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As soon as they were inside, Billy let out a sigh of relief "Sweet Jesus, bless you," he whispered, his eyes closed

Jagger ious; in fact, they were often so that they really did have souls

"You’re one hell of an actor," he told the boy

"So are you" Billy frowned, then, and shook his head

"Look, you can’t still believe I’hts were running in that direction, you’d be dead, along with Abigail Dead--as in stone dead Staked through the heart But I do want to talk to you about that night That frat boy really thinks he saw you, though he adinally intend to go to the party because you had so," Billy said, and he sounded genuinely lost He twisted in the passenger’s seat to stare at Jagger "She’s all right, isn’t she? Abigail You didn’t whisk her away and--and stake her, did you?"

"No, we didn’t stake her I left her with Fiona"

"She’s going to be so confused," Billy said

"Fiona is the Keeper," Jagger said "She’llat Fiona "What are you talking about? Vampires don’t exist They’re just a ue, re into irl strenuously shook her head "No No, no, no They ht I was dead, but I wasn’t I’ail, you’re a vaallon of blood, and you’ll have to keep drinking blood to stayalive"

"I will not run around killing people!" Abigail exclaimed, horrified

"No, you definitely will not If you le kill, I’ll consider it h the heart and end your existence"

The girl stared at her, then leaped to her feet in horror, letting the pitcher she’d been holding slip to the floor "Youyou want to kill er at Fiona "I know you--you’reyou’re so You own that shop that sells potions and things You do tarot card readings--"

"That’s my sister, I read tea leaves," Fiona said wearily "And I’m not a witch"

"You are! You want to hurt me Where--where’s Billy?"

"Billy will be here soon Abigail, I know this is really hard to coue Billy, Jagger and I were there, and we got you out But you are not alive You have beco as if she were about to burst into tears "No! It can’t be true They justher sheet to hold it in place as she fell to her knees at Fiona’s feet "I’e student, for the love of God Let o home to the sisters! They raised me They know me They’ll tell you I’o now, nuet you so door

"That et you a T-shirt or so" She opened the closet door, and just for a second, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply Shein love with the htly in the air, seeht into her To remind her that she wanted to be with him That she could be with him That he wanted to be with her

She pulled herself back, reht, here’s a shirt," she said and turned around

Abigail was gone

Jagger drove into the French Quarter and down his street As he neared his gate, he hit the electronic opener on the dash The gate slowly opened inward, allowing the car access

He drove in, parked and got out of the car Billy did the saer looked toward the house, he was astounded to see Fiona, who’d e, perched atop the wall toward the rear of the house As he watched, she er er said

Moving faster than the human eye could folloith Billy on his heels, heleap up to the wall hi on the sidewalk, and for a moment he paused to thank God that he didn’t live on Bourbon Street, where a hundred tourists would have been there to see

He ju the road, the houses, the darkness

Then he saw her

Abigail, stark naked, a block away and just walking down the street, looking lost

He swore softly

Fiona reached her before he could, catching her by the shoulders and quickly wrapping her in one of his long-sleeved tailored shirts

A wo a yappy Papillon

"Well, I never!" she declared She was about sixty, dignified, pluer quickly walked over to her "Good evening, ma’a kept yapping

Ten feet away, Fiona and Billy were urging Abigail off the street

Jagger stared at the dog first, and the ani, or I’ll call the police an