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The Bonneville Salt Flats looked like a white, desolate ocean They stretched for miles in a peninsula that was bordered on the west by the mountains and on the south by the interstate Mencheres drove by the sign at the end of the access road that told visitors to park and venture on foot into the tourist section Blake knehy they weren&039;t stopping at the tourist section; they were heading for the middle of the flats, where two and a half miles was the closest distance between hi hot outside, but in this case, that was a bonus In the spring, Mencheres said, the salt would be turned toon it impossible - and they needed the van with its cache of equipment But in the ravel, allowing the van to ride easily over its flat, sparkling surface

Blake sat between them in the front There were too many instruments in the back that could be used to kill him, if and when Xaphan appeared Blake had no doubt the demon would come forth at any second In fact, he wondered what Xaphan aiting for

At last, Mencheres stopped Blake glanced around There was nothing to see excepthimself, Blake took in a deep breath

"Okay I&039; able to bring him back, Blake didn&039;t think it would work

Chances were, when he died, he&039;d stay dead Successful resuscitation happened in less than half the cases, he knew that froe Still, he didn&039;t share his doubts with Elise Let her think he died believing he&039;d be saved Why make this harder on her?

Blake went into the back of the van There wasn&039;t much room with all the equipenerators outside No need to ruin even his sli

Elise gestured to the large rectangular piece in the van, which looked to Blake like an elaborate, water-filled coffin

"It&039;ll be easier if you take your clothes off that, as if he&039;d take her suggestion as perverted voyeurism Blake&039;s heart squeezed I&039;llinto Elise&039;s beautiful blue-green eyes

He stripped to his boxers, then took her in his ar like so to break out

"I know this makes no sense, since we&039;ve only known each other less than a week, but Blakeif I could spend the rest of my life with just one person, it would be you," she whispered

Blake pulled away Looked at her face and saw the naked vulnerability, e back a strand of her blond hair

"No, Elise We&039;ve known each other forever, because that&039;s how long I&039;ll love you" Then he kissed her, trying to imprint the feel of her on his mouth, hands, and body before death came to take him away

Elise knelt next to the hydro chalacial water for over fiftyhad slowed, as had his pulse and breathing Confusion was starting to set in even as his eyes kept fluttering closed