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He nodded. “At least, that’s what we call it.”

She shook her head, clearly unwilling to go further with the subject. “Anyway, there’s a lot we don’t understand about this world. That vampires exist? It’s just one more thing.”

When he didn’t say anything for a while, she glanced at him. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You are a wahlker,” he said, feeling as if he should stand up and bow to her, as was custom.

“A wahlker?”

“Someone who has been to the other side and returned. Where I come from, that is a title of distinction.”

A cell phone’s bleating turned both of their heads. The sound was coming from inside the duffel.

“Could you hand me that bag?” he asked.

She leaned over and tried to lift it. Couldn’t. “Why don’t I just give you the phone?”

“No.” He struggled to his knees. “Just let me—”

“Rhage, I’ll get it—”

“Mary, stop,” he commanded. “I don’t want you going in there.”

She recoiled from the thing, as if it were carrying snakes.

With a lurch he put his hand inside. As soon as he found the phone, he cocked it and put it up to his ear.

“Yeah?” he barked, while partially zipping the duffel shut.

“Are you okay?” Tohr said. “And where the hell are you?”

“I’m fine. Just not at home.”

“No shit. When you didn’t meet Butch down at the gym, and he couldn’t find you in the main house, he got worried and called me. Do you need a pickup?”

“No. I’m cool where I am.”

“And where’s that?”

“I called Wrath last night and he didn’t get back to me. He around?”

“He and Beth went down to his place in the city for some private time. Now where are you?” When there was no quick answer, the brother’s voice dropped lower. “Rhage, what the hell’s going on?”

“Just tell Wrath I’m looking for him.”

Tohr cursed. “Are you sure you don’t need a pickup? I can send a couple of the doggen out with a lead-lined body bag.”

“Nah, I’m good.” He wasn’t going anywhere without Mary. “Later, man.”

“Rhage—”

He hung up and the phone rang again immediately. After checking caller ID, he let Tohr go into voice mail. He was putting the thing down next to him on the floor when his stomach let out a grumble.

“Would you like me to get you something to eat?” Mary asked.

He looked at her for a moment, stunned. And then had to remind himself she didn’t know the intimacy she was offering. Still, the idea that she would honor him with food she had prepared with her own hands left him breathless.

“Close your eyes for me,” he said.

She stiffened. But she lowered her lids.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips softly to hers.

Those gray eyes popped wide open, but he pulled back before she could.

“I would love it if you would feed me. Thank you.”

Chapter Twenty-two

As the sun came up, O riffled through the building sketches that covered U’s kitchen table. He spun one around.

“This is what I want. How fast can we get it up?”

“Quick. Site’s out in the middle of nowhere, and the facility’s not going to be hooked to any municipal utilities, so there’s no need for a building permit. Putting together the wall supports and throwing some exterior clapboards on a fifteen-hundred-square-foot space won’t take long. Installing the storage facilities for the captives shouldn’t be a problem. As for the shower, we can divert the nearby stream easily and install a pump to provide running water. Supplies like hardware and tools are all generic and I’ve kept the board lengths standard size to reduce the amount of cutting. Gas-powered generator on site will provide electricity for the saws and nail guns. It’ll also give us light if we want it. We’ll keep that long-term.”

“Give me the number of days.”

“With a crew of five guys, I can have a roof over your head in forty-eight hours. Provided I can work them into the ground and the supplies come in on time.”

“I’m going to hold you to two days, then.”

“I’ll start getting what we need from Home Depot and Lowe’s this morning. I’ll split the supply orders between the two. And we’re going to need a small bulldozer, one of those Toro Dingos with the interchangeable bucket and hoe setup. I know where