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Magic Dreams Ilona Andrews 27030K 2023-08-31

Boo flood stopped I waited, listening, but nocame My calf burned The pain didn’t bothera blood trail, which would make me ridiculously easy to track I had five shots left in the AA-12 No way to know if I had killed them all or if this was the calet Mr Haffey out of here

He was sitting in the coal bin, staring at the pile of insect parts "Da"

"We aim to please," I told hi, praise I kneas a great shot, but hearing it from the PAD veteran made me all warm and fuzzy anyway "Have you seen Mrs Truman?"

"I saw her body They ripped her to pieces, the assholes"

Poor Mrs Tru I’"

That’s why he’d hidden in the coal He’d buried his leg in the coal dust to so, then"

"You listen to ruff voice "There’s no way for you to get me out Even if I lean on you, I’ht will just take you doith et out of here Kayla must’ve called over to the station I’ll hold theun over my shoulder and picked hi as a norile, but a two-hundred-pound e

I double-ti had a death grip on a chitinous leg as long as he was He had to lean his head back to carry it, but the look in his eyes said no ar," Mr Haffey informed me

I winked at him "What, Mrs Haffey never carried you over the threshold on your wedding night?"

His eyes bulged "That’s just ridiculous What are you?"

I’d spentto be hu, and sooner or later I had to start owning up to it "A shapeshifter"

"Wolf?"

"A bouda" Well, not exactly The truth was more complicated, but I wasn’t ready for those explanations yet

We reached the hole If I were a regular bouda, I could’ve jumped out of the hole with Mr Haffey inThrowing hi to lift you Can you pull yourself up?"

"Is the Pope Catholic?"

I lowered hirabbed him by the hips, and heaved Mr Haffey pulled hiot a real close look at that wound It was a four-inch rip down his leg and touching his sweatpants left my palm bloody He needed an ambulance yesterday

I tossed Chief and his prize out of the hole, jue, and hopped up

"Will you at least carry me fire to keep your blood frorowled deep under his breath

I picked hiuffawed

I caught the fa froht the Order didn’t allow shapeshifters"

"They don’t When they figuredchased us

"That’s bullshit right there" Mr Haffey shook his head "And discriht it as long as I could Anyway, they retired avelook "You took it?"

"Nope Told theently as I could and spun, shotgun ready

A huge pale insect lunged at us I puathered Mr Haffey up and double-timed it to the door

"Listen, most of my contacts have retired, but a few of us have kids in the depart The PAD will be glad to have you You’re a hell of a shot Shouldn’t let that go to waste"

"Much appreciated" I sot a job I work for a business My best friend owns it" I started up the stairs

"What sort of business?"

"Magic haz"

Mr Haffey opened his eyes "Private cop? You went private?"

That’s cop mentality for you I tell him I’m a shapeshifter and he doesn’t blink an eye But private cop, oh no, that’s not okay

"So how’s business?" Mr Haffey squinted at me