“Tessa said she and Arnie can escort us to give everyone else a break, but only pack members who live in the packhouse, okay? If we leave the packhouse, we have to have extra security. Even if it is just the houses down the street,” Bronx lectures me after making a few phone calls.

 

“T'll take it. We can get everyone else tomorrow in the dining room,” I smile and throw my arms around his waist before I run on my toes to the shower to get myself ready for the day. I turn on the water in the shower and get undressed, take off all my jewelry, including my lavish, trackable, diamond dog collar, and place it all in the little velvet lined dish on the countertop. Oh sorry, I meant to say, the beautiful diamond necklace my husband had custom made, using the latest nanotechnology, so he could know where I am every second of every day.

 

I step into the shower and start washing my hair. As I'm massaging the shampoo into my hair, I hear Bronx call me.

 

“Baby? Did you take your necklace off? I got an alert,” he calls into the bathroom.

“Yeah,” I holler back over the noise of the shower, “I have to wash my hair. I didn’t want it to get full of conditioner. It's on the tray on the bathroom counter.”

 

“Okay, just checking,” he says before I hear the bathroom door close, "Please don't forget to put it on when you're done."

 

"No problem, Sweetheart,” I call back sweetly.

 

“Lex, how long was that?”

 

“Ninety-seven seconds. I thought it would be faster. Better give us a buffer, just in case” she advises.

 

“Yeah. That’s a good call. Ten seconds?” Inod and pout my lip as! rinse out the shampoo.

 

“I haven't been out in for a long time. I'm itching to go. Ten seconds is way more than enough. We just have to shift quickly.”

 

“Okay. You're not exaggerating, right? If you tell me ten seconds, I'm giving you ten seconds.”

 

“I can make it eight if you want,” she snarks back.

 

“Fine. Ten. You don't have to be a little bitch about it,” I huff at her.

 

“You don't have to be a little bitch,” she mimics in a mocking tone. I roll my eyes and cut off our connection before she makes me mad.

 

I rub the conditioner into my hair and pile it on top of my head. I close my eyes and think outside of my body, “ Leticia, are you there?”

 

Kas! Is it time?” Leticia asks

 

take notes. I will recite

 

it! You behave now, Kas. I only have two eyeballs left since you told me not to kill Bronx or Jasen,” she warns, but sounds more like she’s reciting the safety instructions airline stewards give before the flight takes

 

changes her voice to sound like a moaning ghost with a giggle, “T'll be

 

head at her, “I'll see you tonight

 

Love you, Leticia.”

 

as I pull myself back

 

necklace and a string bracelet with some of Leticia’s hair braided into it. I recite an incantation as I slide my fingers over the bracelet. It glows purple for a moment, and the vision in my left eye goes blurry. I blink hard a few times to adjust to the sensation of seeing double and look in the mirror. The dark circles under my eyes are more pronounced than they have been before, making my skin look pale. I haven’t weighed myself,

 

left eye looks bloodshot from the spell, which doesn't help my appearance any, but I know it will fade soon. I hide the bracelet under my sleeve and head out to meet Bronx so we can

 

Bronx asks when I meet him by the door. He takes

 

my eye. Lex is already healing it. It

 

take her hand when we

They get to work moving in and out of the apartment, stacking boxes onto a cart while I speak

 

how are you feeling?” she

 

Thank you for asking. And how have you been? Bronx said you have been working closely with the team. Oh, would you like a cupcake?” I open the

 

I’m done with escort duty,” she smiles, holding

“Suit yourself,” I shrug.

 

your eye okay?” She leans down and points to

 

wave her off, “Shampoo in my

 

We will start on the second floor, then go down to the

 

hospital wing?” I ask

 

we can come

 

Let's go,” I sing with a broad grin. Bronx lets me walk beside Tessa so she and I can chat. She tells me how much she enjoys being here at Blood River and is grateful that we are going to let her live out the rest of her lifetime here. She doesn't

she definitely seems more relaxed

 

people are not home, so we leave the boxes in front of their doors to make sure they don’t

 

suites. I was hoping to apologize

 

make our way to the main floor, handing boxes to pack members who are working and then to the kitchens, where Mrs. Miller engulfs me into a powerful hug and hug. Tessa stiffens when she

 

isn't anyone just milling around because of the security protocols in place, so we can make quick work of handing out goodies. Arnie opens

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