Victoria　would　have　gotten　me　by　now。　Well；　if　it

weren't　for　Jake　and　his

friends；　Laurent　would　have　gotten　me　before　she　could；　I　guess；　so—〃

〃Victoria？〃　she　hissed。　〃Laurent？〃

I　nodded；　a　teensy　bit　alarmed　by　the　expression　in　her　black　eyes。　I　pointed

at　my　chest。　〃Danger

magnet；　remember？〃

She　shook　her　head　again。　〃Tell　me　everything—start　at　the　beginning。〃

I　glossed　over　the　beginning；　skipping　the　motorcycles　and　the　voices；　but

telling　her　everything　else　right

up　to　today's　misadventure。　Alice　didn't　like　my　thin　explanation　about

boredom　and　the　cliffs；　so　I

hurried　on　to　the　strange　flame　I'd　seen　on　the　water　and　what　I　thought　it

meant。　Her　eyes　narrowed

almost　to　slits　at　that　part。　It　was　strange　to　see　her　look　so　so　dangerous

—like　a　vampire。　I

swallowed　hard　and　went　on　with　the　rest　about　Harry。

She　listened　to　my　story　without　interrupting。　Occasionally；　she　would　shake

her　head；　and　the　crease　in

her　forehead　deepened　until　it　looked　like　it　was　carved　permanently　into　the

marble　of　her　skin。　She

didn't　speak　and；　finally；　I　fell　quiet；　struck　again　by　the　borrowed　grief　at

Harry's　passing。　I　thought　of

Charlie；　he　would　be　home　soon。　What　condition　would　he　be　in？

〃Our　leaving　didn't　do　you　any　good　at　all；　did　it？〃　Alice　murmured。

I　laughed　once—it　was　a　slightly　hysterical　sound。　〃That　was　never　the　point；

though；　was　it？　It's　not　like

you　left　for　my　benefit。〃

Alice　scowled　at　the　floor　for　a　moment。　〃Well　I　guess　I　acted　impulsively

today。　I　prob