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“It’s not voodoo.”
“I don’t care.” Juniper glanced back at the woods. “Do you feel him? Is he close? It’s been a while since the earth shook. How does he do that?”
“If I use my senses to find him, he’ll be able to track us, so I have no way of knowing how far he is. And I don’t know how he’s able to shake the earth. We all have different disciplines. When in a temper, he’ll pounce, and the impact is startling. Sometimes, the earth splits open, as you saw. He’s also clever with fire.”
The Cerberus she knew several centuries ago was terrifying. This one was somehow worse. Just as Juniper pointed out, he was also older, which made him stronger. And, after what they’d done to him, he was undoubtedly angrier.
Juniper swept away a dark strand thatescaped the knot on the top of her head. “Then you’re going to just have to trust my survival instincts. Which way is civilization?”
Adriel listened for vehicles and pointed east. “If we leave the shelter of the forest, we’re more likely to be seen.”
“We’re also more likely to blend in and disappear. It’s a big world out there, and the one thing I know about modern American culture is that no one gives a shit about anyone else, so it should be easy to hide.” Juniper started eastward. “Come on. Step one is shelter. Step two is getting us some normal freaking clothes. Step three is food—and not your kind.”
They walked for several miles before reaching the road. The noise and vibration of modern civilization interfered with Adriel’s senses and left her on edge.
When they first emerged from the woods, homes were cluttered like broken teeth in a crowded mouth, and the air smelled of chemicals and decay. Already, the pulse and tempo of modern living had Adriel on edge.
Few animals explored this far into the mortal population, doubling her concerns. While immortals were said to be natural predators, modern civilization had a way of making her feel like prey.
“This is a bad area,” Juniper explained as she scanned the houses. “We need something a little more upper-crust.”
“Upper-crust?” Adriel tilted her head, frequently confused by the girl’s English vernacular.
“Look!” Juniper pointed to a strip of shops in the distance.
Large, brightly colored signs marked the roads. The sun was up and the traffic had intensified over the last hour, but even under broad daylight, Adriel couldn’t see whatever hope Juniper found.
“What is it?”
“That building over there, they rent cars. Come on.”
Adriel hesitated.
“What’s the problem, Ade?”
She looked down at her black dress. The dirt and blood were only slightly noticeable, but Juniper’s pale, threadbare smock showed every soiled stain. “What about our clothes?”
Juniper briefly glanced down and grimaced. “I…I can’t think about that right now. Shelter first, then we can worry about a wardrobe change.”
It wasn’t fashion that worried Adriel. It was the need to stay inconspicuous. Their filthy, blood-stained, smoke-ridden attire screamed for attention, and wasn’t the point blending in?
Juniper seemed unconcerned. She crossed the parking lot, swiftly walking toward the store where several modern vehicles were parked.
“I’m not sure how the whole glamour thing works, but just follow my lead and step in when I give you the signal.”
“What signal?”
“I’ll look at you.”
Juniper’s plan didn’t seem any better than Adriel’s. “Won’t they expect payment?”
“Not if you do your mind control thing.”
“But that’s dishonest.”
The witch’s rapid steps halted, and she pivoted. “Are you serious? Adriel, look at me. I’m in a smock. I’m barefoot. I’ve been living in a freaking underground dungeon for two years, suffering whatever the hell that deranged order of yours decided to do to me. I’m over your version of right and wrong. Fuck honesty. I’m done playing nice. We need a goddamn car, and you’re going to make them give us one. Hang up whatever ethical issues you’re having and get with the program!”
“But…”
