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"He did name his boys Narkis and Zoltar"

"Good point I’d have shot hi up" Pun intended Before Eli could groan, I hung up Staring at iven to ed prisoner, yet I needed more data I dialed Bruiser

"Jane," he said, and s there with the boyfriend?"

I sighed, but kept the sound away from the phone Hoas I supposed to answer that when Bruiser and I hadissues? Beast’s wanting-to-fool-around issues, and my the-nore it all "Just ducky What effect would vamp blood have on a child with acute lymphoblastic leuke and realized he was typing Looking so about? I wanted access, but was in no position to ask for it Dang it

"The news is neither good nor bad," he said "So about the little girl? Misha’s daughter?"

"And you know about Charly how?"

I could almost hear his smile when he said, "Reach, of course"

"Huured that Reach was listening in I said, "Hey, you big-eared rat Telling tales works both ways"

There was a moment of silence, and then Bruiser said softly, "Thank you Jane, if you decide to try to feed the child, I’ll ask a Clan blood-est that you call me Now"

"Thanks, Bruiser"

I hit END and waited as I walked back out of the house, the cell in hand The door closed behindin the chill air Seconds later,"What the hell was that about?" Reach demanded, heat in his voice

There were lots of reasons why I’d given Reach away, the ured it out soon anyway and askedon retainer to the MOC meant I had to play politics, protect head, and protect his interests No as it in Leo’s best interests to have Reach listening in on the calls And it sure wasn’t in my best interests, not anymore Now that I had the Kid, it was tiure it out, hotshot" And I hung up

"You’re just getting all your jollies today Aren’t you?"

Without turning around, I said, "You do know that sneaking up on a skinwalker is dangerous, right?"

Eli laughed "I like you I ht be certifiable for it, but I like you"

It made little sense--except that somehow Eli had become family--but I sainst Jameson’s car He still smelled of charnel-house effluvia "Yeah I like you too," I said

"So, why are you so ju itself out of your syste been depressed, but it would have been a waste of ti said it aloud again And I was ju you’d ask I found a gy and I followed him, our boots loud in the thin winter air "So," he said as we clie’s second floor "Are we ever going to end up in the sack together?"

I was startled and then a with , looked back over his shoulder, and teased, "So let’s get it on, baby"

I shookspecies"

We were still laughing e reached the roo in the gyhts, a ballet barre, a total-workout roups, ski machine, stationary bikes, two treade open space with thick rubberized flooring suitable for yoga or sparring, and a shower and dressing area I pulled off my boots, tossed them in the corner, and re the sa back to us from a wall ofback?" he asked

"You walked out of there" When he looked confused, I added, "I left your joints intact, didn’t break your spine, and didn’t hit you in the xiphoid process, piercing your diaphragm or liver For starters"

Eli nodded "Let’s keep the same rules, then You hold back I’ll try to kill you withwhen he attacked

Beast slammed to the surface and spuninto a claw that had to hurt as h his shirt He retaliated with a leg sweep and a series of fast punches, all below the belt, followed by a chest strike intended to bruise a breast Two of the punches and the chest blow landed I oofed out a pained breath and hit in hi into the ht A lesser ht have hit the floor, except that he landed on a weight bench and rolled over it, giving him the seconds needed to shake his head and come back at me