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Duke looked surprised and then got his angry, arrogant look back in place “How the hell would I knoho you were going to ht think, Blake, not everyone follows your personal life on social media”

“Fine, but now that you do know I’m about to marry a vampire, do you want to rethink your comment?”

“Why? It’s the truth,” he said, and he stared at s

I laughed It made him jump as if I’d poked him with a stick

“That wasn’t ry to hateful I don’t think he liked being laughed at, which was fine with me

“You just called vampires not people That’s a step up frorandmother called my fiancé She told me I’d be damned forever if I married him My father isn’t sure he can walk ood conscience He’s a devout Catholic, and the Church still considers vampires unconsecrated dead like suicides at best and at worst a type of minor demon”

The hatred in Duke’s eyes softened a little Maybe I’d surprised hi to be able to walk my Lila down the aisle to someone she loved I’d hate it if I hated him, but I’d by God walk her down on liht He shook his head a little too fast and said, “I’ their jobs These are the two biggest cases that Hanuman has seen inhell, maybe ever” He turned his head so that we couldn’t see his face before he turned the rest of him for the door and walked out

16

“IF HE WASN’T being a pain in our asses, I’d feel sorry for the sheriff,” I said

“I feel sorry for him anyway,” Newman said

“Yeah,my life difficult turn out to have real emotions and real lives Makesto kick them in the ass”

Newh “You do have a ords, Blake”

“Yeah, sarcasht around the rooht, but the far end of the room just sed it up

“How big is this dahts?”

“The floor-to-ceiling s behind the drapes give plenty of light in the daytih the room and turn them on one by one,” he said