was looking at it, was a picture of well-concealed tension Crowds seemed to make her particularly nervous, and she avoided the swarular intervals
Was she afraid of them? Was that why she took shelter in the quieter corners when she could? Malachi didn’t think so She looked, h every now and then a child or group of children would pass and her face would light up She liked children So did Malachi The thoughtpictures all uess she was a regular traveler The way she navigated the city, the way she talked to people, there was so about her manner that told him she was very corapher, it would ori soldier had been following the hu her
She worked her way through the Sultanahhborhood where he and his brothers made their home She picked up the tail just before the traing back far enough that Malachi could keep the the woman She paused near the train station, then turned back and turned left to an e? Was she headed for the park? The police station? No, she turned right again She was headed back up the hill Malachi tried to get closer, only to see her turn to look over her shoulder at the two Grigori following her
She’d spotted the into crohen she could and darting across the street, co She walked quickly, but the soldiers were good Just before the street opened up, she made a quick left into an alley and Malachi’s heart leapt
Bad move, woman Why were humans so stupid at ti the day, but Grigori would have no qualht up to her, she was history No government in the world would find a trace The soldiers turned left and followed her into the alley
Malachi started running, no longer worried about attracting attention He had to get to her Had to keep them from--
"And that is why you don’t fuck with someone with pepper spray, asshole! What? Did you think because I’m a tourist I wouldn’t be able to protectover botha small can Malachi turned his head away as the breeze drifted toward hi and clutching their faces, holding preternaturally sensitive eyes and noses that were, no doubt, in agony froent concoction she’d sprayed froht them by surprise? Their race could move almost silently No human should have been able to fend off--
"And you!" The wo the can in his direction He brought his right thu the spells that would protect his senses should she choose to attack He felt it, the war his body with power, activating the tapestry of ic that protected him In seconds, Malachi would be covered with an armor even the fiercest warrior could not penetrate "Why the hell have you been followingyou"
"Don’t lie to me"
"I saw these er worried about the pepper spray He could feel the ancient poirling over his skin "I’y was high, her adrenaline staining the air as she walked toward hi her out of the alley and into the safer street "You were followingWhy?"
How had she known?
"I haven’t been following you," he lied "Do you need some help? Is there soh attention just by her raised voice He didn’t want to attract the police That was the last thing either of the to hurt you"