Page 56 (1/2)

"I lay back It didn't ht of it It didn'tup on her elbow, she said,

" 'Find what's left of me out there, Quinn Find the island Find what they did to ed and frail The cas shivered beside her delicate face I touched her ear I touched the place where the gold pierced it I touched the handsome black-and-white cameo at her throat

" 'Rebecca,' I said Beyond her stood Goblin shaking his head No Goblin was so vivid, Goblin was using all his power

" 'Do that for me,' she said 'Do that and I'll come back to you, Quinn And it will be sweet, always so sweet I was a creature born to iven you your first tiive pleasure That's all I've ever tried to do ¡¯

"The cameo at her throat, it was so like those in Aunt Queen's collection yet it was different But all of thisthis cameo Yes I reached out to touch her soft brown hair

" 'Tawquin, Tawquin, Taw-quin,' Jas up the steps I could feel it, the vibration of the floorboards

"I was alone

"I sat up My pants were open The semen was all over my jeans and on the bedspread I saw tofor a wad of paper tissue fro at Jasmine as she came into the room

" 'You crazy boy,' Jasmine cried 'Why did you put those lamps on the sills? Are you stupid? You set the curtains on fire! What was going on in your mind?¡¯

"I flew into action On fire! Blackwood Manor! Never But she grabbed my arm as I tried to pass her

" 'We put it out!' she said 'Why did you do it?¡¯

"It could have been a disaster

"As it was, Lolly and Big Ramona, with the help of the Shed Men, replaced the burnt lace panels that afternoon The heavy draperies were all right They hadn't caught

"I was in a state of terror I sat nule question Goblin had come around Goblin sat in the other chair on the other side of the fireplace and wore a worried look on his face The coo to it I didn't want him to take my hand I didn't have answers for him

"Finally, in pure weariness of his being there and staring at me, I said, 'Why did she come? Where did she come from?¡¯