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Just her concerned questionstoit fro hell

"No, I won’t be talking to hi, especially to my best friend But in this circuer my brother was in, and she’d never understand the truth "Not while he’s in detox"

Tears caave er, and I was so not--except with her and Preacher and Estelle And Seth "Everything’s going to be fine; I just know it Don’t--oh, hello," she said, and pulled back

I glanced at Eli, who’d been standing in the foyer, waiting for an introduction "Oh, Nyx, this is Eli He’s apprenticing and is going to be with us for a while" I shrugged "Sort of a last-ht red lips widened into a welcoed Eli "Hi, Eli! Welco to love it here Riley is the best artist you’ll ever ith"

Eli chuckled and hugged Nyx back "So I’ve heard," he said, and gave lance over her shoulder, then pulled back and looked at her "Nice to rinned and looked at me "Oh, she has? She’s so sweet!" Then she h I didn’t hear Eli make a sound, I could just tell he’d seen it "Well, come take a look around" She turned and headed toward the front of the shop As always, she wore her hair in two high ponytails, and today she wore her favorite spiked collar She grinned at him "I’ll show you hoe set up First, we rock the house I can’t ithout rin, Eli followed, and I gave him over to Nyx while I prepared for my first client and printed out the transfer I’d created for her She showed right at eleven, and after a brief chat about the design--a pair of barbed dark wings, one on each shoulder blade--I set to work The design itself included intricate scrolled detailing and color on the wingtips, so I knew it’d take me a handful of hours to co to takehow to set up the Widoith my best friend Metric’s "Sick Muse" thuht into the zone

The early afternoon went by without a hitch, and around one thirty I sent Eli on some errands for a couple of hours I didn’t tell Nyx that his errand included going upstairs, sucking blood fro out on my bed, but I knew he needed it He’d watched s for nearly two hours, coued--or so it seeh every step of the dragonfly she’d inked on a girl’s lower back, and more than once I looked over at his dark head bent close to Nyx’s work Finally, he went upstairs I never checked on hi for nearly two centuries and didn’t need my help True to his word, after a couple of hours he returned to the shop, looking refreshed and ready to go Good thing the Arcoses were out cold until the sun dropped

The rest of the afternoon flew by; I’d done ticked arht was pretty cool, and was finishing up a screa Nyx answered

"Hey, Riley, it’s for you," she said

"Okay, could you tell the the side of a es to work over--and I leaned close, wiped, and inspectedon his side with his arrinned "How does it look?"

I gave a nod "Freaking awesoloves and went to the front desk to answer the phone "Inksomnia This is Riley"

"I’ht fes Parker’s mom" She paused "Have you seen hi with Todd Sawyer, and, wellI just can’t find him It’s been a few days" She paused "He usually checks in"

"Mrs Parker, hi," I said My insides froze over, and I stilled My eyes iht out Eli’s, and I found he was already watching me He moved instantly toward me, and I covered the mouthpiece and spoke softly "It’s Mrs Parker--Seth’s friend’s ht"

"Give me the phone," he said quietly, and I did In a voice so faint I could barely detect it, Eli spoke to Mrs Parker in French I have no idea what he said Then he hung up As he moved away, he leaned close to my ear "I eased her mind She’ll be okay for now"