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Nick looked at Morley. “Wynter says hi.”

“Tell her hi back.”

He says hi back.

I heard that. Sweet man.

Nick rolled his eyes.

“She says you’re sweet,” Nick said to his boss. “Clearly it’s the blood-loss talking.”

Morley shrugged. “Maybe she just knows how sweet I am, Midnight, and you don’t.”

“Sure, buddy. Sure.”

Without waiting for another response from either of them, Nick focused on Wynter.

I was about to look at Mal’s latest masterpiece,he told her.If there isn’t something immediately pressing there, I was going to see about maybe going to talk to Brick. I thought he might know something about this. About this other vampire, I mean. He made it sound like he’d been in contact with Brick. Like they’d talked.

You won’t be able to find him,Wynter said.

Nick frowned.

He understood what she was saying.

He frankly just couldn’t believe it.

But I can get him to call you,Wynter added.Brick, I mean.

I know you mean Brick.Nick was still frowning.Him, too? Really?

Yeah.Wynter sighed. Nick saw her finger a few locks of hair out of her eyes.Lara thought it would be better if we were all in one place. The security is amazing here, and––

Don’t tell me anything about where you are, Wynter,Nick warned.Don’t think about where you are in any way. Not what it looks like. Not where it is. Don’t look at your surroundings, or your view, not when we’re connected like this. I don’t want to know a damned thing about it, wife. I don’t even want to know what protected area you’re in.

There was another silence.

Thinking about everything he’d just said to her, Nick felt a harder ripple of worry go through him.

Maybe having a blood connection to his wife right now wasn’t such a great idea.

Maybe it was a really fucking stupid idea, in fact.

Ouch,she sent, hurt.

His thoughts grew exasperated, still vibrating with that worry.You know what I mean. You also know I wasn’t talking about you.

The silence deepened.

He can really see that?she asked, quieter.He can really see into your mind, Nick? As clearly as all that?

Nick exhaled, feeling his worry worsen.Yeah. I think so. I get glimpses into his, too. In dreams. Sometimes when I’m awake. But he seems to be better at controlling it. He seems to be better at reading things off me than the reverse. Unless he’s just a really good liar.

Thinking about that, Nick frowned.

Does anyone over there have any theories?he asked next.

There was a silence.