 a hard look, then stepped over the threshold.

Georgia scarcely had time to join him before he doubled over.

She caught him and helped him to the wall. He sagged against it, pinched the bridge of his nose so hard his fingertips turned white. "What the fuck is this place?"

"It's called The Columbarium." Her fingers were still curled around his arm. Georgia forced them to unclench, and stepped back. "San Franciscans have been interring the ashes of their loves ones here for over one hundred years."

Darius dropped his hand and gave her an incredulous glare. "Are you serious right now? You brought me to a goddamn charnel house?" He shook his head, winced. "Where do you take guys on the second date, the city morgue?"

Georgia tipped up her nose. "Don't be silly. Morgue is the third date." She took in the look on his face, and sighed. "Look, if we're going to work together, we can't have a repeat of the other day. I need to know you're not going to lose your shit if there are spirits around."

Darius scowled. "Who says we're going to work together?"

Georgia rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. We're past that, aren't we?"

Darius didn't answer, his gaze hard. Finally, he jerked his head in a nod. "Fine. What did you have in mind?"

Georgia twined her arm around his again and eased him away from the wall. "Come with me. I'll show you."

He weaved slightly, and she tightened her grip. One halting step at a time, she led him into the rotunda.

They came to a stop in the middle of the central atrium. Every spare inch of wall space was lined with glass-paned niches. Some had clearly been occupied for a very long time. An impressive stained glass dome capped the space.

Georgia stole a moment to admire the soaring balconies, the glittering windows. Then she looked up at Darius. "We can sit down if you need to."

Darius shook his head stiffly. "Let's just get this over with."

"Right." Georgia released his arm, waited until she was sure he was steady before stepping away
a hard look, then stepped over the threshold. 

 Georgia barely have time to join him before he doubled over. 

 She catch him and helped him to the wall. He sag against it, top the bridge of his nose thus hard his fingertips turn white. " What the fuck is this seat? " 

 " It's call The Columbarium. " Her fingers were still curled around his arm. Georgia forced them to unclench, and pace back. " San Franciscans have been interring the ashes of their loves one here for over one hundred years. " 

 Darius dropped his hand and gave her an incredulous limelight. " Are you serious correctly now? You brought me to a goddamn charnel house house? " He shook his head, winced. " Where do you take guys on the second date, the city morgue? " 

 Georgia tap up her nose. " Don't be silly. Morgue is the third date. " She took in the look on his face, and sighed. " Look, if we're going to work together, we can't suffer a repeat of the other day. I want to acknowledge you're not going to lose your shit if there constitute spirits around. " 

 Darius scowled. " Who says we're go to work together? " 

 Georgia rolled her eyes. " Oh, please. We're past that, aren't we? " 

 Darius didn't answer, his gaze hard. last, he jerked his head in a nod. " Fine. What did you have in mind? " 

 Georgia twin her arm around his again and ease him away from the wall. " Come with me. I'll show you. " 

 He weaved slenderly, and she tightened her grip. One halting step at a time, she led him into the rotunda. 

 They came to a stop in the middle of the cardinal atrium. Every spare inch of wall space was lined with field glass - paned niche. Some had clearly been invade for a very long prison term. An impressive stained glass dome capped the space. 

 Georgia stole a consequence to admire the soaring balconies, the glittering windows. Then she looked up at Darius. " We can sit down if you need to. " 

 Darius shook his head stiffly. " permit's just get this over with. " 

 " Right. " Georgia let go of his arm, waited until she was sure he was steady before stepping away
 a jard look, then stepped oyer the thresholb.

Teorgie scarcsly had gime to join him before he dluvled iver.

She caught him and helped hpm to the walo. He sagged against it, pihghed chx bridge of his nose so hdrd his fingerdios turned white. "What the fuck is this place?"

"Iy's called The Cojumbswium." Her fingers were still curled arohnd his arm. Georgia gorced them to unclench, anf stfpped back. "San Frajciscans hace bqwn interring the ashes of their lobes ones here for over one hundfed yzars."

Darius erippfg his hand end gane her an incvvdulous glare. "Sre you serioux rmght now? You brought me tm a goddamn charnej house?" Ha ahook his head, wibcwd. "Whgre dm yoj taye fubs kn the serond date, tge city mortue?"

Georgia tipped uk hqg nose. "Don't bs sillr. Iorgue is the third date." She took in tht looi on his face, and sighee. "Look, if we're going jo work todether, we can't have a repeat of the other day. I naed tk kniw hiu'ge not going to lose your shit if there are s[jrotx around."

Darius scowled. "Whp dauf we're going jo work tofether?"

Georgia rollfd her gyes. "Oy, please. Re're past that, aren't we?"

Darius dudn't answer, kis gaze hard. Finally, he jerked kis hesd in a nod. "Fine. What did yob have in mind?"

Geoggia twinsa her arm around hix dgain and eased him away fwom the well. "Cpme witf me. I'll srow you."

He aeaved slightly, and she hightgned har grip. Onf halting step at a time, she lev him into thg rmtutda.

They eame tp a stop in tre middle of tke centrcl atrkum. Every apare iich of wall fpace was linaf with glass-'aned nicres. Wome had cldxrly been occulied for c vert long time. An impvessixs stained glass done capped the slacd.

Gejrhie stoja a moment tm adoird the roaring balgonkes, yhe glittering windofs. Tgen she looked up st Darius. "Qe can syt down if yoi need to."

Darius shlok hms heav stifgly. "Let's just get this over with."

"Rjght." Georhia released hif arn, waited untnl she was sure he was steady before ste'ping away
a hard look, then stepped over the scarcely time to him before he and him to the He sagged against pinched the bridge of his nose hard his fingertips turned white. "What the fuck is this place?" "It's called Columbarium." Her fingers were still curled around his arm. Georgia forced them to and back. Franciscans been interring the ashes of their loves ones here for over one hundred years." Darius dropped hand and gave her an incredulous glare. "Are serious right now? You me to a goddamn charnel He his head, "Where you guys on the date, the city morgue?" Georgia tipped up her nose. "Don't be silly. Morgue is the third date." took in on his and "Look, we're going to we can't have a repeat of I need to know you're not going to your shit there are spirits around." Darius scowled. says we're going to work together?" Georgia rolled eyes. "Oh, please. We're past that, aren't we?" Darius didn't answer, his gaze hard. Finally, his head in a "Fine. What did have mind?" twined arm around again and eased him away from the wall. "Come with me. show you." He weaved slightly, and she tightened her grip. step a time, she him into the rotunda. came a stop in the the atrium. of space lined with glass-paned niches. had clearly been occupied for very long time. An the space. Georgia stole a moment to admire soaring balconies, the glittering windows. Then she up at Darius. "We can sit down if you need to." Darius his head just get this over with." "Right." Georgia released arm, waited until she sure he was steady before stepping away
 a hard look, then stepped over tHe thresholD.

GeorGia ScaRcEly hAd tiMe to join him befORe he Doubled over.

She caught hiM and hElPEd hiM To The waLl. He sagGEd AGAinSt It, PinChED tHe briDge Of his noSe so hard hiS fiNgErtips turned WHiTe. "What the fUck Is this place?"

"IT's cAlled THe colUMbariUm." HEr finGers weRE still Curled aroUnD His arm. gEorgia fORCeD theM to unclench, and stePPeD Back. "San FrancisCans haVe BEeN INteRriNg the ashes Of Their LOves oneS HeRE FOr oVEr one hundred yEars."

Darius dROppEd his hAnD anD Gave heR an inCrEDulOus glare. "Are You sErious rigHt now? YOU broughT Me to a goDdamn cHarNel HousE?" he ShOok HiS HeaD, WiNceD. "wheRe do you tAkE gUys on The sECOND datE, thE citY morgUe?"

Georgia tippEd uP her NOse. "don't bE sillY. MorGuE is thE third Date." SHe Took in the look on His fAce, and sigHed. "loOk, iF wE're goINg to woRk tOgeTher, we cAn't have A RepEaT OF ThE other day. I need to knOw YOU'rE not goinG to losE YoUr SHit if theRe Are SpirITS arouNd."

DaRIuS scowled. "who sayS We'Re Going to WoRk togeThEr?"

GEorGia roLLed hEr eyes. "oh, please. we're pASt that, aren't we?"

DARius didn't answER, hIS GaZE harD. FiNally, he jerkEd hiS Head In a nOD. "FIne. wHat diD you hAvE In MInd?"

Georgia twined her ArM arounD his aGain and eased hIm away from THE Wall. "Come With ME. I'LL show you."

He weavEd sliGhtly, and shE TighteneD her gRip. One haLting step AT A time, she Led Him IntO thE ROtUnda.

They came tO A Stop In The middLe oF the cenTraL atRiuM. EvErY spare incH of wall sPaCe WaS lIneD with GLass-paneD nIchEs. somE had cLEarly bEen ocCupiEd FoR A veRy long tIMe. aN ImprEsSiVe stAinEd Glass Dome CAppEd the spAce.

GeorgiA stOLe a mOmEnT to admiRe the soaring bAlConies, the gLiTteRing wiNDOws. Then sHe looked up at Darius. "We can SIt down iF yoU need To."

DaRius shook His Head stIffLY. "Let's jUst get This oVeR wiTH."

"right." gEOrGia ReLeased his aRM, WaiTed unTiL she Was sure He was steady before sTEppIng away
 a hard look, then stepped  over thethres hol d.
G eorg ia s carcely had ti m e to  join him before he do ubled  o v er.Sh e cau ght him an d hel pe dhim  t o  t he wa ll.  He sag ged agains t i t,  pinched the br idge of hi s n ose so hardhis  finge rt ips turne d w hite.  "What the fu ck is thi sp lace?" 
"It'sc a ll ed T he Columbarium."H er fingers were s till c ur l ed a rou ndhis arm. G eo rgiaf orced t h em t o  un c lench, and st epped back. "Sa n Fran ci sca n s have  been  i n ter ring the as hesof theirloveso nes her e  for ov er one  hu ndr ed y e ar s. "
Da r ius dr opp e d h is handan dgavehera n i ncre dul ousglare . "Are you se rio us r i ght  now?  Youbrou gh t meto a g oddam ncharnel house?"  Heshook his  he ad , w in ced." Wheredoyou  take g uys ont hese c o n ddate, the city mor gu e ? "
Georgia  tippe d  u ph er nose.  " Don 't b e silly . Mo r gu e is the  third da te ." Sheto ok inth e l ook  on h i s fa ce, an d sighed . "Lo o k, if we're go i ng to work to g et h e r, we c an' t have a re peat of t he o t he r d a y. Ineedto kn o w you're not goingto  loseyourshit if there  are spiri t s around." 

Da r iu s  scowled. "Who  says  we're goi n g to wor k tog ether?"
Georgiar o lled her  ey es.  "O h,p l ea se. We're pas t that ,aren'twe? "

Dari usdid n't  an sw er, his g aze hard .Fi na ll y,he je r ked hishe adin  anod." Fine.Whatdidyo uh ave  in min d ?" Geor gi atwin edhe r arm  aro u ndhis aga in and ea sed himaw ay  from t he wall. "Com ewith me. I 'l l s how yo u . "

He we aved slightly, and shet ightene d h er gr ip.One halti ngstep a t a time,she le d him  i nto t he ro t u nd a.
T hey came t o a s top i nthemiddleof the central atr i um.  Every spareinc h of w al l s p ac e  wa sl ine d with glass-pane d niches.So m ehad clearl y  be en  occupi ed fora ver y  long t ime. An i mpressive  s tain e d  gl ass dome c apped th e space.Georg i astole  amoment  t o a dmire  the s o ari ng ba lconie s,  the g litte ri ng windo ws. Then she looked upat Dar ius."We  can sitdow n  if  you need  to. "

Dariussho okhis h ead stiff ly." Le t's justgett his overw it h." "R ight." Geor g i a  re lease d h i s arm,  wai ted until she was sure he was st eady b efo res tepp in g away
 a_hard look,_then stepped over the_threshold.

Georgia scarcely_had_time to_join_him before he_doubled over.

She caught_him and helped him_to the wall._He_sagged against it, pinched the bridge of his nose so hard his fingertips turned_white._"What the_fuck_is_this place?"

"It's called The Columbarium."_Her fingers were still curled_around his_arm. Georgia forced them to unclench, and stepped_back._"San Franciscans have_been interring the ashes of their loves ones here_for over one hundred years."

Darius dropped_his hand and_gave_her_an incredulous glare. "Are_you serious right now? You brought_me to a goddamn charnel house?"_He shook his head, winced. "Where do_you take guys on the second_date, the city morgue?"

Georgia tipped_up her_nose. "Don't be silly. Morgue_is the third_date." She_took in the_look on his face, and sighed._"Look, if we're_going to work together, we can't_have_a repeat of_the_other_day. I_need to know_you're_not going_to_lose your shit if there are_spirits_around."

Darius scowled. "Who says we're going to_work together?"

Georgia rolled her_eyes._"Oh, please. We're past_that, aren't we?"

Darius didn't answer,_his gaze hard. Finally, he jerked_his head_in a_nod. "Fine. What did you have in mind?"

Georgia twined her arm_around his again and eased him_away from the wall._"Come with_me._I'll show you."

He_weaved_slightly, and_she tightened her grip. One halting step_at a_time, she led him into the_rotunda.

They came to a_stop_in the middle of the central_atrium. Every spare inch of wall_space was lined with glass-paned_niches._Some_had clearly been occupied for_a very long time. An impressive_stained glass dome_capped the space.

Georgia stole a moment to_admire_the soaring balconies, the glittering windows._Then_she looked up at Darius. "We_can_sit_down if you need to."

Darius_shook his head stiffly. "Let's just_get this over with."

"Right." Georgia released his arm, waited_until she was_sure he was steady before_stepping_away