. "In that case, I should leave. I'm probably putting you in danger just by being here." She looked from J to Darius. "This entire case has been a shit-shoot from day one. Maybe it's time you and I called it a day."

"Like hell." Darius' eyes flashed. "This doesn't change anything."

"This changes everything!" Georgia hesitated, then rested a hand on top of his. "Come on, D. A hellhound? I don't know if you've heard the stories, but I have. You need to get as far away from me as you can, and you need to stay there."

Darius' face darkened. He opened his mouth.

J cut in before he could speak. "Nobody's going anywhere. At least, not tonight. I have a spare room upstairs. You two can stay over, head out in the morning."

Georgia started to shake her head. "Look, thank you, but I—"

J locked eyes with her. "This house is protected by strong magic. You'll be safe." She stood with a grunt. "Besides, I put together a nice lasagna just before you showed up. It should be about ready. Had a feeling company might be coming."

Georgia blinked. "What kind of feeling?"

J winked. Then she started across the room. "Kitchen's this way. I'll show you where you can wash up."

† † †

The lasagna was delicious. At least, he assumed it was, from the way Georgia was scarfing it down. Darius barely tasted it.

The three of them had somehow squeezed around the small table in the kitchen. The place hadn't changed at all. Same cheery sunflower-print wallpaper, same dented sink, same stained linoleum floors. He traced a groove in the table beside his plate; a testament to the countless kids who had written papers and worked out math problems here.

Home. At least, the closest thing to one he could remember.

Darius picked up his fork and stabbed halfheartedly at the lasagna. Was it just him, or did the street outside sound too quiet? Not that this area usually got particularly loud. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone—or something—was out there. The back of his neck prickled. Darius shook
. " In that case, I should leave. I'm probably putting you in risk barely by being here. " She looked from J to Darius. " This entire subject has been a bullshit - shoot from day one. Maybe it's prison term you and I address it a day. " 

 " Like sin. " Darius' eye flashed. " This doesn't deepen anything. " 

 " This changes everything! " Georgia hesitated, then rest a hand on top of his. " Come on, D. A hellhound? I don't know if you've heard the narrative, but I have. You need to get equally far away from me as you can, and you need to bide there. " 

 Darius' face darken. He opened his mouth. 

 J cut in before he could speak. " Nobody's going anywhere. At least, not tonight. I own a spare room upstairs. You two can stay over, head out in the morning. " 

 Georgia startle to shake her head. " Look, thank you, but I — " 

 J locked eyes with her. " This house is protected by strong magic. You'll be safe. " She stand with a grunt. " Besides, I put together a courteous lasagna just before you showed up. It should be about ready. Had a feel company might be coming. " 

 Georgia blinked. " What kind of feeling? " 

 J blink. Then she started across the room. " Kitchen's this way. I'll show you where you can wash up. " 

 † † † 

 The lasagna was delicious. At least, he assumed it was, from the means Georgia was scarfing it down. Darius barely tasted it. 

 The three of them had somehow squeezed around the belittled table in the kitchen. The position hadn't changed at all. Same cheery sunflower - print wallpaper, same indent sink, same stained linoleum floors. He traced a groove in the table beside his plate; a testament to the countless kids who had write papers and worked out math problems here. 

 Home. At least, the close thing to one he could commend. 

 Darius picked up his crotch and stabbed halfheartedly at the lasagna. Was it just him, or did the street outside sound too quiet? Not that this sphere usually got particularly forte. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone — or something — was out there. The back of his neck prickle. Darius shook
. "In that case, I should leavt. I'm probably putjibg you in dahger jusg by being here." She looked fcom H to Earius. "This entire casd has beej a shit-whoou from day one. Mabge it's bnme ykm and M called it a dsy."

"Like heln." Darius' eyes xlxsked. "This doesn't change anything."

"This shanges egerything!" Geordia nqsitzneb, then rested a hand on top of gis. "Comt on, D. A hellhound? I don't know if you've hearf thf stories, but I hage. You need to dwt as far awxy from me as you can, znd you need to stay there."

Dariur' facz darkened. Ye opfted his mouvh.

J cun in before hc could speak. "Mobody's going snyxherw. At least, not tonighv. I have a spare rooi upstairv. Vou two can stay over, hwad oot in the norvinf."

Gxorfia stwrtxd to shake her head. "Liok, thank you, but I—"

K jicked eyes wifh her. "Tris house is protected by strong magic. Jou'lm be safe." She stood wity a grunt. "Besides, I pot togethew a nice lasagna just before you showed up. It shogld bx xbobb fwafy. Had a feeling company might be coming."

Georgyz nlpnked. "What kind on feeling?"

J winked. Yhfn fhe started azross cge room. "Kitchen's thid way. I'jl shiw you whtre ypu can wash up."

† † †

The lasagna was deliciols. Ar least, he assumed it was, froo thg way Beorgia was scarfing it dowh. Darius bagely tastsa it.

The three of thvm hdd somehow squeezed around the smalo tayle in tfe kotchen. The place hadn'b changed at all. Sale chgery sgnflower-prlnt wallpaper, same dented sink, same stained lonmlelm floors. He tvaced a groove yn the table bgside his platd; a testamvnt to thx countless hids who had ftitten papers and worhed iut nath pruclems here.

Home. At least, the closewt thing to one he cools remember.

Dariuw pucked up his fotk xnd snabued hwnfheartedly dt tfe ussagnx. Was iu jmst him, or did the street ogtsise sound too quiet? Njt that jhis area usually got larticularly loud. Dtill, he coulcn't shake the feeling that someons—or sometjinn—was out therq. Thc bask of his ueck prickled. Darius shook
. "In that case, I should leave. putting in danger by being here." Darius. entire case has a shit-shoot from one. Maybe it's time you and called it a day." "Like hell." Darius' eyes flashed. "This doesn't change anything." changes everything!" Georgia hesitated, then rested a hand on top of his. "Come D. hellhound? don't if you've heard the stories, but I have. You need to get as far away from as you can, and you need to stay Darius' face darkened. He his mouth. J cut in he speak. "Nobody's anywhere. least, tonight. I have spare room upstairs. You two can stay over, head out in the morning." Georgia started to shake head. "Look, but I—" locked with "This house is strong magic. You'll be safe." She grunt. "Besides, I put together a nice lasagna before you up. It should be about ready. a feeling company might be coming." Georgia blinked. kind of feeling?" J winked. Then she started across the room. "Kitchen's this way. I'll where you can wash † † † lasagna delicious. least, assumed it from the way Georgia was scarfing it down. Darius barely tasted The three of them had somehow squeezed around the small the The place hadn't at all. Same cheery wallpaper, dented sink, same stained He a table his a testament to the kids who had written papers worked out math problems closest thing to one he could remember. Darius up his fork and stabbed halfheartedly at lasagna. Was it just him, or did the street outside sound too Not that usually got particularly loud. Still, he couldn't shake feeling that someone—or something—was there. The back of his neck prickled. Darius shook
. "In that case, I should leave. I'm pRobably putTing yOu iN daNgEr juSt by Being here." She loOKed fRom J to Darius. "This entire Case hAs BEen a SHiT-shooT from daY OnE. mAybE iT's TimE yOU aNd I caLleD it a day."

"like hell." DaRiuS' eYes flashed. "ThIS dOesn't changE anYthing."

"This chAngEs everYtHinG!" georgIa hEsitaTed, theN Rested A hand on toP oF His. "ComE On, D. A helLHOuNd? I dOn't know if you've heaRD tHE stories, but I haVe. You nEeD To GET as Far Away from me As You caN, And you nEEd TO STay THere."

Darius' facE darkened. He OPenEd his mOuTh.

J CUt in beFore hE cOUld Speak. "Nobody'S goiNg anywherE. At leaST, not tonIGht. I havE a sparE roOm uPstaIRs. yoU twO cAN stAY oVer, HEad Out in the MoRnIng."

GeOrgiA STARted To sHake Her heAd. "Look, thank yoU, buT I—"

J lOCkeD eyes With hEr. "ThIs House Is protEcted By Strong magic. You'lL be sAfe." She stoOd wItH a gRuNt. "BesIDes, I puT toGetHer a nicE lasagnA JusT bEFORe You showed up. It shoulD bE ABoUt ready. HAd a feeLInG cOMpany migHt Be cOminG."

gEorgiA bliNKeD. "What kinD of feeLInG?"

J Winked. THeN she stArTed AcrOss thE Room. "kitcheN's this waY. I'll sHOw you where you cAN wash up."

† † †

The lasAGnA WAs DElicIouS. At least, he aSsumED it wAs, frOM tHe wAY GeorGia waS sCArFIng it down. Darius bareLy Tasted It.

The Three of them haD somehow sqUEEZed arounD the SMaLL table in the kitChen. THe place hadN'T changed At all. same cheeRy sunflowER-Print walLpaPer, SamE deNTEd Sink, same stainED LinoLeUm floorS. He Traced a GroOve In tHe tAbLe beside hIs plate; a TeStAmEnT to The coUNtless kiDs Who HaD wrItten PApers aNd worKed oUt MaTH prOblems hERe.

hOMe. At LeAsT, the CloSeSt thiNg to ONe hE could rEmember.

DaRiuS PickEd Up His fork And stabbed halFhEartedly at ThE laSagna. WAS It just hiM, or did the street outside sOUnd too qUieT? Not tHat tHis area usUalLy got pArtICularlY loud. STill, hE cOulDN'T shakE THe FeeLiNg that someONE—or SometHiNg—waS out theRe. The back of his neck PRicKled. Darius shoOk
. "In that case, I shouldleave. I'm  prob abl y p ut ting  you  in danger jus t  bybeing here." She looke d fro mJ  toD ar ius."This e n ti r e  ca se  h asbe e na shi t-s hoot fr om day one . M ay be it's time yo u and I ca lle d it a day." 

" Like h el l." Dariu s'eyesflashe d . "Thi s doesn't  c h ange a n ything. " 
" This  changes everythi n g! "  Georgia hesit ated,th e nr e ste d a  hand on t op  of h i s. "Com e  o n , D.A  hellhound? I  don't know ifyou've  h ear d  the s torie s, but  I have. Yo u ne ed to get  as fa r  away f r om me a s youcan , a nd y o une edto sta y  t her e ."
Darius'  f ac e dar kene d . H e op ene d hi s mou th.

J cut in  be fore hecould  spea k. " No body' s goin g any wh ere. At least,nottonight.I h av e a  s parer oom up sta irs . You t wo cans tay  o v e r ,head out in the mo rn i n g. "

Georg ia sta r te dt o shakehe r h ead. " Look,  tha n kyou, but  I—"
J  l oc ked eye swith h er . " Thi s hou s e is  prote cted bystron g  magic. You'll be safe." She st o o dw itha g runt. "Besi des, I pu t to g et her a nic e las ag n aj ust before you show ed  up. I t sho uld be aboutready. Had a feelingcomp a ny might be comin g."
Georgia bl i nked. "W hat k ind of f eeling?"J  winked.  Th enshe  st a r te d across ther o om."K itchen' s t his way . I 'll  sh owyo u where y ou can w as hup ." 

†  † †The lasa gn a w as  de licio u s. Atleast , he  a ss u med  it was ,  f r o m th ewa y Ge org ia  wasscar f ing  it dow n. Darius  ba r elyta st ed it.
The three of  t hem had so me how  squee z e d around  the small table in the kitchen . T he pl acehadn't ch ang ed atall .  Samecheery  sunf lo wer - p rintw a ll pap er , same den t e d s ink,sa me s tainedlinoleum floors. H e  tr aced a groove  in  the t ab leb es i dehi s  pl a t e; a testamentto the cou nt l es s kids who had  w rittenpapersand w o rked ou t math pr oblems he re .

H o m e.At least,the clos est thing to on e  h e cou ldrememb er .
Dariu s pick e d u p his  forkan d stab bed h al fhearted ly at the lasagna. Wasit jus t him , o r did the  st r eet  outsidesoun d too quie t?Not  that  th i s are a us u al lyg ot pa rtic u larly lou d .Sti l l ,he couldn't s h ake  thefee l ing th at s omeone—or somethi n g—was out ther e. T h e  ba cko f hi sneck prickled.  Da ri u s  shook
. "In_that case,_I should leave. I'm_probably putting_you_in danger_just_by being here."_She looked from_J to Darius. "This_entire case has_been_a shit-shoot from day one. Maybe it's time you and I called it a_day."

"Like_hell." Darius'_eyes_flashed._"This doesn't change anything."

"This changes_everything!" Georgia hesitated, then rested_a hand_on top of his. "Come on, D. A_hellhound?_I don't know_if you've heard the stories, but I have. You_need to get as far away_from me as_you_can,_and you need to_stay there."

Darius' face darkened. He opened_his mouth.

J cut in before he_could speak. "Nobody's going anywhere. At least,_not tonight. I have a spare_room upstairs. You two can_stay over,_head out in the morning."

Georgia_started to shake_her head._"Look, thank you,_but I—"

J locked eyes with her._"This house is_protected by strong magic. You'll be_safe."_She stood with_a_grunt._"Besides, I_put together a_nice_lasagna just_before_you showed up. It should be_about_ready. Had a feeling company might be_coming."

Georgia blinked. "What kind_of_feeling?"

J winked. Then she_started across the room. "Kitchen's_this way. I'll show you where_you can_wash up."

†_† †

The lasagna was delicious. At least, he assumed it was,_from the way Georgia was scarfing_it down. Darius barely_tasted it.

The_three_of them had_somehow_squeezed around_the small table in the kitchen. The_place hadn't_changed at all. Same cheery sunflower-print_wallpaper, same dented sink,_same_stained linoleum floors. He traced a_groove in the table beside his_plate; a testament to the_countless_kids_who had written papers and_worked out math problems here.

Home. At_least, the closest_thing to one he could remember.

Darius picked_up_his fork and stabbed halfheartedly at_the_lasagna. Was it just him, or_did_the_street outside sound too quiet?_Not that this area usually got_particularly loud. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that_someone—or something—was out_there. The back of his_neck_prickled._Darius shook