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"So, and I don’t like him," Eli said close to h I kneho it’d be I was right

"Riley Poe Darown-up"

I turned and ahts stared into a face froain but knew I’d run into tonight Average-sized, Kelter Phillips wore his usual attire: a collection of black leather, chains, spiked cuffs, and collars, and his signature bald head and black goatee looked exactly as they had when I used to hang with hie tat that started at his brow and stretched over his head in a six-inch-wide strip, Mohawk style The tat was a list of the seven deadly sins, written in Old English and inked in black, with black vines and bloodred roses along the side The words above his brow read Fuck Virtue, followed by lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride in intricate calligraphy Daht he was a badass He could smell fresh meat a mile away, and to him I’d always been meat--only back then, I hadn’t known or cared I pushed past ave Kelter a seductive save Eli a curious glance and a nod "Friend of yours?" he asked

"Yeah, a friend," I assured hiht I had the scrutiny of a boyfriend, and I nearly snorted out loud when I thought of what he’d think if he knew Eli was a creature of the afterlight Beside me, Eli sht I knew Eli had heard

"Co Eli, and I tried not to shiver with revulsion when he placed his hand ondirectly into Kelter’s black-lined eyes I slid fro of people dancing Before I got too far, I glanced over lare in his eyes I’ll be okay, I told him in mymyself; I knew Eli could see me, hear my heart, and would hear if called for him

And God help anyone in his path

Megadeth’s "Bite the Hand" roared through the Panic Rooe bodiesclose to us, and when I turned, the person had slipped back into the crowd I stared hard through the s so fast the human eye couldn’t track hih I couldn’t see hi closer, like a hawk I got one glimpse of his face; he looked like he wanted to rip Kelter apart Take it easy, Dupré, I said inI was forced to deal with

Kelter watched me intently as his hands slid down my hips and pulled me closer, and I kneas already half lit and turned on, the s to hiainst h to fuck right here," he said, obviously thinking his controlling dirty talk would do it for me, and it made me sick to think that at one time, it had done it for me Now it made me profusely sick, and I tried not to let it show "That ink is goddaons up both arain "All professional now, huh? Got your own business," he said, ainst him His dick was already hard--it probably stayed that way With all the crap Kelter took, it wouldn’t surprise s and walked around with a twenty-four-hour woody "Wanna go to the back?" he said in my ear, and turned me back around to face him "Old ti , Kelter grabbed ainst his crotch, and he throbbed beneath the leather pants at my touch I tried to control my reaction; seriously, I did But a lot had happened since rabbed his balls hard, yanked upward and in, and twisted; Kelter’s eyes widened, and he s no air at all if the squeaking fro I pressed

"Nobody forces onized face I squeezed harder "Like you said--I’rown-up, and I didn’t come here for a lay I don’t trade shit for it anylared at him "Understand?"

Kelter nodded because he couldn’t breathe, and I released hiave h, didn’t you, Poe?"

I shrugged and turned to leave I knew he’d stopbetter of it "Come on" He inclined his head but didn’t touch me "You re through the sweating bodies and haze of cigarette smoke, I made my way to the panic rooms Behind the main floor of the club was a horseshoe-shaped, di in a half circle back to the main hall, and I knew that in the back was a set of double doors that led to six small rooms--roos, fantasy role-playing--just about anything As we squeezed past the people in the corridor, I winced as memories of ainst the wall, her short leather skirt riding up her hips as his hand disappeared between her legs She looked over his shoulder as I passed by and gave htest of snored her and continued on Another suy in particular who stood off alone didn’t really surprise me: Eli His head was bent, but as I passed he lifted it, and a hot, penetrating gaze ot it, I lare All I wanted to do was get back into the scene, or at least es abounded in the panic rooms--but they wereclue what they were up to, and Kelter, the sicko that he was, supplied whatever, whenever Perfect recruits for the Arcoses Not if I can help it

Kelter stopped at the double doors, withdrew a key from his pocket, and opened the lock He inclined his head for h, the heavy scent of marijuana billowed out My eyes burned as alked down another short hall to Kelter’s office He opened the door, and in a rush, a body flew by ainst the wall

"Goddaure stopped and turned The figure wore dark ratty jeans and a black hoodie, and a pasty white face peered back at his Parker And he turned directly to s stared at ht away that he didn’t recognize aze in his eyes reminded me of a junkie, or worse--a starved anirass-less, dirt-covered backyard with no food, no water It sent shivers down ht I couldn’t take it any in s! You peckerhead! Snap out of it! I kneould do no good

"Val says the next tiling a gallon-sized ziplock filled with se links in the air, his voice heavy, dark,A maniacal smile tainted his youthful features He barely even looked like the Riggs I knew "Well, look at that," he said, cocking his head and scrutinizing Kelter "Looks like you’re already dead, lance my way, he turned and disappeared out the door; I pushed off the wall and ran after hilile steel door I took off after hi but finding Seth Themy palms as I slammed into it and ran outside and into the dark, dank alley behind the Panic Room The putrid scent of urine asp for air, and at the end of the alley, beneath a streetlas He and several others--I counted seven in all--wore dark hoodies, and they paused and glanced back at me I knew Seth was one of them, and I drew in a deep breath and yelled "Se--!"

My eyes widened, and I fought against the steely grip aroundI watched, stunned, as Riggs and the others did so that literally blew my mind With a series of shrill yells, extre up the trunk of a tree and swinging off li across the street like a freaking circus troupe One of theround and sht air filled with the shrill sound of an alarhter Within seconds--no lie, under a minute--they were all on the rooftop I held my breath because I knew one of theerously close to the roof’s edge Finally, the blackness of the night sed theht If I hadn’t known any better, I would have sworn they’d flown

"Free running" Eli’s voice spoke quietly against my ear He releasedfast"