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“Wait a minute, you’re doing this thing?” Starla asks, looking a little less bored than she did a minute ago.

“Ah, what thing?”

She raises one very thin, very black brow. “Lure in that creeper dude and, I don’t know, use your weird friends to get rid of him?” She waves to the booth in the corner where Gabe, Kristie, Dima and some very well dressed man with dark slicked back hair is sitting.

I give them a wave and they all wave back. None of them smile, but their waves are friendly. “Um, yes?” I answer.

“Wow. I never figured you to be the type, but, you know what? Fuck yeah,” Starla says, holding her fist out for me to bump. “Probably don’t expect me to help though. That guy creeps me out.”

“Noted.” We share a smile and I lean over and pat Starla’s covered arm. “Thanks, Starla.”

She stares at where my hand touched her arm before very slowly reaching over and laying her hand on my sleeve. “You’re a good person Brenna.”

She’s right. You are. I wouldn’t have stayed this long if you were an asshole.

I snort. “Thanks, Frank,” I mutter under my breath before my gaze flicks to the clock.

Only four hours until Krewe of Boo kicks off. Hopefully they go fast. I want to get this over and done with so Gabe and I can live happily ever after.

Gabriel

I feel him before I see him. Which is fucking interesting because that’s not really something I’m known for being able to do. It seems as if Mama is right. Somehow Bren and I magnify each other's gifts. A little thrill goes through me. I’ve watched Dima and Kristie with their gifts and always wondered if I’d ever get to have what they have. Turns out all I needed to do was stop being a pussy and make a move on Brenna. Oh, and be haunted by her grandmother.

“He’s here,” Grammy hisses at me, even as I stare directly at him from my position on the other side of the parade. Bren is dancing around beside me, her arm linked with mine, not a care in the world.

Actually, that’s not true. I know she’s anxious. But she’s taking this opportunity to try and get the jitters out. She lets out a little gasp and I know she’s clocked him.

“He’s here.”

“Yup.”

“OK. Well, love you Gabe, see you soon.” Before I can make a move she pulls her arm away and darts toward the coffee shop.

“Shit!”

“What the fuck is she doing?” Kristie hisses at me before following Bren into the crowd.

I’m going to tan her ass when I catch up with her. Yes, we agreed to her acting as bait. Not on her fucking own. Cursing under my breath I barge through the ghosts and ghouls and slutty vampires, using my size to get through the crowd faster. By the time I reach the shop I can already see Percy through the window.

“How the fuck did he get there so fast?” Dima asks, his accent slightly thicker. I notice that happens when he’s tense.

My gaze catches Brenna’s and instead of fear, her face is a mask of determination. Her jaw is set, her chin tipped up in a defiant gesture. Her feet are planted and she has a really big fucking flashlight in her hand, hanging loosely by her side.

“Where the hell did that come from?” Kristie asks.

“That’s my girl,” Grammy clucks. “Always prepared.”

I don’t answer. I can’t. I need to be standing beside her, facing off against this motherfucker with her. Reaching the door it slams shut, locking itself from the inside at the same time Grammy gets thrown backward into me. She freezes and her eyes turn a ghostly white and my gut drops.

“He’s strong,” Dima murmurs, his eyes looking like Grammy’s. But where she looks frozen, Dima looks calculating.

“What do you see, babe?” Kristie asks, checking her gun.

Dima is silent for too long. It may be a second, two seconds, shit two minutes, however long it is, it's too long for Brenna to be in there alone with Percy.

“He’s not so empty anymore,” Dima says, fucking finally.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I growl, beating my fist on the window.