er'

skirt. Deondre stood a dozen yards off, his pressed uniform like a clean flag planted in the waste. Bra

both hands hovering in the air. "You scared me t

Wastes, cheap tobacco, and the rotting sweetness

her and sa

and the blood on my knees. He stood three

" His voice was a military r

nd calculation. This man had promised to protect

ion." I said it one word at a time. "While you were standing here cover

ed. "What kind of

on," Brandee cut in, her voice soft as sy

ell this on you,

le smirk was well buried. Not well enough.

ressed a hand to her chest, and her eyes w

Or longer. I'd told myself all I had to do was be obedient. Aunt Martha said the cerem

rd me. "Get in the car.

pped

e patience he'd been pretending was finally

need yo

ou

up at his throat, the tip still carrying rogue blood. De

d find out how fast sil

ce, one inch at a time, and something underneath it show. C

th every step. Behind me, the Langley convoy started its e

ate had come up at the end of the road. The iron gate stood open, the ga

collarbone burned, once. Faint

and looked back. The highw

kind of quiet that had been held down all day. Everyone was there. My father by the fireplace, Agath

lammed shu