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They discussed what could be done with Reliquary Lilia stayed very still and alert, determined not to let this opportunity pass her by

"Reliquary--Open Dusk to Dawn" read the store’s neebpage headline: "Costuht," it promised

A dozen customers were in her store at 3:30 AM and Lilia stood behind the counter keeping an eye out for shoplifters, watching Scarlet Jones greet friends Lilia knew all about history--especially fashion history--repeating itself the first time as farce, the second as ca sharper Her boyfriend, Bret, worked in the stockroom and looked more pale and dizzy each ti much faster this tirew little by little Word was spread in print, "Soossip coluht--Creepy and DELICIOUS!" read the Woot underway

Suddenly Reliquary’s door opened and the roonetic, wonderfully turned out in an antique black cape and dark red top, seee, Larry Stepelli entered with an entourage of

Thirty years before, Lilia would have been the one beside hiirl was the perfect pairing of that ht

Now they were distant friends and the arrangement was financial A few months before, she’d sensed Larry’s boredoallery in Chelsea, weren’t doing it for him

So she’d turned hi to create It only took a couple of reminders of their initial encounters with the dark mysteries His curiosity and desire kicked in Larry advanced money to pay off the back rent and restocked the store

He walked over and they estures "You must have heard?" he said

"About your break-up? Sorry"

"Inevitable I iet a settle" He looked around "Business has really picked up"

Lilia said, "Yes I was even summoned to Seventh Avenue by the Kindly Ones"

"My, MY!"

"Reossip was the fastest news on the planet? Nohat any kid posts online, the world knows before the next day dawns"

Larry swith a tiny broken crucifix on it

Lilia re sour "BLOODY HELL" screahtwalkers in Rehab," was a three part series in the Village Voice But it was years between those first hints and theeveryone woke up with hideous addictions to blood and biting

This time the turnaround would be quick And Lilia knew she had to ride the wave or go under for good

A few nights later, the Savage Design trio, coraphers, a video crew, and a special secret arrived at Lilia’s shop

Paulo in soccer shorts and jersey repeatedly kicked a ball against the hydrant in front of Reliquary The kid’s legs did a fast dance step as he stopped the rebound each tily independent of this, the lizard eyes took in the store and its surroundings

Felice nodded to Lilia as she went through Reliquary with her face carefully kept in neutral and exa notes to herself on a hand held recorder