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"Oh, my God!" Horror filled Cassie’s hoarse whisper behind hilanced back "I told you to let me"

Cassie stared at the body, her eyes wide, unblinking There was so ainst the doorjamb, she covered her mouth with her hand To hold back a screa up? Maybe both

Ethan could hear Dan puking into the kitchen sink "Next time listen to me" He sounded hard Good He wanted them to believe he was a cold-blooded son of a bitch Because he was--he closed his eyes for a et so" He didn’t look to see if they followed his directions

Trying to make sure he didn’t step in any blood, he went into the bathrooe bath towel out of the linen closet and began his hunt A few minutes later he joined the other two at the door with a spitting, hissing bundle of pissed off cat safely wrapped in the towel He watched Cassie’s eyes widen when she saw the bloody claw marks on his hands and aret a chance to say anything because Dan spoke "You’re taking the old lady’s cat with you?"

Ethan didn’t have time for explanations "Out I have to check the people on the other side of my place"

Everyone was silent as they walked to the second house Ethan knehat he’d find The hunters must’ve left the door open because he could s before they cli of clothes down "This is as far as I’"

Ethan didn’t blame him

"Here Hold the cat" He shoved the ani into the house

Cassie walked in behind him

He paused in the kitchen "This will be just as bad Wait with Dan"

"No I need to see it" She aze "I’ve been afraid of the dead all my life But my best friend is one of those dead now This is more important than et, so I’ll know exactly what I’ when I take these animals down"

Ethan raised one brohere had that co fierce lived He looked away He didn’t want to find her interesting in any way "You couldn’t even is did this"

Cassie looked puzzled "Roland Garrity’s people, right?" Then she shook her head "No I can’t believe humans would do that to an old woman"

You’d be surprised what hu roo, but they held the remote" She wouldn’t understand He hoped she’d never have to

They found George and Janice on the stairs They must’ve tried to flee to the second floor It hadn’t worked Body parts littered the steps and blood dripped over the side onto the floor below

Cassie didn’t last this time She ran for the downstairs bathroom and sla stopped When she finally opened the door and joined hi, only returned to the back door He waited until she was outside before closing it carefully behind him

But even closed, he could still s at his soul, deer But it wasn’t the hunger for blood that would grip hione by then

Dan took one look at the stark horror in Cassie’s eyes and didn’t ask any questions

Ethan talked to his brother on the way to Cassie’s car "You’re still living at June’s place?"

Dan nodded "Things haven’t been too great between us lately, though I’ back to s are safer" The ones who’d found hiht not know about his brother, or where he lived But Ethan didn’t want to take a chance Dan would be safer staying with his girlfriend for now

"Are you going to tell hened Dan’s voice

"Yes" They’d reached the car "Once I figure it out myself"

Ethan slid into the driver’s side and headed back out into traffic He’d made sure that Cassie was beside him She’d be easier to control in the front seat At least she hadn’t blurted anything about what had happened at the funeral ho Probably in shock fro to say on the drive was the cat, and she kept up a constant strea complaints Finally, Ethan pulled over a few blocks from June’s apartment

"I’ll let you out here No one followed us, but I still don’t want to take the chance that so"

Dan didn’t coot out, and slammed the door Ethan watched him walk into a store that was still open Then he pulled away fro if Cassie would ever talk again, the floodgates broke