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You are an echo who is not an echo

Holly didn’t want to think about that word: echo She was scared she knew exactly what itme?”

“No need I just followed the blinding glare of your hair”

“A man ears the same outfit over and over has no room to criticize my fashion choices” Never would she tell hiray suit and white shirt that had survived the rain unscathed but for the odd droplet here and there

Protected by the partial overhang above this railingless landing area, he’d soon dry off Holly had done so inside the war

“Look at this,” Venoe of insults was over “It’s a faked photo of you”

She frowned, took his phone It was a shock to see herself looking so beaten “I’d never look like that,” she said, ice crackling her words “Even if they beat me to a pulp”

“The individuals behind it clearly didn’t research their target” Venoe but there were two others Vivek was able to track down physical addresses for all the fraudsters—I thought we should pay theot a bite back via a channel we can’t monitor”

“Let’s go” Holly felt like kicking some ass

Not waiting for Venoh, and then he wasbeside her They landed at the sa on their skin and clothing “You don’t climb like me,” she said, curious despite herself He was fluid like her, but his bones didn’t move in the same way

“We can co across to where he’d parked his distinctive Bugatti, he got in, waited for her to take her seat “I’ve sent you the files on the ones who said they’d caught you See if you recognize any names All are vampires”

Holly took out her phone, brought up the list he’d sent her She didn’t really expect to see any names she knew, but— “Son of a bitch That asshole”

“Which one?” He turned away froray

“Marlin Tucker Low-level scu who deals in information when he can’t deal in honey feeds Vampire Hundred and seventy years old”

“Perhaps your relationship will make him cooperative”

“We don’t have a relationship He’s one of Ash’s contacts—she thinks he’s an asshole, too, but he’s an asshole who belongs in the gray and people talk to hih the other names “I don’t know anyone else and these addresses aren’t likely to be real if they’re the official ones on their driver’s licenses or whatever”

“Vivek dug deeper” A sideways glance out of eyes she couldn’t see “Nice outfit Taking fashion advice from Dmitri?”

Holly narrowed her eyes at him She’d chosen skinny black jeans today, paired them with a three-quarter-sleeved and fitted black shirt that she’d tucked into the jeans; the outfit was completed by boots that laced up to midcalf Not spike boots Work boots “I haven’t seen Dmitri wear daisies anytime lately” Those daisies decorated her boots

Veno Real “Definitely not Sorrow anymore”

Holly wasn’t so sure She’d changed her name back to Holly because of the sadness on her fairl she’d once been was gone foreverand deep in the night, when she was alone and the world was distant and no one could see her vulnerability, Holly irl who’d loved fashion and who’d had a crush on one of her lecturers

With his sandy blond hair, a sht blue eyes, and a habit of wearing cardigans over his shirts, he’d made her heart flutter Shelley and Maxie had dared Holly to ly taken the bet Because back then, her life had been like that A bubble of joy and possibility A weightless, gossa

“Do you ever miss who you were?” The words were out of her ht betray

Veno tio,” he said “Another few decades and it will be four centuries since I was Made”