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A part of Slade was tempted to stay there on that distant rooftop all night watching Eli and his girlfriend make love; she hated herself enough to witness it all.

But what was the point?

Just moments ago, she'd awoken in that bedroom with no recollection of how she'd gotten there and no feeling beyond guilt and regret. It was her choice to leave despite Eli's semi-coherent pleas for her to stay. It had also been her choice to use Eli's phone and text his girlfriend to come there to take care of him. They'd gotten drunk and made a mistake—a dumb mistake.

Werewolf men deserved werewolf women.

Leave the wolves be. Just go home, a voice in Slade's head said. This might be the only thing you've ever done right. He's a distraction. You have bigger responsibilities. Remember that.

"Shut. Up."

Letting out a sigh, she turned and made her way to the fire escape. She had to get home before morning.

A taxi zipped past, flashing a bumper sticker of a red X over an exaggerated image of a vampire.

"Ha. Jokes on you, asshole. Ain't got no money for a cab so you wouldn't have to refuse me anyway." Slade squinted as she memorized the plate number. "Giving you a nice service review, you prick."

Night and day; the city never slept. It hadn't in the Time of Man either, though they pretended it did. Now, at dusk, her time, the faint chill of autumn hung on the breeze. That was meaningless but the rough cobblestones under her feet told her just how old and worn these boots were. She was still unaccustomed to poverty—ten years in.

By the time she reached the bus station, she'd written a dissertation on her phone reviewing that crummy cab driver. "And he even touched my beard. I was very hurt." She deleted the last word and kept on, "I was very offended. Sincerely yours.... Very offended dwarf."

(Continue this excerpt of the first chapter in the book "The Aftermath" ) Link in the comment →

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