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Will's grip loosened, his excite "Just look at her She's tootoo" Too everything he could ever drea with her She must be shallow, vapid, dim Webb must've left his mark on her"

"She's also young, Will Whatever dahted if you're patient with her"

"Why would fate give me a human to protect? Especially this hue toward her father?

"Because, brother, you can handle it"

Will's Instinct was pushing, his beast stirring for her; resisting her pull was harder than the tortures he'd recently endured He gazed down at her, rubbing his thumb over her bottoe went straight across before curving up at the corners, a soft bracket Gods, she was a pretty thing

-Yours-

Mayhap she was his reward? To help et over torture, help me understand my past "Looks like I'll have to handle it"

"Where do we take her after Loa's?" Munro asked "My first thought is Bheinnrose We'd be isolated up in Nova Scotia, away from all this commotion"

"I say we stay in Louisiana, at Glenrial Strategically, it's easier to defend" Though the compound consisted of hundreds of acres, it was completely walled in, with a trained watch stationed at intervals The place was simply too close to the houarded like a vault

"Aye then, I'll make the call" Munro briefly spoke to Madadh, Glenrial'shi up once they'd

The maze of one-way streets was filled with drunken tourists,stands

Will gazed down at Chloe Were her breaths shallowing? -Protect!- Another jolt of fear hit him I canna lose her, just when I've found her "Faster, Munro"

With his lips thinned, Munroway down a one-way street "I'll get us there-just have your credit card ready Loa will be pissed that we're no' there to flirt with her"

Chapter Eleven

Candles, taxidermy, incense, cannabis

As ever, Will's senses were overloaded by the cacophony of scents inside Loa's store

The bell above the door was still ringing as he and Munro barged into the candlelit interior, Will with Chloe wrapped securely in his arms He called, "Loa!" The scuffed wood floor creaked beneath his feet, but there was no answer

Whereas the front of the shop was a touristy affair-with fake voodoo charms and dolls, shelves of tarot card decks and black candles-the back was an authentic Lore establishment, filled with mystical wares A Lore-mart

Munro entered the concealed doorway first, Will right behind him

Loa was seated at a counter, reading some tome with Geopolitical in the title Her smile was broad as she called, "Hot and Hotter?" It diht of their battle-worn appearances-and Will's bloody female "Is that who them spirits are talkin' 'bout?" she said with her islander accent "The auction prize?"

"Aye, and she's injured," Will said

"My business how?" she said, adding sarcastically, "You buyin' a witch healing potion?"

Will slapped his credit card on the counter "Aye"

She raised her eyebrows "Lykae seekin' witchcraft The apocalypse truly is here"

"We doona have time for this!"

With a shrug, she said, "Aisle five But they only heal non-lethal wounds"

Another jolt of fear Couldn't be a lethal wound As they charged toward five, Will read the overhead signs: CONTRACEPTION, GLAMOURS, CONJURINGS, APOCALYPSE PREPARATIONthen HEALING ARTS

At last! But the shelf was chock-full of confusing vials and jars "Which one, Munro?"

Munro yelled over his shoulder, "A little help, Loa?"

"Look at the prices," she called back "You want the most expensive one"

Will spotted a stoppered vial of lireen liquid for three hundred and fifty thousand Surely that cost the most?

None doing That was the cheapest

Munro rifled through the rest, grabbing a lever-top jar filled with a tarlike paste for twice that

"Instructions come with?" Will asked as they barreled up to the counter

Loa arched a brow at him "Your credit card nuh irie"

"What does that mean? It's limitless"

"Alternative payment requested And I'm tackin' on a sanitation fee-she's drippin' blood"

Munro was already rooting for his wallet "Daood for it" To Will, he said, "You es Had no idea he was talking about card-killing purchases"

Could give a shite right now "Loa, hoe administer this?"

"Quickly, if you'd like her to live See the sale table over there? What you want to do is use one aroods to the floor At cost Once you've laid her down, clean her wounds with a case of Mount Doos, then smear the paste on Oh, and you on-silk quilt" She handed hihly

Uncaring, he lunged for the table, sweeping y banks, Rothkalina snow globes, and Horn-of-Fa

Laying Chloe down, he covered her lower half with the blanket Munro had already retrieved the water and a beach towel

"What else can I do?" Munro asked

Will answered, "Guard the door Others ht suspect we've come here"

When Munro jogged off, Loa sauntered over, studying Chloe's face She nodded as if Will had said soht black candles in a circle around the table

"Oh, now you're going to help?" He poured water over Chloe's wound, then assessed it: redder, ht

Gods, she was so small and pale Sohuman

"The spirits like her Not h our doors"

Pure of heart? "You ken who she is Why would they think that of her?"

"She's of Webb She hasn't followed his path"

"How can they tell?" Will already believed this, felt in his gut that she was good

"Violence and hatred leave marks the spirits can see You're riddled with them"

You have no idea

"This one is not Plus she doesn't have thean chanting to "Li Grand Zombie," Will's hackles rose He'd once heard the priestess explain the difference between her ic of a typical witch: "Mine is darker And while theirs is based on life, mine is steeped in death"

Loa gave a half-grin, as if so Creepy, mystical bullshite-Lykae hated it!