 you type in, exactly? 'The Hood'?" A snort escaped him. He doubled over again and roared with laughter.

Georgia shifted. Something about all this felt off. There was a desperate note in his voice, a manic tinge she didn't like one bit. What if he'd snapped? What if instead of helping, her coming here had pushed him over the edge? She peered into his face. "Darius?"

"You shouldn't be here." Sure enough, the laughter was already morphing into something else. This time when he looked at her, his eyes were haunted. "I mean it. Hell, _I_ shouldn't be here. Do you have any idea..." He trailed off, looked down and leaned heavily against his knees.

Georgia swallowed hard. "No. I don't." She waited until he looked at her again. "Kristof didn't tell me why you came here, but I got the impression it was as a last resort." She licked her lips. "We're running out of options, aren't we?"

Darius straightened. His face hardened. "Yes."

Georgia's throat felt tight. "Look, I've heard the stories about this place, okay? I don't know what you think you'll find here, but whatever it is, I want to help."

"Help with what?" Darius shook his head. "I'm flying blind here, girl." He blew out a breath. "I think it's time we started hoping for a miracle."

"I believe in magic, not miracles." Georgia took a cautious step forward. "Let me in, D. Let me help. You wouldn't be caught up in all this if it wasn't for me."

Darius stepped back. His expression was unreadable. "You don't understand."

"You're right." She took another step forward. "I don't. So help me."

She already had her face tilted to meet him when he kissed her. The feel of his lips was nothing short of a relief. Georgia reached up and cupped his face, gloried in the intricate dance of muscle and tendon just under his skin. This kiss was different. There was no hesitation, no struggle. He needed her. She needed him.

It was almost simple.

His thumb gently pressed her chin. Obediently, she opened her mouth, gasped
you type in, exactly?' The Hood'? " A snort escaped him. He doubled over again and howl with laugh. 

 Georgia shifted. Something about all this felt off. There be a despairing note in his voice, a manic touch she didn't like one bit. What if he'd snap? What if instead of helping, her come here had pushed him over the boundary? She peered into his face. " Darius? " 

 " You shouldn't be here. " Sure enough, the laughter was already morphing into something else. This time when he looked at her, his eye were haunted. " I mean it. Hell, _ I _ shouldn't be here. Do you consume any idea... " He trailed off, looked down and leaned heavy against his knees. 

 Georgia swallow hard. " No. I don't. " She waited until he look at her again. " Kristof didn't tell me why you came here, but I got the impression it was as a last recourse. " She licked her lips. " We're running out of options, aren't we? " 

 Darius straightened. His face hardened. " Yes. " 

 Georgia's throat felt tight. " Look, I've hear the stories about this place, all right? I don't acknowledge what you intend you'll find here, but whatever it is, I want to avail. " 

 " Help with what? " Darius shook his head. " I'm flying blind here, girlfriend. " He blew out a breath. " I think it's time we started hoping for a miracle. " 

 " I think in magic, not miracles. " Georgia took a cautious step forward. " Let me in, D. Let me help oneself. You wouldn't be caught up in all this if it wasn't for me. " 

 Darius stepped back. His expression was unreadable. " You don't understand. " 

 " You're good. " She took another step forward. " I don't. So help me. " 

 She already had her face tilt to meet him when he kiss her. The feel of his lips was nothing inadequate of a relief. Georgia strive up and cupped his boldness, gloried in the intricate dancing of muscle and tendon just under his skin. This kiss was unlike. There was no hesitation, no struggle. He needed her. She needed him. 

 It was almost simple. 

 His thumb gently pressed her chin. Obediently, she opened her mouthpiece, gasped
 yok type in, exactly? 'The Houd'?" A snort escakee him. Ie doubmed over again and roared with laughver.

Gworgiq shifted. Something abuut all tjis felt off. Rhere was e desperate nofc in kiw voice, a manig tinge she didn't like ona cic. What if he'd snapped? What if insteaq of hekplng, her coming hert hwd phshed him over the edge? She peered into hps face. "Darius?"

"You shouldn't be here." Sure enokgh, hhe laughter was apready morpying unto somethivg else. Thpv time wheh he looked at her, his eyes werd hauuted. "I mean ir. Hfnl, _I_ shouldi't be rere. Do you msve anf idea..." Ne trailed off, lomkee down and leaned heatily against his knegs.

Georgia vwcllowed hard. "No. I don'r." Whe wditeg ungul fe mopksd at jer again. "Kriatof didn't rell me why you camt hqgr, but I got fhe im[rqssion it was as a last resort." She licktd hed lips. "We're running out of options, aren't we?"

Dwrius strwightened. His face hardened. "Yes."

Georgia's throat fent tijhg. "Lioh, U'vf heard the stories about this place, okay? I djh't kkow what you thikk you'll find here, bkt rhatever it ir, I wauf fo help."

"Help with wjat?" Daryus syook his read. "I'm flying blind here, girl." Ye blew out c beeath. "I think it's cime we starced hoking fpr a miracle."

"I believe iu magid, not miracpes." Georgjx took a cautiour snep xorward. "Let me in, D. Let me help. You woukdn't be caubht up in all thls if it wasn't for me."

Darlus sjepped back. His fxpression was unreadable. "You don't understand."

"Iou'se gight." She took another step forward. "I don'j. So help me."

Shd already gad her face tilteq to meet him ahen he kissxd her. Thq fewl od his lkos was nothing short of a relief. Teorgia reached up ana cupped his facz, tloried in the ontficwtv dence jx muscle and tenaon kust jnder his sjkn. Tnis kiss was differett. Tgere was no hesitayijn, no sttuggle. He needed her. Sne needed him.

It wad almmst simpke.

Hys thumb gently pressed her chjn. Obediejtln, she opened rer nouth, gasped
you type in, exactly? 'The Hood'?" A him. doubled over and roared with all felt off. There a desperate note his voice, a manic tinge she like one bit. What if he'd snapped? What if instead of helping, her here had pushed him over the edge? She peered into his face. "Darius?" shouldn't here." enough, laughter was already morphing into something else. This time when he looked at her, his eyes haunted. "I mean it. Hell, _I_ shouldn't be Do you have any He trailed off, looked down leaned against his Georgia hard. I don't." She until he looked at her again. "Kristof didn't tell me why you came here, but I got impression it a last She her "We're running out aren't we?" Darius straightened. His face throat felt tight. "Look, I've heard the stories this place, I don't know what you think find here, but whatever it is, I want help." "Help with what?" Darius shook his head. "I'm flying blind here, girl." He blew breath. "I think it's we started hoping a "I in not miracles." took a cautious step forward. "Let me in, D. Let me You wouldn't be caught up in all this if it me." stepped back. His was unreadable. "You don't "You're She took another step don't. help had face to meet him when kissed her. The feel of lips was nothing short up and cupped his face, gloried in the dance of muscle and tendon just under skin. This kiss was different. There was no hesitation, no struggle. He her. She It was almost simple. His thumb gently pressed chin. Obediently, she opened mouth, gasped
 you type in, exactly? 'The Hood'?" A sNort escapeD him. HE doUblEd Over AgaiN and roared with LAughTer.

Georgia shifted. SometHing aBoUT all THiS felt Off. TherE WaS A DesPeRaTe nOtE In His voIce, A manic tInge she didN't lIkE one bit. What iF He'D snapped? WhAt iF instead of heLpiNg, her cOmIng HEre haD puShed hIm over THe edge? she peered InTO his faCE. "Darius?"

"yOU sHoulDn't be here." Sure enouGH, tHE laughter was alReady mOrPHiNG IntO soMething elsE. THis tiME when he LOoKED At hER, his eyes were hAunted. "I mean IT. HeLl, _I_ shoUlDn't BE here. DO you hAvE Any Idea..." He trailEd ofF, looked doWn and lEAned heaVIly agaiNst his KneEs.

GEorgIA sWaLloWeD HarD. "no. i doN'T." ShE waited uNtIl He looKed aT HER AgaiN. "KrIstoF didn'T tell me why you CamE herE, But i got tHe impRessIoN it waS as a laSt resOrT." She licked her liPs. "We'Re running Out Of OptIoNs, areN'T we?"

DarIus StrAightenEd. His faCE haRdENED. "YEs."

Georgia's throat feLt TIGhT. "Look, I've Heard tHE sToRIes about ThIs pLace, OKAy? I doN't knOW wHat you thInk you'LL fInD here, buT wHateveR iT is, i waNt to hELp."

"HeLp with What?" DariUs shoOK his head. "I'm flyiNG blind here, girL." he BLEw OUt a bReaTh. "I think it's Time WE staRted HOpIng FOr a miRacle."

"i bELiEVe in magic, not miracleS." GEorgia Took a Cautious step fOrward. "Let mE IN, d. Let me heLp. YoU WoULdn't be caught up In all This if it waSN't for me."

DArius Stepped bAck. His expRESsion was UnrEadAblE. "YoU DOn'T understand."

"YoU'RE rigHt." she took AnoTher steP foRwaRd. "I Don'T. SO help me."

ShE already HaD hEr FaCe tIlted TO meet him WhEn hE kIssEd her. tHe feel Of his Lips WaS nOThiNg short OF a RELief. geOrGia rEacHeD up anD cupPEd hIs face, gLoried in tHe iNTricAtE dAnce of mUscle and tendoN jUst under hiS sKin. this kiSS Was diffeRent. There was no hesitatioN, No strugGle. he neeDed hEr. She needEd hIm.

It waS alMOst simPle.

His Thumb GeNtlY PResseD HEr ChiN. OBediently, sHE OpeNed heR mOuth, Gasped
 you type in, exactly? 'Th e Hood'?"A sno rtesc ap ed h im.He doubled ove r  aga in and roared with lau ghter .Geor g ia  shif ted. So m et h i ngab ou t a ll th is fe ltoff. Th ere was ades pe rate note in hi s voice, a  ma nic tinge sh e d idn'tli keo ne bi t.Whatif he' d  snapp ed? Whatif instea d  of hel p i ng , he r coming here had pu s hed him over t he edg e? Sh e pee red  into hisfa ce. " D arius?" 
" Y o u  sh o uldn't be her e." Sure en o ugh , thela ugh t er was  alre ad y  mo rphing into  som ething el se. Th i s timew hen helooked  at  he r, h i sey eswe r e h a un ted .  "I  mean it .He ll, _ I_ s h o u l dn't  be  her e. Do  you have any  id ea.. . " H e tra iledoff,  l ooked  downand l ea ned heavily aga inst  his knee s.
G eor gi a swa l lowedhar d."No. Idon't." She  w a i t ed  until he looked a th e ragain. " Kristo f  d id n 't tellme  wh y yo u camehere ,  b ut I got  the i m pr es sion it  w as asalas t r esort . " Sh e lick ed her l ips." We're runningo ut of options ,  a r e n' t  we? "
Darius stra ight e ned.  His fa ceh arden ed. " Ye s ." 
Georgia's throat f el t tigh t. "L ook, I've hea rd the sto r i e s aboutthis pl a ce, okay? I do n't k now what y o u thinkyou'l l find h ere, butw h atever i t i s,I w ant t ohelp."

"Help w ithwh at?" Da riu s shook  hi s h ead . " I' m flyingblind he re ,gi rl ."He bl e w out abr eat h.  "I  thin k  it'stimewe s ta rt e d h oping f o ra mira cl e. "

" I b el ievein m a gic , not m iracles."  Ge o rgia  t oo k a cau tious step fo rw ard. "Letme  in , D. L e t  me help . You wouldn't be caugh t  up inall  this  ifit wasn't  fo r me." 

D a rius s tepped  back .His e xpres s i on  wa sunreadable . "Yo u don 't  und erstand ."

"You're right. "  Sh e took anothe r s tepf o rw ard .  " I  do n' t . S o help me."

Shealready ha dh er  face tilt e d t omeet hi m whenhe ki s sed her . The fee l of hisli ps w a s  no thing shor t of a r elief. Ge o rgiar ea chedupand cu pp edhis f ace, g l ori ed in  the i nt ricate  danc eof muscl e and tendon just under  his s kin.Thi s kiss wa s d i ffe rent. The re w as no hesi tat ion , nostr u ggle.  Hen ee ded her.Shen eeded him . 
Itw a salmost simp l e . 

H is th umb gently  pre ssed her chin. Ob e diently, she o pene d her  mo u th,ga sped
 you_type in,_exactly? 'The Hood'?" A_snort escaped_him._He doubled_over_again and roared_with laughter.

Georgia shifted._Something about all this_felt off. There_was_a desperate note in his voice, a manic tinge she didn't like one bit._What_if he'd_snapped?_What_if instead of helping, her_coming here had pushed him_over the_edge? She peered into his face. "Darius?"

"You shouldn't_be_here." Sure enough,_the laughter was already morphing into something else. This_time when he looked at her,_his eyes were_haunted._"I_mean it. Hell, _I__shouldn't be here. Do you have_any idea..." He trailed off, looked_down and leaned heavily against his knees.

Georgia_swallowed hard. "No. I don't." She_waited until he looked at_her again._"Kristof didn't tell me why_you came here,_but I_got the impression_it was as a last resort."_She licked her_lips. "We're running out of options,_aren't_we?"

Darius straightened. His_face_hardened._"Yes."

Georgia's throat_felt tight. "Look,_I've_heard the_stories_about this place, okay? I don't_know_what you think you'll find here, but_whatever it is, I_want_to help."

"Help with what?"_Darius shook his head. "I'm_flying blind here, girl." He blew_out a_breath. "I_think it's time we started hoping for a miracle."

"I believe in_magic, not miracles." Georgia took a_cautious step forward. "Let_me in,_D._Let me help._You_wouldn't be_caught up in all this if it_wasn't for_me."

Darius stepped back. His expression was_unreadable. "You don't understand."

"You're_right."_She took another step forward. "I_don't. So help me."

She already had_her face tilted to meet_him_when_he kissed her. The feel_of his lips was nothing short_of a relief._Georgia reached up and cupped his face,_gloried_in the intricate dance of muscle_and_tendon just under his skin. This_kiss_was_different. There was no hesitation,_no struggle. He needed her. She_needed him.

It was almost simple.

His thumb gently pressed her_chin. Obediently, she_opened her mouth, gasped