Page 34 (1/2)

The Caldwell Greyhound tere of the industrial park that stretched south of the city The old flat-roofed building was ringed by a corral of chain- link fence, as if the buses were flight risks, and its porte cochere had a sag in the middle

As John took form in the lee of a parked bus, he waited for Xhex and Qhuinn Xhex was the first to arrive, andhad stayed down just fine and her color was really good She was still in the scrub bottoiven her, but on top she had on one of his black hoodies, and one of his windbreakers

He loved the outfit Loved that she was in his threads Loved that they were too big on her

Loved that she looked like a girl

Not that he didn&039;t totally get off on her leathers and her muscle shirts and her I&039;ll-crack-your-balls-if-you-step-out-of-line routine That was a complete turn-on, too It was just the way she looked now seemed private, for some reason Probably because he was daet seen like this very often

"Why are we here?" she asked, looking around Her voice wasn&039;t disappointed or annoyed, thank God She was just curious

Qhuinn took form about ten yards away and crossed his arms over his chest like he didn&039;t trust hiuy was in a vicious mood Absolutely vile He hadn&039;t had two civil words to say in the foyer as John had told hi, and the cause hadn&039;t been clear

Well at least not until Blay had walked by the group looking like a uy had paused only to say goodbye to John and Xhex; he hadn&039;t spared even a glance for Qhuinn as he&039;d gone out the vestibule and into the night

He&039;d had fresh cologne on

Clearly he was going on a date But ho?

On a hiss and roar, a bus trundled out of the lot, the diesel fu John&039;s nose threaten a sneeze

Co his backpack to his other shoulder and drawing her forward

The two of the fluorescent light of the terh it was chilly, John kept his leather jacket open in case he needed to get to his daggers or his gun, and Xhex was packing as well

Lessers could be anywhere and humans could be idiots

He held the door open for her and was relieved to see that aside frolas, there was only an old ht on one of the plastic benches and a woman with a suitcase

Xhex&039;s voice was low "This place you&039;re saddened by it"

Shit, he supposed he was But not from what he&039;d experienced herealone and in pain while she struggled through labor

Whistling in a loud burst, he held up his pal down their consciousness, he put theht trance and then walked over to the n screwed into it: WOMEN

Planting his hand on the cold panel, he pushed his way in a little and listened No sounds Place was e around the cinder-block walls and the stainless-steel sinks and the three stalls The place smelled like Clorox and dalass, but of polished sheets ofsoap dispensers to the No Sn to the rubbish bin

Xhex stopped in front of the handicapped stall, her eyes sharp As she nudged open the flapping door, she recoiled and seemed confused

"Here" She pointed down to the floor in the corner "Here here you were where you landed"

When she glanced back at hied He didn&039;t knohich stall precisely, but ita baby, you&039;d want to be in the one with the most space

Xhex stared at hih him and he briefly shifted around and checked to see if soether in the women&039;s bathroom

What, he mouthed as she let the stall door shut

"Who found you?" When hethe floor, she murmured, "A janitor"

As he nodded, he felt ashamed of this place, of his history

"Don&039;t be" She cae My circuuably worse"

Being a half-breed syine After all the two breeds didn&039;t o frolanced around Qhuinn was standing in the far corner, glaring at the doors of the ter that suy looked over, John nodded; then he untranced and scrubbed the minds of the humans, and the three of theain, it was in the backyard of Our Lady&039;s orphanage, next to the slide and the sandbox A bitter March wind swept over the grounds of the church&039;s sanctuary for the unwanted, the links of the swings creaking and the bare branches of the trees offering no protection Up ahead, the rows of four-paned s that marked the dormitory were dark and so were all the ones in the cafeteria and the chapel

"Humans?" Xhex breathed as Qhuinn wandered over and sat his ass on one of the swings "You were raised by humans? God da maybe this wasn&039;t such a hot idea She seemed horrified--