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And, just like that, it did

It stopped

Not soht midbounce

I looked at it for a uy, who had been about to hand sos I licked s out of his frozen fingers

I’d feel bad about it later Right now all I felt was hunger I clutched rease And a fallen tourist And a hovering bird And then I rounded the corner--

To find that the time bubble I’d inadvertently created didn’t extend out quite this far A potted fern’s fronds rustled slightly in the breeze froht inside a security guard’s unifor to stare at me out of the neck hole And a trio of wolances

The elevator dinged and the doors opened I got on One of the wo, but I held up a hand It had taco sauce on it "Next ti?"

"I’ely

And then the doors shut and I was gone

Chapter Thirteen

So good Oh God, so freaking--

There was a knock on the door I looked up frolared at it But, apparently, h the foam-core, because a moment later, the door opened

A vampire looked in

I hid my food as best I could, and snarled at hihtly, hands raised "Jeez I ray eyes wide

"Go Away," I warned, and shoved another nacho in my face

"Yeah, uh, yeah Only Marco said to ask you--" He broke off, looking at so "Hey, is that mole--"

"Get out!" And he suddenly disappeared

Not left, disappeared

I panicked for a second, but then I saw him, not mentally the way I had when I’d shifted so in a panic past the open door For a second, I wondered if I’d actually shifted hih to make it look--

But no The power drain hit a second later, forcing out a groan Da surprise The real shock was that I wasn’t dead Al for food and sleep before going out again, stopping ti soone but a few feet I was surprised he’d gone anywhere at all And now I felt nauseated

I drank arita out of a classy foam cup and told my stomach to deal with it A moment later, another vamp appeared in the doorway

This one was smarter This one didn’t co-brotherly disapproval, although whether atpoor Fred, I didn’t know

"Is it safe to co to eat my food?"

Marco lifted a bushy black eyebrow "Is that from the heartburn shack downstairs?"

"Yeah"

"Then it’s sacred, I assure you"

"Then you can come in," I said, as if I had a choice Marco herever he damned well pleased