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What happened then was interesting Mary-Lynnette got to see the sisters do all the things she’d and the clawed fingers Just like the movies
Except that when a vampire hissed, it sounded real Like a cat, not like a person iirls juht
There wasn’t any weird gri and
beautifully curved, co to delicate feline points that indented the lower lip
And soreen eyes went even olden eyes looked jewel-yellow, like a hawk’s Even Rowan’s eyes had a dark light in the beside Jade, staring from her to Ash
Ash said, "Hi"
Don’t look at hi wildly and her knees were
treht, re a line from last year’sphysics
lass But there was another, shorter namefor it, and no matter what she said to herself, she couldn’t keep
it out of her mind
Soulmates
Oh, God, I really don’t want this Please, please, Ididn’t ask for this I want to discover a supernova and
study mini-quasars at the Gamma Ray Observatory I want to be the one who solves the mystery of
where all the dark matter in the universe is
I don’t want this
It should have happened to so for roed for wassomebody to understand
to understand the night with you,a distant part ofher mind whispered
And instead here she was, stuck with a guy whose own sisters were terrified of hipoised to fight,noises Even Kestrel
was afraid of hier washed out the tre dismay inside her Whatever
she felt about Ash, she wasn’t afraid of him
"Don’t you ever knock?" she said and walked toward him Strode toward him
She had to hand it to her new farab her and keep her fro her MaryLynnette shook them off
Ash eyed her warily
"Oh You," he said Unenthusiastically
"What are you doing here?"
"It’s my uncle’s house"
"It’s your aunt’s house and you weren’t invited"
Ash looked at his sisters Mary-Lynnette could justsee little wheels turning in his head Had they already
told about the Night World or not? Of course, if they hadn’t, their behavior should be giving soirls didn’t hiss
Ash held one finger up "Okay Now, listen"
Mary-Lynnette kicked him in the shins She kneas inappropriate, she kneas uncalled-for,
but she couldn’t stop herself She just had to
"Oh, for God’s sake," Ash said, hopping backward
"Are you crazy?"
"Yes, she is," Mark said, abandoning Jade and hurrying forward to take Mary-Lynnette’s arm
"Everybody knows she’s crazy She can’t help it" He backedup, pulling He was looking at
Mary-Lynnette as if she’d taken all her clothes off and started to dance the one ordinary, their teeth retracted They’d never seen
anyone treat their brother quite this way And to have a huirls had superhuer He could probably flatten
Mary-Lynnette with one blow
She still couldn’t help it She wasn’t afraid of hi in her
stos wanted to fold under her
"Will so
Kestrel and Jade looked sideways at Mary-Lynnette Mary-Lynnette shrugged at the quickly
She saw that Roas looking at her, too, butnot in the same dumbfounded way Rowan looked
worried and surprised and sorry
"You’ve met," she said
"I should have told you," Mary-Lynnette said "Hecathat he needed to approve them because he was head of
the fairls looked at Ash with narrowed eyes
"So you have been around," Kestrel said "Forhow long?"
Rowan said quietly, "What are -you really doinghere?"
Ash let go of his shin "Can we all sit down and talk about this like reasonable people?"
Everyone looked at Mary-Lynnette She took a deep, cal breath She still felt as if her entire skin
was electrified, but her heart was slowing down "Yes," she said and worked at looking normal so they’d
know her temporary insanity was over
As he helped her to the couch, Mark whispered, "I have to tell you, I’ve never seen you act so immature
before I’ sisters have to have souely and sat,
feeling tired
Ash settled in a plush-covered chair Rowan andKestrel sat beside Mary-Lynnette Mark and Jade
shared an ottoht," Ash said "Now can we fast introduce ourselves? I presume that’s your brother"
"Mark," Mary-Lynnette said "Mark, that’s Ash"
Mark nodded He and Jade were holding hands Mary-Lynnette saw Ash’s eyes drop to their
intertwined fingers She couldn’t tell anything from his expression
"Okay Now" Ash looked at Rowan "I’m here to take you back home, where everyone misses
you violently"
Jade breathed, "Give me a break"
Kestrel said, "What if we don’t want to be taken?" and showed her teeth briefly Mary-Lynnette didn’t
find that strange What she found strange was that Ash didn’t return the s right then He looked like soet a job over with
Rowan said, "We can’t go hoular, but her chin was high
"Well, you have to co to be some fairly drastic
consequences"
"We knew that e left," Jade said, with aslittle eh, too
"Well, I don’t think you’ve really thought itthrough" Ash’s voice had an edge
"We’d rather die than go back," Jade said
Kestrel glanced at her quickly, one eyebrow raised
"Oh, well, fine, I’ll just htly Then his expression darkened He
lookedht he could look Not in the least like a
big blond cat Like a lanky, elegant pale tiger
"Now, listen," he said "There are a few ss that you don’t understand, and I don’t have
any tiames So how about we send yourlittle friends home and then we can all have a fam ily
talk"
Mary-Lynnette’s hands clenched into fists
Mark clutched at Jade, who pushed hi "I think maybe
you’d better," she said
"I’ to leave you"
Rowan bit her lip "Mark "
"I’ Don’t try to protectto find out that
we know about the Night World"
Rowan drew in her breath involuntarily Kestrel’s expression never changed, but her ht Jade’s eyes went silver Mary-Lynnette sat very still
They all looked at Ash Ash looked heavenward
"I know you know," he said with deadly patience"I’et you out, you poor sap, before