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She kisses me on the lips. Even though I can’t feel it, it’s nice.

I look at Carlos and he puts his hands up.

“Don’t look at me, man. I’m not kissing your ugly ass.”

“Where’s Ray?”

“He’s with Vidocq, looking at old books. Neither of them would come.”

“Tell them not to be stupid and get over here.”

Carlos makes a face.

“No one tells Ray to do anything when his mind is made up. Anyway, he says Vidocq’s apartment is pretty safe.”

“Yeah, I guess so. There’s hoodoo on it. No one can see it unless he wants them to.”

Candy is propped up on the couch. Alessa is next to her, holding her hand. Allegra is there with her medical bag. She’s cleaned most of the blood off Candy’s face and is smearing a clear ointment on her wound. I go over in time to hear, “… after they took Stark, one of the assholes hit me with his rifle butt.”

I look over Allegra’s shoulder.

“Is she going to be all right?”

“She’ll be fine. There’s r

ed mercury in the salve. The wound will be closed in another minute or so. It’s a concussion I’m worried about,” she says. Then adds, “Hi, by the way.”

“Hi to you.”

“When I’m done with Candy I’m going to want to look at you.”

“Forget it. I’m a corpse. You’re not going to have anything in your bag for that.”

“You just might be surprised. Sit down and take off your shirt.”

The look Alessa gives me lets me know not to sit on the couch. I go across the room and drop down into one of the plastic spaceship chairs.

When I get my coat off, Kasabian is in front of me.

“What?” I say.

“Nothing, man. Nothing at all.”

“Did Howard give you any trouble while we were gone?”

He just stares at me.

“You could have gotten Candy killed, you fuck.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“You better stay away from her from here on out.”

I look at him. He’s as mad as I’ve ever seen him and I’ve seen him shooting at me.

“Are you threatening me, Kas?”

“Considering your current state, yeah. I am. Leave Candy out of any of your stupid future plans.”