Page 17 (1/2)

She took a deep breath "I’ll go"

Kinvara, Co Galway

Septeht wrapped around her like a blanket, and the sea air carried the scent of salt and seaweed froid stood at the openand resisted the urge to flee down the small road that led to town Even if Anne didn’t stop her, where would she go?

Brigid had sweated out the worst of her physical withdrawal in her aunt’s house in Wicklow She’d wanted to die Even though she had been careful with her heroin use, her body had come to depend on it far more than she realized She’d never been as sick as she had those first weeks At one point, she’d begged Deirdre to kill her She hadn’t, thankfully, but when Brigid thought about her first "talk" with Anne that she was supposed to have that night, she reconsidered the idea

"The road or the bay?"

Brigid turned The silent water valass-enclosed roo in an overstuffed chair

She couldn’t help but sood swimmer"

Anne smiled "Well, definitely don’t take the watery escape route, then"

Brigid shook her head and moved to the other chair "I’ll keep that in mind"

The tomen, one mortal and one vampire, both stared out the s that surrounded them The study was a sht would stream in, and it was a pleasant place to drink a cup of tea or read a book At night, the glass-enclosed roohts that lined the western Irish shore It was full of bookcases and stacked tables Deep comfortable chairs and warm, woolen blankets It didn’t look at all like a doctor’s office, but that’s what it was

Anne said, "So, a ist ‘Doctor,’ he says, ‘you have to help me My wife says I’ets out some ink blots and shows them to the man ‘What do you see here?’ the doctor asks ‘A couple on a bed, having sex’ The doctor nods and shows him another one ‘And this one?’ ‘A ,’ the doctor says ‘And how about this one?’ The man squints and says, ‘That’s a picture of asex on a boat’ The doctor finally says, ‘Well, you do have a problem It appears you’re definitely obsessed with sex’ The ed ‘What do youid snorted

Anne spoke again "How are a hooker and a psychiatrist the said re "How?"

"They both turn to each other after an hour together and say, ‘That’ll be two hundred, please’"

Brigid fought back another snort "So, are psychiatrists like lawyers? Lots of jokes about their noble profession?"

"I don’t know I think et a new one every night on my desk"