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I turned to go back through the little gate separating the pool fro behind h downti considerate, like bringing me my clothes or a robe, I decided The dryad was like afor ht and had it all cleaned I wonder who does the dry cleaning in this place? Magic brooreet her

But it wasn’t Elspeth Instead of the someoody friendliness of my personal tree spirit, there loo e the dense tropical vegetation surrounding the grotto He was only wearing a pair of black board shorts and he listened with sweat and piercings, including quite a few more that his shirtless state revealed His Mohawk had fallen down to drip greasily around his face

Let’s not forget the sword he’s carrying, ht of that sword, I wanted to flee but I foundat one another, for at least thirty seconds I think he was as surprised to see oodness, or there’s a distinct possibility I would have wet hlander, and this one definitely looked designed for decapitation

My legs were finally working, and Ia step back Never show fear, I recalled, too late Jimmu’s cold eyes narrowed, and he came toward me

The pool was between us, so he had to skirt around it I had ate behind me and back to the Compound and safety But I was motionless, hypnotized by Jimmu’s sinuous movements He kept his eyes on ’s descriptions of Rikki-tikki-tavi’s battle with the cobras Nag and Nagaina Jimmu’s emotionless eyes heldmy reflexes I had no doubt that he intended to killfor my lover rather than my murderer

That’s not to say I wasn’t panicked Fear was flooding througharound in et the hell out of there But those voices were overwhelaze

Suddenly there was another sound, straight ahead of me, from the hidden path Jiress and then his tongue flickered between his lips But he kept his eyes onme still

He’s tasting the air, I realized, shuddering

I couldn’t seeabout in the vegetation Jimmu’s eyes narrowed, and then he looked toward the sound, finally breaking his contact with me My breath escaped with a whoosh as I was released from whatever spell I’d been under

As I whisked around to run toward the gate to the Coli back the way he ca whoever had ruined his ate and flew through the courtyard I thankedI knew it hadn’t just been a rabbit; the look on Jinition and anger And I couldn’t i like that, so I had no idea who it was I just hoped that whoever it had been knehat he or she was getting into, waking the wrath of Jimmu like that

By this point I ell into the Co till I saw ar--which I hoped was a nahual and not the real deal--paused to look atits head as it continued on its way There were a few other beings flitting about the end of the large room I’d found myself in--some sort ofthe walls--so I took the opportunity to double over, gasping for air I had a terrific stitch in my side, and I seemed to have dropped my towel by the side of the pool I was also covered with sweat,In other words, I looked as good as I felt

I also didn’t knohat to do I knew I needed to get back to Ryu; he was the one being I trusted in this Compound And I had to tell him what had passed between Jimmu and me, not least because I didn’t think I was safe left alone

There was no doubt in my mind that Jimmu’s intentions had not been to shake land’s chances in the Super Bowl that year He’d definitely wanted to commit some atrocious act of violence on ? I wondered Or is there more to it?

I really hoped Jienetic heritage, although I knew that humans were more than happy to s likeby some of the supernatural community, then I would never be safe in er entirely at home in your father’s…

I shook ht now, I had to get to the safety ofhacked to death by snake-ht add, since I had no idea where the fuck I was

They really need to provide visitors with ure out which way to go I norood sense of direction, but this place baffled ational systems

I knew I didn’t want to return the way I ca to bits whatever had interrupted us, so I went forward toward a large set of double doors I felt foolish in my faded old swiood, since I was pretty convinced by Jimmu’s behavior that anybody could be out to kill ht add