<strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;">The Roads Heading East toward Devil Bat Cave</span></strong><br/><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;">November 11, 2010 (still night but very early AM)</span></strong><br/><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span></strong><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;">As Fate, Alice, and Mark headed east out of town toward Devil Bat Cave the rain seemed to slacken slightly. It was just thin enough that Mark had time to toss on the brakes, which were luckily dry, in time to avoid sending a huge torrent of muddy rainwater splashing up onto an individual whose ancient VW appeared to be stalled out on the side of the road. A soaked, hooded figure sat hunched on the hood.</span><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;">Mark looked around quizzically at the car’s occupants and asked, “Do we want to offer her a ride or something? I mean Huffy’s is only like a tenth of the mile down the road, but . . . well, what do you girls want?”</span><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><br/><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;">Exterior of Cobb’s Theater</span></strong><br/><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;">Cape</span></strong><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"> Merrin</span></strong><br/><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;">November 11, 2010 (still night but very early AM)</span></strong><br/><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span></strong><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;">The rat stood up on his hind legs and sniffed the air around the girl as she approached closer. Inwardly Silas was torn. Destroying the grub had been a painful and nasty affair that had left him injured and too weak to heal himself. He had looked for the shy boy he had bumped into earlier in the evening, hoping the boy would have the book. Silas could show him the words, the page, but once he shifted again into his human form, he wouldn’t have the strength to live long, not even Augustus would be able to help him in the city proper. To make matters worse, Silas could smell the death emanating from the young woman who had suddenly appeared before both himself and Reggy. He worried. He knew his blood, even the most minute amount, because it was the blood of a shifter would call to this creature—and unlike Ludolf, Silas didn’t know if he could be trusted. The rat busied itself trying to find a way into or under the poncho. Silas was desperate to find the book, desperate to be alone with Reggy, desperate to stem the flow of blood from his side. </span>