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A lol echoed outside, the door handle turned, and Bridger poked his head inside "Sorin He opened the door wide and Shash, fur dusty and tangled with twigs, slunk inside

"Shash!" I fell to my knees and clappedhismy face until I toppled backward

"Can I come in now?" Mr Petersen asked from the doorway

"Come in, son," Mrs Carpenter said At the sound of her voice Shash climbed off me, put his nose on the side of her bed, and whined "You miserable mutt," Mrs Carpenter said with a sie, co me to my feet I followed hi of protection before it gets too dark?"

"I don’t think that’s a good idea Why didn’t er asked I shook my head "Did you bless it after you le feather to strengthen it?"

"All right, I get it," I said "I don’t have the ic touch"

"Exactly"

"Mrs Carpenter won’t need the ring of protection any off the porch

"She won’t?" Bridger asked, surprised

"Not because of ain I’er’s hand and alked toward the back of the house where the skulls had been piled A warhs of a crooked pine and blowing er pulledhis hands around to the s at me with curious eyes "Won’t Mrs Carpenter need you around to help her out?"

I shook , she toldinto the upstairs bedroohter’s a nurse It’s tio?" he asked I could hear the real question in the concerned tone of his voice

"Don’t worry--I’ closer to you," I explained "Naalyehe has a studio apartood price on rent if I want to fix it up a bit--paint the walls and clean it up and stuff I gave hi my shift today I can er’s neck and ran h his hair

His eyes narrowed "If what?" he asked suspiciously

I shrugged "If someone with a car can help me move my stuff?"

He frowned and shook his head "Too bad I own an SUV and not a car Otherwise I’d have been just the guy for the job"

I laughed and shoved hihtened on the small of my back and pulled et over this inability to ask people for help," he whispered, his nose buhis exhaled air He sighed, his body er, will you helphis eyes, nodded "Always and forever Whatever you need, I’ll be here" His lips startedainst hismy body to line up with his like ere constructed for each other, two halves of a bigger whole

I closed my eyes, and in that instant, one through over the past years clicked into place, locking together to forht here, right now Every day, everyht

This place where I’d never be alone again