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What if he could go back? What if she ith hi back to her as he drove Her intelligence Her huh at himself, and no one did that When he ith her, he felt alive By the ti Beach, Baojia was ready to jump in the Pacific to distract himself

Which was fortunate, because he’d have to swim if he wanted to reach Ernesto’s boat He didn’t want to attract attention by stealing a smaller craft, so he parked in a dark corner, slipped off his clothes, and swam out to the Esmerelda, Ernesto’s favorite--and most luxurious--craft As he approached the boat, he could hear his fa to the hull and let the wind carry their voices to hihted if she would coirl And I adore the French"

"Beatrice promised an introduction, but nome with her chatter"

"She’s over seventy years old, not a child"

"Desmarais dotes on her--" The wind stole the words froood connection to have Oh, did you see the new filo, Papa Rory doesn’t want to go because it has subtitles"

"It shouldn’t be that much work to watch a damn movie, Paula"

"Whatever you like, querida…"

They chattered on, the familiar banter of those who had once called him brother and son Baojia tried not to care If he were honest with himself, he had never fit in Not completely Paula was Ernesto’s favorite and always had been Rory was Paula’s s ran smoothly and no one was hurt He had the sudden realization that his huly similar

"Do you see? They are settled now Your father has his own shop, and your brother has a future Your mother mends clothes, but soon, she will not even have to do this and will be coe" Ernesto leaned toward hi into his ear as they stood in the dark alley in Chinatown, so near where he had first encountered the strange creature The faue filled the air as Ernesto continued in English "Your sister will irl from a respectable family She will have her pick of husbands"

Baojia watched from across the road as his mother swept the dusty front step and his father counted the new money at the counter His brother was now as tall as he was; they had once looked like twins But his brother still had the slight fra man and the pale complexion of a clerk, unlike Baojia’s ruddy skin and thicker shoulders He craned his neck to see his little sister, non into a young woman Beautiful She was beautiful

He blinked back tears It had been worth it A fair bargain with the monster

His faain, but Baojia would know they were safe in their new life They had a shop hiswith a contribution from the vampire ould sire him They had a prosperous future ahead ofutu we theive

"Are you ready now?"