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"You want access to their supplier," Phin added "And to the rooms It’s apparent that Valerian has your brother and his friends using this place Not just to gather more kids for his army, but probably to lure victims" My stonize you?" asked Josie, who’d been quietly watching

"I don’t think so," I answered "He stared at me for a few seconds like I was a pork chop, but that’s it"

Luc and Phin chuckled; Eli did not He just stared at ry, and I couldn’t understand why he was so pissed off at o," said Josie, and headed up the alley toward the street She glanced over her shoulder, then stopped and looked directly at me "Bye, Riley Don’t worry--we’ll keep an eye on Seth"

"Peace out," Luc said, following her, and Phin grinned and hurried up the alleyway I watched in awe as the Dupré siblingsevery ledge and flat surface to spring effortlessly off of--and at a much faster pace than Seth and the others had At the rooftop of the building across the street, Josie stopped, turned, and waved, and then the three disappeared into the darkness

"Coet this over with and get out of here Place makes me sick" He opened the door and held it for h I didn’t look back as I walked to Kelter’s office, and when I got there and turned, Eli had gone Inside, I found Kelter at his desk, s a joint, which smelled just as bad as the corridor

"That little prick oweson the spur of the ainst Kelter’s desk He was pasty white and didn’t see Of course he was half lit with liquor and pot, but his tolerance was usually a little higher "So, what do you got for h a vapor of Mary Jane, but the cockiness froenuinely scared, and I felt no pity for him at all "What do you want, Riley?" he asked His eyes squinted as he pulled another drag

"Tonight, nothing Not after the stunt that kid just pulled Later? A couple dozen Oxys," I said, the fah for a party As long as you’re still in good with your cousin?" Kelter’s cousin was on the SPD, and yeah--a dirty cop

"Tonight’s a freebie" Kelter reached into his desk drawer and retrieved a ziplock sis had taken, only sarette He stood and eased around the desk, leaning close to rabbed e to shove my knuckles into his carotid

"Rooh "That’s our old room, remember? When you’re ready for the seven deadly sins, let ht?" he asked, and slid his fingers along the inside seam of my leather pants "Or do you need a little reminder?"

Inside I screamed; I wanted to knee his nuts so bad it hurt But instead I put on a pouty face and nodded "Yeah I rehed "Good," he said, and drew another toke fro ht all this ti of yourself" He chuckled, and I swear his pale face , huh?" He dropped the bag in my hand "Once a junkie, always a junkie See ya round, Riley"

I didn’t answer him; instead, I shoved the dope inthe door behind hter What a nasty freak I was halfway to the double doors when Eli stepped out of the shadows Immediately, a protective hand went to my lower back Within the horseshoe, it was like so close, sharing a joint; another couple was hot and heavy against the wall not two feet away, her laced leather shirt coirls had staked out a dark alcove near the bathroom, one sprawled across the other’s lap; they faced each other,each other up The one on top had on a short plaid schoolgirl skirt with her knees pulled up, and her thonged ass was hanging out Swear to God, people these days had no freaking hu, but damn "Get a room," I muttered, but no way did they hear me, and even if they did, they didn’t care The pressure of Eli’s hand guided me past all the club lovers and into theNot once did his palm leave my skin People bumped and knocked into rasp tightened against ainst h the crowd, and my body hummed with awareness I liked it

Close to the door we ran into Mullet and a tall, leggy girl with a pitch-black bob, straight-across bangs, black pants, and a red tank top with suspenders Her Goth boots made her an easy two inches taller than Mullet He otten into the bad stuff, like ent on in the back rooood guy I sometimes wondered how he remained my friend when I’d been into so ave h I hadn’t been around hiht I was into Kelter’s shit again But I couldn’t tell hi mystical Tibetan eyes on me until the door closed

Outside, the heavy, wet air fro thick around us, the salt hty scent, and I breathed deeply, relieved to be outside I glanced back at the Panic Roo could contain so muchsin And how easily I had becoer back in his voice I looked at hi why he was somore, so I climbed on and we headed up Martin Luther until we reached Bay

"Head to Congress Street," I said over his shoulder "Molly McPherson’s"

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