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"But--" the jogger began

"Why?" Laila said, turning her back on hi?"

"Do you see that ht "Baldy? Yeah So?"

"What about his pet snake? Do you see it?"

"Uh, he doesn’t have a pet snake Or a dog or a cat or a bird Honey, are you okay? You’re pale and shaky"

Her sister still couldn’t see the deging Laila with her

"What’s going on?" her sister demanded

"I’ll tell you later" The park was croith s, as well as business to soak in a little sun before crawling back inside the shadows of the daily grind She maneuvered around them, but wasn’t quite at her best and ran into a few

She heard "Hey!" and "Watch it!" ies Her blood chilled to a dangerous level, even as her skin threatened to overheat Sweat rolled down her spine

"Slon," Laila huffed

She cast a glance behind the at her, and still stroking the de her Relieved, she slowedslowedand finally halted

Panting, Laila pressed her palm over her heart "Can you tell me what that was about now?"

She opened her mouth to do just that--only, another de, sharp fangs with dripping ends, and the words forling sounds escaping

Nicola stu Laila with her

"What are you--"

A woman stepped from around the thick trunk, and Laila closed her mouth The newcomer was bald, just like thecontrast to the blackfrom her pores

"Do you see that?" Nicola demanded of her sister "The mist?"

"No But the worinrevealing fangs of her own

Nicola’s heart skipped a beat as she once again launched intoin another direction "They’re after us," she rasped "We have to get out of here!"

"Whoare they?" Her sister could barely get the words out Neither one of them was used to this kind of activity "Whatdotheywant?"

Nicola glanced back The woman remained just under the tree, but the de in fast, its scaled and furry body dragging over the ground, its antlers shaking

What did it ith her? What would it do to her if it caught her?

Another bald rinned evilly, and she screa in the only uncharted direction A secondthirdfourth de so quickly, as if they’d just scented the afternoon impy mice

"Nicola, please," Laila pleaded "I can’ttake much around them, to finally believe, but she also didn’t want her sister to see Fear would probably consuht now

No one else see People went on with their day, s kites, co with malevolence

"I can’t" Laila ripped fro for breath "You have to"

Nicola backtracked, leaped in front of her sister and spread her ar the demons to attack But they surprised her They skidded to a stop a few feet away, gravel and twigs settling around theht a wave of dizziness, her eyesight di Not now Please, not now The creatures circled her, but she couldn’tLaila’s back; there were too many of them to watch all at once

"Go away," she de whatever dripped fros The others flashed razor-sharp teeth stained cri obsession

"Go away ororI’ll ask the Most High for help" Yes That’s what Koldo had said to do