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"Bullshit, Lindsey"
I froze and slid hiuard--a suard You know better than to head off to New York to deal with someone who obviously is crazy and wants to kill you"
"It’s too dangerous," I said
"And I call bullshit again You know I can handledown And that’s cowardly"
I stared back at hi me a coward?"
"I wasn’t, actually, but now I am You knohy? Because that’s exactly what you are A coward You’re pushing me away because you’re scared Scared you’ll lose me Scared you’ll lose yourself Scared you’ll lose our friendship"
"That’s a decent reason to be cautious"
"You aren’t being cautious You’re in denial"
"We’re going to fight about this right now? Right now?"
Luc threw his hands into the air in obvious exasperation, the h the rooht ere over this I thought I’d finally ed to scale the wall you’ve built around yourself But apparently not Because you want to go to New York--knowing you’ll have to face so and nasty--by yourself Because you don’t want me there with you? No," he said "No, you expressly wantme with you"
"This isn’t about you It’s about me" I slapped a hand on my chest "Me"
"No," he said, sadness in his eyes that made my stomach ache "It’s about us" He looked down, the pressure in the roo so quickly I nearly took a step back fro"
"This isn’t about us," I persisted, but once again, we both kneas lying
"Good-bye, Lindsey," he said And then he turned and walked out of the roo the door ajar
I blinked back tears, and blew out a breath to composeback to New York and taking care of business--that’s whatthat covered the hardwood floor, and pulled up a board I’d loosened o In the cavity, I’d kept a fewa folder containing inforhborhood where he and Toood chunk of the city’s supernatural populations, and according to ed ic or the humans’ fear, the Rookery and its occupants had been left to their own devices
The neighborhood still housed the Green Clare, which according to state records was still owned by "William Daniel O’Hare" It’s not that I’d expected O’Hare or anyone else from the Rookery to look for me after all these years--they hadn’t knoas alive, after all--but I was a Cadogan guard Luc had trained ht be
Tears threatening again, I zipped up my duffel and pulled the strap over my shoulder "Take care of business," Ithose words all the way downstairs, to the front door, down the sidewalk, and out the gate to the waiting gypsy cab
Not once did I actually believe theh the fog as the cab sped toward the airport I rolled the n a crack, just enough to feel the stiff breeze on ht or the lingering sense that I’d been wrong about the whole thing, but as done was done
And it seemed like Luc and I were done
I wiped s I was a Cadogan vahter A woman who’d seen more in a decade of life than most humans saw in a lifetime I didn’t need another warden--or someone who validatedmyself
I ht--just before they closed the doors, and slid into h rade I’d checked ht with er that would fit neatly inside a boot
Only half the seats on the plane were filled, and their occupants looked exhausted and slept soundly, heads pressed against s or against the headrests of reclined seats As they slept, I stared out the ide-awake and grieving I watched the dark earth pass beneath us, cities glowing like amber circuits in the dark
The airport was eers and shop staff refilling their stock in preparation for the next day’s flights
I grabbed a cab and headed toward the Rookery It was a narrow, dark, and dingy rectangle of blocks near the East River, as close as New York ca corner, stea buildings filling the air
The sed much, either
It was late, and the sun was nearly on the rise I would be nearly unconscious, and coht, whichto the Web, the closest hotel was six blocks away It was called the Wellington Arn above the door read ALL SUPS WELCOME
The hotel’s naal than its interior The lobby was sish face that only ahockey on a portable television with an antenna three ti when I entered, and he glanced up and looked ton Arms," he said, his voice nasal and accented "Where all your wildest dreams come true Can I interest you in the bridal suite?"