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“Are you? You’re not going to find something more important to do? Save the whales in Narnia or start a Hellion homeless shelter?”
“If you think I’m going to get back with Alice, you’re wrong. I’m going back to save her. Those are two different things.”
“Easy to say standing here when you can’t see her and aren’t all dewy-eyed. She’s the love of your life and I’m just some girl with fangs you like to fuck.”
I hate shit like this. This is when I want to be Downtown and stay there. This is what regular people call real life and I can’t stand it. Give me a thousand Hellion throats to cut. It’s better than this.
I say, “It’s not like that and you know it.”
There’s a long pause.
“I want to think that.”
“So do it. This is what it’s like being around me. I don’t get a lot of downeft lot oftime.”
I go over to her. She’s still staring at her feet. Her arms are still crossed, but she doesn’t move away. I rest my hands on her shoulders.
“Ever since I got back, people having been getting bloody because of me. Parker almost killed Allegra and Vidocq. A Drifter took a bite out of Brigitte. Doc Kinski is dead. Alice was dragged off to Hell. Now it’s this Hunter kid and you.”
She unfolds her arms and lets them drop to her sides.
I say, “I can’t fix what’s already happened, but I can goddamn well kill it at the source, and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m not doing this for Alice or you or Doc or anyone else. I’m doing this for me because I’m tired of waiting to see what kind of heinous shit Mason dreams up next and who it’s going to take down.”
I move a hand up behind her head, feeling her shaggy Joan Jett hair.
“Don’t stick around if you don’t want to. Hell, I never even bought you the breakfast I promised. It’d be great if you’re here when I get back, but I won’t blame you if you’re not. I don’t know if I’d stick around this half-assed horse opera. So if I don’t see you again, thanks for playing monster with me for a while. It felt good.”
I turn and head for the door, but stop before I get it open. I don’t turn around.
“You got a taste of blood when you bit that dealer back at Dead Set. Promise me you’ll go to Allegra and get some of the potion that helps you control the craving.”
“I promise.”
I go out onto the balcony, closing the door behind me.
IN THE PARKING lot, foreign exchange students are playing basketball and eating burritos from a taqueria truck parked on the street. A couple have their laptops out and are video-chatting with their families back home.
I head to my room with Kasabian.
Someone taps me on the shoulder.
“Hey.”
Candy comes around in front of me.
She says, “When you’re born in a burning house, you think the whole world is on fire. But it’s not.”
“What is that?”
“It’s something Doc told me. I didn’t get it at first, but later on it made sense. I thought maybe it could help you.”
“Thanks.”
I nod at the door.
“You coming in?”
She smiles a little and nods.
